#but like this is the same session where they go ”to save france we must set up a revolutionary army reform the tribunal and kill the queen”

[anotherhumaninthisworld]

There is another measure to be taken. There exists in Paris a class of individuals who, despite the weakness of their sex, do a lot of harm to the Republic. They corrupt your young men; and instead of making them vigorous and worthy of the ancient Spartans, they only make them into Sibarites incapable of serving liberty: I am talking about these immodest women who make a shameful trafficking of their charms. It is a plague on society, and any good government should banish it from its midst. I ask that the Committee of Public Safety examine whether it would not be useful to stifle this germ of counter-revolution, by deporting these women of bad habits beyond the seas (applauds).

Jean-Bon-Saint-André at the Convention, September 5 1793

Banishing someone from their home country for being too much of a slut? Yeah that sounds about right…

[hangekitty]

Hange x f!Reader Oneshot

Summary: Squad leader Hange is a very busy scientist, so having Moblit and Y/N on their team is a great benefit to their work; so much so that Y/N finishes Hange’s work so that they get time off! Little do they know that the socially awkward Y/N has a passion for astrology, so one night she works up the courage to take Hange star gazing!

Genre: Fluff, Smut 18+

Warnings: spanking, cunnilingus, fingering, swearing, 69-ing, this oneshot is GOOFY af

Universe: canonverse

Word count: 3.9k

A/N: This oneshot is based on the song Space Girl by Frances Forever, I love this wlw song so much I just had to. In this one shot Hange’s pronouns are she/they but I mostly use they/them pronouns! Although in the song the singer refers to her space girl as a ‘cancer’ (astrological sign) I have left the reader’s sign ambiguous so you can insert yourself in! Also I don’t know how advanced the canonverse is with astrology, especially with astrological stories behind the constellations but we won’t focus on that its just a cute (probably inaccurate) oneshot. AFAB!Hange. I am so sorry it’s so long for a oneshot!! I just love them so much 🥺

When squad leader Hange Zoe is in the zone, they will work throughout the day and throughout night with no breaks and no signs of stopping; unless they quite literally pass out. If ever they got in that position of dropping at any moment, you and Moblit would be there to either complete the work or to catch Hange before they fall. You had always admired Hange’s determination and stamina, that alongside their eccentric personality, had you weak at the knees.

If you were honest with yourself, you had quite fallen head over heels for Hange the moment you saw them, their smile felt like a kick in the heart and a thousand butterflies in your stomach. It wasn’t until you helped Levi bathe Hange did you realise your feelings towards them, desperately looking away from their body with great embarrassment. Levi always rolled his eyes at your actions, but he’d usually have a faint smirk on his face as you try and wash them whilst attempting to keep your eyes closed. You and Levi were quite close, despite his quiet (and rather passive aggressive demeanour), a friendship with him was meaningful and he definitely cared more than he’d let on. He, alongside Moblit were the only ones that knew of your passions with astrology and space; he’d always say something like “it’s quite fitting, you’re head is either in the clouds or up Hange’s ass”. The funny little bastard.

Your captain would tease you regularly, especially when he noticed your longing stares; whether it be out on expeditions or back at HQ. He’d reach for your head and shake it, waking you up from your day dream. “Your obsessive pining will get you killed, scout” and “Keep it together space girl” were a regular thing Levi would say. You couldn’t help it, Hange was your moon and all the stars in the sky, all things you’d happily gaze at forever.

As mentioned, the bathing sessions were a great opportunity to get advice (and teased) from Levi. One bathing session he told you that he’s pissed off that you hadn’t revealed your feelings yet. How could you? Hange probably didn’t feel the same way, and neither did they have time for it! Changing the subject slightly, you would say “Poor Hange, always working so hard!”

Its true, Levi would usually have to knock them out to bathe them because they worked so much; you suppose the only ick that bothered you about Hange was their lack of hygiene - they just can’t help it. All of that energy dedicated to work, they rarely had any spare time to do anything else; but you were determined to make today different.

You heard of a meteor shower that was expected around 11pm that night, a spectacle you were adamant not to miss. You decided that if any time was the perfect moment to reveal yourself to Hange, tonight is the night. You day dreamed the whole day, picturing the two of you under the stars. Between paperwork, you would check regularly and calculate the time and position of the moon whilst the meteor shower happened; it had to be perfect.

“A waxing crescent” You whispered to yourself

“A what what?” Hange fluttered over to your table making you jump, you attempted to hide the paperwork of calculations; absolutely nothing must be revealed otherwise the surprise will be ruined.

“Squad leader H-H-Hange! I uhhh nothing!!” You stuttered, looking to their perfect, smiling face. You wanted to both die and dance at the same time, to grab them by their collar and kiss them passionately. Hange leans on your desk, looking at you with a cheeky grin.

“I do hope you’re doing your work scout! You don’t want to be working for 2 days straight like last time!”

“That won’t be the case tonight Hange!”

“Oh?”

“I recon if I work solidly for the next 2 hours I will be completely finished!”

“Really? Ugh I technically have like 4 hours left of paperwork too do, I don’t really even have time to scold you on how obviously distracted you are Y/N” Hange sighed, lifting their goggles up to pinch the bridge of their nose. Your eyes light up, seeing their face without goggles was just...

“Well if you give me part of your work, we will be both finished in 3 hours. Anything else that needs doing I will do!” You offered, Hange darts their eyes at you, an excited expression on their face. Without any warning they grab your hands into theirs and puts their face mere inches away from yours. Your face heats up, staring at their lips, you hold everything back from just leaning in to kiss them.

“You’d do that?? For me?? Well aren’t I lucky to have such a kind assistant!!!” Hange exclaimed

“If you both give me some of your work, I am happy to complete whatever’s left” you hear Moblit say across the table. Your eyes turn to him as he gives you a knowing wink. Gods bless Moblit. “That way you two get to leave early tonight, I hear there is some kind of astrological event on tonight”

Your face dropped, as much as Moblit was helping you, he must have looked at your notes as he walked past; nosy dickhead. Hange placed a hand under their chin and thought for a moment, before they had the chance to say anything about it (worrying they’d say its stupid or something) You stood up in your seat.

“Squad leader Hange! We can watch it tonight together if you’d like!!!” You blurted out, sounding more authoritative than you’d wanted. Hange’s eyes widen and observe your shaking body.

“But what about work?? I am sure after this paperwork needs doing they’ll be-”

“I’ll do it! Even if it means I work into the morning. It’s something that Y/N is passionate about so please!! I can always get Nifa or Abel or both to help me out!” You could hear the panic in Moblit’s voice. You take what you thought about him being a dickhead back, he’s doing you such a favour. The both of you look at each other and then back to Hange, trying to gage what their response will be.

A roar of laughter fills the room, followed by a long sigh. “As long as you are sure Moblit, that is real sweet” Hange turns to you and grabs your hand again. “Tonight’s a date then, what time and where?”

‘A DATE???’ You panic to yourself, did they really call this a date. You scream in your mind, wanting to just faint there and then. You collect your emotions and take your hand away from theirs, coughing into a fist. “10:15, walk south from the back entrance of HQ and head towards some bushes and the oak tree. I will meet you there” You said, you wanted to be far enough from HQ so you wouldn’t be disturbed.

“Sounds perfect! Now, lets get some work done!” Hange exclaims, sitting back at their desk and scribbling even faster than before.

The three of you continued to work, you were the first to finish and left the office to get changed into your casual gear. You pull out some perfume that you saved months up for from the market, it was a beautiful scent that you only used on special occasions. You looked in the mirror and hyped yourself up, “come on Y/N you are a lover and a fighter. Titan killer in the streets, pussy killer in the sheets” You slap yourself for saying something so embarrassing out loud.

Once dressed, you head out to the spot with blankets, pillows and a couple of lanterns; if you were to be there a while, you wanted to be comfortable. Once everything is laid out, all you had to do was wait. You felt the nerves building up, as time passed and drew near to Hange’s arrival, you had looked at all of your notes over and over. You lined star charts up and spotted all sorts of constellations to point out to Hange when they were there, you looked at the notes with all the stories behind the constellations and tried to identity any planets that were visible. You kicked yourself, wishing you’d be able to afford a telescope; apparently Saturn is aligned with Mars and that would have been an incredible sight to see.

You hear a noise behind you, oh lord here they come! You scramble at your notes, looking at the more complicated details and stuffing them into your bag.

“Y/N I could do with a little bit of help!!!” You hear Hange yell out, clear struggle in their voice. You stand up to see them behind the bush holding a very large telescope. You rush to their side and help carry it in front of the blankets.

“Hange! Where did you get this telescope from??” You exclaim with delight, Hange’s face blushes at your excitement and rubs their neck.

“Well after Moblit told me that you’re passionate about astrology, I took a deep dive into what is so special about tonight. A meteor shower right? And the planets Mars and Saturn?? Well so I uh....spent my savings on this baby to see it” Hange said awkwardly, your mouth agape and eyes wide, they spent all of their money on a telescope just for this?

You lunge forward and give Hange a massive hug with excited giggles. “Hange thank you so much!! It’s going to be so amazing I promise you!!!!”

Hange blushes wildly, resisting the urge to kiss you. “Well, it’s nice to see someone so excited over science just as I am, makes me feel a little less weird”

“Oh trust me, in school when we were taught about astrology I seemed to be the only person interested! I would spend hours just researching the constellations and zodiac signs! No one really wanted to be my friend, so uhhhh well I suppose I shifted my focus on Titan fighting and work with you and your science squad. It’s not space, sure, but I too felt lonely in my hobbies!” You explained, Hange’s heartstrings felt a tug, picturing you as a kid is just too cute.

The two of you carried on with conversation, you pointed to the sky and explained the stories behind the constellations. No matter how complicated the story or science, Hange seemed to want to know more and more; you even had to pull out your notes to answer their questions. In Hange’s mind, they had spoke about the science of titans for years and never bothered to ask you where your true passions lie. They questioned why they never asked, perhaps they were too nervous? Hange always put on a mask of being this optimistic, eccentric scientist and even acted cocky in front of you, but secretly they were just as insecure and shy towards you. They wanted to get to know you, but of course the element of dying at any point worried them; if they got too attached, especially romantically, it would hurt more. However, since the two of you are out there, looking at the telescope and talking so much, Hange’s fears lifted, even if it was for an evening.

Using the telescope, you pointed it in the direction of Mars and Saturn, both planets basically next to each other, a wonderful view to see. They weren’t super clear of course, the telescope wasn’t that powerful, but you could clearly see Saturns rings; something Hange got super excited over, asking you millions of questions. It wasn’t until the both of you sat down, waiting for the showers to come did you gulp and turn to Hange.

“Hange, I hope you don’t mind but I really would like to talk to you” You began, nervously fumbling with your fingers

“We’ve been talking all night??”

“AHH no I mean I have to say something okay. Please don’t say anything until I uhh finish because I just kinda wanna blurt it all out okay??” You really are stuttering and slipping up on your words, Hange gives a reassuring smile and nods. “Okay, I uhh...” You were interrupted by the meteors shooting across the sky. Mesmerised, you didn’t move your face away from Hange, just your eyes, they took this opportunity to lean in and kiss you. Your eyes widen in shock, what are they doing?? They’re going to miss the meteor shower! Despite this, you relax and close your eyes, leaning into them and deepening the kiss.

“Hange...”

“As you were sooo distracted, your turn has been cancelled. I’ll go first. Y/N I really like you, I have done for a while, and I know you and Levi bathe me together, and sometimes...sometimes I hear you”

“Ahhhh!!!!” You yell out in embarrassment, Hange lifts a finger to your mouth

“Ah ah ah, I am not finished yet! I find you breath taking, I even get so overwhelmed by the way you just stand there! It makes me want to work harder, so much so I would purposefully knock myself out so you could bathe me...oh gods that sounds bad. Not in that way I JUST REALLY ENJOY HEARING YOUR CONVERSATIONS WITH THE CAPTAIN!!!” Hange is now the one getting all flustered, waving their hands erratically. They didn’t want it to sound weird, but they aren’t exactly experienced in expressing their feelings.

“Hey no I get it, sort of...but yeah I really like you too and I guess I’ve never...I UGH words” You pathetically confess, earning a laugh from Hange.

“We’re not very good at this are we, space girl?” Hange moves their arm around you and pulls you in to a hug. Your eyes light up at your little nickname, they definitely do listen to yours and Levi’s conversations. You take this opportunity to kiss Hange, feeling their soft lips on yours.

“You’ve showered haven’t you?” You smirk into the kiss, Hange looks at you, confused and a little insulted.

“How ... whaaaa?”

“You smell delicious” you say boldly, in fact Hange did shower before meeting you tonight, for the first time in ages. They of course laugh at you, and confess. You both sit there for a moment, watching the rest of the meteor showers, colours of gold and silver shooting across the sky.

“How beautiful” You whispered to yourself, Hange looks at you and smiles

“Not as be-”

“Nope. That’s so cringey” you joke, Hange slaps your legs earning a weird moan/yelp from your lips. You cover your mouth in embarrassment. Hange looks at you with curiosity, what a response to just a playful slap. Hange’s face confidently smirks, taking your chin in their hands.

“What was that?” Hange asked seductively, walking two fingers up your thigh. You shiver at how foreword your squad leader is being.

“Nothing...”

“Do you think I’ll be able to get another noise like that out of you?” Hange moves their face forward, practically whispering next to your ear

“I uh...oh look the meteors! They are still going!” You panic, the air is thick, your heart fluttering at how close they are getting. Not that you wouldn’t want to...it’s just moving so fast that you couldn’t barely keep up.

“The meteors can wait”

“I mean technically...” you’re words at cut off by Hange kissing your neck, testing the waters a little before going right ahead. You softly moan out Hange’s name, heaving a little bit at the intensity. So long have you envisioned yourself in this position, being kissed by your squad leader; you’ve thought about it and you’ve touched yourself to it. You may be feeling a little awkward now, but you shiver with anticipation to see how far this could go.

“Are you okay?” Hange asks, looking at you with a little concern, they can feel you tensing under their touch, even shaking a little. “I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable”

“No! No definitely I’m okay I’m just inexperienced. I mean I’m not but it’s different when it’s you because I...I like you and I want to do this but, can we start off slow?” You ask nervously, Hange gives you a tender kiss on your forehead and holds you close.

“If you ever want to stop, please tell me okay?” Hange asks, you nod at them eagerly before pulling them close in for a confident kiss. You lean back onto a pillow, allowing Hange to hover above you, lips still connected. What a feeling this is, never would you imagine getting this close to them; you savour every moment. Hange sits up and takes off their shirt, revealing a binder underneath before taking that off too, your eyes fall to the exposed skin; a lump in your throat. There Hange is, straddling you and pinning you down, half naked and stunning.

“Gods...” You whisper under your breath, Hange snickers at your cute expression before attacking your neck. They plant several erratic kisses all of you, earning a mixture of moaning and giggling.

“What happened to going slow?” You chuckle out, Hange stops immediately and changes their expression.

“I can slo-”

Hange’s words are cut short as you flip them over underneath you, their eyes wide and breaths manic, that is until you sloppily kiss their lips. Hungry noises leave either of your throats as you fight for dominance; you suppose the issue here is that the both of you are so eager, so keen to please that you clash - but in the best possible way. One final flip and you find yourself locked onto the floor under a very horny squad leader. And by locked, it means having Hange gripping your jaw with one hand and the other being intertwined with yours.

“Be my good little space girl, let me see you” Hange unbuttons your shirt, one button at a time, almost painfully slowly. 1...2..3...4...and suddenly your chest is on full view. You attempt to cover yourself, but too late, Hange is already kissing every bit of skin they can see, uncapping your breast from your bra like a hungry animal and latching their mouth onto a free nipple. They graze their teeth and tongue over your sensitive bud, sucking slightly. You reach a hand up to their head and grip their hair slightly, enjoying the sensation. Whilst you are so distracted, Hange reaches a hand down to your trousers, you don’t even notice them unbuttoning them; it was only until their hand was ghosting over your underwear did you look down. They then press a finger against your clothed pussy, feeling your growing excitement.

“Wet already?” Hange scoffs against your breast, you can’t even answer; either from embarrassment or your panting. Hange thinks back to your little yelp, they would love to hear you make such a noise again. “Over my knee sweet pea” Hange ordered, without hesitation you stood up and allowed Hange to sit down, here you bend over their knee, raising your ass into the air to give them all the access they need. After pulling down your trousers to your ankles, they take extra time to look at you; you’re hot and bothered, shaking a little in anticipation. Hange looks to your perfect ass, stroking and groping it slightly, thinking about all the little red hand prints they will leave on you.

“Such a good girl” Hange mewed before landing a harsh slap across your cheek, you yelp out in a mixture of pain and pleasure. Enjoying the noise so much, Hange slaps your ass over and over, allowing little to no breaks between each hit - you knew this isn’t quite how spanking works but it feels good and Hange definitely was enjoying watching your ass jiggle with each slap.

“Ow!” You yell out, that last hit was a little too hard; Hange, feeling sorry kisses your now extremely red behind.

“I’m sorry, I got a bit carried away; here...” Hange moves their hand over to your underwear again and slips under the fabric to stroke your aching clit. Whatever pain you felt had all disappeared to the sudden wave of pleasure that is Hange. They spread your pussy a little, allowing their middle finger to trace your folds and stop at your clit; here, Hange uses their middle and index finger to rub the sensitive nub, interchanging their technique from circling to a forward to back motion. You could feel the knot build up in your lower abdomen, imaging yourself cumming onto Hange’s fingers. That was until they pulled their fingers away, you let out a disappointed moan and looked to your squad leader with pleading eyes.

Without word or warning, Hange lowers themself down and repositions you over their face. You were now suddenly close to Hange’s pussy, unfortunately still clothed, as you fumble at their belt you could feel Hange lift your ass up a little and look down to see what you’re doing. They smirk, hands leaving you and helping you pull down their trousers and underwear; much better.

You wasted no time but to dip your head at their entrance and lapped up their juices, hands either side of their propped up legs and making sure to be especially rough on their clit. Hange moans out painfully, how long had it been since they were in this position? Your ass is forcefully lowered onto Hange’s face, you feel them lick and suck at your clit, feeling your knot tighten one more. Your legs begin to shake, you won’t be lasting long and Hange can just sense it.

“Y/N look! The meteors are going again!” Hange yells out, you stop licking and look immediately up to the sky; but this was a trick because Hange pulls you down further, inserting 2 fingers into you and eats you out rougher than before, earning an eruption inside you, bursting and almost painful as you cum hard onto their mouth and fingers.

“Venus~!” You strangled out, shaking heavily above Hange who cocks their head to the side.

“Venus?”

“Uh..yeah sorry I don’t know why I do that...” you breathlessly panted out

“Don’t apologise, its cute” Hange strokes your ass, giggling at their little space weirdo. You position yourself above Hange, taking them by surprise as you cup their pussy with your hand.

“Got you” Was all you could say before inserting two of your fingers inside your squad leader. You arch your fingers inside of them, using your thumb to draw circles over their clit as they pant and whine under you. Using your free hand you grab both their wrists and hold them above their head, giving you full view of their body. As you finger fuck them, you reach down and kiss them, moving your lips from theirs to over their neck, sucking hard; making sure to leave a dark mark. That was it for Hange, their whole body trembles and cums undone; what you didn’t expect was the flood that left their body, squirting all over you.

“Globular Cluster!!!” Hange screams out, they were a hot mess, melting into the blanket. You crawl next to them and snuggle into their chest. They begin to stroke your hair, leaving forehead kisses.

“Globular cluster?” You ask cheekily, Hange laughs and pats your back.

“Listen, if you are going to scream out space words during sex instead of my name, I might as well do it too!”

“That is too adorable”

“As are you Y/N, do you think my space girl could love an earth...ehhh girl?”

“There is a gender neutral word for that you know, earthling” You giggle, Hange huffs a little, cheeks dusted with a pink blush.

“But yes, this space girl loves her earthling” you say, kissing their head. The both of you spent the rest of the evening just staring at the stars, Hange continuously asking questions including “What’s my zodiac sign?” and “Is yours compatible with a Virgo?” - not that it particularly matters whether you are astrologically compatible with Hange, you already knew you were.

[barkkletshunt]

Those Worth Fighting For Part seven

Part one          Part two

Part three        Part four

Part five           Part six

Part Seven (You’re here)       Part eight 

Taglist:

@ladybug-182 @fruit-snacc-ace @miraculous-simmer7 @lavenderjunes 

@use-flamethrower @fan-written @all-mights-asscheeks @birdie-posts

Sorry if the tags aren’t working, I tried and I’m not sure where I went wrong with it? 

If I have time the next part will come out with some art! Don’t expect the art to be any good though lol

“So then, I go to the window and there is Adrien on Kagami’s front lawn with a big sign that says prom on it, and by the way neither of us knew he was going to be in France at all. It was a total surprise. So I’m so shocked my mind completely blanks out and I shout down to him that yes, I’ll go to prom with him. He yells back ‘tall Kagami’ and I turn around and just ‘your boyfriend just asked to go to prom with me.’ Without skipping a beat she leans out of the window and tells him he’s too late, she already asked me.” Marinette laughed, wiping a stray tear from her eye that began to form from how hard she was trying to not burst into a fit of giggles until the story ended. “In the end the three of us went to prom together.”

The four around the table shook their heads. “Mari, dude, if you can’t get through that story without laughing how are you supposed to do your toast?”

“I’ll just practice it a lot until it’s no longer funny to me, simple. I’m not even going to worry about it anymore.” The blue haired girl shrugged. When she was younger she would have worried about that, but she was long since past that. At least, she hoped she was. She had done enough interviews with Alya in her teen years, and then enough speeches as Ladybug to fill her with a confidence she lacked as a teen. She was nervous, but instead of the all consuming nervousness that would make her fumble and trip over her words it was now an excited nervousness. She was excited about it. 

“I think you’ll do fine,” Felix winked at her, his face never changing from the impartial look he had on since he came into the restaurant.

They all had made their way back to the same place after the amok, even if Felix was late once again. The blond had made his excuses of needing to take care of some errands that he had forgotten, but it hadn’t mattered much to any of them. Marinette had saved a seat next to her for him and he was more than happy to take it.

“Why not talk about the moment you realized those two were perfect for each other?” Nathaniel asked, playing with the straw in his drink. “I know you have a million stories about that.”

“Something like Adrien saving Kagami from a bully, or a dance of just the two of them where they lock eyes and suddenly the whole room disappears?” Marc hummed, their author brain going into overdrive at the thought of romance. “Maybe you saw him protect her against an akuma or amok?”

Marinette thought for a moment. What was it that made her realize that they belonged together? After all those years fawning over Adrien, it was Kagami’s love for him that made her step down, but what was the exact moment? 

“It was at Chloe’s fifteenth birthday party.” Marinette started, recalling the time before Hawkmoth had lost and her world began to fall apart and fix itself simultaneously. “Adrien’s dad thought it would be a good idea for Kagami to go with him and keep an eye on his son, and they started the evening miserable because the paparazzi outside the hotel told them that they always looked so perfect that it made sense that they would be perfect together. I only got to spend a few minutes with them before being pulled away by Chloe, but when I went to find them and bring them some hot chocolate they were on the roof ruffling each other's hair and talking about anime, and goofing around like I hadn’t seen either of them do before.” 

“They saw that the other understood their background and chose to help break out of that image with each other and just be kids.” Felix’s words surprised her, but he understood exactly what had happened. 

“They were so embarrassed when they saw me that I challenged them both to hot chocolate drinking contests to ease the awkwardness. They didn’t even realize I didn’t have one for myself before chugging theirs and burning their mouths at the same time.” Her two messy friends meant the world to her, and she knew no one would understand them like they understood each other. Both of them had strict parents that would only let them escape and be kids when they were with the other, and they took those opportunities and made every moment count. They were what each other needed, and then when they got their freedoms they were still the ones they chose. “I think that’s also when they stopped acting perfect in front of me. Adrien really started to bug me to watch anime so he could talk about it with someone other than his girlfriend, and Kagami soon demanded to be my dress up doll because she never got to do that growing up. They became my best friends and honestly, I think I’m better for it too.”

“How romantic.” Marc swooned, leaning against Nathaniel who caught his significant other with a laugh. “Childhood friends, to rivals, to lovers. 50K slowburn.”

“Once there was an akuma trying to hurt Adrien and Kagami picked up the nearest weapon she could find and just went at ‘em and I have never seen Adrien’s face light up like that. The boy just wants to be loved and protected.” Nino joined in. “Alya and I were shocked, we both had our money on Adrien ending up with someone else, but we’re both happy about it. Speaking of which, I gotta update her on what’s going on here. She’ll flip.”

Felix shifted in his seat, catching Marinette’s eye as Nathaniel and Marc continued talking about Kagami and Adrien’s relationship. He wasn’t there for all those moments, he wasn’t a long term friend of everyone so he didn’t know Alya or Chloe and she wouldn’t doubt it if he had felt out of place in the conversation. 

“Pst,” she scooted herself over, getting closer to him and leaning over to whisper at him. “You look nice today.”

Felix blinked in surprise. Within seconds his face was growing warm and he used his hand to cover the lower half of his face as inconspicuously as possible. “Aren’t I the one who’s supposed to say that, Miss. Dupain-Cheng?”

“I’m afraid I beat you to it, Mr. Graham De Vanily.” She whispered back. “But it’s okay, you might get me next time.”

How long had it been since she was able to flirt with someone without losing herself in the what-if’s and teenaged anxiety that had plagued her? How had one battle fighting side by side with Ryuko, Alley Cat, and the others given her so much confidence that she hadn’t had even during the fight itself? Was it that damned cat’s words? He had unknowingly complimented her to her face and she was still beaming with pride over being called brilliant. Being complimented on her looks was nice, but the way he had complimented her on her mind was something else. She supposed that was what did it, after all. Being told that she was great because of who she was and not because of how she looked filled her with a pride she didn’t even want to describe lest it dampened the feeling inside her chest. 

“Well then, until next time, you look wonderful. You’re outfit choice is on point, as always.” His comment hit straight to her heart. There it was again. A comment on something she chose being good. “And although you are trying to start a fire with my face, I am enjoying this time with you away from colour pallets and order forms. I like seeing this other side of you, Marinette.”

“I’d like to say the same thing, but it has come to my attention that you seem to only wear suits, Felix. This is the same side of you I always see.” She couldn’t help her grin. There was a strange formal banter between them that she found exhilarating. In it’s own way it made her feel like part of the aristocratic world that he and Adrian and Kagami belonged to, without having to deal with the fakeness that the latter two often complained about. “Dare I say, I don’t believe you own anything that isn’t a suit.”

“I’d hate to inform you of this, but you’re incorrect on that front.” Felix moved the hand that was covering his face to let himself rest his chin upon it. “I do, and I’d prefer it if you don’t go to the press with this, own a few sets of pajamas.”

“And are they silk and made to look like a suit?” She asked, now leaning against him to softly poke at his arm. “I bet you had them custom made so that you would never appear unprofessional.” 

“Well, well, aren’t you curious to see my pajamas? Shame you won’t get to see them until our fourth date.” Felix leaned his head against hers, and her heart began to race. 

“So, are you two actually a thing?” Nino’s voice broke them out of their moment. Marinette and Felix realized how it must have looked to the others and immediately sat straight in their seats. 

Nathaniel elbowed Nino in the ribs. “Dude!”

“What? I’m just trying to clear things up for my daily Alya report.” Nino tried to defend himself from the onslaught of hands trying to hit him from Marc and Nathaniel. “It gets complicated sometimes and you know my girl won’t let anything rest until she has all the info!”

“If Miss. Dupain-Cheng would like to, as you put it, actually be a thing, then I would be honoured to.” He said it so simply that Marinette wasn’t sure why she had hesitated before. He did like her. 

“Only if you wear your pajamas to our next late night planning session.” Marinette wasn’t willing to let the pajamas slide. “I have to see you out of a suit before we get all lovey dovey. It’s a rule.”

“Did you make that rule just for me?”

“Of course.”

“Well, don’t I feel special.” Felix thought to himself, making a bit of a show of it as he tossed his head side to hide. His braid that previously rested on his shoulder now swinging back and forth behind him, looking like a cat's tail as it got ready to play. “I think I have room to negotiate here, so if I may I am going to put the added condition that you must also wear your pajamas.”

“I don’t think this is supposed to be a business transaction, dude,” Nino tried, but Marinette held her hand up. She could negotiate. 

“I’ll accept those terms on the condition that you buy coffee, and we get to watch a movie together with some popcorn.” Marinette raised her brow, daring Felix to try to get a better deal out of her. 

“If I am purchasing coffee, popcorn, and a movie, then I will push for some baked goods from your parents bakery.” Felix held out his hand. “Well?”

“You drive a hard bargain, Mr. Graham De Vanily, but I accept your terms.” Marinette took his hand and shook it. That was the most fun she had ever had while figuring out plans for a date, and she knew she’d have more fun watching the movie with Felix than she just did. “A movie date in our pajamas with snacks it is.”

“I’ll pick you up friday night at eight?” 

“I can’t wait to see your suit pajamas.”

“I bet you have frills on yours.”

“And you don’t?”

[celtics534]

Bad Blood (Covert Love Chapter 11)

Not much I can say... other than I hope y’all are ready for some cliffhangers!

Also Read on: FF.net or AO3

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“Are you sure you don’t want to just skive off?” Harry asked for what felt like the tenth time. Ginny was at her wardrobe, seemingly scoffing at every article of clothing she owned. Sure, Harry was more than happy to lay back and admire the glorious view Ginny presented him in just a pair of knickers and bra, but he could see the tension in her shoulders even from a distance. “We don’t have to go to Prue’s party. I’m sure she’d understand after you tell her what happened with Finn.”

  Finn

  Was it possible for a name to represent so much hatred? Because even thinking of his name made Harry’s blood start to boil. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Harry could imagine the git trying to get handsy with Ginny and it just… His Ginny . Oh, Harry’s anger wasn’t just because it was Ginny. It wouldn’t have mattered who Finn pushed himself onto. It would have fueled him with rage no matter the victim, but because it was Ginny…. His Ginny . It made Harry want to rip Finn limb from limb. 

  “No, I promised Prue I’d go.” Ginny’s muffled tone brought Harry out of his daydream of pushing Finn off a broom from a dangerously high height. 

  “Huh? Oh, yeah I know, but I still think she’d understand.” 

  Ginny spun around so she was facing him, a frown on her lips. “She would, Prue is great like that.” 

  As she admitted that, her teeth came down to gnaw at her bottom lip. Even without that obvious sign of unease, Harry would have known there was more going on in her head. It wasn’t a hard decision; hell, no thought went into it all. When Ginny Weasley looked like that, Harry Potter was going to comfort her. 

  He moved off the bed, where he’d been resting with his back against the headboard, and pulled her into a tight embrace. Ginny didn’t respond right away; instead, she just stood in his arms, seeming to absorb his warmth. Then her arms wrapped tightly around his back and she buried her face in his neck. 

  They were silent for a while, Harry content in just holding her close to him. How was it that he’d intended to comfort her, yet just having her in his arms brought him solace? 

  It was Ginny who broke their silent consolation. Her breath warmed his skin as she spoke. “I can’t let him get to me again. I refuse to let Finn Hogan stop me from being me.” The unspoken like last time seemed to echo in the renewed silence. It made Harry’s heart ache to imagine a younger Ginny dealing with her first heartbreak. Really, any image of Ginny in pain caused his heart to hurt. 

He tightened his arms around her, hoping that she understood he was there for her. He refused not to be there for her. Ginny Weasley was a strong, powerful woman and Harry knew she could handle anything, but if he could help ease the pain just a little, he would. 

  She let out a long sigh as she pulled away from him. Ginny looked into his eyes, her face intensely assertive.“He’s going to be there tonight and I will not let him get under my skin.” 

  Harry nodded. Pride for her, for his Ginny, warmed him from head to toe. “That sounds right. I have no doubt you’ll show him he has nothing on you. No one messes with Ginny Weasley and gets off scot-free ”

  Ginny smiled at him appreciatively. She went onto her toes and pressed a quick kiss to his lips. “And don’t you forget it, Potter.” She lowered herself back down onto her heels and released her hold on him. “Now, not that I don’t love your current outfit, but you need to get dressed, because there is no way I’m letting Prue and Ariel see you like that.”

  Harry glanced down at the ratty pair of boxers he’d thrown on after their third stress release session . “You don’t think this is casual enough? I could go without.” He moved as if he’d intended to pull down the garment, but Ginny’s fingers grabbed his in a lightning-quick move.

  Her eyes roamed down his body before meeting his gaze. The heat in her expression… Harry’s entire body erupted in spots of fire. Her tone was husky, causing a shiver to run down his spine. “If you take that off right now, we won’t be leaving this room tonight.” 

  Harry leaned down, running his nose over her jaw. Her scent, either a perfume or shampoo or maybe even it was just her natural smell fills his lungs. He could get drunk off of that scent. Off of her . “I don’t see a problem, Weasley.”

  Ginny hummed as his lips pressed into her skin, moving slowly from her jaw towards her neck. “Harry, don’t start what we can’t finish.”

  “Oh, I intend on both of us finishing, darling.” He nipped lightly at her exposed shoulder. He started to use his nose to push aside the thin bra strap, but Ginny cottoned onto his plan. Her nails dug painfully into his hips as she pushed him away from her. 

  A light flush had spread across her chest and cheeks, tantalizing Harry, but she wagged a finger at him. “Save that for tonight. Right now, we need to get dressed and head to Prue’s.” She turned back to her wardrobe, pulling out a sweater. “Do you think I should wear a jumper? It may get colder as the night goes on.” 

  Harry pulled his trouser from off the floor, climbing into them. “Better be safe than sorry.” He grabbed his previously discarded shirt next. 

  “Good point.” Ginny pulled the soft cotton over her head, making her hair stand up in random places. 

  As Harry buttoned up his shirt he watched her. She was always the most interesting thing in the room, no matter what she was doing. Even now when she was just brushing her hair, Harry couldn’t look away. 

  “So I’m pretty sure I’m going to get sloshed tonight.” Ginny laughed as she looked at him through the mirror that sat above the wardrobe. “A gauntlet is no joke and last time… well.” Her smile became crooked. “Let’s just say we found out that I get rather flirty six drinks in.”

  “Do you?” Harry couldn’t stop himself from moving to her. His fingers seemed to have a mind of their own as they went to her waist, lifting the recently acquired jumper up an inch. “How do you know this?”

  “I may have said some very suggestive things to Prue.” Ginny put her brush back atop the bureau, her grin becoming sly as she turned around to face him. “That’s how I found out Prue has a thing for blokes and birds.”

  Harry snorted. Even he couldn’t tell that Prue had a thing for women, the way she watched Ginny fly… well, Prue was as bad as he was half the time. “And what happened between you and Prue in this moment of drunken debauchery?”

  “Oh, you know.” Ginny ran a finger up his arm. “Just some rather provocative suggestions and some curious hand placements. I found out that night I’m not much of a tit girl.” 

  Ginny’s deadpan delivery made Harry laugh. He leaned down and kissed her. “Don’t worry, I can take on that burden for both of us.” 

  “I knew you would be the man for the job.” Her smile came out as her fingers moved up to the back of his neck and began to slide into his hair.

  Harry pressed his smile to hers. “And I gladly volunteer as tribute when you reach your sixth drink.”

  Ginny pretended to consider his offer. “No one would think twice if I jump you right then and there. You’ve got yourself a deal. I may even let you take me home after, which is much more than Prue got.” 

  “I’ll be one lucky man.” 

  "In multiple ways."

  XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

  Harry held his bottle tightly as he looked around the grounds. In the dark, it was hard to see everyone and everything, but Harry refused to let his guard down for a minute. He knew logically if Ginny's stalker was going to make a move it would be at a party. It's exactly what he would do. 

  So when Joy had shoved a beer into his hand, Harry had transformed the contents to water. Harry refused to have any of his senses dimmed. He didn't care if it was only one beer, it was Ginny's life at risk and he wouldn't do anything to jeopardize her.

  He did another quick perimeter check. Joy and Holt were adding kindling to the already high fire, McKidd and Ginny were sitting at a small table, downing drinks like it was their last day on Earth, Prue had pulled Ed Phillips aside and had her tongue so far down his throat Harry was surprised the keeper wasn't choking. But it was Finn that kept drawing his eye. Sure there were others milling around, people from different parts of the Bat’s community, but there was something about the blonde healer. Every time the man moved, Harry’s eyes would follow. 

  Harry kept telling himself there were a multitude of reasons why. The comments he made during his examination of Ginny, the way he seemed to leer at her every time they were in the same room, his sudden appearance in Ginny’s life, or maybe it was just some good old fashion jealousy of seeing a man who had been intimate with Ginny before him. He didn’t want to think it was just the last reason, but Harry knew it more than likely played a large part in his disdain for the man. He wanted to believe he was a better auror than to let his personal vendetta get in the way of objective sleuthing. But even with that thought in mind, there was still something about the look in Finn’s eyes… 

  “Hey, Potter!” Phillips slapped Harry hard on the back as he took an empty cushion on the sofa. “Prue’s got a good set up here, right?”

  There was no doubt about that. When Prue had mentioned the idea of a party in her garden, Harry had imagined a simple flat area that people could mill around in. He hadn’t expected her to have her have enough land that they could have a regulation game of quidditch. When he’d arrived (alone, because Ginny reminded him they couldn’t show up together: “ Imagine the scandal, Harry!” ), his jaw had practically hit the dirt. Joy had come over to him and explained how Prue came from money. When her parents had died, she’d left France and found a new life in Ireland.

  Harry took a sip from his bottle, letting his lips linger just long enough for Phillips to think he was considering another pull. “It is really nice, but a house of that size must get lonely.” 

  Phillips' grin became lewd. “Prue isn’t exactly known for being alone in that big old house, now is she? I’ve been known to walk through those halls a time or two.” 

  Harry snorted. “I didn’t need to know that.” 

  “Just being honest.” Ed shrugged, taking a long gulp from his whiskey. “Actually I’m hoping I’ll be there tonight.” 

  “I didn’t realize you and Prue were --” Harry gestured noncommittally.  

  Phillips wiggled his eyebrows. “We’re not, but if we’re both alone and randy...” He let Harry come to his own conclusion.

  “Ah.” Harry let the conversation die. He really had no desire to learn about his teammate’s personal activities , and Phillips seemed like the kind of bloke who knew too much about everyone. A sudden thought hit Harry like a speeding broom. “Hey, Ed?”

  “Yea?” Ed looked away from Ginny and Ariel, who had just started pouring shots of tequila. In the back of Harry’s mind, he wondered if he had all the ingredients to make a hangover potion because Ginny was going to need one tomorrow, especially if they were going to her parents’ for tea.  

  It was Harry’s first time meeting her whole family, and he was certain she wouldn’t want to be hungover for that. Or at least he wanted her sober enough to play the middle man between him and her six brothers. I just had to fall for a girl with six older brothers . He cleared his throat; he had to focus. “You seem to know everyone.”

  Ed shrugged. “I guess so. Perks of being on the team for seven years. Why?”

  Harry knew he had to play this right. He couldn’t sound like an investigator. “What do you know about the new healer? I never really got to work with Atlas much, but is Hogan just as good?”

  “Oh yeah.” Phillips waved a dismissive hand. “Hogan is talented, no doubt.” There was something in his tone that made Harry think there was more. In his years of interrogating, Harry’d discovered silence had power. A lot of people would just finish a thought without prompt if no one else spoke. And that’s exactly what Phillips did. “Well, I mean at least that’s what the awards on his wall say, but my cousin is a trauma healer at St Mungo’s and he told me that Finn had been fired a few years back.”

  “Really?” Harry leaned in closer. Another thing he’d learned over the years: a gossip loves it when you get close as they tell a story. “Did your cousin say why?”  

  Again, Phillips fell right into his web. His eyes lit up like a kid’s at Christmas. “Yeah, something about one of the nurses.”

  “Did they disagree on the treatment of a patient?” Harry made sure his tone stayed conspiratorial, while alarm bells rang in his head. 

  “No. She requested to be transferred.”

  Harry blinked. “Why?”

  “Collin, that's my cousin’s name, didn’t know all the details, but he reckons it was some sort of romantic dispute. But there was apparently a meeting between some of the heads of staff, Hogan, and the nurse. Then the next day, Hogan was gone.”

  That hadn’t been on Finn’s file . Harry looked back over to where Finn stood chatting with Holt. He knew the statistics of repeat offenders, and Finn had the pompous attitude that made him just that much more dangerous. 

  Harry weighed his options. He could continue to stay back here and watch Hogan from afar, or he could move in and stay on his suspect like a permanent sticking charm. It would be easy to act like he wanted to talk to the healer, make up some bullshit about wanting to know more about a certain type of injury. But the question was if Harry could keep a happy-go-lucky attitude with the man. He honestly didn't think he could after the whole thing with Ginny earlier that day. It took all his willpower not to go and curse Hogan when Ginny had told him the story. It would take a full-fledged miracle for him to not punch the man in the nose if he was within a meter of him now. 

  He leaned back in his seat, taking another sip from his bottle. No, it was easier to keep back and watch. His eyes naturally drifted over to Ginny every so often. The flickering light from the fire gave her outline a ghostly effect every time she moved to lift a glass to her lips. Even from a distance, Harry could see the telltale signs of her growing intoxication. 

  In the back of his mind, Harry wondered if she was near that infamous sixth drink when the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. He looked around but saw nothing in the darkened grounds behind him. 

  “You all right, Potter?” 

  Harry turned so fast he was afraid he might get whiplash. Prue was smiling at him, a drink in her hand. “I -” He cleared his throat, “Yeah I’m fine.”

  “You just looked nerveux .” Prue’s brows pressed together in concern. “Why aren’t you drinking with them?” She gestured over at Holt and Joy, who were setting up a table.

  “I - I’m not much of a social guy.” Harry hoped his noncommittal shrug was enough of an answer for Prue, but of course it wasn’t.

  “ Ça ne peut pas être vrai !” She pulled Harry to his feet. “As your host, I can’t have that. Come along.”

  Prue dragged him close to the flame calling out to Holt as she approached. “William! Is there room for us to join?”

  Holt looked over his shoulder, his eyes were glassy as he nodded. “Hell yeah! Come and grab a drink!”

  And like that, Harry was roped into the weirdest version of exploding snap he’d ever played. It took him ten minutes and three shots of firewhiskey to break away. He made the excuse of needing the loo in order to leave. His teammates laughed but just continued with their game. 

  Harry turned away from the fire, the night air colder than normal after being so close to the large flame. His fingers tingled with the buzz he’d gained from those three shots that had been forced upon him. 

  It took a second for him to regain his bearings. He needed to check on Ginny and relocate Hogan. 

  Hogan was easy to find. He had stuck up a conversation with McKidd, the latter of whom didn’t look pleased. If McKidd was there, that meant… A hot ball dropped into Harry’s stomach that didn’t mix well with the whiskey. His eyes searched every corner of the yard trying to locate a hint of red. 

  Harry almost crawled out of his skin when arms wrapped around his waist. Warm breath heated the skin right under his left ear. “Looking for me?” 

  He spun in Ginny’s arms, his heart pounding like a stampede. His eyes roamed over every part of her before his arms brought her in close. “You’re all right.”

  “More than. I just won!” Ginny pulled her cheek away from his chest, a flirtatious smirk on her lips. Her eyes were glassy but sparkling with excitement. “And I’ll be even better after this.” 

  Harry had just opened his mouth to ask what she was talking about when those coquettish lips pressed  to his. He gave a startled cry, but couldn’t resist falling into her. His fingers toyed with the hem of her jumper, moving it aside so he could feel her bare skin. If he had been of sound mind and body, he would have stopped this public display. Even as he gave in to her temptation, the back of his mind screamed in protest. But he ignored it.

  He lost himself in her. The way she felt pressed against his chest. How her fingers threaded through his hair. The little sigh she let out as he moved his attention across her skin.

  “So you weren’t lying.” A cool tone brought Harry back to the real world. It was like they’d been hit with a cool blast of water. Both he and Ginny turned to look at an irritated Finn Hogan. He pointed between the two of them. “You said you were seeing someone, and there is no way it isn’t him.”

  “That’s not any of your business, Finn, but yeah Harry and I are together.”

  Harry was impressed with Ginny’s ability to keep her words straight. If he’d drunk half of what she’d most likely had… well, his words would be very slurred, to say the least. Ginny removed her hands from Harry’s hair but kept them wrapped around his neck as she looked over her shoulder at Finn. “And if you wouldn’t mind I would like to get back with him, so if you could just...” She jerked her head to the side.

  Hogan narrowed his eyes as he looked between them, but he said nothing as he walked away. Harry looked down at Ginny. “Was that a good idea?”

  “Definitely!” Ginny beamed up at him. “I’m full of good ideas. Here, let me tell you another one.” She went onto her tiptoes, bringing her lips right to his ear. “I’m going to head to the loo on the first floor. I want you to join me in two minutes.”

 Harry groaned as her hands roamed down his body, cupping him through his trousers. He’d been at half-mast the moment she’d kissed him. If she kept this up, he would be showing his full sail soon. Ginny kissed down his jaw, slowly backing away from his body. She grabbed his wrist, tapping the face of his watch. “Two minutes, love.”

  Then she was running towards the massive house. Harry watched her go, trying to bring his breathing back to normal. His heart ran like a rabbit, ready to beat out of his chest. He looked down at the time. One minute. Surely it would take him a moment to find the correct room in such a large house that a minute wouldn’t make a difference, right?

  With that defense in his mind, Harry started up to the house. Well, house wasn’t the right word. Just like the grounds, the building was huge. Estate was probably a better word. The door into the kitchen from the garden was grand in scale, standing at least a meter over his head.

  Harry had to guess his way throughout the house. It was easy to find the staircase, seeing as it was in the dead center of the building. The infamous loo, however, proved to be tricky. After four unsuccessful room attempts-- one of which held McKidd and one of the minor maintenance men locked so tightly together Harry couldn’t tell where one started and the other ended -- he was starting to give up hope. 

  He stopped in front of the last door on this side of the corridor. He quickly turned the knob and found it locked. Ginny must have wanted to make sure no one else would walk in, Harry thought as he pulled out his wand. With a quick wave, he heard a satisfying click. He made quick work of the door this time, entering into the dark room closing the door quickly behind him. 

  “Gin?” He whispered in the darkness. “You here?”

  Harry lifted his wand again, this time lighting the end of the tip. In the bright light his wand cast, Harry could tell this small room wasn’t the loo. His mouth became e overly dry as he looked at stationary pictures. Pictures of him talking with Bill and Ginny in Diagon Alley, of him and Ginny chatting in the locker room, and Ginny…. Just so many of Ginny. Her flying around the Bats’ stadium, walking around some green space with ice cream and a little girl Harry knew to be her niece, Ginny cheering as something happened on the pitch.

  A fist tightened around Harry’s heart as he looked from image to image that covered the wall. There was one of Ginny talking with coach Kennedy, and one of her smiling as she joked with the staff members, but the most disturbing were the ones clearly taken at Ginny’s home. He recognized the flowerbed that sat in front of Ginny’s windows, but those weren’t the focus of many of the shots. Ginny’s bedroom window provided a good view of the mirror over the bureau, which in turn showed the spot where Ginny tended to change. 

  Harry’s blood boiled in rage as she saw the numerous photos of a naked Ginny. He could tell they were from different days, based on the sheets on Ginny’s bed and the diverse clothing that pooled at Ginny’s feet. 

  He needed to get out of here and find that damn loo. He needed to find Ginny. Harry spun on his heel, ready to sprint out of the room, but instead of facing a closed door, he was greeted to a wand in his face. 

  “And here I thought I had been a generous host!” Prue made a tisking noise. Her normal French slurs seemed to have disappeared. “Haven’t you been told it’s rude to open a locked door when you’re a guest?”  

  Harry swallowed hard. Why had he lowered his fucking wand when he’d turned around? “Must have slipped my mind, I’ll just head out then.”

  Prue’s smile was devilish in the faint light of his turned down wand. “You know that’s not gonna happen, Auror Potter.” 

  Harry didn’t even have time to consider raising his wand before a red light filled the room and everything went dark.    

[rochey1010]

PART 3:

Ok, so this is about Eliott and the link between S5 and S6. Like Eliott out of everyone was crafted in this season so damn well. And yeah his arc in S6 was plotted here but it's the whole character. And it goes back to his S3 debut. France has remained so damn consistent with this character. Nothing is forced or out of place. It's a natural flow to this point now, and probably what is to come.

So just before i jump into S5. What do we know of the Eliott character? So we meet him in S3 and he's beautiful, like out of someones league beautiful. And he's mysterious, and has a loner vibe but from the trailer looks troubled. The trailer shows so much that will crop up again throughout the show in regards to Eliott. He enters the school with a prison atmosphere (just left one or is about to enter one). He quickly walks through, hurried, not wanting to make an imprint, hiding in his environment with the 'catch me if you can' vulnerable hoodie up style. Everyone notices him but he notices no one. He just wants to get this over with (same cycle different environment). The people either know him (Imane) are attracted to him (Alexia) or intrigued by the new guy (Emma). So he walks down the corridor and bumps into a very important person. That is Lucas and it's the first inkling from Eliott that something has penetrated his bleak dark world. The first hint of the light/dark motifs that S3 would be centered around. Before we know it's even a concept POLARIS is everywhere.

Eliott does something that i love. He stops, but doesn't turn around just yet, Maxence plays it like he's taking something in and waking up. And then he turns and looks, and we get everything in that look to Lucas. You feel his intrigue, attraction, fixation, awe of this unknown guy. That this guy has shook his world. And then he does something else i love. This tiny wry smile appears for like a milisecond, and then he looks him up and down signalling to the audience that we're in for a hell of a ride, and that Eliott is showing some playfullness towards Lucas. The hint that he's gonna pursue him. Then crucially he walks down the corridor to Colouring - In motion (range remix) awesome and reflective lyrics. Into the black, back into the dark he goes. And this is a direct contrast to Eliott and his world. Sees nobody but Lucas and is turned towards him looking, and then there's Lucas turned towards Eliott but oblivious and not looking.

So as the season goes on we see that he is all those things but so much more. He has a romantic, goofy, sweet and tender side, he's very vulnerable and fragile but he also has a darkness and it comes out as fear, anger, jealousy etc. He's the Even that we see snap at times e.g. class outburst, Chloe, Lucille.

And another thing is that he's the Even that gets developed off screen with the brilliant utilisation of his insta for mental/emotional state. It fits Eliott with the mystery, puzzles, metaphors and plot foreshadowing that takes us through the season. It's Eliott's journal and we're the therapists in a session with him. Each time he posts isn't fickle. Everything has meaning, everything connects and it's linked up so well onscreen. So we see Eliott onscreen but we see into Eliott offscreen. And that mental illness insight has continued and remains true to not only real life but who Eliott is.

We find out that he has so much fear. That it makes him hide in relationships and quite literally hide in the dark. That he created his magnum opus POLARIS that is all about fear and running from true connection. That has so much bipolar symbolism in it and that has Eliott settling in this dark world of MI. Because as any one who can identify with Eliott, sometimes there is a morbid comfort in staying stagnant and not reaching for something because deep down the light and happiness is something you don't deserve. It's horrible negative feelings of shame, embarassment, and self loathing that permeates. Anyone that struggles with their mental health will attest to this.

So he, facing this fear reaches for Lucas, and they fall in love. Eliott is chasing the light in Lucas that has made him want to enjoy life again. Then something horrible happens, Eliott is confronted with all his worst fears of himself being reinforced by the one he loves the most. Eliott being a crazy person that Lucas doesn't have time for. He's literally slapped in the face with his SKAM. And he's the Even that literally bleeds out right there on the screen. There's no mask which racoon Eliott is adept with it. He took it off and it shows how deep he was in with Lucas as he can't even pretend anymore. In that moment he is truly exposed and to this day it's heartbreaking to watch. He also does something that no other Even did either. He begins to ghost Lucas in this scene with the hair ruffle and that truly disappointed look when he's backing away. It's almost like a self resignation in himself like "well i was right, the light is not my world, and i shouldn't have been stupid enough to think this would have gone any other way" and he's truly disappointed and so damn heartbroken.

So he goes back to the ex thinking it's a clean break. But he realises he can't stop what he feels for lucas. So he pines on his insta, trying to reach out and trying to be honest but comes to the conclusion the only way to have lucas is to hide his darkness (bipolar). So they reconcile and are happy, and then it goes to absolute shit. He has a manic episode and the truth comes out. Eliott runs again back to the dark. Back to the comfort of his world. Doesn't expect anything, doesn't reach out because he has no hope that he can be loved with this defect, and just cries. 😭 in total despair. It's that level of self loathing that keeps cropping up rooted in his MI.

Lucas proves him wrong and saves him (this is crucial for Eliott's S6 arc) and he accepts him but now we see that Eliott still doesn't accept himself (S5, S6) minute par minute is a very important scene that is being revisited in S6 and will be crucial for Elu. Eliott wants to end the relationship, he sees no way it can work, and Lucas fights and gives him a perspective to hold onto.

Sorry i got into a S3 character study there. But i felt it was the only way to show how Eliott as a character has been built through the show and layered with so much depth but so much darkness. He's actually not only one of the darkest Even's but one of the darkest SKAM characters. And the reason i feel that, is because of the contradiction of the character. That he has such a postive sunshine aura and will smile at anyone and instantly bring a warmth. But yet has this deep well of struggle and pain that you can feel is there underneath that "I'm the happiest person in the world" energy. And you have to ask yourself how much of that is Eliott projecting to keep the demons at bay? As someone who can relate to MI. There is a level of exhaustion where you feel like you pep talk yourself on an almost daily basis. Quite literally you fake it untill you make it. And i just feel that Eliott is such a walking dichotomy between 2 extremes. That he perfectly represents the bipolarity of this character.

But rambling aside, so that's the Eliott we know and in S5 we kick off his arc with an insta post. He posts his new job 'new job, new school, same boyfriend' caption with a pic of the video club. Lucas follows it up with 'and soon, new appartment'. This tells us Eliott has not only started working but he's in Uni now and about to move in with Lucas. The video club is also dropping the hint that Eliott has found his new vocation within art. And that is movies. Now, what we know of Eliott is that he dabbled. He had many artsy interests. And we saw his love for not only movies (POLARIS) but he enjoyed literature (Virginia Woolf) and painting (Jackson Pollock) and he liked greek prose (Apollo and Hyacinth, Pygmalion). He had an affinity for artists who suffered with mental illness (pollock and Woolf both bipolar) and a true identity fixation with Woolf (mentally ill, bisexual and drowned through suicide) now that takes on a much more serious meaning with what Eliott revealed about suicide in S6. So he was an artsy hipster and he added graffiti and urbex too. A very talented and creative guy is our Eliott.

But considering POLARIS was how we were introduced to Eliott and that art side. We had to have known that his chosen field would have been movies, as it is now confirmed with his job, his uni project and his insta this season focusing on movies. How they add to the plot and how he's using them as inspiration for his project.

So it's setting him up to make a movie and to bring back something from his past that failed for him, and could have led to a spiral as we don't know how long after that all the Idriss stuff went down. All we know is that Idriss was there with him in the video interviewing him as he explained POLARIS. So the fallout must have been very soon after. And the failure of the movie on top of that must have been horrible for Eliott.

Lucas posts instas of him basically of him supporting eliott with this job and visiting him etc. So we see Eliott loves his job. And S6 shows us this more in depth.

The next we see of Eliott is a nightclub scene of new years and just basically the gang and elu happy, having fun and in love. It's just showing you for Eliott that he's come so far. Obviously we know what happens with Arthur so i won't get into that. Then there's the house warming and this is a crucial scene because Eliott has to explain something, and the audience is learning something. That this is the 2nd house warming and the 1st had to be cancelled. Eliott starts to explain himself and it's same feelings in regards to the mental illness again. Maxence plays it like Eliott is so fragile, that he's vulnerable and embarassed, and it oozes out of him. That Eliott finds it hard to go to that place where he has to talk about his mental illness. We see Eliott struggle to get the words out, look over towards Lucas, Lucas quietly reassures him and then steps in when he senses that it's too much. We see Eliott curl into Lucas in gratitude and like a child who needs comfort. And again it tells you that Eliott is very affected by his bipolar. That it's a huge effort for him to confront it and even talk about it. And now you see how it's such a focus in regards to power and agency over himself, the fear of not having it, how he can help others and how he frames it in his love with Lucas.

"And i have Lucas...i can't lose this"

That this is the crux of everything. That all the fears, insecurities, feelings are rooted in his SKAM. And we further see this explored as we begin to see the domestic scenes between Elu. How Eliott doesn't seem to be around the chaotic boygroup like the fanbase thought he would. And that's an issue because we have to admit to ourselves that we built Eliott up in a certain way, and we expected him to integrate with the gang, but the show naturally evolved Eliott the way the character is at his core. And that is why his spirit animal is a raccoon (curious, intelligent, friendly, mischievious, nocturnal, wild at heart, will lash out if threatened or cornered, wears a mask said to protect against night glare) basically Eliott is at heart a wild creature, that he goes off at night exploring, that he's chaotic in nature and a lone wolf. That he gravitates towards situations and behaviours that reflect his inner nature. That is who Eliott is.

So we see a lot of chaos and loudness in the boygroup centered in Elu's appartment in early S5. Lucas joins in and they scream over social media, and they literally hangout there all the time. After the party they stay the whole weekend, and Lucas does eventually say guys c'mon not tonight it's date night with Eliott. But you're shown basically that they do it alot. And probably more hangouts happened off screen. Crucially you're shown Eliott is not there joining in on the chaos. And in S5 the boygang were dialed up in energy and i don't think that's a coincidence at all. They were so much that even i felt over stimulated. Now like i said i do think this is important for Eliott and important to his arc. He told Lola that he needed something for himself in the urbex and that he needs to be by himself and breathe. I can attest that people who suffer from mental illness need to get the fuck away sometimes. That the mind becomes chaos and over stimulated and you need to recharge your batteries in a safe space. I believe, and i think S6 is showing this, that this is what happened with Eliott. That it was too much, and in his own love nest, so he left Lucas to do what he wanted with his beloved friends, never kicked up a fuss and just went and did his own thing e.g. urbex and otteli. That he found peace in this natural art environment channeling his raccoon and made it a safe space. And that now Lucas is shown hanging out a lot with the boygang and Eliott is otteli the extreme urbexer. I also believe that this may come up between them as part of minute par minute. That they may be letting things slide on both sides for fear of upsetting the other. In S6 Lucas was hanging out with the boygang sans Eliott and Eliott was alone and able to go help Lola at a crucial moment. Lucas is out of the loop as he was away and that caused conflict between Elu the next morning. I think all of this will finally come to a head in the following weeks.

At one point under all the fanbase jokes and memes about Eliott and Lucas being adoptive parents to these idiots. It start's getting serious, because we find out Eliott has been going through a depressive spell. And while all this shit was happening too. That he was probably going through one as far back as the house warming, and put a brave face on. That him waking up at 3pm was part of it or even a hint to Otteli urbexing. But they show you that the boys wake him up. That he's not part of the meeting but joins later.

And then another scene that sets up Otteli the raccoon urbexer. He brings the gang to an abandoned building. This is the confirmation of what the fanbase always suspected about Eliott. That he has an urban exploration hobby. With La Petite Ceinture it was debated that Eliott liked to explore the Parisian underbelly in S3 but it wasn't expanded on. Now we see it. And Eliott brings sprays and they graffiti and have fun. This sets up so many things e.g. urbex, otteli tag, street art and the expression of art as a seasonal theme focussed on Eliott. This clip is about Arthur but now looking back it's actually Eliott. It sets up his hobby, how he helps people using art, how specifically he expresses himself through art, his secret identity, and his passion for urbex. All in this little clip. To add he's already tagged the building, probably when he found it. He uploads graffiti insta art that day of him in practice. Once again it's positive art and it's a beautiful flower. And in S6 we see all this. Eliott as an artist is a direct contrast to Lola and when Lola expresses herself through art it reflects through damage and breakage, ugly and negative depressing photography. I believe this is a theme and we see it with Lola and Eliott. Eliott will use his art to help her and seeing how he expresses love and connection through art e.g. polaris, love mural, friendship mural, possible art we have yet to see. Lola will change her view of not only the world but of how she expresses herself artistically. I do believe that is a theme of S6.

Then Eliott goes away for a few weeks. Lucas is asked about him and he lets the audience know that Eliott is struggling with his mental illness and lucas can do nothing but love him and wait. The week after Eliott posts on insta a cuddle selfie with the caption 'spring of the senses' and a hedgehog emoji. This tells us that Eliott is out of his depressive spell, that he's grateful for Lucas and considers it a rebirth. Again we see that Eliott's MI is ongoing and doesn't just get fixed in this relationship. We see Lucas's maturity with Eliott's illness but we also see hints that this mental illness is a weight on the relationship. That Eliott has sorta hinged the love on his mental health. That there's a theme in S6 right now of Eliott trying to lead Lola out of the darkness that he once found himself in. That Eliott himself was led out of the darkness by Lucas but there are now issues of agency and capability. That he fixates on this sorta 'saviour complex' maybe, and it'll be something very important for his rock bottom moment. Maybe Eliott must face and save himself this time to bring his arc full circle.

There are little hints which i don't think are accidental for Elu in S5. One of them is Lucas being late to the laser tag. Now i must stress Lucas is never late. That's Eliott's department, and the fanbase picked up on it. And i think it was to hint at Elu issues. Also when Lucas has his outburst at Arthur on Valentines, and Arthur rips into him. If you look at Lucas you see that he goes to say something, like he's trying to explain something but stops and doesn't continue. And the way Axel plays it is like Lucas looks stressed and strained. Again i don't think that's an accident at all. There's issues at home clearly.

Then Eliott shows up for the holiday. And he rents and drives the van for the gang. We see Elu domestic and in love, and again a pattern, as once again in S6 they'll fight but make up being all cuddly again. We see it when Eliott posts a love declaration to Lucas 2 days after their big Idriss fight in S4, we see it in S6 when they fight and then post a couples selfie later on. And it's probably hinted at here. They fought in the background at some point and are now super in love. So the show is depicting that they'll argue and still love each other. But it's also depicting issues being pushed to the side so they can be in love again (love bubble).

Ok, so Eliott is super happy and bouncy sunshine just loving life and Lucas. At one point he falls in love with a bunny he names Fifi. Now we see this is a habit as he also fell in love with a chocolate labrador and tried to steal him in the past. So Eliott just responds to vulnerability with affection and adoption e.g. lab, fifi, taking lola under his wing. For all his demons we see Eliott has a lot to offer the world. He's just well meaning and cares. Lucas gives into his pleading which is cute and then Fifi is killed and Eliott is heartbroken. So we see he gets attached to things and he puts a lot into that attachment. And when it backfires it hurts. Now i don't know if this is true but someone from that group chat leaked that Eliott was supposed to have an episode but it was cut. If true it again highlights how stressors can make Eliott spiral and he may spiral again (S6) but again i don't know if that S5 spiral is true, so i'm not gonna go further into that.

So then there's the cheating conversation and Eliott gives his view and then answers Bas's question. He's aware of what he did to Lucille. He says he's not proud of it but he emphasises Lucas's importance to him. He does it again in S6 and he's hinged his mental health on it which is crucial. Again it's just Eliott being Eliott. A hipster view of humanity, and not really judging anybody in particular. Just a general statement of the human condition. I just feel it's Eliott wanting to see the better in everything and not label anyone specifically.

You do see though that oblivious nature to Eliott's perspective. Like he says this around Lucas who has huge abandonment issues. Now i must stress it's not Eliott's fault because Lucas shows with Arthur later on that he hasn't confided these fears in Eliott. So Eliott is kind of blind here. Like he's playing with Lucas's hair. He's not even talking about their relationship. So i feel bad for the attacks that happened on Eliott. But it sets up how Eliott being friends with Lola is going to lead to miscommunication and mistrust. And it's setting up when Lucas comes clean to Eliott about his fears how puzzled Eliott's going to be, how on another page Eliott is. And it's setting up Eliott finally declaring to Lucas himself how much he means to him.

Then as Lucas is talking to Arthur about Eliott, Eliott bursts in early in the morning super sunshine giving zero fucks cuddling and kissing Lucas. And it shows that divide right in front of Arthur. How Lucas is like all worried and stressed over Eliott straying and then a second later he's all loved up and happy and just pushes that shit to one side. Like Lucas literally turns it off and on in this scene. And Eliott has no idea his boyfriend feels like this. This is the definition of the love bubble. And look at how well Lucas's hides this. That scene shows it all. It also sets up Eliott having a friend in a girl (Lucas and pansexuality) and Lucas fearing that Eliott will find something better and leave Lucas, it sets up the movie spoiler and how Lucas will take it, and it sets up the abandonment issues coming to the forefront in S6. It sets up them both understanding just how much they've been afraid to share and it sets up them trying to keep the relationship in the honeymoon mode. They're basically afraid to be real.

Last we see of Eliott he is back in that building and partying and vibing being Eliott. He then paints another mural. This time it's a friendship mural. And cements Eliott's art being used as a theme for the season e.g. S3 love, S5 friendship, S6 connection (upcoming theory). He is used to wrap up Arthur's themes and motifs in his season (Arthur fixated on space and the cosmos and using his insta to reflect the vacumn and loneliness of being HOH) now Arthur is among this huge cosmos grounded through the connection of friendship. It sets up the completion of the gang being at the forefront of the show, it shows the importance of them in each others lives. But crucially it shows Eliott seperated from that. So it is here where we see that Eliott doesn't include himself in the mural. This is Eliott establishing himself as a lone wolf on the periphery of connection. That he also has a perspective because he's on the periphery of the group, which serves him in S6 and connects him to the story. That he's not insulated, so can navigate the bigger picture. Can see what the group can't. It also sets up no matter how deep the demons run in Eliott he can still see love, positivity and connection in the world. That he gives back through his art. So the friendship mural was a gift to the gang and because he loves Lucas and knows the place the gang have in Lucas's life. And he has never interferred in that, or felt threatened. We see how Lucas looks at him and the gratitute and love coming from him.

Then Lucas posts an insta of him and Eliott in front of the mural holding hands. We see that Lucas has brought Eliott into the mural to say you're important to me too. But we see that he's there through Lucas and not because he belongs there. We see that Eliott doesn't feel a place in this group. That he'll be at the big events but other than that Eliott may be yet to find his place, or it could just simply be that Eliott forms small connections and not big ones. And now in S6 with his friendship with Lola and what he said in the church about not being comfortable around people? I took that to mean large groups and i took it to mean Eliott expressing himself with his MI and largely being an introverted person, as introverted people can be drained by their environment.

Finally i just wanted to address what Maxence said in the recent interview about. "He's lonely" first of all i was sad because i feel deeply for Eliott, but i'm also trying to work out what this means. Does he mean Eliott's lonely right now, or always has been? Is it to do with Lucas spending a lot of time away from him and it's caused him to try to find a distraction of his own? Is it to do with his introverted nature? Is it to do with him wanting someone to understand him? Is this his arc, to accept that's it's ok to be alone and not feel shamed, or is it simply his mental illness making him feel out of step with everyone? I haven't worked it out yet as you can see all the questions. But i may do a seperate post on this at some point. But i do believe right now it adds to the S6 themes of insulation v isolation.

My final post will be about Eliott and Lola's friendship. Thanks for reading. 💜

[nedcanquen]

Chapter 10: Mr 7th Floor

When I posted Chapter 9 I mentioned that I applied to grad school. Well the good news is...I GOT IN! I had to once again move to a different country (in a different part of the world) and start my Masters. I’ve enjoyed it, but it was a huge adjustment for me, hence the long delay. Thank you so much to anyone still reading this and following this story. <3

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Tags: Slow Burn (like…really slow burn) - endgame is NedCan but they don’t get there directly, Single POV, Yep, Canada will date other people before endgame because he’s very desirable even if he doesn’t always know it, Audit firm AU, Office AU, some angst…

Pairings: NedCan (endgame), NorCan, implied NedDen, DenNor, implied Spamano, France/Jeanne d’Arc, GerIta

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 |  Chapter 6 | Chapter 7 | Chapter 8 | Chapter 9 | Chapter 10

Matthew is about ready to stop fucking crying already. But it’s therapy, so all he gets is a break until the next session, he supposes. Dr Laurinaithis is not fussed, he must have a closet full of tissue boxes in this job, and seen a few swimming pools worth of tears. Matthew doesn’t know how he feels about that, but he does feel like going through two boxes of tissue papers is too much, no matter how kind Dr. Laurinaithis is about it.  

It's a relief to leave the building, though he wishes that the lightness he’s supposed to feel after a huge cry was actually there. It’s not. Because he’s forced to talk about things out loud that he usually tries to hide from himself, he’s feeling raw. It occurs to him that he may need emotional support to even get through therapy. His mind jumps to Lukas, just because it had been his idea in the first place, and immediately dismisses it.

Sometimes the hard thing about a breakup wasn’t the breakup itself, but breaking the habits that had been formed before it. Matthew and Lukas had moved slow, but he had always been aware of him in a strong sense, and knew that Lukas was a reliable man and a good listener. Maybe that was why Lukas was the first person he had called when he panicked about Arthur. He feels embarrassed about that now, Arthur is a grown man who doesn’t need anyone to be regulating his drinking, and when did Matthew care about drinking this much? It wasn’t the drinking he had responded to, he knows that now, it was the realization of the loneliness Arthur would have had to have been experiencing to over-rely on a bottle. If Arthur were still his direct Manager, Matthew would have found him and kept him company. As it was, not he never really knew where Arthur was in the world at any point of time, or if he would be welcome, or if Arthur the Partner would have any time for him, so he tried to get other people to make sure that Arthur was cared for. It’s a strange thing, Matthew doesn’t even do this for his own father, and his mother has never needed help. He’s always felt like the soft and vulnerable one in his family, but Arthur respected that, somehow teaching him how to succeed in this firm despite wanting to hide from the world sometimes.

Maybe it’s time to visit Mom. Except he feels bad for burdening her with his insecurities, and moving to the city and thriving here is supposed to be proof that he’s grown up now, all her hard work was worth it. She would see right through him the moment he walked through the door.

As he climbs into his car he looks at his now terrible reflection in the mirror. Not good, Arthur's farewell do is in a couple of hours. He really didn't plan this out very well, but Dr Laurinaithis‘ first available appointment had been today and sometimes Matthew was a little too efficient with getting through his to do list. He pulls out the wet wipes he keeps in the glove compartment and runs it over his face, hoping the cool and damp cloth will do something about the obvious swelling around his eyes and nose.

He can blame it on allergies. Yeah why not. They were going to a park after all.

But first, time to pick up Shell.

He knows the way to her place so he drives there almost on autopilot. She wouldn't be fooled by the “allergies”excuse, so he'll probably have to come clean to her about therapy. The idea makes his stomach clench, he knows objectively that Michelle wouldn;t judge him, but therapy is still something intensely personal. But still, shouldn’t he give her a chance? Friendship was also about vulnerability. Then again, she was also a colleague, and he doesn’t want their friendship to make her work more difficult. She just saved him from a terrible meeting earlier in the week, and now he wonders if she'll question his ability to work and lead, if his lack of promotion somehow pushed him off an edge.

Matthew takes a deep breath and decides to get on with it. She’ll notice or she won’t.

He drives up and sees her standing in front of her apartment, grinning at him in a light blue dress, and waving excitedly at his car. He cracks a smile at that. He's just thrown on an old red t-shirt and a pair of jeans, it's a barbecue after all and he'd rather not have his better clothes stained with fat and smoke.

The moment she gets in the car, her face drops. Yep, no fooling Shell. He opens his mouth to try to explain but finds he can't really.

Michelle squeezes his shoulder. “Matt… are you…” but maybe because he couldn't say anything, she opts not to either, and just leans in to hug him.

There's a moment of guilt where Matthew feels terrible for bringing her mood down, guilt that he can't admit something that is nothing to be ashamed of, but he appreciates the hug and leans into it all the same. Somehow it’s a little better.

“Sorry to worry you Shell, I just had a rough morning, I'll be fine.” Her hair smells like coconuts and there’s some part of him that thinks of warm island breezes and white sands, far away from his problems here.

When they pull back, she tilts her head, pondering. “Matt I didn’t want to bring it up earlier because I wasn’t sure if it would help and you didn’t seem to want to talk about it, and I’ve always looked up to you. But I feel like I have to say something. You’ve been through a lot lately, and you've been holding it together really well. Sometimes I don't know why you're still even in the team instead of running off to a well deserved island break. Francis would deserve it. And Lukas I mean… have you had a chance to talk about Lukas? And you invited him today so...Look Matt, no one will think less of you if you’re selfish for-.”

“I don't want to talk about it right now Shell.” He’s exhausted, he's talked all morning. “Thanks, really. It’s just that… trust me I'm talking a lot.”

She doesn’t press, and Matthew is glad, but she does pat his arm. “That’s great, but...I’m here too if you need me you know. Also, I would totally make up a good excuse for you if you decide you need to leave early today. You’re the one who told me that rest doesn’t mean weakness, it’s just strength in the long run.”

How did he come up with these things? “It’s a marathon, not a sprint.” He repeats out loud, but in his head he hears Arthur say it, because that’s who he had learned it from. Sure, Arthur wasn’t great at living by the occasional wisdom he managed to say out loud (and read in a book somewhere), but that didn’t mean it wasn’t wisdom. It was Arthur who showed him that you trudged on, no matter the difficulty or tears. He’s seen Arthur fight through insecurity and frustration with little to no guidance to rise on his own.. It’s another reason why Matthew has to turn up, has to celebrate his day with everyone. Arthur was the first person whom he felt had really seen the value in him and invested time into him. He’s a big reason why Matthew is the professional he is today.

“Yeah.” Michelle replies with a worried smile.

First they stop off at the florist to collect the flowers that Michelle had ordered. Gardening was one of Arthur’s passions, though Matthew wasn’t sure how many people remembered that anymore. These flowers wouldn’t imitate a garden, but they would be the closest they could get to recreating a happy space for Arthur.

Under Michelle’s guidance they had outdone themselves. Somehow, Michelle had secured two barbecue pits in the park. Jack and Gerard  from Daan and Arthur’s team were cooking up a storm, and as far as Matthew could figure out - took barbecues very very seriously. But it’s exactly what Matthew had previously envisioned - children ran around on the green, playing with each other. The open air and casual atmosphere made everyone relax, the flowers they were setting up made everything look that much more festive. Although, the lack of beer at a barbecue was perhaps a little obvious and noticeable.

“Juice?” Ha strolls up with a grin, holding two cartons of orange juice in hand.

Oh man...they’re never going to hear the end of this.

“Or…” Ha grins “Are we holding out for the sparkling juice?” The alcohol-free ‘champagne’ - still get the pop, but no kick. For the purposes of the day, Michelle branded it “child’s wine.”

Matthew grins, “No reason not to have both.”

All the Partners are late, which doesn’t surprise anyone. It seemed to be a regular code of conduct to allow the rest of the staff to enjoy each other’s company before the bosses came in. What was surprising however, was who arrived next.

“How come there’s no music at this party?” Mathias grins as he walks in with Emil, rolling in a cart of danishes and other delicious foods. Just how much were they going to eat today?

“Mathias? Hi.” Matthew waves. Why was he here? Was it weird to feel like he and Mathias were kinda friends? Even though they didn’t know each other very well and had met under very convoluted circumstances. “Oh wow these kids are going to be on a sugar high all day today.” He doesn’t know how Arthur will feel about rowdy children - he knows the man loves kids but generally in an unrealistic way.

“That’s the plan!” Michelle laughs.

Matthew nods and walks around, greeting everyone but ultimately he’s just looking for a bench to sit on while everyone else is occupied. He lets the sound of happy children trill behind him as he takes in the view of people simply enjoying their lives on the green. He breathes in deeply, and lets his breath out, calming his mind and thinking about nothing in particular. When he finds his empty bench, he sits and muses a little. He realizes that he’s not changed as much as he thinks - he’s generally known who he is. But at the same time, he feels born anew, like he’s stumbling to figure out the world all over again for the first time. He thought he had it figured out, he’s been doing what some invisible societal book out there tells him he has to do, that Arthur had mastered, and the book wasn’t wrong per se, but it was wrong to deny him himself. As Dr Laurinaithis (Toris, he had told him to call him Toris - Matthew can only imagine how he must have butchered the man’s name) gently told him this morning - it’s about learning to rephrase, to be present, to be conscious and aware. Matthew is focused on what he hasn’t achieved, and not so much on what he has.

Easier said than done really. It’s one thing to understand the logic of doing that, it’s another to be personally sold on it. So he’ll start with baby steps - if he doesn’t feel comfortable with something, he won’t just push down that feeling, he’ll process it. Maybe Shell is right, maybe he needs a trip…

“Didn’t think you’d be the one to judge a party without alcohol.”

Matthew is jarred out of his thoughts by a somewhat concerned looking Daan, who’s holding a cup of orange juice in his hand.

Daan looks like he’s about to say something with his trademark dryness but stops. His expression shifts from glib to concerned. “Hey…” He doesn’t finish his thought though, Daan casts a nervous look behind at the party for a moment, then looks down with a sigh. He silently comes over to sit next to Matthew on the bench.

Matthew tries to saw something to dismiss the concern, some greeting, to steel himself to stand and join the party. But he’s just too tired. Instead he asks “I look that bad huh?” It’s not much of a question.

Daan doesn’t bother to voice the obvious, and offers the orange juice instead. “I haven’t had any.”

“No thanks.”

They sit in silence for a moment, and Matthew is glad. He’s glad he doesn’t have to explain himself, but he’s not happy that Daan has seen him like this. There’s nowhere to escape in a park though, so he may as well just sit here. Anyway, Daan’s presence has its advantages, like giving him a further excuse not to go back to the party. And now that he’s free to just return to his silence, Matthew finds himself observing Daan when the other leans over, resting his arms on his knees, sipping from his cup. He remembers what Lukas said, about Daan having to give away a project, about Daan going through a weird transition right now.

He can’t see a shred of evidence of it anywhere.

Matthew takes a breath “How do you do it?”

“Hmm?”

“Arthur drinks, I...well I work out and occasionally go hiking, but I’m obviously not dealing with my troubles well because you took one look at my face and decided it’s better not to drag me back to the party. But you, you’ve never looked weak, no one would look at you and go ‘hey...maybe I shouldn’t promote him, I don’t want to be guilty of manslaughter.’”

Daan let’s out an annoyed huff. Matthew observes him as Daan sits up and straightens himself. “I’m pretty sure you saw me during a pretty rough patch at least once. Like that night you brought Emil to Mathias’ cafe. Man...that was a really shitty time. I was doing a pretty good job at denying just how shitty it was just two days before that, but there’s nothing quite like enforced quiet solitude on a 24-hour flight to make you realize how much you’re not going to be able to lie to yourself about this one.”

Daan’s voice is filled with so much...regret? Matthew doesn’t realize he’s reached out until he’s squeezing Daan’s arm in reassurance. They both tense with the contact, and Matthew quickly withdraws his hand. Stupid stupid stupid. “Sorry.” He mumbles, though he’s not sure what exactly he’s sorry for.

Daan doesn’t move, he just stares at the grass. “I trust my people.”

Matthew screws up his face in confusion. What did Daan’s team have to do with anything?

“Arthur drinks; you work out and hike; I have pets, a sister who can’t ever stop mocking me to remind me that I’m not that great, a baby brother who somehow looks up to me enough that it balances out her mocking, a friend who makes sure I’m fed and will drag me out of my door kicking and screaming if needs be to just...cycle somewhere, a…” Daan stops suddenly and frowns, squeezing the bridge of his nose and taking a deep breath, which he lets out. “You get the idea. I have people that I trust, to see me like that, like this - the way you saw me when I forgot my keys. I didn’t always have them, I didn’t always appreciate them, but I get by because I have them. I’m not a particularly social man, but I have a community that’s mine. That’s how I do it.” Daan stands from the bench and Matthew’s eyes can’t help but follow him, looking up and Daan turns. “You do too. And so does Arthur to be honest, neither of you are the lone wolves you try to be.”

Matthew laughs. “Lone wolf? Me?”

Daan shrugs. “We never really knew each other until recently, but I remember seeing you around before. Always in a group with other associates, usually with either Michelle or Ha, or…well, leaving birthday cupcakes on Arthur’s desk in the early hours of morning...”

Matthew’s eyes widen, Daan had seen that?

“Made me jealous to be honest,” Daan continues. “No one’s ever left me cupcakes.”

Matthew laughs. “Your housemate makes damn good danishes.”

“Well yes, but let’s be honest here, he’s never really made them for me, I just happened to be around. Besides, is a danish a cupcake?”

Matthew shakes his head and rolls his eyes fondly. Honestly.

“My point is,” Daan adds pointedly. “You have a community. Let them help you. Not saying hiking isn’t a good coping mechanism though.”

Matthew finds himself feeling a little lighter, and able to stand to return to the party. He looks up at Daan’s concerned face and smiles. “Thanks for the pep talk.” Daan is really really good at his job - who knew that this guy could give good talks like this? No wonder his team did so well.

Daan nods and looks behind him. “You want to join the party? Or should I make up an excuse?”

Matthew turns and observes the party too. It’s happy, pleasant and perfect - Michelle’s magic in full displace. “I don’t want to ruin it by bringing down the mood, Shell worked so hard. But I haven’t quite reached the point where it’s polite to leave yet. I should at least speak to Arthur. It’s crazy, I haven’t really talked to him at all lately.”

Daan’s tapping his fingers on the back of the bench, and Matthew doesn’t look at him, expecting him to leave at any moment. But instead, Daan surprises him.

“Want company or to be alone? Lukas will text me when they’re about to arrive, no one’s going to hold it against you if you sit out here. You’ve already greeted everyone.”

“I…” Both? Matthew wants Daan right next to him, a solid presence on a day when Matthew feels cast out at sea, riding on tumultuous waves of his stamped down emotions. He also doesn’t want to be a burden.

“Right, don’t worry. Take your time.”

“Wait!”

Daan pauses in his stride surprised. He must have presumed that Matthew’s reluctance to speak was out of politeness, not indecision.

“I don’t mind company I’m just not great company myself right now so, it’s really up to you. I’m sure you have schmoozing to do.”

Daan casts a skeptical look at the party. “I see them practically everyday. I don’t mind some quiet. They’re all in love with Mathias anyway, I’ll give him a chance to keep charming his regulars, uninterrupted.”

Matthew can’t help but laugh. “So he knows everyone?”

Daan shrugs. “Well whenever we have a party we tend to buy food from him, so by now, yeah.”

“I distinctly remember him telling you that night at the cafe, that PKDE was your life, not his.”

Daan lets out a snort and a little laugh. Matthew likes that little laugh, a little too much. He churns inside because no.

No. No. No.

Nononononononono…

“Sometimes when I piss him off he says things yeah, but he’s such a softy now you have no idea.”

For lack of anything else to say (because he’s afraid to say anything), Matthew just replies, “Tell me.”

So Daan does, and Matthew looks down at the grass seeing nothing because he knows he’s gone and done something even more irrevocably stupid. It was inevitable really, just a matter of time, and he had been in so much denial because he hadn’t wanted to stop himself. But was there really any other way that this was going to go for him? He can’t even hide it from himself anymore.

He’s in love.

[jinkisbelly]

Kiss Drabbles : Jongyu

Alright, so there was this like prompt post thing about kisses and I started these back in January, like.. one a day or something and while I failed at that, these are the Jongyu ones I have done. There will be an Onkey, Ontae and Onho post once I’m done with those lol Each is separate au but will have ratings and w/c and warnings. 

Overall: 2.6k, rating from like pg to pg13 post coitus/makeout session.  There are six in total.

Hot, Steamy Kiss (pg-13, w/c 365 idk warning alcohal)

Jonghyun had to admit that making out with an almost stranger in a classmates’ pantry felt very 7th grade playing seven minutes in heaven. The way the other boy was kissing him was a lot MORE than the nervous teeth clacking he remembered 7th-grade kissing experience consisted of. Besides, with the warm tingly sensation of the few rum and cokes he had in his system and how cute his making out partner was, he couldn’t find a real reason to complain. The boy’s name was on the tip of his tongue. Coincidently so was the boy’s tongue as he pressed forward.

Kibum’s parents had gone to France or maybe Italy. Jonghyun couldn’t recall with how his ass was being palmed firmly. Something uncomfortable was poking into his back, but then the boy grunted roughly when his hair was pulled and the object was forgotten for the time being. The boy pulled away, just long enough to pull Jonghyun’s bottom lip between his teeth, before he was lifting Jonghyun up against the pantry’s build in shelves. There was the taste of beer on his lips that he hadn’t drunk himself.

Jinki! That was his name. The boy from that Women’s History class he took last semester to fulfill his upper history requirement for graduation. He wrapped his legs loosely around Jinki’s hips, pushing his fingers into his long hair that was falling slowly from the messy bun he had in it. As he tightened his fingers very roughly, Jinki growled and it made his toes curl in his boots. How much time had even passed n- Oh sweet baby Jesus that had to be illegal.

Then he felt the rush of air, heard the full volume of the party as the door was pulled open, but their kissing didn’t stop. His tongue was halfway in Jinki’s mouth probably when Kibum finally whistled loudly and they both rushed apart, flushed.

It was sometime later that Jinki pressed a napkin into his palm with a charming smile. “If you want more than just seven minutes in heaven, beautiful.”

He was gone by the time Jonghyun looked down to figure out it was his phone number.

Underwater Kiss ( Pg, w/c 484, happens before both parts of Atlantis Au, a  month before Jonghyun meets Taemin)

Jinki’s hands were warm pressed against him as he held him tightly. The bracelet on the Atlantian’s wrist blocked out the coolness of the deeper water of the lagoon and allowed them to not worry about needing air to breathe. Jinki grinned brightly, the warm sunlight filtering through the blue water reaching them dimly. He looked up for a moment and Jonghyun pressed his face into his neck as he swam toward the surface, one arm held tightly around Jonghyun’s waist. As they broke the surface Jonghyun pushed bits of Jinki’s hair from his face, smiling fondly as Jinki’s face scrunched rather cutely with the brightness of the sun fully hitting him now. “The warmth of that great ball of fire doesn’t negate the unnecessity of the brightness.”

“Are you being a grumpy old man again?”

The frown on Jinki’s face deepened. “I apologize for not being from this century.”

“You kiss well for someone that’s over a thousand years old.”

“Oh, is that so?”

Jonghyun giggled as Jinki dipped to kiss at his neck, before growing gloom. “I wish I could return with you once again.”

“As do I,” Jinki’s voice was slightly muffled with how close he was pressing his face into him. “But there’s only a few more months of my time before you will be down there with me forever.”

“Oh Jinki,” He breathed out quickly. When Jinki rose his gaze again, he was kissed rather roughly, “I love you so much. I’m so lucky to have met you, to be invited into your world. You know I appreciate everything you’ve ever risked for me... For us.”

“I’d give you the entire world Jonghyun. You must know that.”

Before Jonghyun could respond, the church bells over the crest of the hill in the distance chimed, signaling it is six. “I must go, Baby.”

“I will be thinking of you until the next time I can have you within my arms once again, my love.” Jinki pressed one more gentle kiss to his lips before smiling. “I love you.”

“I love you more.”

Jinki watched as he swam to the shore and up the dirt path to the grass-covered hill at the top. Jonghyun smiled so beautifully as he looked back and waved, the wind blowing softly through his hair, the sun for once using it’s light for something of a wonder as fell across his pretty features. It was only when he was out of sight Jinki lowered into the water. He would take every moment he had to take him in, for he wasn’t sure how long it would be until he saw him again.

As he twisted through the hole at the bottom of the lagoon that led to the greater ocean, he smiled remembering not too long in the future he would be taking the final trip down to his home with the love of his life.

Jawline Kiss (Pg, w/c 367, happens after this old au [x] but before [x] again all you really need to know is Jinki is an Elf, Jjong human (both princes) and their races/cultures are at war with each other(brief mention of.. death?)

Jonghyun had seen Jinki take out half a regiment of men by himself. His hands an instrument of death and destruction if he willed them to be, but as they moved over his waist and down his hips, pulling him back, he couldn’t view them as such. He was so soft, almost delicate,as if he was afraid he would break him if he touched too hard. For the time being that was. Jinki tugged him back against him, holding him close with his arms around his waist and his chin on Jonghyun’s shoulder. He managed to kiss his neck and then his jaw. “I woke up and you were gone from the cot. I grew worried.”

“Why did you do it?”

“Do what?”

“Save me.”

Jinki smiled a little, an amused tilt in his voice as he asked, “Which time?”

“The first. Against your people.”

Silence fell between them for some time before Jonghyun twisted in the hold to look up at him. Jinki’s eyes were quick to lock with his own, “Is the reason not obvious enough?”

“I wouldn’t have asked if it was.”

“It’s the same reason as all the other times.” Jinki cupped his cheek, still holding him close with the other arm. “Because I love you. And my kind only falls in love once. I couldn’t… choose anything over you. I won’t.”

“You only fall in love once?”

“I have been with many people in my life, but I’ve never been able to fall in love with any of them.” Jinki pressed soft kisses up his jaw until his lips were brushing the curve of his ear. “Until you, Stardust.”

“I never knew.”

“There’s much about me you have yet to learn.” Jinki smiled, “Now, come back to bed. We have a long ride ahead of us tomorrow.”

As he curved against Jinki’s side, walking back to their tent a short ways away, Jonghyun commented, “You almost sound excited to meet my Father.”

“Oh, not excited.” Jinki hummed. “Just… intrigued.”

“Scared?”

Jinki scuffed as he held the flap open for him, letting him slip through. ‘I’m not scared of any human. Except you, when you’re pissed at me.”

Jonghyun snorted. “Good boy.”

Kiss in the Rain ( pg, w/c 340, set during the epilogue of Bring Us Home AU if you go to read the main fic just know theres a lot of PTSD stuff involved)

They managed to get off the rowboat they rented and made a mad dash to the boathouse to hide from the rain, but more people were gathering in the limited space. Jinki grabbed his wrist, stopping him from continuing. He smile widely as Jonghyun looked back at him as they stood in the middle of the downpour. “What are you doing?”

“We’re already soaked.” Jinki giggled and Jonghyun paused for a moment, startled before he softened at the beauty of Jinki’s glee. “What’s a little more rain?”

“We’ll get sick.” Jonghyun frowned, pushing his hair from his face with his free hand. Then he sighed, avoiding Jinki’s gaze. “I’m sorry.”

“What for?”

“I had this entire day planned for weeks and I just-” He looked at the ground, at the puddle of mud beginning to accumulate around their feet in the edge of the grass. “I forgot to check the weather and our date… it’s ruined, Babe.”

“As long as I am with you, nothing is ruined,” Jinki said as quietly as he could after stepping close so his lips were against Jonghyun’s ear.

In a blink of an eye, Jonghyun was clinging to him, pressing his nose into his neck, “I just wanted to give you something back that was the same. I wanted you to not worry about anything just for one afternoon.”

Dazed, it took Jinki a moment to understand what he meant, but once it dawned on him, he swallowed down the lump in his throat. “Hey, hey come on look at me.” Once Jonghyun had, Jinki took his face between his hands, thumbs moving on his cheeks. “Oh, you sweet little man.” And then he was pressing their lips together, shifting until his arms were tight around Jonghyun’s thin waist. The rain was a bit cold and the way their clothes were plastered to their skin felt uncomfortable, but the kisses were warm and familiar, comforting, and it stopped Jinki from getting too emotional over how much he felt Jonghyun’s love for him.

Stomach Kiss (Pg, w/c 712, Set between [x] and [x]  Where Jjongs trans, Jinki’s nonbinary and they’re expecting. This is their I want to raise the baby discussion around month 4 and a half. Warning for conversation mentioning abortion, body dysphoria if that bothers or makes you uncomfy.)

“Hey, Sweetums?” Jonghyun slowly looked up from his stomach where his fingers were gently moving over the taut skin to find Jinki across the way bent over their history paper due the following week. There was a soft, uncommitted hum, and Jonghyun frowned. “Jinki.”

Slowly, they put their pencil down and twisted, a soft, yet tired smile on their face. “Yes, Baby boy?”

“Can we talk?”

Jinki looked back at their spread of textbooks and their laptop and then again at Jonghyun before they had their back toward him for a moment. Then they were standing and turning the desk light off, climbing over the bed until they were hovering a little over him. Jinki smiled sweetly, playing with a curl of Jonghyun’s hair as they softly asked, “Is something bothering you?”

“Have you thought about…” Jonghyun’s eyes fluttered a little as he took a deep breath, moving his left hand to gesture in the general area of his stomach.

“What I want to do after?” Jonghyun could only manage a small nod. Jinki hummed quietly, before resting gently beside him. They reached over and intertwined their fingers with Jonghyun’s left hand, smiling, “I have a bit actually. Is that what you want to talk about?”

“Yeah.”

“Do you want to go first?” Jonghyun shook his head quickly, and Jinki was quick to squeeze his hand. “Alright, I’ll go.” They flashed a quick smile, meant to be reassuring, before speaking again. Their eyes flicked to Jonghyun’s ever-growing belly before hesitantly placing their hand flat upon it, moving their thumb across the bare skin. “When you told me you were pregnant the first thought through my head was we should end it. My feelings about having children didn’t really matter at that moment. You and your body’s integrity did. However, now, I…”

As their voice trailed off Jonghyun picked up, guessing how Jinki had meant to finish it. “You want to keep them, don’t you sweetums?”

“I love them, Jonghyun.” Jinki had such a beautiful expression on their face. All soft, fond eyes, just a hint of a smile on their lips as they gazed upon the growing child they both made. “They’re made of little parts of each of us, the best parts. The beautiful parts that I haven’t tarnished. If you didn’t want… don’t want to keep them, I’ll understand. At least in time.” Then their head lifted to look at Jonghyun. “I don’t want my thoughts and desires to cloud your feelings and ultimate stance on this. We both have to agree wholeheartedly.”

“This entire experience feels… unlike me.” Jonghyun squeezed his eyes shut, letting his head fall back against the headboard of their bed. “I never wanted to experience pregnancy. I never wanted to have my body doing something viewed so feminine and womanly.”

“I know, Baby.”

“But I’ve always wanted children and I’ve seen myself raising children with you for a very long time. I just thought it would be through adoption.” Jonghyun pressed his lips together in a thin line before he opened his eyes to find Jinki’s looking at him. Wide, nervous, but vulnerable. Everything about them was open and understanding and it made Jonghyun want to cry. “What I’m saying Jinki, is that through everything I’m so happy it was you this happened with. I don’t think I could get through it with anyone else. I don’t want to raise a child with anyone else.”

Jinki bit into their lower lip to stop the damn thing from trembling too much, as if they tears threatening to spill over their lashes wasn’t going to give them away. “You want to raise this baby with me?”

Jonghyun squeezed Jinki’s thigh, “I do Sweetums. I want to keep them. They’re ours.”

In very quick moments, Jinki was pressing soft kisses all over Jonghyun’s face. Jonghyun giggled quietly as they did so. Then they pressed a long kiss to his stomach, smiling from ear to ear. “Your Za can’t wait to meet you.”

“Za, huh?”

Jinki’s cheeks were such a pretty shade of pink in the light from the lamp on the table. “I looked up gender-neutral parent names. Just in case.”

“You’re so fucking cute, Sweetums.”

“Shh, language~” Jonghyun snorted as Jinki giggled at their joke.

Chest Kiss (pg-13 because they nakey and post coitus. w/c 344. Star wars au, but after every part, I’ve posted so UH, here’s the tag if you’re interested)  

They should be getting up soon to clean up. Both had a Council meeting to attend once they landed on Coruscant, but with the clock flashing on the wall that they had another hour before they dropped out of hyperspace, they figured they could relish in the small moments after making love most of the time they aren’t given the luxury of having. The blanket was behind him, pushed back when he had climbed into Jinki’s lap. The man’s braids were becoming frizzy and coming undone in parts, and Jonghyun made a mental note to redo it for him before they landed. Content in the warmth and presence of the other in the force, Jonghyun ran his fingers over Jinki’s chest softly but stopped as he felt the raised skin of a rather large scar across his pectorals. “How did you get this one?”

“A nasty encounter with spice smugglers a few years back.”

“Oh, that’s right.” He looked up and gave him a sweet kiss. “I do wish you were more careful. I see you more in the Halls of healing than I do alone outside in the Temple.”

“Ever thought I might keep going just to see you?” Jinki grinned, and Jonghyun deemed it illegal across the entire galaxy to look that good post-coitus. “Besides, we just had a two-month long negotiation between the rebels and the Senator on Ryloth. Doesn’t that count?”

“Telling the Senator I did not wish to be pleased with a woman ‘gifted’ to me for the night nine different times was not what I meant by spending time with you.”

“Mm, you’re right. I apologize.” Jinki tilted his head to the left, puzzlement on his expression.

“What?”

“How come the force allowed you to be so beautiful, dear one?”

Jonghyun swatted at his chest from where his hand had still been resting, “Oh do shut up.”

“Ow, that hurt.”

With a sigh, Jonghyun leaned down slightly to press a few soft kisses against Jinki’s chest. “Does that make it better, Love?”

“Quite so, Master Jedi.”  

[pyramidrentals4-blog]

Unique Places to Get Married in Maryland - A Guide

One of the hardest things to do when planning your special day is to spend hours scouring the internet looking for a unique, classy, and un-used location for your wedding. I've spent the past two days in searching for that oh so elusive perfect spot. I'm going to save you all the trouble I went through and compile all the spots I found through obscure Google searches and message boards and put these locations in one place. Welcome to your one stop shop for unique wedding locations all over Maryland. For your convince I've put them into genre such as "Castle Theme", "Relaxed Theme", etc. so if you're really in a knot, you don't have to spend your whole day looking when you could be finding the perfect pair of shoes to go with your dress. Here we go:

Castles:

Cloisters Castle: This private home that was commissioned and completed in a twenty seven year span screams with uniqueness. From the exterior built of Butler gold and gray stone, gables taken from a medieval house in France as well as medallions from a 16th century Venetian home, it's a work of architectural brilliance. Located in Luthersville, MD this venue is surrounded by sixty acres of trees and a lovely garden. Its insides are furnished with authentic medieval pieces and antique furniture. The fireplace was even commissioned to be built from an antique chest carved with Renaissance figures. Famously, it was the site of actor Will Smith's and Jada Pinkett's wedding in 1998 but that hasn't put a damper on the delightful and unforgettable atmosphere the house creates. Either the outside or the inside can be made available and there is only one event per day, allowing your day to be uninterrupted in its magic. The fee for rental allows for up to ten hours on the grounds and more time can negotiated through the contract via an extra hour's fee. The venue comfortably fits 175 guests and as a bonus the staff acts as your wedding planner directing set-up, timing, and valet parking.

Maryvale Castle : Functioning as a preparatory school, Maryvale Castle boasts huge grounds complete with wedding chapel if the bride doesn't envision herself walking down the castle's much talked of grand winding staircase. Built in 1917 in Greenspring Valley, MD, this treasure houses an oak-paneled Great Hall, a solarium, and a bridal suite. A stone manor house sweeping off in both directions takes its influences from Warwick Castle in England with its Gothic arched windows, port cochere, and imposing gray towers. A rental agreement includes four hours of time which includes the rehearsal time and full use of the property. However, because it is still a working school, hours on the weekdays are more restricted than weekends. With an indoor guest capacity of 125 people and an outdoor capacity of 200, this venue is worth the strict appointment-only tour.

Mansions:

Montpelier Mansion: A mansion straight out of a Jane Austin piece, this brick Georgian structure sits on seventy acres of land flanked by dogwood trees. Built between 1781 and 1785 this national historic landmark is open to the public for tours and festivities and once housed George Washington and his wife Martha. It is also home to an uncommonly found 18th century summer house which is beautifully preserved. The maximum capacity inside and outside is somewhat small, eighty-five guests total, but the unique floor plan with crown molding and period furniture lends itself to an opulent and old-fashioned charm all its own. For people set on a Sunday wedding this venue isn't for you as they don't allow rentals on Sundays, however, having free reign over this delicate place is well worth the date change. Located in Laurell this mansion radiates country elegance akin to many a bride's favorite novel, complete with circular stone driveway.

Glenveiw Mansion: Situated in Rockville, MD as part of a Rockville Civic Center Park the house is within the neoclassical tradition sporting pillars and an infinite number of beautiful black shuttered windows looking out over the lawn. The dining room is veiled in class and luxury as are its floor-to-ceiling dark paneled wooden walls and long oval windows. The conservatory shines with old-fashioned chandeliers whose light bounces off the Italian green marble floors. The rest of the house is touched with intricate details pertaining to the period in which it was first built housing a number of turn of the century, one- of- a- kind antiques sure to make any wedding memorable. Maximum capacity for this venue is 225 guests and amount charged allows for two hours of set-up and one hour of clean-up. Some strict drawbacks to possible brides are the impossibilities of seated dining, no cooking allowed on-site, and no red-dyed beverages of any kind.

Stronghold Mansion: On top of Sugarloaf Mountain in Dickerson, MD the completely white mansion with pillars and latticed widow's peak lends itself to the country simplicity surrounding it. The straight lawns emphasize the well designed rock walls that glide around the property housing a variety of elegant but simple flora and fauna normally seen in a country garden. The shimmering, circular lake to the side of the house has large willow trees surrounding it and making a path towards the house itself where the architecture inside matches the outside in its refined gentile decor. A standard contract allows for 7 hours and includes set-up and clean-up times. . Additional hours can be negotiated. Maximum number of guests in attendance is 200 and the rental includes 40 by 57 inch tent over the patio and can be added on to encompass the lake area as well. Parking is limited as there are only 85 spots available and clearly marked by the owners , small shuttle buses are permitted.

Liriodendron Mansion: An 1898 ornate masterpiece encompassed by a landscape dripping with flowers, this antique summer home in Harford County leaves nothing unchecked in your imagination. Whether it's the Grecian old-world architecture built around intricate carvings, urns of flowers and stone pillars, or the wisteria vines that form a canopy over the porch for a otherworldly rehearsal dinner, the house is awash in magic all its own. The Palladian styled mansion reminds guests of a fairyland surrounded by woods and fountains with a variety of romantic stone sculptures throughout the grounds. Maximum capacity is 150 guests outside, 100 guests inside with seating and there are plenty of guests parking. The renter has a choice of 6.5 hrs on weekdays where as on weekends they must choose between both rental times and party times in a wide selection of choices. Wedding rehearsals are extra payment as well as table and chair rental fees, but this is no different from most other venues.

Tudor Place: This home to Martha Washington's late granddaughter, Martha Custic Peter, is bursting at the seams with rich history and warm, comfortable elegance. The house itself was built in 1805 by Dr. William Thorton who was also famous for building the first United States Capital and The Octagon building in Washington, DC. Inside the house there are over one hundred objects belonging to George and Martha Washington and it's all been documented in an archived collection of letters, diaries, books, and photographs. As far as guests, the mansion can hold up to 35 guests for a wedding ceremony and for parties over 35 guests they must pay extra. This venue is for ceremonies only and the reservation includes an hour block of time for that ceremony. They also have their own on sight photography for a fee.

Ceresville Mansion: With a variety of ceremony options to suit any bride as well as an in-house consultant to coordinate everything smoothly, this Mansion comes with superior services. Whether the perfect wedding uses their white Grecian Pergola surrounded by dogwoods in bloom, or the terrace climbing with Ivy and backlit with candles shimmering over the reflecting lily pool, it will be something to remember. The white and black sweeping Cape Cod style home was built in 1888 alongside rivers, hillsides, and a ten acre meadow also open for events. Much of the original architecture as well as the antique furniture and fireplace are still the same as 1888. This venue has everything covered in the rental fee from seven hours of event coordination to all the outside details a catering company would normally provide like linens and a dance floor. Every Thursday evening they also offer an unusual wedding discount for those on a budget and cut the price nearly in half for the same services as a Friday or Saturday wedding event. The venue can provide for up to 200 guests and also gives a complimentary list of Food and Beverage minimum pricing so it is free of confusion and out of the way.

Inns and Taverns:  Flower Wall Rental Los Angeles

Slades Inn and Tavern: A Victorian dream painted in lively light blues and dark blues, this Inn sets itself apart with two matching circular turrets, high brick chimneys and a white wrap-around porch that Anne of Green Gables would envy. The laid-back romantic space is in Fredrick, MD a few minutes away from Baltimore. The land is dappled with greenery and horses while the exciting night-life and history of the city are in close proximity. Enjoy an easy day as all the guests are accommodated with places to stay after the reception and perhaps even stay past the ceremony for a honeymoon to enjoy hot air ballooning or a carriage tour. From beginning to end of that extraordinary day, Slade's takes care of everything from "his and hers" massages, bridal party hair and makeup sessions, as well as brunches and teas. Indoor buffet seating is for 100 guests whereas larger parties can be accommodated with tents for seated dinners and dancing for up to 150. Once the party is over, guests too busy having fun can tumble up to their rooms leaving the bride and groom clear and free of worry.

[lizzybeth1986]

Quick Thoughts on DD Book 1 Chapter 4

• Jesus, this book is expensive.

• Like I assumed Chapter 3's one accomplishment-one-or-two-LIs-or-a-family-member thing would be a one-off, just to introduce us into the system/ease us into the story, but no...they've (sort of) repeated it this chapter. I was hoping they would spread out the accomplishments at least, but perhaps they want us to have at least most of the accomplishments worked out before we leave for London.

• I really hope this doesn't become a regular thing because it will only cause players to lose interest in the books for lack of affordability, in the long run. As it is the book largely caters to a niche audience...alienating that audience by having them lose of on half the story won't bode well for the book.

• Title: Best Foot Forward. Man, this one is easy. Of course it refers to dancing. And quite a lot of dancing is done this chapter, that's for sure!

• Sooo...the Earl has decided to introduce us into society in Edgewater with a garden party. Lots of hobnobbing, some dancing, a few games and you meet at least one 'suitor'.

• Did You Know: According to writer and garderner Kim Wilson, who wrote a book titled In the Garden with Jane Austen, gardens were viewed as markers of social status. In an interview with The Scotsman, she says, "each family's garden reflected not only their needs but, if they had enough money, their social aspirations". The poor cottagers of the time were mostly concerned with growing food and having a place to keep their chickens whereas wealthier families would have had kitchen gardens, but also often extensive pleasure grounds, which were places to display their wealth and taste. (from an article about Jane Austen's love for gardens in The Scotsman).

• Last chapter had us learning (optionally) the art of the fan from our Lady Grandmother, so it makes sense that what happens in this chapter is this:

Lololol just kidding.

• So the chapter begins with the MC and Briar talking. Briar is excited about the fact that a Duke (who, she reminds us, is "one step below a Prince Regent"), and the MC can either choose to be excited or very confident. Interestingly, if you're excited, she reminds you to "not forget your roots", which I think is a recurring theme in this book. After all, that was the last thing the MC's mother told her on her deathbed.

• Dominique enters the room and both she and Briar present us with a pretty pink lace dress that is sure to improve both our social standing and catch everyone's eye at this introductory garden party.

• It looks quite pretty, actually. But that's because I love lace.

• We head downwards, finding Annabelle performing for herself in the foyer and having a thoroughly good time.

• I'm wondering if I should have a tally for the number of times she says "a thousand pardons" (and for the record, I think her way of saying "fiddlesticks" is adorable xD).

• Our third "accomplishment" (and our second paid one) is presented to us here: dancing. It's not like the MC doesn't know dancing - she does - it's that the country dances (this might be a reference to the English Country Dances that were popular among all classes) are different from the ones Annabelle has learned, and indeed the popular ones for the aristocracy that are coming in from other places, like France.

• Annabelle mentions a couple of dances that were popular for its time: the cotillion (originated from France), the Quadrille (also from France), and La Boulanger (also French). If we choose the shoes the Lady Grandmother got made for us, Annabelle wastes no time in teaching us the last one.

• Annabelle speaks to us about the Quadrille being new. She isn't lying. The Quadrille became fashionable in England around 1815.

• Again, the good thing about the accomplishment scenes is that they're meant only for learning the skill, and Annabelle can develop in her individual scenes independent of this. Though I'm not sure if cramming both her individual scenes and her accomplishment scenes in the same chapter, two chapters in a row is a very good idea.

• Another marker of how new the MC is, lies in her interaction with Mr Woods (who is perhaps the only member of the housing staff we see at the party. Briar disappears completely after she's done her work of getting the MC ready, and Luke doesn't appear either). Mr Woods is surprised the MC deigns to speak to him in public, and Henrietta uses her interaction with him to point out how little she fits in, what with talk of the MC's "roots".

• Lol the exchange with the Earl if you bought the scene with the Lady Grandmother is quite funny haha. He speaks about Dominique drilling him into learning the names of all the families and the MC - saucy little shit that she is 😄 - looks at her fan and says "oddly enough, I know exactly what you mean".

• Ernest Sincliare makes his appearance after two chapters, and there's some banter about compliments if you're wearing the pretty lace dress I think. She teases him about it and he retorts that since he passes compliments so rarely, you can be sure that when he does he means every word. I can see that logic in that, Sinclair, but must you look like a child who has accidentally sucked on a particularly sour lemon when you do? 😂

• Throughout the chapter, you get references to the Season in London, and each time the MC by default takes it for granted that she will not be going there. Sinclaire hosts parties in London, Annabelle Parsons will be going there for the Season. Up until the end of the chapter, the vibe given overall is that she won't be seeing the two for a while now that they will be leaving Edgewater, and she won't.

• Did You Know: The London Season was developed to coincide with the sitting of parliament. During the months when parliament was in session, members of both Houses needed to be in attendance in London and came to the capital bringing their families with them. The London season grew up in response to this influx of upper class people who needed to be entertained.

Amanda Foreman, in her biography on Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, stated: "the aristocratic "season" came into existence not only to further the marriage market but to entertain the upper classes while they carried out their political duties. The season followed the rhythm of Parliament: it began in late October with the opening of the new session, and ended in June with the summer recess.” of course, later on this period of time gradually began to shift.

There also seems to be something called the "little season", but that seems more a fixture of the Victorian age than the Regency one (as mentioned in the article on the London Season from the Regency History website).

• The Earl and Mr Sinclaire share a more than cordial relationship: the Earl treats him with considerable warmth and Sinclaire shows a genuine respect and regard for him. You have a choice of asking him whether it is the Earl - or you - he has respect for (and the second option leads to a romantic moment), but it is what he says about the Earl, and his later interaction with Duke Richards that intrigues me:

What happened to Ledford Park that the Sinclaires almost lost it? Why does his statement towards the Duke about Ledford sound so accusatory? Why is there such a strong undercurrent within the latter interaction? I want to know what the story behind Ledford Park is, and how the Earl helped save it.

• One of my favourite Sinclaire-related sequences is an additional scene featuring the fan, as taught to us by the Dowager Countess the previous chapter. I tried the last two with Florence, the MC who has no interest in Sinclaire:

(the first four screenshots are from the "friends" option, and the next four from the "go away u suck" option)

Meanwhile, Marianne just goes in for the kill, fam. Homegirl didn't learn all those thot moves from Grandma for nothing 😄

I do like that extra bit of sexual tension in this scene. I'm not very into Sinclaire yet, but I can see the appeal he'd have for someone who would want the Mr Darcy type of Regency male LI character. You also see a fair bit of it in the scene where the MC asks him if it is her he respects:

• Sinclaire, dude, what is it with you and Italics??

• We now interrupt our regular programme with a game of Skittles. I'm not sure how many of you assumed Regency-era aristocrats were going to start passing around fruit-flavoured candy but I sure did 😂

• So this is skittles, played with nine pins. Very much one of the precursors to present day bowling from what I've read. Playing this game, and beating a champion like Mr Sinclaire at it will not only allow you to spend time alone with him, but also increase your social standing.

• It's simple enough: hit the red pin in the centre, and if you want you can distract the hell out of Sinclaire after he's fired his first shot.

• Twice this chapter, you see our resident comic relief for the day: Miss Theresa Oh-My-Smelling-Salts Sutton, and Mr Edmund Do-I-Look-Like-I-Care Malcaster, and I've decided I like them both (I wanted to add screenshots, but tumblr mobile sucks and won't let me put up more than ten images 😒)

• So we meet the "handsome", "titled" eligible bachelor our Lady Grandmother wanted us so badly to marry and...

...um. lol. ok.

Handsome? Charming? When was the last time you looked in the mirror dude, 20 years ago?

• You have a choice of how to respond after Duke Richards insults Mr. Sinclaire. You can either choose the Manners option, or you can choose to outright sass the man. If you don't sass him? The Lady Grandmother will do it for you.

• With the Manners option we find out that the Duke is 51 years old.

• With the non-manners option we find out that the dude likes saucy little minxes.

• @ the last panel in Florence's playthrough, Grandma even you can't deal with this dude for two minutes without nodding off. Why are you dumping him on my head then? (don't tell me. I know the answer 😐). See, this is why Florence will eventually kiss her inheritance goodbye lol.

• Jesus can this man just...speak two words without touching me??

• FINALLY. Miss Parsons. We choose a hiding place to get away from the Duke and then she offers to show us a new part of the estate: the lakefront. The great thing about gardens, esp in the writing of the time, was that it provided privacy for people at the time and allowed them to interact in ways they couldn't in public.

• Did you know: Austen herself used gardens pretty extensively in her writing. Mr Knightley confesses his love to Emma close to a shrubbery. Elizabeth jokes to her aunt about deciding to marry Mr Darcy after seeing the grounds in Pemberley. Fanny Price of Mansfield Park remarks, “To sit in the shade on a fine day, and look upon verdure, is the most perfect refreshment.” Catherine Morland of Northanger Abbey falls in love with hyacinths, Marianne Dashwood of Sense and Sensibility has a passion for fallen leaves in an autumnal garden, while Anne Elliot of Persuasion is always inspired to think of poetry when enjoying the beauties of nature.

Susannah Fullerton in her essay "Jane Austen and her gardens" (for the website Garden Drum) says: "Many proposals [in Austen's novels] take place out of doors where lovers can find some privacy amongst the gravel walks and flower beds; garden improvements are planned by some of the characters; and her heroines all enjoy going into a garden to think". 

• Makes sense then that one of the special scenes of this largely "forbidden" relationship (if you choose for that to happen) would take place in greenery, close to a lake. If you notice, it's quite in keeping with the times that most of the romantic moments this chapter happen either in an isolated section of the gardens or while dancing, both of which allow for some measure of interaction between people interested in each other.

• Miss Parsons, the legendary hero of a Duck Prophecy xD

• I love her in this scene. Sure she gets shy when she receives attention she's not used to from us, and she's kind and educative and sweet, but she's also boisterous and passionate and not afraid to pull punches when she needs to (case in point: the shade she immediately throws Henrietta's way regarding her "tutelage"). This scene has her stealing cake from the party to feed the ducks, getting exhilarated from the race and her new friendship with the MC, and feeling extremely confused by her feelings if you speak to her romantically.

• The first half of this scene is pure fun, but the second inevitably shows the two women experiencing a sense of loss that their connection will be cut short - whether they are friends or whether this is a budding romance.

• What I do love about both the romance scenes are the extra touches added to both in the coding. In the skittles scene with Ernest, Marianne is spoken of by default as brushing her hand against his before giving him the ball, whereas Florence simply passes it to him.

• Even with Annabelle, if you acquire romance points with her, the ending of that scene is written quite differently:

I absolutely love this part of the scene. And given that very often the female LI is treated like just the default best friend with some stray romance options attached, it really does feel good to have that sexual tension acknowledged.

• Florence, babe, what is it with you and Italics??

• TIME TO PUT ON OUR DANCING SHOES GUYS (if we bought them).

• So we're doing a dance called La Boulanger...which kinda looks like this:

You dance in a circle, then keep switching partners.

• Did You Know: that the Boulanger was one of the very few dances mentioned by name in Jane Austen's novels? (Pride and Prejudice Chapter 3. I think the reel is mentioned in another).

• I have two left feet unless someone is heavily choreographing a flash mob and spends ages teaching me the steps lol so this looks pretty complicated to me 😂

• You have an option of choosing between Mr Sinclaire, Miss Parsons and Duke Richards. The first two are the usual you'd expect from romantic dance scenes if you choose either of the first two, impressing them with your dance moves and then catching their eye when you're dancing with Edmund, your stepbrother. With Miss Parsons there is an additional show of boldness in that there is a danger of making their affections public.

• The Duke Richards option, which I managed to see thanks to @i-dream-so-i-write ...seems pretty okay actually. He doesn't seem as handsy and creepy as he does in our first meeting (there is a moment where his "hands skim your waist" though, and he tells us we've been apart too long [a couple seconds, tops]), but he's also still talking our ears off. If anyone is interested in seeing it, I can attach the screenshots!

• This man is so freaking extra I can't even.

• The chapter ends with the Earl announcing that he is changing his will, and that the MC is heiress to Edgewater Estate now, which makes it essential for her, then, to make her debut at the London Season, and begin searching for prospective bridegrooms.

• There is a catch though. You get the inheritance if you marry someone of suitable rank. In short...at this point in the story, Marianne is doing alright, but Florence is well and truly screwed until there is a twist somewhere (and surely there will be at some point). Sorry Florence.

• Henrietta has something up her sleeve, and Edmund, who was expecting to inherit, is sad and tells the MC so. You get a relationship point with him if you tell him you understand how it must feel, but he reiterates that you probably won't. We have time, we can still get this dude (and his palpitating fiancée) on our side. Maybe.

• Looks like we'll be starting our journey to London straightaway, and making our debut in London at Mr Sinclaire's party by Chapter 6. Alsooo from the spoilery chapter descriptions it looks like Mr. Marlcaster will try tripping us up at least once, or more than once. Also looks like we have two more skills on our accomplishment board to learn. So far we've gotten needlework, music and dancing - we now need to see what the other two are. I THINK one of them is painting.

General Thoughts:

• Good chapter. It's a little slow which is fine, because I think all the action will actually happen during the London Season instead. We meet only two suitors, one of whom we have already met in the first chapter.

• I feel like the extra scenes that we'll get with the unlocked accomplishments will include other styles of the same art. We initially learn the piano, but I feel like unlocking it will lead to extra scenes with other instruments, and unlocking the dancing shoes will show us extra scenes of Annabelle teaching us other dances (the waltzes, the reel, etc). I'm not entirely sure about this, it's just a theory I have. I mean, once we're in London we'll need to learn waltzes and the minuet and stuff.

• Luke doesn't make an appearance this chapter, but then again nor does Briar as soon as the MC gets ready. I think we'll see more of him now that we will be traveling to London.

• Donna Hatch's (who writes a ton of historical romances, esp Regency) essay on the London Season lists the months active in each year for it, and in 1816 it was from February to July. In the story it's now the beginning of April. Usually it's best to go at the very start if you're looking for marriage prospects, but given the MC's particular circumstances this time of the season isn't too bad either I'd reckon.

• Remember how I told you guys last chapter about the inclusion of Mary Brunton's Self Control? And how she criticizes the popular "rake" figure in Regency fiction? I'm not sure Duke Richards adheres completely to how rakes were depicted at the time, but he definitely does seem to be channeling Colonel Hargrave a little here.

• I wonder what the Duke seems to be hiding. Besides of course the truth of his equation with Sinclaire. Why is he so focused on this new woman? I think there might be more to this. I also can't wait to see the other suitors, like the viscount and Mr Chambers.

• I do like how we learn more about Sinclaire and Annabelle here. Annabelle largely has the role that Hana had in TRR, and there are some similarities - but she also has a lot more wiggle-room and seems to be bolder and a little more outgoing. She has grown up with the limitations placed on women at the time, but unlike Hana, hasn't faced as many restrictions in her upbringing.

• As I've mentioned before, I love Annabelle and I love that they're trying to do a better job of her. But I'm not entirely sure if cramming two separate scenes of hers in single chapters of an already expensive book is a wise choice, or if it will harm her development in the long run because people find it too expensive to spend on her. IMO the accomplishment scenes should be a little further spread out in the books.

• Now that the MC is going to be a future Countess, what is in store for her? In her rightful home Edgewater, she has a limited audience and not as much expectation to live up to...what will become of her now that she will be participating in the Season in London? Guess we'll find out today, or in the coming weeks xD

• Tagging: @boneandfur @liamraines @thespiritpanda @alanakusumastan @ernestsinclairs @mrsthomashunt @private-investigator-nazario @bcdollplace @queenodysseia @mcbangle

If you'd like to be tagged in one of the QTs, please let me know!

[parismiki]

“How is Paris?”

Hello readers! Welcome to my blog. I’ve been meaning to write a blog for some time now, really since my days in Chicago, but I never felt this urge until now. Currently I feel like I am being tested to my limits and I have so many thoughts about so many different things. Writing has always been an outlet of mine (have kept journals since I learned how to hold a pen basically) and so here it is - a window of insight into my thoughts about a variety of different things. 

I don’t really have a theme for this blog, but I know it will touch on issues that are important to me: race, activism, Japanese American and Asian American identity, feminism, mental health, radical politics, etc. Given that I’m currently also in France with the generous help of a Fulbright scholarship (a lot will be discussed soon about this), my posts may be more focused on my current experience in France and how I have been navigating this foreign country. 

So, to start, many people have been asking me how Paris has been. There is some sort of illusory expectation that people have of my time here in Paris - that I’m happily eating baguettes every day (I am not -- I eat only rice and noodles), that I’m picnicking by the Seine, and I’m going to all these cool art galleries and museums on the daily. 

This could be farther from the truth. 

I am struggling. 

This is not the same experience that I had studying abroad through UChicago three years ago, where I took classes in English taught by UChicago professors at the UChicago Center in Paris with UChicago classmates. I had a huge safety net while I was here, which enabled me to go out and explore the city and meet new locals while still feeling rooted to a community of American students. I didn’t need to get a visa because I was here for less than 90 days, the housing situation was largely taken care of by the study abroad coordinator, and I was used to the UChicago pedagogy. The huge difference here is that I am going to grad school in Paris, working towards a professional degree, which entails a large degree of responsibility, self-reliance and resilience. 

However, this past month has been incredibly difficult for me. The workload is intense, unlike anything I saw in my quarters with the heaviest workloads at UChicago. I am taking eight classes that meet once a week. For one of my core classes, I must read four books for the midterm, which is less than a month away. Work is always on the back of my mind and I fear that I may miss an assignment.  There is rarely any time to be resting or relaxing, because I tell myself, well you could be using this time to study. 

As someone prone to anxiety, the workload and the added stress of being in a new country has taken quite a toll on me. There have been days where it has been hard to get out of bed and days where I feel like I’m just dragging throughout the day. Sometimes I wonder, “is this program worth it? Should I drop out?” but am quickly reminded that if I do, I lose my Fulbright scholarship. Additionally, Sciences Po is not the friendliest when it comes to their students’ mental health - their psychological services are minimal, and they fail you if you miss more than 2 classes (yes, attendance is taken in even the biggest of lecture classes.) I could go on and on about Sciences Po as an institution, but I can save that for another post. I have had to resume sessions with my therapist in Chicago because the French national healthcare system does not cover therapy services! 

Despite all this, I’ve managed to find small pockets of joy during my time here and have really forced myself to practice self-care. One could say that my most recent FB status asking for self-practice tips was a cry for help - surely I couldn’t be the only one who has gone through this. So here’s what has been working for me so far - and you don’t have to be in grad school either to abide by them!

1. Rely on your family and friend networks back home

Thank god for technology - I remember my dad telling me that when he was in college he had to wait in line in his dorm to use the landline to call his parents. I can’t even imagine how my mother kept in touch with her family back in Japan when she immigrated to the US (will write another post on my newfound appreciation for my mom as I transition to life here.) 

That being said, I text regularly with my friends and keep them updated about what’s going on in my life. Some others are also living abroad and it’s nice to know that we have each other’s backs -- one of my dear friends is doing her JET program in rural Kumamoto. She is 7 hours ahead of me, and always texts me a nice meme or a cute gif that I have the honor of waking up to. Last night I felt especially horrible and called one of my friends (who is going to start her master’s in philosophy at Oxford and we’ll be reunited soon!) who helped me calm down. As people starting new lives in new countries we often forget that we have a support system back home, but don’t forget - they helped to get you where you are. 

2. Read books that nurture your soul

I have always loved to read in order to learn new perspectives, but reading now serves a different purpose: it touches and nurtures my soul. When I first got here, I devoured Ruth Ozeki’s novel A Tale for the Time Being - it was a charming and quirky story that whisked me away to British Columbia/Tokyo. I didn’t know how much I needed it at the time. Currently I’m reading a sociology book called Redefining Japaneseness: Japanese Americans and the Ancestral Homeland, which is so comforting and keeps me super rooted to my own identity. 

I was pretty strategic when packing books and spent a good hour deciding which books to bring with me. I knew that I would be reading a lot of dry public policy and urban theory (I even discussed with my roommate, also an American woman of color, which books we would both bring should we want to borrow from each other’s shelves.) So I brought with me Matthew Desmond’s Evicted (which, luckily enough for me, I ended up having to write a paper on), Viet Thanh Nguyen’s The Sympathizer, which won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction; Keeanga Yamahtta-Taylor’s From #BlackLivesMatter to Black Liberation, and Louise Erdrich’s The Round House (Erdrich is a Native American fiction writer who writes heavily on Native American issues.) I’ve found that conversations surrounding racial justice are quite lacking in French academic discourse, so these books help to fill that gap in my life. In addition, I brought with me some Japanese language books, including ”コンビニ人間” and “君たちはどう生きるか” to practice my Japanese, because I don’t have access to Japanese TV anymore. 

3. Keep yourself intellectually accountable

One of the best pieces of advice I received from the director of the Humanity in Action fellowship I did this past summer was to keep yourself accountable by writing down your own thoughts and critiques of grad school readings in the margins when taking notes. I’ve found that a lot of the readings we are assigned take on a very neoliberal approach to cities and urbanism, and I am incredibly cynical. Sometimes, I just downright disagree. And instead of feeling exasperated by the content, I write down my critiques and will try to bring them up in class, sometimes daring to bring them up with the professor during lectures. This is how I try to stay engaged. 

4. Travel! 

Paris is pretty accessible to many other European countries by plane and train. In fact, just last weekend I was in Madrid visiting a few friends. I was not feeling my best and and even now I still feel awful for my low energy and that I was not as cheery as I hoped to be - but being around people you already know is comforting. In fact, I had a chance to reconnect with a friend from college who is a current Fulbright ETA in Madrid, who told me that he was feeling the same way as me during the same time last year. Knowing that other people have gone through the same motions while transitioning to life abroad makes you feel less alone. 

All in all, to those of you reading, I’m sorry if I have disappointed you with this blog post. However, I do think I need to be honest about my experience here and share with other folks who may be thinking about studying abroad. If anything, I am giving myself all the time I need to breathe, go through the motions, and eventually settle in. This will be a long process, but I am trying to be patient with myself. 

I cannot end this post without acknowledging the people who have been there for me. I’d like to extend a thank you to Keilyn, Sarah, Elisabeth, Gino, Crystal, Brenna, Shirley, Joe, and Amanda. And to my new friends at Sciences Po, I am looking forward to getting to know you and let’s finish this semester strong :) 

Okay and now some photos!

                   This is me in front of the Museo del Prado in Madrid

                    Hard to see but I was really feelin’ my outfit this one day

                                                   Really cute doggo 

              Colorful olives sold at the Marché Saint-Denis, a banlieue of Paris

[supershanzykhan]

Planning and managing an event

This chapter covers general information on planning and managing an event.

There are many things to consider when planning an event, which will affect how you set it up. It is therefore useful to think about the information in this chapter before you begin.

Planning

Before you start it is important to think about the structure of your events and how you are going to record them, this will allow you to better configure them.

Here are some important questions to ask yourself:

·         What are the different types of events that you organize? And what type of event is it?

·         What different roles will the participants have? Example: participant, moderator, lecturer, journalist...

·         What kinds of information do you want to collect about the participants? Example: Age, profession, city...?

·         Do you want to allow online registration for the event?

·         Is there a limit on the number of participants who can attend?

·         Would you like to validate the recording, or leave it open to anyone?

·         If the maximum number of registrations is reached: management of a queue?

·         Will a participant be able to register other people?

·         Do you want to send the registrants a confirmation of their registration?

·         Would you like the list of participants to be public?

·         Is it an event that repeats itself regularly with roughly the same criteria?

·         Is a paying event? If yes...

·         To what financial means do you want to relate the costs of the event?

·         Do you want to charge multiple fees, such as extra session fees or meals?

·         Do you want to offer discounts or freebies?

Take the time to assess the type of information you need to set up your events effectively, as well as the information that would be useful to collect at your events or on event attendees. If you are running recurring events that are very similar, consider using event templates or the event copy functions to make process setup easier and faster.

Promotion of your events

Broadcasting and promoting your event can take many forms. Think about the audience for your event and where they tend to look for their information. The following will help you determine which tools can help you promote it:

·         What strategy will you use to promote your event, and through what channels?

·         Are you going to post your events on your website and allow audiences to register online?

·         Is an email a good way to reach your target audience to let them know about the event?

·         If your event is "by invitation only"? Who are you going to invite?

·         Do you have a schedule for sending reminders from the initial event invitation?

Post your list of events prominently on your organization's website. Your public calendar is also an important way to promote these events. You can use different strategies, or your own methods, to get the public and other organizations aware of your events as well as encourage attendees to help promote the event.

If you advertise your events on another site or on the organization's calendar, be clear about how the public should check in. For example, some social networks have a built-in event registration system, such as, for example, Facebook events. Other organizations that help promote your event may have their own systems for recording events. Make sure that no matter where you broadcast your events, it's important to be clear about how the person should check in.

Follow-up after the event

Updating each attendee's status during the event, or shortly thereafter, will help ensure that you have the most accurate information to assess your event. It's good to send an email after the event to all attendees thanking them and providing links to any materials you have online. You can send an e-mail to people who registered but could not attend. You can also take this opportunity to promote a new event, or encourage participants to join your organization as a member, volunteer, or solicit donations for a specific campaign.

You can find out more about how to do this by checking out Scheduled Reminders in the Email section.

 - We have the know-how –

Do you want to organize a Christmas tree, a product launch, a gala evening, a casino evening or any other type of event?

A company evening allows you to unite your teams during a convivial moment and to promote your company by projecting a dynamic image. We offer you original entertainment that will energize your internal evenings, or your customer evenings. We select for you the providers and the place that will make the difference. Our strong point? Organize the evening according to your wishes and your identity. We adapt our proposals to our clients, so that each event is unique and successful.

 The MOON EVENT event agency can share with you its experience in organizing corporate parties in Paris and throughout France to save you time and help you create a tailor-made event while optimizing your budget.

We have the skills, we can put them at your disposal so that your event runs smoothly. We take care of the design of the theme, the creation of the scenography space, we are present on D-Day and we make a video report of your event, so that you can share it with your guests and make your event last. Evening in time.

How to ensure event management?

In events, success depends mainly on the efficiency of management. This is implemented from the design stage until the post-event period. In order to leave nothing to chance, we are giving you an overview of this essential element of the work of a planner. Be prepared to manage planning, promotion, operations and guest relations.

Obviously, the planner does not work alone. However, he must have precise knowledge of the tasks to be performed before he can hire his team. Good group dynamism will be a considerable lever for good event management. Good coordination is the source. Whether you are organizing a seminar, conference, trade fair or any other category of event, the management principle remains the same.

First point of event management: planning

Once you have the concept of the event, the first step is the planning. Highlight all the tasks to be done and adopt an organization system. You can use specialized software for event management if that seems more practical to you.

 In any case, it is at this stage that the coordinator will demonstrate his capacities in project management. Keep an up- to-date agenda where you write down all your important appointments and check-ins. A detailed chronogram will give you an overview of the progress of the actions until the D-day. The schedule lists the deadlines. You must therefore have at least these three documents in addition to the distribution of tasks. 

Budgets, documents and contacts are also to be adapted to your schedule. When to call providers what documents are needed for a particular stage? What budget can be allocated to such task? etc.

Promote an event

The second phase of your event management is promotion. This is also an essential step if your event is public. Since you need to attract people, you can't skip this step.

Several means are available to you. However, we advise you to hire a team specialized in communication and marketing in order to optimize your results. Be sure to highlight the practical tools for your targets: reservations, registration, ticketing and payment can be done online. So think about creating a website for your event. Social networks, emailing campaigns, street marketing, etc., use all the options available to you. 

Courtesy:event management in Lahore

[bolbianddolanhouse]

BNHA self insert AU [Book 2]

Beginning of Book 2 Read here to catch up!

Chapter 14: Quien Comió Mi Torta?!

I’m enjoying my last few days in my parent’s house before I leave for Versailles. In between cramming French lessons, I hang out with Hoshi and others from our circle. Today is a little different, grandpa Hakamada invited me for some tea, and of course I said yes! I haven’t seen him since 3 months before my graduation.

-Downtown Taito, Late afternoon-

“Thanks again grandpa” I chirped as he poured me tea “How’s work?”

“You’re welcome Lili, and work has been good” he chuckled “I flew back here from Europe actually! It’s very nice around this time of year.”

“Is it? That’s making even more excited to go” I take a sip of tea “Why did you go this time?”

“I went for a few reasons, usually I stay for weeks at a time for inspiration on new pieces and I work on fashion shows” he explained “the cloth market is my favorite place to get cashmere and chiffon. And I went to the lavender fields.”

“Oh, that’s in France” I stop my bite of mochi “is it worth the countryside trip?”

“It is! Just breathtaking and surreal with the windmill contrasting the purple hued field” He gushed, then gathered himself “speaking of which! I got you a graduation/going way gift.”

“Aww you didn’t have too!”

“But it’s useful to this new part of your journey” He stopped my modesty “Here, open it.”

He hands me a small box, small enough to maybe hold a watch. I open it and look inside.

“It’s a key?” I was confused.

“Read the note” he said as he took a sip of tea.

I read the note aloud:

Lili,

Congratulations on seeing it through your time in UA. I am very proud of you and honored to have had you under my wing. Though the journey ahead may seem equally filled with excitement and anxiety of the unknown, know that your family and I are here for you when you come back. As a little appreciation, I bestow to you the key to my Versailles townhouse. For you to stay in for as long as you want and to come back to whenever. You don’t have to ever worry about not having family near you, because we’re family.

Never stop, you’re doing amazing things! - Grandpa Hakamada

I start to tear up “You didn’t! A townhouse?”

“Yes, I bought the property back when I quit being a hero to lay low there. In that year and a half, I got into the fashion industry. And I stay there when I travel for work” a smile spread on his face “You’ll love it, I fixed it up a little when I was there so you’d be comfortable. You just have to buy food and move into your bedroom.”

I get up to hug him “Thank you so much! How lucky am I to have such a generous grandpa?!”

“Stop your crying and all this affection!” he hugged back “I don’t split my time evenly enough to really have a place in Europe, figured you’ll have better use of the place now that you’re heading there.”

“I’ll cherish it! I’m so happy you trust me enough to give me a key.”

“I may drop in for my annual stay for work but for the rest of the time, it’s your place.”

We talk more about the place. He tells me it’s a short walk from the institute and it’s in a convenient part of town. Not too busy of a street and the home is cozy. All this talk was making me more excited to go! When I got home, mom and dad were just as shocked as I was. To be honest, I thought he communicated with them about handing over his townhouse to me. My siblings were jealous that I got a free house in France as a gift and all Iwa got was new glasses. Reflecting more on my time left with my family, I know I’m going to miss them badly. I might cry because this is truly my departure from my family. I can’t be home in less than an hour when they need me and they can’t come for me when things get tough. Can’t imagine how mom felt when she left home!

Time passes too fast for my liking...it’s the day before I have to leave home. It’s an overcast day and my mom had to do some work at her company, Iwa went to his friend’s house, Rosa sped off to hang out with her friends and Oro warped off to the music store. So it’s just my dad and I until everyone comes home.

“Oh! It slipped my mind” my dad exclaimed as he turned off the sink “your uncle Tensei is coming over!”

“Tio Tensei?! When?!” I squealed, Tensei is my favorite uncle.

“Today in about an hour” dad glanced at the clock “ooh, actually in about 20 minutes. My only brother, whom I adore and look up to, and yet I forget when he’s visiting!”

I giggle “It’s not very often both of you are off at the same time! What’s the occasion?”

“He wanted to see you before you leave of course!” he chopped “You’re his oldest niece! He loves you and your siblings very much.”

“I suppose that’s a good enough reason” I chuckle, then I got an intrusive thought “Hey dad, how was it like...being away from mom after graduation?”

“Hm? Well, it was tough” He sighed and leaned his back on the counter “She didn’t know I had these tender feelings for her. We parted ways under the impression that I didn’t want anything to do with her anymore. Trust me when I say that I came home and regretted my words. I wanted to fix things immediately, if your uncle didn’t stop me, I would’ve ran myself exhausted to your mother’s place to apologize and confess.”

“Why did he stop you? What did you do!”

“I was being reckless, I made my decision to make a run for it when I was a few minutes away from presenting myself at my own graduation party at the family estate” he scoffed and smiled “Never did I think I’d ditch my own party to chase after a girl that got away. It was so out of character for me, so of course Tensei was on high alert when I snuck out of the estate with my dress pants rolled up to my knees!” He gave a hearty laugh “He rolled himself in front of me with his arms crossed and said ‘Tenya Iida! Are you sneaking out?! Are you feeling well? The Tenya I know wouldn’t sneak out at all!’ oh Lili, you should’ve seen how red I got when I got caught!”

“Oof you didn’t even make it past the front fountain!” I cringed “Did that guilt you into staying?”

“No, it was the advice he gave me” He fixed his glasses “I told him why I was sneaking out and he said that I should give her space to process her post graduation life. Imagine being sad because your friend hates you then the same friend comes knocking at your door confessing their love for you? All in the same day! I wouldn’t believe them. So I waited around for her to send me a text or call.”

“So what happened in those years of giving her space?”

“I lived my life, all of it was what I wanted, but I was still missing something. I came to terms that I can’t be happy until I fix my friendship with her.” Dad put water to boil in the kettle “I was angry at Mr. Hitoshi for knowing I was in love with her and still asking her to be his girlfriend. But I was being a sore loser in this triangle, she can’t be my girlfriend if I don’t ask or confess, and he asked before I had the guts to. Then the days turned into weeks, then months, then years... and my heart still had those tender feelings for her. I’d cry sometimes because a bouquet of flowers in a store window would remind me of her or I stumbled across a picture of us hanging out in the dorms.”

That made me think “Wait, then how did you-” the alert that somebody was coming interrupted me.

“Oh! That must be your uncle” Dad went to open the door “Tensei! Was the drive over alright?”

“Surprisingly, no traffic this time!” responded Tensei “now, where’s my little pretty girl?!”

“I’m not little! I’m a big girl now” I giggled as he rolled into view “Hi uncle! Hi Pongo!”

The robo Dalmatian bowed it’s head for me to aggressively pet them “It’s very nice to see you Lili, your uncle was counting down the days to see you.”

“Oh si?” I looked at my uncle as I pet his robo.

“Pongo! You didn’t have to share that” Tensei blushed “But I don’t get to see you very often! Look, I even got you a gift.” He handed me a neatly wrapped gift “Bet nobody can top this one!”

“Mr. Hakamada gave me the key to his Versailles town house for me to move into” I said before opening the gift.

“Oh...damn now I feel like the shitty gift-giver” Tensei said to himself.

“If it makes you feel better brother” Dad responded “I gave her a pearl necklace.”

“Oh, you got me a session with the family portrait painter” I said with some surprise “I thought only important family members get their portraits done?”

“You are an important family remember! You’re the first one in our family to go to college” Tensei explained “It’s so exciting to see someone I know to go up on that main hall! Yours will go right next to your dad’s.”

“What’s dad known for?”

“Saving the lineage” Tensei snickered “if only everyone understood that you married out of love.”

“Hey we were just talking about that!” dad refocused “what were you going to say Lili?”

“Oh! I was asking how you reunited with mom?”

“I can answer this one!” Tensei cleared his throat “Your dad always talk about her every-time something reminds him of your mom. When your dad found the courage to talk to her, he bought a bouquet of flowers and spent time to craft a good text. All just to see the text not go through, he called and the number was no longer in service. He asked his friends that might still be in contact and they said that she changed phone numbers and she was unreachable unless you played League of Legends and talked to her in the chat.” He sighed “It was hard to see your dad that depressed. But lo and behold, a week later her face popped up in the papers and magazines as the rookie tech mogul for her company RoboDog Inc. And skip a year and a half to when I ran into them at a networking event at Daggers, she saved me, I accidentally called them gorgeous and they were flattered but she couldn’t finish her pitch to me because your dad was running through her mind. But I could tell they were in love with him, just as much as he was with her. So I brought your dad to the private consult at her office.” He started laughing “The face when your dad laid eyes on her, it was so out of character for him that I knew things were going to be alright between them.”

“All that?! You just wanted to stir the pot!” I joked “But wow, that’s quite the reunion. And dad just let her go like that for no reason other than he was jealous of another man!”

“You don’t have to reopen my wound like that” dad spoke up as he handed his brother some tea “but you’re going to be okay Lili.”

“Huh?”

“You asked me because you’re worried about being separated from Hoshi right?” 

“Well....yeah...” I admitted “It’s just that, this mirrors a little too much from what mom did and wanted to know if it was as bad as she described it.”

“Hey as long as you have contact with them and love them, you don’t have to worry about them running off or feeling hurt.”

That was a nice moment between my dad and I...until uncle Tensei ruined it with “So when’s the wedding?!”

“Shut up Tensei!” my dad and I groaned.

We spent that last day together as family and I was feeling less scared about leaving. I did one last luggage check before bed, it was unnecessary but I couldn’t go to sleep if I didn’t....I woke up at 7:30 am for the last breakfast in a very long time. Everyone was there, Hoshi and my uncle Jin with aunty Mimi. The whole time I couldn’t let go of Hoshi’s hand and he squeezed tight too. Even right up to when I had to go wait to board, I didn’t want to let go.

“So, this is it huh?” I uttered, looking at our clamped hands.

“Yeah, your gate is right there heh” Hoshi gulped “I’m going to miss you like crazy Lili.”

I glanced behind me to see the rest of my family, waiting patiently and giving us space “Me too, I didn’t think I’d get this far” I turn to Hoshi “I’m scared that things will be different when I come back.”

“They might, 3 years is a long time to be away anywhere” Hoshi responded “But the one thing that won’t is my love for you, I waited years to be reunited with you and I can wait 3 more.”

“Promise?”

“I promise”

I jump on him to hug him and he squeezed back. I don’t know how long we stood there but they announced boarding for my gate. I broke the hug and gave him a final kiss before going to my gate. Everyone waved me off as boarded and I felt ready to face this new leg of my journey. It was my first time on a plane, first class at that! I took so many pictures of the plane wing above the clouds and couldn’t wait to send them to my mom. As I stared off outside my window, looking at the sea below, I wondered what my mom was thinking about when she came to Japan. Did she hope to make friends? To love again? To get stronger? Because I’m very sure that I’ll at least fall in love with dance all over again. And that’ll get stronger so when I come back, I can do anything I put my mind to...Whatever that’ll be!

I arrive in the evening and there was a taxi waiting for me that was associated with the school I’m attending. A very nice lady representative escorted me to my townhouse and even helped bring my luggage in. She said that she’ll be helping me transition settle for the first few months and I can call on her for anything. I thanked her and closed the door after she left. Now it was just me, in my own place! I turned the lights on to see the what grandpa meant by cozy. Everything was made of wood but the furnishing was very posh and had that old world aesthetic. It was a two story with an open kitchen, two bathrooms and high ceilings. The backyard looked like it needed some work but otherwise, I loved the place! There was a note on the fridge addressed to me:

Lili,

Welcome to your new home! Happy that you made it out here safely. There’s not much here to eat that isn’t perishable. Make sure to go to the open air market the next street over to food shop before 12pm! You can use my sewing room to your heart’s desire, I left a little gift for you there. Your room is on the second floor, the one with the painted door. The neighbors are pleasant and polite, don’t be too loud after 10pm. First aid kit is in the bathroom, cleaning supplies under the kitchen sink and have fun fixing the backyard (I don’t do yard work). Sleep well, don’t forget to text me and your family that you made it safely to the townhouse.

I’ll be waiting for your response,

Grandpa Hakamada

P.S. Don’t feed the cat, he’s a fat bastard that scams everyone on the strip for their food!

    That last part got me chortling! But I text everyone I’m safely in the townhouse. I go in the sewing room and see what he left me. On the posable mannequin, was a professional grade leotard, leg warmers and pointe shoes in my skin tone! I was in tears, he didn’t have to get me all that but the fact that it was a useful gift was what touched me. I open the painted door to my room and flicked on the light, it was nearly identical to the room I had during my internship with him! There was towels and a bathrobe laid out on the bed for me, on the wardrobe was a note that said ‘open for a surprise’. And inside was warm wear and very pretty satin dresses that he made himself. What really got me was the pink satin dress that was the exact replica of the one I had as a child but for my current size. I wanted to hug him and thank him for all the nice gifts he’s left for me, but the best I could do was text him. Too tired to unpack, I called it a night and took a bath before going to bed. I fell asleep after reading everyone’s texts.   

I woke up in the UNHOLY hours of the early morning, just before the sun came up. Staring up at the ceiling, and remembering it’s 7 hours ahead back home....I wonder what Iwa is doing?

-Book 2 End-

<Previous Book 1 Master Post ~ Book 2 Master Post FAQ 1 * 2   

[upshotre]

Banks Recapitalisation Will Result To Loss Of Jobs, ASSBIFI Warns CBN

Comrade Oyinkan Olasanoye is the President of the Association of Senior Staff of Banks Insurance and Financial Institutions (ASSBIFI). In this exclusive interview with TAIWO OGUNMOLA-OMILANI, Olasanoye advised the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on the proposed recapitalization of banks in Nigeria.   The CBN recently issued some circulars and one of them is the directives to banks to get 64 new customers each through the BVN every week, what is your take on this?   Getting new customers every week is something we are already doing in the banking sector, but my appeal to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is that they should put the economic situation of the country into consideration and when a country is under recession, it is will be very difficult for the people to save money. What type of customer will a bank look forward to if not people that will put money in the banks?   Presently, interest rate is not encouraging and if you have money in the bank and you want to take loan; the criteria and conditions the banks are asking for are very high including the interest rate and most Nigerians now prefer communal banking system, where they collect their money at the end of the session instead of putting their money in the bank. So we are already marketing for new customers but for the CBN to comr out now to make it another policy, it means our targets as workers in the banks will increase but I want the CBN to know that people that are willing to save and that can afford to save in Nigeria are very few compared to our population due to the economic recession in the country. I expect the CBN to put in place policies that will assist recession before forcing Nigerians to save money in the banks. What is your opinion about the directive that banks should lend to the public or lose their deposits to Cash Reserve Requirement (CRR)?   For Nigeria to be able to survive this global recession, we need the banks to give out money to the people as loans because employment level in Nigeria is very low. We need more Nigerians to be able to run their small scale businesses, but where will they get money to run the businesses except loans are made available to them. So if the CBN is saying that banks should offer more loans to the people, this is a welcome development, but the area we want the banks and the CBN to look at is at what interest rate and what are the collaterals they want them to provide and at what is the repayment term? For instance, you want somebody that is just starting business today and not sure of constant electricity, transportation and local material and the market to take loan and start paying back immediately, so there must be a breathing space and a long period to pay back. The Nigerian government recently declared that recession was over in the country, don’t you believe this pronouncement?   Theoretically, from the information available, they said that recession is over in Nigeria, but practically in the market and in the process of meeting daily needs in the country, recession is the country. As we look forward to another round of recapitalization for both commercial banks and Micro Finance Banks (MFBs), what is the union doing to safeguard the rights of workers who might be laid off in the process? It is not possible to recapitalise without some of us losing our jobs. Don’t forget that the CBN is comparing Nigerian banks with International banks; yes, they have to compare them in the area of global practices, but when it comes to money, if you are comparing the banks in Nigeria with those in the United Kingdom, for example, every one pound that the person in the UK has amounts to about N450 in Nigeria. They should also put into consideration that when they are increasing the capital base, where do they want the banks to get the money from. The political and economic situations in Nigeria are not encouraging the investors to come to the country, where are they going to get capital to invest? Is it from Nigerians that are suffering from recession or unemployment? The low income earners have been encouraged to buy shares, but they have nothing to show for it, some companies have not been paying dividends. Are they the same set of people you want to buy shares for the banks to be able to recapitalise? It means that for banks to be able to recapitalise, they must look for foreign investors or few Nigerians that can afford it, which means we are again withdrawing the banks that belong to everybody because almost everybody has shares in the banks presently one way or the other and withdrawing them back to few Nigerians or back into the hand of foreigners is dangerous. We are not saying that the CBN should not ask the banks to recapitalise, but in every policy, they must consider the interest of Nigerians rather than the interest of foreigners. We want banks that will meet international standard on what basis? Is it not Nigerians that patronise the banks? What we will end up doing is that there will be a lot of mergers and acquisitions and when these happen, some staff must lose their jobs and don’t forget that a single employee anywhere will has about 20 dependants. So whatever decision the CBN is going to take they should always think of the rumble effect on the whole nation not the banks. People that own shares will lose them even without getting dividends.   What do you think is responsible for the inability of people who borrow money from micro finance banks to pay back as at when due?   These affect women more because they are mostly into petty trading. Women are found doing small scale businesses and most men prefer businesses that they are sure of the income. Women need capital to run the businesses, and banks are not given this money without collateral so they are running to micro finance banks and because there is no proper monitoring of these MFBs, the condition and the interest rate of the mfbs are very high. When a fashion designer needs a new machine to work effectively and decides to visit a micro finance bank and the loan is giving to her at an interest rate of 25 per cent because most of the loans are given out at between 18 per cent and 23 per cent interest rate, how will she cope? More so, you will still pay COT, one per cent management fee, one per cent legal fee, one per cent administrative fee, so at the end of the day it is between 25 and 30 per cent interest rate for most loans. For somebody that collects a loan of N100,000, it means he or she will pay N125,000 back with the interest rate and on getting back home, there is no electricity and the customer she wants to sew for is yet to collect salary and the bank wants her to pay the loan back gradually every week. So she might not be able to sew or gather money and they make life difficult such that if you do not pay, they will come and embarrass you and put you through stress. That is why I am saying that they should give the customers a long period to pay back the loans. When we encourage small scale business owners to take loans there should be a gestation period where they are given enough time to pay back the loans. If somebody, for example is taking a loan in January, the period of payment should start from April. The first three months should be a period to get the money back. This was what prompted more Nigerian women to show interest in trademoni that was giving out by the Federal Government and which was distributed by the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo because they know what the traders have gone through with the banks. What is your take on the issue of insecurity in Nigeria?   I appeal to Nigerians not to see the problem of insecurity as a tribal war, but a national war. I remember precisely in 2012 after the demise of the former President of Libya, the late Moamar Gaddaffi, the government of Bashiru of Sudan invited the labour unions in the country and the government to a conference in Sudan. Now, that Gaddaffi is late that nobody is taking care of the military officers they will end up becoming machineries that can be used by anybody because they do not owe allegiance to nobody. He also told us that France has stationed their army in Mali and Niger Republic that they will make sure they flush out all the machineries and they will end up in Nigeria and Cameroon, but our government did not do anything about it. I believe that these people can be cattle breeders but some people will employ them to take charge of the cattle. For them, they are not patriotic Nigerians and killings mean nothing to them. it is now easier to kidnap than to go into robbery. I want us to have a wider view of the people causing insecurity in the country that they might be Fulani herdsmen, but I could see some people that are not Nigerians that are part of them and some politicians have used them during campaigns to scare away their enemies they now leave them to roam about just like Gaddaffi did. We need to come together as a nation and find a way to be our brothers' keepers and find permanent solutions to it. As long as we shift blame to one ethnic group or the other, we are giving them opportunity to operate. If we had risen up when they started in the northern part of the country, it wouldn’t have extended to the south west. The government should think of what they can do as a matter of urgency, but we should not limit it to the government because there are some people that will be taking food to these people. We need to rise up and be each other’s keepers. I will call on the government to give room for community policing.       Read the full article

[itsyokythings-blog]

My Five Acres. Travel. Adventure. Yoga. My Five Acres. Travel. Adventure. Yoga. - Travel. Adventure. Yoga.

Want to see Sacra di San Michele, an incredible mountain-top abbey, in person? This post will help you plan your visit, whether you want to hike up, drive up, or take a tour. Read on for all the details.

What’s in our guide to visiting Sacra di San Michele?

1. 3. 5. 7.

The dramatic abbey has an even more dramatic backdrop. The Alps rise away in the distance. Photo by Elio Pallard via Wikimedia Commons.

As you stand on Sacra di San Michele’s dramatic balcony, watching birds swoop by at eye level and following the line of the Susa River valley until it disappears between crisp, white Alps, perhaps a novel filled with mystery and intrigue will come to you, too.

If you’re feeling inspired, read on for all the details to take a…

Day Trip to Sacra di San Michele

Also don’t miss these posts:

Your complete Turin city guide → 2 days in Venice city guide → Cycling in Italy – your amazing adventure →

Sacra di San Michele is on a remote mountain-top.

The most famous of the group is Mont Saint Michel in France, where, before the tourist-friendly promontory was built, the tides made getting inside a dangerous activity.

If you’re interest in dedicating a year of your life or so, you can start the pilgrimage in Jerusalem at Monastery of Mount Carmel.

You’ll pass through the Monastery of St Micheal in Greece, Monte Sant’Angelo in the south of Italy, Sacra di San Michele, Mont St Michel in France and St Michael’s Mount in Cornwall, England.

It all ends (presumably after a cold swim) on Skellig Michael, the windswept Irish island that was home to Luke Skywalker in Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

With a history like this, a day trip to Sacra di San Michele (known as St Michael’s Abbey in English) from Turin can’t help but evoke a time when the world was more mysterious and magical than it is today.

Even if you don’t care about religious sites or history, the beauty of the surroundings and the fresh air is well worth the time — and the climb.

The interior of Sacra di San Michele is cool and tranquil.

But, what goes up must come down, and the abbey and its management began to decline until 1622, when Pope Gregory the 15th shut it down for good. For a few hundred years it remained empty, until the mid-1800s, when the Rosminians, a Catholic charity, moved in and began to restore and revive the place.

Fast-forward a couple of hundred years to today and you’ll still find pilgrims, though possibly of a less pious sort, gathering daily in the abbey. For we modern pilgrims, there are modern amenities, like a parking lot, a cafe, and flushing toilets.

Though not as striking as the exterior, the interior of today’s church is worth the €8 entrance fee (unless you’re on an extremely tight budget). You’ll get to ascend the Stairway of the Dead, where early monks and benefactors are buried in tombs encased in the walls.

Up close, the flying buttresses are immense slabs of stone, impressive in their size and function. The 12th Century Door of the Zodiac was carved by Maestro Nicolao, a renowned master mason. The symbols of the zodiac decorate one side of the door, while on the other, 16 other constellations appear.

Don’t be fooled by the heft and imposing nature of the door that leads into the church itself. Despite its appearance of being permanently closed — and the decoration of the devil in snake form urging you to go away — it is the way in. We tried the door a few times and almost turned back to look for another way in before we got up the nerve to heave it open!

Inside the church itself, you’ll find tombs of Savoys placed here in the 1800s. There are also many sculptures, wall frescos, and an interesting progression of pillars with capitals to examine.

Step out the back door to the large patio for the most impressive views you’ll see all year.

The reward for hiking up to Sacra di San Michele is this stunning view.

The Susa river valley spreads out in two directions, while the Alps watch over from the north and west. Directly below, you’ll see the ruins of the earlier . Watch birds soar in and out between the crumbling walls and prepare for your imagination to be set alight.

Leave a little time to wander the small town of Sant’Ambrogio before or after your hike.

Sant’Ambrogio Village

There are a few hiking routes to Sacra di San Michele but we chose the one starting in the charming town of Sant’Ambrogio. It’s easily accessible by train from Turin, and you can start your hike at the train station like we did.

From there, cross the busy main road and head straight into the heart of the village. Leave a little time to wander the narrow streets of the town, absorbing the essence of small-town Italy, which doesn’t seem to have changed for a hundred years.

Family run shops beckon with open doors and enticing scents, while impossibly tiny cars zoom by improbably narrow streets. Every once in a while, you’ll get a glimpse of Sacra di San Michele through a gap in the buildings. Don’t forget to bring your camera.

To get to the start of the trail, find Chiesa di San Giovanni Vincenzo, a large catholic church in the centre of town. Walk through its parking lot and out the back — then start climbing. It’s all uphill from here.

It’s hard to miss Chiesa di San Giovanni Vincenzo in Sant’Ambrogio, where you’ll find the start of the hiking trail.

There are signs to point the way and soon you’ll be walking a narrow paved path behind the houses of the village. This is a great way to get a glimpse into the lives of locals!

Up the Pilgrimage Route

After about 15 minutes, the path takes a sharp turn above the last houses in town and you’ll find yourself on a wooded hillside. Because it’s a pilgrimage route, the trail is paved with rounded stones, slippery from years of wear. Bring good shoes so you avoid turning your ankle or slipping down the hill.

The trail up is lined with worn paving stones and studded with stations of the cross.

The climb from here is uphill but not terribly steep. It will give your calves and quads a workout and you’ll work up a sweat, too. Take your time. There are plenty of rest spots along the way, including a couple of water spigots, where the water is not only potable but deliciously crisp and cold.

The other remarkable feature of the climb is the series of crosses placed along the route, representing the stations of the cross. They are all similar, so not too exciting, but they do serve as way markers, letting you know how far you’ve gone and how much is left.

Emerging from the forest around an hour later, you’ll get your first up-close views of the abbey. If your breath is not already quick and shallow from the hike, the first sight of Sacra di San Michele will do the trick.

Save some leg strength for the hike down. Walking on the slippery cobbles will leave you feeling the trek by the time you reach the bottom.

San Michele Brewery

After your hike, make sure to stop by San Michele brewery for a post-hike drink and snack.

Now, I reveal the secret behind why we chose to hike the Sant’Ambrogio route…

San Michele Brewery!

In the middle of town, this modern brewery offers a great selection of their own beers. A tasting session is the perfect way to restore your energy after a day of hiking. They also have an extensive menu, so you won’t need to go hungry!

There has been a religious building on this site since the late 900s.

other routes

you can take up to the abbey.

Alternative Day Hiking Route

From Frazione Mortera, which is just above Avigliana, there is another popular trail that leads up to the abbey from a slightly different direction. It takes about the same amount of time (around 1.5 hours) but is less steep, since you start from a higher altitude.

You can also leave from Chiusa di San Michele, and hike up the mule track to the abbey.

Multi-day Through Hike

If you’re a long-distance hiker, you can come to Sacra di San Michele from Oulx, crossing over the Gran Bosco park and Orsiera Rocciavrè wildlife park. The route is about 60 km long, so be sure to prepare for an adventure and make accommodation or camping plans before you set out.

Via Ferrata

Had we planned a little better and had a little more climbing experience, we might have tried the via ferrata route to Sacra di San Michele. If you want to take this route, you’ll need around 4 hours, plus the proper equipment. For safety, we recommend hiring a local guide.

There are lots of stairs up to the abbey, so make sure to wear comfy shoes.

book ahead online

If you’d rather skip the hike and to Sacra di San Michele with a guide, this tour will help with that. Travel by private coach from Torino and explore the abbey with a guide who will explain what you’re seeing!

If you’re coming from Turin, it’s easy to take the train to the two main starting points for a hike up the mountain.

Torino Porta Nuova to Sant’Ambrogio, 1 train per hour, 30 mins, €4

Torino Porta Nuova to Chiusa di San Michele, 1 train per hour, 40 mins, €4

By car, it’s a 30-minute drive from Torino, and there is plenty of free parking just off the main road in Sant’Ambrogio.

But, of course, we recommend taking the train because it’s just as quick and better for the environment. Plus, you can have a few beers at the San Michele Brewery if you don’t have to drive!

We hope this guide to visiting Sacra di San Michele is useful in planning your trip. We loved getting out into the fresh air of the Susa Valley and exploring the ruins of this 1,000-year-old abbey. Drop us an email if you need help planning or if we inspire you to go! We’d love to know.

♥  Happy mindful adventures, Jane & Stephen

We’re not going to lie, it takes a LOT of work to create guides like this. But it’s easy to help us out! If you book or buy something using one of our personal links in this post, we’ll earn a small fee at no extra cost to you. Of course, we would never recommend anything we didn’t 100% believe in! Huge thanks in advance! –S&J

Pin this for your trip to Italy.

Photo by Elio Pallard, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons:

The post How to do a Day Trip to Sacra di San Michele from Turin, Italy appeared first on My Five Acres. Travel. Adventure. Yoga..

[djseaward]

we are permanent residents.

the reason we decided to apply for permanent residence is, simply, that it's a longer visa. we have been on the two year freelance visa for ages and as many of you know, our last go-around was rough. it kicked our asses. after five years of residence in the czech republic and passing a basic language exam though, you may qualify for permanent residence. well, this was our first chance to apply (now having lived here for over six years) and the language test wasn't so difficult, seeing as we have lived here long enough to soak up loads of language and had three full years of czech lessons by that point.

there were a few funny things since i got that phone call from immigration in january that were a bit surprising. the first was that at our biometrics appointment there last month, we were asked if we wanted to speak english or czech.

WHAT?

i have heard from friends that the immigration ladies may be holding out on us, but now i feel like i know they have been! for those that don't know, it is a well-established fact that all business at immigration must be conducted in czech language. apparently, our czech was just passable enough to apply for permanent residence this past winter (by ourselves! no translators!) but now that we are permanent residents... we suddenly get a choice? shouldn't that sort of be the other way around? goodness! but i can't complain...

the second shock was learning that our residence permits are valid for the next TEN YEARS. (!!!!!) we had thought "five years" this whole time, which is still so much better than two years that it's worth applying, but ten years?! we were walking on cloud nine the entire rest of the month.

so, now what?

some people have been confused how to take the fact that we have permanent residence in the czech republic. i guess, it is one step down from having citizenship, and seems pretty serious. it doesn't change anything about how we feel about living here, however. we are happy living here for now, and plan to stay until we feel like it's time to go. so that's still the same deal.

speaking of going, no longer is this something i want to address. it is every expat's least favorite question: "how long are you staying?" a question we have been asked countless times, of course, but less lately. all's i know that we are happy here and are building a life here right now. as much as i love my hometown, i have always wanted something more.... international, cultural. even living in this smaller-sized city, i realized that it has all of that in spades. sure, sometimes the cinema doesn't play any dang english movies the entire winter (and i still never saw the new mary poppins) but regarding understanding, it’s getting better. i haven't been happier in ages. no anxiety, no panic attacks, no existential funks. that is far more than i can say for most other periods of my life.

the longer we stay, i realize, the harder it would be to extricate ourselves. almost certainly and rather dauntingly, the harder it would be to rebuild our lives in the united states again. but, you know what? we've done what i sort of feel is the near impossible. we came on a schengen visa, not even knowing how legally it would be possible to live in europe. we had many close calls, were really broke at several different points, thought we might get deported (okay, or at least not re-approved). we made it against all odds. i think we can take the chance to stay here a bit longer. besides, after you've successfully navigated your legal residence in a country where you barely speak the langue, i think we can do anything. life is too short to stay in one place too long. for me, right now, it is.

(below, our gangsta-ass mugs in march 2013, having just received our first visas)

just for fun, let's look back on some high and low points in our journey of legally living in europe...

summer 2011 - cynthia and alex decide they will move to europe in a year's time. the how is not important. the saving money is.

may 2012 - bought our plane tickets. one way. lots of people warning us and asking "how are you even going to stay there?" we don't even know ourselves, but trust that we'll figure it out. clicking that "complete order" button was one of the scariest and craziest things i can remember ever doing.

october 2012 - a couple weeks into our journey during our vagabonding around the UK phase, alex informs cynthia he has, like, no more money, dude. we enroll in a TEFL course in prague as to start thinking about a sustainable way to stay in europe as just work-staying around isn't going to last us too much longer, especially with the two of us depleting funds meant for one person.

mid-november 2012 - after one month in the schengen zone (france & germany), we arrive in prague and have one month down, two months ticking away on the clock. the feeling is palpable.

end of november, 2012 - we hire a visa specialist to help us "sort our f--king lives out". it works.

january 2013 - we officially submit our application for a freelance work visa at the czech embassy in bratislava. about a month and a half later, we go back to pick it up. we feel pretty cool and fancy because we get to stay in europe.

september 2015 - our first reapplication process goes okay, despite having to go to an apology session with the immigration office, telling them how sorry we are that our application was submitted late. (this was due to a variety of factors) after some time, we are re-approved.

september 2017 - it's time to reapply for our two year visas. we submit our reapplication.

march 2018 - "so, have you heard anything about our application?" "no ... have you?"

may 2018 - in true immigration form, a long long long long period goes by and then the first problem surfaces - we have the wrong insurance. cry a bit, spend loads of money, incur debt, but meet their requirements. resubmit. looking back, i am thanking my lucky stars this all happened in the spring and summer. if it were in the autumn, we’d have been ruined.

june 2018 - mere hours before we are to fly out on a vacation, receive a long, scary letter informing us we have days left (essentially) unless we can fix our taxes, which were done improperly this past spring.

july 2018 - month of stress and believing we are going to probably be deported. by some miracle, are granted ability to refile our taxes, one of the best hopes for being accepted.

early august 2018 - waiting, hoping, praying in berlin for a month, hoping the actual stress rash i got last month goes away soon because that thing is itchy. i scratch my legs and arms a lot. alex tells me to stop. scratchscratchscratch.

mid-august 2018: ACCEPTED! we found out while out to ice cream with natalye and family in berlin. we eat our ice cream even harder and with more vigor.

september 2018: during a trip to immigration, our friend and translator suggests that perhaps we should apply for permanent residence as "you guys should be eligible for that by now"! it's true, we had been eligible since about january of that year. find out we need to pass a czech exam, schedule it for the end of november. (good thing we had 3 straight years of lessons under our belt - definitely came in handy for situations like this one!)

december 2018 - after having passed the A1 czech language exam, we apply for permanent residence... ON OUR OWN... WITHOUT OUR TRANSLATOR... days before christmas. spend the last working days before christmas at social security and the financial office requesting various necessary forms. could be wrong, but i like to think that wishing our dear officers "veselé vánoce" may have endeared us a bit.

early january 2018, literally ten days after our application: ACCEPTED! danced around the room. the rest is history.

i'll leave you with a quote from cheryl strayed i often think about.... it’s a beautiful way of looking at those big life choices.

“I’ll never know and neither will you of the life you don’t choose. We’ll only know that whatever that sister life was, it was important and beautiful and not ours. It was the ghost ship that didn’t carry us. There’s nothing to do but salute it from the shore.”

thanks for your nice words on social media, friends. here’s to never talking about immigration again!

[ladystylestores]

Ljubljana: A Perfect Place for Active Holidays in the City

When you hear the country’s capital city you probably think about stunning architecture, numerous museums and galleries, churches, delicious food in the restaurants, but you probably don’t think about hiking.

Well, Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, is a green gem of Europe offering active and unique opportunities to embark on hiking trips inside the city area.

There is no doubt Ljubljana is one of the greenest cities in the world. The city boasts an astounding per capita green space provision of 542 square metres, some of which can even be found in the heart of the historic city centre. Lush green and wooded areas offer a perfect opportunity for active holidays in the city.

It is a green and active city with a vibrant culinary scene, wealth of museums and galleries to explore, and tours and trips to take within the city or nearby. Time to make you plan for the future travels!

  We’ve collected the TOP 10 activities in Ljubljana to have the ultimate active holidays in the city:

First Impressions of the City

When arriving in Ljubljana make sure to stop by Ljubljana Tourist Information Center (Adamič-Lundrovo nabrežje 2, 1000 Ljubljana), take the city map, say hi to the welcoming staff, get all the tourist information you need, buy Ljubljana Card and book a tour to get to know the city.

Purchasing a Ljubljana Card will help you save on entrance prices to over 20 of Ljubljana’s top attractions as well as cover a bicycle hire, access to wi-fi, bus transportation costs around the city and to the airport. All major things to do in Ljubljana will be covered.

To get familiar with the city’s streets it is best to book a guided tour in the begining of your trip. Would you rather explore the city on foot, by bike, perhaps by boat? Ljubljana offers many interesting options which are thematically different and tailored to different interests. Check the guided tours here and let the pleasant stroll through the city begin!

  Get to Know the City’s Main Attractions

The picturesque image of the centre of Ljubljana has been marked by different historic periods and most notably by the works of the world-famous architect Jože Plečnik. Take a walk through the Ljubljana Old Town, be amazed by the Baroque and Art Nouveau buildings and visit Ljubljana Castle, the city’s main attraction. You can reach the castle by funicular railway or climb it on foot. The castle’s tower and ramparts offer the most beautiful views of the city.

Get your cameras ready while visiting the Prešernov trg Square, the heart of the historic Ljubljana. It includes three of the most recognizable images of Ljubljana: the pink facade of the Franciscan Church, the monument to the Slovenian poet France Prešeren, and the Plečnik`s Triple Bridge.

Another picture perfect spot is the famous Fountain of the Three Carniolan Rivers (Robba Fountain) standing in front of the Town Hall. The baroque masterpiece is the work of the renown sculptor Francesco Robba.

And last, don’t forget to meet the dragons on the Dragon bridge and find out why Ljubljana is also called the Dragon City. It is considered that if you did not take a photo with the dragon, you were not really in Ljubljana.

  Cycle Around the City and Chill in Park Tivoli

Ljubljana is the cyclists’ idea of a city. Its’ centre is car-free and the network of bike paths and circuits is constantly expanding. No bike? No problem! Bikes can be rented literally all over town. You can join the locals and rent one from Bicikelj, the city’s bike sharing system or you can hire one in the Ljubljana Tourist Information Center for a very affordable price. Ljubljana Card holders are entitled to free four-hour bicycle hire.

Make sure to make a stop in the largest city park, Tivoli. Ljubljana’s central park is a popular place for socialising and relaxing. There you will find joggers, walkers, slackliners, yoga practicioners, kids enjoying the playgrounds, mini golfers, and people taking rests on the grass enjoying the parks’ charming tranquillity. You can also sit down in a popular café called Čolnarna next to the park’s pleasant green fish pond area.

Tivoli Park is crisscrossed with walking and recreational paths that continue into the slopes of Rožnik hill and allow an escape to nature from the centre of the city.

  Hike in the City

There are not many cities where the old town centre offers you a hike through the woods to the top of a hill, but Ljubljana has it all.

The network of hiking trails starts spreading out from the city centre and becomes more and denser as we move outwards. The green hearts of the city are the Rožnik and Šišenski hrib Landscape Park, Golovec, Rašica and the popular Šmarna gora (Mt. Saint Mary), the scenic “roof of Ljubljana” with the city’s favourite viewpoint. At the summit of Šmarna gora you can indulge in a snack or lunch at Gostilna Ledinek, with a menu consisting of traditional Slovene dishes.

However If you are more into mountaineering it is best you visit Ljubljana Region and explore the mountain trails there such as Grintovec or Kamniško sedlo.

  Visit Central Market and Have a Picnic

The central market is the heart of any city. This is certainly true of Ljubljana market, which was designed by renowned architect Jože Plečnik. It is more than just a place to shop. Traditionally, it has also been a place for the locals to meet and enjoy themselves together. Taste some seasonal produce from local farmers and growers, have a little chat with them and buy the ingredients for your picnic.

Luckily Ljubljana has plenty of relaxing hidden spots for treating yourself to a picnic. You can relax on the Trnovski pristan embankment, up on the castle hill, in the Tivoli Park or park Špica, etc.

    Paddle Through the City Center

The river Ljubljanica, with its interesting bridges and picturesque old city centre embankments, is one of Ljubljana’s most notable landmarks. The heart of Ljubljana’s social life are the Ljubljanica river embankments, densely scattered with lively cafés offering outdoor seating. A good way to see the old city centre and its famous bridges, picturesque buildings and vibrant embankments from a completely different angle is to join a tourist boat cruise along the river.

However, the Ljubljanica with its bridges is much more than just photogenic. It offers unique experiences which you simply must try. In the summer you can treat yourself to an exciting water session in the very centre of Ljubljana and see the city from a different angle by taking a sup or a kayak tour.

  Jog Through the City Center

Believe it or not, SightJogging is a real thing and is getting more popular year by year. Ljubljana with it’s wide streets and squares is perfect for a pleasant run.

If you’re a runner you can combine your morning run with exploring the streets of the city. No worries, the lovely Ljubljanica River will show you the way. If you’re in good condition you can also run up to the castle hill. You can also take your run on the Path of Remembrance and Comradeship, which encircles Ljubljana, symbolizes dedication to a healthy lifestyle while at the same time serving as a reminder of the city’s history. It runs along the 32.5-kilometre long course of the military barbed-wire fence which surrounded Ljubljana during the Second World War. We assure you that if you complete the whole circuit, you will be ready to participate in Ljubljana Marathon in autumn.

According to our calculations, during a one hour jog you will burn off 803 kilocalories, which equals about two cakes. Speaking of cakes, make sure reward yourself with Stolp cake in Lolita. You deserve it!

  Don’t Forget to Explore the Ljubljana Region

If you have any time left we suggest you don’t just enjoy the city but instead take a trip off the beaten path and discover the surrounding Ljubljana Region. The city of Ljubljana is surrounded by fascinating smaller cities, lush nature and many, many opportunities for unforgetatable adventures.

You’ll wonder if you landed in Hobbit’s kingdom in the truly unique traditional herdsmen’s village on Velika planina. If you’re more into adrenaline adventures we suggest you visiting the Geoss Adventure Park in the village of Slivna, which offers treetop climbing adventures, a giant zip line and a unique opportunity to spend a night in the treetops. Cave enthusiasts will be able to admire the beauty of the Mayor’s Cave (Županova jama) located near the village of Cerovo. It consists of six chambers and a wealth of marvellous stalagmites, stalactites and other typical karst features. If you like hiking and cycling make sure to visit Polhov Gradec Dolomites as well and embark on exploration of the most photogenic hill in the Ljubljana area – Sveti Jakob or the hill once visited by royalty, Polhograjska Gora. If you’re there, make sure to stop by the Polhov Gradec Mansion. You will not return empty-handed as the hosts will not let you leave without a Bundle of Delights from Count Blagaj’s land. If you are interested in history and the pile-dwellers unique culture, Ljubljana Marshes are the place for you. Due to its amazing natural diversity and rich heritage it is listed as UNESCO World Heritage.

  Explore the Vibrant Culinary Scene

Ljubljana is full of surprises not the mention their splendid culinary scene. The city’s culinary offer is strongly characterised by seasonal, locally produced ingredients. Culinary adventurers can find a rich and diverse range of foods to suit all tastes and all pockets.

We suggest you go for the local flavours and taste traditional dishes with a modern make-over represented by the Taste Ljubljana brand. Renowned Ljubljana chefs such as Igor Jagodic (Strelec), Jorg Zupan (Atelje) and Bine Volčič (Bistro Monstera), among others, have creatively adapted old recipes to contemporary trends.

For trying some local street food we suggest Klobasarna where you will be able to try a a traditional Slovene speciality – Carniolan sausage. Another affordable way of trying Slovenian cuisine is visiting the Moji štruklji Slovenije, where they serve up a daily range of more than 20 different types of štruklji – boiled strudel – with creamy or classic fillings and toppings.

To start your day healthy, we are sure Ljubljana breakfast will get you ready for your long day of exploring the city. Check Bistro EK or Slovenian House and try the most important meal of the day from top quality local and seasonal ingredients.

  Take a Look at the City’s Top History and Art Museums

Last but not least, mix up your active adventure with visiting at least one museum or if you are more into arts, a gallery. Trust us, you will not regret it.

In the National Museum of Slovenia you will discover the rich heritage of diverse history, and see the 60,000-year-old Neanderthal flute, which is the oldest musical instrument in the world. You can check the permanent exhibition of the City Museum of Ljubljana which shows the development of the city of Ljubljana from the prehistoric period to the present day. In the museum are especially proud of two findings – the world’s oldest wooden wheel and a wooden arrow that is about 40,000 years old. Exceptional collections of technical heritage are on display at the Technical Museum of Slovenia in Bistra plus you can admire Tito’s limos there.

Ljubljana is also the city of an exceptional artistic life. Its rich legacy is complemented by a lively contemporary art scene. The National Gallery holds mainly older iconic works of art, such as works of Baroque artists, the Slovenian impressionists, and paintings of Ivana Kobilica and Zoran Mušič. The adjacent Museum of Modern Art represents artistic phenomena of 20th and 21st century, if you like to meet Eastern European avan-garde artists check the Museum of Contemporary Art (MSUM) Metelkova.

  There you have them, the top ten activities for the unforgettable adventure in a beautiful city of Ljubljana. The city is maybe one of the smallest capitals of Europe, but it’s huge in terms of the variety of what you can do, see and taste there.

If you are looking for an active holidays combined with rich gastronomic experiences and a thriving cultural scene Ljubljana is with no doubt the right place for you.

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