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the-blind-assassin-12 · 2 years

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Bare Branches

June Drabbles 2022 Day 29 - Birch Trees

A/N: I have been wanting to challenge myself to write a drabble a day for a whole month for quite some time now, and I finally decided to just go for it. The goal is to fill every prompt on this list by @creativepromptsforwriting with a short one shot (500 - 2k words) by the end of June. Can I do it? I do not know. But let’s find out! - Listen, I am well aware that it is the end of August and I am still here posting these, but after this one there are only two more and despite failing dismally to complete them all within the month of June, as well as keeping them all under 2k, I will not fall short of completing them if it’s the last thing I do. Anywho - this one falls into the A Clumsy Romance universe, and yes, I do intend to write about what happened in that hotel room on their trip back to Buenos Aires. ;)

Word Count: 2,166

Warnings: brief mention of sex, some mild angst

Summary: Ten years is a long time.

It was early October when you bought the house that brought you and Nico back together.

How could I not?

Fate typically didn’t knock twice, but for the two of you it seemed to be pounding at the door, and at this point it felt rude not to answer. Since you were legitimately in the market for a new place when you’d pulled up to find him standing out in front after having just finished touring it himself, it was practically a done deal before you’d even set foot inside.

Once he admitted that he had returned to Buenos Aires like you had both planned to do, once you glanced down at his left hand and saw that there was no band on his ring finger, once you threw caution to the wind and your arms around his neck to kiss him like you’d wanted to for a decade, you knew that you couldn’t - wouldn’t - let someone else call the place home. Just the thought of other lives being lived out within those rooms was enough to twist your heart. The concept of other bodies casting shadows on the walls felt wrong, the idea that the bird who belonged to no one would be fed slices of fruit from anyone else but you or Nico just as off putting. The house had hosted other occupants before you, and it would certainly do the same after you were gone. But there it stood, ready to become your home at the precise moment that the man you’d started to think had been a mirage stepped back into your life. The decision to buy the house didn’t even feel like a decision.

How could you not? Especially after he had confessed to thinking of you as he made his way through the halls and up the stairs, as he turned the faucets and lay on the floor and imagined the shelves in the library full of books belonging to both of you.

I couldn’t.

The sale was finalized shortly after your return from Argentina, a fact that only made the last minute trip feel more like an extended dream than it already did. For the first time not only were the two of you going to be living in the same city, but since your reunion in the driveway you’d spent only a handful of nights not sleeping in the same bed - the two immediately after running into him again, and a scattered eight or nine others that you hadn’t spent in his arms.

There had been a second bed in the hotel room on the trip, Nico sheepishly smiling with a small shrug and telling you that he didn’t want to make assumptions. But after ten years of nothing but wanting and wondering, for the five days that you were there neither of you had even acknowledged it as more than a suitcase rack. Instead, you tumbled onto the same mattress and tangled yourselves under the covers. You’d shared skin along with sheets, finally learning his body with your touch, letting him navigate yours as well, and when the sky outside your window was sprinkled full of stars you couldn’t see beyond the rose colored tint of neon lights, you learned what it was to share sleep with each other. To let your breathing find rhythm with his, to feel his arm grow heavier around your waist, to let your cheek sink into the pillow with his chest at your back and his lips so close to your ear. And even as it happened, even as you were aware of how easy it would be to become used to it, accustomed to it - dependent on it - you gave in and let it happen, falling asleep with a smile on your face.

How the hell could I not?

It was mid-November when you realized that falling - plunging - for Nico was never really a decision, either. And it terrified you.

One night, 3,562 nights ago. That’s what all of it was built on, and it scared you, how precarious it was. How novel and shiny and fragile it was. It scared the shit out of you to think about what ten years really meant and if any of what you knew about him was still true, or if you still lived up to the memory of you that he held for all that time. The trees outside your living room window had just a few golden leaves still clinging to their branches. Soon they wouldn’t look anything like their Spring selves, all green and full of life. Soon they’d be stripped of all their finery and laid bare for what they were. It scared you to think that soon Nico would have that same perspective of you.

And it scared you to know how hopeful you were that it wouldn’t matter.

You’d spent the weeks since he’d been back in your life catching each other up on things. The highs and lows. One Saturday afternoon you’d told him you’d spent a year engaged to another man, but that you’d broken things off, breaking his heart when you’d returned the ring he’d given you. You knew your admission would open the door for him to tell you about any relationships he’d been in, and though you didn’t want to think about him with anyone else, you were unprepared for how hard it hit you when he said that outside of a few short lived flings and quick burning flames, there had never been anyone he’d considered creating a life with.

That had been the first thing you noticed that was different from the Nico that you strolled Calle Corrientes with all those years ago. You had been the one to say that you weren’t sure where you stood on marriage or long term commitment of any kind. He had been the one focused on the potential merits of spending your life with someone that you knew, someone that you enjoyed, that you wanted around even when you were angry at them. It was something that he had seemed to want then, and you wondered what had caused the change. It almost saddened you, even though it would have meant that he wouldn’t be there with you now, standing in front of the plate glass that looked out into the yard, his bare feet just a few inches from your socked ones, his left arm curling around your body as he rested his chin over your shoulder.

“I never proposed to anyone,” he mused. “How did your ex fiancé do it?” His tone was casual and calm, warm and soft and you had no idea how he expected you to talk about the way another man had asked you to marry him when he’d just told you that there’d been no one in his life that he’d wanted to ask the same question of.

“Why not, Nico?” Tears were sliding silently down your cheeks but you didn’t lift your fingers to your face to wipe them away. Instead you watched them fall in the reflection of the window you stood in front of. The trees on the other side of the glass - a cluster of paper birches, their bark peeling away in curling sheets - faded as your focus shifted to where his image appeared in the window next to yours, and the first thoughts that came were of how else he had changed.

His cheeks are fuller now. His beard is…

You blinked to free another droplet from your lashes, licking the salt from your lips as it rolled onto them. The patches of skin that you remembered kissing flaky empanada crumbs from were still there, never grown over. But the soft hair that edged the places where his flesh peeked through had started to go gray, and you realized then that your tears weren’t really coming out of fear or anything so predictable. They were falling for the moments that you missed with him. For the silver streaks of time across his beard and scattered over the crown of his head. For the way his frame had filled out in places, grown softer in others. For the divots and creases cut into his expression from worry and laughter and stress and things you weren’t there to see change the man that you met in Buenos Aires ten years ago into the man standing just behind you now. You mourned those lost moments as much as you celebrated the possibility of being there for future ones.

I’ll be there for as many as I can. As many as he wants to share with me.

But you still needed to know, needed to hear the answer to your question from him. So as he turned a few degrees, his eyes leaving the reflection of yours in the window to land instead on your salt stained cheeks, you asked again. “Why didn’t you ever try to-” You sniffed, finally thumbing away the wetness from your face and looking up at him. “To find someone?”

“I did.” Your heart clenched as his thumb came slowly up to swipe away a spot you’d missed, his fingertips brushing the curve of your jaw. What? You shook your head as his free hand came up to cradle the other side of your face. If he did, then- “I did try. For a while.” He sighed, his entire chest rising and sinking with the emptying of his lungs. “But no matter how long I was with any of them… a month… half a dozen months… a year?” His eyebrows came together as he spoke your name, his hands dropping down, one to your shoulder and the other to your wrist. “I never felt anything with any of them that even came close to what I felt from the one night we had together. Never.”

It was why you’d ended things with Martin. He was sweet and funny and he treated you like you were the only person he saw when he looked at you. He got along with your friends and he fit well in your life. He even knew about Nico and never seemed jealous of the connection you’d made with him. He would have been a good husband

But in the entire time you were together he never stirred your thoughts and shocked your soul the way that Nico had in just those brief hours when your paths intersected and cut straight through one another’s hearts. “I never have either.” Your voice was thin, but you’d stopped crying and it took you a moment to realize that was because he was holding you.

“I know.” You felt the tip of his nose drag against your temple as he pressed you closer. “For a long time I told myself it wasn’t real. Couldn’t be real. What we had that night.” His hands swept slowly up and down your back as he shifted so that you both could still look out at the trees as he continued. “Because if I never found anything that came close, then it must not have been real. It must have been fantasy.

You’d lost count of how many times you’d told yourself - unconvincingly - the same thing.

“But I decided it didn’t matter.” He squeezed you tighter as he inhaled, and you felt his breath fan out against your scalp as he let it out slowly. “I remember everything about the way I felt that night.” Your name left his lips and you peeled yourself away from his broad chest to peer up at him. “Everything. And unless I could have exactly that feeling with someone else, it wasn’t worth settling for anything less.”

“Nico…”

The bird squawked from the dining room then, and though you felt close to tears again the two of you just laughed. “No name’s hungry,” he said, leaning in to kiss the corner of your eye. “Is there fruit in the refrigerator?”

When late December rolled around and the birches had long since lost their golden halos, the snow covering the piles of paper bark and their thin limbs stretched naked towards the white sky, you realized that the reason that neither of you had ever fallen in love was because both of you had already dove in head first ten years ago. You knew he would eventually do something to make you upset. That you’d inevitably say the wrong thing and get under his skin. You knew you’d learn things about him that you didn’t want to hear, that you’d have to tell him things he wouldn’t want to know. But it wouldn’t matter, because it was still you, and it was still him. He had chosen you and you had done the same with him.

How…

He came in through the patio doors with snow in his hair and a few logs in his arms, carrying them upstairs to build a fire in the new fireplace he’d talked you into adding to the library.

How could I not?

Thank you for reading! If you would like to be added to or removed from the tags for this or any of my stories, please feel free to let me know by sending a message or filling out the form on my masterlist!

tags: @something-tofightfor @littlemisspascal @alraedesigns @lowlights @writeforfandoms @nuttyenthusiastdetective @its-mochi-boba-tea-blr @harriedandharassed @swtaura @practicalghost @trickstersp8 @princessxkenobi @imtryingmybeskar @mswarriorbabe80 @theredwritingwitch

#nico (house comes with a bird)#nico x female reader #nico x you #nico x reader #pedrostories #house comes with a bird fic #a clumsy romance #pedro pascal character fics #pedro pascal character #june drabbles 2022 #(yes i know it is august lol)#day 29 - birch trees

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demivampirew · 4 years

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The American

Napoleon Solo x OFC (Carmen Martínez)

Triggers: talking about coup d'état (no descriptions of violence, though), talking about sex (no descriptions/ no smut); the death of a friend.

A/N: I talked a bit about the Argentinian history. I think I did a decent job with what I remember from one of my classes from college 😁 There’s some Spanish, but everything is translated, so don’t worry if you don’t speak Spanish.

You can find more of my writings in the Masterlist

Tag list: @lunedelorient @henrythickcavill @wolvesandhoundshowltogether @mary-ann84 @desperate-and-broken @peakygroupie @summersong69 @ivvitm1109 @madbaddic7ed @iloveyouyen @the-soot-sprite @hell1129-blog @whyyoudothistomecavill @thetaoofzoe @thereisa8ella @darkbooksarwin

Date: March, 1962

Place: Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The handsome man smiled at the waitress when she brought the black coffee he requested moments before.

“Muchísimas gracias, señorita.” (Thank you so much, miss) he said with a big smile on his face.

“No tiene nada que agradecer, señor. Por favor, hágame saber si necesita otra cosa.” (No need to thank me, sir. Please let me know if you need anything else) she replied very politely.

“De hecho, hay algo más que necesitaría que haga por mi.” (In fact, there’s something else I would need you to do for me) he prompted as a devilishly smirk appeared on his face. “¿Podría darme su número telefónico?” (Could you give me your phone number?) he finished asking and the young woman got really nervous.

“She can’t give you her number, she’s married to the asshole looking at you from inside the Coffee place and he’s going to beat her if he finds out you’re flirting with her.” The man heard a female voice explained and he looked to the other table placed on the outside of the store and there was a woman in her late twenties/ early thirties sitting there, drinking coffee. This woman gave a slight nod to the waitress and she smiled at her and the gentleman and ran back inside.

He looked at his coffee for a second, lost in his thoughts and then grabbed the cup and went to sit next to the lady. She rolled her eyes but said nothing. There was a minute of silence in which the handsome stranger took a sip of his hot beverage and then he spoke:

“How did you know that I spoke English?” he asked, amused and curious.

“Being an American, I would be surprised if you didn’t,” she replied while she continued to read the newspaper she had on her hands.

“And how did you arrive to the conclusion that I’m an American?”

“Two things: A) your clothing. You’re wearing a suit and the fabric is quite expensive. Here, with the economic state of the country, only extremely rich men could afford a suit like that. B) Earlier, when you got here you saw two foreigners argue in English and you said to the waitress “ja, americanos” (Ha, Americans) while laughing at their behaviour.

“And how is that proof that I’m American?” he questioned while raising an eyebrow.

The woman looked at him smirking, very amused by the situation.

“You would never hear a local call someone from the United States Americano (American)” she stated.

“Why not?” he was surprised and confused.

“Because we’re taught in school that America is a continent, not a country. So for us you are Americans, but so are we, because we live in the American continent, darling,” she explained.

“Hu, I didn’t see that coming” he replied amused by the new information he learned and her deductive skills. She could easily be a spy if she wanted to.

“Jack Deveny” he said as extended his hand.

“Carmen Martínez” she replied while shaking his hand.

“What a pretty name.”

“Thanks, yours is very pretty too, Mr. Solo” she said in a soft voice, making sure no one heard her say that name.

Napoleon froze. His eyes were wide open. How did she know that name? What else did she know about him? Not very often it would happen, something that would catch him by surprise.

“H-how…” he started asking but she interrupted him.

“I constantly check the list of people coming to this country and their backgrounds.” she began to explain “I saw that a man by the name of Jack Deveny was coming to the country for vacation purposes and it caught my attention. You’ll see, “Mr. Deveny”, we haven’t had many American visitors in the last couple of years due to our tense political climate. Only people dealing with business or political related issues to attend would come to Argentina. So, whenever I see someone from the United States or Europe coming here, I follow them to see what they’re up to.”

“And what am I up to, Mrs. Martínez? Is that even your real name?” he asked and she smirked.

“Your orders were to find out if the rumours about Fidel Castro coming once more to Argentina to talk to the President were true; that’s what the papers you left on your hotel room said. You know, for a spy you’re terrible at hiding important documents. I would work on fixing that, sir.” she shrugged and giggled. “And believe it or not, yes, that’s my real name.”

“Hu. You criticized me for not hiding my secret and you’re out there giving away your real name,” he said amused and, to be honest, a bit offended.

“That’s because I’m here to have an honest conversation with you and I think for that to happen there should be no covers here.”

“What do you want to talk about?”

“Your boss is fucking you,” she said, lowering her voice.

“Pardon me?”

“They lied to you. They send you here not to spy on Castro, because they know he’s not coming here any time soon, but because they know a coup d'état is about to happen and they want someone from their team to witness it and to find out who’s going to take charge after President Frondizi is forced to resign and how that will affect your country.” she explained to him. “And I say they’re fucking you because they made you believe this was an easy mission but they did not inform you properly about the political and social state were currently living.”

“Ok. Would you care to do what they failed to do?” he requested.

“What do you know about my country's politics?”

“Not much, to be honest. I know your president has tried to keep a good relationship with America but he also supported the Cuban Revolution, which tensed up a bit the relationship with my country.” Napoleon replied.

“Well, trying to play both teams it’s something he not only did with the USA and Cuba. What do you know about former president Perón?” Carmen inquired.

“Military man. Help create the syndicates. Big, big following.”

“He has a big, big group of enemies as well.” the woman told him. “The social politics that he applied while in office made a lot of people who saw themselves affected by his rulings hate him and do everything in their power to move him for his charge. He helped with the creation of syndicates and other groups that fought for the rights of workers, but some of the leaders of those groups became powerful men that had their own following and some anarchist groups were born. Those groups were extremely protective of Perón and his politics and would even go violent if they felt they needed to protect those beliefs. After he was forced to resign a year before he could finish his second term, a decree was passed that forced syndicates to cease activities and practice any worship of Perón and his politics.” she paused for a moment and continued, “When Frondizi was campaigning for the presidency after democracy was once again installed, he made a no so secret pact with the former president, promising him that if he convinced his followers to vote for him, he would reinstall syndicate activities and the practice of his political beliefs. The thing is that Perón kept his part of the deal but the president did not. He did allow syndicates to resume activities, but the ban against him continued. And later on, his support for the Cuban Revolution really put the conservative military leaders against him. His constant desire to have the support of both sides made him lose all his allies. As far as I know, in a few weeks or maybe just days, the military is going to take charge once more.” she finished and sighed.

“I’m sorry,” said Napoleon. He could feel her distress.

“You need to leave, Solo, before things get dangerous. And nor the rebels or the military like people from your country,” she warned him.

Carmen took some money from her purse and put it under the cup’s plate. She stood up and walked away. Napoleon followed her with his eyes until he saw her disappear.

For the next few days, Napoleon tried hard to find things about her but he couldn’t. She told him that was her real name but he started to have doubts about it. But she was right about the nature of his mission: after their encounter, he talked to his boss and he admitted that he was there as a witness and to collect information about the political state of the country. She was right about the hate of people like him, the rich-looking Americans. He got his ass kicked by a group of anarchists -he could have protected himself, but he tried to keep the appearances up so showing his fighting abilities wasn’t the smart thing to do, he would have given himself up.

The coup d'état happened two weeks after their encounter, on March 28th. Napoleon was already back in America at that time. He was supposed to stay longer, but he made the mistake of taking a married woman to bed and his husband was a high ranked officer on the military who threatened to kill him if he didn’t get out of the country. Solo wasn’t the kind of agent that failed on his missions so this was a first for him, or at least that’s what he thought. Thanks to a folder he found among his work archives, that contained all the information about the previous government and the military group that was going to take charge, he was able to leave with his reputation intact and nobody found out about his mistake.

Now he was safe back at his house, resting before his next mission was assigned, but he couldn’t stop thinking about her, Carmen: Was she safe? Would he ever see her again? He thought that was improbable, but he wished he could see her at least one more time; he needed the change to thank her for the folder.

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After the success of the first mission of his new team U.N.C.L.E, Napoleon decided to take a much-deserved break. He went to Saint-Tropez hoping to meet some beautiful women, have some drinks, party and relax.

The sun was shining bright. Solo grabbed two cold drinks and walked towards a woman who was laying on the beach all by herself.

“I hope you put on sunscreen lotion, don’t want to burn that beautiful skin of yours,” he said with a smooth voice while looking at the sun. “Drin…” he turned to look at her, offering the glass on his hand when he abruptly stopped, surprised by what his eyes were seeing.

It was her.

“Carmen.” he said, almost whispering.

“Hello, Napoleon. It’s nice to see you again.” she greeted him and accepted the drink he brought her.

“Are you still following me?” he asked, smiling and raising an eyebrow.

“Ha! You wished” she replied laughing, amused.

Napoleon joined her laugh and sat next to her. They shared a moment of silence, enjoying the view and the noises provided by the water dancing around and some birds singing.

“I’m glad to see that you’re ok,” he said, breaking the silence.

“Me too. I’m glad to see that you’re still in one piece, American” Carmen added and made him laugh.

“How’s everything in your country? I’ve heard that you got a new president...Arturo something.”

“Illia. Yes. Humble and trustworthy guy. Most people like him, the military not so much; he’s too liberal for their taste.” she explained. There was a bit of bitterness on her voice.

“You think there’s going to be another coup d'état?” he asked, worried.

She was looking at the sun. She nodded and sighed.

“That’s why I left. I didn’t work for the government. I belonged to a group of men and women who worked from the shadows trying to help the country. We didn’t follow any particular political view, we just wanted to create a country with freedom of speech, with equal rights for everyone and where no one had to be afraid, but that’s hard to achieve. One of our men died and everyone got scared. Most of the members of our secret society fled to other countries, seeking asylum before their families got hurt. Me, I wanted to keep going, but I couldn’t do that alone, so I moved to the States and joined a group of strong women who are fighting for equality. I think there I could be really helpful.” she finished.

They looked at each other for a moment. Napoleon smiled at her and they remained in silence, enjoying the beautiful view.

After about twenty minutes of silence, the handsome man spoke once more.

“I never got the chance to thank you for helping me; you truly saved me.”

“You’re welcome. I hope that taught you a lesson about the downside of being a womanizer.

“ she said and he shrugged. Carmen rolled her eyes as she smiled.

“Would you like to have dinner with me tonight?” Napoleon asked suddenly.

“You’re not getting into my pants, mister? she replied.

“What about your heart?” he prompted, smirking. She couldn’t help herself but smile. No one can resist his charm.

#henry cavill #napoleon solo #napoleon solo x ofc #tmfu #the man from uncle #the man from uncle fanfic #napoleon solo fanfic #demivampirew

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miss-choco-chips · 4 years

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Soul Shards: what if...

...Tim gets a snarky sidekick who strong arms him into being a better person; it takes a little longer than if Damian did it, but Thea has her own way of doing things, and hers don’t involve trickery.

Or; The tale of soulless Tim and the little girl

(Alternative ending to the soul shards au, for those who don’t like the damitim... or the angst; that’s why Tim gets older here)

(Tim might be ooc, because he’s Soulless!Tim. Chaotic neutral at best. Be aware of that before reading)

Having no soul was great. Really, he should have gotten rid of that useless thing years ago. Why did it take him so long? The freedom, both to go wherever he wanted and to operate as he wished without those pesky morals weightening him down. It was like being a swimmer for years wearing a lead vest, and then getting rid of it. The speed? The newfound flexibility? The ability to swim just a little lower than he ever dared and explore new depths of himself, sure in the knowledge that nothing could drag him completely under water, even if the price was that he wouldn't be going back to shore ever again?

It was a cheap price, for such a wonderful treasure.

If only his body wasn’t so fucking annoying.

The little girl in front of him had been crying for like half an hour, no signs of stopping. And Fucking Batman had conditioned him to the point where he was physically unable to leave a distressed child behind.

-Please, sir, don’t leave me alone!

Fucking hell- The police will be here soon, they’ll take care of everything.

The crying intensified.

Damn.

-What if I walk you all the way to the station?

More crying.

-Your parents? You have those, right? I could take you home, just give me five minutes to figure out where do you live…

Shit, was that snot? His hand twitches and then thrusts forward, impulsively using the sleeve to clean her face. Disgusting.

-What do you want from me? -he ends up asking, close to feeling as distressed as she was out of sheer exasperation.

That seemed to put a halt to the water fest.

-I d-on’t have a family -her pouting mouth trembled, and instinct drove his arm around her shoulders, desperately trying to prevent her from crying again; he was aware his stupid, overly conditioned body wouldn't allow him to walk away from this child if she continued like this- Don’t want to go to orphanage or streets! -she wailed again at the end of the sentence, speech notably deteriorating in her anguish.

Was there a way to tell her ‘I don’t care’ without making her even sadder? Before someone came along and found him?

Tim could hear the police sirens coming closer, attracted to their location by the high wall of flames eating up at the warehouse. He had spent a good chunk of the night dismantling this human trafficking ring, deeply rooted in Greece but with smaller bases all over Europe, taking care to evac both the unconscious thugs and the victims before blowing it all to hell. It was hard as fuck, specially considering he couldn’t let anyone get a good look at his face, least they gave the authorities a good enough description of him to warrant the Bat’s attention.

This little girl was not only making him lose time, she was also threatening the secret of his existence both by keeping him on a spot where he could be easily seen, and by making him stay still long enough to see his face perfectly. Sure, such a small kid wouldn't be able to give a very good description, but any risk, small as it was, was more than he wanted to deal with.

Fuck it all to hell. He was tired. Figuring it all in the morning made perfect sense.

-If I take you with me, will you stop crying?

A hiccup and a nod was all he needed to take the girl in his arms and disappear into the night.

----.----

-What about a church? Children think churches are safe places, right? -he asks her over breakfast a few hours later. He was also sure there were thousands of those in Italy, which was his next destination, so he could very well drop her there.

The little girl looked up at him from under her lashes, light green eyes squinting in distaste and a little sadness she was forcing herself to hide- I don’t like churches. Mama… -she swallowed hard, which Tim feared would bring tears later on- mama used to say people trust churches too much, without… uhm, ‘reasons’, she said. And that I shouldn't trust anyone I haven’t met.

Grateful she was doing an effort not to cry, he didn’t push. The last thing he needed was the eight year old remembering her late mother and crying again.

Mathea, eight years old. Kidnapped from the city of Seres in Greece, where her mother had moved them both a month ago with hopes for a better life after leaving her abusive marriage behind. No other relatives, and he couldn't drop the child with a violent father. No doubt some internalized trauma after seeing her mother being murdered trying to keep her from being kidnapped, and the subsequently time in capture, waiting with other children at the warehouse for their fates to arrive. Except it had been derailed by Tim’s intervention.

He never regretted his body’s dependence on doing good like now. He couldn't leave the girl just anywhere unless she agreed, which didn’t seem to be an option right now.

-What I do is dangerous -he told her, one last attempt at scaring her- I hurt people that hurt others. I travel a lot. You’d be better off at an orphanage or something, living with other children and going to class.

She looked at him with far too intelligent eyes- You could teach me. ‘seem more smart than any teacher.

-Smarter -he corrected, hating that he was proving her point- I’m not a good teacher. I don’t have patience for it.

-I don’t think there’s a’ything you’re bad at. And we can learn together.

-I don’t have a soul -he finally threw, almost desperate to scare he away.

She just shrugged- The men who took me an’ hurt mama had one, and they were monsters. I don’t care bout it.

He sighs. His body isn’t rebelling at the idea, and she seems determined. Whatever. He doesn’t care enough to look for the best option for her. She wants to follow him, okay, let her. She’ll give up and ask to leave soon enough.

-.-.-.-.-.-.

-I want a computer -demands Mathea one morning, months into her forceful addition to Tim’s party of one. They are currently in Milan, where he’s taking care of a wayward assassin and she’s using the hotel’s amazing wifi to complete her online class- for my birthday. It’s next week, you know. I’m turning nine.

-I’ll make sure to send you a postal -he replies, hand thrown over his eyes in a futile attempt to sleep. Her nagging grows less adorable and more annoying the older she gets- I’m going to be in Moscu next week. Human experiments I need to stop.

Little less than a year ago, she would have gasped, maybe even cried at the idea. Nowadays, child trafficking seemed the only thing to faze her.

-I��m going to cry.

-It won’t be effective so far away.

She harrumphs. Like a mule, which is how stubborn she could be.

-Yeah, whatever. If you miss my birthday, I’ll be very sad, and make you feel guilty as hell.

-I don’t feel anything.

-Maybe you don’t, but your body will give you hell for me. How does an entire night holding my hand and spoiling me sounds, huh? Cause we both know that’s what is going to happen if you do it.

-Why didn’t I just leave you in the warehouse -he whines, tired. A few hours of sleep, that’s all he’s asking.

A few moments of silence follow his statement, which is suspicious enough for him to remove his arm and open his eyes. She’s never that quiet, unless she’s planning something or…

Yeah, those are tears in her eyes. Fuck.

-You… do you mean it?

A sigh.

-Come here, brat. Of course I didn’t. We both know I can’t do something like that.

She goes willingly, slipping into the mattress by his side and resting her head on his shoulder, cuddling closer like she does when nightmares hound her.

-It’s...it’s going to be my first birthday without mom. I just… don’t want to be alone.

He tries to keep his mouth closed, fighting against the impulse to soothe her. He loses miserably.

-You can come to Russia with me. We can go sightseeing after I’m done with my business and eat out somewhere, as a birthday treat.

Something lightens in her face.

-And my computer?

A sigh- I guess it’d be good to throw the one you have out. To avoid being tracked down, of course. Not because you’re a spoiled brat.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

When Thea arrived to the restaurant, her hair a golden mess and frazzled green eyes, Tim was instantly on high alert.

He had left her by the park with instructions on how to find him, as a lesson on both tracking and independence at navigating the streets. Now he wonders if leaving the ten year old alone in Buenos Aires had been a good idea.

-What happened?

She sat across from him, face instantly relaxing in the comfort and safety he always seemed to bring her.

-Nothing, just… a drunk idiot saying stuff. I lost him a couple streets ago, but…

His back tenses, and he has to consciously refrain from going out on a manhunt. Well, at least now he knows what is he gonna be doing that night when Thea sleeps.

-We are doubling your self defense lessons starting tomorrow.

He might not want her around most of the time, but she was, and that made her his responsibility.

She smiled, bright and relieved, and something twisted in his gut. He didn’t, couldn’t, love her. Not without a soul.

But if he did? Gods, it was already bad enough, how much he liked her, how desperate he was to keep her safe. If he added love to the equation, he would be a total mess.

Being soulless proved, once again, to be the best decision he ever made.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

-Tim. Tim. Tim. Tim. Tim.

-What. The fuck. Do you need. At three in the fucking morning?

-You have to go out and buy me something.

-What the… -a groan as the man sat on the bed, arms behind him holding his tired body- why is the bathroom light on?

Thea clutched the sheets of Tim’s bed tighter, the other hand still on his shoulder where she shook him into wakefulness, but didn’t sit by his side, which spoke for itself.

-Fuck. Don’t tell me…?

-Yeah. Apparently, my time has come. Can you…?

Another groan, this one whinier- I’m going, I’m going. Don’t sit anywhere, I do want my deposit back when we leave this hotel.

-Be fast, then.

Half an hour later, the un-masked vigilante returned, pharmacy bag in hand. Moodily throwing it in her general direction, he face planted his bed.

-There. Painkillers, pads, tampons and chocolate. I’m going back to sleep. And this time, don’t wake me up unless there’s a killer in the room.

-...you mean, besides Pru?

-Shh, you know you aren’t supposed to know about her shadowing us. It makes Ra’s ansty when he knows we know.

-...Aren’t you going to congratulate me or anything? I hear that’s what parents do to their twelve year olds when they go through this for the first time.

-First of all, I’m not your parent, and you are not my twelve year old. You are just a twelve year old that follows me around against my will. Second, I may be soulless, but not heartless enough to tell you to be happy about something that will bring you little else than pain every month for like fifty years. Periods sucks, and so do pregnancies. Why would I congratulate you? Put on a pad and go to bed now. We need to be out of town by eleven tomorrow.

-You are the human version of period cramps.

-Now you can knowledgeably use that phrase. Bet you’re delighted.

-Almost unbearably. Go back to sleep, idiot. I like you better when you’re unconscious.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

-Why can’t I go with you? -She asks, but it sounds more like a tantrum.

-Stop that, you are not nine anymore. And minors are not allowed in that bar.

-So I use my fake id, big deal.

-You are not going there. It’s illegal.

-Excuse me, is this coming from the man who I had to prevent from tattooing “fuck the law” on his right buttcheek that time he got wasted?

-You know damn well I might not follow certain laws, but others are fucking carved into me. Children drinking is one of those things my gut doesn’t want to take part on. You don’t like it, do as other teens and run away.

-Fuck you, you aren’t getting rid of me that easily.

-Then be a good little girl and wait for me at the hotel.

-I’m fifteen!

-You still get tired after two hours of training, and cry whenever you watch Lilo and Stitch.

-Because you are a slave driver! I’ve gotten less hurt in fights against people twice my size than training with you. And excuse me for having a soul, jackass.

-Apology accepted. Put on your pajamas again and go to bed. And by the time I’m back, I want that skirt reduced to ashes.

-What’s wrong with my skirt?

-When you learn how to fight in it without flashing everyone and their mother, or alternatively can fight with it without getting distracted by embarrassment, you can use whatever you want. Until then, there’s your onesie.

-It’s called a kigurumi.

-A grown up onesie, whatever.

-The jerk store called, they’re running out of you.

-I would love to insult you back, but I’m afraid I wouldn’t do as well as nature did.

-I hate you so much.

-Uh huh. Right back at you.

-Ugh. Bring me pizza when you’re done with that gang?

A small smile. A hand messing blond curls up.

-Only if you behave while I’m gone, brat.

-.-.-.-.-.-.

The base was big, and so luxurious. Everyone bowed to her or kept out of her way, which she liked even more. The food was amazing, the teachers provided to her the top of the top, and the library was to die for.

She wasn’t happy Tim was hurt again, but there was no denying the benefits it brought.

-Dude, you have the best sugar daddy ever.

Besides her, getting his own massage, he opened his eyes to glare.

-Ra’s is not my sugar anything. We are merely business partners; as in, I stay out of his business, he provides me with hearty income. You know this already.

Thea shook her head.

-Tim, there’s business deals, and there’s winning and dinning. This man wants a piece of you so badly it's not even funny. Sugar- Daddy.

-How do you even know that term, you’re like twelve.

-Excuse you, I’m fifteen.

-Maybe physically, but you aren’t ever going past the ‘damn brat’ stage until you can go back to sleep after a nightmare without sneaking into my bed.

-Shut up, no one asked. Hey, your sugar daddy offered me a class in stealing, can I take it? He says he has an expert around to give me lessons.

-Go for it, but if it ends up with you trying to touch my stuff, I’m leaving you here.

-.-.-.-.-.-

When Thea is sixteen, Tim turns twenty four, and she decides to give him the gift she has kept under lock and key ever since they met.

She knows about his past, because he never cared enough to hide it. She knows about his friends and family, because Conner keeps showing up, both to stalk Tim and to tell her the wildest stories of their youth. She knows about his soul, because that man, Damian, often takes it out when he visits them, face pained and desperate.

She feels guilty it took her this long. Because all this time, all this years, she had the key to bring their Tim back. She had the answers, the only one with a shot at it.

But she didn’t, because soulless Tim is the one she grew up with. The one who protected her, who carted to her needs and whims. The one who made her feel safe, even after all the cruelness she witnessed following him around.

She loves this Tim. Because this Tim, the one without a soul, loves her as well. It seems impossible, a paradox, but she knows it's true. Knows it with all her heart.

The love, the trust, the certainty of their bond, all are encompassed in the necklace she offers him on his twenty fourth birthday. The silver chain contrasting beautifully with the fluorite looking soul, shaped as a T. For Tim and Thea.

He looks at her, and there’s resignation in his eyes. Not the hate she was expecting.

-If I take this… I’ll feel. I’ll want my soul back. We’d need to go to Gotham for it; no more world trotting, no more ‘us against the world’. Are you sure this is what you want, Thea?

She swallows, hard. She doesn’t want it to end, but the idea of standing between him and his best self is unbearable.

-As long as you take me with you, I don’t care who you are or how do you act. But you can’t leave me behind. I won’t allow it.

He smiles, warm even without his soul, even without hers, and she fears she’s going to lose it the moment his fingers touch the necklace. But she has to do this. He has rescued her, time and time again, since they met so many years ago. He has helped her build herself from the ground, protecting and guiding, and the least she can do in return is help him get himself back.

Even saving him from a soulless existence doesn’t seem enough in comparison to all he’s done for her, reluctant or not, but that’s alright. She has the rest of her life to help her brother be happy.

But she needs to start now.

It must show in her eyes, because his smile becomes softer, an edge she hadn't noticed was there finally removed. The last line of defense gone down.

-You damn brat -he sighs, taking the necklace with shaking fingers, the emotions coursing through him instantly bringing tears to his eyes.

That’s alright too, she’s crying as well.

Because even before he touched the soul, even before he regained the ability to feel… the ‘Damn brat’ sounded heartbreakingly close to ‘I love you’.

There was an unbidden beauty, to being loved by someone without a soul.

-I love you, too. You jackass.

#Tim drake #Soul shards au #my writting #soul shards #red robin #Batfamily Fanfic #soulless tim #Thea Drake #Ra's Al Ghul is a sugar daddy #that's not a tag i ever expected to use #Ra's Al Ghul #putting broken pieces back togheter #Thea was a cute sweet little girl #then she grew up with the most bitter version of Tim #and look at her now #she's gonna kick ass in Gotham let me tell you

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newstfionline · 5 years

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Headlines

Democrats unveil Trump impeachment charges (AP) House Democrats announced two articles of impeachment Tuesday against President Donald Trump--abuse of power and obstruction of Congress--pushing toward historic votes over charges he threatened the integrity of the U.S. election system and endangered national security in his dealings with Ukraine.

US blocks WTO (Reuters) U.S. disruption of the global economic order reaches a major milestone on Tuesday as the World Trade Organization loses its ability to intervene in trade wars, threatening the future of the Geneva-based body. Two years after starting to block appointments, the United States will finally paralyze the WTO’s Appellate Body, which acts as the supreme court for international trade, as two of three members exit and leave it unable to issue rulings.

A dishonest ambassador? (Foreign Policy) Mexico’s ambassador to Argentina, Óscar Valero Recio Becerra, has been recalled from his post after a video appeared to show him shoplifting a book from a Buenos Aires bookstore. Back in Mexico, the career diplomat will be investigated by an ethics committee. The incident could embarrass President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who ran on a promise to boost honesty among public employees.

Chile combs Antarctic for missing plane with 38 aboard (AP) Searchers using planes, ships and satellites were combing Antarctic seas on Tuesday, hunting for a Chilean Air Force transport plane carrying 38 people that vanished en route to a base on the frozen continent. The Air Force said two ships, more than a dozen planes and three satellites were being used in the search.

Argentina’s Peronists return as Fernandez sworn into office (Reuters) Argentina’s Peronist leader Alberto Fernandez was sworn in as president on Tuesday, marking a shift to the left for Latin America’s no. 3 economy.

The man who could beat Boris Johnson (Foreign Policy) British Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is running to replace Johnson in No. 10 Downing Street. But the real threat to Johnson isn’t the Labour leader, it’s 25-year old Ali Milani, who is seeking to oust Johnson from his parliamentary seat in an increasingly diverse and left-leaning West London constituency. While Johnson has never lived in the area and has barely been seen campaigning there, Milani has been based there for years, knows the local issues, and has a strong ground game. The race is surprisingly close. If Milani wins the seat of a serving prime minister, it would be a first in British politics.

French protesters take to streets over pension reform but numbers dwindle (Reuters) Strikes against pension reforms shut schools and caused transport chaos around France on Tuesday, but the number of people taking to the streets dropped by more than half from last week, strengthening President Emmanuel Macron’s hand.

Turkey Hints It Could Bar US From Using Key Air Bases (Reuters) Turkey’s foreign minister suggested Wednesday that the United States could be barred from using two strategic air bases in retaliation to possible U.S. sanctions against his country, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported.

Turkey is resettling refugees in northern Syria (Foreign Policy) Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan appears to be moving forward with his plan to resettle at least one million of the Syrian refugees living in Turkey into a strip of formerly Kurdish-held territory in northeastern Syria, with Turkey already transporting small numbers of Syrians across the border. The movement comes just two months after Turkey launched an offensive against Kurdish fighters, displacing 200,000 people.

Afghan Blasts Kill One, Injure Scores in Attack on Key U.S. Military Base (Reuters) Suicide blasts in Afghanistan killed one person and injured more than 60 in an attack on Wednesday on the United States’ main military base of Bagram that was repulsed after a 30-minute clash, Afghan and NATO officials said.

Suu Kyi Says Genocide Case Brought Against Myanmar ‘Misleading’ (Reuters) Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi said the case brought against her country at the World Court was “incomplete and misleading” as she began her defense to accusations of genocide against the Rohingya Muslim minority on Wednesday.

Israel’s Parliament Begins Voting to Dissolve Itself (AP) The Israeli parliament has begun the process of voting to dissolve the chamber and pave the way to a third election with a year. The parliament passed a preliminary measure to dissolve itself before a midnight deadline expires on Wednesday.

Somalia forces kill 5 rebels who attacked president’s house (AP) Five heavily armed Islamic extremist rebels attacked the presidential palace in Somalia’s capital Tuesday before all were killed by security forces in a shootout that spread from the heavily fortified government complex to a nearby hotel, police said. At least three people were killed in the firefight at the SYL hotel, which lasted about two hours and was marked by sustained gunfire punctuated by grenade blasts, said Ahmed Ali, a Somali police officer. He said 20 others, including government officials, have been rescued from the hotel.

#headlines #news

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thekidultlife · 7 years

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Decadence by Design | The8 Victorian AU

Words: 3626

Genre: Smut with a plot

(A/N: This one is connected to the DK fic Saffron; they’re basically in the same company but this is the darker side of that company lmao Are you guys interested in reading about the other members stories as well? Let us know pls! )

(Just a bit of warning, not every detail in this fic is accurate, sometimes I do it to fit the story but I always try to be as historically correct as possible.)

February 1896

Buenos Aires, Argentina

The pub was unexpectedly filled with lively people tonight as barrels of whiskey and tequila are being consumed by the minute. Men were singing and hollering with ear-knocking noise as hired dancers swayed their bodies sensually according to the strums of the guitar. Yet by the corners of the pub, illuminated only by incandescent bulbs, lie a much quieter spot for those who wish to drink Cuervos in silence. And also for those who wish for secrecy.

“Anything about Lee Chocolates…?”

Despite the dim lighting provided by a poor flickering light bulb, it was easy to discern that the man was stocky, tall and had an unkept beard as he kept on asking in pure Argentinian Spanish. You, on the other hand faced him with your face concealed in a tan colored scarf and as equally suspicious-looking as the other people in that part of the pub. You were glad that there weren’t people near your table—just two other customers who seemed to be minding their own business.

What you didn’t know was that the young Asian man sitting one table away wanted to laugh at your unguardedness. Ever since your conversation began, his ears were trained on your table as he pretended to watch the ice in his glass of brandy melt. If Soonyoung was there to ask what his opinion was, he would’ve told the other guy that he was getting utterly bored. Not because he was just watching his ice until it melts, rather it was because the chase was getting dull.

He saw you lean on closer to your client and whispered. “I heard they’re making a new line using chocolates from Cote D’Ivore.”

Ah yes. The eldest of the young masters had settled in Cote D’Ivore to develop new recipes and cultivate specialty cacaos in the area—well that was what Soonyoung had told him since he was the one in charge for protecting the young master Jihoon and he’d better warn him so that these shady people would never step a foot on Cote D’Ivore.

“You’d have to be more specific than that or you won’t get anything,” the rough voice of the man had woken the Asian man back to the task at hand and heard you replying next.

“I know. Don’t be so impatient,” you said with a glare and threw a kraft colored envelope on the table. “Here’s the map. Now give me the payment.”

Though it wasn’t the best work, it had given you the best income—information-selling, that is. However, you don’t sell just any other information; you were selling information about the international chocolate business. Now that Lee Chocolates had begun revamping its decades long operations, it was one of your bestselling info yet.

You took the small packet handed out to you within seconds and stood up since you had another client right after that. The Asian man waited for the stocky guy to leave before he also stood up and left his table with a grin.

Xu Minghao is out for hunting.

April 1895

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Minghao didn’t expect coffee to look like red berries.

As a person hailed from Fengtian, China, he was more familiar with tea and though he has heard of coffee being imported from Arabia, he has never seen the actual plant. However, as the bodyguard of the youngest Lee sibling, the job offered him the opportunity to learn a lot about chocolates and the ingredients that goes with it.

“Alright, let’s go Minghao!” Chan’s lively voice had him turn around from where he was standing—observing the lush coffee fields before him.

“Has young master sealed the deal already?” he asked as the young man grinned at him and placed an arm over his bodyguard’s shoulder. Even though Minghao was basically Chan’s servant, Chan treated him like he was his best friend.

“It was a great deal! Jihoon would love an additional ingredient to play with,” Chan replied enthusiastically and patted Minghao on the back. “Come on, let’s visit the market and see what they have there!”

Chan’s job in particular was to source out ingredients to make new chocolates with and it was always a dangerous task to take. There were a lot of competitors in the chocolate market and everyone wants to get ahead of the other even if it meant taking the less moral route. Minghao was there to alleviate that sort of problem in Chan’s mind, so he can travel worry-free. Chan has no idea how his bodyguard doubles as an agent in taking down those who leak information about Lee chocolates.

And that was what he was doing that night in a damp alleyway pretending to be beggar.

You were coming down the alley as silently as you could, covered in a long dark trench coat despite the rather humid weather. It was the first time Minghao had seen you physically but knew what you looked like because of the photograph provided by the family’s chief of security Choi Seungcheol and he had finally confirmed that the photo didn’t do you justice by how you seemed like a femme fatale in real life.

“Here’s the recipe for Blended Varietal Truffles with Amaretto,” your voice had his attention back to you again and silently waited for the reply of the person on the other side of the wall which was beyond Minghao’s view.

“Are you sure this is the one by Lee Chocolates?” a man with British accent asked and you nodded.

“You don’t trust me?” you replied but the British man scoffed at you and handed an envelope Minghao assumed was cold cash.

“You better hand me another recipe in six months,” the man demanded.

“Then pay up higher. The company’s being stricter now and it’s getting harder to obtain these things,” you replied with a scowl on your face. “The second Lee son is now managing the company and they have a complete arsenal of countermeasures.”

September 1895

Zurich, Switzerland

Chan had finally finished dealing with the orange liquor suppliers under Jihoon’s request and while Chan was busy with his skiing, Minghao was hanging out at the other part of the resort, eating a frankfurter as he casually eavesdropped once more to your conversation.

“They’re now expanding to exotic recipes, but I got you their truffle machine designs,” you said in a low voice as you handed over a folder.

Minghao had his eyebrows raised at how you were so talented at getting those sort of information. He was sure Yoon Jeonghan, the head for factory management wouldn’t be so happy.

“Good. Here’s the money,” the German replied and handed over his payment which you instantly secured inside your coat.

November 1895

Constantinople, Ottoman Empire

Travelling was one of the many benefits of being Lee Chan’s bodyguard and personal assistant and Minghao could actually decide where they’ll go next since there really wasn’t any system of choosing in the first place. So since he was tracking you down, they went to Constantinople—a place Chan has never set afoot before.

“Wow. Do you see this, Minghao? These are pistachios!” Chan exclaimed excitedly as he handed out a fistful. Minghao took one and saw that it had an beige colored shell with a green nut resting loosely in the inside.

“Go on! Taste it!” Chan urged his rather hesitant bodyguard so he simply removed the shell and place the green nut back on Minghao’s palms. “It tastes great, you know!”

Minghao warily placed it in his mouth and chewed it slowly—savoring the rather distinctive nutty flavor. Nodding his head, Chan grinned at him and continued talking about the pistachio.

“You know, I’ve always been searching for Middle Eastern pistachios! The ones cultivated in the Americas die off easily so we can’t use them as ingredients,” Chan said as he popped another one into his mouth. “Plus, they’re extremely hard to ship since they go on fire so suddenly.”

“They do? Why?” Minghao asked as Chan offered him another handful.

“Dunno. Researchers are still figuring it out,” Chan remarked as he shrugged nonchalantly. “But we better find a way how to get these things into our cargo.”

Later that afternoon, Minghao was enjoying himself with a bag of pistachios as he watched you yet again leak confidential company information. Well, it’s not like it’s not taken care of. There are members of the security department of Lee Chocolates that takes care of the people who bought the information from you and Minghao wasn’t part of it so he simply focused on his job.

“I finally got where they source their macadamia supplies,” you said, sitting on a park bench with an older woman sitting behind you who was smoking.

Oh no. Chan wouldn’t like that. Minghao pondered as he chewed on another nut and saw the smoking woman take a piece of paper which you slid down and gave you your sum of money.

“Excellent. We’re counting on you with the new specialty cacaos,” the woman replied and then stalked off the park as dusk loomed over the streets. Minghao popped the last pistachio in his mouth and went back to the hotel where Chan was deciding which country to go next.

February 1896

Buenos Aires, Argentina

You were actually getting late to an appointment with a client tonight who actually asked for a sampler of the latest pistachio-coffee creation which wasn’t even released on the market yet. You always commended how good the people working in Lee Chocolates are with how they found the ingredients, how they make the recipes, how they market it, how they manage everything so efficiently and how they hide their secrets so well these days. Honestly speaking, you were actually running low on information to sell and was starting to think of switching to another company to infiltrate.

Entering an expensive hotel, you wondered if your client was filthy rich but you only stayed in that state of wondering since the client never gave out his identity, just a place to meet up. You climb the stairs in a hurry and in your coat lie the box of chocolates you were supposed to give. Arriving in front of the designated room, you knocked after taking deep breaths.

“Come in,” a voice answered from behind the door and you walked right in, making sure to lock the door so there wouldn’t be any disturbances.

The room was just like the interior of the hotel—classical European with brown wallpapered walls, light pink sconces and elegant armature made from Argentinian wood. They looked expensive but what looked more expensive was the Asian man with dark brown hair and a tiny smirk on his lips lounging casually on the comfy king sized bed. He was looking at you deviously as soon as you entered the room with his stylish black coat, white button up, and dark wool trousers.

“You’re late,” he said to you in perfect Argentinian Spanish with his rather distinctive voice.

You walked forwards and placed the box of chocolates beside him on the bed in a loud plop. You weren’t really interested in keeping the meet up longer than a few minutes so you simply did your part of the agreement and it was time to do his.

He eyed the box and then back to you—throwing off a knowing smirk. “How can I be sure if you delivered me the right one?”

You raised your brows at him. “You’d better trust me.”

“Or else what?” Minghao grinned and gently opened the wooden box with his deft fingers. “Trust doesn’t grow on trees, love.”

You didn’t reply, instead, you watched him take one of the dome-shaped truffles inside the felt lined box and prodded it on his lips enticingly, gazing at you as if saying, “Would you want a bite?”

Taking a deep breath to forcibly remove yourself from his spellbinding eyes, you shrugged and looked at the porcelain lamp glowing dimly on the nightstand. Minghao was chuckling at your disoriented state and popped everything inside his mouth.

“See? It’s the real deal. It was so hard to get them, so pay up!” you demanded as you hung your coat over your arm yet the man seemed to be taking things leisurely.

“Patience, dear,” he replied, grabbing another piece and stood up. You were surprised how tall he was as he stood before you but what was more surprising was how close he was to your face.

Taking advantage of your shock, he tilted your chin up to meet his eyes and nudged the piece of chocolate to your lips like what he did earlier. He was gazing at you intensely that you were sure you’re gonna melt faster than the truffle on your lips. Unable to resist, you took a small bite out of the chocolate and savored its coffee goodness with the nutty flavor of the pistachio bits.

“It’s delicious, don’t you think?” Minghao suddenly said in a low husky voice which made your stomach go up and down. “Would you let me take a bite too?”

You weren’t given the opportunity to produce a reply, instead, you felt his lips on yours as he swiftly slid his tongue in your mouth, relishing the decadent taste of the chocolate. The suddenness of the situation had stunned you to complete submission and you weren’t able to fight back with how dominant he was holding your waist, pushing you flush against him.

The chocolate had long melted inside your mouth yet Minghao continued to kiss you oh-so-sensually, forgetting about it and simply enjoying how you taste. He had long wanted to do this; probably ever since he had seen your photograph and now, here you were moaning between his arms. It was so good. So, so good. Yet at the same time decadent by nature.

He removed himself from your lips and began attacking your neck—leaving dark marks here and there—but Minghao didn’t care if you’ll see them in the morning. It was a proof of your sin.

“No…wait…” you tried to control the situation but the young man continued nibbling on your skin as if he hadn’t heard you.

“You’re a bad liar,” he whispered against a darkening splotch of skin as you allowed his hands to travel between your legs, noticing how wet you were becoming. “Such a bad, bad liar.”

In your rational mind, you wanted to stop. You don’t just go sleeping with random men who looked utterly delectable as his soft lips suckled on your pulse point, making you groan in pleasure. Yet, you can’t deny it. The man was handsome with his dark hair disheveled by your fingers pulling at them, as he removed your scarf and blouse off of you, as well as your traveling shorts—leaving you on your undergarments which Minghao removed so easily. You were glad you decided not to wear such heavy dresses tonight or you’ll take forever to undress.

Minghao led you to the bed and had you lying on the soft pillows as he hovered above you. You never noticed when he began removing his clothes but now, you saw him only with his black trousers on. Relishing at the sight of his defined muscles, you were yet again mesmerized as the haze of lust clouded your mind. Minghao was looking at you with a grin as he explored your body with his hands.

“Chocolates are well known aphrodisiacs, you know,” muttered close to your ear as he littered more truffles on your chest and stomach.

Your rising body heat and his warm tongue was beginning to melt the chocolates as he kissed and licked your sensitive nipples—ravishing at how the slickness of the liquid chocolate felt on your skin as he groped your breasts. As soon as he was done licking the chocolates off of you, he once again crashed his lips onto yours which had you tasting the remaining chocolate on his tongue.

Breaking off the kiss, you felt him move lower until he began kissing your inner thighs. You were already soaked from the erotic food play from earlier and it just simply made it easier for Minghao to draw slow circles on your clit—turning you into a whimpering mess. Without warning, he slid his a finger into your dripping core that had your back arching in sheer pleasure; moaning out anything you could say. Eventually, he inserted another digit into, then another as you continued to grab on the white sheets until your knuckles were white.

“Please…I’m…close…” you muttered between breathy rasps, begging for him to continue and as soon as Minghao had heard your words, he curled his fingers to reach your sweet spot, making you give out a choked cry.

However, when you were merely a few pumps away from climaxing, the young man had stopped with a low chuckle rumbling from his chest.

“No…please…please…” you whined when he took his fingers out of you and had you suck on them which you gratefully did—swirling your tongue and tasting your juices on his fingers.

“Naughty girls don’t get to come, love. Now come over here and suck me,” he ordered you with so much authority in his voice that you had no choice but to obey obediently.

He was kneeling in front of you with pants open and his cock out of the confined restraints of his underwear as you crawled towards him. But before you could do anything, he prodded your mouth open with his thumb and placed a piece of truffle on your tongue; his eyes glinting in mischievousness as he looked at you below him.

You caught his idea and gradually slipped his cock between your lips. Your tongue twirled around the head as the chocolate began melting in your mouth as he fisted your hair, controlling your movements. Your hand then made its way to the base of his member and pumped the remaining length you couldn’t fit.

Minghao groaned at the sight of you bobbing your head up and down his shaft as the dark stains of chocolate remained on his skin. And when you stared into his eyes with you lips around his cock, Minghao had to bite his lip to stop himself from coming in your mouth. He then forced himself to slip away from you and had you lying back down on the mattress as he spread your legs apart.

“Ready for me, love?”

Even though it was a question, he didn’t need a reply. Minghao rubbed his shaft between your folds just to tease you and when you were beginning to whimper, he finally gave in and pushed his cock into you roughly.

Shocked at the sudden feeling of fullness, you arched your back as you gripped on the sheets for dear life. He was ramming into you with intensity as you cried out incoherent words repeatedly like a mantra. Minghao then shifted his position, grabbing your leg and placing it over his shoulder as he continued to thrust into you relentlessly.

“Y-yes…ah—oh my god,” you cried as a familiar feeling pooled in your stomach. He then reached out for your clit and rubbed it relentlessly; biting his lips to hide a grunt because of how tight you were gripping him.

“Come on, love. Come for me,” Minghao coaxed as he changed angles and pounded right at your sweet spot.

Sound of skin slapping echoed inside the room together with your heavy breaths and loud moans. Minghao was completely enamored with how you looked so utterly fucked out with your tinted cheeks and lidded eyes as he continues to pounded into you until you were crying out; reaching your orgasm. Within a few more thrusts, Minghao pulled out and came on your stomach as you dazedly watch him kiss your lips once more.

You never realized that you fell asleep until you woke up a while later.

Though, you didn’t expect to be handcuffed on the bed railings as your hazy eyes registered the Asian man who just gave you one of the best nights of your life, sitting lazily on a chair in front of you. Immediately panicking, you pulled on the restraints but the young man only gave you a mere chuckle.

“Just how naughty are you love? Having sex with a man without knowing his name,” he spoke first as he glanced at his nails, seemingly uninterested on you.

“You…! What…what is this?!” you shouted yet the man simply scoffed and brushed a hand on his still disheveled hair which you may or may not admit as sexy.

“Can’t you tell, love? You’re being tied up,” he replied with a grin, leaning against the backrest of the chair. “You’ve been a very, very bad girl lately.”

“What…what do you mean?”

“Oh you know what I mean,” his lips crept to a smirk as he stood up from where he was sitting—slowly walking towards you with his hands on his pockets. “Selling information about Lee chocolates and all. Unfortunately for you, I work for them.”

You blanched within seconds after you heard his words as your eyes grew wide. There was no way out of this anymore.

“Oh my god. You’re…you’re Xu Minghao...Lee Chan’s bodyguard,” you muttered in a small terrified voice as the owner of the name held your chin up to look straight into his eyes.

“That’s right, love. Unfortunately, you won’t be seeing anymore clients,” he told you with a menacing grin. “We already took them down.”

You were about to say something when he placed a finger on your lips to shush you.

“But you don’t have to worry about that, love. Fortunately for you, Lee Chocolates is open for hiring.”

-Admin Hyeri

#seventeen #seventeen scenarios #seventeen smut #the8 #seventeen the8 #minghao #xu minghao

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clownfuckery · 7 years

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A Monster for a Mate - Chapter 1

PENNYWISE X OC

Table of Contents (in progress)

Prologue

A/N: Let’s find out a little about our OC, shall we? -----

Reminiscing

May, 2016

So, where does this story begin?

Some would say in September of 1989, when a wounded It went deep into the earth to heal, sleep… and to plot. Some would say it begins when It awoke once more, in the summer of 2015 to feed upon Its game. There are those who say it begins upon my own awakening, nine years prior in the fall of 2008. Others would argue that it begins on the day I met Pennywise the Clown. And then there are those who go off the deep end, who begin to rant about how Pennywise was doomed the moment Its opposing force, some great big Turtle floating in space, choked on a couple of galaxies. But all I know, all I remember, are the ramblings of some madman dressed in a crisp black suit. He spoke as if from far away, spinning a tall tale of how the balance of some cosmic, mythological structure in the blackness behind the universe hung by the guardians of the beams. He talked of how they all needed to come down. It all seemed ludicrous then, but now I know that he spoke as though I would somehow come to play a part in it all. Perhaps his words held no real meaning, perhaps they were simply the disjointed, incoherent, and angry mumbo jumbo of some space lunatic.

But now I know he spoke of It, and the one certainty which came to pass years later. And now, in these short, few months in which I fell under the spell of Pennywise’s guises and floated in the deadlights that danced in his eyes, I grew to understand him. To like him, need him. Love him? Maybe. Yes, maybe that too.

“Shh, there there,” I whisper as I place the small, warm bundle in the nest. A sound that is both a sigh and a chuckle escapes my lips as the bundle stirs and begins to whine, then quiets and goes still. Part of me wants her to wake just so I can look into her eyes and fall in love all over again with those two, shining yellow embers. Instead, my hand reaches out and I smooth back the red wisps of hair that stubbornly stick out around her head.

Just then, the fear strikes me. It is a primeval cold that seeps into my bones and makes me stiff with dread. The fear is not my own, and I cannot truly rationalize it, but it still leaves me paralyzed, and against my nature, I fear my own mortality.

“They’re coming” the voice behind me says. I turn to find Pennywise entering the nest. He collapses in my arms, and I try my best to soothe that fear, that white silver pain that leaves him blind and terrified.

“They can’t kill you” I say, wrapping my entire body around him. “You can be hurt, threatened, cornered. But never killed. You’re the Eternal, the Eater of Worlds”

He shudders, and my embrace tightens.

“Do you hear me?” I say forcefully, pulling back to look him in the face. He nods frantically, trying his best to smile and look composed, but I see the desperation in his eyes. They’re bloodshot, and the black kohl around his eyes is glistening with tears.

“I called for them. I sent them my calling card in blood. And when they get here I will kill them all! I will cast them, shrieking and insane into the deadlights. And then…”

“…we will feast” we say together “and doze for a while”

He presses his lips to mine, and as I taste the sweetness of his mouth, I feel his lips tremble. The words of that man in black come to mind once more, and I can’t help but think that the ka-tet of six who were once seven are agents of that man. Or perhaps… I was.

“The portal must remain open” were the last words he had said before he disappeared into the bustle of Main Street, leaving me stranded in a town I did not know.

So, where does this story begin?

The Opera

October, 2015

Masquerade!  Paper faces on parade  Masquerade!  Hide your face  So the world will never find you… I stood behind the curtain and watched in fascination as the performers followed the choreography to perfection. I looked out to the audience, and my eyes scanned over the throngs of black hoods that lined the aisles, invisible to all, save for me. Instinctively, even after years of having those dark guardians as my constant companions, I still looked around me to see if any had noticed. I caught a glimpse of my costar Michael O’Hare getting into position to burst into the scene at his cue. The makeup artist was adjusting the mask that covered half his face, and he was wrapping the cloak around him in just the right place that would allow him to create the Phantom’s signature swoosh of the cape. I turned back to the stage and watched as another fellow performer, Jeremy Hammell, who stood on stilts and wearing a big ruffled onesie, sprinted to the front of the stage, where he did a tip-toeing number as the rest of the ensemble brought the second act into full gear.

Eye of gold…  Thigh of blue…  True is false…  Who is who?  Curl of lip…  Swirl of gown…  Ace of hearts…  Face of clown…

“Faces… drink it in, drink it up, till you’ve drowned in the light…” I hummed along quietly as I watched him prance around the stage, the exact image of that character from my childhood I held dear. As he finished his small number and retreated to the back he flashed me a wink, and I returned it with a thumbs-up. I knew he would agree, he had no choice in the matter.

“Oh come on Jeremy! Do it for me” I had whined in rehearsals, batting my eyelashes like an exaggerated coquette.

“Fine fine, don’t get your panties in a wad” he said, taking the folded paper which bore the somewhat grainy and low-quality picture I had printed out “what’s the deal with this clown anyway?”

“He was my favorite growing up! You know, my mom even drove five hours just so I could see him at a fair in Buenos Aires. I watched his…”

“You watched his show every freaking day, yeah you told me that. Creepy looking bozo, probably some pedophile or a drunkie. You owe me dinner” he retorted, handing the picture to Gladys, one of the makeup artists.

“You’re the best!” I squealed, kissing him on the cheek and rushing out of the trailer to get fitted.

I was brought back to the present when I felt someone come stand next to me, take my hand, and wrap it around his arm.

“Now look like you really love me” quipped Conor Fontaine, my costar who played Raoul. He was tall and unbelievably handsome. A perfect poster boy with his long blond hair and piercing blue eyes; and yet it was Michael, with his rugged looks and unapologetic humor into whose hotel room I snuck in at night.

“Scarlett, Conor… off you go” signaled the stage master.

“I will never get used to your stage name” Conor laughed and we waltzed back into the scene.

The production had been a roaring success. Thirty cities, one hundred and fifty shows, sold out theaters across the country, Canada, and Mexico. But on that night, on the last show of the Phantom’s North American tour, the energy was electrifying. As much as I was a creature of control and poise, I allowed myself for once to become lost in the magic of it all. The lights, the colors, the rousing music of the orchestra. In my eyes, Michael truly became the Phantom, Conor was Raoul, and Jeremy was Pizarrín, the clown who had delighted my afternoons as a child.

Have you gorged yourself  At last in your lust for blood?  Am I now to be prey  To your lust for flesh?

My voice cracked with rage and horror as I confronted the monster. I could feel more than hear the held breaths from the audience. The throngs of black hoods that lined the aisles however, remained motionless.

I kissed the monster then, and I could feel the prosthetics that covered half of Michael’s face tickle my lip. The kiss was intense, passionate, and as he returned the fervor, I wrapped my hands around his neck. The audience burst into raucous applause. A few moments later, there were tears in the audience and from fellow cast members watching from behind the curtain as I sailed away with another, leaving the monster to crumble in the depths.

The curtain fell.

One by one the cast walked onstage to receive their accolades. When Michael and I walked hand in hand, we received a standing ovation. The cheering and applause were deafening. The black hoods finally raised their heads and at once, they joined in the applause. I blew a kiss, and even though to the eyes of all I was reciprocating the love from the spectators, I was in truth acknowledging my father, who stood just behind the orchestra. From his black cloak he retrieved a single red rose tied with black ribbon, and he tossed it at the stage. It landed at my feet, and I picked it up, took a long whiff of its fragrance and walked backstage.

The curtain fell again.

Daddy Issues

I listened to the sound of Michael breathing. His left arm was wrapped around my waist and his naked body was pressed behind me. His breathing, still shallow and coming in pants, was beginning to slow down and deepen. A minute or two more, and he would be fast asleep.

It was almost a science of sorts. You learn to predict the post-coitus patterns of a man after a few times underneath him. For Michael, I had his pattern down to a tee after Washington D.C. We had begun to sneak into each other’s hotel rooms and dressing rooms at Atlanta. From casting and rehearsals, there had been this energy between us. No, not actor’s chemistry, but an electricity that sparked and crackled the moment we touched hands and began to go through the early stages of learning the choreography. We sang as we rehearsed, and I could feel his eyes burn into mine, not in that beguiling, deceitful way typical of a performer of his status, but his eyes danced. They were a bright, open shade of blue, and yet behind the frankness of their depths, I could see the storm brewing within. It was dark, and full of lighting and thunder.

Soon after the production left its home in the Majestic, our hands began to do the talking. Flowers in my dressing room, embraces held a few moments longer, tighter and constricting. That electricity soon made its way onto the stage, and it echoed in the reviews that followed the Phantom after it packed and made its way onto the next city. “The passion and the aura ooze from the wooden beams of the stage, flow past the pipes and strings of the orchestra, and intoxicate all that sit in the plush red seats of the opera house” Steve Connelly from the New York Times had written.

I let out a small giggle and I felt Michael shift behind me. His breathing was now coming in long, deep inhales, and he turned onto his back. He was asleep. I stole a glance at him, and I slunk off the bed. Upon emerging from the bathroom, I quickly gathered my undergarments from the floor, then the red beaded Versace dress I had worn to the after party. I slid on my pumps and turned back to the bed. I watched Michael sleep, taking in the way his black hair covered half his face, almost Phantom-like. His broad chest rose and fell, and my eyes ran over the thin line of hair that traveled from his chest, down his stomach, and disappeared under the sheet that draped over the bottom half of his body. He was an excellent lover, perhaps one of the best I’d had, but that wasn’t saying much. He mattered to me no more than my next meal. I would not see him again until the international tour kicked off in four months, and most likely by then, there would be a new toy to play with.

I placed a gentle kiss on the one cheek that was exposed and headed for the door. As I passed the sitting room, I gulped down the remaining wine from the bottle at the table, grabbed my wristlet from the couch, and left.

Upon exiting the elevators and crossing the lobby, I took notice of the striking man in the black and red suit waiting by the doors. He twirled his cane in what I knew was exasperation and impatience.

“Were you really going to stand there till I came out? What if I decided to stay the night for once, dad?”

“Ha! You never do” he snorted, wrapping an arm around me and guiding me out to the black SUV with tainted windows that waited. A black hood disguised as a valet attendant held the door open.

“There’s bound to be lots of attention at the Ritz” he said as the SUV took off into the brightly lit streets of Los Angeles.

“Why would you do that? What if I wanted to be alone for once?” I groaned, looking out aimlessly toward the city lights. Out of the corner of my eye I could see his head snap toward me so fast, he might have broken a bone or two if he were human.

“On your night of triumph?! What’s come over you? You wanted this”

I didn’t answer, pretending to be enthralled by the darkened windows of buildings and small shops. There was a mural that depicted the struggles of Mexican immigrants in the narrow and over-populated streets of downtown LA.

“I sent flowers to Katherine” I said after a while “you nearly killed her”

“Oh come on, since when you do you feel any remorse? You wanted this” he repeated, and this time, his voice dropped a few notches, turning raspy and dry, almost like a growl. He was twirling his cane again, and I watched his fingers run over the handle made out of solid gold and carved into the image of a serpent. Or was it a dragon?

“I didn’t mean it when I said it. If anything, you could have just…” what could he have done? Make her catch a really bad case of tuberculosis and make her miss the production, only to return after convalescing, thus leaving me in the sidelines again to play poor old Meg Giry as I was originally cast? Or maybe…

“Given her throat cancer?!” he laughed, loud and boisterous, slapping the shoulder of the black hood sitting on the passenger seat. He and the other sitting at the wheel laughed along.

“With only a month before rehearsals? How would you have done it, Lus?” the one driving asked through his laughter, looking at me through the rearview mirror with his bright, red eyes. I made a face at him.

My dad scoffed. “Say what you will, that human part of you will always infuriate me. You take what you want, with no thought to the cost. Do you understand me?” he asked, taking my hand. I nodded.

“Yes, dad”

The SUV was now turning into the circular driveway of the Ritz Carlton. “Good. Now, get out there, and bask in the glory you deserve”

The black hoods at the front transformed into men in suits as we drove into the chaos of paparazzi and fans. The black hoods stepped out, with one going to control the crowd, and the other to open the door of the car. Right before I stepped out, I turned to my father once more.

“I will be going back to Vermont tomorrow and there is something you WILL do for me” I snapped at him and then exited the vehicle.

I smiled my way through the crowd, signing pictures of Michael and I as the Phantom and Christine, pictures of me alone on the stage belting out “Think of Me”, and editorial photographs. I took selfies, shook hands, gave hugs, and tried my damned hardest not to squint at the binding flashes of the photographers. My father stood directly behind me, invisible to all, and yet with the smuggest smile upon his face. If there was something the daughter of the Great Orchestrator of all evil could boast of, it was of a doting, proud, overprotective father.

“Whatever it is, I won’t do it. I know where you’re going with this” he retorted as I finally made it inside and the elevator doors closed. He said it with such rigidity, and yet his voice sounded already defeated.

“Yes, you will” I smiled, taking off my pumps.

“I will not leave you unprotected”

The elevator dinged, and we exited into the Presidential Suite.

“Unprotected?!” I laughed, walking into the bedroom. The black hood who kept watch over me stepped out of the closet and transformed into his usual façade. “And just who do I need protection from? Nosferatu?!” I said with obvious sarcasm, pointing to my guardian. He sucked in a breath in mock offense.

“Sorry Nos” I said to him. He only chuckled, exactly like my favorite monster, and waved his long, spidery hands at me.

“There are things you do not understand” my father nearly shouted “things you will never be able to even begin to comprehend, because of that cursed human nature you carry. You’re limited, and as much as you are my daughter, and an Untouchable, you are still at risk…”

“Aww, am I really so-”  Important  “-precious to you?” I cooed, stepping towards him and placing a hand on his arm.

“Don’t try to flirt with me, I’m not one of your toys” he said, shaking me off. My tone softened even more.

“All I ask is ten days. No you, no black hoods, no guardians. I need some space”

“You wish to be rid of me, Lus?” Nosferatu gasped, clutching his chest, pretending to be deeply wounded. I chuckled and walked to him, wrapping my arms around him. He returned the embrace and placed his cheek upon my head. Nosferatu had been with me since my eighth birthday, never leaving my side. I had convinced him to change his appearance into the classic vampire, and had remained my closest friend ever since.

“I think the precious princess needs a vacation. You’re tired, aren’t you?” Nos said softly, gently holding my chin and cooing at me. I nodded and stuck my bottom lip out like a little child.

“Enough!” barked my father, sickened at the childish sight. Nosferatu looked at me and shrugged.

“Killer of joy” I murmured under my breath, but Nos wouldn’t dare react, biting his lips to keep from laughing.

My father sighed. The cane twirled again. He had lost this battle the moment I had stepped out of the car.

“You will not leave Vermont. Ten days” he said with finality. I squealed and I hugged him tight. He only rubbed my shoulders twice and stepped back. Physical contact was something he always shied away from, especially from me. I never understood why. He showed his affection in much “practical ways,” as he put it.

The Man in Black

I landed in Vermont to no fanfare, having left it behind in the chaos of L.A. My white Range Rover was waiting for me at the parking garage when I exited Morrisville-Stowe Airport. The car was unlocked, and the keys were in the ignition. No black hood in sight. With my bags secured in the trunk, I now drove down Route 100, past the lower village and the tourist area, into the residential area of the mountains. Getting off the main road and taking the narrow streets into the wooded area, I soon reached the one-lane that diverted into the long driveway lined with pine trees, and I stopped at the wooden gates lined with black ironwork. The gates beeped and whirred as they opened, and I was home. I had changed the name of the property from Black Mountain Villa to Haven Estate upon my purchase of it nearly three years ago. The majestic stone mansion rested on top of a hill, the crowning glory of the thirty acres that surrounded it, mostly hidden by pines and evergreens.

I opened my luggage and threw my clothes on the bed as I made the necessary phone calls. My adoptive parents were first, and it took enough convincing to keep them from getting into the next plane. I lied, saying I was going to New Zealand on vacation. My brother and sister were next, and the same lie kept them away. Friends were kept at bay by simple text, and the messages sent by Michael, asking where I was and if we could meet up, went ignored. The last call I placed was to the housekeeper. She had been to the house just the day prior, she said, and had stocked up the fridge. She offered to come in, but I told her I’d be away, and instructed her to return with the cleaning crew in ten days. With hesitance, she relented.

I walked down the winding staircase and entered the butler’s pantry to grab a beer from the bar when I suddenly stopped in my tracks. The fridge was open. As I closed it, I turned to the sound of a crown cork popping open, followed by a sigh of contentment and whistling coming from the balcony adjacent to the kitchen.

My blood boiled as I sprinted past the kitchen and burst into the balcony.

“You lying, deceitful snake! How could…”

My accusation died in my throat as I took in the man sitting on my armchair. His wavy, black hair was perfectly combed back, his black suit was perfectly pressed, and his blue eyes looked at me with amusement.

“…you” I breathed.

He smiled and nodded. I hadn’t seen the Man in Black in years, not since the day of my Awakening. It had been my 21st birthday, the day I had been officially recognized as my father’s daughter, the last descendant of the Nephilim.

“Forgive me for making myself at home, we don’t have beer this good where I come from” he said, taking a long chug of my Stella Artois.

“What are you doing here?” I said, snapping out of my shock.

“Oh, you know me, I’m just a walkin’ dude, passin’ thru” he said in his distinct drawl. He looked me up and down. “You look good. Healthy. Prosperous. Congratulations on the play. You got what you wanted”

He threw an open newspaper on the table. I picked it up and groaned when I saw a picture of me performing two nights ago with the title: “The Best Christine Daae since Sarah Brightman?”

“The most angelic voice to ever caress the walls of the Shrine Auditorium” the Man in Black quoted from the paper. “I don’t know where the Shrine Auditorium is, but it sounds like some pretty big stuff. Daddy must be proud” he winked and took another long drink. I shifted on my feet and crossed my arms. He wasn’t praising me, he was judging me.

“If you’re passing through, you must be going somewhere” I said.

“Indeed I am” he said, standing. He walked up to me, tilting the beer bottle back and taking another long chug. “Just left New York City. Looking for a boy named Jake. Got a couple of questions for him. Figured I’d stop by and check in on you. See how you’re holding up”

“Well, you seem to know everything there is to know. Save you a trip up here”

“Oh, but I did need to come here. Last time, when we met, you had quite a few questions, don’t you remember?”

I looked away. I remembered quite vividly. I had hounded him with the million questions that gnawed at me from childhood. He had sat down on the pool chair at my parent’s house, hidden in darkness as I sneaked out of my room to meet him. Of all the characters who had called on me on the day of my Awakening, the Man in Black, or Walter Padick as he had called himself, was the one that had stuck most prominently in my memory. A sorcerer from another dimension, he had talked of parallel words in six different universes. He talked of recreating them all in the image of a great King, and spoke of ways to access these worlds through portals to a place he called Mid-World, with some of these portals being on Earth. When I asked him to take me there, he simply looked at me with a hint of disdain and regret, saying I was “too old to be of any use there”

“You left me with more questions than answers” I now said accusingly.

“Some of your questions didn’t need answering” he replied.

“They do” I said, looking him dead in the eye.

“Ah, the big one” he exclaimed, placing his arms out and turning dramatically “why are the Ancients relegated to Earth? You know, you keep asking those kinds of questions, one day they’re going to get you hurt”

“I need to know”

“You have everything you need to know. You already know of the places on Earth where your daddy’s kind is not permitted to go”

My eyes widened. Father had always boasted of Earth having been his domain from the moment of his exile. He claimed every square inch as his own.

“Oh, he hasn’t told you!” he exclaimed “you’ll have lots to talk about when he gets here. Probably in no less than twenty-four hours, if you’re lucky. Black hoods are probably flying on swift wings as we speak”

I didn’t respond. I knew he was right. There was no way my father would let me out of his sight for too long. Even at the age of twenty-six, I still felt like a repressed little girl. More so now, standing before that great traveler, seeing his sympathetic gaze, no doubt thinking that I was a pitiful child.

“You know, there is a place you can go where he can’t find you” he whispered after a short, unsettling silence.

I looked up at him confused. “A portal?”

“Of sorts. It’s the only place where you can disappear without having to step off-world”

“Where?” I asked.

“A little town in Maine, called Derry. The place itself is nothing out of the ordinary, small and industrial but it is a direct link to my world. You can stay there and hide for a few days. It’s the only city in the Keystone World where your daddy and his minions are forbidden from entering”

“Hmm” I mused. I wanted to say no, but the prospect of being away from the ceaseless watch of black hoods was nearly irresistible.

“How do I know you’re not tricking me into something?”

“And risk daddy’s wrath? Now why would I? The ol’ serpent may be banished, but he sure as hell ain’t one to trifle with. I promise, you just stay for a few days and come back in one piece. I am the only one permitted to use that passage so you’ll be safe. He’ll forgive you for dropping off his radar, like he always does”

I watched him. His face was serious. He drank the rest of the beer, and placed the empty bottle in the waste bin.

Derry, Maine.

“I’ll go” I said.

End of Chapter 1

CLICK HERE FOR CHAPTER 2

-----

Tagged: @hello-helianthus

#pennywise #it 2017 #it movie #pennywise fanfic #pennywise fanfiction #pennywise x oc #pennywise fic #fanfiction #fanfic #it #stephen king #daddywise #clowndaddy #pennyboi #clownboi #clownfucker #pennywise smut #horror

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stevepatricklewis · 5 years

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Cheap Travel Deals

If you want to get cheap travel offers, you need to look at some of the critical components involved in any travel. These are charges for flight or cruise, hotel or other costs of lodging, and arrangement for car or bus to go around in the place of a holiday. Each of these components nowadays provides plenty of room to save money on travel deals. Let's look at how we can get the best deals for domestic and foreign travel. The year 2008, to say the least, was quite unstable. Major economies were facing a spiralling slowdown, with trust in buyers and investors hit hard as never before. Prices of oil and housing rose and then fell flat. The New Year 2009, however, promises to be much better. Brazil, Mexico, Italy, Germany, Jamaica, Spain, France, the Us, Japan, and China are expected to be the top travel destinations this year, according to industry experts. Nonetheless, these countries ' popular tourist destinations would also be quite expensive. Nevertheless, if you're planning to go to the UK, you might think of a place like Birmingham or Liverpool as opposed to London. Moreover, in Argentina, Buenos Aires will certainly save you money than in Spain in Barcelona. To particular destinations, like air travel, hotel accommodation and cruise prices, all-inclusive packages would be available. The air fare on reduced special rates and the stay in bargain hotels with free breakfast and free nights together with a special cruise or local sightseeing fares would be offered as a single package. Look out for travel packages or package schemes of this kind. You could consider driving around in your car for all inland travel inside your country because the oil prices had actually nosedived. Also rental car rates are likely to be low before gas prices increase again for some time to come. With an increased awareness of environmental cleanliness, hotels and tourist destinations are also becoming greener. The hotels are expected to deliver at discounted rates cleaner and safer spaces. Food will be more focused on goods grown by natural agriculture. All of these would tend to make you safer during your journey. The travel deals come in various names such as last minute deals, weekend sales, weekday discounts, and packages for leisure. During weekends, there are certain attractions that draw huge crowds and such places would be available on weekdays at a discount. Business centres, on the other hand, would be expensive on weekdays and cheaper on weekends. You need to do some research and find out about such varied deals on travel. As a single travel contract, more and more travel agents are developing comprehensive leisure packages for exotic destinations. Many of them will be introduced in times off-season. You may be shocked that even in some cases, these travel offers are likely to save you up to 60%. Look out for such packages for recreation. Obtaining cheap travel offers is not hard at all. The Internet had increased the scope of deals for discounts. There were hundreds of travel deals on the site. Compare them and plan ahead well. In your travel deals, you would probably save a fair amount of money. Please note that this post contains affiliate links and any sales made through such links will reward me a small commission – at no extra cost for you Read the full article

#Cheap #cheaptraveldeals #Deals #travel

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cremedelacremefanfic · 7 years

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Crème de la Crème: 33

August

“Yo Aug, you coming?” Ashton pointed at the chartered van that we arrived in

Pressing my phone against my ear, I nodded, holding my finger up letting him know that I needed a minute.

“Give me one reason why I shouldn’t hang up in your face right now?” my wife asked

“Because we both know you just as relieved to hear my voice than you are angry, so what’s up baby?” I smiled

“Don’t ‘what’s up baby’ me.” she mocked my voice “I know your plane landed more than three hours ago, so why are you now just calling?” she asked

“I was held up on the plane when we landed and I told you that I had a meeting, what you think I came here to find another woman or something?” I asked

I probably should have taken the time to Call Corrie while everyone was worried about Evie’s choice of clothing but it was just too much going on at the time, so I opted to wait until I was done with my meeting so I wouldn’t have to rush her off the phone.

“Who knows, August who fucking knows but remember I am an attorney so I know exactly what I need to do in order to get away with killing you and that hoe.” she kissed her teeth which only made me chuckle

“Yeah okay, Corrie. You weren’t even tripping this much last year.” I pointed

Despite all the time I spent with Corrine before I boarded the flight to Buenos Aires, she was still unhappy with me leaving. I understood though, not only did I wait last minute to inform her about the trip, since we’ve been married this was the longest we would spend apart.

“We weren’t married this time last year, you expect me not to miss my husband?” she asked

I smiled at her words “You home, Corrie?” I asked

She kissed her teeth “Yeah, why?” she asked, attitude still laced in her voice

“Go look in the safe,” I instructed

She once again kissed her teeth but I knew she did as I asked due to the rumbling going on in the background.

“Tickets to Italy, for what?” she asked

“Happy anniversary, baby girl. Despite what you think, this last year being married to you has been the best one of my entire life, you make me feel so complete.” I confessed “I never knew I could love someone the way I love you. You said you’ve always wanted to go to Italy, so I thought I would take you to celebrate the first year of our union.”

I only wanted to make my wife happy, but I knew me doing these little things for her were going to go so far.

“But I told you that when we first started dating.” she sniffled

“So, I’m not supposed to remember?” I chuckled

She sighed “I really do love you, August, I’m just acting sour because I miss you, miss seeing your face, miss waking up next to you, miss feeling you. This feels so foreign that I can’t even feel as happy as I truly am that we’re going to Italy next week.” she admitted

"I know baby girl, I miss you too. Just try and relax for the next week. Go pamper yourself, hang with your friends and mama because when I get back, that ass is mine"

She laughed "I'll try…" she trailed off "I love you."

"I love you too, I'ma call you a little later, okay?"

"Uh huh, talk to you later." She blew a kiss into the phone

Evie

“You changed again?” Tish questioned. I had her on facetime as I changed my outfit for the third time in the span of thirty minutes. I blew out air as I looked through my suitcase.

“Yes! Your nigga and his damn friends won’t let my ass fuckin’ live.” I said angrily. Seven men on this damn trip and all of them were treating me like I was a fuckin’ baby and it was pissing me the fuck off.

I was low key only changing because I spilled my drink on my sundress but Tish didn’t need to know that.

“First off, Sean is not my man.” I rolled my eyes as I looked down into the camera of my phone. She could deny all she wanted too but I saw the looks the two of them gave each other at my house.

The sexual tension is definitely there.

“Girl stop lying.” I laughed at her. She twisted her face up at me and rolled her little beady ass eyes at me. “We both know that something is going on between you and Sean, stop lying,” I told her.

I didn’t know why she thought that I wouldn’t catch on to her and him. “Whatever, you just worry about your baby daddy.”

“Who the hell is my baby daddy?” I questioned, staring at myself in the full sized mirror. I decided to wear this cute sundress with the split going all the way up to my hip.

I didn’t care what either of them had to say about my outfit it was my birthday weekend and I was going to enjoy myself. “Ashton, Ashton is your baby daddy.” She teased.

“That man is definitely NOT my baby daddy. Why would you say that?” I scoffed as she cackled louder than she should have. I didn’t see anything funny about what she just said. Ashton was pissing me off big time.

“You two just need to fuck the shit out of each other because you two are out of hand. You know you wanna fuck him so stop playing.”

"What would give you the crazy idea that I wanted to have sex with that man? I do--"

"Evie, this me you talking too. This is your sister talking, I know you like the back of my hand and I know you like that light bright nigga." I sighed heavily.

"Yes, I like him but he's such an ass hole! Like I've never met a man like him before, why did I have to like him." I whined.

"Girl, if you don't just bounce on that man dick and bust a good ass nut and call it a day. That's what's wrong you ain't getting them walls tore the fuck down. Let that man make you cum and enjoy your birthday weekend." Tish shouted.

I couldn't believe that she was actually green-lighting me to have sex with Ashton. Actually, I do believe what she was saying because that's all she been saying for the last couple weeks.

Was I attracted to Ashton?

Hell yeah. Did I like him more than I should have? Absolutely.

But it couldn’t be a coincidence that something always interrupted us then there was confirming that he and Adrienne still were messing around and I refuse to be caught up in that bull.

"Whatever! So do you like my outfit?" I showed her my outfit as she clapped happily. "Hell yeah! Girl I see that you are taking my styling tips. That ass is looking good in that dress" She squealed.

"Bye girl, I'll call you later."

"Have fun on the sightseeing adventure and remember use condoms, Eve. We don't need no baby Asht--"

I hung up on her mid-sentence. I couldn't stand her ass sometimes. One thing was for sure, I was about to enjoy my vacation, hell I might even find me a fine ass man out here.

After getting dressed, we all met up in the hotel lobby and of course, all of the guys just had to say something about my dress. They are gonna make me beat each and every one of them.

“That dress is kinda of lo--”

“Okay, so what we not about to do is complain about my choice of fuckin’ clothing on this trip. I’m all the way grown and not one of you big headed lil’ boys are my daddy so chill out. You may be my close friends, but y’all need to not run your pressures up!” I huffed and looked around at the wide eyes of all of the guys.

“Well shit, she told y’all.” Sean joked. He acted as if I wasn’t talking to his ass too. As I looked at him and tried to suppress my laughter. Of course, that was unsuccessful, I can always count on Sean to make me laugh.

I looked to my left and saw Auggie on the phone, he looked like he was having a deep conversation with whoever was on the other line. I needed to talk to him because he’s been a little off lately.

"Alright let's go! C’MON!" Ashton yelled, making my head whip around and face him. He walked inside the hotel lobby screaming like a mad man as if he wasn't the one running late.

"Aight bruh, calm down." Sean laughed as he playfully bumped shoulder as we walked outside "Yo, Aug you been on that phone all day, let’s go!" Ashton asked.

August held his hand up as we boarded the charter bus. As I walked towards the bus, Ashton was hot on my heels.

"Evie, stop walking so damn slow."Ashton was breathing down my neck. He was all in my damn personal space. My back hit his chest as I felt his hand grip my waist. Once again, he pressed himself onto my ass making me feel the bulge in his pants as he moved me out of his way.

I glared at him.

He looked back and winked at me making my blood boil.

I wasn’t gonna play these games with Ashton, I came here to get away from the bullshit, not to have another problem on my hands.

***************

“Evie, I hope you’re not feeling left out of anything seeing as though you’re the only girl here,” Marlo said

Today had been a long one. We had walked what seemed like the whole of Buenos Aires and on top of it dealing with these guys made it so much more exhausting. All they did was argue and guess who got nominated to play mediator?

I was just glad we were finally sitting down for that dinner that Mr. Martin promised us.

“These guys?” I chuckled “I'm fine with being the only girl, plus I think these guys would've kidnapped me if I didn't come on this trip." I chuckled.

"I've never seen them so protective over one person before. They care for you." Mr. Martin spoke as I looked around the table at my guys that I had the privilege to call friends. They made me sick like I other but, they were my babies and I would fight to the death for them, except Ashton bitch ass.

He has been irking my whole nerve all day. From the moment we got onto the bus ‘til now at dinner. To make matters worst he decides to sit down next to me at the table.

Of all of the available seats that he could sit in, he decided to sit directly next to me. I looked up at him, to my surprise, he was looking down at me at the same time. He licked his full lips slowly and flashing a smiled.

I tore my eyes away from him, shaking my head. I didn’t get Ashton ass, I really couldn’t understand why he was fucking with me like this. First, he wanted me and then he wanted to be friends to barely acknowledging my existence and now he wanna rub and feel on me and lick those crusty ass lips at me.

Okay, who am I fooling? His lips were nowhere crusty, they were pink, thick and suckable if I might add.

I just hated how he was acting towards me and I wanted to slap the taste out of his mouth because I could tell he was enjoying every moment of his torture.

I needed to get far away from this nigga, and FAST.

The waitress walked over to our table with a huge smile on her face and her eyes trained on Ashton. I chuckled softly and looked off to the side. My eyes caught Aaron’s who was smirking at me.

I rolled my eyes at him and smiled.

“Hi, what can I get you?” Her squeaky voice caught me off guard. Picking u my menu, I looked it over before speaking. “I wou--”

“I was talking to Mr. Michaels.” She said as I looked up at her, taken aback by her words. “Bi--” I felt someone place their hand on my bare thigh and squeezed it. My head jerked to the side as I looked at Ashton who was smiling at the waitress.

“Well shit, I didn’t know he was the only person at the table,” Aaron spoke up which stirred up chatter among the table

Ashton just chuckled “I’ll take the Steak and potatoes, and bring your best champagne out here for me.” He flashed her an award-winning smile as he caressed my thigh in a tender way.

She looked at me and her smile faded. “And you?” She asked. This bitch was rude and was only interested in serving Ashton his food which I think the bitch would’ve served him her pussy on a platter if given the chance to.

Why did I care?

“I’ll take the seafood platter and an iced tea if your rude ass doesn't mind,” I mumbled the last part as Ashton gripped my thigh. I snapped my head towards him once again and eyed him.

“Chill out.” He mouthed to me as his hand moved up my thigh. My eyes went wild as I looked at him. I looked around the table and of course, everyone was in their own little world.

I gripped Ashton wrist to remove his hand but he was way stronger than I was. His hand felt amazing against my skin but that was beyond the point. He leaned over and pressed his lips against my ear. “Stop it.” He whispered and kissed my ear softly.

“Ashton, please don’t.” I quietly pled with him

“Care to share with the class Ash?” August interrupted catching the attention of a few

The big brother in him was acting and I was both upset and relieved by it.

“I just wanted to know why she’s not drinking.” he simply said

That must of satisfied everyone because they all went back to what they were doing before which was ignoring Ashton’s silent attack on me.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath before exhaling. As I was mentally trying to get myself together this nigga took things to the next level.

His fingers trailed up my exposed thigh, slowly prying my legs open and gripped the inside of my thigh.

I felt his fingers pull my thong to the side and caress my pussy lips. When I say I almost came on myself from just him touching me, I meant it. I was gonna kill his ass for doing this.

He leaned over again and whispered, “Spread your fucking legs.” He growled lowly so that I can only hear him. I obediently did as he said and the next thing I knew his index and middle fingers were being pushed inside of me and causing me to gasp out loudly.

Aaron, Mr.Martin, and Sean looked at me since they were the only ones closest to me. “Are you okay, Evie?” Mr. Martin asked as Ashton eased his fingers from between my legs.

“Ye-Yeah, I’m fine.” I cleared my throat as I sat back in my seat. I looked over at Ashton as he sat there with a smug look on his face. I didn’t know what he thought he was doing but he needed to stop.

#chrisbrown #chris brown #chrisbrownff #chris brown fan fic #chris breezy #Chris brown fan fiction #chrisbrownfanfiction #chrisbrown ff #chrisbrown fanfiction #cbff #fan fic #fanfiction #ff #fan fiction

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trendinbuzz · 5 years

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What Are The Best Websites And Ways To Find Cheap Hotels?

People may love cheap accommodations and hostel option since they feel it isn’t of much worth to spend too much on a place where you just need to stay for a few hours a day. But one cannot deny the fact that the luxury of a hotel room cannot be matched with any of the former staying options. There is so much to appreciate from comfortable bed to super clean rooms to amazing shower and bathtubs. You can have a relaxing stay in your room and get a respite from your day’s travel. But let’s not forget that to get such privileges; you have to pay an amount that is certainly not cheap. So we will talk about some of the websites that offer you cheaper options to stay at hotels when you go out for a vacation. A booking site is as good as the inventory it holds. Want to know what are the best websites and ways to find cheap hotels? We researched the services of some of the popular websites for booking hotels and we present to you some of the finest from the lot. These websites were used to search hotels in cities like New York, London, Bangkok, Paris, Buenos Aires, and Berlin. The websites were Hotel.com, Expedia, Booking.com, Agoda, and Priceline. The search for the hotel rooms was made for both weekday and weekend booking along with buffer duration of a week and a month to check the varying prices. 1. Booking.com – The Travel fare aggregator

Booking.com turns out to be the winner here. The results for the search returned with the most number of cheap hotels to stay in. And though it didn’t return with the largest number of total options, the major ask here was perfectly taken care of. We got the best deals here and got all kinds of variety and options with booking.com. 2. Agoda- Global Online Travel Agency

Agoda came a close second in the cheap hotel options category but it is still the major player in Asian countries. A couple of other websites like Travelocity and Orbitz are part of Expedia only and thus the inventory is the same. The good thing is that they return a large number of results from the database but prices aren’t really on the lower side. Agoda is most popular to find you the most affordable accommodations in Asian Countries. For the options of blind booking and bidding choices, Priceline and Hotwire can be your go-to website where you can get as high as a 40% discount. The only bad thing about this is that we get to know the name of the hotel only after we make the booking and pay for it. 3. Tricks to find cheap hotels

Image Source: blueswandaily.com You might not have found a cheap vacation package or last minute travel deals or even a cheap flight ticket to your holiday destination but there are still plenty of ways to find and book cheap hotels. For eg.- If you are searching for affordable hotels in Singapore, search for- Best Cheap Hotels in Singapore. Make direct contact with the hotel: Big hotels like Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, or Oberoi’s prefer the ones who contact them directly via their websites. It is the place where they often have the best deals. One of the major benefits is that you get loyalty points that help you getting future discounts as you travel more. If you find a cheaper price for their rooms online, they will readily match them most of the times. Make bargaining you forte: One of the better ways to get a discount for a hotel room is by asking for it. Call up the hotels and if you ask them for a better price, they might give you one during their non-peak season and a mid-week booking. Earn loyalty benefits: You can earn tonnes of loyalty points by using hotel sponsored debit cards, credit cards or shopping cards. The accumulated points can be used to get discounts for bookings. Get someone else’s reservation with Roomer: Sometimes when the guests can’t turn out having done the booking and nor can they cancel; the rooms are available in Roomer at discounted prices. Do check out one and you may strike gold. Have gift cards for discounts? : Nothing is as good as having a gift card that can reduce your booking cost considerably. Many sites host gift vouchers to avail discounts and you can check the same for some delightful experience. Find affordable accommodation without causing a hole in your pocket. These websites and tricks to find cheap hotels will help you save a lot of money. Search for coupons and cashback websites: Hotels generally does not provide coupons and offers to their users. But if you search for cheap hotels discount code or hotels coupon code, you will find coupon codes for third-party booking sites like Agoda or Hotels.com that will help you to get a cheaper room. Secondly, you can go for cashback websites as well. If you search for hotels cashback or Agoda cashback, you will find websites offering a specific amount of cashback that you can use for future bookings or you can transfer the cash-backed amount directly to your bank account. For instance, Shopback Malaysia gives you up to 8% cashback on your bookings from Agoda. Always look for inclusive deals: Finding the best deal on hotels is incredibly frustrating. But while searching for a hotel if you select a hotel with the best inclusive deals will save a lot of money. Some best deals include “Free breakfast, free Wi-Fi and parking that should always be considered when comparing hotel rates. If you are going with your family of four, you can easily save nearly $40 a day. Read the full article

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bites-kms · 6 years

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Books, Bites & Babes: Montreal

It was an intense month: right after returning from Reyjavick, I had my friends waiting for me, so we spent some crazy two weeks in NYC, before I got my new and beautiful AWAY suitcase. For a long time I was looking for a perfect size, not too big, not too small, suitcase for all my travels, and before jumping on my next adventure, I finally got it. I went bowling with Lizi, a British friend who was visiting from Singapore and then, with my brand new suitcase, I went straight to Newark. This time was due to a different kind of trip: for the first time I was going to speak publicly in front of a bunch of researchers from around the world while presenting my findings. I was anxious and a little bit nervous, but I was ready. I was not only representing myself but also Sodertorn Hogskola, my school back in Sweden. It was a very big deal, happening in the Sheraton Centre of Montreal at the Association of Internet Researchers (AoIR). I wrote some of my great experiences here in Medium. After a very brief flight which reminded me of the Puente Aéreo happening between Montevideo and Buenos Aires, I finally landed. I took a bus, and got off exactly in front of the hotel. I had some little deja-vu from my previous time here in Montreal about 9 years ago. I went out and followed a very special recommendation my colleague Noe suggested: Le Mal Neccesaire.

Le Mal Neccesaire 1106B St Laurent Blvd, Montreal, QC H2Z 1J5, Canada

With that name, I had to give it a chance. It was a fair walk away from the hotel and the weather wasn’t that terrible so I was ready to embrace it. I made it just on time before they closed the kitchen. Although, with a great creative French name, this place is located in Montreal’s Chinatown, so I had a feast by myself with some tofu, some stir fried veggies with prawns, a delicious pineapple cocktail and some dumplings. Yes, it was a lot of food, but I couldn’t decide, so I had it all! Perfect way to start the conference :)

Eggspectation 1313 Boulevard de Maisonneuve O, Montréal, QC H3G 2R9, Canada

As previously mentioned, this trip was special and different. It was great because of the AoIR event and of my professional exposure, but it was fantastic on a personal level too. Not only I got the chance to meet inspiring colleagues and truly badass fellow researches, but mostly I got the chance to meet my friend Vivi again! And, this time, it was Vivi +1! This is one of my two oldest friends, we’ve met each other for almost 28 years now, AKA our whole lifetime! And now, she is a MOM! It was insane and it felt like no time passed by. We had the chance to catch up on all these years of life stories, travels, adventures and milestones we’ve been living. And now, pregnant and all, my friend takes a train and travels 5 hours solo to see me speaking <3 Vivi, you’re the best. I love you so much, and I’ll see you both again, soon!

So, what happened? My pregnant friend was always starving and feeding her was the only way she was feeling happy and not sick. So, we took the issue very seriously and chugged all the available food in freaking Montreal within three days. We started with a powerful breakfast at Eggspectation, a great finding Vivi brought to the table.

La Habanera 1216 Union Ave, Montreal, QC H3B 3C4, Canada

Bites & KMs respects pregnancies, so, when Vivi and the bun were not around, I took the chance to get a one-on-one session with Esther Hammelburg, an awesome, kick-ass Dutch researcher I met at AoIR. We went for refreshing mojitos and shots at the Cuban restaurant called La Habanera to spice things up. Who says researchers and professors can’t have fun?

Juliette et Chocolat 1626 Saint-Catherine St W, Montreal, QC H3H 1L7, Canada

Well... this was an out-of-this-world recommendation. Researchers really know how to eat and drink! Apparently, in the state of Quebec, there’s this traditional and unique place with multiple locations around the state called Juliette and Chocolate. O-M-G. This is chocolate paradise, sweet lover’s heaven, and temptation cave by excellence. Absolutely everything in the menu is delicious. They started as a bakery and coffee shop but today’s is a renown restaurant and shop that even incorporated savory crepes on its menu.

We took the diet really seriously, and between the pregnancy cravings and the conference nerves, we went full on on sweet indulgence therapy. Shall we repeat it?

Second Cup (AKA cup and a half) Various locations http://www.secondcup.com/

Of course, bad habits die hard and until the very last minute I was editing my presentation, practicing again and again to make it in 20 minutes or less. It was a lot of pressure, almost like a Pecha-Kucha or TEDx talk! Of course I went as fast as a rocket ship but undoubtedly my presentation was one of the most interactive and fun ones from the panel (at least, this is what my objective and beautiful friend Vivi says :D). Next time I need to relax a little bit more since we were more than ok with the time. I’m just happy to had have a not-so-impartial friend/slash/jury on the audience that could not only record my audio to hear me afterwards but also to take some pictures of the “voilá” moment. The fun part is that if you look at the photos one after the other, with a fast pace, you can almost make a gif and laugh on how much I look more of a rapper than a researcher since I was walking and engaging with the audience, but whatever, I loved it as much as those pictures reflect it!

Melk - Bar a Cafe 1206 rue Stanley http://melkbaracafe.com/

Just right by the hotel, there was this small but cute café with the most amazing scones and cappuccinos. It was called Melk and it was the perfect way to toast to my friend and her baby (baby who I’m sure is a daughter). Viviohna! this is for you!<3

With all this exposure to amazing content and research, I was writing like crazy and thinking about upcoming study subjects and matters. With the cold wind hitting my face, I had this great epiphany that can easily be applied not only to harsh study but also to food, blogging, travel and - why, not?- life itself! I was worried the audience may ask me something I didnt know about, although I was super mega prepared, knew and memorized the study front and backwards, and conducted the research myself, I was still nervous. Until it hit me: “I don’t know”. That should be my shameless answer. There’s a special dignity in not knowing. It’s always so rich and inspiring to acknowledge that. It’s, by definition, the beginning of something knew. More and newer research questions, more hypothesis, more variables, more facts that draw more questions. It’s the start of something great. If you don’t know what you are eating, ask. If you dont understand the language, try to taste it or draw it, or explain it with body language. Then you’ll laugh, you’ll discover something new, and again, replicate this experience with all the unknown questions you may have while becoming a mom, arriving to a new place or a research question for your next thesis. I didnt know what to expect from this trip, and it was a great surprise. Some other great surprises that nourished my stayed in Montreal were: Restaurant Santa Lucia (https://santalucia.restaurant/), Fat Guys (http://www.fiveguys.com/) and Tres amigos (http://www.3amigosrestaurant.com/) but I would suggest that, if you go to Montreal, you should start asking around for recommendations and you’ll find even greater spots I didnt have enough time to discover! Not knowing where to go can be an amazing journey start and everything will begin with saying, aloud and proudly: “I dont know!”

#montreal #mom #friends #momtobe #canada #northamerica #travels #food

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eringoestoeirinn-blog · 8 years

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Day 3: Galway

This morning we departed from our hotel, the Temple Bar Inn, and went to Dublin Heuston Strain station to begin our trip to Galway. Galway is on the west coast of Ireland and is about a 3 hour train ride from Dublin. Tickets to get there via Irish rail were 23 euro round trip for students. Almost every place has a student discount here. Imagine traveling to and from NYC from Wilmington for only $23 round trip! The trains for Irish Rail are also considerably nicer than amtrak. The comfort and price exceeds expectations and it reminds me of how little investment the US government puts into public transportation. This has been of much discussion amongst the Americans we’ve met so far during our travels. If the US government wanted to boost utilization of public transportation, they would have to put a great deal of money into it in order to bring the prices down and make it affordable. For some reason, proper utilization of public transportation hasn’t taken off in the US outside of the major cities. It would certainly be more economical for citizens and better for the environment.

Something I haven’t yet shared yet is how nice and friendly everyone is here. So far every Irish person we’ve met has been incredibly accommodating, kind, and eager to help us find our way. The security guard at our hotel was hilarious last night. He was debating with us what constitutes a midnight snack (Jon and I wanted different things). He then told us the perfect spot which would accommodate us both. He said, Ireland has plenty of snacks, you just don’t know where to go. He was quite shocked when I came back with 2 cadbury creme eggs. I guess those are only for Easter Sunday.

We got on a train at 11:25am and a couple sat down across from us. A lady came by and handed all 3 of us a 50 question survey that we were asked to fill out about our travel accommodations and our opinions about Irish Rail. I had nothing to say in the section on suggestions/recommendations. Everything seemed so wonderful to me.

Another theme of our trip is I like to make friends everywhere I go. This is something that Jon has always heard from me but has never really experienced it. I often tell him about the people I meet day to day but so far on this trip we’ve made lots of friends and connections just by talking to fellow travelers. The couple across from us was a Spanish speaking couple so I asked them where they are from. We ended up talking with them for the full 3 hour ride. They are wonderful.

Christian and Mariel are from outside of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Ireland is one stop on their travels throughout Europe. They are incredibly kind and fun to talk to. They told us about their country, the positives and the negatives. We discussed the challenges currently facing the United States including racism, gun violence, anti-immigration laws, Donald Trump, and the like. It is always interesting to hear an outsiders’ perspective on US current events. A lot of times, their perceptions are very different from my own. People are always surprised to hear that a lot of Americans are inclusive, and warm people who don’t hate on those different from us. I told them about how welcoming the people where I grew up are to hispanic immigrants. I told them about how I grew up in the Mushroom Capital of the world and the important role that Mexican immigration plays in upholding this industry. I even showed them the giant glowing mushroom that drops in Kennett Square on New Years Eve. They were amazed. Christian and Mariel were educated in University in Argentina. Interestingly, the universities in Argentina (at least the good ones) are all Public similar to how they are in Ireland. This allows people from all financial backgrounds to receive a good education and have a chance at getting a good job later on. University normally takes 5-7 years to complete (most students take the full 7). Mariel and Christian also told us about the difficulties of living in a country which has been plagued by corruption and crime. They say that Argentina is really very safe and beautiful in the more rural areas but the cities are very unsafe at night. They say if you travel to a city in Argentina, you have to be very careful. They were robbed a gunpoint once during their time living in the city. It traumatized them both and Mariel still says she doesn’t feel safe in her own country after that experience. She said that in the moment, she was like a robot, just reacting, not getting emotional. It wasn’t until later that she realized the gravity of the event. After that experience, they moved back out to a suburb of the city where they feel safer. It is amazing how many people we’ve connected with just because of the common interest of traveling. When we reached Galway, we parted with Christian and Mariel but not before exchanging contact information. We intend to grab a drink with them sometime while we’re here.

Our Air BnB is just a short 10 minute walk from the train station in Galway. It’s right in the center of things just above a tea shop called Cupan Tea. It’s cozy and the owner is very kind. He gave us all of the necessary information for an easy self check in. He even left us supplies to make a continental style breakfast in the morning. After getting settled in, Jon and I went exploring around Galway. Galway reminds me more of a beach town than Dublin is even though both are considered port cities. Galway is extremely charming and beautiful. Pubs and artisan jewelry/pottery shops line the main street.

Jon and I visited one of the Spanish arches which is one of two remaining arches on the Ceann an Bhalla ("Front Wall"). It was constructed during the mayoralty of Wylliam Martin in 1584. We walked out around South Bay and crossed the causeway to Mutton Island. It was about a 5 mile walk and extremely beautiful. The grass is the greenest I’ve seen in the world and the air tasted like the salty sea, saltier than any beach I’ve ever been to.

For dinner, we went to a restaurant and I was lucky enough to try the famous Galway Bay oysters which are caught by the famous Kelly company. They are out of season in a few weeks so we caught them just in time. They were very salty, but interesting to try. I also had a delicious fish stew. If you haven’t guessed, seafood is the thing to eat around here.

After dinner, we went to this pub called Tigh Neachtains. A Scandinavian band was playing and some Irish players joined in as well to complete the group. It was a similar style as last night’s entertainment. The accordion player was especially impressive.

Tomorrow we get up early to do a Cliffs of Moher day tour.

PS: I was carded at the pub tonight. Evidently I don’t look over 18.

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melissagarcia8 · 7 years

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How to Find a Cheap Hotel Room: Sites to Use and Sites to Avoid

As much as I love hostels and other forms of cheap accommodation, there is something nice about the luxuriousness of a hotel: the clean room, comfy bed, desk, iron, strong shower, and bottled soap for the taking (errr…I mean borrowing). They are quiet, relaxing, and a respite from the world.

But luxury comes at a price. Hotels certainly aren’t cheap, and I hate spending money on a room I am only going to be in for a few hours. After all, it’s just a place to sleep (and take soap). It’s why I mostly avoid hotels — I don’t think they are a good use of money. I would much rather stay in a hostel or Airbnb, which cost less, have more social interaction, and don’t make you feel as removed from the destination you’re staying at. I always feel hotels are so isolating like a concrete bubble keeping out the place you’re visiting.

But there are times when a hotel can’t be avoided. Hostels aren’t everywhere, booking a last minute hotel room is easier than finding an Airbnb host, and sometimes you just really need a nice bed and shower. Plus, I have a ton of points so free is worth the isolation.

A few years ago, I was traveling to conferences and other work-related events a lot and staying in a bunch of hotels. I decided to see which hotel booking sites came back with the cheapest results. I picked five cities to research (London, Los Angeles, Paris, NYC, and Seattle) and stays close to the date of my research and then far in advance, on both weekdays and weekends.

I searched six booking websites — Expedia, Hotels.com, Booking.com, Hotwire, Priceline, and TravelPony — in 2-, 3-, and 4-star categories.

The conclusion? Well, there wasn’t really a great conclusion.

The overall numbers showed that some sites were stronger in certain regions or for certain classes of hotel. TravelPony was the winner in the US and for higher-class hotels, and Expedia dominated London and Paris, while Priceline was great for 2-star hotels and Hotwire for 3-star hotels. The big loser? Booking.com.

That was in 2014, and booking websites and options have changed a lot since then. The only constant in travel is that nothing is constant — and a booking website is as only good as its inventory, which, as someone who now owns a hostel that’s not listed in every booking engine, I can tell you varies widely.

So I decided to do another search. This time I searched Expedia, Hotels.com, Booking.com, Agoda, and Priceline for prices in London, New York, Paris, Bangkok, Buenos Aires, and Berlin. I searched on July 3rd for space later that week and then one month later during the weekday and weekend (prices and availability change on the weekend).

The results?

Well, the complete opposite of the previous results. Back in 2014, Booking.com was terrible, TravelPony showed promise, and Agoda was only good in Asia.

This time around the clear winner was Booking.com, followed by Agoda. Though it didn’t return the largest number of total places, Booking.com returned the largest number of cheap places – and that’s the most important thing. I found the best deals and largest variety in all the destinations I searched for on Booking. For example, in my September search in Paris, it listed over 2,300 results, including 250 2 star listings and 750 star listings (and it told me the place was over 60% booked when I searched). Agoda still had the best results in Asia (it returned 2,900 results in Bangkok compared to 2,500 for Booking) but had definitely expanded their listings around the world – it roughly tied Booking in Paris, Buenos Aires, and Sydney for overall listings, though they had fewer budget listings than Booking.

And all those other major booking websites? Well, Orbitz and Travelocity are part of Expedia and use the same database, and while they turned back a large number of results, they tilted more to the higher end of the price spectrum. And websites like Priceline and Hotwire have top-notch blind booking and bidding options that can get you a very cheap hotel (in the star category and area you want). Sometimes prices are up to 40% off. The downside? You don’t get to know the name of the hotel you’re staying in until after you have paid.

There are a lot of hotel websites and I’ve tried many over the last few years as I’ve started to book hotels more and more, but this test just proved what I already thought: for cheap accommodation, Booking.com and Agoda are just the best resources that have the largest selection of results. If you search these two companies, you’ll always find the best hotel bargains in the 1, 2m or 3 star category.

Note: Years ago, I said to skip Trivago because I found it misleading: when you went to the other sites to compare results, the hotel classes and prices were different. I found the same thing this time. I clicked over to their cheapest deals, then did the search on the website they took me to only to find out that the place Trivago listed wasn’t even in the same class I wanted — and there were better options on the redirected website. In short, I would still skip Trivago.

How to book a cheap hotel

Besides using the right booking websites, there are some hacks you can use to score the cheapest room rate possible:

Contact the hotel websites directly – If you’re booking a big-name, global-brand hotel (think Starwood, Marriott, Hilton, etc.), book directly with that hotel. They often have the best deals on their website, but if you find a better deal elsewhere, they’ll match it. The big benefit to direct bookings at these global hotel chains is that you only earn loyalty points and status when you book directly, so if you love points, don’t book their rooms elsewhere.

Bargain – Want a better deal? Call up a hotel and ask for one. Sometimes they can give you better rates, especially if it’s during mid-week on some non-peak time of the year.

Use loyalty reward programs – The best way to stay for cheap is to stay for free. Collect points with the big chains by using their branded credit cards, shopping portals, and other travel hacking methods.

Use discount rates like AAA or AARP – If you are part of the AARP or AAA you can get special rates that are cheaper. Fun fact: Anyone can join the AARP. I’m a member. They have amazing travel benefits (including deals on hotels and British Airways flights). It’s well worth the membership.

Get discounted gift cards – You can book major hotel chains with hotel gift cards. Check out a website like Giftcardgranny.com for discounted gift cards and use it to book your hotel. (Gift card purchases also count toward point earnings and status.)

Buy someone else’s reservation with Roomer – Often people can’t go on a trip and can’t cancel the reservation, so rather than lose the money, hotels put these rooms on Roomer, where they sell it at a discount to earn some money back. I’ve never used this website, but I’ve heard decent things about it. It’s worth a try.

*** Hotel pricing is a lot more set than airline pricing and tends to fluctuate less. I wouldn’t spend hours searching hotel websites or days tracking prices like people do with airline prices. I’d spend, at the most, 30 minutes on booking a hotel. I found that the variation between sites isn’t enough to justify more time.

Just follow the steps above, get a great cheap room, and enjoy your trip.

P.S. – Want to be featured on my Instagram account AND win some sweet prizes? I’m holding a contest on Instagram right now, so check out my account for the details!

P.P.S. – Want to travel with me? There are only 4 spots left on my next reader tour! I’ll be taking readers on an intimate group tour of Vienna and Prague, where we will visit all my favorite sights, restaurants, bars, and off the beaten path places! Come explore the world with me!

The post How to Find a Cheap Hotel Room: Sites to Use and Sites to Avoid appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

from Traveling News https://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/find-cheap-hotel-room/

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vidovicart · 7 years

Text

How to Find a Cheap Hotel Room: Sites to Use and Sites to Avoid

I searched six booking websites — Expedia, Hotels.com, Booking.com, Hotwire, Priceline, and TravelPony — in 2-, 3-, and 4-star categories.

The conclusion? Well, there wasn’t really a great conclusion.

The results?

Well, the complete opposite of the previous results. Back in 2014, Booking.com was terrible, TravelPony showed promise, and Agoda was only good in Asia.

How to book a cheap hotel

Besides using the right booking websites, there are some hacks you can use to score the cheapest room rate possible:

Bargain – Want a better deal? Call up a hotel and ask for one. Sometimes they can give you better rates, especially if it’s during mid-week on some non-peak time of the year.

Just follow the steps above, get a great cheap room, and enjoy your trip.

P.S. – Want to be featured on my Instagram account AND win some sweet prizes? I’m holding a contest on Instagram right now, so check out my account for the details!

The post How to Find a Cheap Hotel Room: Sites to Use and Sites to Avoid appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

0 notes