#and the lot commuters are allowed to park in is a 30 minute walk from the buildings i have to be in | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

benefits1986 · 11 months ago

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Living Legends are Made of Shattered Bones & Finely Crushed Ego

South to Katips Station na ba talaga tayo? Thank you, Vito Cruz Station and Ikot-Toki. HUY. LUH.

As a side note agad: Ang first ever subok ko sa screenwriting as a non-technical writer ng scripts for movie and film with dyslexia na may gingko biloba and fucking grammar problems ay tinawag ng prof ko sa grad school for my elective? Akala ko, babaralin ako e. Ready naman ako... always. Sabi niya, for pitching na raw ito sa mainstream media na hindi malapit sa puso ko. Go figure. Hahahaha. I was dumbfounded and hindi ko tinapos kasi nga gusto ko sa Netflix or other online streaming platforms tulad ng IWantTV (hahaha) siya i-pitch. Arte ko talaga. Hahahaha. Got it from mom, I guess. Super nagulat ako e. Not bad for a first timer, right? Hihi. Huhu. Haha. Hehe. Hoho. Probably my most "lakas maka-ego and hypothalamus" boost in my existence levels 'tong bit na 'to. :p KILIG LEVELS: 1000000000000 Also me rn: Magkano ba isang full-length and short film script ngayon? DM slide please. CHOZ. Wala talaga akong idea pa kasi ayokong ma-corrupt ang WIP files ko. Charaught.

________

It's so excruciating to go from the South all the way to Diliman and beyond. While driving is an option, the truth is that I can leave the house at 5:30 AM, ride the train going to Q Ave. then ride an Ikot. Minimum travel time is around 1 hour, 45 minutes when I don't brisk walk. If I'm going to Katips, that would take me around the same time. This is how I hustled back in 2015. This is not the case anymore these days, though. Apart from being frailer than usual, Manila's public transport is too painful to watch and conquer. Another option would be driving to Boni or Shaw and parking there to somehow avoid the hassle of commuting from my tiny home. Guada and Kapitolyo are the main bitch roads. These are the type of roads that will make you pray and surrender, traffic-wise.

However, it's funny how my time and motion version of my dream (turned harsh reality) school, Diliman brings me to Katips area. Alam ko lang talaga kasi Philcoa, Maginhawa at Krus na Ligas e.

LOL. As a Southie for life, the roads here are too busy, too wide and too densely populated. I can not unsee. I'm always bothered and curious because I keep stumbling upon stuff that has derivatives from the sedated South. I abhor all kinds of foot bridges because it means I have to walk a lot while overthinking about the thought of me tripping or falling down the merciless road on my way to carnage. Ang lala 'di ba?

The first time I told mother dragon that I got accepted in Diliman, she was RBF but I can sense that she is crying so badly deep inside. HAHAHAHAHA. Later, she told me during our three-hour morning routine that she was so sorry that she didn't allow me to go after my dreams. And that she wasted my time even more. Of course, I retorted with a huge lump in my throat. I told her flatly that it's okay because I'm trained to wait even when I'm totally impatient. What's more important is that while I wasted time in Vito Cruz, she got her dream; hence, win-win... at my expense.

I think her next lines were probably my salvation after a long damnation, an Exodus: Anak, sorry talaga. Akala ko mapipigilan kita sa pangarap mo. Hindi pala. Sorry. Siguro kung sinuportahan kita noon, wala ka dito ngayon. Proud ako sa'yo, anak, mula noon hanggang ngayon. Me: Ma, eto lang kasi 'yan. Kung nakuha ko na pangarap ko noon, e 'di sana wala akong time at pake na alagaan ka ngayon 'di ba? Syempre, dream ko 'yun e. Ibang usapan na 'yun. LUH. Mom teared up. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA. That feeling of seeing her actually being apologetic is what made me euphoric; however, I knew that my other dream was to let her live vicariously through my Vito Cruz days. What I realized during countless days, hours and minutes of choosing to be at home with mom was that, time is but a bloody social construct. Syempre, hindi pa at its peak itong realization na 'to because I'm a newbie adult then. I held on to one of my favorite Psalms: God is faithful to the brokenhearted with so much fervor meets delulu levels. I was an agnostic, then. But, I think cool off phase ko lang talaga 'to with the church life. Hindi naman ako officially nakipag-break sa Katolisismo, because I knew that apart from breaking mom's bones and heart again, my faith is my refuge.

And so, I finished off some important work stuff and while I'm yet to finish the mega working file that would spell 2024, especially Q1, I braved my way to my first ever face to face meet up with the living legend (aka National Artist, baby) Ricky Lee and friends. HUHUHUHUHUHU. What took me this long? Here we go!

27 MARCH 2020. Syempre, sagad deadline tayo sa pag-submit ng "what if + this would matter 1 year from now" letter of intent + author's bio to Ricky Lee and his team. This involved his first ever online writing workshop. I was in legit spiral mode and still thankful that I have steady work, at home pa. Might be because I tried to recover from the high turned crash of my Japan dream. Might be because I was shackled and I'd like to dress in laces. Arte. Might be because I was bored to death and ready to not give a fuck anymore. I revisited my letter of intent. Intense. Two pages. LOL. It read "Digital Story Binder" pala. Ang angas. Ang feeling. :D CHOZ. Kahihiyan. Hahahaha.

Dinaan natin sa listicle ang mga reasons why I need and want a spot because mas madali siyang basahin and digest ng kung sino mang babasa. And syempre, may kalakip na author's bio. Shemay. May linyahan pang: I am not a storyteller. I'm but a story binder. Rationale: Andami ng kwento sa mundo. OPAK. Reading this ka-shemayan is very curious lalo 2023 is ending soon.

Anyway, I'd most likely do a more focused dive on this bit since may tatapusin pa ako today. :)

To cut the story short, I purposefully flaked and skipped all meet ups IRL with Ricky Lee and friends because I was not ready to face this dream then. I felt like I was never enough and that my drama, my dirty linen, my frailty is not worth their time and mine, too. OPAK. Diesel girl kasi talaga ako e. I want it to brew the right way even when it had to take years pero bawi na tayo bilang road to 14 going 40 na ang peg natin sa life.

Last night, I met the living legend with akbay pa from him in his humble home. HUHUHU. Sobrang grounded. Sobrang wapakels. Sobrang organic niya. I don't like mainstream movies that much, honestly. But mom likes Anak a lot. I didn't know nga that Ricky Lee wrote it e. Hahahaha. But, when I did my research, all the mainstream films I like are penned by him. Muro Ami, Himala, Moral, and syempre, Anak. Hahahaha. Hindi naman ako super pasaway pero feel na feel ng nanay kong pakitong-kitong na suwail ako and kahit hindi naman siya OFW, feel na feel niya ang lahat ng dayukdok as a stay at home mother na selfless to the highest level.

I'd most likely squeeze in more time for finishing my scripts, finally. Why now lang? 'Di ako handa noon e. 'Di ako in to terms sa what I have and what I don't have pa. Sa pagsusulat kasi, sabi nga ni Bob Ong, 'yung rejection dito, malala. 'Di tulad nung pagbabalik ng Size 8 na sapatos sa SM via sales lady. Pero, sanay naman akong pagalitan, makarne, malambast. So eto na tayo. Eto na tayo sa exciting part as a saling kitkit kahit bano akong mag-ten-twenty since birth.

Baka sumubok muna tayo sa Vivamax kasi 'di umano, doon maraming budget. Pero syempre, ang subtext ay tungkol sa gender equality and mala-social commentary in the light of L meaning landi to the max. LUH. Confirmed nung isang writer kagabi. LUH. Shemay. Choz. Tawang-tawa ako sa mga usapan as in. Para akong isang Avatar na getting to know Pandora: Third World x Highway to Hell Edition. Abangan!

Kidding aside kahit jokes are half meant... these days, ang pinaka optimal route ng writers is script for... digital content aka content creators' hell and heaven. Ola. Ola. Ola. Olalalalala. Stumbled upon this the past months pero obvious naman kasi noh. Duh.

PS: Gusto kong i-optimize ang website ni Ricky Lee. UGH. How po ba i-pitch ito? Leads gen po bitbit ko, Sir. Baka naman. In black and white lang kasi dapat 'tong palette to begin with plus... okay, back to reality muna. Laters!

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peter-blogger-22 · 2 years ago

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Why Midtown MacPark Is A Must-Consider Development In Sydney

As the popularity of apartment living rises, the expectations of buyers are also increasing. Many people want to live in an urban village where they can walk to amenities such as shops, cafes and have access to public transport.

Midtown MacPark is a new development in Sydney’s Macquarie Park region that offers residents all the advantages of living in an urban community while also providing them with easy access to everything they could enjoy about living there. The development includes architecturally designed apartments, green-building features, and more.

Macquarie Park is also home to Macquarie University, which is ranked in the top 1% of universities worldwide and is within easy walking distance of Midtown.

Here are five reasons why Midtown MacPark is an exciting residential opportunity.

1. Urban Village Vibes

The most attractive areas for buyers are those that offer a range of amenities and lifestyle options.

Urban villages are where people aspire to live — they tend to be diverse, home to a range of housing options, and have lots of cafes, public open spaces, and areas where people can socialize. Midtown will offer these benefits to its residents.

2. Plenty of Public Space

Apartment dwellers look for green spaces in their communities for recreation and relaxation. Midtown will offer its residents social spaces, including parks and playgrounds as well as recreation facilities such as jogging paths and cycleways.

3. Everything is Walkable

A perfect urban village must be walkable, which means having everything you need within a short stroll including supermarkets, cafes and parks. Macquarie Park's Midtown location is the most convenient place because it has all these facilities nearby.

By 2024, when the second stage of the New Metro opens, it will run through from Macquarie Park to Barangaroo, allowing commuters to travel straight into the central business district in under 30 minutes.

4. Affordable Options

Due to Sydney's high cost of real estate, buyers are seeking affordable options in areas near the city center and Macquarie Park; Midtown is accommodating them with new homes that are beautiful and affordable for people.

5. Sustainability Built-in

As environmental sustainability becomes a greater concern, Frasers Property Australia is aiming to achieve a 6-Star Green Star Communities rating from the Green Building Council of Australia for Midtown.

Midtown MacPark provides an exciting opportunity for a range of people. Whether you’re a young professional looking for your first apartment, someone starting out, or a retiree looking to downsize, Midtown MacPark will have something to offer you.

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depresseddepot · 3 years ago

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oh i am so tired lmfao

#re: jesus all i do is fucking complain #ive always wanted to be rich but now i like. need it #not only is my new uni 2x as expensive as the cc i went to but its also huge #and the lot commuters are allowed to park in is a 30 minute walk from the buildings i have to be in #and like. thats fine. if i didnt already have a 30 min drive to and from AND have to work afterwards #having a 30 min walk means i can only work on the days i have class after 3pm #thats so little fucking hours #and the permit to park in that lot costs A HUNDRED DOLLARS #i could park in a garage MUCH closer but if i did that it would be like. 300 #and no i cant get a bike. theyre fucking expensive and my car is too tiny to bring it with me anyways #this wouldnt be so bad if they only had class twice a week like my cc did bc i used to just ask for those days off and be fine #but these ones are three days a week.#i was looking for ones i needed but maybe i need to look a lot closer so i can find ones just on tuesdays and thursdays #ive been so productive lately but i cant enjoy it at all bc everything i do towards this uni makes me feel worse #i cant go full time bc i cant afford it and i physically cannot take 5 classes AND work enough hours to keep my job #i just cant #and idk what thatll do to my financial aid if ill even fucking get any #i dont want to take out loans at all im trying so fucking hard not to #but what am i supposed to do #i might have to get a second job but that means ill only be able to take one or two at a time #i miss online classes. why do they all have to be in person #everyone else gets to study abroad and live in dorms and make friends and join clubs but i. have to work lmfao #this all feels like such a waste lmfao #i was so excited about getting time off these next couple weeks but now im just going to be upset the whole time #i still dont even know if all my transcripts will be done processing in time to actually enroll in anything in spring #maybe i should just take my one online class this semester so i can get used to campus during summer when its not that busy #idk man i dont want to do this anymore #the exciting parts aren't worth it if this is what i have to feel like the rest of the time

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aka-ashi-keiji · 4 years ago

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Hi love ! Here is my Shouto Todoroki OS request, quite simple, yet deep: in your opinion, what would it take for Shouto to actually comprehend, then acknowledge his feelings for reader ? Like, I love Slow burns and I think Todoroki's character is perfect for this kind of development. But I wonder how many time it would take him to realize what has been growing in his heart for who knows how long, in a canon way?

Or, to put it in a simple way: How long does it take to Todoroki to come to terms with his feelings, and what does he do about it ? How ?

Here it is, you're absolutely free in this request (But please give us a happy ending with lot of Fluff eidkdud). Thank you so much in advance, ILY ❤💖

Love Made of Broken Iron

Shoto Todoroki

Understanding love, best friends to lovers

One shot, soft angst to fluff

tw: mentions of child abuse.

a/n: this is for one of the kindest mutuals i have! @luluwiie i hope you love this, it was challenging but so so so much fun. hopefully this fulfills your gorgeous request. i love you!

You waited patiently on the porch as your uniform skirt moved with the early morning wind. The cherry blossom trees had just started to bloom and that fact alone was enough to warm the tips of your frozen fingers as your smile crept to your face. But nonetheless, you were freezing and it seemed as though your companion was running slightly behind schedule. You checked the time on your phone and just like you suspected, Shoto was running 5 minutes late to meet you outside his house.

“God shoto, how long does it take you to slip on a uniform?” You huffed out as you placed your phone back in your pocket and turned to knock on the front door. However, before you even got the chance to, it swung open and duel chromatic eyes stared back into yours.

“I’m sorry I kept you waiting, I made us sandwiches for lunch.” He greeted you in his usual calm but hard front demeanor. Instead of commenting about how cold you were and that he should’ve made lunch faster, you simply took it and placed it in your bag. With that, you both started your commute.

You and Shoto have known each other since you were young, but due to his own family issues you both had just recently become friends. As a child, you always admired his splitone features and the way his eyes lit up in two separate ways when he was excited. At age five, you thought he was cool. But now at age seventeen, you can’t help but think he’s absolutely and utterly gorgeous.

Shoto had accepted your companionship your first year of highschool. Both of you always seemed to keep to your desk and shy away from the large groups, that similarity between you two caused you to naturally gravitate towards him. Asking for his number and inviting him to get coffee with you after school was single handedly the scariest but best idea you have ever committed to. Because if you hadn’t done that, if you had just let that day during your first year continue as always and gone to get coffee by yourself, you wouldn’t be where you are right now.

Currently, Shoto is walking on your right, he always insisted on doing so, just so that he could put some distance between you and the street. Your hands wrapped themselves securely around his forearm closest to you, trying to draw from his warmth. Well, that’s what you told yourself. But, in all honesty you just wanted an excuse to be close to him, to connect to him.

It was embarrassingly obvious how in love with Shoto you were, everyone seemed to notice except for him. And you weren’t the only one to take notice of his beauty and fall for his contrasting features. However, with you it was different, you knew that your romantic feelings couldn’t be grouped together with all of his other admirers. You didn’t fall in love with Shoto just because he was beautiful, but because you were able to connect to him and see past that iron wall he fights so hard to keep up.

Slowly, over the past three years at UA, you found yourself becoming immersed with your own feelings, not entirely sure how to deal with them. Your first year wasn’t too bad, you felt the normal butterflies when he would pat your shoulder when you did something well, one of his only signs of affection. And your cheeks still dusted rose as he would greet you in the morning and compliment something about your hair or the way you wore your uniform. But your second year was drastically different. You had a mere teenage crush on Shoto during your first year, but the amount of time you spent with him the summer after allowed for your feelings to expand to new points you didn’t know your heart was capable of feeling.

The intensity of your love spread like wildfire with every passing day you spent with him in the summer air. You’d find yourself growing overly excited about study sessions you would normally dread due to you thinking summer was your time for a break. And you personally hated silent reading with people around, the silence was uncomfortable. But sitting next to Shoto in your own home, you both on the couch with your legs over his lap, the books you read in silence on those days, that silence was comfortable then.

And if your legs weren’t over his lap, your head found its way to his shoulder or his would fall to yours. His peppermint hair sweeping to the side and tickling the nape of your neck and also covering his observant eyes. But no matter how subtle the touches were, no matter how brief the physical connection, the fire within your heart only blazed warmer.

Shoto was notorious for keeping his distance, but he let you get close. He allowed for you to take part in his interests and he took time to explain to you what he feels and why these things bring him so much joy. He let down his iron wall with you, even if it was just a little. But eventually, you learned what that iron wall was hiding. You come to understand why he’s afraid of boiling water and why he flinches so hard when you hug him without warning. You learned the heart-wrenching story of the scar that covers his sapphire eye, and the damage that it caused and still tolls on him today. You now understood why he always insisted on hanging out with you and anywhere outside of his home. And knowing you could provide that sanction for him ignited your heart’s flames all over once more.

Deep down you wanted so badly to expand your connection to him beyond just friends, but something stopped you. This ‘something’ was so definite, it felt nearly physical. It was as if an iron wall stood between you two.

Shoto had never shown any romantic interests in you, but then again he never took notice of anyone in that sort of way. No matter how many girls threw themselves his way, or when countless guys tried to catch a sliver of his attention, he barely even glanced in their direction. And it wasn’t because he was trying to be rude or blow them off. He genuinely just couldn’t tell when someone was trying to flatter him, his social skills still not up to speed. Shoto was capable of feeling, he just wasn’t sure if he should feel.

You knew this first hand, all the hints you dropped about the flames in your chest never were picked up. He simply believed you were platonically complimenting him, that iron wall still plastered around his heart. And no matter how rapid your feelings grew, the fear of rejection always halted your confessions. You loved Shoto so deeply, but you cared for the strength of your guys’ friendship to a much more powerful extent.

One night during finals week of your second year, you and Sho had been studying nearly all day. It was a Saturday and it was around 10:30 at night. You personally were hungry and Shoto himself said he could go for a snack. A late night soba vender had just opened up down the street, seemed like the perfect spot. So you both threw on sweaters over the sweatpants you had sat in all day, texted your parents since they had already gone to bed, and just like that you and shoto were walking down the dimly lit street through the quantum hours of the night sky.

The stars were scattered abundantly that night, the chill that went through your spine with every gust of wind went merely unnoticed due to the night’s beauty. Your hand clutched Shoto’s bicep, he insisted on it as a precaution. It made you feel safer as well, knowing abductions had been more frequent and took place mainly at night. But along with the security it provided, it also warmed you from the inside. The manifestation of love in your heart turned to flames, and the flames seemed to ignite your senses and tint your cheeks pink. By your luck, Shoto didn’t notice any of this, he never noticed how flustered you became when you shared these small touches that seemed to break that iron wall. But, maybe that was for the better.

You guys had ended your commute to the soba vendor, seating yourselves at the counter and ordering respectively. Shoto had insisted on paying since he somehow managed to swipe his father’s credit card, but if it was Enji’s money, you really couldn’t mind. By the time you each had finished up your meal, the time was nearly 11:45. Your walk home was slightly more eventful than the first time around, you decided to take a detour through a park near a quiet pond.

Shoto’s feet dragged after yours all while you tugged his arm as you nearly skipped to the water's edge. You had a slightly more pep in your step than he himself, but that was nearly symbolic of you and Shoto. You two were nearly identical in the way you always held a calm expression, your short but precise remarks, and even in the demeanor you both present when you become even the slightest bit irritated. These similarities manifested from the tough love in which you were raised with, Shoto’s father being mainly all tough and no love. Your parents drilled it into your mind that anything less of perfection was utter failure. But the love he lacked, you still received to some extent as a child. and that’s what set you apart. You had the ability to skip through the night and feel the joy of the starlight reflecting off your eyes, Shoto simply watching and observing your ecstasy. Not entirely processing a feeling he sees now, but has never felt for himself.

Both you and Shoto came to a standstill at the edge of the water, barely any words had been exchanged since you left the soba vendor. The shoes you both wore began to sink into the sand of the bay. You leaned over the edge, Shoto mimicking your actions. Your reflections on the water surface rippled by the Koi fish that swam beneath. The light the stars cast onto their scales bounced back and onto Shoto’s eyes. His focus connected to the fish as it swam down stream and your reflections became whole once more. While his gaze never shifted, you found yours following the change of his features. You watched through the mirror of water as his eyebrows relaxed, the corners of his mouth weren’t pulled tight, but instead they tugged upward in the most subtle of ways. The flames erupted once more, rising from the ashes like wings of a phoenix, the feeling of love you forced yourself to keep inside was fighting back against your will. You averted your gaze in hopes the heat rising in your chest and your face would subside, but even though you stood at Shoto’s right hand, that wasn;t enough to cool the flames. He noticed your sudden change of focus through the movement reflected on the water, and that's when his focus shifted, shifted to meet yours.

When your eyes connected to the brown and blue of his, you couldn’t help but take notice of just how beautiful he truly was. The way his scar emphasized the brightness of his left eye, the way of how they sparkled just as the stars did against the pond you currently stood near. Your mind had become so utterly consumed by your admiration, his words of concern passed right through you.

“Y/n? Are you okay?” He spoke softly, the time of night affecting his tone. He waved his hand slightly in front of your eyes, breaking the trance you were trapped inside. His pupils were blown out a slight bit more, his eyebrows furrowed together like they tend to be. You nodded your head, bringing yourself back to reality. Shoto brought his hand down to your elbow, slowly ushering you back to the sidewalk. What happened in the following ten seconds seemed to span for eons. Shoto turned to walk back, still keeping his grip on your arm, gentle but stern. Before you could stop yourself your hand pulled on his shoulder lightly, his attention back to you. Your hand found its way to his chin and his grip on your arm tightened in the smallest bit.

“Wha-”

Your lips cut off his protest of confusion, your eyes squeezed shut as his eyes flew open wider than ever before. You hand caressed his jaw gently as his grip on your arm fell entirely. This connection and such deep affection that was poured into that single kiss was nearly three years of confined emotions, the crave and depth of your love finally sprung free from your soul. But as you enjoyed the brief moment, your senses began to override your heart. You suddenly remembered that what was between you and Shoto was nothing more or less of a close and two way friendship. You were the first to pull away, although the look on Shoto’s face when you finally came back down from your high, he looked as if he had pulled away first.

“Sho, I’m sorry. I don’t know what happ- I shouldn't have done that please-” You rambled on as you took a step back, shame replacing the flames that were there just seconds before.

“Let’s go home, it’s late.” He cut in, his voice possessing an edge it wouldn’t normally.

“Sho please-” you pleaded, but were cut off once more.

“Y/n, please.”

The way he said your name, the motion of his back turned to you waiting for you to follow, it was enough for you to realize this was territory that shouldn’t be touched. And so instead of trying to explain yourself or make sense of what the hell just happened, you both made your way back to your house in complete and utter silence. The street lights and stars your only guide through the wordless lack of warmth. For the first time ever within your connection to Shoto, the silence couldn’t even be described as uncomfortable. It was absolutely unbearable.

Shoto had made sure you made it inside your house before walking down two blocks to his own. The usual goodnight text you received, the reminder to actually sleep, never danced across your phone screen. The conversation labeled with his name remained silent and only held the traces of the goodnight text from the night before. You couldn’t recall crying or ever falling asleep, but you remembered feeling the dampness of your pillow as you woke up the morning after.

Monday soon rolled around and you were in the middle of gathering your things for school. You couldn’t deny you were nervous to repeat your normal routine of walking to school with Shoto, but you decided the least you could do was try. You packed an extra snack for him just in case, just as he did for you on days where you were particularly struggling. You were in the middle of slipping on your shoes when a knock was heard on the door. Your parents left for work before you even woke and so that left you to answer. You expected it to be your neighbor or a local vendor, but there he stood. His uniform nicely pressed, his tie nice and straight, and his hair perfectly parted down the middle, not a single strand of white mixing with red.

“Sho! We don’t have to start walking for another half hour what are-”

“Let’s take a walk. We should talk.” He stated quite plainly, turning and walking down the steps of your porch and waiting quietly on the sidewalk.

You quickly regained your bearings and your bag and made your way to his side as your steps fell in time with his. He began to lead you through a left turn when you two would usually turn right. This is the long way to school, you thought. Maybe he really did finally have something to say. You weren;t sure if you actually were ready to hear it. it all depended on how he felt about your affections. Your fear of rejection still failed to waver even after the act of courage you displayed two days before.

Without knowing, you were walking on Shoto’s right side that day, closest to the street. Shoto only noticed as you accidentally bumped his side as you moved away from a speeding car. Without a word, he placed his hands on your biceps and moved you to his left, putting distance between you and the street. Your breath caught in your throat as he did this, the action that was so natural in any other circumstance. But in this moment in time, it showed that the connection between you two was still there and it held through the tense air that filled the space between.

Suddenly, Shoto stopped. His movements stopped entirely just a few strides in front of you. You as well came to standstill, your gaze connecting to the back of his school blazer. Then, as if the world had suddenly started to move in slow motion, Shoto turned and faced you. His hands flew to the sides of your jaw, his fingers placed behind your ears and at the curve where your jaw meets the start of your neck. His lips crashed into yours, the force behind them angry but warm, much more force than yours had conveyed. He didn’t back away, his eyes were shut as his lips explored yours. The electric that ran through his fingertips and danced across your shoulders and down your arms, spurring into your fingertips. Your hands came up to grip the front of his blazer, trying to ground yourself and not disassociate from this moment. But as quickly as it started, his lips left yours, Shoto pulling away first this time. Both of you heaved, your chests falling and rising rapidly. Saliva glistened across your lips, your own pupils blown out along with his. He brushed his bangs from his vision, focusing his hazed eyes back to you. His silence was broken as he breathed out something similar to a confession and an explanation.

“Y/n I’m gonna talk. And let me say it all before I forget please.” You nodded your head and the intensity your eyes held was enough of an indication that you were ready to hear it all. Shoto was ready to let down his iron wall completely, and welcome you into his heart that was so sheltered it didn’t know what it was necessarily welcoming.

“Look, I’m so sorry for blowing you off and dismissing the kiss that night. I should’ve at least said something, anything. But please understand that rash acts of affection is something I don’t know how to process. You know me and you know how I grew up. The last time I was ever shown any sort of physical love was from my mother, and I was five when she was taken away. I had been feeling a certain way whenever I would spend time with you. My chest would tighten and it seemed as if my heart was going to leap out on my throat. I could feel the heat of my left side intensify, it spreading to my right whenever you smiled at me. I have never felt this way, I never have felt anything close to this. I don’t even know what it is, but it draws me to you. It’s as if I’m being pulled by an unknown force that surrounds you. And it scared me, I was terrified to indulge in this feeling because it was so strange to me. A knot was constantly tightening in my stomach, and when you kissed me it snapped. And it shocked me, the feeling shocked my common sense entirely. I don’t understand this and I don’t know why. I feel these things for you but my body isn;t capable of processing it. And I could see that hurt you, and I’m sorry. I- I just need time. I still don’t know what this is. I can;t say it’s love because I’ve never loved anyone. But I’m trying to understand it because I know one thing. I care about you and I want to always be there to care about you. I feel for you beyond the feelings of a friendship. Maybe this could be love that I feel, but I’m still trying to figure that out. What I’m trying to say is that I want to love you. I’ll teach myself how to do that. But please be patient with me, let me understand these feelings.”

As his voice trailed off, your mind held onto one specific detail he spoke about. It all made sense now. His reaction made so much sense and you cursed yourself for not realizing it before. Shoto wasn;t shown the same love you were as a child, therefore his heart and mind aren’t equipped to process such strong acts of affection. You were, you were shown that extent of love, even if it was just a little. His heart was completely overwhelmed, and his entire ability to reciprocate that affection was held back by those iron walls. Something you failed to realize was that those iron walls don’t only keep feelings out, they also keep his own emotions in. And that kiss that night broke the walls and those pent up emotions flooded his body, rendering him unable to explain his bluntness. It all finally made sense.

“I’ll wait Shoto. I get it, I should’ve known. But I’ll be here to help you understand those feelings. I’ll be as patient for as long as you need because I’m able to understand my own emotions. And from that I know that I love you.” You spoke gently, cupping his hand between yours, silietly promising to be there to help his iron walls come down.

And with that, you pulled him to your chest and wrapped your arms around his waist, his gripping around your shoulders. As you embraced, Shoto vowed that he would work to understand, work to tear down the iron walls around his heart, he would do this all until he could say he loved you too.

Back to present day, nearly a year later. You and Shoto had made your way to the UA campus, about to split to different ends of the hall. His arm was wrapped snugly around your waist as he pulled you closer. His lips connected to your temple as he mumbled something about remembering to eat the sandwich he had given you that morning. You simply nodded and hugged around his waist before he pulled away. You waved him off as he began to walk his own route to class. And before you started to walk your own way, you called out to him just as his back turned.

“I love you sho.” You said loud enough for him to hear, but not so much for everyone in the halls with you two to turn their heads. He turned back around, his bangs hanging low over his two toned eyes, his scar peeking out from behind as he smiled faintly at you.

Shoto waved to you subtly as he mouthed back, “I love you too.”

There it was. You could almost hear the crash of his iron walls fall.

He holsted his bag once more and disappeared into the crowd of your fellow peers. You also began your commute as you smiled extremely brightly to yourself. His iron walls had finally come down, and his heart accepted this emotion now as something it knew. Shoto only knew the feeling of true love because he knew you, and your heart expanded because you knew him. And you now also knew everything hidden behind the walls of his mind and heart. Your guys’ love entirely constructed from the broken fragments of iron that Shoto broke down piece by piece.

>>>>>>

a/n pt. two: gonna take the time to explain why i struggled with this piece. it wasn’t because i didn’t like the prompt or i didn’t have inspiration from it. it was solely based on the fact that i’m terrible at writing love stories! also todoroki is such a complex character and i haven’t completely analyzed him like i have with bakugou and deku and kirishima. that’s why this piece was a little rougher than ones i’ve written for bakugou. nonetheless, i love this story and id love to see shoto smile again :,)

#my hero academia #comfort character #boku no hero headcanons #mha #mha todoroki #bnha shoto todoroki #todoroki x y/n #todoroki fluff #mha shoto #todoroki shoto x reader #mha tododeku #comfort headcanons #friends to lovers #best friends to lovers #ua dorms #domestic #cold soba

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riderdrauggrim · 4 years ago

Text

Day Unknown. Sat, Sep 26, 2020.

Nervous about randomly hiding in 4G Motorsports parking lot, I'm awake a few short hours later around 6:30. I have the tent packed by 8:30, and huddle beside the bike, waiting for staff.

9:00 rolls around and I approach the doors, making my way back to the Parts/Service desk. A young woman who's family shifts her between Alberta and Toronto seems thrilled to meet someone else from Ontario. We check if they have a replacement battery in stock. They do not. And their mechanics are not in on the weekends.

But!

There's a MAGNACHARGE Battery megaemporium RIGHT across the street!

Heartened my luck might be improving, I trot over.

Nope.

They're closed on weekends.

I trot back to 4G, on the way calling Riverside Honda in St. Albert, the blokes who'd changed my tires. They sold their last YTZ14S on Friday. BUT they'd ordered more and they should arrive at the start of this coming week.

I run over my problems with their parts guy. He suggests I remove the battery and try starting the bike with another random battery attached; That might be able to isolate if it is my battery or my starter system/charging stator/rectifier/words.

Sounds good.

Back at 4G I ask if they have a charger or a booster. The parts girl knows where a tender is, but not how to use it. It's okay, I do. They graciously let me push the bike inside their service bay so I can tinker on it, good thing too as it starts to drizzle outside.

So! My battery: Out and Charging.

My bike: New battery hooked up to test the ignition.

My key: In the ignition, turning to activate the bike-*Crack*.

One of the few flaws I've found with the NC750 design is the key is needed in a secondary lock. Turn one way to unlock the frunk (front trunk) where the gas tank USUALLY sits on a motorcycle. Turn the other way to unlock the latch securing the passenger seat, this allowing you to lift it up to reveal the gas cap to fill the tank, which sits under the rider. The problem with this lock is the key does not fully insert. It's about 3/4 depth to the ignition proper.

Over time, this has created something of a weak point on the key itself, occasionally twisting ever so slightly if too much pressure is applied, if the latches are sticky, or the frunk is overfull and a bit jammed. This was usually corrected by sticking the key in and turning it the other way, straightening the blade out again. For this trip, due to the tail luggage making lifting the passenger seat incredibly difficult at best, I had opted to outright remove the pillion cover, leaving the gas cap exposed for easy access. All I needed the secondary lock for was to get in and out of the frunk, which I was doing several times a day to fetch out Goose and Hat, or store drinks, or change power banks.

Perhaps it was this excess of one direction twisting that finally did the blade in.

Perhaps it was just six years of use and wear.

Perhaps life just wanted to take the difficulty level up a notch.

In any event.

I was left holding the top quarter of my key. The remainder still inside the ignition. Even if I can get a new battery, I can now no longer turn on the bike.

My coworker who helped fund this adventure texts me to see how things are going. I tell him my key just snapped in half. He says if I didn't have bad luck, I'd have no luck at all. We discuss options. I'm 3,505 km from home. I'm 427 km from the nearest Honda dealership. I just want to Abandon Quest and Hearthstone out of here, but that's not an option. So I work through various plans.

I call Riverside back and get the Service department. Nick remembers me. I fill him in on the last twelve hours. "Wow." Indeed. He puts me on hold and consults his coworkers. If I can get it there, they'll try and squeeze me in and get this sorted. Some people have good luck using super glue to get broken keys out and then jury rigged back together. With my luck, I'll make a mess and fuse the tumblers and need an entirely new ignition system. The key is also a newer blade style, not a normal tooth house lock key. It's supposed to be stronger, amusingly enough. But it's not the sort of thing local locksmiths should be able to replicate, it needs a Dealership. So even if I got a Fort McMurray locksmith to fish the main part out, if he can't make a new one, I still can't Go.

AND there's the pressing matter of the battery.

During all this my battery on the tender has completed charging. I restore it into the bike, or try to, as the damn nut in the contact for the red lead slips out of the holder and falls precisely through the ONE (1) hole at the bottom of the compartment and somewhere onto the engine block. I don't hear it hit the belly pan, and wedging my fingers into every nook, curve and cranny yields nothing but grimy hands.

I call CAA anew. I get the same woman as the night before, so that helped since she already knew the first part of this story. I now have Multiple Problems that can not be fixed locally. St. Albert is outside the Alberta tow range of 350km. But my membership is from Niagara, and I'm covered for 500km. She calls them to approve it. They say 'of course'. One hurdle down.

She contacts the tow company. New hurdle.

Due to the nine hour round-trip commute, they don't run every single broken vehicle south to Edmonton every time someone breaks down. They wait for multiple items, load them all on a long truck, and do a couple runs a week. So. Yes, they can get my bike to St. Albert. Eventuallllyyyyy.

I get it; from a logistics and efficiency and financial perspective it makes perfect sense.

From a "but... my bike..." and waiting for a nebulous amount of time in a hotel somewhere just for it to get TO the mechanics, nevermind the unknown timeframe of the shop having time to look at it, figure out what's wrong, order new parts if needed, and install them.... Hrrrggggnnnnn.

So EMI came with the short bed and picked up the bike from 4G. The logic being, now it's in their secure compound, ready to go, and when they have a load ready, they'll shove it on and take it south for me. Solid.

How do -I- get back to Edmonton.

Well, there's several buses that run the corridor, presumably for the mine workers to get up and back around their shift days. Awesome!

Oh but they don't run again until Monday. Less awesome!

But what can you do.

My bike won't leave until monday at the /earliest/ anyway, so me being there any sooner really makes no difference.

I book a ticket - cheap at 65$! For a nearly five hour trip? I paid 85$ plus tip for the 20 minute taxi ride from Supertest Hill to Fort McMurray the night prior.

Leaving Monday at 8:30am, arrive near downtown Edmonton. Found a hotel for 80$ within a block of Riverside Honda, not as cheap as my beloved Whitemud, but Whitemud Inn being at the south center of the Edmonton bubble, I'd be paying more than the 15$ a night difference in a cab to get up to St. Albert region. So I'll be right nearby the bike if we can get it going, or I need something from my bags.

In the meantime.

I found an RV campsite literally next door to the bus stop. I called the owner and explained my experiances, and my need for somewhere to simply hide in a tent until Monday morning. Sure, I could try and hide -anywhere-, but for my own safety, and nerves, if I can do this cheap and legal, the better for it. She says she can help me out. She offers a site for a price considerably cheaper than the nearby hotels, which I of course agree to. It's a twenty minute walk from 4G, made longer by hauling two drybags of tent/sleeping bag and essentials, and a third partial of food. Plus wearing my gear. And being somewhat small and scrawny. I take several rests. I drink my Gatorades. I make it. She has the sweetest tabby cat with white socks, no tail, and the SOFTEST fur. Name 'Trouble'. Awwww.

Transaction complete, I set up my tent, kindly serenaded by a curious magpie.

I hear a nearby RV owner pull up, truck doors closing, and then I see a giant white monster making a beeline straight for me. My best guess would be Lab/Samoyed. The head was very much the rectangle block and jowls of a lab, but the pelt was definitely a living cloud. It gives an very quick sniff at my tent, and promptly accepts me petting it. I realize I've been pet-starved during my journey. All my stress is put on pause as I scruffle the heck out of this random dog's sides. In fact, twice I tried to move one hand to teach for my phone for a photo, and he turned in annoyance to see why I'd partially stopped. I hear a woman calling, and ask if he needs to go. He makes no move. In fact he tries to push backwards closer. On a whim, I drop to my rear and make a bowl with my legs. He promptly fills said bowl with his rump. Me on my butt and him on his haunches, I came up to his shoulders.

Good dog.

A woman shouts again, more insistent. I give him a bump with my leg. He resigns himself to getting up and heading home. I realize the owner can't see us, so I pop up and apologize for stealing her dog. She realizes he hadn't just ran off for no reason, and laughs, saying he loves people. Yes, I had learned this.

I needed that.

There's a valley beside the camp ground.

The trees are spent matchsticks, grey and charred and empty against the sky. New growth slowly fills in around the dead wood. I don't know if this is a remainder of the BIG fire of 2016, or another more recent event. It's a staggering amount of devastation, and only a small fragment of the damage done.

The clouds out here... I love skyscapes.

Beautiful.

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slit-the-rasceta · 5 years ago

Text

For you, I’ll stay | III: The Soldier

written by — @slit-the-rasceta // @monoluvie

BREAK AND ENTRY AT THE HILL January 10, 1996, Wednesday

YONGSAN-GU, SEOUL — Dispatch calls to the Seoul patrol at around 11:00 PM last night, January 9, reported a break and entry at the executive subdivision, The Hill. To those unfamiliar with the residential area, The Hill is publicised as the most upscale, private subdivision in the greater Yongsan area. This places it as one of the more heavily guarded places in the district as it houses mostly political and affluent residents.

Officers arrived at the scene of the crime at approximately twenty minutes past the time of the distress call. According to the police, the call was made by Assistant Inspector Lee Yuna as she arrived at the house of the Minister of National Defense, Kim Dongjin, taken on the record, the Assistant Inspector confirms that it was indeed the Minister’s house that was broken into, she adds that this was not a case of mere breach of property, but also of assault and possibly attempted kidnapping.

The victim was the Minister’s 19-year old daughter, Kim Jiho, who was found by the Minister himself at their garage—bruised, bloodied and unconscious. Medics arrived soon after to treat the family for shock as well as Ms. Jiho for the severe wounds she sustained.

When asked about the suspect or the possible motive, Assistant Inspector Lee refused to give any comment and closed the scene from further media personnel. — THE SEOUL DAILY

132-12 Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam-Gu, Seoul The Miroh Brotherhood House (미로 일족 집) January 10, 1996, Wednesday 5:00 hrs.

In the silence of their mansion, he sits with a posture so straight one would think he had never experienced the feeling of bowing down to someone. He was wearing a double-breasted suit with fabric that gives off a sheen as the dawn peeks through the blinds, and with not a stray hair in sight, he looks every bit of the capo famiglia, albeit he’d rather be called just “Hyung”—although never “Chan”.

His underboss, or capo bastone, is the singular exception. “Chan.” his voice is level, knowing full well what their leader is up to so early in the morning.

“They’re like a bunch of ants, Woojin,” he sighs, folding the newspaper and placing it back on the mahogany coffee table—as though it was pure entertainment to see the police force scrambling just to give a decent statement to the press. “One break in their routine and they end up in chaos, it’s hilarious.”

His light chuckle only earned him a glare from his right-hand man. “You really shouldn’t mock them, you know.” he shakes his head, hands pocketed. Although he must admit that he too, found it amusing—the SMPA’s inefficiency, that is.

“And why not?” Chan stands, smoothing out the creases of his suit jacket. “They can’t even trace a simple phone call, besides, I think I’m allowed to revel in some form of gratification while this is all happening. It’s not every day that you come across this.” he picks up the documents that they retrieved from the Minister’s home office.

That was the main objective, after all; In order of priority, their operation centered on first, retrieving all the vetting intel of every legislative electoral candidate and second, on replacing that intel with a carefully-curated message for the Minister.

—

Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, Jogno-gu District. January 13, 1996, Saturday. 13:30 hrs.

Her eyes were bloodshot, and her neck was strained, but she had finally figured it out, after three sleepless nights, and a minimum of three cups of coffee per day, she had finally sorted things out. On the first day, she had successfully detailed the night’s events in proper order—down to the time the security system was breached and the moment the wiretapped phone lines were restored to normal.

On the second day, she had returned to the crime scene and taken statements from a secondary victim, the maid, and from eyewitnesses who reportedly saw a suspicious-looking van parked at an empty lot near the residence of the Minister, and finally, on the last day, she realized how that 19-year old girl fit into all of this.

She had pieced everything together as soon as she heard the new development on the case earlier that day.

“Assistant Inspector,” one of the officers-in-training had called her, knocking on the glass door before stepping through the threshold of the conference room. She had been the only one left on the floor as everyone took their lunch break. It was something she was used to doing, and since the briefing with the Minister was due on Monday, everyone knew that she would be cooped up in the conference room anyway.

“What is it?” she asks, not turning around to face the younger boy.

“The Minister called.” his voice was level, but there was a slight undertone of worry, she turns her head so quickly she almost got whiplash. “What did he say?”

“He said…” the officer trails off, hesitant, but at the grave look on her face, he gulps and continues. “The Minister said he found out just now that on the night of the assault, the perpetrators also broke into his home office, cracked the vault and took the documents.”

She quirks an eyebrow at this; how could the Minister only know of this now? Surely he noticed that the documents were missing that same night or at the very latest the day after? Did he have an oversight or was he waiting for something?

“What kind of documents?” she asks, shoulders squared and lips pressed in a thin line. If she was being honest, she hadn’t the slightest clue what they could possibly want but if they were detailed enough to carry out such an elaborate plan, it would have to be something concerning—at the very least, national governance or those with high-enough security clearance to even keep such a paper trail in their own home.

“Vetting documents…” the officer said, handing a list of names over to her. “Of all the electoral candidates for this year’s legislative elections.”

—

51-7, Gocheog il-dong, Guro-gu, Seoul. Assistant Inspector Lee Yuna’s Residence. January 14, 1996, Sunday. 02:00 hrs.

Her apartment was on the seventh floor. It had been a routine of hers to take the stairs instead of the elevator, no matter how tired she was, but she had checked out of the agency at almost 2:00 am, and while the commute back to the apartment complex wasn’t too taxing, she knew that she had no more energy left to walk six flights of stairs.

The elevator lobby was empty, the stone flooring gleaming as the lights bounced off of its surface, she had pressed the arrow pointing up, but the current elevator cabs were still making their way to the ground floor. While waiting, she heard footsteps echo across the lobby, but thought less of it because she had gotten used to crossing paths with one or two night owls, or sometimes, the occasional delivery man.

She was living in an upper middle-class apartment complex where most of the tenants either had middle management positions in their own jobs, or were a few people away from getting the position of their boss, but that didn’t mean that they wouldn’t order takeout or come home in the early hours of the morning.

Just as the sound of the footfalls stopped, the ‘ding’ of the elevator cab opening snapped her out of her reverie, she had been thinking about the case throughout her whole commute home—it was the small things, like the public service announcements at the train station or the elevator ding just now, that kept her on her toes; granted, she was practically sleepwalking, but she made sure to give herself some pockets of lucidity before she finally falls flat on her bed.

As the elevator doors closed, she looks up, and sees a man wearing an all-black attire and a navy blue baseball cap. He was just standing there, hands in his pockets and stance at ease.

However, something about him sent a chill through her spine. Her mind traces back to the sound of footsteps a while ago, but she belatedly realizes that she had never seen that guy in their apartment complex before.

Thoroughly awake—and downright unnerved, she brisk-walks towards her unit as soon as she exits the elevator. At the last turn, she feels her pulse quicken as she senses something shuffling at the end of the corridor. Immediately, she double-locks the door as she safely enters the apartment.

By this time, she’s dropped her attaché case and file folders on the floor, one hand trembling over the holster at the small of her back and the other still perched over the brass doorknob. The entire apartment is silent, yet she could feel her heart threaten to burst through her ribcage and her breathing spin into an irregular pattern of inhale, exhale, exhale, inhale.

Realizing that there was nothing to be worried about, she focuses on her breath, and closes her eyes, removing her hands from the holster and doorknob. After a few minutes, she was finally able to match her breathing with her heartbeat. The deeper her inhale, the slower the exhale—the calmer she became. Gradually, she felt a warmth travel from her nape to the soles of her feet, as though her shadow had somewhat become a spectre of positive light behind her.

She felt calmer and calmer, all thoughts of the case drifting away momentarily as the brief surge of adrenaline after bolting away from that disturbing (not to mention, obscure) force brought her down an unprecedented high, she began to vocalize her breathing, inhaling from the nose and exhaling from the mouth.

Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. Somehow she heard her breathing becoming louder, even though she had only controlled it to the point where it was no more than a few decibels higher than a whisper.

Curiously, she felt her breathing form some sort of echo, as though after the sound of her inhale or exhale, a ripple was heard throughout her apartment—like a follow-through of another breath being expelled.

And then, she hears it again. This time, a full beat earlier than her, as it grew louder and louder, she felt the unease build up again, and just when she moves to turn her head, the sound of the breathing is redirected straight to the shell of her ear, the warm burst of air sending goosebumps rising all over her skin.

“It took you three days?”

Her breath caught in her throat. It was a man’s voice. Her knee-jerk reaction was to reach for her gun, but she flinches instead, giving him purchase over her entire upper torso. He snakes one hand through both her arms and locks both behind her back, with his other hand unclasping the gun and tossing it halfway across the room.

This time her breathing skyrockets into an erratic, rollercoaster-like pace. She knows she is about to experience another panic attack, but she also will not let her assailant get the upper hand.

She charges backwards to the wall with a force enough to elicit a grunt from him as he momentarily loosens his grip over her arms. She wrestles away and scrambles for the gun in the dark. After making out the shape of her handgun, she reaches for it just as her assailant is about to pick up her files.

They both stand at attention, her gun pointed at him. He was the epitome of sleek and composed—the lines of his body fluidly melding into one resolute silhouette. Meanwhile, her entire figure was shaking and her aim was for sure aligned with the peephole instead of his actual figure. She realizes now that he was standing by the doorway—where her things were, and she was by the terrace, the telephone an arm’s reach away.

She contemplates on making a dispatch call to any patrol officer in the area, but realizes she couldn’t risk that move with him having more than one of the advantages. He’s got immediate access to the exit as well as all her files about the case—she assumed that was what he was asking about earlier, and he could easily just pick up the files and still have enough time to flee the scene before any unit actually comes.

No, she has to play along with the deadlock—at least until she manages another plan.

“What do you want?” she doesn’t stutter but there is a relatively distinct lilt in her tone.

“You’re asking the wrong question,” he gives a one-shouldered shrug, hands still in his pockets. Just as she was about to lower her gun, he moves forward. She takes a step back, almost as if he had taken an entire lunge across the room.

Thoroughly confused, she feels her grip on her handgun quiver even more, as he keeps on taking step after step towards her. Finally, he stops, a few feet away from her. He holds onto her gun. She hesitates for a second, not wanting to lower her gun down. But he reaches for the safety, pulls it back and realigns her gun to his face. “You are going to shoot me after all, right, Ms. Inspector?”

He takes a step back, letting the moonlight wash over the both of them.

“So,” he puts his hands back in his pants’ pockets. “Might as well make the question count before you take a shot.”

Baffled at his nonchalance, she squares her shoulders. If he’s actually giving her an opportunity to shoot him at such close proximity, she might have a chance at severely wounding him, after a beat, she stiffens her hold on the gun, supporting it with her other hand. She’s thought of a question to buy her some time to get a proper shot.

“What do you want with those documents?” she squints, hoping to make out some features of her assailant.

“Hm,” He hums in response, looking up to the ceiling as if in thought. “Close enough.”

Almost instantaneously, he disappears from her direct line of sight. Before she could register what was happening, he knocks out the gun from her hand as he bolts up from a crouching position, reappearing a hair’s breadth away from her.

The sting from his blow renders her dominant hand useless. Thrown off balance, she has no time to recover as he takes advantage of her open form and holds down her entire arm with one hand and envelopes her throat with the other.

He lifts her up a few inches from the floor—his russet irises turning into gold against the moonlight. He slowly clenches his hand around her throat, revelling in the sound of her chokes and gasps. Despite her attempts at clawing on his arm or prying his fingers off, tears well at her waterline as she feels herself slowly lose hold of the present moment.

“A broken wrist,” he says, and snaps her entire hand backward. She wants to scream but she could barely breathe as it is. “And a few minutes of unconsciousness should be enough answer.” he says, but she can barely make out his voice.

Her world slowly began to fade into darkness as he let her drop to the floor with a dull thud.

He walks towards the entrance, picks up her files from the floor and tucked it inside his inner pocket. He was about to leave, his hand was already holding the door knob but he spares her a second glance, and catches sight of the telephone.

“You should have called when you had the chance.” he says to himself in the night’s silence. “He was patrolling your area tonight.” He closes the door behind him, walking back to the parking lot.

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peachiefics · 5 years ago

Text

Nude

Pairing: Jimin x OC

Genre: Fluff; Almost Smut

Warning: Suggestive Scenes

Word Count: 3,840

Synopsis: When nudity is the norm, what would it take for Jimin to feel flustered? Her.

The screeching of an alarm did nothing more than irritate Jimin. With eyes tightly shut and a heavy sigh, he slammed his hand on the bedside table, somehow managing to silence his phone. Releasing himself from the grip of grogginess, he dragged himself out of bed and over to his closet.

“Not like it matters,” he mumbled to himself, haphazardly sifting through his clothes before selecting a pair of light-wash skinny jeans and a white button-up shirt. His ears perked up at the sound of his roommate’s door opening, with the rest of him following suit as he threw his clothes on the bed and bolted for the bathroom. He slid past the younger male and grabbed the door handle, much to the boy’s dismay. “You snooze, you lose, Kid.”

With a click of his teeth, the boy whined, “C’mon, Jimin. I gotta take a piss!”

“And I got morning wood to chop before my first class. I’ll need an extra ten minutes, so piss outside, Niagara,” Jimin laughed, closing the door behind himself. Turning to face the shower, he took a deep breath and leaned down to turn it on. Soon after, his clothing was tossed into a nearby hamper and he stepped under the comfortable warmth of the water. He let some fall onto his face in the hopes of it waking him up fully, though that didn’t quite work. “Well, here goes nothin’,” he mentally trailed off and bit his lip, one hand gliding from his face and down his torso to wrap around his length.

“Off to whore yourself out for cash again today?” the younger male asked, watching Jimin enter the living room, steam wafting around him.

He stopped in his tracks, holding onto the towel around his waist indignantly. “I am not a whore, Jungkook. I’m a model. An artist. A-”

“Sex worker?” Jungkook asked with a raised eyebrow, propping his feet on the coffee table.

“I’m not a sex worker, though that is a completely valid line of work,” he replied, walking over to push his roommate’s feet off the table before heading back to his room to get dressed.

The brisk April breeze caressed Jimin’s face as he sat on the park bench watching people pass by—kids on their way to school, morning joggers, and a host of folks making their morning commute. He glanced down at his watch while taking a sip of lukewarm caramel macchiato. “7:30…She should be here by now,” he thought to himself, scanning the area one more time. His eyes landed on a very familiar head of hair. Bright turquoise, tightly coiled hair, to be exact. Hair that you could see from a mile away. He couldn’t help but smile as he observed her observe everyone else, bottom lip caught between her teeth as her pencil danced across the page in her sketchbook, almost as if it had a mind of its own.

This was a part of his morning routine now—drinking coffee in the park and admiring the curly-haired artist before work. She’d sit on a blanket under the same oak tree every day, hoping her subjects wouldn’t catch her drawing them and becoming adorably embarrassed whenever they did. So as not to deter her, her pretended not to notice her gaze lingering on him, assuming she was immortalizing him within the book’s pages.

At 7:45, Jimin decided it would be best to get to the studio early. After tossing his cup in a nearby bin, he got up and finished his walk to work.

“Ah, you must be Jimin!” a middle-aged woman with waist-length, bone-straight black hair greeted him at the door.

“Yes, Ma’am,” he smiled, offering to shake her hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Jamison.”

“And you, as well. Just follow me this way to the storage room so you can change and grab a robe. The students should start filing in any minute now. I have a few early birds,” she chuckled, leading him out of the studio space. “Let me know if you need anything, and feel free to come out when you’re ready!”

He nodded with a smile as she closed the door behind herself. Then, he began to undress, calmly pulling off each item of clothing and folding it before placing everything on a stool. He grabbed one of the robes from a nearby hook and slid it on, making sure to tie it tightly. As he exited the storage room, he heard the woman’s voice again.

“Just a few reminders before I introduce you to today’s model. First, all electronic devices must be put away. No photography is allowed. You are to respect the model at all times, which means you must keep your hands and comments to yourself. We’re all adults here; I’m sure I don’t have to teach you how to behave.”

He figured that was his cue to come in, so he stepped into the bright light of the studio and shyly smiled at the students, all of whom seemed to be around his age.

“This is Jimin, and you all will have the honor of painting him today.”

“I think I’ll have the honor of being painted by all these talented artists. From the work I’ve seen, you guys’ll make me look ten times better,” he laughed, feeling relief as the class responded positively.

“Well, then, up you go,” Miss Jamison beamed, gesturing toward the platform in the center of the room.

Jimin confidently hopped onto the platform and untied the robe, letting it fall from his shoulders before stretching himself into a graceful pose. The sound of the fabric hitting the ground was drowned out by the creaking of the studio’s door.

A light, airy voice chimed, “Sorry I’m-,” before quickly becoming silent. Knowing that only one person had been missing, the rest of the class continued working. Jimin, on the other hand, completely froze, as his eyes met those of the tardy student and trailed up to the bright turquoise, tightly coiled hair that could be seen from a mile away.

“Late…,” she finished, hastening to her chair and easel.

“Lost track of time at the park again, I assume?” Miss Jamison inquired, walking behind her and plucking a leaf from her curls before presenting it to her.

The girl giggled and took it from the older woman. “Yeah, sorry, Miss J.”

“Well, get started before the boy cramps up. We’ll be taking our first break in about twenty minutes.”

Jimin watched her get settled, suddenly feeling even more vulnerable. He noticed her eyes skim across his body, her cheeks blushing at the sight of his lower region. He could almost hear her internal monologue as she reminded herself that she’s an adult and an artist, so nudity shouldn’t be a big deal. Seeing her so flustered caused him to smirk, which he failed to conceal.

“Alright, class! That’s it for today. Jimin, thank you again for joining us.”

“Thank you for having me!” he chirped in response, tugging the robe back on as he stretched his limbs. “Is it okay if I take a look at everyone’s work?” The class gave an affirmative response, each student eager to show him their paintings and secretly hoping that he would favor theirs. His fingers tugged at the tie around his waist as he made his way around the room, admiring all the different interpretations of his appearance. He did have a favorite, of course. The one that looked the most like him happened to be hers, though he knew that was because she’d had the advantage of observing him every morning for the last two weeks. “How much do you want for it?”

“What?” she inquired in disbelief.

“How much?” he grinned, watching her brown orbs widen.

“No, I heard you, I just—it’s not even that good!”

“Nonsense. If I set it as my Tinder profile picture, I’ll be married by next week,” he laughed.

“I couldn’t charge you anyth-”

“Would $200 cover it? I’d offer more, but I’m low on cash. Actually, wait here.” He began to walk backwards towards the storage room and pointed at her. “Don’t move,” he challenged playfully, one eyebrow raised with a finger pointed in her direction.

The girl looked over at Miss Jamison who smiled with a shrug. “It is a really good painting.”

When he returned, fully clothed, everyone else had left. “I’m Jimin, by the way,” he said, holding out the money.

“Hazel, and I can’t take your money.”

“Sure, you can. You just open up your hand and-”

“You know that’s not what I meant,” she rolled her eyes, amusement clear in her tone and expression. “$200 is a lot.”

“This painting is worth $400, easy, and if I could, I’d give you every last cent.”

She swiped a curl from in front of her face before answering. “Well, thank you, but-”

“I know, I know. You obviously can’t be swayed…,” he raised his hands in defense. “So how about I give you $100 and take you out to lunch tomorrow?”

“You’re kidding, right?”

“What, I take it I’m not your type? Or is it that I haven’t left much to the imagination?” he teased.

She laughed and shook her head, figuring he’d be persistent. “Why?”

“So I can see the other drawings of me in your sketchbook,” he replied, head tilted.

“How’d you--…You’ve been watching me in the park,” she spoke her realization, crossing her arms in amusement.

“Which means we’re even. Meet me under your oak tree tomorrow at noon,” he smiled, carefully picking up the painting and leaving the money in its place before leaving.

“So, you spent $100 of our rent money…on a painting?” Jungkook asked, running a hand through his hair.

“It’s not just any painting, and I’ll make the money back by the end of the week,” Jimin replied, setting the painting down against the kitchen counter.

Jungkook stood up from the couch and walked over to take a look at it, immediately releasing an obnoxious laugh. “You spent $100 of our rent money for an ego boost; there’s no way your dick is that big.”

The older boy punched his roommate in the shoulder, initiating a bicker and banter session that lasted until they tired each other out.

The next day, Jimin sat alone beneath the oak tree on a navy-blue blanket at ten after twelve. Checking his phone for the third time in the last five minutes, he reminded himself that “she’s probably just running late”.

“Sorry I’m late,” Hazel breathed, plopping herself in front of him on the blanket.

“Judging by what I saw yesterday, late is your on-time,” he chuckled in response.

“And smug must be your friendly. Maybe I should’ve made you wait a little longer,” she playfully chided, opening her large bag.

“Well, then you would’ve missed out on this incredible lunch I packed for us,” his grin glowed with pride as he pulled a basket from behind himself and sat it between them.

After fishing around a bit, she found her sketchbook. “Ah, let me guess…tarte flambée? Perhaps a crudité platter,” she spoke in an exaggerated French accent.

“I don’t think I could afford to even google those things….but I hope you still like what I got,” he replied, opening the basket and laying out the food he had prepared. She looked at the spread and couldn’t help but giggle. An assortment of mini sandwiches, pasta salad, fresh fruit, and sparkling lemonade.

“It’s perfect,” she smiled softly. Before she could reach for anything, he placed his hand over the food, palm upward.

“Not so fast. Sketchbook.”

“A deal’s a deal,” she shrugged, handing it over before picking up a sandwich and taking a bite. She watched him carefully, taking note of the time he spent lingering on each page and each of his reactions and expressions. He was about halfway through the book by the time she had eaten her third mini sandwich. “You gonna eat?” she asked almost sarcastically.

“Huh? Oh, yeah, I just….You’re really talented, you know that right?”

The sincerity in his voice made the tips of her ears turn red, and she inwardly thanked her hair for covering them. “Thanks, but I just draw what I see.”

“I don’t even see this when I look in the mirror,” he muttered more so to himself, as his fingers grazed his image on a page.

“Well, that picture is from two or three weeks ago. You’ve changed a lot since then,” she thought aloud, gently lifting his chin without thinking much of it. He watched as her eyes explored his facial features, feeling a bit lightheaded. “The sun’s been out quite a bit recently, and I’m sure you tan pretty easily. And if I’m not mistaken, you have a bit of stubble coming in,” she giggled.

He lightly brushed her hand aside. “You’re very observant.”

“And you’re blushing.”

“It’s allergy season,” he offered a fake cough in defense, causing her to laugh.

“You’ve been out almost every night for the last three weeks. You must really like this girl.”

“She’s amazing, Kook,” Jimin gushed, falling onto the couch beside his roommate. “She’s---she’s beautiful, and funny, and so incredibly talented, and smart, and sweet, and I could listen to her talk for hours--- about anything! Everything she has to say about culture, or art, or politics---it’s all just so interesting and insightful and oh my god, what is happening to me?” he spoke hurriedly, giddy laughter punctuating his rambling.

“You’re in deep,” the younger male simpered, offering a half-finished beer.

“Shit…I think you might be right,” he deadpanned, taking the drink and chugging it.

Jimin followed the directions on his phone as he clumsily paced through the unfamiliar neighborhood. He came to an abrupt stop as a shabby apartment complex that you’d miss if you blinked. “Second floor…Room 221,” he mumbled, entering and heading for the elevator. After wandering around for a few minutes, he found the correct room and used his foot to tap the door since his hands were full.

Hazel quickly opened it, giggling a bit as Jimin greeted her as best he could with a paper bag from a local bakery between his teeth. “You know you didn’t have to, right?” she politely inquired, grabbing the bag as well as one of the coffee cups in his hand and inviting him in.

“I know, but I wanted to. The bakery near my place makes those things you liked so much when you studied abroad. Canelés, right?” He wasn’t sure if he was reading her expression correctly, but she seemed surprised.

“You remembered.” She opened the bag and looked inside, already catching the scent of vanilla. “Thank you, Jimin. This was really sweet.”

His free hand flew to the back of his neck, nails scratching nervously. “Don’t mention it.” He finally ripped his eyes from her to take a look around the apartment for the first time. “Nice place,” he smiled, taking in all of the colorful décor.

“Thanks. I have to show you the studio, though!” she replied, taking his hand and leading him to the biggest room. The wide windows allowed the sun to illuminate the entire room. Paintings lined the walls and occupied every corner and paint splattered shelving housed more art supplies than he could count.

“It’s amazing.”

“I know right! The overall apartment is shit, but my studio has such a great view and the natural light around golden hour? Ugh, it’s like a dream,” she sighed before taking a sip of her iced coffee.

“I can imagine…”

“Well, if you say yes to my proposition, you won’t have to,” she hesitantly added, fingers tapping the cup.

“Proposition?”

“I’m supposed to be working on a piece for a gallery showing next month, but I wasn’t inspired to paint anything until recently.”

“What inspired you?”

“Well…you,” she blushed. “Don’t get a big head about it, but I wanted to ask you to model for me, personally. I can pay you, and it’ll be more than what you got last time. $40 per session, with a total of four sessions.”

“That’s-”

“I know it’s not much, but it’s all I can afford right now. You know, starving artist and all that. But, if I sell it, I can promise you a sizeable cut.”

“Hazel, you don’t have to do that.”

“I know. But I want to,” she parroted with a playful shrug.

“This is usually just for when friends and family visit,” Hazel explained, pulling out an air mattress. “But for the next four sessions, it’ll be part of our setup. Now if you wouldn’t mind disrobing.”

Jimin nodded and began to undress. “Are you going to paint me like one of your French girls?”

She chuckled and answered, “Something like that,” as she unfolded a white sheet. “Do you consent to me occasionally touching you to adjust things like hair or the sheet?”

As much as he wanted to make a suggestive joke, he knew that this was important to establish and that she took it seriously as a professional. “Yes, you have my consent.”

“Thank you. Now, lay down here and position yourself comfortably. I want the finished painting to be…intimate. Not vulgar or sexual at all. But intimate, and gentle, and warm.”

He nodded again to affirm that he understood and laid down on the mattress, resting his head on his arm and stretching out his legs.

“Okay, now face me just slightly,” she directed, draping the sheet over him organically. “And I just need a soft facial expression. Like one of innocent adoration. Of love, y’know?” She placed her knuckle under his chin to tilt his face upward a bit and their eyes met. With a soft smile, she gently brushed a lock of hair behind his ear. “Yeah, kinda like that,” she remarked, eyes breaking from his to momentarily examine him.

“You know somethin’, Hazel?” Jimin asked, voice low and gaze lingering on her. She hummed in response and the corner of his mouth turned up slightly. “I’ve been naked in front of dozens of people…and I’ve never felt nearly as vulnerable as I do right now.”

“I’m sorry--” she began, unsure of what she might’ve done to make him feel uncomfortable.

“Don’t be,” he smiled softly, eyes lidded.

By the time she had finished her sketch and first layer of paint, the sun had filled the room with golden light, bouncing from surface to surface. He nearly purred in delight, closing his eyes as he felt the warmth embrace him, and she stopped momentarily to observe. He was stunning; every beige turned gold and every brown turned bronze. Sculpted and sunlit, pouty lips pressed into a crescent of contentment and lashes casting mile long shadows over flushed cheeks.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” he interrupted her train of thought.

“Very,” she offered, setting her paintbrush down. “We’re about due for a break. Wanna take a look outside the window?”

He nodded eagerly and sat up, wrapping the sheet around his waist before sitting on the windowsill and patting the spot beside him. She granted his silent request and sat there, looking through the glass. “It’s like it goes on forever,” he said of the cityscape. “Like this town isn’t nearly as small as it seems.”

“And it seems pretty small, especially when you’ve been here your whole life.”

He bit back a grin and replied, “Yeah, well, at least you got to travel abroad, even if only for a few months. It must suck seeing and experiencing so many amazing things and then coming back home.”

Her gaze shifted to him as he took in the view and she couldn’t help but smile. “I don’t know,” she pondered for a moment. “I think that I’ve learned how to find the magic in the mundane. With a keen enough eye and adventurous spirit, you’ll find that anywhere can be as amazing as Paris. Dans une grande âme tout est grand. Blaise Pascal.”

“English, please?” he probed with a light chuckle, turning to face her.

“In a great mind everything is great.”

Jimin turned his back toward the window, leaning his head against it with a heavy sigh. “God..I could listen to you talk forever.”

She giggled and shook her head. “I sincerely doubt that. And why would you want to?”

He tilted his head slightly in her direction. “You know, as brilliant as you are, you’re incredibly dense.”

“Or maybe I just wanted you to be a little more straightforward,” she countered, one eyebrow slightly higher than the other.

He sat forward, mimicking her expression. “Then maybe you should’ve taken the initiative to lead by example.”

“Fine. Embrasse moi,” she nearly whispered, eyes peering into his. “Need me to translate?”

Feeling heat rush to his face, he leaned in closer, eyes darting to her lips. “No…I think I got the gist of it.”

Within mere seconds, their lips collided, though it felt like hours, if not days. Time was both ever-present and nonexistent whenever Jimin was with Hazel. Frozen, yet fleeting, keeping them suspended in a haze that he had grown quite fond of. Her hand traveled from his face down his torso, setting his skin ablaze. Though he felt frantic, wanting to release all he had been feeling over the last month or so, she was calm, her movements soothing the ache he felt for her. Pulling her onto his sheet-shrouded lap, he made quick work of unbuttoning her top and latching onto her neck to leave bright purple paint splatters across her brown canvas. Just as her bare shoulders adjusted to the temperature, they were pressed into the mattress. He loomed over her, legs tangled in the white cotton, and admired her blissful demeanor—lips full and parted, breath heavy, skin flushed, eyes low.

“Je te veux,” she murmured, tracing his lips with her thumb as she gently grasped his face.

He shut his eyes tightly, a groan caught deep in his throat. “F-fuck, that sounded so good…,” he stuttered, fingers struggling to loosen her belt.

The two basked in an afterglow that put the sun’s rays to shame. He leaned over to kiss her once more before speaking. “I read somewhere that many of the greats slept with their muses: Picasso, Dalí, like everyone during the Renaissance, and don’t even get me started on the Greeks,” Jimin explained, absentmindedly running a hand up and down her arm.

“Oh yeah, well everyone was fuckin’ everybody back then. The Greeks were old school freaky,” she laughed. “But don’t get too used to this. I still need to finish this painting, so we can’t get carried away every session. As a matter of fact, I should probably start on layer two.”

Before Hazel could reach for her clothes, Jimin grabbed her hand and kissed her knuckles. “One request?”

“Anything…within reason,” she warned teasingly.

He let out a light laugh and bit the corner of his bottom lip. “Paint in the nude.”

#jimin #park jimin #jimin fluff #jimin fanfic #jimin smut #bts fic #bts smut #bts jimin #black kpop fans #fluff #smut #jimin imagine #jimin oneshot #kpop fanfiction

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wheresanne · 6 years ago

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Common Teaching in Korea Questions

Exactly a year ago, an old friend told me about the opportunity to go live overseas, travel often, and make money at the same time. 🌍 I asked, “How long will you be gone? What do you do if you don’t like it there? What will you do with your car?”

After a hundred more questions, tons of research, financial planning, organizing the right qualifications, and knowing myself enough to know if I was truly ready for this experience, here I am.

Here are some of the most common teaching English in South Korea questions that I had and most people may have.

If you have any questions about EPIK program or life in Korea, feel free to comment or message me.

1. What would be your list of pros and cons?

Cons would be the language barrier and culture work environment is different compared to the US. Preparing to return back home sounds difficult so make sure you continue working on your future career so you don't have a gap on your resume.

2. Tips for the application process?

For the application process, use the Internet and search for possible lesson plans and read others’ experiences of teaching and living abroad. I wasn’t originally a teacher, but I often reflect and remember some of my influential teachers, then apply that to my style of teaching.

3. Tips for the interview process?

For the interview process, since it will most likely be a video chat interview through Skype, remember that the video chat might be a few seconds of the audio delay, so try not to cut off the interviewer’s talking. You should dress nicely and smile a lot since you’ll be seen as a role model and working with children. Keep your answers to one or two full sentences. Talk confidently. Again, do some research online for example questions and answers.

4. Do I have to take the TEFL if I’m going to major in early childhood education with a concentration in English as a second language? (Very important question)

To teach in Korea, you have to be a native English speaker. To teach early childhood education in Korea, you must have a TEFL certificate and you are supposed to have a real education degree.

5. How can you send money back home for cheap? Is the transfer costs very expensive?

Depending on your home country, for example, if your home country is the US, you could send money back home through an American Citi Bank account for a small transaction fee. Your home country bank might charge extra fees. My personal American bank, USAA, charged me $70 when it received $1,000 home.

6. What are each of your teaching schedules like? (I know they differ) Do you have free time?

I teach 22 hours or classes per week, I talk more about this in my "What is my job in Korea?" YouTube video. I have to be at work 8:30-4:30 M-F. Besides those 22 hours, I'm sitting at my desk preparing for future classes or whatever I want to do.

Since I teach about 550 students in my middle school, I only visit the 1st and 2nd graders every-other-week and then I teach the 3rd graders every week.

7. Where was/are you placed? Do you like it there?

Through EPIK Program, I was placed in an Innocity in Naju in Jeollanam province in the south. I love it. Great food and good location.

8. What are your classes like? Elementary, Middle, High? Big? Small?

I teach middle school in a new city. I have about 550 students in total and about 15 to 25 students in each class.

I also teach an after-school club class, where we video chat Australian students about Korean culture, landmarks, etc.

9. What is your EPIK apartment like? Is it as small as I’ve seen online? (Not that is matters much about size!) And is your bills pretty cheap?

Before coming to Korea, I was expecting to be placed in an older apartment, possibly with mold or cockroaches.

Through EPIK, I was thankfully placed in the new Innocity in Naju county in Jeollanam province. I love it here because there are tons of fitness centers, tons of cafes, restaurants, a library, Lake Park, and it's a new city with lots of transportation and modern buildings.

My EPIK apartment is a studio office-tel style, so it's in a massive building where I pay $50 a month for the building utilities and then about $20 for my utilities.

10. How long have you been living in Korea?

I've been living in Korea since June 2018 and I was in the August 2018 EPIK intake.

11. If you can speak Korean, will more employers want to hire you?

answer

12. Do any of you have a permanent residency visa? If so, what’s it like? Is it less stressful?

I don’t. I’m on the yearly F2 visa.

After watching Megan Bowen and World of Dave on YouTube, who have been in South Korea for nearly 10 years now, it seems that sometimes people or Koreans still think they're a foreigner.

13. How many vacation days do you get? Are they flexible or not very flexible?

Vacation days are only allowed around the winter and summer camp schedules, Your contract will say you have 25 paid-leave days total (contracts are slightly different depending on the province you're in) in the contract year.

14. What advice would you give to anyone moving to Korea for the first time?

For anyone moving to Korea for the first time, do lots of research online, come with an open mind, don't forget you're representing your country, and remember why you're coming here. You're not coming here to party, coming here to teach and grow.

15. What are your co-teachers like? Are they helpful?

I have 7 co-teachers since I teach at a bigger sized school. They are so kind and helpful. I’m a fairly independent person and haven’t had many issues, so I don’t often “bug” them, but I know they would help me if needed. At work, they don't ask to see my lesson plans or games. After classes, we often talk for a moment as a way to quickly review how the lesson or class reacted to the lesson. We work together when a speaking test is coming up.

16. Do you make enough to live comfortably? And to save?

I live very comfortably. I barely go shopping for clothing or home decorations, since I’m a very minimal person. I just have the essentials. Also, I don't have to stress about repairing my apartment or my car maintenance.

17. Do you make your own lesson plans or do you have to teach by a book?

My middle school has a textbook where I teach the Listen and Speak sections with my own extra "real life" examples and then we play a review game.

18. Do you teach at more than 1 school? If so how many? And is it really stressful?

I only teach at one school.

19. Can you remember all your students' names? What are some fun ways to memorize all their names?

Since I have many students, my first semester was about memorizing their faces, behaviors, and levels of English in class. By the second semester, I asked for a student-list and tried to take attendance before each class. Since I see most of the students every-other-week, it has taken me almost two semesters to learn their names.

If I ever see them outside of the school in my neighborhood, I ask them “How are you, what’s your name again?” as a good way to practice their English too.

Some students have English names, perhaps from their English hagwon academies. If they don’t have an English name, at the beginning of the semester, I offer them a list of popular English names from their 2006-8 birth years.

I remember their names by remembering somethings similar in English. 유빈 Yoo-bin sounds like "You Bin"

20. Is your commute to work long?

I bought a bicycle from an online Facebook flea market group and then I every day I ride my bike for about 10-15 minutes. I could walk for 30 minutes, or I could take a bus but that'll cost me about 2,000 won every day.

21. What is the most rewarding part of teaching in Korea?

I really like the comfortable life here.

22. What are some culture do’s and don’ts that are important to know?

Culture do's would be to remember it's not your country. Make friends with almost everyone, but remember your boundaries.

23. How do you deal with homesickness and stress?

For homesickness or stress, I often go for a walk or bike ride in nature, which reminds me of my hometown or eat pizza or a hamburger. And catch up with family and old friends via Facebook.

24. How have you changed since living in Korea?

Living completely alone can be difficult and different for some people. I have so much free time here. I think my sense of fashion style has changed too.

25. Do you have a Korean phone plan? How much is it a month?

I pay $70 a month for my 100GB phone data plan for my iPhone bc I often travel around Korea so data is important to me.

You can get the Korean phone plan after you get your ARC number, almost a month after living here. You can easily get a SIM card from the convenience stores or from the airport.

26. Last but not least, what are some encouraging words you would give to those who want to teach in Korea!?

Only teach if you actually like kids and are a patient person. If you don't get accepted through EPIK, or JLP, or TaLK, don't forget to apply through hagwons!

#Common EPIK Questions #EPIK Teaching #Teaching ESL #Questions #JLP Program #English Program in Korea #Blog Post #Blog

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ashleysouniqueblog · 6 years ago

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A Guide on “How To” Habana

If you came across this blog post, you may already have found out that planning a trip to Cuba from America is not the easiest task. There is not much information online and the information that is online conflicts. This may be since some of the information is 4-5 years old and things there are in the development stages. I too had a hard time finding information and this is what made me determined to pass on real experiences and suggestions.

My trip to Havana, Cuba was a full 3 days, from Thursday to Sunday. I planned this trip for myself along with 12 others. So here are some key takeaways:

1. Flights: In order to a book a flight to Cuba from America you have to fall into one of the 12 OFAC Categories. All airlines require you to choose one before being allowed to book the flight. Make sure that you choose correctly as you will be asked again when it’s time to check in and when you land in Cuba. Also, Visas must be purchased at check in or at the gate they can range anywhere from $20 to $100 depending on the airline and departure city.

· Visiting family

· Humanitarian projects or to provide support to the Cuban people

· Official business of the U.S. government, foreign governments and certain intergovernmental organizations

· Journalistic activities

· Professional research

· Educational activities by persons at academic institutions

· People to people travel

· Religious activities

· Public performance, clinics, workshops, athletic or other competitions and exhibitions

· Authorization to provide travel services, carrier services and remittance forwarding services

· Activities of private foundations, research or educational institutes

· Exportation of certain Internet-based services

2. Housing: Booking an Airbnb instead of staying in a hotel falls under OFAC “Support for The Cuban People” also if you do choose to stay in a hotel make sure it is not on the U.S. Department of State Restricted List. Quality Airbnb’s tend to get booked quick so make sure you are giving yourself time to life the life you want to while in Cuba. Make sure you communicate with the house host as some houses have strict rules. For example, you may not be able to bring outside food or drinks into the home, no guests can come to the house, no parties, no loud music, men may not be able tot sleep in the same room, etc.

Due to my group of people being over 10 people the options we had for Airbnb’s were off the back limited as we later found out that the city does not accommodate large groups very well. Furthermore, I found an Airbnb called “Blue Mansion Hostel My Way”. This home had none of the house rules as above and the host was more than accommodating while communicating with me before I booked. La Casa Blue Mansion Airbnb pictures does not do this house any justice. This house was beautiful and huge we had more than enough space!! Online it says that there were double beds in most rooms then 6 single beds split between 2 bedrooms. When we got there the single beds were Queen sized and the double beds were King sized. Everyone in my group had their own bed, and even some had their own room. Every bedroom had separate bathrooms and ample towels etc. There was 24/7 security, house cooks and waitstaff were on standby for whatever you may need, or request. This is a very clean family house and it has a very cultured feel. My group spent a lot of time in the many patio areas around the pool or in the bar club area that also had a pool table. We were very pleased.

3. Currency: Visa, Mastercard, American Express or any other debit/credit card is not accepted in Cuba so bring enough cash with you for your entire trip. US dollars is hit with an extra conversion penalty and lose value dramatically is you convert directly from USD to CUC. Therefore, we converted USD to EUR prior to our flights, then converted from EUR to CUC once we landed in Cuba.

Cuba has 2 currencies: CUC and CUP. You should always get CUC as it is more widely accepted, and CUC has the higher value. For instance, CUC is 1 to 1 to USD/EUR/CAD (roughly), while CUP is 1 to 25 USD/EUR/CAD. CUC is what we seen prices in tourist areas listed, while businesses that displayed CUP were in neighborhoods. Of course, food was cheaper in neighborhoods.

How much to bring? We were there for 3 days converted between $500-1,000 USD and once the trip was over we pretty much converted most of it back. It’s safe to bring more than what you’ll expect to spend just in case. Also, if you save your receipt from exchange centers in the airport, within 30 days they allow you to convert back without a fee at the same rate you purchased.

4. Airport Experience: When you first land in Cuba, you will be outside and will walk into the building. The customs agents and TSA are 90% women. Their uniforms are quite interesting as the military style miniskirts and black fishnet stockings fit very sexy. I was pleasantly surprised. Waiting on baggage claim was okay until my bag was literally the last one out on the belt and the moment I grabbed it, agents wanted me to step to a table on the side for an extra check. The bag that I checked was actually school supplies that I was planning to give to the kids at a school near our Airbnb. They were speaking Spanish and I only caught on to key words like “violation”. I was started to wonder why? There was nothing I brought that was against the law, just folders, composition notebooks, crayons, markers, and chalk. As they checked the pages on the notebooks they had all my friends who were waiting close the door come back to scan all of our bags through a metal detector. Shortly after, they let us go. Weird.

5. Airport Transportation: We booked airport transportation through our house because several of us took different flights and landed at different times. The house had someone waiting with a sign at every single one of our flights. Airport Taxis literally wait in the airport line all day to get someone who is going into the city, not from one terminal to the other. So, keep that in mind for your departure date because it will be hard to find a ride from one terminal to another.

6. Taxis: Taxis in the city are cheap. You’ll be fine but ask how much before you ride off with them so that you aren’t shocked by the rate. We allowed our house to organize taxis to and from the city and club. We were dropped off at different meeting points and gave him a time to pick us up. He was always on time.

7. WiFi: Most American cell phone plans do not work in Cuba. So as soon as you touch down you most likely will not be able to contact anyone. Hotels and Wifi parks sell WiFi cards $2 for an hour of online activity. Two guys in my group found a park and waited in a long line to get one. The rest of us did not see any of the WiFi parks. Some people were able to make calls from there cell at $2.49 a minute, but they could not receive a call. We were there for 3 days so soon after we stopped worrying about being able to get on social media and focused on enjoying the time and people that were right in front of us. If you are anything like me, be prepared, plan ahead. Download Maps.Me and download the Havana, Cuba offline map. Also, take screen shots of restaurants, addresses, important information, flight information, etc. as it is very likely you will not have connectivity.

8. Giving back to the Cubano kids: I planned a school drive as a form of giving back to the Cuban kids. We all brought supplies we thought may be scarce or just needed to be replaced to give to them. With the help of our Airbnb host we were able to get the Principal of a local school (I will not name the school) to allow us into the school to give the kids supplies. They were happy children with big bright smiles in their uniforms. This warmed my heart.

9. Restaurants: Most dishes we found in Cuba of course were seafood. But you were able to find chicken, salads, and pizza as well. I won’t detail all of them but 2 in particular. There is the O’Reilly 304 Gin Bar and Restaurant. We were all completely amazed by the bartender and all of his concoctions of drinks. We also met the manager Julio we completely accommodated us and had a million stories to tell of U.S. celebrities who has stopped by his spot. One thing I must say is that we were wondering what was taking so long with our food and soon after Julio and another guy comes in with fresh veggies and a string line of fish just caught out the ocean! Not to mention the food was seasoned very well! Make sure you try the salsa for the plantains, you will not be disappointed. Another day we went to Del Mar beach but met at Rachon Don Pepe, a beach hut restaurant. There drinks were $2.50 each! If you find yourself in the area stop by and get the lobster tail and boiled shrimp with hot sauce! There is also a pinacoloda spot next door that will completely give you beach vibes.

10. Beaches: The most popular beach that everyone says to go to is Veradero. This beach is 3 hours out of the city. Planning this trip, I did not want to have to commute 6 hours for anything, so I did some research on other beaches and found Del Mar. ‘Playa Estes Del Mar” was absolutely perfect!!! We all fell in love from the moment we walked up a sand hill and got to the top and saw the crystal-clear water and warm smooth sand. If I could I would go back just to have another day on that beach.

11. Cuban People: I’m not sure if I just didn’t know what to expect Cubans to look like but they look like us! The country is full of beautiful black and brown people! I absolutely loved the looks. Everyone we encountered either did not say anything to us or was very nice and talkative. I believe they are just as curious of us as we are with them. A lot of Cubans are artists, I was not expecting so much beautiful art! If you have the chance stop by the market and bring extra cash to buy some timeless pieces of art and paintings.

12. Night Life: Our first night in town we went to a place by the name of “Mio y Tuyo”, drinks and food was cheap, and they had a good DJ with the videos to the songs playing in the background. We found out later that is place is someone’s home. They made the first floor of their home into a club. Cool right? Our second night, we went to “Fabrica de Arte Cubano”. This place is about 7 clubs in one big building with patios. Each club played a different type of music but all of them made you want to stop and dance. All throughout the building was a display of art from local artists, which I absolutely loved. The bartenders make all the drinks hand crafted and none of the mixers come from machine. Everything was from fresh ingredients. The 3rd night we were going to go to “Fantasy” but we ended up throwing a party for ourselves in our Airbnb club (the house seriously has its own club).

13. Tours: Book the Vinales Cigar rolling and Horseback riding tour, it’s an all-day tour but is worth it, so plan to have 1 full day of your trip there. If you are short on time as we were, there is a Cigar Factory and Rum tour in the city that is roughly 3 hours, and they are only open on weekdays. If you book an Airbnb, allow the house host to book the tours for you as they have direct contacts to these businesses. But I do recommend not to pre-book the old American car tours. Online prices were average $45 per person, while walking up to them and negotiating they quoted 60 CUC per car (split between 3-4 people in each car) for a city tour and to drop us off at a Restaurant in Del Mar (30-40min out the city).

14. Time is not of the essence in Cuba as it is in America. They are not in a rush to do anything. If you set a time for your taxi to pick you up and you are not ready they will wait on you. You cannot pay to skip the line at the club (trust me we tried to offer $$$), you must wait in line. There is no quick bite to eat as all the food is made to order and the drinks are handcrafted with detail. So, find some patience.

I hope my tips help you and yours enjoy your trip! Follow my group and our tags on IG: @AshleySoUnique @Wolf_of_Peachtree @DrCarlaMoore @Corrien3 @__Jayalessia @_miamor @_meaganh @Supreme.bliss @modernmillennia @teddy_atl @blkgrl_ashley @lala_kki @quinashai_chelette

#SomewhereInCuba #Travel #Habana #Havana #Cuba #Havanacuba #Habanacuba #blacktravel #travelisthenewclub #travelnoire #westaytraveling #weworktotravel #blacktravelfeed #blacktravelgram #jetsettingchicks #travelblacktakeover #travelandleisure

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fifth--business-blog · 6 years ago

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8 Budget Plan Friendly Trip Ideas for 2018

Updated: 11/8/2018 | November 8th, 2018

While many of us dream of traveling the world (or at least taking a few months off from work in pursuit of adventure), it’s not always feasible, even for those with the best of intentions. A lot of things can get in the way.

I frequently talk about long-term travel and round-the-world trips, but I know that realistically, not everyone can or wants to enjoy this style of travel. I don’t think traveling the world is hard, but I also know that what I do isn’t for everyone.

Some people just want to go on a cheap vacation for a few weeks. Not everyone has the time or luxury to take an extended trip.

So what do you do when you only have a short amount of time and a short amount of money?

What are some budget vacation ideas that aren’t about traveling the world?

Even if I won’t find you backpacking Cambodia for three months or walking the Camino de Santiago, there are many ways to get on the road and see the world without breaking the bank! Here are eight cheap travel ideas if you are cash-strapped and/or time-poor:

Cheap Vacation Idea 1: Be a Local Tourist

How often do you visit the tourist sites in your own city? Hardly ever, right? I know New Yorkers who have never seen the Statue of Liberty and Bostonians who have never walked the Freedom Trail. I once took a Dutch friend on a tour of Amsterdam because, despite growing up there, she had never seen the local attractions that lure millions of visitors to the city every year.

We’re all guilty of this. It took me five years to see the Jim Thompson House in Bangkok (even after living there), and I’ve still never been to Bunker Hill in Boston despite spending the first 24 years of my life there.

We always put it off until tomorrow, because when we live in a city, we think there is always a tomorrow.

We get so caught up in our daily lives we forget that we can have a cheap vacation in our own city. We don’t have to go anywhere!

If you’re short on time and money, there’s no better way to spend some free time than to wander your own city. No matter what its size, it has a number of wonders that you’ve never seen or even known about because you just don’t like! We’re busy leading our lives and following our routines. It’s normal but let’s look at your home with new eyes.

Be a traveler in your own town!

Important tips: When you become a local tourist, check out of your house and into a hotel, hostel, or guesthouse. It’s important to get out of your familiar environment because if you stay home, you’ll find something to do around the house and create excuses for why you can’t sightsee. Moving to a different location can help give you that feeling of adventure, excitement, and unfamiliarity.

Moreover, be sure to go to your local tourism office and get a city tourism pass. These cards allow you to see a wide range of local attractions for free or reduced prices and can be your way to see your local sites on a budget. They aren’t just for outsiders!

Cheap Vacation Idea 2: Travel Regionally

Travel brings to mind faraway and exotic destinations. It invokes images of all the places we’ve dreamed of and seen in movies. Because of that, few people look in their own backyard for adventure — as my Aussie friends always tell me before they jet off somewhere, “Mate, you’ve probably seen more of Oz than I have!” — but it offers just as many places to travel.

I could say the same thing as my Aussie friends. I grew up in Boston, and from there, I could visit New Hampshire, the woods of Maine, the bed-and-breakfasts of the Berkshires, or the farms of Vermont. New York was a four-hour car ride from home. How often did I do that? Not often enough!

Exploring your own region is an underrated and often overlooked aspect of travel. It gets the occasional lip service in magazines, but driving across the United States made me realize how much our own countries have to offer us and how often we overlook that for some foreign place.

There’s something special about being a stranger in your homeland and realizing you really don’t know much about it as you thought.

We think because we’re born in a place we understand it but every country has regional differences that make it unique and, unless we travel to see and experience them, we’ll never fully understand the place we call home.

Driving across my country (the U.S.) taught me a lot about it. It gave me a deep appreciation for it, the people, and the diversity within its borders. It broke down stereotypes and misconceptions I had about the different regions in the US. My time exploring my own backyard was just as important to my growth as any trip to a foreign country.

If you’re on a limited budget, can’t afford a flight or a trip to exotic lands, or just want to do something different, don’t forget that you can always travel your own country. It can be just as powerful as visiting another country.

Cheap Vacation Idea 3: Go to National Parks

The great outdoors present a great chance to go somewhere on the cheap. Camping, after all, costs very little money. Camping fees in national parks are as little as $15 USD per night in the United States, $15-40 CAD in Canada, $10-60 AUD in Australia, and $17-22 NZD in New Zealand. And in many places in Japan and Europe (especially Scandinavia), you can camp on public lands for free. Additionally, you go camping stocked with all your own supplies and accommodation (i.e., a tent), so you don’t have to worry about spending lots of extra money. Your food bill can be whatever you spend on groceries and nothing more.

You don’t need to love camping to spend time in the national parks, either. Personally, I hate camping. I’m not the camp-in-a-tent kind of guy; I need toilets, beds, and hot water. Luckily, many parks provide cabins. While hiking the Grand Canyon, I stayed at a national park lodge at the bottom. I had a room in a dormitory, but for a few nights, it was the cheap accommodation I needed.

There’s almost always a park nearby and spending a few days with nature is not only good for your wallet but also good for your soul.

Along these same lines, Camp in My Garden is a website that lets people camp in someone’s backyard (or garden). Got an RV that needs parking? Check out RV with Me, which finds cheap parking and overnight solutions for RV owners!

Cheap Vacation Idea 4: Book a Last-Minute Cruise (or Book Far in Advance)

Cruises are normally very expensive, affairs with a seven-day Caribbean cruise costing over $600–700 USD per person for a small interior room. And, if you’re traveling alone, you often have to pay the price of two people since not many cruise lines offer single traveler rooms!

But, if you’re the last passenger running onto that ship, you can find some sweet deals.

Cruise lines always offer incredible last-minute deals. No ship’s captain – or cruise company – wants to leave with half the cabins empty. If you wait until a few weeks before departure, you can find some really amazing deals as cruise lines scramble to find passengers. Plus, cruise operators always throw in some on-board amenities, free upgrades, and cash vouchers to sweeten the deal.

The website CruiseSheet often has cruises as low as $30 per day! (It’s the best cruise booking website in the world!)

Conversely, if you book over a year in advance, cruise lines also offer amazing low fares for early birds.

Cruises are the one form of travel for which I recommend visiting a travel agent if you’re part of a big group. They have wonderful working relationships with the operators and can score better packages than booking online.

After you book, keep an eye out on prices, because if they drop, you can often call your travel agent or the cruise company itself to get a partial refund or vouchers to use for dining and alcohol on the boat.

READ THIS —> Click here to read my guide to finding super discounted cruises (and how to save money once you are on board.)

Cheap Vacation Idea 5: Think Outside the Box

Forget Mexico and go to Guatemala. Skip Paris and head to Budapest. Forget Italy and see Greece (it’s really cheap!). Ditch Brazil and take on Bolivia instead. The list goes on and on. There are countless cheap alternatives and budget destinations around the world!

Travel counter to the prevailing trend.

Zig when everyone zags.

If people are going in the summer, you go in the spring or winter. Skip the popular destinations and head off the beaten path a bit.

Contrarian travel will save you a bundle of money. It’s like reverse commuting. While others heading into the city in the morning for work are stuck in traffic, you breeze the opposite way hassle free. The same is true for travel.

The more you are a contrarian in where – and when you go – the better off you’re wallet will be. Plus, you’ll enjoy destinations more because there will be fewer crowds. No one loves a crowd!

READ THIS –> Click here for 10 Destinations to Visit on a Budget to help give you ideas on where you to go!

Cheap Vacation Idea 6: Book a Last-Minute Tour

Just like cruises, tours are best booked last-minute. Tour companies need to fill the seats just like cruise companies, because once that trip departs, they still have the same costs. Last-minute tour bookings work the same way as cruise bookings.

Why are tours so cheap last-minute? Well, think about how people plan vacations. You get the time off work, you book your vacation, you buy your flight, and you go. Since people pre-book, prices are higher in advance because these companies understand booking patterns and then price accordingly. As departure time nears, companies know people aren’t likely to turn up and book on departure day, so they sweeten the price to increase bookings. So take the time off work, wait until the week before, see what’s cheap, and then go.

My favorite company, Intrepid Travel, often offers 15–30% discounts on last-minute tours.

Cheap Vacation Idea 7: Become a House Sitter

Accommodation can eat into the cost of a trip big-time. You might get a flight deal, but then accommodation — even if you can find it cheaply — might push the cost of your trip into unaffordable territory. A way around that is to stay somewhere for free. While I like Couchsurfing, it’s hard to do that for two weeks without annoying your host. A unique way to overcome this is to house-sit for someone while they are on vacation. You get free accommodation, a kitchen to cook in, and the chance to explore a destination in depth. It’s a pretty unique way to travel and one that I know a lot of world travelers take advantage of. You can even do this in your own region too, to cut down on transportation costs.

Cheap Vacation Idea 8: Grab a Cheap Flight

Nowadays, you don’t have to guess where the cheapest flight from your home would be. You can look up a whole list of flights (from cheapest to increasingly more expensive) using a site like Momondo or Google Flights. With those sites, you can type in “(the closest airport to you)” for your departure city and “everywhere” for your destination. Then a list of the cheapest flights appears in front of your very eyes, so you can choose where to go within your budget. This is how I decide where to go when I don’t have a specific place in mind. It’s a great tool!

Here are some other great airline booking sites where you can find deals:

Not everyone can jump overseas at the drop of a hat or spend six months backpacking around Europe or Asia. A fancy vacation to Mexico may be out of your reach. But while you might not have a lot of time or money, luckily there’s more than one way to see the world. These cheap vacation ideas may be exactly what you’re looking for!

Travel is simply the art of going somewhere new and different and exploring everything the place has to offer. It doesn’t matter if you have two days, two weeks, or two months. Use these cheap vacation ideas and go explore – on a budget!

Want more? Read these articles to get more specific destination ideas for where to have a budget vacation:

Book Your Trip: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner or Momondo. They are my two favorite search engines because they search websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is left unturned.

Book Your Accommodation To find the best budget accommodation, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and cheap hotels. I use them all the time. You can book your hostel – if you want that instead – with Hostelworld as they have the most comprehensive inventory.

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. I’ve been using World Nomads for ten years. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:

Looking for the best companies to save money with? Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel! I list all the ones I use to save money when I travel – and I think will help you too!

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hutchhitched · 7 years ago

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Too Familiar (Part 2)

For those of you who’ve asked, it’s finally here! Part 2 of my contribution for @loveinpanem‘s Candle for the Caribbean. Thank you to all who contributed to the fundraiser and expressed interest in this story. Trigger warning: mature themes (including infidelity) in this chapter. The first chapter of this story can be found here.

Monday morning came much too soon, and Katniss considered calling in sick before dragging herself out of bed and climbing into the shower. Peeta had tried to contact her a few times after their fight on Friday night, but she wasn’t having any of it and finally turned off her phone for the entirety of Saturday and Sunday. Unfortunately, she knew she’d have to see him that day at work. There wasn’t any way to avoid running into him.

She took care with her appearance. If she didn’t, she knew Johanna and Annie would notice she looked withdrawn and peaked. She wove her hair into an elaborate braid she usually saved for special occasions and selected a muted orange sweater that highlighted her gray eyes. She was halfway to work before she realized she’d subconsciously chosen to adorn herself in Peeta’s favorite color.

I said your name instead of hers.

I said your name.

Your name.

Peeta’s confession echoed in her ears as she bumped against others on the subway. She gritted her teeth and clenched her eyes shut and tried to pretend her heart wasn’t breaking.

At her stop, she fought through the crowd and up the stairs. She bypassed her usual morning coffee for fear she’d run into Peeta waiting for her inside the shop and took the stairs to her office instead of the elevator. She needed a few more minutes before she was willing to face him. Huffing slightly, she took a deep breath and opened the door. She deliberately kept her eyes forward as she passed the doorway to his bank of cubicles and heaved a sigh of relief when she managed to slip into her chair without anyone stopping her. She worked feverishly, hoping no one would bother her if she kept her eyes on her desk.

Annie nudged her at noon and asked quietly if she wanted to join the others for lunch, but Katniss shook her head. She had plans to eat in the small park behind the building and steer clear any of the local eating joints. It was one more way to avoid him. She wove her way downstairs and out the back entrance of the building. Selecting a park bench partly obscured by low branches, she sank onto it and sighed.

“This sucks,” she breathed.

“Worst Monday of my life.”

“Holy shit, Peeta!” Katniss screeched. “Where the hell did you come from?”

He gave her a sad half-smile and motioned to his left. “I was over there when you came out. I didn’t want to scare you or drive you away, so I didn’t say anything. You seemed like you wanted to be alone.”

She snorted and studied her sandwich. “I don’t want to be alone.”

“Neither do I,” he whispered and motioned to the space beside her. “Can I sit down? Please?”

“Why?” she asked, her voice wavering. “So you can say my name again?”

“Kat, I’m so sorry.”

“You should be.”

“You could be a little more compassionate, you know. It’s not like your marriage is on the rocks. You’re not the one who might lose your kid before it’s even born. I didn’t ask for this.”

“And you think I did?” she snapped, completely incredulous at his audacity. “You think I asked for my best friend to yell my name when his pregnant wife sucked his dick? You think I want to be the other woman when I don’t even get the benefits of it?”

“Benefits of it? What—?” Peeta narrowed his eyes. “Wait. You want the benefits?”

She froze, her heart pounding hard in her chest. “I’m not going to dignify that with an answer.”

“Katniss…”

“Nope! Don’t go there.”

“Katniss—”

“We’re not happening,” she snapped and stood abruptly. “Don’t get some fantasy that you and I can be together if Madge decides to leave you. I’m not your safety net. Work it out with your wife.”

“Katniss!” he shouted at her retreating back, but she was already back inside the building and headed up to her cubicle before he could follow.

“Where’s the stud?”

“Shut up, Johanna,” Katniss snapped and worked through the papers on her desk. She entered column after column of data until 4:45. At precisely fifteen minutes before she knew Peeta would leave his desk, she shut down her computer, grabbed her purse, and slipped down the stairs to the street below. She was halfway home before her phone lit up with a series of messages. Apparently, he’d noticed she left early.

She scrolled through her phone, but nothing he’d written made her feel any better about the gulf that had opened between them. How could it have only been three days since the world spiraled out of control?

The days passed slowly without him. She got better at avoiding him, and Johanna and Annie refrained from making any comments about his absence, although Annie did apologize for what had happened over drinks. Peeta continued to talk to her occasionally, but they kept it light, impersonal, and extremely professional. His eyes lost their natural luster, and she dropped a few pounds from her already lean frame bringing her lunch instead of joining him at their local haunts. She tortured herself thinking about Madge’s lips wrapped around her husband’s cock and Peeta gripping her hair and thrusting into her mouth as she blew him. She woke from nightmares about dying alone as Peeta and Madge built a family with wide smiles and perfect vacations and a big house. She’d almost decided to get a cat, a big, fluffy orange one she’d name Buttercup, to keep her company when things finally broke.

The day started out poorly with a downpour and a soggy commute, but that didn’t compare to shock of being called into a meeting with her boss. Haymitch gazed at her mutely across the desk until a light knock sounded at the door, and he called for the person to enter. Katniss jumped when Peeta sank down in the chair next to her and glanced at her with a wry smile before turning his attention to their boss.

“Everdeen, Mellark, I’ve got a project I need some help with, and I think you two are the team to make it happen,” Haymitch barked gruffly. “It’s going to mean some overtime for you both, which I think you can appreciate with a bundle of joy on the way for you, boy, and…well, whatever it is you do with your time.”

Katniss blinked at him, too humiliated to respond. She hadn’t realized her empty social life was so apparent at work.

“You two are my stars,” he continued, “and you seem to get along well. I’m sure you can do it.”

“Mr. Abernathy, I’m not sure this is the best plan,” Peeta ventured. “I’ve got a lot going on at home, and Katniss is—”

“—happy to have the work,” she insisted and glared at her co-worker. “What do you need from us?”

She ignored Peeta’s look of surprise and concentrated on what the job entailed. Minutes later, she and Peeta were outside Abernathy’s office, and he was grinning at her with that familiar lopsided grin she’d missed so much.

“Happy to have the work, huh?” Peeta teased. “I’m happy to have an excuse to work with you.”

“That’s not what this is about,” she insisted and headed back to her desk.

“Are you sure? No way to avoid me now, sweetheart. Sounds like we’ll have several hours of close contact now.”

“Don’t call me sweetheart, Peeta. I need the money, and I’m not going to allow this…thing between us to cost me an opportunity for overtime. Maybe I can finally go on that vacation to Puerto Rico I always said I’d take once I turned thirty. Not getting any younger, am I?”

“Hey,” he said softly and stopped her with his hand on her arm. “I’m sorry for teasing. I’m really glad you said yes. We do work well together, and I’m tired of us trying to avoid each other. Can we start over? Be friends again? Maybe if I stopped acting so wounded we could have a real shot at it. I miss you, Kat.”

Heat radiated from his palm, and goosebumps rose on her skin underneath his loose grasp. It was unfair how easily he could tempt her. “I miss you too, Mellark.”

“I knew you couldn’t resist me.” His eyes twinkled as he grinned at her, and she gulped as her stomach clenched.

“I’m going to regret this.”

Peeta narrowed his eyes and cocked his head. A shy smile with a hint of sweetness tickled the side of his mouth. His voice felt like melted chocolate and velvet when he asked, “You’re going to regret what?”

“Come over,” she sighed. “This project is going to take forever, and I’m too tired to stay here or go out. I’m not going near Madge, so my place is the only choice.”

“That sounds…cozy.”

“Don’t get any ideas,” she snapped. “This is for work.”

“Of course it is,” he agreed softly. “I’ll meet you at your place at 6:30. I need to stop by home first.”

“Yes, your daily blowjob awaits.”

“Katniss—”

“No worries. I’ll get my date with my vibrator done before you get there.”

She almost felt sorry for him as she walked back to her desk. She ignored Johanna and Annie’s questioning looks and spent the day working her caseload. At five, she grabbed her bag and headed for the elevator. Peeta’s shocked expression from earlier played before her as she caught the subway home and jostled against her fellow commuters. As she entered her apartment, she tossed her jacket on the couch and headed to the bedroom to change. Slipping out of her work clothes, she chose a comfortable cotton button down and a pair of well-worn jeans.

“Shouldn’t be too tempting for him,” she muttered and crossed to her bedside table to plug in her cell phone. She plopped onto the bed and her eyes instinctively glanced at the drawer in her nightstand. She’d been joking when she said it, more intent on irritating him than being truthful, but frustration nipped at her. She had time. It had been a couple of weeks since she’d even thought about it, too ashamed of the situation with her best friend to admit she usually imagined him when she masturbated.

“Fuck it,” she grunted and unzipped her pants, grabbed her vibrator, and lay back on her bed.

The familiar buzz soothed her as she slid the plastic between her legs. Her eyes fluttered closed as she glanced over her clit. Finding a rhythm, she pushed and circled and rubbed until her heartrate increased and her arousal eased the friction. In no time, small jolts of pleasure radiated out through her limbs.

“Yessssssss…. Right there,” she gasped to the empty room, but she couldn’t block out the image of sparkling blue eyes and ashy blonde curls hovering over her. “Peeta…”

Katniss shoved aside the twinge of guilt lurking beneath her enjoyment and turned up the speed. Her hips began to thrust of their own accord, and she pressed harder against her clit before teasing her entrance. She turned her head to the side and bit her lip.

“Oh, fuck,” she groaned. “Yeah. Harder. Go harder, Peeta.”

She kicked at the mattress, irritated by her jeans restricting her at the knees. With her free hand, she traced her stomach under her shirt. She reached into the nightstand drawer and fumbled until she found the small bottle of lube. Clenching her legs together to hold her vibrator in place, she squirted a small dab into her hand before slathering it in her slit and on the silicon.

“Touch me,” she hissed into the air and closed her eyes. She imagined his hands caressing her, kneading her skin, and massaging her muscles. “Inside…please.”

She spread her legs wider and circled her clit with her middle finger as she slid her vibrator into her pussy. She gasped and squirmed as it filled her, pulsating and insistent. Sparks of desire joined to fuel a burning sensation she hadn’t felt in weeks. As her mood lifted and her breaths grew shorter, she worked herself faster and faster until she tightened like a spring.

“Peeta, baby. I need to come. Make me come.”

She flicked the dial to the highest speed, and it was only a few more moments before her orgasm flashed through her. She squealed and jerked as her muscles clenched and released in a series of spasms. Peeta’s blue eyes and full lips hovered in her mind as she came and then came again.

“Shit, yes! Ohmigod. So hot, Peeta.”

She continued to mumble as heat flooded her. She was on fire, burning with the light of a thousand suns, as she chased her climax. Her legs shook, and she moaned thankfully as her hands finally fell to her sides.

It was a while, probably a full minute before she realized the vibrator continued to pulse between her legs, and she reached down to turn it off. With a satisfied groan, she pulled it free and wiped it clean before stashing it back in her drawer. Sighing, she reveled in her release before eventually rolling from the bed, redressing, and straightening her braid.

Her euphoria passed much too soon, and shame rushed in to replace what had felt so good only a few minutes before.

“Fuck,” she cursed as she stumbled to the bathroom and washed her hands. “I just jacked off to fantasies of my best friend. My married best friend. Who’s about to be a father.” She shook her head and glared at herself, but she couldn’t help the sparkle in her eye or the limpness in her arms. It felt amazing, and she couldn’t quite be disgusted with herself when this was all she had.

She was still glowing when the doorbell rang a half hour later. Hyper aware of her slightly mussed hair and flushed face, she opened the door to find Peeta standing there. His eyes held a hint of hope mixed with caution, and he seemed relieved when she waved him inside and to the kitchen table where she’d set up a workspace.

“I haven’t been here for a while,” he murmured. “I like the changes.”

She glanced at the couch and bit her lip to hid the smile lurking there. She’d added a couple of throw pillows for a pop of color and a few pictures she’d taken of sunsets when she was home visiting her sister a few months prior. They were an homage to him, she realized now, but she shoved that from her mind. They needed to work, and she didn’t need to think about why she’d decorated her apartment with her best friend in mind.

“How was your blowjob?” she asked bluntly and sat at the table.

He flushed and settled into the chair next to her. She didn’t miss that he adjusted himself discreetly before answering, “Katniss, I’m sorry, but maybe that’s not the most appropriate topic considering the mess we’re in.”

“Probably not,” she retorted, “but I’d like to know your head’s in the game instead of still back at your house in your wife’s mouth.”

He coughed and stared miserably at the pile of papers in front of him. “It was fine,” he admitted quietly. “Good, I mean. Got the job done.”

“Excellent. Just excellent. My vibrator did the same. Multiple orgasms before you got here. Let’s work, shall we?”

“Katniss—”

“Can you hand me the file for Glimmer Johnson? Worst hooker name ever, by the way,” she joked forcefully, determined not to allow their conversation to stray from the task at hand. She’d gotten in her digs, tortured him enough. Now it was time to work. Maybe if they did that, they could slip back into their familiar place.

Too familiar, she told herself, but then shook it off. This was the new normal of their relationship, and she was just going to have to get used to it.

Two hours later, they were both bleary-eyed as they sorted through case after case. They argued and bantered about each one in an attempt to find solutions for the problems each represented. Which kids needed foster homes? Why did one mother deserve to keep her children while another didn’t? Where were the fathers, and why were only some of them interested in keeping up with their progeny?

“I swear I’m going to be a better dad than this,” Peeta muttered as he scanned images of a young girl named Clove with bruises on her arms and neck. “Child abuse is sick. Who beats a kid?”

“You’re going to be a great father, and you know it,” she mumbled as she shook her head. “Dedicated. Loving. Present.”

“Present… That’s the goal, right?”

She glanced up at him and frowned at his sad smile. He raised his eyes to hers, and she couldn’t look away. The agony she saw there broke her heart, and she couldn’t deny the hint of yearning and a tiny bit of lust that lingered in the depths. The war inside him between doing what was right and giving into his feelings for her was as obvious as the electricity sparking between them. For a spilt second, she imagined sweeping the papers onto the floor and using the surface for much more lurid purposes.

He cleared his throat, and she blinked as the connection between them snapped. Flustered, she closed a file folder and pushed back from the table.

“I should go.”

She opened the refrigerator and stared into it. “You probably should. The wife’s waiting, and we got a lot done.”

“It was really good to see you, Katniss. Outside the office, I mean. I’ve missed you so much the past few weeks.”

She turned to find him standing close to her. His hands hung loosely at his sides, and hers itched to touch him. Silently, they reached for each other, and her cheek settled onto his chest as his arms wound around her back. She tugged him closer at the waist, and they stood encircled together for several moments before he pulled free.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Katniss.”

She nodded, too overcome with emotion to react, and watched him cross to the door and slip through it. He glanced at her as he closed the door, and she fought hard to remain rooted instead of chasing after him and begging him to pick her over Madge.

When she was sure he’d left, she crossed to the door and clicked the lock into place. Dazed, she walked to her bedroom and sank onto the bed. Blood sang in her veins, and she allowed herself to fantasize about what could have happened if he didn’t have someone to go home to; if he’d only waited until he met her to fall in love.

Frustrated, she yanked open the nightstand drawer and kicked her jeans onto the floor. Deliberately, she pulled her vibrator out, and then reached further back to where she kept a few other toys. She needed this tonight—if only to get his face from her mind. She fell asleep to dreams of tangled limbs and hot mouths with roaming hands and probing fingers.

The pattern continued over the next few weeks. Katniss spent her time at work focused and professionally distant, but on Tuesday and Thursday nights, Peeta came to her house to work on the files Haymitch gave them every week. The weirdness between them eased somewhat, and it seemed they fell back into their familiar patterns almost too easily.

“I’m so hungry, Kat,” Peeta whined. “Can I grab something to eat?”

“Sure. Whatever you want,” she grumbled as she wrote notes in Clove’s file.

“Want something?”

“Uh, yeah. Fruit,” she answered, distracted by the images of abuse before her on the table.

A banana plunked down in front of her, and she worked hard to keep a grin from spreading across her face. Deliberately, she put down her pen, picked up the banana, and peeled it slowly. Without a word, she lifted it to her mouth and sucked the tip between her lips. Ignoring his discomfort and sudden silence, she licked the underside of the fruit with the tip of her tongue before biting off a huge chunk and moaning at the taste.

“Katniss,” Peeta hissed, and she turned to look at him. He was speechless, stunned silent, as he watched her. She licked her lips deliberately, and he swallowed hard before moving his hand over his lap. She glanced down and fought to control a triumphal smile at what swelled there. He hadn’t lost his attraction for her any more than she had for him. Somehow, that made her happy.

“Is Madge still into blowjobs?” she purred and took another bite of her snack.

He shook his head, his eyes glazed as he watched her. “No,” he choked out in a tortured squeak. “Third trimester. Onto something new.”

“Oh, yeah,” she answered and turned to face him squarely. She fiddled with her neckline and allowed it to dip lower to reveal what little cleavage she had. “What’s she into now?”

“Nothing,” he gulped, and she grinned when his eyes darted to her chest. “At least nothing daily. I’m in a drought.”

“Oh, that’s too bad, Peeta,” she offered sympathetically. “Are you taking care of things yourself?” He nodded, and she trailed her fingers down her torso. “I am too, you know. Every night. Sometimes when I get home from work. I did before you got here today. It feels so good.”

He whimpered, but he didn’t say anything. He couldn’t tear his eyes from her, and she felt an inordinate amount of power as she teased him. It was so easy. Why should she feel guilty when he was the one with the pregnant wife at home? She’d sacrificed enough, she reasoned. She’d played by the rules her entire life, and look where it had gotten her. Sexually frustrated and in love with a man who wanted her the same way she wanted him. Yet, she was supposed to resist. She was supposed to say no to everything she desired just because he was too impatient to wait for what was right instead of what was good enough.

“I think about you sometimes when I do it,” she admitted, her voice low and husky. “I think about your hands on me and the way you’d feel inside me.”

“Shit yes,” he hissed, and she stood up and moved to stand a few inches from him.

“I think about the way your mouth would cover me and how you’d whisper in my ear as you came inside me.”

He gaped for a few seconds and then squirmed as she hovered over him. “You know I love you, Kat.”

She stopped then, confused at his confession. Her heart soared and broke at the same time. Why did this have to be so hard? Why couldn’t he be available for something real and good instead of guilt and shame?

“You what?”

“I love you. I have for a long, long time. I’m… I don’t know how to stop, Katniss, but I love you, and I’m married to someone else. I’m going to be a father in a few weeks, and all I can think about is how to balance getting the nursery ready with how to keep from screaming your name when I jack off in the shower.” He bowed his head, and she rested her palms on his shoulders. “I want to be a good dad. My baby deserves that. But Katniss—”

“But what?” she pled. “Tell me.”

“I want you. So much.”

“Peeta, I…” She didn’t know what to say, and he didn’t volunteer anything else. It took everything inside her to step away from him and blurt, “You need to leave.”

He nodded and crossed to the door in only a few strides. She panicked when his hand grasped the doorknob, and she called his name. She threw herself at him, wrapping him in a tight hug, and he pulled her tightly against him. Their faces were centimeters apart, their lips almost touching. For several seconds they stood frozen, and then he dropped his arms and staggered back against the wall.

“You see, Katniss? I want to kiss you so much, but I can’t. I can’t do it. I can’t do this.”

She reached for him and nuzzled into his neck, breathing in his scent. His cologne had always been her weakness. She wasn’t sure what it was, but she always smelled cinnamon and herbs when she was near him.

“You’re a good man, Peeta Mellark,” she whispered and kissed his neck. Then she released him and walked to her couch. By the time she was settled and reached for her remote, he was gone.

She called into work the next day. She needed time to process what had happened between them, and she’d brought several files home. She spent the weekend alternating between berating herself and trying to justify her feelings toward her best friend. She raged against her life situation and grappled with the implications of having an affair.

By Sunday evening, she was no closer to deciding than she had been on Thursday night. And then a knock sounded at her door. Tossing her braid over her shoulder, she crossed to the door and slid it open an inch.

“Peeta! What are you doing here?” she exclaimed and threw the door open to usher him inside. He’d barely passed through the threshold when he caught her and pressed his mouth to hers.

“Hmmpf,” she grunted as his lips devoured hers. They were velvety soft. And plump. And firm. And fucking delicious. His tongue swept into her mouth and tangled with hers. They both sighed and groaned and grunted as they kissed, desperate to both quell the tension between them and stoke it higher at the same time.

“Katniss,” he moaned as his lips broke from hers and trailed down her check to her neck. He sucked at her pulse point, and she pressed her thighs together. His hands pulled her tighter against him by her ass, and she could feel him, rigid and throbbing, against her hip.

“Close the door,” she gasped and stumbled backward to fall on the couch. He was on her in seconds, wrapping her legs around his waist and pressing into her center until she swore she’d come just from the pressure.

“Tell me what you want,” he begged. “Let me make you happy. You deserve to be happy.”

Unable to speak, she grabbed his hand and brought it to the waistline of her yoga pants. He fumbled for a few seconds, but then his hand dipped inside. She wasn’t wearing underwear, and he groaned when his long fingers slipped into the moisture between her legs. She jerked at the contact but had no power to resist.

“Yeah. Oh yeah. Oh god!”

“You like that?” he grunted as he circled her clit with his thumb. “Are you horny, Kat?”

“Uh huh,” she mewled and pulsed her hips to gain friction.

“Do you want my fingers inside you?”

“Yeah…”

“Are you sure?” he teased as he licked her earlobe.

“Yes, I’m sure,” she moaned. “Oh fuck, Peeta.”

Too turned on to speak, she closed her eyes as his fingers plundered her. He dipped his middle finger inside her, swirled it against her walls, and then pulled it out. He pressed her nub with his thumb until she bucked against him, and then he slid his finger back inside. She gyrated under him, impatient and desperate for a release, but he wouldn’t give it to her. Instead, he tortured her with his hand as his mouth attacked her neck greedily.

She widened her legs, and he added another finger inside, causing her to dig her fingers into his back. He grunted dirty words against her chest as he finger-fucked her. Frantic, she shoved her hands into the front of his jeans and brushed against his cock. He groaned at the contact. Emboldened, she worked her fingers until she could grasp him. The feel of his turgid dick against her skin felt too good, and she bit his shoulder as she bucked against him.

“Fuck, Katniss. Fuck…” Peeta grunted her name repeatedly and curled his fingers inside her. She screamed and gripped him tighter. “I’m gonna come. I’m gonna come, baby.”

“Peeta! Yes! Don’t stop!”

“Kat! Christ!” he yelped, and his body shook with the force of his orgasm. Warmth flooded her fingers, and she kept pumping him, lubing him with his own cum. He finally worked her left breast free and bit her nipple. The flash of pain triggered her own orgasm, and she thrashed under him as he drove her to the edge. She begged him to stop, but she didn’t want him to. She felt like an animal in heat, rubbing against his hand and arm until she was sure she’d come a second time.

She was almost there when he kissed her and stopped moving. Falling next to her, he grunted, “Cramp. Shit.”

The elastic of her waistband slapped against her stomach as he freed his hand and flexed it. She could see moisture on his fingers, and she whined softly when she realized it was hers. His cum was all over her hand, and she held it aloft, unsure what to do with it. He watched her with hooded eyes that darkened further when she licked her index finger.

“That is so fucking hot,” he whispered, wide-eyed as she wiped her hand clean on her shirt. “Dirty girl.”

“Let me lick your hand too,” she demanded, and he lifted his fingers to her mouth. She sucked on his middle finger, and the tangy taste of her mixed with the bite of his flavor mixed in her mouth.

“Fuck me,” he groaned and kissed her again. “Are you still turned on?”

She nodded, and he groaned a second time. He slid down to the floor and kneeled in front of her. Pulling her to the edge of the couch, he yanked her leggings down around her ankles and spread her open. Before she could comprehend what he was doing, he dropped his head and left her speechless.

His mouth was magic. That’s all she could fathom as he feasted on her. She begged him to stop at the same time she tugged him closer, but he was undeterred. His tongue and lips and teeth and…oh god, everything…

Katniss threw her head back and concentrated on what he was doing to her. The sounds, the smell, the feel…all of it together created an entirely erotic experience that made her want to forsake everything if it could be her life. She ground against him until she knew she couldn’t take any more. Bowing tightly, she crested. And then again. And then once more. Exhausted and limp, she panted as he licked her clean. When he was done, he kissed her deeply, and she relished the moisture he transferred to her.

“We shouldn’t have done that,” she said weakly.

Peeta kissed her inner thighs with soft brushes of his lips, and then answered, “Probably not, but I’m pretty sure it’s going to happen again.”

“Really?” Incredulous, she stared at him, her cheeks flaming and her heart pounding with hope and dread.

“Unless you say no.”

“I’m not going to say no.”

He smiled at her, and she couldn’t help but grin back. She loved his man, and he loved her. She hadn’t come without the help of her vibrator in over a year until Peeta had put his hands and mouth on her. She wanted this release. She craved it and needed it.

“I’ve got to clean up,” he announced and pulled away from her reluctantly. She motioned to the bathroom and hurried to pull her pants on properly before he returned. When he did, he sat next to her on the couch and reached for her hand. Threading his fingers through hers, he held onto her for several minutes before she ventured her thoughts.

“You don’t have to feel guilty.”

He chuckled, but she could tell it wasn’t funny to him. “You’re right,” he mumbled. “I just ate out a woman who isn’t my wife, but at least I didn’t stick my dick inside her, right?”

“Technically, yes,” she reasoned. “I mean, what we did isn’t the best option, but we didn’t actually have sex. I mean, not the kind that results in any kind of…uh…problem.”

“Getting two women pregnant at the same time would be kind of horrible. But we didn’t do that.”

“Right.”

“So, we could, I don’t know…”

“Keep it to oral,” she suggested. “I know you like that.”

“I do miss the second trimester blowjobs,” he joked. “She never liked them before, and I expect they’ll never happen again.”

“They could be our thing now,” she offered and swallowed down the bubble of guilt roiling in her gut. “I’ve been told I’m pretty good at them.”

“The baby—he’s due in eight weeks.”

“It’s a he? You’re having a son?” Despite the situation, she couldn’t help being excited for him. She knew Peeta had always wanted a son.

He nodded and glanced at her before dropping his head in his hands.

“Fuck, what am I doing? I’m going to be a father, and all I want is your legs wrapped around my neck as I fuck you with my tongue.” His mask of anguish made her want to cry, but his words made her want him in her bed.

“You have eight weeks,” she said quietly. “Eight weeks. Maybe you just need to get me out of your system.”

He snorted and pulled her against him. “I won’t ever get over you,” he murmured as he kissed her temple, “but there’s no way I can walk away from you.”

“So, Tuesday night?”

“Tuesday night,” he agreed. “I’ll see you then. I need to get home before Madge…”

She leaned over to kiss him and stared into his eyes. “Good night, Peeta. Thanks for coming.”

“Thanks for making me come,” he teased and kissed the tip of her nose. “See you in the office tomorrow. I’ll bring coffee.”

“You know how I like it.”

“I do now,” he threw over his shoulder as he left. When the door closed behind him, she sighed contentedly and wriggled down into the couch. Closing her eyes, she allowed herself to relive Peeta’s visit, every caress, kiss, and lick. The sounds he made against her skin when he came, the feel of his tongue inside her, the taste of her on his lips… Deciding against taking a shower so she could smell him on her as she slept, she went to bed and pushed aside the guilt she felt when she imagined him lying next to his very pregnant wife.

Peeta’s appearance at her desk with coffee the next morning resulted in raised eyebrows from both Annie and Johanna, but Katniss didn’t acknowledge their questioning looks. Peeta’s visit the previous night broke through all the tension that had emerged between them since she’d realized he was interested in her. Peeta sent her several suggestive messages throughout the day, and they returned to Sae’s Deli for lunch before passing the afternoon with stolen glances and dirty texts.

The next day, Johanna followed her to the bathroom and cornered her before she could leave.

“So, you’re going to go for it, huh?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Katniss insisted. “Excuse me, I need to go to the restroom.”

“Oh, come on, Brainless. Anybody with two eyes can see the tension between you two. You’ve been avoiding each other for weeks, and now you’re thick as thieves again?” Johanna tugged at her short, spiky hair. “You’re going to do him, aren’t you?”

“Johanna, the only thing I’m going to do right now is piss.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“Sucks for you then. Get the hell away from me.” With that, Katniss pushed past her co-worker and locked herself in the stall.

Only a few more hours, and then Peeta will be at my place.

After what had happened Sunday night, she couldn’t wait to see what else his mouth could do.

#too familiar #loveinpanem #candle for the caribbean #everlark #everlark fanfiction

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goosegrewup · 6 years ago

Text

Graduation Day: A Walk to Remember.

I was two hours late to my law school graduation.

I missed the entire graduation rehearsal. I had to fill in the phonetic spelling on my name card during the processional. I never even got a chance to take my class photo.

I was late to my graduation from law school because I spent four hours locked in my bathroom, crying in the palms of my hand.

IT WAS ALL GOOD A NIGHT AGO.

The night before graduation, I was on top of the world. My friends had driven as long as twelve hours and four states to be at my ceremony. My daughter spent the evening making signs to hold up for me in the crowd. My boyfriend had gone out of his way to make the weekend all about me. I had seven of my best friends, four kids, and two dogs all crammed into my 2-bedroom apartment. My kitchen counters were lined with red party cups and to-go food containers. My younger sister stayed out until the wee hours of the morning, grocery-shopping for my graduation breakfast. We had all the necessary ingredients for the weekend of my dreams.

I never actually ate my graduation breakfast because depression doesn’t allow you to acknowledge your appetite, nor your achievements. My boyfriend left that morning to get dressed for the ceremony. I clearly remember kissing him goodbye and poking my head out of my room to tell everyone that I was hopping in the shower and I’d be ready in 10.

10 minutes turned into 30, 30 into an hour, before they realized that I had never resurfaced from my “shower”. I could still hear the occasional banging on the door of my room and wiggling and jerking of the handle, over my wailing.

Unfortunately, it was too late. I had already planted myself on my bathroom floor and I was quickly unraveling. Here I was in the midst of friends I’d had for 20+ years, who had traveled from multiple states to support me, and I still felt completely alone. The towel I was wrapped in doubled as a Kleenex, the hair in my face damp with tears. It was one of the biggest days of my life. I had a full agenda, yet I was emptier than I had ever been before.

I was realizing that I had done this by myself. I had successfully dragged myself (and my daughter) through law school regardless of the obstacles. I had past-due tuition, for her and for myself. I had missed class when she was sick. I had battled through a divorce, three moves, two schools, and endless hours of commuting in Atlanta traffic. Yet, I had accomplished this huge feat on my own, and on the day that was meant for me to be recognized, it hit me harder than I ever imagined.

“Thinking something does not make it true. Wanting something does not make it real.”- Michelle Hodkin

TRUTH IS: I NEVER ASKED FOR THIS.

The reality of it was: I did it alone because I didn’t have a choice. I graduated law school early. I didn’t find out I would be walking in graduation until three months before the ceremony. A month later, I signed my first post-graduation employment contract for my dream job (which involved moving yet again). I immediately started circulating my graduation information to my friends and family. I will never forget the excitement I got from my friends’ responses, immediately making travel plans and reservations, as if they were graduating too.

I also remember the lack of responses from my family members. I had long sense realized that I would be celebrating this degree without them. I had a tumultuous relationship with both parents during my childhood. At the age of 28, I now know that my mother, a mother of four, always wanted to be a mother. She just did not want to be a mother to me. She loved my father beyond words. His departure (mixed with the fact that I am his spitting image) made it impossible for her to love me through the resentment. She never forgave him, herself, or me.

My father is the most celebrated man in the State of South Carolina. Renown educator, 150K salary a year, PhD holder, husband of 15+ years, astute Christian, and father of five happy, successful children (not including me). My father called me one month prior to graduation to wish me a happy birthday. It was the first time we had spoken in almost a year. He also wanted to let me know that he was so proud...of my younger brother who would be probating the next day.

He’s a Superintendent of a large school district and stands firmly on promoting and supplying higher education for every student. He made sure tuition was paid for every one of his children who matriculated through college. I have now completed my third degree on my own. Someone should tell my father that help would’ve been nice, especially considering that law school costs about 150K.

The nature of my relationships with my parents have caused extraordinary strain on other relationships adjacent to theirs. Neither of my parents chose to be a part of my matriculation. Therefore, neither of my parents were invited to share this graduation with me. Consequently, neither of my paternal and maternal grandmothers were able to attend. My grandmothers, the women who raised me and made me who I am, did not watch me walk.

I’ll likely carry that with me for the rest of my life.

“Scars have the strange power to remind us that our past is real”- Cormac McCarthy

THREE WAS ALSO A LONELY NUMBER.

Graduation isn’t for the graduates anyways. It’s for your family. It’s to allow your family to celebrate you, to be proud of you, and to brag about you. I didn’t know that I’d miss that until that morning on my bathroom floor.

I had sent out numerous texts (well in advance) inviting all the family members who I wanted to be there. I created the cutest invitations and itineraries to make sure everyone had all the information.

Only two people cared to respond. Those two people didn’t even show. The morning of the ceremony, only three family members had committed to showing up, including my own daughter. I had completed law school. I finished an entire year early. Yet, I was walking the stage in front of a crowd full of family…none of which belonged to me. This was a moment that not even the seven years of therapy could have prepared me for.

I was late to my law school graduation because it took me that long to gather myself and come to terms with the fact that no one was going to show up for me. There would be no photos of me with my mother standing on one side and my father on the other. No one was popping up with flowers and balloons. I boo-hoo cried for hours grasping the reality that I had completed this on my own, I was walking in graduation on my own, and I would continue to navigate through life on my own.

AT SOME POINT, I HAD TO GET UP.

Now that it’s over, the only thing that matters is who/what got me to graduation that morning. As I said, I had a house full of my closest friends who had traveled from all over to be there for me. Also, something told me I had to walk to show all the professors and naysayers who doubted me that I was capable. But more importantly, I thought about three people who needed to see me walk the stage that day.

Desmond Cox: As a teen, all of my weekends consisted of playing spades, drinking brown, and spending time with my boys. Dez taught me everything I never needed to know: how to “freak” the black-and-mild, how to play the big joker, and how not to get in the car until a man opened the door for me. To this day, he is the most respectable man I’ve ever known.

January 21, 2013, the police found Dez’s body in the parking lot of his apartment complex next to the dumpster. It changed my life. If he were still here, he would’ve turned 29 on the day after I graduated. He also would’ve yanked me off of my bathroom floor and made me walk in my graduation. I had to get up for him.

Malcolm X: It is not lost on me that I graduated on Malcolm X’s birthday. Although I can understand and appreciate the strides made by MLK, Jr. as the face of the Civil Rights Movement, I have continuously lived my life in honor of his “not-so-cordial” counterpart. El-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz was both conscious and courageous, constantly speaking about how higher education is a form of freedom. If I was going to have his face pinned onto my graduation stole, I had to walk to honor the people who came before me. I had to get up for them.

Most importantly…

Aryn Bryce: If ever I owed this graduation to anyone, it’s her. My daughter sat in classes with me, ate dinner during lectures, and watched court coverage until 9:30 on school nights. She had sacrificed just as much as I had for this degree and she needed to see me walk. I had to get up for her.

I am also forever grateful to my boyfriend for literally putting me into my graduation dress one leg at a time. I’ll remember that moment for years to come. At the end of the day, I had walked the stage in front of all of my friends and I was proud of myself for doing it. I still felt a shortness of breath when we entered through the crowd of families snapping photos like paparazzi. “Graduation depression” is real and it crippled me on one of the most important days of my life. But, I won.

In my proudest, loneliest moments, I learned to be grateful for the people who were there instead of dwelling on the people who weren’t.

I also learned that I was enough…all by myself. Congratulations graduate. You did well.

“There is no better than adversity. Every defeat, every heartbreak, every loss, contains its own seed, its own lesson on how to improve your performance the next time.”- Malcolm X

#graduation #graduation day #depression #law school #law student #juris doctor #mother #motherless daughters #fatherless daughters

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taraxacum18 · 3 years ago

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Remote Entrepreneurs: 6 Tips For A Distraction-Free Home Office

It appears that remote work is the future, and many have embraced all the benefits this type of arrangement has to offer long before the pandemic started.

Working from home undeniably has its perks, such as being able to sleep a little longer in the morning, having a flexible schedule, and the best part-no commute. You’re right at home the moment you clock off.

However, working remotely has been burdensome for many, especially without a proper home office that allows no distractions. To boost your productivity and avoid distractions, you need a dedicated space with some privacy.

Acquire the Right Equipment

The basics of every office are an office desk and a chair. While you don’t need lots of furniture for your home office, you must ensure these two components (desk and chair) are comfortable and durable.

Whether you freelance or work full-time, you’re likely to spend many hours sitting in a chair, and as you know, this has its impact on health. If it’s poorly designed and uncomfortable, your back will suffer. Not to mention working on the couch and other places not designed for work. Just because you make a living from home doesn’t mean you don’t need a proper office.

Investing in a quality office desk and an ergonomic chair should top your list of priorities. Wood is an excellent choice for an office desk as it is very durable and it adds a certain charm to your home office. It’s also organic and sustainable, so ideal for eco-friendly remote entrepreneurs who wish to surround themselves with natural materials.

Use it for Work Only

When you enter your work area, be it a separate room or a just corner, do actual work. Do not sit there watching movies or playing games-save that for your breaks or after work. It is important to associate your workspace solely with work. This will help you get in the work mode as soon as you sit down.

Similarly, when you finish working, leave the office. This helps you leave work behind until tomorrow, just like you would in a real office with coworkers. This tactic enables you to separate your work life from your domestic life, even if it is all happening within a small space.

For many, this is a crucial element in getting work done. If you have a door in your home office, shut the door when you start working and when you leave the office. If you don’t have a separate room, try to organize your work area in such a way so that you are looking away from your living room, kitchen, etc.

Set Rules for Yourself and Family Members

Many are under the impression that working from home lacks structure, that it’s overly flexible, and hence, you don’t really have an organized workday. This is far from the truth, as all remote workers know.

If you want to get work done, you need structure, and that means rules, rules, rules. Create a work schedule and make time for a break, too. Set rules for yourself; for example, take short breaks after every 2-3 hours of working and avoid taking breaks outside of this. Or, if you prefer, take a single 30-minute or 1-hour break to grab some coffee with your friend, prepare a meal, take a walk, etc.

Inform your family members not to distract you during certain hours unless it is something urgent that cannot wait. You will spend time with them after work.

Having a schedule and your own rules will help you organize your work better. It also reminds you of being in a real office with other coworkers where there are similar rules.

Add Some Life to Your Office

Your home office should be functional but not sterile and dull. That is why you should consider adding a few plants. House plants remove toxins from the air you breathe. Hence, they’re highly beneficial to have in any room, not just an office.

Another benefit of plants is that they help combat stress levels, and they also look stunning in every space. Greenery instantly elevates a space, and a few green plants in your office can give it a more refined look.

If you don’t have the time or patience to nurture these plants, you can always get some that are low-maintenance such as succulents.

Go for Walks

It is important to get the work done but don’t neglect your health, mental and physical. Taking walks is associated with a good mood, and it also helps maintain good health. Stretching your legs a bit after hours of sitting at the office will help you refresh and get some vitamin D.

Getting enough sunlight is crucial for your mood due to enhanced serotonin production, so make it a point to take at least a short walk every day. This can also do wonders for your productivity when you’re feeling stuck with your work. A simple walk to the nearest park can bring you a fresh perspective and motivate you to complete an otherwise dull task.

Keep it Tidy

A distraction-free office is not a cluttered space. It is a clean area with only the essential and a few personal touches. This is because messy areas make it harder to concentrate on work.

Therefore, keep your home office clutter-free and don’t stuff it with items that are not essential for work.

Having a distraction-free home office is all about figuring out what works for you and then implementing that if possible. That’s the beauty of remote work-you get to design a truly functional office to match your needs.

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automaticphantomalpaca · 3 years ago

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What Is an E-Bike? Here’s Everything You Need to Know

The first thing you should know about e-bikes is that they’re here to stay. Electric bike sales jumped by an incredible 145 percent from 2019 to 2020 alone, according to the market research firm NPD Group. It’s a nearly $244 billion industry as of last year, and there’s no sign of a slowdown.

Some view the rise of e-bikes as a threat, as though standard bikes will go the way of the penny-farthing once everyone goes electric. But fear not: E-bikes aren’t here to rob us of our human-powered way of life. In fact, they may very well enhance it—especially as travel and commuting habits change following the global pandemic and shift of work commuting. So as we roll our way into peak riding season, here’s everything you need to know about the electric revolution.

1. E-bikes make pedaling easier.

Generally speaking, e-bikes are electric bicycles with a battery-powered “assist” that comes via pedaling and, in some cases, a throttle. When you push the pedals on a pedal-assist e-bike, a small motor engages and gives you a boost, so you can zip up hills and cruise over tough terrain without gassing yourself. Called “pedelecs,” they feel just like conventional bikes—but better, says Ed Benjamin, senior managing director at the consulting firm eCycleElectric. “You control your speed with your feet, like with a regular bike,” he says. “You just feel really powerful and accelerate easily.”

In addition to the pedal-assist feature, some e-bikes come with a throttle that engages the motor with the press of a button. These belong to a separate class of e-bike that, obviously, doesn’t offer a pure cycling experience; they’re also illegal in some municipalities. Interestingly, Benjamin says, people who aren’t already “cyclists” tend to gravitate toward throttle bikes at first, but then turn around and choose a pedal-assist for their next purchase.

2. They go pretty fast… to a point.

The harder you pedal, the bigger the boost, the faster you’ll ride—to a point. E-bikes let you hum along at a brisk clip, but they aren’t motorcycles. You’ll never hammer down the road at 45 mph. The motor is governed to stop propelling you further when you hit 20 to 28 miles per hour, depending on the bike. So you’ll save time on your commute (I shave about three minutes off a five-mile trip) but still enjoy the scenery.

You can also control how big of an assist you get. Most e-bikes come with a power switch that lets you adjust the boost setting from “eco” (low) to “turbo” (high), for when you want a little more oomph to help you, say, up a steep hill.

3. You’ll ride a lot more, even if you already ride a lot.

Getting an e-bike can dramatically increase how often you ride, according to a survey of nearly 1,800 e-bike owners in North America. Beforehand, 55 percent of respondents said they rode daily or weekly. After buying an e-bike, that number soared to 91 percent. It makes sense: Even if you’re super fit, you still get tired (likely from training or racing) and remounting your bike can feel like a chore. If you have an e-bike, you can continue riding while giving your knackered legs a bit of a break. You can also go faster, which makes biking for longer trips more attractive, even when you’re pressed for time.

For those who aren’t frequent riders, e-bikes open up a whole new world, like fat tire electric bike. While you may not be conditioned to ride 5-10 miles at a time, you can cover those distances easily with an electric assist, which is a great way to build endurance and confidence. That same survey found that 94 percent of non-cyclists rode daily or weekly after getting an electric city bike.

4. There’s an e-bike for everything.

Name a type of riding, and there’s an e-bike for that. If you have zero interest in an electric road bike, you may find yourself head over heels for a high-capacity e-cargo bike that can haul 400 pounds of stuff while still cruising at a cool 15 mph. E-bikes are available in fat, cargo, commuter, recreational, hardtail, full-suspension electric mountain bike, and even performance road bike styles. For proof, here are a dozen e-bikes we love for every type of cyclist.

5. They can replace driving.

“People are buying electric bicycles as a way to reduce car trips,” Benjamin says. The data backs him up: 28 percent of survey respondents said they bought an e-bike specifically to replace driving a car. And many other reasons buyers listed for wanting an e-bike—including carrying cargo and kids, avoiding parking and traffic, and environmental concerns—also indicate a desire to get out from behind the wheel. Plus, you don’t need to change clothes or clean up when you arrive at your destination, because you don’t have to work up as much of a sweat.

Consider, too, that more than half of all driving trips are shorter than 10 miles, with some surveys reporting that the average single trip amounts to just 5.95 miles. That’s a no-brainer distance to cover by e-bike. In fact, the survey found that owners replaced 46 percent of their car commutes and 30 percent of their driving errands with electric road bike rides. All you need is a great commuter bag to carry your stuff, and you’re set.

6. Yes, you still get exercise.

E-bikes, including electric folding bike, do some of the work for you, but they still count as exercise, especially for people who have otherwise been sedentary. Colorado University researchers found that when 20 non-exercising men and women e-biked about 40 minutes three days a week, they improved their cardiovascular fitness and blood sugar in just one month. “Many people are not fit enough to ride long enough to get meaningful health and fitness benefits from biking,” Benjamin says. “Put them on an electric bike and they can go out and ride for an hour and get a significant amount of exercise.”

Even if you’re in excellent shape and very fit, you still can get exercise by e-biking. When I did a head-to-head comparison of commuting with my cross bike versus a recreational e-bike, I found that my relative effort was much lower, and I burned about half as many calories, on the e-bike. But I still burned something—up to 200 calories per hour, the equivalent of what you burn by walking. And I opted for quick e-bike rides to town where I would usually drive, which means I was considerably more active overall.

7. The batteries are getting better.

There’s no getting around it: E-bikes give you yet another device to charge. Right now, you can expect your battery to last anywhere from 35 to 100 miles before it needs a recharge. Where you fall in that range depends on the size of the battery and how much power the motor draws. Obviously, if you buzz around on “turbo” all day, you’ll run out of juice faster than if you run on lower, more economical settings. But we also expect batteries to improve in the future.

8. Trail access can be tricky.

E-bikes remain a subject of controversy in mountain biking circles, some think it more is electric scooter, or a citycoco, and inside the city, we can also see electric wheelchairs. You may not be able to take one on your favorite singletrack right now, as most non-motorized trails prohibit them. However, things have been tilting in a more permissive direction. IMBA, the sport’s largest public advocacy group, shifted its stance to support allowing access for some pedal-assist e-bikes (those that top out at 20 mph) on some trails. With every major manufacturer making e-mountain bikes, more access is likely only a matter of time. “In a few years, people will realize that electric mountain bikes have no more trail impact than a regular mountain bike,” Benjamin says.

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ericvick · 4 years ago

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Baby boomers reassess downsizing during pandemic

When Jonathan Sweig and his wife sold their family home of 25 years in Franklin and moved into a 1,400-square-foot condo in the Back Bay last July, it was part of a plan set in motion long before anyone had heard of COVID-19.

Theirs was a fairly common migration: For years, empty-nesters in the suburbs have sold their longtime family homes and downsized to a downtown condo, where they could spend less time mowing the lawn and more time walking to theaters, restaurants, and Red Sox games, said Chestnut Hill realtor Mary Gillach.

Then the pandemic all but silenced the joyful noise of city life and hit the brakes on that inflow of suburban boomers.

“That’s so not happening now,’’ Gillach said.

Not only was it difficult to downsize during a pandemic, Sweig said, but the lockdown felt like an inopportune time to move from a spacious five-bedroom Colonial, with a yard and pool, to a two-bedroom condo in a dormant downtown. “We had to adjust because the lifestyle that we imagined didn’t really pan out right away,’’ he said.

The Sweigs’ former home in Franklin. —Jonathan Sweig

Sweig, who works in Cambridge, also had been looking forward to a shorter commute after traveling two hours a day for work. He got his wish, of course, but not because of the move. “Ironically, now I’m 5 to 10 minutes away, and I’m not going to the office,’’ he said.

However, their first-floor unit still ticked a lot of boxes, Sweig said, with perks like an in-unit laundry setup and a patio for gardening and grilling. The couple have enjoyed strolling to favorite restaurants and walking their new puppy, a black Lab named Lilly, which has helped them make friends in the neighborhood. They’re now closer to Winthrop and its beaches, where Sweig grew up and likes to take the dog. And most important, one of their daughters lives downtown, too. “It was really hard to get her to come to our home in Franklin — now we see her once a week,’’ he said.

In fact, the top consideration for a lot of baby boomer buyers, Gillach said, has become proximity to adult kids and grandchildren. “They’re more and more interested in being near those they love, willing to give up that dream of what they were going to do in retirement to be near family,’’ Gillach said.

“Almost all the boomers I am working with seem to be moving to get closer to their adult children,’’ said Michelle Oates, a realtor with Coldwell Banker Realty in Andover. Some of her clients have even moved back from Florida to be near their kids. “COVID has afforded those who are still working with more of an opportunity to live where they want,’’ Oates added, “and I think it’s given all of us, boomers included, a new perspective on the importance of quality of life and spending time with our loved ones.’’

As Brian O’Connor and his wife planned to sell their family home in Reading, where they had raised three kids, they concluded that “Going south was out of the question.’’ The couple wanted to stay close to their children, all of whom have settled into good jobs in Boston, so they initially planned to buy something in or close to the city that would allow them to travel without worrying about maintenance. “I don’t want to be snowblowing anymore,’’ said O’Connor, 60.

Then, COVID hit, and the idea of urban living lost some of its luster. “We began to consider slightly more secluded locations away from the city that still had easy access to Boston,’’ O’Connor said. The couple purchased a new home at Millwood Preserve, a 55-plus community in Framingham across from 820-acre Callahan State Park. “With the large state park right next door for hiking and beautiful farms nearby, we felt like we were deep in the country,’’ O’Connor said, “[but] Boston is only 30 minutes away down the Pike.’’

Those preferences represent near-universal trends in 55-plus housing, said Jane Marie O’Connor, a 55-plus housing consultant — some of which started before the pandemic, but have been further reinforced by the realities of COVID.

Jane Marie O’Connor said buyers looking at 55-plus communities want to be more connected to nature, placing a premium on nearby walking trails, and have a new appreciation for outdoor relaxation and entertaining. “People are putting in fire pits, fireplaces, and outdoor kitchens in covered areas that bring the inside out,’’ she said.

Another highly valued amenity at 55-plus communities are dog parks. “Dogs are a big deal,’’ O’Connor said, and have been for a few years. “Where communities didn’t allow dogs before, now they’re putting in dog parks, they’re putting in pet grooming rooms.’’ With the MSPCA reporting a 20 percent increase in pet adoptions last year, that’s unlikely to change.

Naturally, the pandemic has led all buyers, including baby boomers, to conduct more of their home search online, at least in the early stages. That means buyers who show up to tour homes are farther along in their decision-making than in years past, she said — and represent the leading edge of what will likely be a wave of buyers who may have been waiting out the pandemic. “There’s a pent-up demand, and we’re seeing that across the country,’’ she said.

That’s perhaps good news for younger buyers, who face a stifling shortage of homes for sale. “Most of my clients are the young families who desperately want these boomer houses, which aren’t coming on the market,’’ Oates said.

Absent any urgent need, a baby boomer’s timeline for “right-sizing’’ typically takes more than a year from the decision to sell until move-in day, Jane Marie O’Connor said, so some of last year’s sales were likely based on decisions made long before the pandemic.

Indeed, Rodney Harrell, vice president of family, home, and community at AARP, said it’s too soon to draw conclusions from last year.

“Housing decisions are big decisions, and typically take a while; unlike many consumer decisions, we can’t simply ‘return’ a home to the store and buy a new one,’’ Harrell said. “We do know that the desire to stay in one’s home has remained high over the years, and I don’t expect that to drop substantially as a result of COVID.’’

Compass realtor Kevin Caulfield has seen baby boomers reacting to the pandemic in a few ways.

“Some people stayed the course. They had a plan in terms of what they were doing, sold their house, and continued on with that plan and bought something and moved into Boston,’’ Caulfield said. Others have put that goal on hold until they can safely reap the benefits of an urban lifestyle, he added, and some have stayed put, with a renewed appreciation for their no-longer-empty nest. “[They’ve] enjoyed having their college-aged kids or young adult children at home through the pandemic, and they’ve put the space back to use,’’ he said.

But Caulfield, who is lead broker for The Archer, a new 62-unit luxury conversion in Beacon Hill, said he’s seeing renewed activity and interest in the city as case counts fall and more people are vaccinated.

Meanwhile, more than three-quarters of Americans over 55 own their homes, which means many baby boomers have realized quite a bit of equity in the past eight years as prices have surged. Perhaps seeking escape from COVID contagion and claustrophobia, some have used that home equity to purchase a second property in a more serene setting, from the Berkshires to Cape Cod. “A lot of people downtown have bought other places. They have bought vacation homes that they’re living at permanently right now,’’ Gillach said, “so the Cape has gone off the charts.’’

Sales of single-family homes surged more than 20 percent in both Berkshire and Barnstable counties in 2020, with median prices shooting up nearly 16 percent in both counties year over year, according to the Warren Group, a real estate analytics firm. Sales on Nantucket were up 71.2 percent, and the median price of a single-family sold on the island rose by 34.2 percent, to more than $2 million.

Bruce Jones, a writer and retired educator, beat the latest rush into Cape Cod real estate by about 37 years. Jones, 75, and his wife, Maggie, love their home — and its location, on a half acre in Barnstable Village overlooking woods and a kettle pond. “The yard kicks my ass in a way it didn’t used to,’’ Jones admitted — enough that he started looking at smaller condos in the area, where maintenance would be included in the homeowners association fee.

After all, Jones said, with most of their adult children and grandkids now living in the Pacific Northwest, there isn’t much stopping them from downsizing. So he casually asked a realtor friend about a condo that interested him, in a converted estate off Route 6A — and crashed into a churning real estate market at high tide.

“It had sold after being on the market just a few days,’’ Jones said, so he and his wife are likely to stay put, he said. “With COVID-19, we’ve re-embraced our house, renovated a first-floor bathroom for aging in place. We’re happy and thankful for what we have.’’

In the Back Bay, Sweig is similarly content and, perhaps typical of his generation, optimistic as he waits for Boston to return to its former vibrancy.

“I was always coming into Boston as a young kid, so this is like coming home for me,’’ he said. “It definitely took time to get used to living in a smaller space, but we’re really happy here.’’

Jon Gorey blogs about homes at HouseandHammer.com. Send comments to [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @jongorey. Subscribe to our free real estate newsletter at pages.email.bostonglobe.com/AddressSignUp. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @globehomes.

#Baby #Boomers #downsizing #Pandemic #reassess

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