#The Amazing Digital Roadtrip AU | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

baekthecorgi · 7 years ago

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queen’s greatest hits (mark) genre: fluff, roadtrip au warning: sexual tension words: 2.7k words summary: mark loves queen, but mark loves you more.

T'was the eve of Mark’s nineteenth birthday, yet here he was, eagle spread on the bed. His snores echo across his man cave, loud enough to wake the dead. For the past few days, a stack of paperwork bombarded your boyfriend, as well as lengthy essays and researches. Heck, this is the first time you’ve seen Mark barely alive and breathing. It just so happened that he was fast asleep. Mark lets out a low whine as he shifts to a more comfortable position. You know he’s had a rough week.

It’s not everyday fate takes Mark’s side.

Pulling out an air horn from your knapsack, you curse Donghyuck’s name under your breath. The kid suggested this idea in the first place. (Not that you really complained. You found it to be hilarious, too. Great minds think alike?)

A deafening sound blares through the air when you harshly press the button down. The sheets instantly scramble to the side as Mark awakens from his sleep, meeting the floor face first. Donghyuck and Renjun let out a cackle on the other side of the door when they hear the loud thud and Mark shouting a confused, “What the fuck?!”

“Good morning?” You greet him, innocently dropping the air horn.

He glances at the clock. 10:38PM was flashing in red, bold figures. Mark was still confused.

Mark’s expression immediately lights up at the sight of you. It’s as if an air horn wasn’t blown and a week’s worth of fatigue was lifted off his shoulders.

He asks, “What’s happening?”

You draw out his car keys then toss it to your boyfriend who was now kneading the back of his head from the fall. “More like, what’s gonna happen,” you correct him.

His puzzled face made you want to reach out and pinch his cheeks. “There’s exactly one hour and twenty-two minutes till you turn nineteen, babe.”

“And?”

“We’re going on an adventure,” you chirp, enthusiastically, “A road trip.”

Mark takes a double look at the clock then to his girlfriend. His girlfriend who appears rather rushed with your half-assed bun, a Queen’s t-shirt merch, a pair of khakis and why the hell did you enter his room still in your red Converse? What the hell, you’re angelic even under low lights so he lets you slide this time.

“Got you, babe,” He replies, standing up. He gives you a sly wink and throws a crisp black shirt over his head.

It sent you straight to your grave.

[Track 1: Another One Bites The Dust]

Mark Lee really is the dorkiest (read: sweetest) boyfriend in the world.

You’ve always let this thought leave the premises of your mind whenever he occasionally gives in to your PDA antics. And, hear me out, Mark Lee was smooth as hell when he’s in the mood to flirt. Well, aren’t you a lucky young lady?

Nope, you think to yourself.

He opens the compartment, taking another pair of sunglasses for you and a Queen’s Greatest Hits CD. Mark carefully withdraws the CD and slips it into the radio player. A few funky beats drop as the intro of Another One Bites The Dust plays.

“Seriously, babe? At this time? In this economy?”

You’re starting to doubt your taste in men.

Mark slides a pair of black sunglasses on. He rams the keys roughly, you think it’d be jagged the morning after. The engine revs as he steps on the gas, thick, grey smoke exuding from the exhaust of the Mustang.

Mark likes to think he’s one of the cool college kids, as per Donghyuck’s words.

(“Mark wears sunglasses in the evening. He thinks it’s cool. Is that stupid or is that stupid?” Donghyuck mentions, popping a fry in his mouth. “We all know you’re the cool one in this relationship.”

“Says who?” Mark’s eyebrows furrow. He hastily opens the ketchup packet, squirting some on his sweater.

Donghyuck rolls his eyes, directing your attention to your boyfriend’s now ruined sweater. He has a point.

His best friend was always third wheeling in your dates. He says it saves him money being a broke college student. Let’s just say Mark’s protests were completely ignored by the younger. This is what makes them the dynamic duo, you think.)

Mark loves his Mustang. Especially since the boy has an old soul, constantly collecting CDs from the past. But, Queen. Queen was a whole different story. It was the thing that made the both of you instantly connect.

He waits impatiently for you to slip on the sunglasses he handed but you refused. Have you mentioned how much Mark’s playful pouts melt your insides?

“Please put it on,” You neglected his request, eyes cast on the headlights, stretching the parking lot.

“It’s almost my birthday.”

You throw your hands in defeat before wearing the tacky sunglasses. Mark winces at the bite of your words. “You owe me one.”

“Hey, you said I’m the one in charge tonight,” Mark states, a matter-of-factly to which you rolled your eyes on. You did promise him that.

“Can you even see clearly through the sunglasses, Mark?” You question, annoyance lacing your voice. But you did it to imply something else if he even remembers it.

“No,” Mark says, embarrassed. He proceeds on switching his cool sunglasses with your favorite gold-rimmed circular glasses of his.

“That’s what I thought.”

Are you ready, hey, are you ready for this? Are you hanging on the edge of your seat?

[Track 3: Don’t Stop Me Now]

Tonight, I’m gonna have myself a real good time I feel alive

Tall city buildings zoom past your line of vision. The air is kinda stuffy inside the Mustang but there’s enough room for you to breathe. Mark notices your uneven breathing. He rolls his window down, making you mimic his action.

Mark didn’t like his windows rolled down but you were quite the spectacle. The cold city breeze plays with the strands of your hair. Streetlights color your face as you tuck your chin on top of your elbow, leaning your torso towards the window.

Honestly, you don’t know where you were going. It just occurred to you that a road trip with your man was the best option for tonight’s event. Needless to say, you and Mark were going nowhere, but it’s fine. As long as Mark’s by your side, everything’s perfect.

“Hey, babe?” Mark calls out, eyes shifting between you and the road. He places a hand on your thigh, thumb rubbing indefinite shapes on it.

I’m driving at the speed of light I wanna make a supersonic world out of you

Soon enough, the Mustang was zooming through an empty highway. You hum in response, too amazed at the view before you. The skyscrapers were no more as they were now replaced with lines of trees and a hazy, picturesque mountain at a distance.

“Don’t lean too much, you might fall.” He reminds before continuing, “I can’t afford you falling somewhere else. The only one you’re falling for is me.”

“Oh, s-shut up!” Mark bursts out laughing hearing your stuttering, abashed.

You hide the blush forming, throwing the air horn towards his direction. Mark dodges the can, squaring straight through the driver’s window. Risky, yes, but what’s more dangerous is Donghyuck finding out you lost his air horn.

[Track 5: You’re My Best Friend]

11:56PM, it read.

Mark takes a sharp right turn. Eventually, the Mustang slows down to a stop at the side of the road. He waits for at least five minutes for any vehicle to pass by. Fortunately, there were none so he guides you out of the Mustang. You’re My Best Friend starts to blast from the speakers. Mark turns the volume louder and lets the night air rush inside the Mustang – doors wide open.

Ooh, you make me live Whatever this world can give to me

“Finally!” You shout, stretching your limbs in all directions. “My ass was burning.”

“Your ass is nice, babe. It has always been so quit whining like a baby.” You raise a brow at his bold choice of words. Very unlikely of Mark. He checks his watch.

“We have a minute left before midnight.” Mark leads you down the middle of the road then lies down on the asphalt.

Ooh, I’ve been wandering around But I still come back to you

Baffled, you examine your boyfriend’s sanity, “Why are we doing this exactly?”

Mark shows you the ugly green glow of his digital watch (12:00AM, it read). He retorts, “Because it’s my birthday.”

“Stop using your birthday as an excuse for everything.”

Mark props an elbow on the ground and faces your direction. “First of all, it’s a valid excuse you can’t resist.”

“Second of all?”

“That’s it.”

“Ugh, dork. Fine.” You groan, puffing out your cheeks to which Mark had the audacity to pinch when you lied down beside him. He was fortunate you didn’t bite his finger.

You didn’t miss out the way he singsonged a cute “I love you”.

As soon as your back meets the asphalt, it roughly prickles the skin on your back. You were suddenly mesmerized at the wide expanse of the night sky, twinkling back at you. Your words are stuck in your throat, unable to voice out your complaints.

I’ve been with you such a long time

“So, can you spot the brightest star?” You wonder, pointing at the sky full of stars.

You hear nothing from your boyfriend. You hope he wasn’t dozing off. Turning your head, you find Mark ogling at you instead of staring at the natural phenomenon above you. His eyes were full of adoration and deep down, reassurance. And you’re suddenly reminded why you chose to love Mark.

You’re my sunshine and I want you to know

“Hi,” Mark whispers in a hushed tone. “I love you.”

It was like he was too scared someone else might hear his words even if you’re both alone. At midnight. In the middle of a road. Somewhere. But declaring his love for you was the loudest sound in the vicinity no matter how hushed his tone was.

“Hi,” you reply, “I love you, too. Happy birthday.”

That my feelings are true I really love you

Mark radiates a warm smile. He always does. It was warm enough to make you forget the asphalt and chilly air prickling through your shirt.

“What happens if a car runs us down?”

“Then we die together.”

“Real romantic, Mark Lee.”

“Wanna make out in the car?”

“Thought you’d never ask.”

[Track 7: Bicycle Race]

“God, you’re so wild tonight,” Mark says, trying to catch his breath. His hands rest at your waist, casually playing at the hem of your white shirt.

Being on top of Mark was a sight to die for. His hair was fluffy and disheveled that you had to fight the urge to card your fingers through his raven locks. Mark stares a bit longer than expected, his pupils full-blown and red lips attractively swollen.

“Well, it’s your birthday, you’re my boyfriend AND Queen’s playing in the background, so why the fuck not?”

“My dream girl.” Mark jokingly clutches his chest, earning a light punch from you. He doesn’t miss the sudden flush powdering your cheeks.

I want to ride my bicycle I want to ride my bike I want to ride it where I like

“Why is Bicycle Race suggestive?” You plaster an impish grin. Being a true fanatic that he is, Mark catches the song’s subtle implication.

“That’s Queen for you, baby,” he replies against your lips. Nonchalance laces his voice as if the situation wasn’t heated enough.

You catch the spark of mischief in his eyes gleaming back at you. Sultry looks are shot by your boyfriend but were latent behind his silly grin. Or was it a smirk? You didn’t know. Mark controls his raging hormones so well, you’d be lying if you didn’t say you’re in awe.

The birthday boy tucks a few strands of stray hair behind your ear before diving in for another round of kisses (read: make-out session).

[Track 9: We Will Rock You]

You learn that We Will Rock You was a strong aphrodisiac for Mark.

You remember Mark telling you it was part of his bucket list to make-out with the rock song playing in the background, but it never occurred to you that it was true.

The guitar solo shreds and suddenly, Mark is hungrier.

The kiss was messy and sloppy, teeth-clashing but just enough tongue to extract tempting moans from your lips. Sweat rolls down the side of Mark’s temples. You knew Mark was beautiful but whenever you’re under your boyfriend, he looked ethereal and a million times hotter. His hips were the definition of sin, grinding in perfect synch with yours.

Mark loves locking his lips on the expanse of your neck. You were sure red and purple flowers were blooming just above your collarbone. Mark was quite the artist.

“Fuck,” he would mumble, breaking the kiss whenever the bulge painfully confined in his jeans hit the right angle.

Mark bites his lips, failing to prevent low, throaty groans spilling from his mouth. And just by those sounds, you weren’t sure if you were seeing stars or Mark was just driving you crazy.

It’s actually both.

[Track 10: Bohemian Rhapsody]

The car screeches to a stop as Mark shifts the gear to neutral before pulling up the handbrake. Under Pressure was still playing with a minute left on the track.

The Mustang was still in the middle of nowhere. Nowhere near the city but somewhere else enough to be found. A few more hours and the sun was ready to paint the horizon with its pastel hues.

The adrenaline lingers, fizzling in his system when he glances at you messily mouthing the lyrics of the song. It was always an adrenaline-filled adventure whenever Mark was with you. And he sure as hell loves spending some quality time with you. Besides, you’re the only adventure Mark needs in this lifetime despite Donghyuck’s continuous teases of Mark’s boring adventures (or lack thereof). It takes a few seconds for you to notice the car has stopped and a certain someone was shooting you a thousand heart eyes from across the driver’s seat.

Turning your head, Mark feels his breath hitch. How many times must you render the birthday boy breathless tonight?

“I love you,” Mark breathes. “I really love you.”

Mark has a way with his words that just makes your heart flutter like a thousand butterflies. A light giggle emits from your throat. “I really love you, too, dumb ass.”

Mark presses a long, warm kiss on your lips. It wasn’t like the one earlier – rushed and needy. You smiled into the kiss. His cherry lips molded perfectly with yours, gently, carefully moving as if you were a fragile flower under his touch. Mark was the first to break the kiss, immediately snuggling up on your chest like someone was gonna take his favorite spot.

The strands of his jet black hair tickled your nose, readjusting your baby boy (yes, you read that right, baby boy) to make both of your positions comfy.

“Hyuck was right,” you tell him, making Mark look up at you. “You really are a man-child.”

“Yeah right,” Mark scoffs. “You love me, though.”

He intertwines his fingers with yours, spaces fitting exactly with his as if they were meant to be placed there. Sometimes, Mark the type of boyfriend who’s allergic to all kinds of affection but most of the time, out of the public’s eyes, he’s this baby wanting and craving your affection.

“Happy birthday, Mark.”

Mark closes his eyes and focuses on the pattern of your breathing. Calmness fills the night as your chest gradually rises up and down with the music. Bohemian Rhapsody starts to play as you thread your fingers through Mark’s soft tresses with your free hand.

He hears the faint thumping of your heartbeat against your chest and Freddie Mercury singing melodiously to the lyrics.

Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy?

Gazing up at your eyes closed, head resting back, and silently listening to the 70s classic in the background, Mark understands.

Mark decides that the mellow beat of your heart is his new Bohemian Rhapsody – his favorite song.

note: im VERY busy with school ;; this is the first time i’ve written since summer rip my tumblr blog hsjfhjsd i missed mark’s birthday so this is kinda like my super late birthday gift for him. also, you guys are awesome omg 500+ followers tysm!! this was actually based on this post but i altered it a lot to fit the theme.

i was actually thinking of making hyuck’s version but with ABBA. i think it’ll fit him a lot tbh. tell me if ya want the rest of nct’s version hehe ;)

i hope yall liked this treat!!! (mark is a snack in black hair umff) pls send feedbacks and listen to Queen sjkfhsd

masterlist | twitter

#nct scenarios #mark lee #nct mark #nct imagines #mark lee scenarios #nct u #nct 127 #nct dream #nct u scenarios #nct 127 imagines #nct 127 scenarios #nct dream scenarios #nct dream imagines #nct u imagines #kpop #kpop imagines #kpop scenarios

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little-chimchim · 7 years ago

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Roadside Adventures

Copy of ask: Hiiiii😊Can i request a shownu fluff？😚😚😚😝😝😝

Rating: PG

Word Count: 2210

Genre: Roadtrip au! Fluff!!

Pairing: Shownu x Reader

A/N: I love roadtrips so this was honestly really fun to write. It was also really cute because I’m in love with fluffy Shownu scenarios. So I hope you enjoy. Thank you so much for requesting. Thank you all for the support, love ya - Kay

@callmeksey Thank you for the request!!

You had a knack for adventure. From hiking in the woods at night, from surfing on the waves on the most windy of days. You lived your life by one motto “Live your life to the fullest and never look back.” It seemed to work so far. You never went a day without feeling a rush of adrenaline or did you ever look back and think “What if?”

That is, until you reached your junior year of college. You were beyond stressed with your classes and tests that seemed to be stacked on you like the Leaning Tower of Pisa, seemingly seconds away from toppling over on top of you. You knew you needed a change of scenery, one that you had never seen before.

So what better than going on a roadtrip to satisfy your needs to be away from your cramped university? The only problem was that you didn’t have anyone to go with. All your friends were too busy with work and classes that they couldn’t even think about leaving the university for a week.

So, despite possibly being called dumb for doing so, your put up a note in the commons area of your dorm claiming that you needed “A roadtrip buddy that can supply some snacks and a little bit of gas money.” You didn’t think it was a bad idea, it was all about living for the adventure after all.

You had only gotten one text back about the trip. A man by the name of Son Hyunwoo, a senior in the arts department. You had only seen him a few times around campus, even though the two of your were studying in the same department. Everyone knew Hyunwoo. He was renowned within the department for his incredulous dance skills and positive support to all of the up-and-coming freshman dance majors.

You quickly texted him the details, telling him that the two of you would be leaving in the morning for a week to travel across the countryside. You told him to bring some food, money, and some good music. Those were your only requirements for becoming your friend.

And that was that. You didn’t know the man besides the reputation that floated around the halls. But by the end of this week with just the two of you, you knew that he might end up being your closest friend.

You waited outside the dorm rooms, sitting on the hood of your car, playing music from the inside. You waited for Hyunwoo to come out, bags in hand and the right mindset for an adventure.

Eventually, he came out of the dorm building, smiling wildly. He reached your car and instantly stuck out his hand for you to take. Your immediate thought was that you found his awkwardness to be kind of cute. A stark contrast from your own, bubbly and confident personality.

You took his hand and gestured for him to get into the car. He opened your back seat door and pushed his bags into the back. He got into the drivers side and waited for you to start the car. You pushed the key into the ignition and pulled away from your dreaded college, your new potential friend in tow.

The first hour or two were spent in silence. Besides the loud music that played through the vehicle, the two of you didn’t say a word to one another. ‘Alright, maybe he’s just shy.�� You thought to yourself. You glanced over to him, he rested his face on his arm and looked out the window.

You took a deep breath, you might as well get the awkward introductions done with. “So, what is your favorite number?” You asked him without thinking.

Hyunwoo looked to you, his brow raised slightly. “My favorite number?” He asked with a little bit of humor in his tone. He laughed breathlessly and shook his head. “I would say number fourteen I suppose. It’s a mix of two sevens so it’s extra lucky.”

This was good. The awkward and sudden conversations always led to good things. You nodded your head and looked out the window. You were nearing a smaller town right off the highway. You turned towards it, figuring the two of you could pick something up for dinner there.

“And what are your thoughts on climate change?” You asked him as you turned into the entrance of the small town. He laughed again, staring at you with interest. “Are you always this weird?” He asked.

You nodded your head and smiled brightly. “Of course I am, the weirdest people are always the best people,” You told him, and even he couldn’t disagree with you.

You spent the first night at an old campground, surrounded by the quiet woods. No one else was there besides a couple campers in the far distance, but you knew that they would not be coming out of their temporary homes for the time being.

You sat on the roof of your car, next to Hyunwoo, eating the bag of gummy worms that he brought with him. “So you’re telling me that you’ve never seen the Godfather?” He groaned, chucking a piece of candy at you.

You caught it in your mouth and shook your head. “It’s always been on my list but I’ve never gotten around to seeing it.” You admitted as you chucked a gummy worm towards his mouth.

He caught it and lifted his finger. “You’re in luck, Y/N. I brought my digital DVD player and a bunch of movies for us to watch.” He grinned as he jumped down from the hood of your car. You jumped down to and followed him.

“You have to be kidding me...You still have one of those?”

“You don’t?”

He got out the DVD player and placed the first movie in the slot. He sat in the bag of the car and waved you over to sit by him. “Come on, you’re going to miss the beginning.” He said excitedly.

You rolled your eyes and sat next to him, bring the gummy worms along with you.

Day 2 went on without a hitch. You ran into a small beachside community that was in the middle of a flea market. Hyunwoo had convinced you to stop by, insisting that it would make both of you a little bit more cultured about small villages.

So that’s what you did.

He was right. From the beautiful seashell necklaces to the unique pieces of art that you saw. It was an amazing sight that you couldn’t pass up the chance to witness. The locals were some of the kindest people you had ever met. They had even offered you and Hyunwoo a chance to stay at their hot springs for the night.

“A gift for the newlywed couple,” The old lady who ran the spa cheered. You and Hyunwoo stood at the desk, receiving your room for the night. Hyunwoo chuckled nervously. “We’re not m-”

You covered his mouth and smiled kindly to the old woman. “We’re on our honeymoon and we thank you so much for the room here.” You told the woman. The woman smiled joyously and handed you the keys to your first floor room. She also handed you the keys to the spa, telling you that the hot springs would be ready in about an hour.

You took them and dragged Hyunwoo with you.

After a night of massages and hot spring baths, you and Hyunwoo called it a night. You slept facing away from each other, though you two were nowhere near comfortable to share a bed without it being awkward, you still felt a comforting aura about being with the man beside you.

Day 3 was spent on the road. You two sang to songs and talked about everything and nothing whatsoever. You learned more about Hyunwoo in and hour than you had ever been able to get to know your friends in a few years of knowing them.

“Don’t you ever regret running away from home?” He asked you somberly, knowing that he wouldn’t be able to live without his own parents.

You shook your head and drummed your fingers to the beat of the music against the steering wheel. “Not at all. If I stayed, I was going to be forced to go to military school. That’s where my father and my three older brother’s went. They wanted me to be in the military along with them.” You told him. You were a film major. You had earned your way to the finest art school in the country by working your thin in high school. You were able to gain scholarships for your hard work. So you used that to your advantage. You packed up your things and went directly to the school of your dreams.

You never looked back.

“What caused you to become a dancer?” You finally asked him.

Hyunwoo shrugged his shoulders and smiled. “It’s always been my biggest passion. After this year I’m going to Seoul and auditioning for a company. It’s always been my only dream.” He said happily. It didn’t sound like he had told many people this.

Your eyes widened “You’re going to Seoul too? I’m hoping to pick up an internship at a film company.”

The two of you continued on, talking about your hopes and dreams of the future, both realizing that you weren’t so different than one another after all.

Day 4 was hectic. The two of you stopped in the center of a larger town, one that had a beautiful vintage touch. A street festival was being thrown in the heart of the town. As the sun fell down below the sky, you and Hyunwoo walked through the busy streets, taking in all of the sights and smells.

You walked with arm looped through his. You felt safer in his presence. It seemed as if no one wanted to come up to you with Hyunwoo by your side. He pointed out a crown made of flowers and placed it carefully upon your head. He stood back, open mouthed. “You’re really pretty.” He said aloud. You couldn’t tell if he meant to say it out loud or just in his head. Though, you hear him loud and clear.

You blushed and handed a couple of dollars to the maker of the crown. Hyunwoo draped his arm around you as the two of you walked. Even though you had only known him for a few days, you never felt more comfortable being with someone.

The center of the festival held a large dance circle that hand couples dancing to the fast paced song that was playing from the speakers. Small, white, twinkling lights hung from the street signs and the buildings, causing the streets to be dim but calm.

Hyunwoo looked to you and grabbed your hands. He pulled you to the dance circle, smirking happily when he saw your look of disapproval. “Hyunwoo, I can’t dance.”

He shook his head and twirled you in his arms. He held you in his arms, swaying slowly to the fast paced song. “Everyone can dance if they wanted to,” He whispered in your ear. He spun you out and back in. He pressed his body close to yours and slowly led you to beat of the song.

Eventually, you were enjoying yourself far too much. You twirled and danced with Hyunwoo, who had the biggest smile you had ever seen. He danced with you until you were you both were tired.

Even after you stopped dancing, he hadn’t let go of your hand. Though, you didn’t really want him to let go.

Day 5 was the final day. The two of you were in the middle of nowhere, on the side of the road, staring at the country nightscape. You pointed out various constellations to him, which you had learned on your previous trips.

It was getting very dark and you knew you both need to retire for the night soon. You look at Hyunwoo and smiled. “Thank you for coming on this crazy trip with me.” You said quietly. Your hands brushed up against his, but instead of ignoring it, Hyunwoo laced his fingers with yours, causing a small blush to creep to your cheeks.

“This is most fun I’ve had in a long time, Y/N. Honestly, I want to go on more of these with you. I want to have so many more adventures with you.”

Your eyes widened, surprised by his sudden boldness. “Are you saying something?” It was your turn to play dumb.

Hyunwoo nodded his head and smiled cheekily. “I’m telling you that I want to go on as many adventures as I can with you. Do you want to possibly go on a date when we get back home?”

You laughed and moved your forehead to touch his. “I thought most of this trip was one long date.” You joked, seeing now that his own blush was making its way to his tan cheeks. He chuckled and placed a gentle kiss on your lips.

When you pulled away he wrapped you in his arms and continued to stare at the beautiful view from above, both of you smiling like two idiots.

#monsta x #monsta x fic #mx #mx fic #monsta x shownu #son hyunwoo #monsta x fluff #shownu fluff #kpop #kpop fic #monsta x memes #monsta x fanfic #monsta x fanfiction #little-chimchim

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jestdrabbles · 7 years ago

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Every Hurdle, Every Chasm - Chapter 03

Fandom: Boku no Hero Academia Warnings: none Characters: Midoriya Izuku, Iida Tenya, Uraraka Ochako, Asui Tsuyu, Todoroki Shouto Relationships: Dekusquad friendship | Pining Tododeku & Tsuchako Other info: Dekusquad Roadtrip AU ; Fun times ahead but also some emotional times so I should definitely warn about that!; MAJOR MANGA SPOILERS.

Words: ~8,600 | Chapter: 03/14 | Language: English

Somehow this one turned out longer even though I struggled a lot to actually write it. Hopefully next chapter doesn’t take too long to put out! Also I made up the city they stop at, so that’s not supposed to be a real place or anything

Day 03 - Don’t Expect Too Much [December 26]

The bathroom door is closed when Izuku rises from the dead of sleep, ready to wash his face and brush his teeth to rid himself of the nightly grime. Windows tell him sunrise is still on its way, once again losing against Tenya’s near-perfect record. His eyelids drop once, twice, then will him back into his drowsiness, but he wakes in full when the door creaks open. Messy brown hair nearly matches his own, and her eyes remain shut despite her attempted energy.

“Mornin’ Deku,” Ochako bumps her knuckles to his arm, “bathroom’s all yours.”

“Thanks,” he passes through, but leans his head out the doorway as she walks toward her parents’ room. “Is Tsuyu awake?”

“Mmhm,” she waves back without turning around. Izuku nods to himself and shuts the door to tend to the morning’s grooming. He half-expected Shouto to need more nudging out of bed, but the sleeping bag was already rolled and set against the sofa by the time he’d awakened; Shouto himself had been sitting against the wall with his phone plugged in, bag seemingly packed at his side. Now that he thinks about it, he has no way of knowing if he actually slept at all.

In any case, he regrets not getting to bed sooner himself with how sluggish he feels. That’s what he gets for pushing his limitations, so he opens the bathroom for whomever may need it next and nearly collides with them mid-yawn.

“Still sleepy?” Shouto asks with his hand at Izuku’s shoulder to keep them from running into each other.

“I’m amazed you aren’t.”

He grins and pats his shoulder as he passes him, content without saying much else when he walks further down toward Ochako’s room. Izuku watches as the door opens to let him inside, then he returns to the living room to find Tenya sitting beside the stack of folded blankets. Izuku returns his toiletry bag to his luggage and zips it shut.

“Do you have everything packed?”

Izuku sets aside the blankets and takes the newly made spot beside Tenya so he can use his arm as a place to rest his head, and he nods. The other smiles down at him and decides to let him rest his eyes a little longer until they have to load everything in the car.

The engine takes a few turns to finally start up, and the whirring lulls the resident sleepyheads to catch up on those last few hours before having to truly face the oncoming day. Ochako takes the front seat with Tenya, and they set out beneath dawn’s deceptively warm lights peeking over the landscape as they depart from the city and merge onto the highway. Ochako watches her hometown vanish behind her in the side mirror, and she smiles at the memory of her parents’ half-awake farewell.

She promises next time, they’ll have more time together.

They drive with the music low, voices no higher than careful exchanges during class, and soon enough they hear movement in the backseat between the blanket draped across both Tsuyu and Izuku. She wakes with her squint at the sunlight and yawns into her long fingers.

“Mornin’,” Ochako turns in her seat, “again.”

“Morning for real,” she sits up straighter to stretch her back and lets out a content sigh. “It’s so warm in here.”

“Yeah, we figured making it nice and toasty would help everyone rest easier.”

“You figured right,” she gives them a thumbs up, even if Ochako is the only one who can really see it. “Do we want to stop somewhere for breakfast?”

“I was thinking we could wait until everyone wakes up,” Tenya begins, glancing toward the back through the mirror, and he catches himself in a grin when he sees one teal eye open.

“I’m awake.”

“Of course you are,” Ochako deadpans and looks to Izuku, head leaning against his seatbelt strap as he snoozes. “Did you guys stay up late or something?”

“I didn’t hear them after going to bed myself,” Tenya shrugs, “and I didn’t feel Midoriya move all that much. As for Todoroki, he’s fairly quiet to begin with.” Once realizing that they are not, in fact, stopping for breakfast just yet, Shouto closes his eye and leans back in his seat without further comment.

The three make small talk concerning the weather predictions, the unlikelihood of rain with all the snow, and Tsuyu almost slumps in her seat. Tenya attempts to boost her spirits through the various sights they’ll be able to enjoy together, and Ochako chimes in to add that a hot spring will be even better in this kind of weather. They can all agree on that one.

Within the hour, Izuku blinks awake and stretches his neck until it cracks, then his shoulders. His phone reads a bit past 7AM before he tries to lean toward the center seat to see the digital clock on the dashboard; Tsuyu tells him good morning, and he illuminates almost instantly. Leave it to the fluffiest of the bunch to be bright eyed and bushy tailed at his real start of the day.

Tenya grins and keeps his eye out for an exit while Ochako searches for nearby cafes.

Tsuyu nudges Shouto awake once Tenya masterfully parallel parks on a side street, and they pull their shoes back on quick. Izuku wins that race since his sneakers are always tied loose anyway, and he joins Ochako on the sidewalk to contribute to the meter. Tenya finishes up by tossing the blanket over their luggage to discourage any curious eyes from breaking in, and they follow their rosy-cheeked companion as she directs them toward the restaurant.

“Western-style?” Tsuyu comments once they reach the building, noting the menu on display outside the window.

“I’m going to eat so many pancakes,” Izuku taps his finger on the all-you-can-eat price, but Ochako drags his finger to the All-Star American combo, and he finds himself immensely conflicted. Tenya holds the door open for them, the small ring of a bell notifying the hostess to welcome them and take them to a booth. Shouto and Tenya occupy one side while the three shorter squeeze into the other, Ochako having claimed the center.

The waitress arrives to take their drink orders after distributing water for the table, and Ochako peels the paper of her straw just enough to blow the wrapper out at Izuku’s cheek. She snickers, and he fires his back at her in vengeance, the paper striking at her nose. Thankfully the other three keep out of the spat, but Shouto’s worked his into an intertwined shape until he pushes the bottom upward and forms a small paper rose.

“That’s so neat!” Izuku stares at it pinched between his finger and thumb, and Shouto offers it to him since he seems interested enough. “I didn’t know you did origami, Todoroki.”

“Don’t be too impressed,” he leans back and shrugs. “I only know how to make things like this from strips of paper, but I can’t make anything from squares.”

“Oh, you mean like lucky stars?” Ochako takes the paper rose from Izuku to twirl it in her fingers. He nods, and her eyes sparkle. The implications make her cheeks flush, and she kicks her boots under the table. Who would have thought he could be a romantic? “Can you teach me some time?” Another nod, and she returns the rose to Izuku without calling as much attention to it as she’d like. Lucky, indeed.

The waitress comes back with their preferred drinks, and they each take their turns ordering their food after skipping Izuku, still weighing his options until he goes for the combo, and Tenya takes a sip from his juice once she’s left them again.

“So we have a long stretch until we reach Hokkaido. If we time it well, we won’t have to drive too much into tomorrow, but we have time to make a stop if there’s anything on the way you all want to do. I’d prefer we get back on the road by sundown at least,” Tenya thinks aloud, and Shouto stops himself from taking his coffee, setting it back down on the saucer. The three across mentally debate locations, and Tsuyu is the first to pull out her phone and check for anything interesting. Ochako glances over to share some input, and both of them grin wide and turn the phone to Tenya and Shouto without showing the curious set of green eyes across from them. They read the article header and immediately shift their eyes to a very confused Izuku, and they both nod in their own smiles.

“This is rude,” he rests his chin in his hand, and Ochako relents to share the screen with him. His expression lifts almost instantly, and he holds the phone in both his trembling hands as he scrolls through the review on a famous Hero Museum in Kashu, about an hour away from where they are now. “Am I the only one who wants to do this, or…?”

“I’m interested,” Shouto assures as Izuku passes Tsuyu’s phone back to her. He doesn’t add any further explanation, but the others seem to agree. They discuss possible attractions, debate over what heroes will have larger displays, and check out other sights in the area. The Ice and Snow museum piques their interest as they try to delicately hint toward Shouto, but he states only if they have time and nothing else to do.

His lukewarm reaction motivates Ochako to try finding something else, but the waitress brings their food, and soon the table is covered in plates of pancakes, waffles, eggs, sausage, and bread. Tsuyu practically hoards the jelly for herself as she spreads it between a biscuit, and Izuku draws a star from the syrup over his short stack. Ochako takes a couple pictures of the spread and puts her phone away to enjoy her large waffle, and Tenya slides his fried egg over toast while Shouto cuts into his omelette. Conversation dies as their hunger satisfies; the only words exchanged go between offers of sharing and tasting.

“Waiting for it to cool off?” Tsuyu points to Shouto’s coffee after noticing how he hasn’t touched it since putting it down, and he finishes chewing when he shakes his head.

“If we’re stopping somewhere, then I need to sleep a little more so I can drive later.”

“This wouldn’t be as much of a problem if you went to bed earlier,” Tenya advises, and Shouto hums his mmhm as he continues eating. He glances at the coffee, taps it with the side of his finger, and points across to offer it to anyone if they want it. Ochako sways her ankle against Izuku’s lower leg gently, and he takes the hint to accept.

When Shouto smiles, Izuku shields his own in a gulp of semi-sweetness.

They leave the restaurant and pile back into the car after finishing up their breakfast.

Somehow, Tsuyu manages to convince the backseat that Shouto should nap sprawled across them so she can style his hair. Izuku ends up with his legs bent like a cage nearly trapping him in his seat, and a pillow separates his head from Tsuyu’s lap. Shouto’s fingers lace over his abdomen, and he closes his eyes to try and sleep while long fingers comb through his outgrown hair. Their restless friend relaxes enough to drift off, and Izuku does his best not to accidentally knock his knee or thigh when he leans.

“Hey Uraraka?” she turns around in the front seat, “Can you grab my bag? I can’t really reach it like this.”

“Sure thing!” she stretches her arm toward his feet and taps the yellow backpack with her quirk, lifting it to pat over in his direction. Once he’s taken hold, she releases it, and the weight nearly drops on Shouto’s knees before he catches it fully. His hand rummages inside to search for a small case, and he pulls out his Vita to continue the next level of his game.

“That reminds me... I should check up on my camp,” Ochako occupies herself with the app on her phone, “I still need to work on my aesthetic. Have you added anything new to yours, Tsuyu?”

“I’m still hoping to find the lilypad table, so I’m working on crafting plants mostly,” she recounts as she continues brushing through his hair, careful not to bump his scar when she sweeps his bangs to the side. “I’m still trying to level up and unlock more frog villagers to host.”

“What are you two talking about?” Tenya inquires, and Ochako nearly holds her phone out to show him until she realizes that he will absolutely not take his eyes off the road to study the display for details. They explain the mechanics of Animal Crossing, and Ochako uses the opportunity to brag about Tsuyu’s talents in keeping up with her town and decorating it. While she never had an opportunity to own a game console herself, Tsuyu recommended the app so they could play together.

They’d tried to convince everyone else to join in, but it’s too easy to fall out of maintenance when schedules are so hectic for heroes.

Tenya laments briefly the busyness of the program, but he commends the two for managing to balance time enough to enjoy a leisurely activity together. Tsuyu cuts herself short in a ribbit, and Izuku notices the way her cheeks flush while she finishes up a braid with his silvery strands. The rest of the ride is spent in pleasant quiet, mindful of their one sleeping passenger and also enthralled by their respective hobbying.

Ochako breaks the silence with her giddiness upon coming across Mikacchi, and she mutters her extensive plans of friendship courting enough for Izuku to tease her about it.

Shouto wakes as the car pulls into park, and his wrist rubs at his eyes before noticing how the hair on his right side doesn’t fall back on his cheek. His fingers find the tied hairs pulled back, and he sits up and frees both Tsuyu and Izuku from his weight. He checks the rest of his hair for any styling, but to no avail.

Astonished, he turns to her. “I didn’t even feel it.”

“Corpse, then,” she remarks as she opens the door, and he falls for its ambiguity until shrugging it off on his way out. Ochako is the first to praise her handiwork and asks if he’ll take a picture with them, and he complies without changing his drowsy expression. She calls everyone else to group in so she can take a shot with the museum behind them, and she passes her phone to Tenya for his much longer arm so they would all fit.

Despite its popularity, the lines pass efficiently through quick bag checks and cooperating card readers. Izuku nearly bounces in his clunky red sneakers the closer they get, and once he has the museum map in his hands, he pulls it open and scans the exhibits with his own eagerness interrupting his muttering, and it takes both Tenya and Ochako to steer him onward and away from the entry so others can pass. He works out a route with his finger dragging across the map and connecting the ins-and-outs of the varying rooms, everyone leaving it to him and his capable hands.

Shouto asks to borrow the map a moment, and Izuku happily passes it with a peek as he follows his eyes scanning the map. No real indication what he’s reading and thinking, but he folds it and slips it back into Izuku’s hands as he returns his own to his pockets.

“No way! Is that Crimson Riot? I have to send this to Kirishima,” Ochako charges forward and takes as many pictures as she can to capture the bits of old merchandise and news articles, and she sends the plethora of photographs to his biggest fan despite the limited signal inside the building. Rather than fight with it, she manages to connect to the guest wifi and receives a string of gushing texts once they all go through at once.

They follow along per Izuku’s suggestion, stopping at familiar heroes to tease their professional personas versus meeting them in person, but a tribute to Ragdoll and her team leaves them in bittersweet memory. Shouto steers their attention to Gang Orca, only to reference how much of an idiot he’d been during the license exam their first year, and Izuku snorts with the softened mood. They exchange a light banter with Shouto’s hand blocking Izuku’s gentle fist, and Tenya turns toward one of the more sizable exhibits showcasing past members in his family tree.

Before he gets carried away, he checks to make sure how his brother’s reposition is handled and breathes a sigh of relief at the absence of any mention of the word victim. Izuku is the first to join his side, admiring the replica displays of each costume.

“They’re probably going to add you when you graduate, Tenya,” Tsuyu reaches the end of the family tree and points to the available space. The rest immediately face him with a spark in their eyes, and he coughs into his closed hand

“I’d much rather earn it then obtain the honor by default on account of my family name,” he flattens his hand as it comes down from his mouth. Although they respect his ideal, they can’t help but poke at him with additional praise that he’ll earn it in no time at the rate he’s going. Ochako especially points toward a mention of him as a nameless younger brother to the former Ingenium, and he appreciates remaining anonymous until making a true debut.

As he discusses some context for a few articles pertaining to his grandparents, other guests stop to listen and brighten when they realize who he is. Tenya entertains a few questions, smile beaming with pride as he shares what he can. Izuku notes the difference between bragging and praising another’s accomplishments, and he listens intently for whatever new details he can jot down in his notes. Once he’s had his fill, he dismisses himself and thanks those who have listened earnestly for their interest and support.

Tsuyu and Ochako smile to themselves as they overhear the chatter and compliments directed toward him.

The following displays bleed into one another from veteran heroes to rising stars, and Izuku mentions that there’s a sense of build up to some larger names like Best Jeanist and Ryukyu, garnering excitement from both the girls. When they reach her exhibit, they join hands and read through the item descriptions and clippings together and recount a few memories from their internship without mentioning the catastrophic morning mission.

Izuku doesn’t linger around to listen. If anything, he seems preoccupied with what’s to come.

The girls take a selfie with the image of Ryukyu behind them and send it to Nejire for old time’s sake, to let her know they’re thinking of her, then continue onward through the supposed countdown of heroes. Soon enough, they reach the hero both Izuku and Shouto have been dreading without sharing a single word about it to one another, and the former continues in his steps as if to completely pass the display until he notices Shouto stiff in his steps.

Hellfire burns in the forefront of his mind when the flames flicker in the roped-off chalice.

He squints at the small placate discussing its significance, and he grimaces at the thought of Endeavor having granted them some sort of mock eternal flame.

The display is just as gaudy as Shouto imagined it would be. Newspaper clippings, photographs, and awards encased and proudly broadcasted to showcase someone who dedicated his entire life to second place. A victory only due to the first stepping down. It figures the only remnant of his personal life exists in the form of his old U.A. gym uniform, if only to discuss his alma mater, athletic, and academic accomplishments.

No mention of a wife or four children.

Or so he’d like to pretend, but the visitors recognize him immediately, and he shuts them down coldly as they ask for additional trivia. It’s the total opposite of Tenya’s attitude toward his own family’s dedication; he almost wants to press further, but Izuku halts his arm and asks him to leave it be. Shouto understands what it means to ignore fans, and he knows the consequences. This is no way to rise to the top or win favor, but neither is pretending that a renowned hero deserves a display and following like this.

The space closes in, fire threatening to burn its remaining oxygen, and he holds his breath.

“I’m sorry if I upset him,” a woman approaches the other four, Shouto having moved on to the next display on his own. Ochako shakes her head and waves her arms hoping to soften any offense, but the woman continues, “I just never thought I’d have a chance to meet someone connected to Endeavor, so I may have come off pushier than I’d meant.”

“Don’t worry,” Tenya reassures, “he comes across as aloof, but I don’t believe it directly reflects how he feels to the other person. And being the son of such an established hero, I’m sure he has to deal with it often. Sometimes it’s easier to deny everyone then end up stuck in an unyielding questionnaire.”

“That,” she cups her cheek as she mulls over what he’s said, “makes perfect sense. I should have been more considerate. I suppose I’ll try sending another letter… Anyway, sorry to take your time!” The woman dismisses herself, leaving the others to ponder what she could have wanted with the Number One hero that would make her try to reach his son instead.

They shake their heads and regroup with Shouto, unfazed by what’s happened, and he calls Izuku closer to show him an old trinket from the beginnings of heroism back in the United States. With fingertips hovering in front of the glass, it nearly fogs from his breath so close as he marvels at the history. These items seem to be on loan from a museum abroad, and he takes his time absorbing the notes and evolution of hero merchandise.

“Some of these are so cheesy,” Ochako reads a few translations from old buttons, and Izuku grins.

“That’s part of the charm, I think.”

“I can’t wait to see what yours are like,” she bumps him with her elbow, and he pulls back from the glass with a degree of confidence rising from his blush. If anyone can derive comfort from seeing his name or motto, then he knows he’ll have done his job.

They follow the path of former heroic icons, ones who could have been considered number one of their respective eras if the title were around at the time. The further they walk, the heavier his soles; Izuku can sense the pressure of expectations rising in his bones, and it nearly swallows him whole. Rescuing a few fellow classmates, heroes, and children is one thing, but it dawns on him that his goals have transformed his body into a future monument. He’ll become a wax statue, a glass case of history, a video on loop, a rusty, metal button, and a compost of remember-whens.

The red, white, blue, and gold cast upon them and leave him in his shadow.

“Oh wow, it’s lifesize!”

“Just what you’d expect from All Might’s exhibit,” Tsuyu ribbits as they approach.

“Midoriya could most likely recite every fact here,” Tenya boasts on his friend’s behalf, and Izuku snaps from his daze and chuckles. Shouto watches from the corner of his eye but keeps his observations to himself and instead basks in the comforting presence of their former Symbol of Peace.

“Try me,” he encourages Tenya and turns himself away from the display so he won’t read any of the tidbits. Entertaining the challenge, the others decide on which obscure fact to quiz him on.

“Two years following his debut, All Might left his agency abruptly and rushed himself to Imaichi to--”

“To apprehend villains who had struck dangerously close to Cedar Avenue, which was peculiar given the smaller population and inactivity there, so the attack had been a deliberate threat to the historic site in order to call attention to an otherwise peaceful area. It’s said that All Might rushed so quickly he was able to travel there, defeat and arrest the ones responsible, and return to his agency before lunch.”

“Impressive,” Shouto finishes reading the card and turns to Izuku, now blushing.

“Really, I don’t understand the point,” Ochako hums.

“Some people just want to watch the world burn,” Tsuyu quotes, and she isn’t satisfied but lets the matter go.

“How much control do you suppose the heroes themselves have over what ends up in here?” Tenya brings his hand to his chin, and Izuku eyes the rest of All Might’s portion to take note of what may stand out as a personal choice. Looking over the timeline’s order, he notices the lack of All for One’s mention in their previous battle before their reunion. Of course, there’s a muted news loop of his final battle’s coverage, but no real information on the villain at all.

“What is it, Midoriya?” Izuku breaks from his focus and turns to Shouto now at his left, and he apologizes for spacing out again but doesn’t quite answer the question. The other boy brings his attention to the display and recalls the night, but keeps his own thoughts to himself due to the company surrounding them.

“Hey, Deku, why don’t we send a picture to All Might?” Ochako joins him at his right and nudges him gently. His downcast illuminates almost instantly, and he tugs his phone from his pocket with a sincere nod. Rather than ask Tenya to take the picture again, she grabs the attention of a young couple and asks one of them to take a shot of all of them posing similarly to the giant statue of All Might with Izuku at the center.

“I could go for some activity after all that! Seeing all those heroes just made me want to get back out there,” Ochako adapts to a stance and swings her fist once they’ve regrouped in the nearby park after stopping for a quick snack. “Anyone wanna go for a jog? Or how about a spar?”

“That isn’t a bad idea,” Tenya agrees, then notices Tsuyu in her many layers, far too impractical for exercise. Before he can comment for her sake, she raises a hand.

“Moving around wouldn’t hurt,” she says, “besides, I can take this off if I need to.”

“Then how about we do some sparring? No using our quirks though!”

“Sounds good to me.”

“So, how are we gonna decide this?”

The five exchange looks until an idea sparks in Izuku’s brain and lifts his hand around his semi-empty soda bottle to showcase. They stare at it, then him, and he realizes all he’d exclaimed was This! and gave no further context.

“You know, like spin the bottle. But instead of kissing, we fight.”

“I love it!” claps Ochako. With no objections, they form a circle in the cold, dry dirt and each take their seats. They work out the ground rules, mostly to establish how long each sparring match should last, and finalize the window. “You go first since it was your idea, Deku!” He nods and spins it with far too much gusto, and they end up telling him to re-spin with less power behind it.

It lands between Tenya and Tsuyu, though closer to the former.

“Ooh! The two kickers!” Ochako cheers as they rise to their feet. She starts up a low chant of fight fight fight to get them in the spirit of competition, and they walk further toward an open patch of the park to give them plenty room to work with. Both take the time to stretch their arms, legs, joints, and back, then they assume the proper stance as they wait for their self-appointed announcer to give them the go. “And start!”

Izuku springs from the ground with a swift start and twists his kick into Tenya’s block, forcing him to shift quickly to avoid his counter. Confidence glints from his dark blue eyes when he swings his longer leg, and Izuku takes to defense as he shields himself behind his arms, studying Tenya’s movements and taking into account similar ways he could apply them to his own skills. Even without his quirk, he’s fast; Izuku relies on their height difference to break out of his range and ducks to try and knock him off his feet. Tenya stammers but anchors himself in heavy steps. Izuku retaliates with his palm digging into the cold dirt and swings his leg again, connecting successfully, but still only knocks him back without falling.

If that won’t work, an aerial strike might, he plans, but Tenya is already at his side with the side of his flattened hand knocking against Izuku’s shoulder blade to drop him forward. He braces his fall and whips himself around to face his opponent again, this time actively shutting off his analytical mind to rely on instinct. Just as he leaps from the earth again, Ochako shouts.

“Time!”

He falls the the dirt and grumbles, Tenya’s laughter filling his ears only until he extends his hand to offer him back to his feet.

“I’m still amazed how high you can jump even without your quirk,” he admires, “I would have liked to see where that went.”

“You and me both,” he tugs on their handshake, releases it, and bumps his fist. They exchange momentary flattery before returning to the circle, and Shouto takes Izuku’s dirtied hand in his own to inspect. Once he’s satisfied without worry of scratch or cut from the dirt, he releases it without having once looked Izuku in the face. Partly a blessing, since he could feel the heat building in his cheeks, more than before.

“Y-you’re turn,” he manages to say, and Shouto nods as he takes the bottle and spins it. His gaze fixates on the neck as it slows, passing Tsuyu, Tenya, then stopping almost perfectly on Ochako. She practically jumps to her feet with a loud, exuberant cheer.

“Hell yeah! Let’s go!” she sheds her jacket and readies herself to slam it on the ground, but she plops it over Tsuyu’s shoulders instead, adding complimentary pats. Her enthusiasm is intoxicating enough to upturn his lip, and he unties his scarf to pack it safely into his messenger bag left on the ground, letting his cardigan tumble into a puddle of itself on top. By the time they gain enough distance, she’s tied most of her hair back into a tight, messy bun, and she readies herself until no one says anything, and she turns forlorn toward the group.

“C’mon, someone announce us!”

Izuku immediately tries to think of what they could either have in common or stark contrast, but he overwhelms himself with the fact that he’s had a serious crush on both of them at some point. Tenya cuts in with his hand in the air as he shouts:

“Class A’s sun versus moon! Start!”

Shouto almost questions what he means, but he has no time when Ochako darts toward him with her body low to get a charging rush to his waist. While she knows it won’t necessarily work, she needs to keep close to him in order to have a chance at restraining him before time runs out. She may not be as analytically observant as Izuku, but she knows who is and isn’t a ranged fighter; Shouto does best when he’s working from a distance to propel ice and fire as necessary. So when he dodges her charge, she ducks out from under his arm where he swings his fist, and rises to wrap both hands around his arm and try to pull him down.

“Hey, no quirks!” she lets go of his heated arm as a precaution, and he touches it with his right.

“Sorry. I’ve been using it all day,” he quickens the cooling process so they don’t lose time, and she hits him with a penalty strike to his chest. She can tell he intentionally leaves himself open, opting to take the hit rather than block, and he uses the opportunity to reach for her shoulder and shove her away from him. Once balanced in her footing, she rises to the challenge and closes the space again, trying to keep on his left to restrain the arm again.

She’s strong enough, and she knows it, but something changes almost too instantly for her to register, and she shifts to the defensive to avoid his leg swinging around and against her armed barrier. The force pushes her back, soles clinging to the dirt, but her endurance keeps her standing. Ochako thrusts herself into his fist with one last charge, and they topple over into the ground with her weight pushing down on him to keep him secured below, but he jostles himself loose and sends her off to the side. Before either can recover, Tenya forms a T with his hands and shouts.

“Time!”

“Actually, a little over,” Tsuyu remarks. The two help one another off the ground, and Shouto inspects her less directly than he had Izuku. On their way back, she agrees to his offer of cooling the swelling on her arm where he’d struck, but she quickly feels her chilling sweat and pulls herself away to throw on her jacket again.

“So what was that about sun and moon?” Shouto asks as they catch their breaths and prepare for the next turn.

“I’ll admit, it was a dramatic stretch,” Tenya speaks with his fingers pressed to his chest and his other hand extended, “but I was referring to Uraraka’s sunny disposition and your… calmer one.”

“I’m a little insulted,” Ochako muses. “I kind of like being associated with the moon since it matches my face.”

“It does?”

“Yeah! Round and pretty, like me!”

“Plus your whole space motif.”

“Exactly!”

“I see now the error of my interpretations,” Tenya adjusts his glasses and lowers his head in a slight apologetic bow. “I’ll leave the announcements to you, Uraraka.”

Izuku turns to Shouto to watch him rub his hands together and hold his left arm, presumably warming himself up again after the match, and he attempts to offer his jacket when Tsuyu grabs the bottle in her turn to spin, watching with intense curiosity and ribbiting when it halts to a stop nearest Shouto.

“Again?!” Ochako exclaims.

“She can spin again if she w--”

“No,” Tsuyu interrupts Shouto’s proposal to stare into his eyes, “you’re my natural weakness if we’re talking about quirks, so if you’re up for going twice in a row, I’d like to spar with you.”

“I don’t mind, but let me even myself out first,” he learns from last time and cools down his left half before the match to neutralize his hot-and-cold levels.

“Also Tsuyu, since your quirk is mostly part of you, refrain from using your camouflage or tongue,” Tenya instructs, and she nods, working off most of her layers and piling them on Ochako’s offering arms. “Should we permit her long leaps?”

“Fine by me,” Shouto sheds himself of his cardigan once again and watches Tsuyu rub her arms in a momentary shiver. She notices the look in his eyes, sees how Recovery Girl’s teaching has influenced him, and she reassures that she’ll be fine once they start moving. He agrees that they not linger any longer than they need to, and they prepare themselves in the field. Ochako waits out their stretching before cupping her hands around her mouth to mimic a megaphone.

“Finish him off, Tsu! Start!!”

“Hey, we’re supposed to stay neutral!” Izuku turns to her, but she shrugs and keeps all of Tsuyu’s accessories and coat close to her chest as she watches eagerly. He forfeits a further argument, lighthearted as it were, and hugs his knees as he looks on.

Tsuyu keeps herself moving, leaping from side to side to keep her position unpredictable and shorten the distance between them. Her moves are quick and out of his natural range due to their stark difference in heights, and she uses it to her advantage when he swings a right hook. She ducks, and he swings again with his left, and she leaps from the dirt to twist herself midair and latch her leg around his neck, spinning the both of them in her momentum as she yanks them down to the ground with her thighs locking him in place as she lands perpendicular to him.

His hands press her thigh to pry himself loose, but she’s relying on their strength to keep him down. Ochako starts a mock countdown, pausing for dramatic effect when he manages to push them apart enough to squeeze himself loose and release an icy cough, and he holds up a hand to call an end to the match while she repositions her crouch to lunge for him again, but quickly returns to standing.

“That was incredible!” Izuku marvels at her technique as she pats her large hand against Shouto’s back.

“I just wanted to see if I could break your grip before calling it off,” he admits. “I’ll have to spar with you more under better circumstances.”

“You train a lot in your spare time, don’t you?” she asks with her finger on her cheek while they walk back to the circle.

“Yeah, but my sparring partner...s aren’t usually the small and agile type.”

She notes the correction but chalks it up to an afterthought when considering the class as a whole, and Tsuyu feels herself smiling at the thought of overcoming their weaknesses with each other’s help. But her smile spreads further when Ochako returns her clothes to her and hugs her tight with various praises about how cool that was and how she wishes she’d have filmed it.

Shouto returns to where his bag lay between Izuku and Ochako, and he exhales frosty breath as he dresses himself again and bundles the lower half of his face in his scarf wrapped around his neck. The boy beside him scoots closer to get a better look, and Shouto thanks his scarf from masking most of his flush from the green eyes lingering on him. “What is it?” he asks, voice muffled by the cloth.

“Are you okay doing that? Fluctuating your body temperature rapidly like that, I mean.”

“It’s fine, but I’m benching myself,” he replies. “Do you need me to warm up your jacket or anything?”

“Maybe if it lands on me again, yeah,” he looks away and props his arm on his knee to somewhat hide his face behind.

“Since everyone’s had a chance, does anyone want to just go for it?”

“Tsuyu, as much as I want to see you take us down, I think you should sit out to keep warm,” Ochako reluctantly advises, and Tsuyu blinks up from her nose sheltered by both mittens, sighing and concealing her frown when she nods. “Hey, Deku? Wanna fight me?”

Her grin says it all. She was listening to them.

“You’re on!” he regains his spirit and springs to his feet. He yanks the zipper down and pulls the thick sleeves from his arms to plop into Shouto’s extended hand, missing how the other boy’s fingers clutch into the fabric gently. Ochako’s attitude mirrors his, and she rips her own jacket off with an exaggerated pop of each snap button.

They walk toward the designated clearing, and both Tsuyu and Tenya sit at either side of Shouto with a looming presence that has him tense, almost agitated by the closeness. “What?” he asks rather than let them continue silently exchanging glances over him.

“I didn’t hear you offering to warm any of us up,” Tsuyu comments, indicating how he’s holding Izuku’s hoodie in his lap, fingers feeling the fabric absentmindedly. He almost apologizes if they’re bothered by it, but Tenya stops him.

“And taking his hand earlier was--”

“That was,” Shouto stops before he can listen to the fact that no one knows how to keep their eyes to themselves, and he sighs. By now, Izuku and Ochako are delivering and blocking kick after punch, their taunts and yells nearly overpowering the others’ voices. “He doesn’t take care of himself. I already knew that, but when I started working with Recovery Girl, I could understand why she got so frustrated with him.”

“Midoriya has that effect on people,” Tenya shrugs, watching the two of his friends let loose in the dirt. “But you don’t look frustrated when you look at him.”

“Usually I’m the one on that receiving end,” he huffs in a semi-smile but almost loses his composure when Izuku and Ochako momentarily abandon sparring formality to start messing around with new moves, the latter telling him his moves are weak. He retaliates by knocking her off her feet in a quick kick from below.

Tsuyu and Tenya exchange a look, wondering if they should pry further about his genuine feelings, but they don’t want to press Shouto to the point where he’ll never act again in fear of them mentioning it. They decide to let the matter go and watch as Ochako and Izuku wrangle their last bouts of energy from one another. By the time they’re sweating, panting messes of ruffled hair and dirty clothes, the sky’s cast down from blues to golds.

Shouto tends to their post-scuffle skin, dealing with Ochako first since hers are easier to identify. He clears her once he’s given her his cooled handkerchief to keep on her forearm and offered her a bandage that she could apply herself. Usually none of this particularly matters, and they aren’t used to holding back as much with quirks and an easy cure available on campus, but no one wants to spend the trip sore.

Izuku readies himself to deny the need for anything, but Shouto’s hand is already on his cheek where she managed to land a hit strong enough to cause swelling. Nervous eyes fixate on the sun setting behind his head, noticing how the orange and pink reflect off his white hairs still trying to keep in a loosened braid over his ear. Quickly, they dart away while his fingers fidget with one another, and he’s soon muttering on about how they should get going soon since the temperature is going to drop even further, despite the fact that he’s sure his skin is burning underneath Shouto’s touch, but he doesn’t dare allow the thought to cross his mind lest the ever-building snowball of his feelings comes tumbling out his mouth.

“Here,” he removes his hand and returns the jacket, nice and toasty as he’d like it. Izuku accepts and shoves his arms into it, zips it up, lifts his hood, and proceeds to tug the draw strings shut to close it around his face as he turns toward the others teasing him about his new look.

“You rather I not say anything.”

“That’s right,” Shouto watches Izuku walk on with the girls at his sides, and Tenya pats his shoulder.

“Even if he feels the same way?”

Shouto sighs, the air visibly leaving his nose in a stream of frost. Despite his best efforts, Izuku struggles to hide his heart anywhere but his sleeve; he recalls when Ochako would get too close, his face would burst in its blush to the point where he had to shelter it behind his arms. Somewhere along the way, those barriers started building around the both of them.

“Especially if he does.”

Tenya’s worry shows through his face; Shouto takes the first step to catch up with the others, and when everyone is regrouped, he advises that they take a bath before heading out again. No one argues with a quick, hot bath on the table, so they try to reach the nearest one before nightfall, gaining on them far too early.

When Shouto takes the wheel, Tenya lists off various tips to the long-term drive despite having passed the role to him back in Ochako’s hometown. Rather than shut him down, he listens to instruction and assures him he won’t immortalize them into a headline. Rest easy, he says; they do, all three bundled in their blankets and pillows after the quick meal prior. Ochako compiles her photos from the day neatly into a folder and starts filtering out the doubles, and most of them use the time to catch up on missed messages throughout the day.

“So how long until we reach the ferry?”

“We should board it sometime around midday if we don’t make any more extra stops.”

“Has everyone contacted their families for the night?” Tenya eyes the clock to make sure it’s still reasonable enough, and he’s met with a mostly unanimous variation of yeah. Shouto glances at his phone, ribbon lighting up across its screen, but he decides to ignore it to avoid a texting-and-driving fiasco. “Do you need one of us to send it for you?”

“No, I took care of it before we left. Probably just a notification about something else.”

“Oh sorry that was probably me! I uploaded a few pictures and tagged us all,” Ochako says as she scrolls through her own feed, but there are no new comments to be seen. He hums in acknowledgement, and she carries on the conversation by switching to the topic of their classmates’ party held back at the dorm for the holidays. One picture in particular has her trapped in a series of snickers, and she shares the sight of Kirishima’s spiked hair being decorated like the class’ Christmas tree with everyone but their driver. Izuku keeps his eye on the time and forces himself to disengage from the sharing once he’s dedicated himself to sleep. It doesn’t take long for the rest to follow his lead.

The clock reads half past ten when Shouto confirms their unconsciousness.

Tsuyu leaves the volume low when she connects her phone to the auxiliary cord, and she sneaks a picture of the three sleeping behind, gracelessly as ever. Otherwise, she watches the roadside from her window and notices the decline in lighting the further they stretch along. She can almost see the temperature drop, and she tries to visualize warmer climates to keep her mind off it.

“You can sleep too, if you need to,” Shouto acknowledges Tsuyu’s yawn, and she waves her hand dismissively.

“It isn’t nice to leave the driver alone,” she tugs her knee to her chest, “besides, I don’t get many chances to talk to you one-on-one.”

“I’m not very good conversation,” he states, but it sounds more like an apology. She nearly hears the word company instead.

“You don’t have to talk a lot to say something worthwhile.”

As if proving his own point, he fails to conjure a proper response and slips into his comfortable silence while she switches the audio to a more calming playlist from her phone. Ordinarily, soft vocals may lull them to sleep, but she can see his thumb’s twitching from copious amounts of caffeine coursing through his system.

Tsuyu breaks the silence after the third song, lyrics already leaving their memory. His right wrist still adorns the bracelet clashing against the beige of his cardigan, and she recalls his fluctuation between dark jackets and soft sweaters. Everyone seems to have their style: Izuku with his hooded jackets, Ochako with her sportier looks, Tenya and his collared shirts, and herself with long layers.

She takes her chances at the cast, reels back, and lets her voice plop onto the current.

“You don’t have a very consistent wardrobe, Todoroki.”

If he didn’t know Tsuyu Asui, he would squint and wonder where the statement came from; however, he answers her observation as if it were a question to satisfy whatever curiosity has suddenly struck her.

“Hand-me-downs.”

So that’s it. Peculiar that a family with immense wealth like theirs would rely on such a frugal method, but practicality governed most of Shouto’s actions to begin with. Something she can understand well-- hook, line, and sinker.

“It’s weird to me,” she glances back at Tenya sleeping soundly with Ochako and Izuku stacked against him like collapsing domino blocks, “you and Tenya are the youngest of your siblings, but I’m the oldest of mine.”

Shouto sneers, “Do we act like it?”

“If I didn’t know, I’d think you were an only child, Todoroki,” she blinks as they pass another streetlight in the darkened highway. A curious hum builds in his throat, but she shakes her head. “No, actually, you do have some little brother tendencies.”

“Such as?”

“You have a messy side,” Tsuyu ribbits, “and you take things as they come but still do your best to stand out. I guess it’s difficult to put into words now that I’m trying.” He glances toward her and blinks back to the road as if absorbing what she’s spoken into the quiet air between them. Both could be accurate; he doesn’t need to tell her the whole story for her to catch onto the complications. Instead, he takes the opportunity to hear more about her and clears his throat.

“What are your younger siblings like?”

“A handful.”

“Big handful?” he remarks and is met with a quick tongue-slap on his shoulder. He apologizes accordingly, and she grins, but it lacks her usual mirth.

“It isn’t their fault,” Tsuyu shakes her head. “Maybe it’s partly mine. I can’t help but worry about them even though I know they’re fine.”

“Do you keep in touch?”

“About every other week,” she taps her phone on her thigh. “Thankfully, I haven’t had to check in so often since my parents changed positions.” Her back eases into the seat behind her as her shoulders slump, and she turns her attention toward the window at her left. Unlike him, she isn’t as secret about her home situation, but it isn’t something she shares smiling. Shouto almost asks if she needs him to turn up the heat, but she permits her thoughts to leave her lips.

“Maybe I’m jealous. I know my parents love us, and I know they wanted us, but I don’t think they wanted to be parents, if that makes sense,” she admits. He knows better than to interrupt someone opening up, so he listens on as the road continues. “It almost feels like now that I had to leave home, they suddenly know how to balance their work to take care of my brother and sister. Neither of them had to take that kind of responsibility.”

The next light passes over, and Shouto catches Fuyumi in its flare as Tsuyu confesses an honesty that she’s kept sheltered away from her siblings’ ears. Shouto wonders if he should be the one to hear it; anyone else could offer her warmer comfort than single nods in chilling car air. He at least helps himself not overwork his left by turning on the heater instead of continuing to debate it.

“Sorry, you didn’t ask about all that,” she turns back to face the front, and he draws himself in an almost bittersweet memory sneaking across his lips in a wry smile.

“Trust me, I’ve been there,” he merges onto the next road and glances at the map, setting it down again in the cupholder after taking note of how long they’ll be on it. When he speaks again, it takes a moment or two for him to fully form the question, and he decides that with Tsuyu, there’s no need to be articulate. “Did they burden you? Your siblings, I mean.”

“They could be annoying and stressful, yeah, but the burden was never their fault. My parents are the ones to blame, even if they never intended to put that stress on me,” she looks down to her lap at her phone, screen lighting up in a late-night notification, and she locks it. “A burden like that is something I’m prepared to take again if I have to, but they’re old enough now to help out, too. At least Samidare.”

Shouto glances toward her with a subtle turn of his head, then eases to a smile and faces the road again on the exhale. Tsuyu ribbits in curiosity, finger rising to her chin as she questions the gesture. He shifts the vent away from himself and shakes his head.

“You sound like a big sister, Asui.”

“Tsuyu,” she corrects, one of the few times to him specifically. “Call me Tsuyu.” He parts his lips, readying hesitation, and closes them. While she wouldn’t take it back, she’s ready to tell him to take his time with it, but his voice returns before her opportunity.

“Then Shouto,” he concedes, and her wide smile spreads from ear to ear.

#long post /#you know when you write something and you're positive it's not very interesting but you gotta put this stuff in anyway?#That's the mood here but here's hoping next chapter flows a bit better!

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jeremystrele · 6 years ago

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Living the Dream! Australian Vanlifers Embracing Life On The Road

Tiny Homes

by Elle Murrell

‘We use social media to bring people together in nature, to share that same human need,’ says Jared Melrose, co-founder of the Vanlife Diaries community. Photo – James Barkman, courtesy of Hardie Grant Books.

Earlier in 2019, they rleased a ‘Vanlife Diaries’ book by Kathleen Morton, Jonny Dustow and Jared Melrose, published by Hardie Grant Books. Photo – James Barkman.

‘Social media has had a huge influence in sharing the best part of this lifestyle: the ability to take you home on the road and explore new places… waking up with nature surrounding you as much as possible!’ says co-founder Jonny Dustow. ‘Also, because you aren’t paying for rent or accommodation a lot of the road trip, you can travel and explore for longer!’ Photo – James Barkman , for Vanlife Diaries courtesy of Hardie Grant Books.

Life-long mates and vanlife enthusiasts Jonny Dustow and Jared Melrose launched Vanlife Dairies over a coffee one day in Collingwood. Both had been living on the road since 2012. Touring with music project Dusty Boots (Jonny), and taking extended roadtrips to explore Australia (Jared and his partner Ash), convinced the guys to shed their stifling mortgages, and pursue a more nomadic life.

A way to share stories, van-conversion tips and travel advice, as well as simply help likeminded people connect in an authentic way, their digital community really took off.

Today, the popular website and Instagram have expanded into meet-ups and campouts in support of aligned charities, with Colorado-based journalist/photographer Kathleen Morton jumping on board to take the Vanlife Gatherings global. Their inspiring new book and an award-winning documentary are further testaments to a growing movement.

‘Humans are always evolving and needing to connect with themselves, each other, and their environment. Vanlife offers all three of those opportunities. While society remains fragmented, people will continue to keep looking outside of broken institutions for support, acceptance, and respect,’ tells Jared. ‘There is also a housing affordability crisis in Australia and unemployment issues, where people now look at the vanlife lifestyle and say, “Hey! Maybe I’ll downsize from my apartment to a home on wheels”.’

As a ‘bohemian social-media movement’, vanlife has spawned a new kind of celebrity, and been enthusiastically adopted by many (there are more than 5.2 million #vanlife posts on Instagram, from holiday snaps to marketing campaigns). Yet at its heart, this lifestyle taps into some incredibly timely trends, ‘a renewed interest in the road trip, a culture of hippie-inflected outdoorsiness, and a life free from the tyranny of a nine-to-five office job’ as The New Yorker puts it.

Whether you’re dreaming, pinning and planning like crazy, or find yourself in the need-my-comforts skeptic’s camp, these first-hand accounts from local vanlifers sure make life on the road seem very appealing (picture-perfect or otherwise!).

There are several Vanlife Gatherings planned for spring along Australia’s east coast. Find out more at Vanlife.com.au. Follow the movement on Instagram @vanlifediaries, watch ‘The Meaning of Vanlife’ documentary here, or pick up hardcover Vanlife Diaries by Kathleen Morton, Jonny Dustow and Jared Melrose, published by Hardie Grant Books AU$39.99 NZ$45.00, where all good books are sold.

Photo – courtesy of @ourvanmarty.

Lauren Williams + Alex Knorr

The founders of Australian hat label Will & Bear had travelled in their van off-and-on many years, and were on the cusp of settling down in Byron Bay when they realised they wanted do things a little differently. Feeling their ‘most inspired and challenged when on the road’, Lauren and Alex decided to move into their van full-time. They’ve been running their business while travelling Australia ever since!

How did you come across your van, what did your renovation involve?

Marty is actually our second van. We had bought a 1982 VW T3 from a deceased estate for $2500. We got the bug and Alex got obsessed with the later 4WD drive models. Two years ago a 1989 VW T3 Syncro with a full camper conversion came up on Gumtree and we had to snap it up.

What was going to be a quick one-month interior reno soon turned into a full restoration which included stripping it down and spray-painting the inside and out, building all new cabinetry, reupholstering all the seats, setting up the second battery with solar, plumping in water and finally fixing our 1972 Yamaha to the back. In the end, ‘Marty’ took us five months working full-time and cost approx. $20,000 – not bad for our first home we thought!

What has been the highlight of vanlife for you?

The people we’ve met on the road… you soon realise there is a whole community of people doing similar things. People are always keen to have a chat with us when they see Marty and we always have offers to stay or drop in to homes …these offers (mostly from kind strangers) have turned into some amazing friendships!

The other one is the freedom it allows and your ability to get to know different parts of Australia. For us it’s also the simplicity it brings – you can really take it your own pace. We used to live in Melbourne, where we found it easy to get swept up.

On the flip side, what’s the most challenging aspect? And how you manage to balance this lifestyle with sustaining your business?

Living in a confined space with your partner can be challenging. The design of the van was important to make it as seamless as possible. Not being around friends and family can also be hard, so we designed Marty to have a spare room (i.e. a good tent) and two back seats. Now our loved-ones can come and stay on the road with us!

Careerwise, last year we restructured our business so everyone works remotely. We have a great team of talented contractors who run different parts of our business from all over the world, while we work from the van.

What’s something you wish you knew when you started out?

Don’t sweat the breakdowns! Because they will happen. They are all part of the adventure, especially when you live in a vintage van. Vanlife comes with so many ups and downs you have to learn to go with the flow and enjoy the ride.

Treat everything as a learning experience. You seem to find yourself in some pretty challenging situations. The lessons we’ve learnt from these experiences have been invaluable and in hindsight some of the best.

@ourvanmarty

Photo – @civillian.life.

Kallie, Dylan, Lincoln + Zephyr Bergamaschi

Kallie and Dylan‘s vanife adventure began on their honeymoon in late 2017. Roadtripping through the Canadian Rockies, they started to see that there was ‘more to life than what we get sold by the majority of the population’. The couple had spent their whole working lives saving for and renovating their home to support their new family. What turned into a van for weekend travelling, soon escalated into a more permanent lifestyle.

Kallie and Dylan are still relatively new to vanlife, though. With son Lincoln, they lived in their bus Nelly for the last four months of 2018 before returning to Adelaide to welcome their new baby Zephyr. After saving and soaking up newborn moments with family and friends, they will be back to continuing their travels around Australia and living in their bus full-time from late June.

How did you find your bus and how did you go about fitting it out for a family?

We looked at one other bus before we found our 1984 Nissian Civilian ‘Nelly’ on Gumtree just three weeks after our arrival home from our honeymoon. An ex-church bus from WA that had just been on a three-month road trip to Adelaide, she was very straight for her age and had very low kilometres. This filled us with confidence and we put down a deposit straight away. She had a basic fit-out when we got her, which we completely gutted and refitted ourselves. This process took us about five-months of weekends and cost roughly $10,000.

What has been the standout of life on the road for you?

It would probably be discovery, discovery of how beautiful our country is! We’ve seen things that we could have never imagined and connected with these in a way we never thought we would.

You’re not tied down to your nine-to-five, going to work in the dark and getting home in the dark, getting to do only what you want to two-out-of-seven days a week and spending the vast majority of the money you earn keeping a roof over your head and paying bills you need to pay just to live. With living in the bus, you have the freedom to go where you want when you want and make a home anywhere.

With this has come a change in the way we live our lives, we’re actively trying to reduce the footprint we leave on this beautiful Earth whilst also trying to maximise the amount of places we leave our footprints.

The best part of all this is the ability to do it as a family and watch your children discover, grow and explore things a vast majority of people will never see, and gain the same respect for it all as we have.

How do you all manage to make vanlife work?

Probably the most challenging aspect is the obvious one, supporting yourself financially.

So far whilst on the road we managed to live off of savings and holiday pay and we are currently back in our home-state saving up money to go on our next adventure but we do plan to stop for short periods of time while on the road to work and replenish funds.

Can you share some lessons you’ve learned along the way?

For renovating we would recommend doing a good amount of research before starting your build, and have a list of non-negotiables that are within reason, this will ensure that the outcome of your build is something that you’re going to be happy with and works for you.

While in the build process keep in mind why you’re building it. If you plan to travel in it you’re going to be visiting beautiful places and you’re going to want to take as much of that in as possible. An open-plan build or finding a way of incorporating part of your living outside is a great way to maximise your experience in these locations while having all the comforts of your home.

As far as living goes, it’s really important to keep as minimal as possible, just take what you need. On our first trip we had so much extra stuff with us and it made the bus feel dirty at times purely because it was cluttered. It doesn’t take long to dirty a small space so the less stuff you have the less that can get dirty.

Our advice for people is always to take the leap, it’s not always easy giving up the 9-5 life as its comfortable and safe but our favourite saying is ‘less comfort, more life’. Sell your stuff, minimise, and figure out what you really want from life instead of what you’re told you need.

@civillian.life

Photo – courtesy of @we_who_roam.

Rebecca Winther + Gary Swift

Self-confessed nomads Gary and Rebecca had always loved to travel and spent most of their free moments exploring different areas of their home state of Victoria. Living for those ‘snatches of time’, they found that their desk-job-and-rent-paying cycle was not sustainable.

Uninspired and unexcited about life, they decided that if they we were going to get out and experience the world, they wanted to do it while they were young. They’ve been full-time van dwellers since January 2018, and are currently in Lake Argyle, WA!

How did you come across your big red van, and then make it your own?

We spent roughly four months searching the internet looking at different makes and models of vans until we finally found one in a private sale that ticked all the boxes for us (mainly lots of space and room for us to stand upright in.) An empty ex-Australia Post van, it was a completely blank canvas, a very exciting prospect as it meant we could go to town and make it exactly as we wanted it to be!

Over around 12 months, in between working multiple jobs each, we dedicated every spare moment we had to fitting out the van. This meant maybe an hour or two in the evening and any days off we had (there weren’t many), come rain, hail or shine. It was exhausting and there was literally blood, sweat and tears at times, but we would do it all over again in a heartbeat.

The van itself cost us just under $20,000 and we spent roughly $6,500 AU on the build, which considering we are basically self-sufficient, is a pretty good price!

What do you love most about your vanlife?

… the freedom that comes with living wherever you desire. If we want to be by the beach, or on top of a mountain, or even in the city for a while, we can, without too much trouble.

We’ve also had the chance to meet folks who have been living a similar lifestyle to us for years, sometimes even decades. We might be different ages and have different backgrounds, but ultimately, we all have similar values on what’s important to us in life. There’s a real sense of community there.

What have you found to be the greatest challenge?

We won’t sugarcoat it, living on the road is stressful on a whole different level to what we’ve known before. Often the little things you take for granted in house living become the big things when living in a van: finding somewhere to camp each night, where your next shower will come from, even just finding a parking spot to fit our van so we can do grocery shopping can be a challenge.

The lack of a stable routine (whilst absolutely wonderful at times) has a flip side: it can lead you to feel a little adrift and directionless if you’re not careful.

Financially, we have tried working remotely online, but found it was really taking away from the travelling experience and causing us extra stress. So now we’ll travel until our funds start to get low, then we’ll pick up short-term work wherever we might be. It could be fruit picking, farm hand work, labouring, retail, or even working in a caravan park, we really aren’t too fussy. Then once the bank accounts are looking a bit better, we’ll head off again.

What’s something you wish you knew when you started out?

… how hot it would get inside the van, even with all the insulation we installed. If we could go back and change anything with the build, we’d add in an extra roof fan, one at the front of the living space and one at the back. Other than that, we’re pretty happy with the layout and features.

As for the lifestyle, maybe we were a bit naïve… the constant stress and uncertainty of living on the road can wear you down pretty quick, we weren’t expecting that. BUT, you learn to adapt pretty quickly and the trade-off is completely worth it. No regrets here.

Why do you think this lifestyle has become so appealing to people today?

It’s certainly been romanticized via social media, but we think for most people it’s the idea of freedom and the ability to be less financially dependent.

There’s also a change in what people are valuing in recent years: the last couple of generations have been raised to believe that material things (big house, fancy car) equal success in life, but it seems people are starting to realise that life can be about more than just what you own, that you don’t have to follow the path that everyone else takes.

For those wanting to give vanlife a go, we say do it. Saying “someday” will take your dreams to the grave with you. If your heart’s telling you to do something then take a deep breath and go for it. Better to try and fail, than always be left wondering what could have been.

@we_who_roam.

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