#giant crocodile tank check

[potatopassenger]

Luffy: Vivi, where is Crocodile's HQ?

Crocodile:

[knine-nights]

Genloss Theory 12

Long one again but I’ve got pics this time!

Why was there a weapons store in the Showfall mall in Episode 3? What even was it?

There was a store that Charlie and Ranboo took temporary shelter in during Episode 3 that was filled with odd items. It was trashed, much of it was empty, but it was well lit which is more than you can say for most of the mall.

Inside the store, some items they find include an axe, a knife, afrying pan, and a bulletproof vest:

So what gives? Why the fuck would this be here?

Well the first conclusion you might reach (and the one I did the first time I watched) is that it’s a supply/hunting store from before Showfall took over. There are obvious remnants all over the place that this was once an active and functioning mall. Like how Charlie and the other streamers were in the small restaurant booths you’d find in a food court. So it wouldn’t be that surprising to find a store with some scraps from before Showfall right?

Except that doesn’t make total sense. Sure at first glance it may seem like that kind of store, with the knife, bulletproof vest, nets, and camo designs all over.

But so far I’ve only mentioned items they grab. I’m not going to show images for all of the following, you can double check if you doubt me, but there are also things including a giant hammer, a leaf blower, an old fashioned gas mask, a small crocodile head, a bell, several jackets, a bucket labeled SLIME (which I talk briefly about in Theory 11), a fire extinguisher, a helium tank, a mannequin body with a scarf, and several bags and jackets.

Why would a store have those? And they’re not haphazardly thrown in piles, some of these things are hung on the walls or in the display cases. These were placed here intentionally.

It’s not 100% clear why it’s like this, but my theory is that this was a ploy by Showfall. Charlie and Ranboo were meant to find this store because the items here would give them supplies and give them hope that they could find their way out.

After all, why else would the store be open and fully lit up? If it was a defunct old storage space, it wouldn’t be so perfectly inviting for Charlie and Ranboo.

In Theory 8 I speculated that Showfall might have had more control in Episode 3 than we were led to believe. That they were still pulling the strings. This whole situation sort of supports that. If Showfall was in control, they could easily herd Charlie and Ranboo into the store by having the employees chase them and have the store set up beforehand to give them the objects and tools that Showfall wanted them to have.

Ultimately, I think this might have been originally a hunting supplies store (something reasonably common in malls across the USA) before Showfall took over, but they used it partially as a place to store extraneous props but also a set up for Charlie and Ranboo.

More Theories

[jenna-louise-jamie]

Okay I promised an explanation so here we go!!! Also I wanted to note, I definitely messed up wording on some of these. I did not have enough characters to explain in the detail I wanted and that affected how a lot of these were worded, and so some of them are just completely worded incorrectly. My apologies!! And beware of spoilers if you haven't read books 1-11 I suppose!

1. “hijacked a crane to drop a drug barge on a police station.” TRUE ✅ alex did this in point blanc!

2. “watched a man get drowned in 8 million quarters.” TRUE ✅ in eagle strike, damian cray killed a man by drowning him in 2 million dollars worth of quarters, or 8 million quarters total. alex watched this happen.

3. “got shot in the heart by a sniper and lived.” TRUE ✅ at the end of scorpia alex got shot in the heart by a sniper, and we find out in the next book that he lived!

4. “got put into a giant fish tank with only a single portuguese man o' war in it.” TRUE ✅ in stormbreaker the villain puts alex in the fish tank to kill him.

5. “shot his own insane murderous clone in the head.” TRUE ✅ he shoots him in the head in scorpia rising. i suppose it's julius isn't exactly alex's clone, but I don't know how else to refer to him in simple terms. his evil twin? a dr grief clone that was given extensive plastic surgery to look exactly like him? idk i didn't have enough characters to properly explain. you know what i meant.

6. “lit a boat on fire while still on said boat.” TRUE ✅ in skeleton key alex does exactly this.

7. “crashed a helicopter into the science museum in london.” FALSE ❌ I MADE THIS UP. he parachutes into the science museum in london in stormbreaker. no helicopters were damaged in this incident.

8. “blew up a dam to destroy poisoned crops that the govt was going to bomb.” TRUE ✅ it happened in crocodile tears. why? you'll have to reread the book i don't know.

9. “used a plane float as a makeshift kayak & then almost died in rainforest rapids.” TRUE ✅ it happened in snakehead.

10. “got launched into space against his will (instead of a monkey).” TRUE ✅ he replaced the orangutan that was supposed to be launched into space. alex did not want to be launched into space he wanted to go home and i really can't blame him.

11. “disarmed multiple bombs that would've destroyed the entire world.” TRUE KIND OF IN A WAY ✅ okay here's a prime example of my phrasing that is just kind of wrong. alex did disarm multiple bombs throughout the series. in skeleton key, in eagle strike (technically sabina did but alex told her to and she couldn't have done it without him), in ark angel and in snakehead (he technically blew this bomb up but it didn't hurt anyone and he removed access from the villain so that counts as disarming by definition) ((I'm grasping at straws here)). would all of the bombs destroyed all of the world? no but collectively they might've. oops. you still get points if you picked this one because good god I phrased it in an insane way.

12. “got chained to a cement block and thrown into the ocean.” TRUE ✅ it happened in never say die. you don't get context.

okay explanation over! remind me to never work on another poll like this in the middle of the night. i was frantically fact checking myself whilst making this but clearly i didn't do a good job (looking at you answer 11) and my memory is bad. hope you had fun though!

disclosure: this includes books 1-11. reblog for a bigger sample size & throw your hat in the ring to guess what alex hasn't done if you've never seen or watched alex rider !

[angelsndragons]

okay since folks really like my original cockroach party post i’m going to expand a bit and talk about how and why the mighty nein turned into a cockroach party.

but before we do that, i’m going to talk about mechanics on this post. warning: long post ahead.

first, let’s define terms. all adventuring parties find their own play style when it comes to combat. from my experience, these tend to fall into three broad categories that i am calling the glass cannon, the control, and the cockroach. to be clear, no one party style is better than another; the players and characters simply have different priorities and skill sets.  

glass cannon: these parties are built for doing damage. that’s basically it. they do damage and hope that they kill their enemies before their enemies kill them. these parties tend to be low on support casters, healers, or both. round 4 is where things start to get really rough for these parties and chances are good that if the fight has gone on this long, someone’s at least unconscious.

control: these parties tend to go around obstacles and enemies. there are a million ways to do this; for example, these parties can regularly avoid conflicts all together via stealth or charisma or some other check. when forced into combat, they excel when they have plans or traps to spring on opponents. they struggle a bit but ultimately triumph because they have a myriad of ways to not get hit or they are able to escape and lose their pursuers. 

cockroach: these parties don’t engage in combat, they endure it. their goal is to outlast their enemies via healing, support, and tanking. you hit them? joke’s on you, they don’t care. unlike their glass cannon counterparts, round 4 is where things turn around for the cockroach party. they’ve dug in and are starting to push back.

vox machina is a quintessential glass cannon party. part of that is simply down to player availability; ashley their cleric worked across the country so that made it tough for her to attend on the regular. but. the party technically still had a primary healer who could have stepped in and filled that role: keyleth. druids are pretty dang good healers and support casters, even moon druids. however. marisha and keyleth decided to instead take a dps and tank role similar to grog. this ain’t a diss either so don’t any of you all start anything, especially considering keyleth was often burning her higher slots just to get vm to different places. when keyleth was tanking in wild shape and focusing on dps, it meant that vox machina was reliant on: vex’s cure wounds (and with her being a half caster, you weren’t getting a lot of mileage of it), scanlan as the only support role, and later vax’s lay on hands for emergency healing. percy could heal himself a bit if things got really dicey, grog was taking half damage from most attacks, and the twins could hide as a bonus action or stay at range out of the way. in fact, most of vm had some method for staying at range and letting grog and keyleth tank. and this style worked for them for the most part. their biggest dangers were always the longer fights, with or without pike. longer fights meant more chances for these fragile kids to get hit and possibly drag out the fight even longer by trying to get someone up.

the ashholes from exandria unlimited is a great example of a control party. i count half of their encounters which they’ve been able to wriggle out of without killing their opponents. their liberal use of charm spells, high charisma, and just flat out out of the box thinking (they flipped a fucking crocodile!!) has saved their bacon so many times. during unavoidable combat, they have struggled a little bit, but they’re a low level party to begin with so struggle is expected. all the casters appear to be offensively geared with dariax and fearne having prepped utility on the side. even so, that control vibe still permeates the party; dorian’s most clutch move was that dissonant whispers on mister, which he cast not to harm mister but force him to move away from the rune that transformed and powered him, thus ending the combat.

and finally we have the mighty nein, the cockroach party. we’ll get into the hows and whys later, for now, cockroach parties are built on three major founding principles: action economy, mindset, and versatility. action economy is king in dnd. pcs get an action, bonus action, and reaction per turn. having turns each round is critical to a dnd party's ability to overcome the enemy and the more turns you have compared to your opponent, the better. for large parties, that is a sizable advantage over enemy monsters, which is why even low level monsters are packing multi-attacks, decent ac, and/or good solid hit points. more members means more attacks the creature(s) needs to take and focused fire adds up fast, even at low levels. for example, kylre had about 90 hp and was dead in three rounds, with fjord alone dealing 64 points of that damage. yeah. want to know why mid to high level monsters have legendary actions and resists? action economy. want to know why some silly min-max number crunchers think that cleric healing is severely under-powered? action economy. laura's assessment of healing, that it is better to damage the enemy and only heal to bring people up to make sure they get their turn, is a solid, reasonable assessment of the economy, especially when it comes to the cleric spell slot economy which I elaborated on here.

so, in light of the action economy, let's talk about the cockroach mindset. the cockroach party doesn’t ask ‘how do we beat this opponent��, it asks ‘how do we outlast this opponent.’ it’s a subtle difference in combat focus but an important one. survival of the party is the cockroach’s top priority and all members go into the encounter with that priority in mind. the players aren’t focused on the survival of their character, however, they are focused on giving their party another round to act. they give themselves room to breathe. whether that is stunning the enemy completely, whether it's lowering the enemy's attacking ability, whether it's giving a party member an extra action, whether it’s bringing someone up from unconsciousness, those methods combine with damage generation to win an encounter. cockroach parties don't rely on damage output to keep themselves safe, they rely on their own ability to survive and support their team. 

which brings us to versatility. cockroach parties tend to have a wide array of skills at their disposal and aren’t afraid to use them. while they have solid support roles, casters are not the only ones who can bring utility to a party. just ask beau. just ask yasha as she flew caleb out of danger in the first lucien fight. heck, just ask orym and his swip swap battle flop. or damian and the owlbear from the darrington brigade. cockroach parties, more than control and glass cannon parties, prefer to have a wide range of options available to them. the more tricks up your sleeve, the more likely you are to have something to deal with whatever the dm throws at you. marine layer, anyone? at the same time, the party also uses this wide array to have multiple ways to handle the same problem. jester is the backup stealth scout and teleporter. fjord is the emt, able to remove and heal injured party members if caduceus or jester cannot. caleb is the backup backup cleric with polymorph. veth can also stun/incapacitate enemies with her spells. caduceus is the backup backup tank and battlefield control via his shield of retribution and spirit guardians to beau and jester.

these three tricks combine into one inescapable reality: there is no one better or obvious target to take out. the entire party is one giant interlocking trap; break one and the others will reinforce the weak point and make you pay for the effort.

(incidentally, the cockroach approach is so ingrained in the cast that the vm side of the battle royale didn’t play with the urgency the vm playbook requires and that, more than anything, screwed them over. but that’s a different post.)

tune in next time for a break down of how, when, and why the nein went from glass cannon to cockroach because it is a fascinating ride.

[quickspinner]

I’ll Give You the Stars - Ch 1 Paying it Forward

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4

I’ve been meaning for some time to transfer my multichapter works over here as well as on AO3, so if you’ve already been on my AO3 site, I’m afraid these are nothing new, but if you haven’t, here you go! I’ll be posting chapters as I have time. These are all complete, it’s just making time for setting up the post and formatting for Tumblr, so, if you get impatient, you can find me under this same username on AO3 and read the whole thing at once.

This particular story was written before most of Season 3 came out so there’s a few things that might not track perfectly, but I hope you enjoy anyway.

Summary:

The members of Kitty Section has been planning to go to this Jagged Stone concert for ages, but Luka doesn’t understand why Juleka drags him to the venue hours early until one Marinette Dupain-Cheng appears with a surprise that could change his life — a chance to impress Jagged Stone.

“You set all this up for me? I— why?” It was a stupid question, he knew that the moment it was out of his mouth. This was Marinette Dupain-Cheng. She couldn’t have done anything else.

“I told you we were going to get here way too soon,” Luka sighed as he walked beside his sister up the stairs of the concert venue. “I don’t get why you insisted on leaving so early.”

Juleka’s mumbled response was unintelligible but there was something about the way she dipped her head forward to let her hair fall across her face that made Luka think she was laughing at him.

He shook his head and spread his hands. “Well, we’re here, so what now?” He had dressed for the heat and the crowd, swapping his usual layered look for his black Kitty Section t-shirt, which was both lightweight and perfectly fitted. He sort of wished he hadn’t abandoned his favorite sneakers for combat boots, but the last time he’d worn sneakers in a concert crowd, he’d taken a stiletto to the instep that left him limping for a week.  Even with the changes, standing out in the summer sun for hours was not something he was excited about.

Juleka ignored him, texting on her phone. Luka shook his head and took a guitar pick out of his pocket, feeling the hard edges press into his fingers as he turned it in his hand. The band members had made plans weeks ago to attend this Jagged Stone concert, but Luka was sure the rest of Kitty Section wouldn’t be here for at least an hour. He didn’t understand why Juleka was acting so weird.

Suddenly Juleka looked up from her phone, scanning the milling pedestrians. “Here she comes.”

“Here who—oh,” he said, and shoved his sister lightly when Juleka chuckled. “I’m so gonna get you for this,” he told her under his breath as Marinette bounced up to them.

“You can thank me later,” Juleka told him, elbowing his ribs in retaliation for his shove. She stepped forward to greet her friend.

Marinette was wearing a black leggings and a Jagged Stone t-shirt a couple of sizes too big so that it hung off one shoulder, artfully ripped in places to expose the pink tank top she had on underneath.  Her hair was in a messy bun on top of her head and her bangs were gelled back in spikes off of her forehead. She had a canvas tote with the bakery logo on it looped over her shoulder, a smile a mile wide—and his Jagged Stone guitar pick, strung on a black and pink striped cord, rested perfectly in the hollow of her collarbone.

Luka squeezed the pick in his hand and reminded himself to breathe.

“I’m so glad you made it,” Marinette gushed. “Here’s the tickets for the rest of the band.” She pulled a handful of tickets from her purse and gave them to Juleka, who grinned. “They’re good seats, I checked. Sorry I couldn’t get more of you in with us.”

“Thanks,” Juleka mumbled, and then she shoved Luka forward. “He’s all yours.” As she turned to walk away she told Luka, “Try not to embarrass yourself.”

Luka watched her go for a moment and turned back to Marinette, running his fingers through his hair and slipping the pick back into his pocket. “Okay, I officially have no idea what’s going on, I thought we were all going to—“ He stopped as his eyes focused on the small plastic square clipped to a lanyard that Marinette was holding out to him. His hand came up slowly to take the backstage pass. “Are—are you serious?”

“Yep,” Marinette winked, giggling at his reaction. “Surprise.”

“You can say that again,” Luka said in awe, staring at the pass. “All access—How did you even get this?”

“No time for that now!” Marinette grabbed his arm, pulling him towards the door. “I told Penny we’d meet her at the security door in five minutes.”

“Penny?” Still bewildered but not about to protest, Luka slipped the lanyard over his head and let Marinette guide him.

Security opened the door and a dark-skinned woman with magenta hair and a clipboard looked up and smiled broadly. “Marinette, good timing! It’s so good to see you again!”

“Hi Penny! Thanks for getting us the tickets and passes, it was so nice of you!” Marinette took the bag off her shoulder and offered it to Penny. “These are for you and Jagged, fresh from this morning! There’s box of macaroons in there for Fang too.” As Penny took the bag of sweets, exclaiming in delight, Marinette reached into her purse and pulled out a USB drive. “Here’s the digital proof for the album artwork, I finished it last night.”

“Perfect,” Penny took the drive and tucked it in a pocket, clicking her pen to check off something in her clipboard. She looked at Luka and smiled. “This is your friend you brought to meet Mr. Stone?”

“Yes, this is Luka!” Marinette pulled him forward and Luka shook Penny’s hand numbly. He looked at Marinette.

“Did she say ‘Meet Mr. Stone?’ As in, Jagged Stone?” he asked in a low voice.

Marinette shared a conspiratorial grin with Penny before she turned to him and shrugged. “Surprise again.”

Penny smiled kindly. “It’s nice to meet you Luka, I’m Penny Rolling, I’m Jagged Stone’s agent. Mr. Stone is a big fan of Marinette’s work.  She’s working on her second album cover for us, and she did some of the promotional art for this tour.” Luka’s eyes widened and he looked at Marinette. How did he not know that? Penny laughed at his expression and Marinette’s suddenly red face. “Marinette, you’re too modest. How are you going to build your business if you don’t promote yourself?”

“I do!” Marinette insisted. “It’s all in my portfolio, it just, um...never came up?”

Luka put his hand on her shoulder and squeezed lightly. Penny just shook her head and checked her watch. “Come with me, we’ll put you in the lounge. Mr. Stone is still in makeup, so he’ll join you when he’s done.”

She ushered them through the backstage area so fast that Luka only caught glimpses of the staging area and people rushing by carrying cables and lights and equipment. Crap, I totally owe Juleka groveling and ice cream,  he thought distractedly.

“Here you go,” Penny opened a door and ushered them inside. It had a couch and a couple of chairs, as well as some instruments on stands along the wall. “I have some more things to check on, but make yourself at home. Just grab one of the craft services people if you need anything.” She popped back out of the door, pulling it shut behind her.

For a moment it was quiet as Luka and Marinette just stood there.

“So…” Luka said slowly, running his hand through his hair and turning to face Marinette. “You’re on a first name basis with Jagged Stone’s agent.”

“Yep. She’s really nice.”

“You’ve met Jagged Stone.”

“Mmhmm. A few times now.”

“You work for Jagged Stone.”

“He wanted a younger perspective on his last couple of albums, so...”

“Jagged Stone is a big fan of your work.”

“Well that might be overstating it a bit…but, kinda?”

Luka bent down to look her in the eyes. “Marry me.”

There was a beat of silence as Marinette stared wide-eyed at him, and they both cracked up together. “Seriously,” he said, still chuckling, “I can’t believe I didn’t know any of this.”

“Sorry, it’s kind of a lot to surprise you with all at once, isn’t it,” Marinette giggled. “But your face is so worth it right now. I can’t wait to tell Juleka.”

Luka turned toward her and took her hands. “You set all this up for me? I— why?” It was a stupid question, he knew that the moment it was out of his mouth. This was Marinette Dupain-Cheng. She couldn’t have done anything else.

“Because you’re my friend,” she answered with a smile. “And you’re so talented and passionate about your music, you deserve to be heard, Luka! I know the rest of Kitty Section loves what they do but it’s not their whole life like it is yours. And Jagged Stone is going to love you, I know it.” She hesitated. “You should know, though, he’s kind of eccentric. He’s not as cool or laid back as you are, he’s actually a giant dork and kind of high maintenance. And whatever you do, do  not insult his crocodile.”

Luka grinned at her. “You think I’m cooler than Jagged Stone?”

Marinette made a face.  “Please don’t tell him I said that, he’ll be super dramatic about it.”

Luka had to laugh. “This may be the most surreal day of my life. How come you never told me you knew Jagged Stone so well?”

“Oh,” Marinette pulled her hands away and reached up to fiddle with her spiked bangs, “it’s kind of hard to bring it up without sounding like I’m bragging, and it was all luck to start with. Really, I was just in the right place at the right time and somehow I managed to impress him, and things just kind of snowballed from there.” She dropped her hand and looked away, blushing fiercely. “Also, please don’t be weirded out if he calls you my boyfriend. He likes to tease me.”

“I don’t know, Marinette. You hang out with rock stars, I’m starting to think you’re out of my league.” Luka snickered at the look she gave him. “You are fun to tease though.”

Marinette shoved him lightly. “Just wait till he hears you play, he’ll forget I exist.”

“Play?” Luka’s eyes widened. “You think he’ll want me to?”

Marinette just gave him a knowing smile.

“I think I need to sit down,” Luka muttered.

“Is it too much?” Marinette asked in a small voice as they sat down on the couch. She folded her hands around one of his. “Maybe I should have given you more warning...I’m sorry. It’s just, Penny didn’t want word getting around so she asked me to keep it quiet…”

Luka shook his head, squeezing her hand. “Only you would apologize for something like this. Marinette, I—“ he pressed his free hand to his chest. “I’m so touched. I can’t believe you would set this all up for me.”

“I didn’t do much.” Marinette squirmed. “I just mentioned it to Penny after one of our design meetings and she did all the work. She felt like she owed me a favor because, well, things went kind of bad the time they tried to film that reality show at our bakery, and—“

Luka freed his hand and put his arm around her waist, pulling her to him in a tight hug. “You have no idea how awesome you are.”

“Luka,” she sighed, hugging him back. “I’m not.”

“Hush and let me appreciate you, okay? It’s the least you can do for springing all this on me,” he teased. They sat in silence for a bit as Luka tried to process everything he’d been told. He still felt like he was having some weird out of body experience. He closed his eyes and breathed for a moment, trying to focus on the ground beneath his feet and Marinette’s warmth pressed to his side.

“Luka?” she said after a moment, bringing him back down to earth. “Do you ever sing with your music?”

He gave her one more squeeze and released her, sitting back on the couch. “I used to, some. You know I told you words aren’t my thing, I’m not a lyricist, so I wasn’t, like, writing ballads or anything that I really felt like I needed to sing myself. But I used to sing other people’s words all the time.”

“Why did you stop?”

Luka winced, running his fingers through his hair. “It’s kinda embarrassing actually.”

“Really?” Marinette giggled, covering her mouth with one hand. “I didn’t think you got embarrassed.”

Luka had to laugh at that. “I’m chill, Marinette, I’m not dead. Of course I get embarrassed, just not usually over small stuff.”

“Oh. You just always seem so calm. And when you—I mean you don’t—I mean if I tried to say some of the things you’ve said I probably would have really messed it up but you did it so cool and—” She was growing redder by the minute, and smiling to himself, Luka took pity on her, interrupting her ramble to answer her question.

“I stopped singing when my voice started changing,” he admitted. “Trust me, no one wanted to hear me while that was going on. It was bad.” He chuckled ruefully. “Juleka even banned me from singing in the shower.”

“Oh,” Marinette gasped. “Oh, that—that makes total sense actually. But...but you’re over that now, right? I mean, you always sound good now.” The color that had begun to fade from her face returned. “I mean—I like your voice.“

“Yeah, I’m pretty much done with that,” Luka smiled, tactfully ignoring her embarrassment. “I just...haven’t really gotten back into it. We’ve got Rose now and the songs we’ve been playing don’t really need backup vocals, so I just haven’t picked it up again. I’m out of shape for singing.” He glanced sidelong at her. “But, you’re right, I don’t really have an excuse anymore. Maybe I’ll start working on it again, see what I can do with this new voice.”

Marinette’s hand curled lightly around his bicep and he looked down at her. “I’m sure it’ll be great, Luka. I know you can do it if it’s something you want.”

Luka couldn’t help the way his eyes softened as he looked at her earnest face turned up to his.  I can do anything if you’ll look at me like that, he thought. Some of what he was thinking must have shown in his expression because Marinette’s cheeks slowly darkened the longer he looked at her. He swallowed and looked away.

“This is gonna sound weird,” he said a little hesitantly. “But do you mind if I meditate while we wait? I have a feeling I’m gonna need all the chill I can get.”

“Of course,” she said, sliding back from him. “Maybe you should teach me some time. Heaven knows I could use some more chill.”

“No,” Luka said immediately, and then shook his head. “Sorry, I didn’t mean it to come out like that, and of course I’ll teach you if you want. But you don’t need to be like me, Marinette.” He swallowed down the lump in his throat and reached into his pocket, pulling out one of his ever-present guitar picks and turning it in his fingers. “Chill would look weird on you. You feel what you feel and I love that about you. It’s brave, even when it scares you.”

“Luka?” she touched his hand.

“I’m okay,” he said automatically, smiling at her. “Just—don’t change, okay? Not like that. There’s nothing wrong with you. You’re enough.”

She smiled slowly at him and pulled her hand back. “Thanks, Luka. Um, I’ll just sketch while you do your thing.”

Luka folded his legs and set his arms, pinching the pick in between his index and forefinger. His first breath was shaky. He closed his eyes and quieted his mind, but only for a moment. Silence was not solace for him. Silence was waiting for the pin to drop, waiting for the blow to fall and not knowing when or why it was coming. Silence was anger, pain, the flat, speechless moment in the aftermath of tragedy.

Silence was a black butterfly in a moment of weakness.

Instead, he let his mind fill with music, picturing it flowing around him, in him, out of him.

He listened to it all, still vaguely aware of the scratch of Marinette’s pencil in her sketchbook, the humming of the air conditioning, the distant sounds of people rushing beyond the door.

His heart calmed, his turbulent thoughts smoothed into an easy flow. He’d been reeling all afternoon and he needed this moment to get back in his own skin. By the time Jagged Stone burst through the door like a whirlwind, he felt grounded, collected, more like himself again.

Jagged was across the room hugging Marinette before Luka’s eyes were even all the way open, and Luka bit back a laugh at the sight of the tiny girl wrapped in the rocker’s spider-like limbs. Luka unfolded himself and stood up as Marinette struggled half-heartedly.

“Jagged, stop!” Marinette whined as the rock star ruffled her spiked bangs and cooed over her “cute little punk-wanna-be style.” She pried herself loose and pushed the tall rocker towards Luka.

“This is Luka.”

“It’s an honor to meet you, sir,” Luka said, careful to meet Jagged’s eyes while he shook his hand.

“Luka, huh. My girl here talked you up pretty big,” Jagged winked. “Seems like you made an impression.”

Even forewarned Luka could feel heat in his cheeks, but he rolled with it. “She certainly made one on me.”

“Ohh, a charmer,” Jagged threw his arm around Luka’s shoulders. “He’s definitely got more style than that blond kid you wallpapered your room with.”

Marinette sputtered, turning cherry red. Luka cleared his throat and coughed to cover his laughter.

“Play!” Marinette burst out at last. “Guitar! He plays good guitar!”

“Is that so,” Jagged laughed, and Luka realized that the rock star didn’t really believe her. Luka was a kid, after all, maybe with some talent but this surely can’t be the first time he’s been forced to listen to someone who couldn’t live up to their friends’ hype. He must have been through this dozens of times. He was indulging Marinette now because he liked her, but it was clear he didn’t expect anything special out of Luka.

Luka’s eyes locked with Marinette’s and he saw that she’d realized it too, and he saw the firm line of her mouth and her outrage on his behalf. Then suddenly she was giving him that lopsided smirk of hers and he could hear her clear as words.  You’ll show him.

He appreciated her faith in him, though there was a curl of fear in his stomach. He was confident in his skill as far as that went, but whether he could measure up in the eyes of someone like Jagged Stone, universally admitted to be the greatest artist of his generation...He didn’t want to believe Jagged was right. He didn’t want to let Marinette down. He didn’t know how he would take it if that happened.

“Well, kid, let’s see what you got.”  Jagged reached a long arm out to grab the neck of a guitar on a stand near his chair and he tossed it to Luka. “Oy, Penny, plug him in, will you?”

Luka licked his lips a bit nervously as he went through the familiar motions of settling the guitar and tuning it by ear.

“You sure you don’t want a tuner?” Penny asked him, and Luka shook his head with a one shouldered shrug.

It didn’t take him long to be ready, the guitar was already mostly in tune. It was a far more expensive model than he’d ever played, he noted distantly, but it was close enough in size to his usual guitar to feel familiar in his hands. He played a quick warmup exercise almost without thinking, and nodded to himself.

“It’s not just the playing,” Marinette was saying when he tuned back into the conversation. “He writes music, too, and his improv is amazing. Show them, Luka. Play me.”  She looked at him, shining with confidence, and he couldn’t refuse her.

Normally it amused him when people treated his music like some kind of freaky superpower. There wasn’t anything mystical about what he did, he was just observant. Intuitive.  Sensitive, his father had scoffed. It was just a quirk of his brain that he translated his observations into music without conscious thought. Maybe it started as self-preservation, for all the things he wasn’t allowed to say back then. He couldn’t make anyone angry with the wrong words if he didn’t use any. His music brought people in instead of driving them away.

However it started, it was as natural to him as breathing now, and he couldn’t turn it off, even when he tried. He heard music everywhere. In Juleka’s growling voice, his mother’s boisterous laugh, in Rose’s smile, Ivan’s strength, in Mylène’s gentleness. In the waves slapping the boat hull, in all the million shades of the sky, in the gentle rocking that meant home.

In Marinette’s enthusiasm, creativity, determination. In her babble and stutter, in the heart that would break itself to pieces for the people she loved.

He played. Eyes on his guitar, he played her confidence, that unwavering support, the tremor of excitement in her words. He played his gratitude and her joy.

Luka didn’t notice her come next to him until she touched his arm. “Now play Penny,” she said. Luka raised his eyes to the agent for a moment, adjusting his fingers as he thought.

For Penny, he played efficiency and competence and a kind heart, satisfaction in a job well done, the strength to fight when she had to, and a softness that he couldn’t quite define but could sense nonetheless.

When he stopped playing, Penny was blushing, Jagged Stone was looking at her with tears in his eyes, and Marinette was beaming at Luka as if he’d just given her the world instead of the other way around.

The air in the room was so heavy it was almost painful.

Luka took a breath, thought, what the hell, and began playing I Love Unicorns.

The tension snapped as he’d intended, and all eyes turned back to him, but the only sign he gave that he noticed their attention was a small smirk at the corner of his mouth. He knew this music like he knew his own breath, and it was easy to just let go.

He sank into the music, as he always did, letting it move his body. After a minute or two he felt comfortable enough to look up, to connect with his audience. Jagged Stone had a surprisingly serious look on his face, though his own body was moving subtly to the music. Penny stood with her arms folded, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. And Marinette - Marinette looked ready to explode with glee, and he couldn’t help the grin that broke over his face.  He kicked the tempo up a bit, more energetic, more free, and with a smirk of his own, launched into Jagged Stone’s own music, riffs as unique and recognizable as the artist who wrote them, daring and unmistakable.

Marinette whooped and Penny applauded, laughing.

Jagged jumped up, pointing at him.  “Keep playing, kid,” he said, going to the stand behind the chair where his own guitar rested.  Luka’s heart leapt into his throat but his fingers kept going, his body kept moving, and the song kept growing. Luka could see Jagged bob to the beat before his own fingers start moving and a second melody rang out, improvising around Luka’s song.

How did this happen, he is jamming with Jagged Stone, how is this even his life, and he grinned wider than he probably ever had when Jagged whooped enthusiastically. “Alright, can you keep up?” the rock star hollered, taking the lead, and Luka laughed, catching up a harmony. “Rock ‘n roll!” Jagged cried, and the girls backed up to give them space as they played and whooped and danced.  

He caught Marinette’s eye and she was looking at him with a face he never wanted to forget, joy and pride and excitement that he knew was all for him, because he was happy, because she found a way to bring him joy and she couldn’t NOT do it.

He glanced back at Jagged Stone and found the rock star giving him a sly grin, and Luka could only grin back sheepishly, knowing he was caught. Jagged clapped his hand on Luka’s shoulder. “Can’t blame you kid,” Jagged said, surprisingly quietly, “She’s a keeper. Clearly got an ear for talent, too.” He winked. “You’re gonna do great things kid. Give Penny your number, let’s stay in touch.”

Oh if anybody could hear what was going on in his brain right now, his reputation as the laid back, relaxed artist would be  over.

“All right, it’s been great, kids,” Jagged said, taking off his guitar and handing it to Penny.  “But I have to get ready for the show.”

Luka held his hand out. “It’s been an honor, sir, really.” Jagged shook his hand and pulled the boy in to bump shoulders.

“Keep rockin’, Luka.” The tall man turned and opened his arm to Marinette.  “Marinette, you never stop impressing me.” Marinette giggled as Jagged hugged her to his side.  “You two kids enjoy the show.” He looked back at Luka. “Keep an eye on my girl here in that crowd, she’s so tiny she’ll get crushed.”

“I will, sir,” Luka started to say, but Jagged was already hollering for Penny, though she was only a few feet away.

“Hey, Penny, how about we let Marinette and her boy watch the show from the wings? Less likely to get stomped on, as long as you stay out of the crew’s way.”

Luka and Marinette gaped at him, and then at each other as Jagged walked out. Then Marinette squealed as Luka laughed. “This. Is. AMAZING!” Marinette shrieked, shaking him.

“Woah,” he exclaimed, “Easy, easy, I’m not feeling so steady already.” He lifted the guitar strap over his head. “That was wild,” he murmured, taking the instrument back to the stand. He stood for a moment, turning the pick in his hand, then looked up when he felt Penny’s hand on his shoulder.

“You impressed him,” she said, and he appreciated the gentleness in her smile. “Here’s my card, be sure to send me your number. You’re still young but we can definitely help you make some connections and develop your skills.”

“Thank you so much, ma’am.” Luka felt the heavy, smooth weight of the card between his fingers, slick on one side with Jagged’s picture. He put it carefully in his wallet.

“My pleasure. It was a real treat to hear you play, Luka. Now, why don’t you and Marinette come with me and we’ll find you a good spot to watch the show? Ready Marinette?”

“So ready!” Marinette bounced on her toes.

“All right then, let’s go.” Penny led the way out, and as the two teens followed, Luka caught Marinette’s hand and linked their fingers. She looked up at him in surprise and blushed at his soft look, but didn’t pull away.

[inkjam-moon]

Havana - (M)

This is part of the BTS Smut Club Summer Collaboration Project! PLEASE check out the rest of my group’s fics on the masterlist here! They’re really good and my group is wonderful I love them my group4some~

Check out the playlist that goes with this story here!

Summary: You’ve spent the last six years following in your parents footsteps all the way to Cuba, trying to make them proud by finishing their research, but when you join forces with a snarky boat owner who knows more than he lets on, will things play out the way you planned them?

Pairing: Yoongi x Reader

Genre: Smut, fluff

Word Count: 18.7k

TW: unprotected sex, swearing, drinking, oral (female recieving), grinding, riding, mentions of blood, shark attack, mentions of hospitals, mentions of medical procedures, creampies

. .

You grab your last bag and lift it off the carousel, cursing yourself for packing so much. You sling two of them over your shoulders along with your backpack, grabbing the last duffel in your hand and walking up to customs, presenting your passport and getting the go ahead before walking out to where all the families and loved ones are reuniting to look for your driver. You locate the man holding your name on his sign. You say hello, but you don’t know spanish very well, so the conversation is just a lot of gesturing and nodding as he leads you to his car. 

You hop into his car, which has no doors on it, and he quickly takes off, not even waiting for you to fasten your seatbelt. You breath in the fresh Cuban air as you take in the quickly passing sights on your way to the marina, already sweating as you admire the natural, colorful beauty of the world around you until you finally arrive at your destination; not the marina. 

You look at your driver in question and he nods at you. “It’s okay. This right place.” 

You hop out of the car and adjust your shorts, grabbing your bags out of the back of the car before starting in the direction your driver pointed you; down a long dock where one boat sits, bobbing gently in the water with no one in sight.

“Hello?” You call out in english as you reach the end of the dock. “Anyone home?” You hear swearing in a language familiar to your ears before a loud clang. “Hello?” You call again. More swearing before you hear a voice answer you.

“Give me a second.” Another loud crash and then a man appears in front of your eyes. He’s wearing a black and yellow shirt over a white tank top, a pair of red sunglasses hanging from the collar, and earbuds hanging around his neck with loud music coming out of them. His dark hair is plastered to his forehead with sweat and a dirty handkerchief hangs out of the front pocket of his jeans. “Can I help you?” He asks. 

“Are you Min?”

“Who’s asking?” He eyes you suspiciously. 

“I’m Y/N. Joon’s friend?”

He scoffs. “You’re Y/N?”

“Were you expecting someone else?” You huff. 

He gives you a once over before smirking. “Did you pack enough shit?”

You have to stop your mouth from dropping. How rude. “You didn’t have a lab, so I had to bring mine with me.”

“You scientists are all the same.” Min whispers in his native tongue, probably hoping you won’t understand him, but being from Daegu yourself, his words are crystal clear to your ears. 

“Are you kidding? You’re the epitome of some asshole backwoods boat owner.” You spit your own satoori back at him, happy you no longer have to converse in your terribly broken spanish. 

His eyes grow wide as he stares at you before his expression fades back into a smirk. “Joon didn’t tell me you were from Daegu.”

“He also probably didn’t tell you I have a tattoo on my ass, can I get on the boat now?” He looks you over one more time before nodding, holding out his arms for you to toss one of your bags at him. “I’m not throwing these, there’s expensive equipment inside.”

Min rolls his eyes. “Then you’re going to fall.”

“You act like I haven’t been on a boat before.” You grumble, carefully placing each of your bags on the boat deck before hopping over the railing yourself, easily steadying your body. 

“So Min,”

“Call me Yoongi.”

“Yoongi,” You nod, but before you can continue, he interrupts you.

“You can bring all that below deck, I just fixed the air and we can figure out where you want to go first.”

You grab your bags and follow Yoongi down the stairs and through the door to the cabin. There’s a couch shoved against one wall, with a table in front of it, a small kitchenette, a bathroom, and surprisingly, the bow of the boat is a giant window, allowing you to see under the waves that you sit on, in fact, right in front of the boat you can see four scaly legs in the water.

“Is that…?” You drop your bags and move closer to inspect. “A cuban crocodile? Amazing.” You stare in awe, your fingers gliding over the smooth surface of the barrier between you and the animal. “Joon said your boat was good for observation. I thought he meant a shaded deck, but this,” You turn back to Yoongi, pointing at the window. “This is incredible!” You state, moving to your backpack to find your camera and turning it on to take a picture of the crocodile. You hear Yoongi chuckle behind you and you turn to see him smiling. “What?”

“I thought you were a shark girl.” 

“That doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate other animals.”

Yoongi shrugs before walking toward you, taking a seat on the couch and unfolding a map on the table. “Alright. If we head to the east side by Cayo Romano, there’s usually some good activity there. If you want to go to the south side, the Gulf of Batabano had some sightings recently, or we can stay here in the florida straits, which are always full, especially off Varadero.”

You turn your camera to video mode and place it on the table across from where you take a seat next to Yoongi.

“What are you doing?” He asks when he sees the red light flashing.

“Documenting my research.” You state.

“Are you going to do that the entire time?”

“Yeah, and it’s waterproof so get used to it.”

“Jesus…”

“Anyway, I heard there’s an island north of Cayo Hicacal. Around here?” You point at the spot on the map. “Have you been there?”

Yoongi grimaces. “The one by Cay Sal? It’s more of a sandbar. Not very wide, but it’s a couple miles long. The reef around it’s huge though, so it’s impossible to get in.”

“How impossible?”

“Illegal impossible. Cay Sal is Bahamas territory and I don’t have a permit.”

“But how often do they patrol that area really?”

“Are you already asking me to do something illegal?”

“No!” You huff. “Just… think about it.”

“Where do you want to start then so I know where to go in the morning.”

“Varadero is probably a good start. Wait, the morning?”

“Yeah,” Yoongi nods. “It’s too late to go out now.”

“Why? It’s still light out.”

“It won’t be by the time we get there.”

“So? I have equipment for-”

“No.”

“What do you mean ‘no’?”

“I mean no. Do you even know how dangerous it is to be out on the water at night?”

“It’s not that bad.”

“Maybe not back home, but out here, the seas get rough, and that’s when the local gangs do their work.”

“But I’m only here for a week.” You plead, but Yoongi’s face screams ‘no’. “Alright fine. What are we going to do then?”

Yoongi thinks for a moment. “Did you eat?”

.

Ten minutes later, you’re sitting at some off the beaten path restaurant the two of you walked to, waiting to have your order taken. You watch as Yoongi takes a swig from his beer before grabbing a chip and scooping up some salsa. 

“So-”

“No.” Yoongi immediately stops you.

“Excuse me?”

“I don’t like answering questions. I prefer to ask them.”

You sit back in your seat with a huff. “Fine.”

“So where’d you study?”

“I did my undergrad at KAIST and then got my phD in marine studies and biology with a focus on selachimorpha at the Institute of Oceanography on Jeju.”

“That’s a lot of big words for a shark doctor.”

“I’m not a shark doctor, I’m a researcher.”

“And what exactly are you researching?”

“Breeding and feeding habits.”

“So you just sit around hoping to catch some sharks having sex?”

“No I'm trying to see the correlation between pregnant females of different species and their food intake.”

“What are you hoping to see?”

“Well hopefully we can find some-”

“Sphyrna mokarran? Carcharodon carcharias? Galeocerdo cuvier? Or maybe something smaller? Some ginglymostoma cirratum? Or negaprion brevirostris?” Great hammerhead, great white, tiger, nurse, lemon. Your mouth drops open as you stare at Yoongi, unable to believe the words leaving his lips. “You think you’re the only expert here? Just because I don’t have a framed piece of paper with my name on it.” He scoffs, taking another sip of beer. 

“How-”

“Why do you think Joon sent you to me?” He asks. You shake your head, unable to answer. “Because I’m the best.”

"But how do you know-"

"Don't worry about it. All you need to know is that you're in good hands. One more question though. Do you have a safe word?”

“A what?”

“A safe word, so that when you’re in trouble, like really in trouble, I’ll know you’re not just fucking around with me.”

“Oh, um yeah. In case of an attack, my safe word is ‘pirate’.”

“Perfect.”

Before you can say anything else, your food arrives, and based on how absorbed Yoongi is in eating, you assume now is not the time to pester him about his extensive knowledge of the scientific names of shark species. You'll have to save your queries for a later time. The table is quiet for the rest of dinner, and before you know it, you find yourself on the walk home, feet kicking rocks down the gravel pathway as you go, a few feet behind Yoongi. You watch him walk; slow, unbothered, uninterested really; like life could pass him by and he wouldn't have the slightest care.

When you get back to the boat, you hop back onto the deck, but instead of going below, you walk to the bow, looking out at the water, obsessed with the way it sparkles under the light of the sunset.

"What are you, a hopeless romantic or something?" Yoongi scoffs when he sees what you're doing.

"No, I just like to appreciate a good sunset." You state. "You're not much of a people person, are you?"

"I live on a boat, on an island, by myself. What do you think?"

"Whatever. I'm going to sleep. We're going to need an early start tomorrow to make up for today."

"Jesus christ..." Yoongi grumbles as he heads below deck.

You follow closely behind and look around before you realize there's no bed. "So, where do I sleep."

"Give me a second." Yoongi says as he walks over to the couch, moving the table out of the way before removing the couch cushions and unfolding a bed from inside the couch. "This is where I sleep. You can sleep next to me I guess. Or you can sleep on the floor."

"Those are my options?" You ask incredulously as Yoongi walks over to the cabin door and shuts it, locking it behind him.

"Yep." He nods, walking back over to the bed and straightening up the sheets before smacking his fist into a pillow to fluff it. "That's it. unless you want to sleep on the deck."

"Fine." You grab a blanket and pillow off the bed and lay them out on the floor before grabbing your camera and turning the power on and then turning it to face you. "End of day one. I arrived shortly after six  pm and met with the boat owner, Yoongi-"

"What are you doing?"

You roll your eyes at his intrusion. "I told you earlier. I have to document my research. That means doing logs at the end of the day." You explain.

"Can you do them quietly?"

"Listen." You turn to scold Yoongi, but are stopped in your tracks when you see him standing there with his back to you without his shirt on. His skin seems like it's made of gold the way the bedside table lamp illuminates his toned torso. Yoongi turns to you to get your answer, but you don't remember what you were going to say, so you simply huff and go back to your log.

When you're finished, you turn off your camera and lie down. Yoongi turns off the lamp and you hear a cranking sound before a light tinkling, and a sad sounding melody fills the room. A music box? You wouldn’t have pegged Yoongi as the type… 

You’re left in darkness as you try to situate yourself comfortably on the hard wood, but it's not exactly easy. No matter which way you lay, you can't make your body cooperate. You hear Yoongi rustling the sheets, and it isn't long before you hear his breathing even out, but here you are, stuck in the most uncomfortable position on the most uncomfortable floor, and you're starting to get cold; the blanket you grabbed isn't big enough to cover your entire body, and your feet are hanging out the bottom. But you don't want to sleep next to Yoongi, do you?

You sit up and look over at the bed. He's laying down in the middle, but there's a lot of empty space there... Maybe you wouldn't even touch him if you slept there? All you know is that if you stay on the floor, you won't be getting any sleep.

You sigh before getting up, grabbing the blanket and pillow and doing the walk of shame over to the bed. Should you wake him? Or just push him? You lift up your pillow and bring it down on Yoongi's sleeping face harshly.

"Who's there?!" Yoongi shouts, sitting up and grabbing something from underneath his pillow, pointing it at you as his fingers fumble for the light. When he turns it on, you jump back in surprise at the Crocodile Dundee knife pointed at your chest.

"What the hell is that?!" You squeak."

"What are you doing?!" Yoongi yells. "I could've killed you!"

"Thanks for the fucking warning! a 'Hey I sleep with a butcher's knife under my pillow so it's best not to wake me up suddenly' would've been nice!"

"It's not a butcher's knife, it's serrated." You continue to stare at him in disbelief until he puts the knife back under his pillow. "What do you want anyway?"

"Move over." You insist, moving your pillow into place and putting the blanket back on the bed.

"Aw, was the floor not comfortable?"

"Shut up and move over." You hiss, moving to sit on the bed. Yoongi obliges, scooting over on the bed to make room for you and you settle down into the mattress, your body instantly relieved to have something soft to sleep on, and after a long day of traveling, it doesn't take long for you to drift off.

.

When you wake up, it's still dark out, but when you pick up your phone, you see it's about two minutes before you alarm goes off. Might as well get up now. You try to roll over onto your back, but you're stopped when you hit something. Oh, that's right. Yoongi. You're about to move to wake him when you feel a hand on your waist and something poking into your ass just as your alarm starts ringing.

"Yoongi." You growl, your body gone stiff.

"Mm...?" Yoongi mumbles next to you, not fully awake yet.

"That had better be your fucking knife."

“Nope.” He sighs. “That’s my dick.”

“Ugh!” You jump up out of the bed in disgust. “What is wrong with you?”

Yoongi yawns as he sits up, rubbing his bleary eyes. “It’s morning, what did you expect?”

“A little decency maybe? We just met yesterday!”

“I can’t control it. You’re a warm body, and that’s what he likes to wake up next to.”

“Jesus christ you’re disgusting.”

“Thanks, but I wasn’t the one grinding against me in my sleep.”

“Yeah right.” You hiss, walking over to the bathroom.

“Why else would he come out?” Yoongi teases, obviously enjoying how worked up you’re getting.

“Will you just get dressed? We’ve got a lot to do today.” You snap. “And stop referring to it as a he. Your dick isn’t a sentient being.”

“Or so you think.” Yoongi chuckles to himself as you slam the bathroom door shut.

.

Just as the sun is coming up over the horizon, Yoongi’s boat Holly is skimming across the waves toward your eastern destination off the coast of Varadero. You’re sitting next to Yoongi as he steers the boat, your laptop and his laptop both up on the desk next to the command center as you flick between them and your notebook, occasionally scribbling down questions as they come to you, but really, you’re sketching the view in front of you, wanting to jot down every detail as you see it.

You’ve been on the water for about forty-five minutes now, and you’re almost done your sketch when Yoongi’s laptop beeps loudly next to you, catching your attention.

“Yoongi, what’s this?” You ask, pulling up the page that made the sound to see a map of the area with a glowing dot now beaming in the center.

“Hm?” He slows down the boat so he can lean over and take a look. “That’s Ocearch. It’s their shark tracker. Looks like they just picked up a new ping from a satellite tag.” Yoongi leans over you and clicks on the glowing beacon, your nostrils suddenly filled with the scent of salt water mixed with Yoongi’s cologne. Wait, cologne? When did he put that on? “It’s a female white shark. Caroline. 12ft 9in. Maybe 30 miles northeast of Varadero.”

“Really?” You lean under him to look at the screen to see the sharks information; including her age, weight, where she was tagged, how long it’s been since then, how far she’s travelled, and each time her tag captured her surfacing. “Where’s she headed do you think?”

“Based on the way she’s been going, I’m gonna say she’s headed in our direction.”

“You think so?” You ask, excitedly. “Do you think- Could we maybe try to find her? I’d love to put a camera on her for a few days to see what she does.”

“You want to?”

“Please?” You look up at him, your eyes pleading.

“Yeah, we can check it out. Do you want to finish getting your equipment ready?”

“Yes!” You bolt up out of your seat, dropping your notebook on the desk.

Yoongi smirks at your enthusiasm. “It’s should take about twenty minutes to get in her area.”

“Perfect! I’ll be ready.” You nod before rushing off down stairs to gather your things.

About fifteen minutes later, you’re all set. Your line is ready, your chum is thawing, and your camera equipment is set; so you pop back into the wheelhouse to check with Yoongi. 

“I’ve got everything set.”

“Good,” He nods. “We’re about three minutes out.” You walk over and take a seat back in your chair, making Yoongi wrinkle his nose. “Ugh, you smell like chum.”

“Thank you.” You smirk, waving your hands in his face.

“Stop or I’ll pitch you overboard.”

“Yeah right. Then who would your little friend wake up to? No one.”

“He’s not little.” Yoongi insists.

“Sure.” You scoff. Just then Yoongi slows the boat and brings it to a halt before dropping the anchor. “Here should be good.”

“Perfect!” You clap your hands excitedly before heading out to the deck, grabbing your gloves and your chumsicle and walking to the rear of the boat. “Have you ever done this before?” You ask as Yoongi appears in your peripheral. 

“Don’t insult me.”

“No? I thought that was part of our banter.” You tease.

“Listen. I know what I’m doing. Do you have the hose ready?”

“Yeah. So here,” You hold the bucket of chum out to him. “You can start.”

“Gee. Thanks.” Yoongi pulls a pair of gloves from his back pocket before taking the bucket and walking over to the railing.

Yoongi rests the bucket on the wall before tying a line to the chumsicle and tossing it into the water. You grab your bucket and walk up next to him, placing your bucket on the railing and tossing various fish body parts out into the water before emptying the blood and such that’s accumulated in the bottom of the bucket into the water. 

“God this is the worst fucking part.” Yoongi grumbles, dumping the rest of his bucket. “Why does it have to smell so bad.”

“So the sharks can find it.” You remind him, placing your bucket on the deck before going over to check your lines. “You put the hooks in the chumsicle, right?”

“You act like this is my first time doing this.”

“How am I supposed to know what you know? You haven’t told me anything.”

“Look,” Yoongi puts his bucket down and turns to you as he takes off his gloves. “I’ve been doing this since I was ten years old. I know what I’m doing.”

“Okay. Did you put the hooks on it?”

“Yes.”

“Good. That’s all I wanted to know.” You state, walking back into the wheelhouse to grab your notebook. You take a seat on the deck by your lines and start to sketch again, drawing up the lines where they sit on the back of the boat and how they drop down into the water.

“What’re you doing?” Yoongi asks as he sits down next to you.

“Taking notes.” You state as he looks over your shoulder.

“Isn’t that what the camera’s for?” He points above you to where you’ve mounted your video camera.

“I like documenting my own view.” You state, sketching out the last line of the railing.

'Hm." Yoongi shrugs, putting his feet up as he leans back, closing his eyes.

It isn't long before you hear Yoongi's breathing even out, signaling that he's fallen asleep. You decide to take the opportunity to study him. You turn to a new page in your notebook and begin sketching his sleeping face. 

His lips are parted slightly, his top lip a bit more plump that his bottom, which is probably why he looks so pouty when he talks. His nose is flat, adding to the flatness and overall roundness of his face. His eyelashes are surprisingly long. His dark brown hair falls in his eyes, and it almost looks like he's smiling in his sleep.

You get so absorbed in sketching his features  that you focus on him for almost twenty minutes. It isn't until the line next to you gets tugged on that you snap out of it, closing your notebook to investigate.

You stand up and walk to the back of the boat to see several fins out of the water as sharks swarm your chumsicle.

"Yoongi!" You squeak, running over and shaking him.

"Hm? What? What's going on?"

"They're here! Get up!"

"Shit, really? How long was I out?" He asks, hopping to his feet to see the feeding frenzy happening in the water.

"About twenty minutes."

"Damn. Look at them all. Is she here?"

"I don't know I-I don't see her."

"Let me check." Yoongi runs into the wheelhouse to check his computer. "She's here! The satellite read her tag! She should be here!" He calls, running back out onto the deck.

You pause to search the frenzy of fins, most of them belong to lemon sharks, with a few oceanic white tips, but in the midst, you see a much taller fin. "There!" You point at it just as she turns and displays her satellite tag for you. "I see her!"

"Perfect, we just have to wait for her to get hooked." Yoongi nods. "She looks like the biggest one out there, so it shouldn't be hard for her to push her way through."

"Let's hope so."

Yoongi's right. It only takes a few minutes for Caroline to hook herself on the line, causing Yoongi to jump into action, cranking the line to reel it in, bringing the shark up to the side of the boat.

"Get the camera on, she's strong, so I don't know how long I can hold her."

"Got it." You grab your camera/tracking tag and lean over the side of the boat to grab hold of her dorsal fin, quickly sticking the needle through the cartilage and hooking the tag into place before moving up toward her face and clipping the hook free from her mouth and quickly jumping back. "Let go!"

Yoongi releases the line and you both watch as Caroline swims away before you run to your laptop to check it.

"It's working!" You call.

"Awesome." Yoongi states, making you jump as he's suddenly right behind you. "Do you want to try another one?"

"If we can find another female. Maybe one of the lemons."

“Let’s do it.”

You and Yoongi prove to be a pretty efficient team, tagging four more sharks before Yoongi decides to call it a day, heading back into Havana. As Yoongi drives you back to his dock, your eyes are trained on the videos of your sharks, watching them swim to wherever their destinations will be. When you arrive back at the dock, Yoongi suggests dinner, since you were both too busy to eat lunch.

“Are there any good take out places around here? I don’t want to miss anything.” You state, nodding at your computer.

“Of course. You stay here, I’ll go get something, yeah?”

“Thank you.” You nod, going back to staring at the sharks on your screen, scribbling down notes every minute or so as Yoongi walks out the door.

.

It’s about twenty minutes before Yoongi comes back, startling you when he opens the door, his hands carrying two large bags. 

“Dinner.” He states, walking over to where you’re seated on the couch and placing the bags on the table. You don’t want to take your eyes off the screen, but the smell of the food reaches your nose and grabs your attention.

“That smells amazing.”

“Joon said you were in Africa for two months before this, so I thought you could use a little taste of home.” 

“Yoongi that’s… really nice of you.” You state, a bit confused. 

“Who ever said I wasn’t nice?” He asks, taking containers out of the bags and setting them in front of you. You open your mouth to respond, but he’s right. No one ever said he wasn’t nice, you just took it upon yourself to assume that. You move your laptop to the side and start helping pop open containers to see all of your favorites: kimchi fried rice, bulgogi, fried chicken, even flat dumplings and kalguksu; Daegu specialties. 

“This looks amazing. They have kalguksu in Havana?” You question, amazed as you break apart your chopsticks.

“If you know where to go.” He states, dipping his chopsticks into the dumplings and stuffing one into his mouth in its entirety. 

“And how is it you know where to go?”

“I’ve lived here since I was fifteen.”

“Can I ask why?”

“Are you going to even if I say no?”

“Probably.”

Yoongi sighs. “As long as you don’t record it.” You nod. “Do you really want to hear my life long sob story?” You nod again, grabbing a mouthful of rice. “Fine. When I was ten, I went to the aquarium for the first time and immediately decided I wanted to become a marine biologist. My parents… they were good people, but they didn’t have a lot of money and just wanted me to take over the family restaurant. Every time I mentioned what I wanted to do they would brush it off as me saying nonsense, so I took matters into my own hands. I got a job at the local marina and when I wasn’t working, I studied day and night, making sure my grades were perfect, and I ended up graduating high school when I was fifteen. But I didn’t have enough money to go to college, and my parents wouldn’t help me, so I used what money I did have to fly out here to visit my aunt, bought a boat, and have been lugging scientists around on their expeditions ever since.”

“Wow…” You can’t think of anything else to say.

“It started out being about money, that I had to make enough money to go to college so I could be one of… well, one of you. But I realized that I learn more out here than I ever would in a classroom, so I bought Holly, redid her front window myself, and then got my name out into the science community.”

“I wish I had your ambition.” You chuckle. “I just went to college because, well, that’s what I’m supposed to do.”

“I wish I had your entitlement.” Yoongi scoffs, causing you to look down at your lap, shame dusting your cheeks. “I bet mommy and daddy paid every penny, didn’t they?”

At the mention of your parents, you lay down your chopsticks, suddenly having lost your appetite. “If you’ll excuse me.” You mumble, standing up and leaving the cabin, blocking out Yoongi’s voice behind you as you walk up onto the deck to the bow of the boat and sit down, staring off at the water with teary eyes as it dances with the colors of the late evening sky. It’s quiet for a few minutes until you hear footsteps walking up behind you.

“Y/N?”

You quickly wipe your cheeks, trying to hide the evidence of your sadness. “Yeah?”

“Are uh… Are you okay?”

“Yeah. I’m good Yoongi.” You lie, pulling your knees into your chest.

Yoongi sighs as he sits down next to you. “Do you want to talk about it or something?”

You can’t help the laugh that leaves your lips. “No, I really don’t.”

“Can you at least tell me what I did wrong so I don’t do it again?”

“Nothing, you were right. I am entitled. Don’t worry about it.” You wipe your cheeks again and move to stand up, but Yoongi grabs your arm and stops you.

“Y/N, please?” He looks sincere until he opens his mouth again. “I don’t think I can handle a week of you moping around like this.”

You crack a weak smile as you sit back down with a sniffle. “Do you know who the Yang’s are?”

“Are you kidding? Of course I do. Everyone in this field does. They died in that shark attack like five or six years ago, didn’t they? They were that couple of marine biologists from Daegu that started the Institute of Oceanography in Jeju; that place was my dream college. Those two... they were my heroes.”

“Mine too. I guess you could say I was born into it…” You whisper, trying not to let your voice crack.

“Wait, what?” Yoongi whips his head around to stare at you. “They were-”

“It was my eighteenth birthday when it happened.” You sigh, memories of that day still so vivid. “Just a few days before graduation... I was in class when they called the school. I had to go up to the front office where a police officer and a social worker were waiting for me. I didn't know what they wanted, but I knew it wasn't good. We were supposed to go out for dinner when they got home from work that night…”

"Y/N I-"

"I didn't have anyone else, so Joon's family took me in. I went to the institute for free because technically, I owned it, but at that point, I didn't even want to go. I didn't want to be reminded of them every day, but I went anyway. I went to make them proud. And now, here I am. Trying to follow in their footsteps, trying to make it so their research isn't forgotten. Trying to..." You stop there when your voice breaks, trying to hold in your sobs. You don't want to show Yoongi how weak you really are.

There's a long silence, the only thing being heard is your sniffles until Yoongi speaks. "I'm really sorry Y/N. I can't say I know what it's like, but I know no matter what you do, you're making them proud."

"Sure..." You nod, staring out at the water.

"Will you come finish dinner please? I know you're still hungry... I'll even let you interview me."

You wipe your eyes one last time. "Yeah, okay." You nod, letting Yoongi help you to your feet before leading you back down into the cabin. You grab your camera and set it up in front of you, pointing it at Yoongi across the table.

You interview Yoongi for about ten minutes before you run out of questions. He answers everything honestly as far as you can tell, talking with his chopsticks. Some of the questions he even answers enthusiastically, but you have a feeling he's just being nice to you now. You and Yoongi finish your meal rather late, the two of you just chatting until you look at the time.

"Shit, we need to get to sleep if we want to wake up tomorrow." You state, gathering your trash.

"I didn't realize how late it had gotten." He throws everything in the bags and then ties them up before bringing them over to the trash can and tossing them in. "Let's get some sleep yeah?"

You nod, running into the bathroom to change into your pajamas before coming back out and climbing into the bed Yoongi has already pulled out. You lay down on your side of the mattress and relax, closing your eyes and starting to drift off until your hear the same cranking sound as last night before the soft melody floats through the air.

"That's a pretty song." You whisper, rolling onto your side to face Yoongi.

"Thanks. My mom used to sing it to me when I was little. I find it hard to sleep without it."

"What's it called?"

"Sea. S-e-a."

"It's nice. I like it."

"Me too. Did you set your alarm?"

"Hm? Oh yeah, I did."

"Alright. I figured we could try Cayo Romano tomorrow?"

"That sounds good."

"Good. Goodnight Y/N."

"Goodnight Yoongi." You roll over to face the wall and let your body relax as you drift off.

.

The next morning you wake up to the sound of your alarm, but this time when you roll onto your back, you don't feel anyone beside you. You sit up in a panic until the smell of food wafts toward you; you look toward the kitchenette to see Yoongi cooking.

"Yoongi?" You mumble, rubbing your eyes.

"Good morning Y/N."

"Morning."

"Did you sleep well?" He asks, walking over to you with a plate in his hands and handing it to you before walking back over to the stove.

"Um, yeah I slept okay. What's this?"

"Breakfast. I woke up a little early and figured I'd make some."

"Oh. Thank you." You look down to see eggs, potatoes, and rice. "It looks good."

"I figured we've got a lot of work today so it might be good to have a big breakfast."

"Thank you." You nod at him before digging into your food. When Yoongi's done cooking his own breakfast, he comes over and joins you on the bed. The two of you eat in silence and when you're finished, Yoongi takes your plate and brings it over to the sink and you grab your clothes and get dressed in the bathroom, slipping into your bathing suit. You walk out just as Yoongi is sliding his pants on and accidentally catch a glimpse of his bare ass.

"Oh god!" You immediately turn around and face the wall. "I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it. It probably won't be the last time you see it." He jokes before turning around to face you, grabbing your shoulder to let you know he's dressed. "Is that um... Is that all you're going to wear today?" Yoongi gestures to your bright colored bikini.

"Until I put my wetsuit on." You nod, getting the wetsuit out of your bag, grabbing your laptop and notebook off of the table before walking over to the stairs. "Are you ready?"

"Yeah." He shrugs, following behind you.

You help Yoongi untie the boat from the dock before he puts it in motion. You sit next to Yoongi as he drives, watching the camera feed of the sharks swimming on your laptop and finishing up some of the sketches from yesterday. Cayo Romano is about three times the trip as yesterday, so you have a lot of down time to think of some more interview questions for Yoongi, to draw out your plan for when you arrive, and to watch the sunrise.

After about five hours, you arrive at your destination and head out on deck to take a look at your surroundings, in awe at the clear blue water that surrounds the boat, so clear you can see the ocean floor beneath you.

"Yoongi, come look at this!" You call as you feel him drop the anchor.

"One second." He calls back, coming out onto the deck a few moments later. "What's up?"

"I've never seen water so clear, this is amazing! This place is perfect.”

“Are you ready?” Yoongi asks. 

“Let’s do it!” 

You and Yoongi chum the water and wait, you slip into your wetsuit and get your oxygen tank ready, making sure your camera has memory and battery before you look into the water to see several fins already swimming about, nibbling on the chumsicle. 

“You know, I built the observation window so you don’t have to go in the water.”

You shrug as you secure your tank to your back. “It’s more fun this way. Are you coming?”

“Nope. I much prefer to stay up where it’s dry.”

“Alright.” You nod, seating yourself on the railing as you adjust your goggles and mouthpiece, making sure your oxygen is flowing before waving goodbye and falling backwards into the water. 

The water is surprisingly warm and you’re grateful as you adjust to your surroundings, getting your bearings before making your way towards the front of the boat where the sharks are currently feeding, grabbing your camera and turning it on. As you park yourself next to the hull of the boat, you happen to look inside and see Yoongi watching you, so you wave and he waves back. 

You watch the sharks for a while; there’s an assortment of nurse and lemon sharks, mostly juveniles, and mostly male unfortunately. One male nurse shark seems particularly interested in you, coming up to you every few minutes and giving you a once over before swimming back to the food.

You swim a little closer and the nurse shark comes over and swims in circles around you, occasionally brushing against you. You turn toward the boat to see Yoongi still watching you, seemingly worried. You point at the shark and Yoongi nods, gesturing for you to come back aboard the boat. You wave him off and just to show him he’s worrying over nothing, you stroke the sharks back, petting him in slow, smooth strokes. If you didn’t know any better, you’d think Yoongi was going to faint. To tease him even more, you flip the shark over, exposing its stomach to you and gently rubbing it, putting the shark into tonic immobility before looking up to see Yoongi shaking his head at you.

You continue in this manner, playing with the curious young sharks and teasing Yoongi until your remaining oxygen is low enough to warrant you getting out. You swim back up to the surface. And climb the ladder to see Yoongi waiting for you on deck. He helps you over the railing as you take off your mask, spitting out your mouthpiece. 

“That was amazing!” You squeal as you land back on the wood of the deck. “You have to come with next time!”

Yoongi shakes his head. “Hard pass.”

“Oh come on, chicken.” You tease, removing your oxygen tank.

“Yep. A big chicken, who prefers to stay dry.”

“What time is it?” You ask.

“Almost four.”

“Already?” You were in the water for two hours. “I didn’t think I was down there for that long.” You grab your camera and go to look at how much footage you got when it beeps at you. “Oh, I’ve got to plug this in. Can you go get the cable for me while I dry off? It should be plugged in next to the bed.”

“Sure.” Yoongi takes off and you strip out of your wetsuit, grabbing the towel Yoongi brought up for you and wrapping it around your body, drying off and heading into the wheelhouse to check your laptop. Yoongi comes in a few moments later and hands you your camera and charging cable. You take it and plug it into your computer before taking the memory card out of your camera and sliding it into your computer as well, uploading the files to your laptop. When it’s done uploading, you wipe the memory card and stick it back in your camera before going through your footage.

“What are those?” Yoongi asks, looking at a still frame of the nurse shark you flipped onto his back. 

“Those? They’re his penises.” You state.

“I’m sorry did you say ‘penises’? As in plural?”

“I thought you were an expert?” You tease.

“He has two?”

You nod, smirking. “In most species of sharks, the male has two penises.”

“Damn. Two dicks and no hands. What a life.”

“You’re disgusting.” You state. Waving him off and going back to your footage.

“Yeah I know. So what now?”

“I figured we’d head back? Since it’s going to take a while.”

“Actually, if you wanted to, we can dock up in Cayo Coco. I have a friend that lets me use his dock during the summer when he’s out sailing.”

“Really? Is there any good food there?”

“Actually, there’s this little bar there that has some of the best tacos I’ve ever had in my life.”

“Okay, I’m sold.”

“Great. Let’s go.” Yoongi pulls the anchor up and you two set out. It’s only about twenty minutes before you pull up to the dock and Yoongi ties Holly in place.

“Hey Yoongi?”

“Mm?”

“Can I interview you a little more out here? In the light?”

Yoongi grimaces for a moment before raising his eyebrow with an idea. “Not here.” He states. You grab your camera and Yoongi takes your arm as you step off the boat. He leads you up the dock into town, then down a narrow street that opens up into a beautiful garden and park. “Does this work?”

“It’s perfect.” You nod, taking in the sights around you before leading Yoongi over to a gazebo. “Stand here?” You point to shade.

“Can I sit?”

“If you must.” Yoongi takes a seat as you turn on your camera, pointing it at him as you start recording. Hang on, let me get the angle right. Your camera tries to auto-zoom and ends up zooming in and out on Yoongi’s blurry face a bunch while he bats his eyelashes at you.

“Are you done trying to be cute?” You ask once your camera is set.

“Trying? I’m always cute.”

“Whatever, are you ready?” You ask as you start recording.

“Ask away.”

“So how did you learn so much about sharks?”

You start the interview, listening intently to Yoongi’s answers and learning more about him, responding in kind before you continue with the interview. After several in-depth questions, the sun begins to dip below the horizon and Yoongi looks up at you and sighs. “Are you ready to go eat yet?”

“Two more questions.” You state.

“Fine. What?”

“Why didn’t you ever apply for the institute scholarship? You probably would’ve gotten it.”

“I didn’t want to give anyone a reason to look down on me.”

“Look down on you?”

Yoongi sighs.” I looked into it once, and I don’t mean to trash your business, but when I went to visit the institute, they kind of laughed at the fact I’d need financial assistance, like I wasn’t good enough for their help. Just because I didn’t grow up with money doesn’t mean I’m not as good, if not better, than the rest of the kids at that school.”

“Oh…” You mumble, suddenly going quiet.

“Last question?”

“Nevermind… It’s dumb.” You shrug, pointing your camera at the ground and turning it off. “That’s enough for today.”

“Y/N.” Yoongi raises an eyebrow at you. “What was it?”

“I was going to ask… If you’d ever considered working for the institute…”

Yoongi scoffs at this. “Are you serious?”

“I told you it was stupid.”

“Wait,” Yoongi shakes his head. “That came out harsher than I wanted it to. I-”

“Just forget it. Let’s go eat.” You force a smile. Yoongi stares at you for a second longer before shrugging.

“Alright. Restaurant’s this way.” He states, walking back up the path you came down. 

As soon as you sit down to dinner, you order a margarita and chug it, wanting to forget how dumb you feel for even thinking of that question. Of course Yoongi would never work at the institute. What’s wrong with you?

Yoongi watches you closely as you order another margarita and begin to sip on that one. “Y/N, are you alright?”

“Hm? You mumble mid sip before putting your drink down. “Yeah, we got a lot of good stuff today, I’m just celebrating.”

Before he can ask again, someone comes up behind him and smacks him on the back. “Yoongi Min! Long time no see!”

Yoongi looks over his shoulder at the short, stocky man standing behind him. “Henry! How’ve you been?” Yoongi shakes the man’s hand.

“Good! Good! I thought that was Holly out at Manuel’s dock. What brings you to this side of the island?”

“Ah, we were out at Cayo Romano today and stayed out a little late, so I figured I’d dock here for the night. You know I can’t stay away from these tacos for long.”

“We?” Enrique looks across the table at you, casually sipping your drink.

“Right. Henry, this is my latest scientist. Y/N, this is Enrique, he owns this restaurant, and half of Cayo Coco.”

“Oh, It’s nice to meet you.” You stick out your hand and he takes it, but instead of shaking it, he places a kiss on the back of your hand. 

“It’s a pleasure.” He wiggles his eyebrows at you. “And you can call me Henry. So where are you from?”

“Ah I live in South Korea. On Jeju island.”

“Yoongi, isn’t that where that institute is that you’re always-”

“Anyway.” Yoongi interrupts. “Y/N studies sharks.”

“Plenty of those out here!” Henry nods, unfazed by the sudden change in conversation. “Just don’t go out at night.”

“What is it with you guys and swimming at night? That’s when some sharks are most active. It’s not that dangerous.”

“That’s why it’s dangerous.” Henry states. “We have the big sharks around here, they hunt at night. More than a few tourists have lost limbs because of it.”

“You guys are just trying to scare me.”

“We’re not.” Yoongi insists. “You can do night research from inside. That’s why I built the thing.” You just roll your eyes before draining the rest of your drink as your waiter walks up to your table with your food.

“I’ll leave you guys to eat then. Y/N, it was nice meeting you, if you ever have trouble off my coast, give me a call.” He pulls a business card out of his pocket. “I’d be happy to help.”

“Thanks.” You give him a smile and he walks away, leaving you and Yoongi to enjoy your food. 

When the meal is over, you lean back in your chair, thoroughly stuffed as you finish off your fourth margarita, the buzz finally starting to hit you as the muscles in your neck relax. Henry graciously pays for your meal, saying it’s on the house and the two of you thank him before standing to take your leave, but you wobble a bit as you get up.

“Y/N?” Yoongi watches as your legs quiver.

“I’m good.” You nod, straightening yourself up. Apparently the tequila had a stronger effect on you that you thought. You and Yoongi walk out of the restaurant, but about halfway up the road, you trip. Thankfully, Yoongi catches you, and wraps an arm around your waist to support you the rest of the walk back. Yoongi very carefully helps you over the railing onto Holly, taking you downstairs and depositing you in a chair before pulling out the bed which he then pushes you onto.

“Is not bedtime.” You slur.

“It is for you.” Yoongi chuckles. “I think you had one too many drinks.”

“Did not.” You protest, trying to sit up, but for the life of you, your body doesn’t want to cooperate; it feels like it’s made of lead.

“Y/N, don’t make this difficult. Just go to bed or I’ll throw your laptop in the water.”

“You wouldn’t!” You gasp.

Yoongi stares you down. “Try me.”

You huff in indignation before relenting. “Fine.” You state, unbuttoning your shorts and wiggling out of them.

“What are you doing?” Yoongi asks.

“Getting comfy.” You state, taking off your bikini top from under your shirt and tossing it to the side, leaving you in just your t shirt and a lace thong.

“Nice tattoo.” Yoongi states as you lie on your stomach, exposing the shark tattoo on your ass. You ignore him, snuggling up under the covers as Yoongi sighs, taking off his shirt and pants before slipping into bed with you. “Can you play the song?” You mumble, already half asleep.

“Sure.” Yoongi chuckles, cranking the music box up and letting it play; you let the soft melody lull you to sleep.

.

The next morning you wake up to the sound of the cabin door being slammed shut; everything is loud, everything is bright, everything is too much. You groan as you roll over, pulling the covers up over your head.

“Morning sleeping beauty.” Yoongi chirps as he walks down the stairs.

“Do you have to be so loud?” You whine.

“Aw, does someone have a hangover?” Yoongi teases as he walks over a pokes at you under the covers.

“Fuck off.” You hiss, kicking at him, but unfortunately missing.

“Come on, you need to get up or we’re not going to get anything done today.” Yoongi insists, grabbing your arms and yanking you into a sitting position. 

“Yoongi-i…” You whimper.

“Hey, it’s not my research.”

“Goddamnit…” You grumble, rubbing a hand over your face. “What time is it?”

“Almost noon.”

“Jesus christ.”

“Eat this.” Yoongi places a plastic bag in your lap.

“What is it?” You ask, taking out the container to see some sort of soup.

“Hangover soup.”

“Where did you find this in cuba?” You ask, genuinely curious as you pry the lid off and take a sip. It tastes like home.

“My aunt lives on this side of the island. I went to see her while you were asleep and she gave me some.”

“Ah. Well, next time you see her, tell her thank you because this is delicious.”

“I will.” Yoongi nods satisfactorily as you take another sip. “So what’s the plan for today?”

“Since it’s already so late, I’ll probably do some night research tonight if you don’t mind?”

Yoongi grimaces. “What does that entail?”

“Well, once we get to a good spot I’ll have to lay out a grid and some floor lights which will probably take the rest of the day, then we can sit here and watch.”

“What’s the grid for?”

“Measurements. Each block is one meter squared. When something swims over it you can get an idea of how long they are.”

“Hm. Alright. How far out do you want to go?”

“Well, we need to be far enough out that other boats won’t pass by and mess up the grid with their wakes.”

“So, the middle of nowhere?”

“Pretty much.”

“Alright. I’m going to start out then. Come up when you’re ready.”

You nod and Yoongi heads up to the deck. You can hear the motor start and the boat pull away from the dock as you finish your soup. You get up and throw the container into the trash before grabbing your bathing suit and shimmying into it. You lay your wetsuit out on the bed, squeezing it to see it’s still a bit damp from yesterday. You shrug before picking up your grid equipment bag and slinging it over your shoulder, then you grab your wetsuit, computer, camera, and notebook and head up on deck. 

The fresh salty breeze of the ocean greets you as you walk up on deck and you squint, looking out at the bright water as you skim over it, admiring the bright blue beauty of the sea. You inhale deeply, loving the scent before walking into the wheelhouse. You dump your computer and such on the table next to Yoongi before walking back out onto the deck. You lay your wetsuit on the bench and drop your equipment bag on the deck, opening it up to make sure you have everything and then laying it all out in preparation. You’re going to have to lay the grid quickly to make sure you’re done everything before the sun sets. 

When you’re done, you walk back into the wheelhouse and take a seat next to Yoongi, opening up your computer to check on your sharks. All five cameras are still good, and all five sharks are still swimming. Perfect.

You lean back in your chair and relax a little, humming to yourself as you grab your notebook and start sketching randomly. It takes a minute for you to realize, but it suddenly hits you that you’re drawing Yoongi as he steers the boat; a headband wrapped around his forehead, pushing his hair out of his face for once as it blows lightly in the breeze. 

Yoongi occasionally glances over at you to see what you’re doing, so you have to hide your notebook, resting it in your lap and trying to make it look like you’re staring at the ocean instead of him. After about an hour, Yoongi slows the boat to a drift and drops the anchor, just as you finish his torso.

“This should be good.” He states, turning to you. You sit up and close your notebook, taking a look around to see nothing but ocean for miles and miles.

“It’s perfect.” You agree, smiling up at him. You set your notebook down and stand up, stretching. “Let’s get to work.”

You slip into your wetsuit and situate your goggles and oxygen tank, strapping your camera to your shoulder before jumping into the water. You surface and instruct Yoongi what to toss you; quickly setting up the rope grid and flood lights along the ocean floor, making sure everything is perfect before surfacing, reaching for Yoongi’s hand as he helps you back onto the boat. It took a few hours, and you finish just as the sun has finally sunk below the horizon. You carefully unhook your camera and strip out of your wetsuit, hanging it up this time before walking into the cabin and sitting in front of your computer, Yoongi following close behind.

“What do we do now?” He asks.

“Well, once it gets a little darker, we’ll turn the lights on and chum the water, and when the sharks show up, we can head below deck and watch them.”

Yoongi nods and you turn on your shark cameras, but things haven’t changed much; they’re still swimming. Yoongi turns on the overhead light and leans against the wall, watching you closely as you grab your notebook and pencil and start up your sketch where you left off.

“What’s in that thing?”

“Everything. Notes, sketches, measurements, diagrams...” You trail off, erasing a line of his hair that looks wrong.

“What are you sketching?” He asks, leaning over to try and sneak a peek.

You clutch the notebook to your chest. “None of your business.”

“Come on, let me see.” Yoongi reaches for the notebook.

“Yoongi no!” You huff, but it’s too late. His grip strength is better than yours and he grabs the notebook from your hands and opens it, skimming through the pages until he finds your most recent piece, his eyes going wide before his brow furrows in confusion.

“It’s… me?” He asks, seemingly unsure.

“Yeah? So what? Give it back.” You stick your hands out, waiting for him to hand the book back to you, but he ignores you and flips through the pages, his eyes lingering on other sketches of him you’ve been working on over the last few days; him at the wheel, sleeping on the deck, eating, etc. “Yoongi, give it back.” You snatch the notebook back out of his hands and close it, hugging it to your chest. “You don’t know what privacy is, do you?” You grumble. Yoongi doesn’t answer, he’s too busy looking at you with a mixture of awe and confusion. You put the notebook down under your computer and then stand up, walking out onto the deck and slipping on your gloves before grabbing a chumsicle out of the freezer.

Yoongi silently comes up behind you and helps you hook the chum onto the line before casting it out into the water. You walk back to your computer and open the light switch board, turning on the ocean lights before grabbing your things and heading back down to the cabin to wait, taking a seat on the couch and looking out through the window into the illuminated water, mesmerized by the glow until you feel Yoongi seat himself beside you. 

“Why me?” He asks quietly after a brief pause.

“I don’t know.” You shrug. “Your face is expressive and you’re all I’ve been around the last few days.”

“This whole time I thought you were drawing pictures of Holly.” He chuckles, pausing again. “They’re really good drawings though.”

You scoff. “They’re just sketches.”

“If those are just sketches, I’d love to see what you could really do.”

You think for a second. “You know the institute logo?” Yoongi nods. “I drew that when I was thirteen.”

“Really?” He sounds impressed. “The shark, the anchor, everything?”

“Yep.”

“I thought it was made on a computer.”

“Nope. Hand drawn by yours truly.” Just then you hear a thunk against the window and look up to see a large shadow in the water, just out of range of the light. “What is that?” You ask, slightly intimidated by the size.

Yoongi peers out the window, but shakes his head. “I can’t tell. Tiger? Maybe a bull shark?”

“Bull shark? I didn’t think you had those here.”

“During the summer.” He nods. “Big ones too. They follow the current down from the bahamas.”

You jump a bit when the shark comes into view of the lights, smacking against the hull of the ship again. Sure enough, it’s a bull shark. As it swims over the grid, you turn on your camera and start recording. “Male bull shark. Maybe two and a half meters in length? Still a juvenile. Seems to be aggressive, definitely knows we’re here.”

“Are you recording?”

“Shush.” You silence Yoongi and watch the young shark as it circles the chum, watching, waiting, until suddenly, like lightning it strikes, grabbing the chumsicle and wrenching it back and forth, the force behind it tugging the line and shaking the boat a bit. You watch as bits of chum fly out into the water and soon you see smaller sharks start to gather in groups; black tip reef sharks, nurse sharks, lemon sharks; it’s a feeding frenzy.

“Wow, there are so many.” Yoongi gasps. 

“I told you they’re more active at night. Look!” You hop to your feet in excitement and point to one of the nurse sharks. “She’s pregnant!”

“Where?” Yoongi follows your line of sight until he spots the round nurse shark.

“She’s beautiful.” You whisper, watching as the shark patiently waits her turn before swimming up to the chumsicle and taking a bite, wiggling as she does before swimming off into the night. “I wonder how many pups she’s carrying. It’s so hard to tell.”

“She looked about ready to burst.” Yoongi jokes.

“She probably only has about a month until- Oh my god!” Something large off in the corner catches your eye and you watch as a tiger shark swims into the light, her belly swollen with babies. “Yoongi do you see her?” You squeal happily.

“She’s got to be almost four meters long… That’s amazing.”

“She’s perfect.” You point your camera at her and focus it, watching the other sharks back off as she swims up to the food and takes a large chunk out of it, swallowing it whole. “I wish I could tag her.” You whisper.

“I don’t think we’ll be able to wrangle her in with our equipment.”

“I know.” You nod, a bit disappointed. “She’s just so perfect.”

“I know, but we’ll find another.” Yoongi assures you. There’s a long silence, the two of you just watching the incredible sight before you until Yoongi speaks again. “I feel just like a kid at the aquarium again.” He mumbles. “Just like the first time.” You hum in agreement, the two of you watching as sharks come and go; some stay for the meal, others grab it to go.

“I’m going to go get some shots from above, their silhouettes look cool above the lights.”

“Okay.” Yoongi nods, following behind you as you head up to the deck. 

As you’re walking down past the wheelhouse, something must tug on the line because the whole boat jerks to the right, sending Yoongi right into you, and nearly sending you overboard. Thankfully you catch yourself on the railing, but not before your camera goes flying out of your hands and into the dark water below. 

“Are you okay?” Yoongi asks as he rights himself. “Y/N?” He shakes you as you stare down at the ripples of water, able to see the light of your camera growing dimmer as it sinks. “What’s wrong?”

“My camera…” You whisper.

“Your camera?” Yoongi repeats, his eyes wide as he follows your gaze. “It’s water proof, right? We can get it in the morning.”

“It’s not meant to be underwater for that long! A few hours at most!” You stand up and stare at him, beyond upset. “Besides, what if the tide takes it? What if an animal picks it up? Or eats it? I have to go in after it.” You slip of your sandals and are about to hop up on the railing when Yoongi stops you.

“Woah. Not with a frenzy going on a few feet away. You could get hurt.”

“But Yoongi-”

“Relax.” He grabs your shoulders and gives them a squeeze.”I’ve got a pole net in the cabin, we’ll strap a flashlight to it and get your camera that way.”

“O-okay.” You nod shakily, not ready to lose all the video content on your camera. You haven’t uploaded anything since you got out of the water yesterday.

Yoongi disappears for a few moments before returning with a net in his hands that he’s currently duct tapping a flashlight to. He rips the tape with his teeth and then nods. “There. A little macgyver, but it should work.”

He leans over the railing and you watch as he lowers the net into the water, extending the pole all the way to the ocean floor, moving slowly in his search so that he doesn’t kick up any sand. After a few minutes, he finds it your camera.

“There, see? I told you- Oof!” The boat is jerked again and Yoongi’s net flies out of his hands and into the water. “Goddamn sharks!” He yells, pounding his fist on the railing. The boat jerks again, harder this time, and you grab a hold of the railing to steady yourself when you hear a rather large splash. You look over the railing to see Yoongi poke his head up out of the water and gasp for air, pushing his wet hair off of his forehead and running a hand over his face.

“Yoongi!” You gasp, although you can’t help but giggle at the surprised look on his face. “Are you alright?”

“We’re never doing night research again, you hear me?” He growls, pointing up at you.

“Yoongi get back in the boat.”

“No.” Yoongi shakes his head. “I’m already out here, I’m going to get my net.”

“Yoongi no, get up here. We’ll find another way.” You scold, suddenly realizing the danger of the situation. That bull shark could still be around.

But Yoongi doesn’t listen, he gives you a quick wave before taking a deep breath and diving under the water. You watch his shadow, slightly illuminated by the flashlight as he swims down and grabs the net and your camera before swimming back up to the surface, gasping for air.

“See?” He says, slightly panting. “That wasn’t so bad.” He shrugs, placing the camera in the net and handing them to you via the pole.

“Good, now get up here.” You chide.

“I will if you get me the-” Yoongi’s voice cuts off and you look up just in time to see his head dip below water.

“Yoongi!” You cry, your eyes scanning the waves frantically for him.

He resurfaces a few seconds later. “Gotcha.” He winks.

“You’re such an asshole! I should leave you out there as dessert.”

“You’d miss me too much. Now get me the ladder so I can get the fuck out of here.”

“Where is it?”

“Lift up the seat behind you, should be in there. Hurry-” His voice goes out again as you turn around and locate the rope ladder.

��Very funny Yoongi, but I’m not falling for it again.” You state as you secure the ladder in place on the side of the boat before you look up again, expecting to see him resurface. “Yoongi?” You question when he doesn’t come back up right away. “Yoongi?!” You yell this time, where did he go? Suddenly something bursts up from beneath the waves.

A scream.

It’s Yoongi, farther out than he was a second ago, his arms flailing around him as he yells out to you. 

“Y/N! Y/N, help! I’m over here! Y/N-” His voice cuts off when he can’t keep himself afloat.

“Yoongi, stop playing.”

“P-pirate!” Yoongi cries.

“Pirate?” You ask yourself, until the realization hits you. “Oh my god! Yoongi I’m coming!” You grab the lifering off the side of the boat, tie the end of the string to the railing and then chuck it at Yoongi, watching as it lands about a foot from him. “Grab the ring! Yoongi behind you!”

Your hands grip the rope tight, watching as Yoongi turns around and swims to the ring, grabbing it tightly. As soon as he has it in his grip, you yank on the rope, pulling Yoongi back toward the boat in record time. You lean over the railing as he climbs onto the ladder and as soon as he’s in reach, you grab his shirt and pull him up onto the deck in a moment of adrenaline fueled strength. As you both collapse against the deck, safe, you see the trail of blood left behind by Yoongi, following it to see his leg is badly mangled.

“Yoongi!” You gasp. You immediately jump into action, undoing Yoongi’s belt and practically ripping it out of his belt loops before fastening it around his leg as a makeshift tourniquet, making Yoongi grimace from the pain as you tighten it. You loop your arms under his own and drag him into the wheelhouse, letting him lay on the floor as you lift his injured leg and have it rest against the chair.

“Y/N, what’re you doing?” He asks as you grab the satellite phone.

“You have to keep it elevated.” You state, taking the business card out of your notebook and quickly dialing the number.

“Hello?”

“Henry? It’s Y/N, Yoongi’s friend.” You state as you locate the first aid kit. “Listen, I need you to meet me at the marina with an ambulance. Yoongi’s hurt.”

“I’m on it.”

The phone clicks signaling the end of the call and you let it drop to the floor as you bend over to look at Yoongi’s leg. There’s a large gash running across his thigh, down into his knee and calf muscle on both sides. You grab the disinfectant and the gauze.

“This is going to sting.” You warn. You pour the disinfectant on Yoongi’s leg and he cries out from the pain. You shush him quietly, trying to ignore his pleas to stop until you’re finished, you press cotton padding to the wound and then you take the gauze and wrap it around his leg the best you can with what little gauze you have. “Yoongi,” You cup his face in your hands. “Yoongi you have to stay with me, okay?”

He nods slowly, but you can tell he’s losing it. He’s lost a lot of blood. You stand up and weigh the anchor before starting the boat and heading full speed toward land. You don’t know how far out you are, but hopefully it won’t take too long to get back; Yoongi’s life might depend on it.

“Y/N,” Yoongi whispers when he feels the boat moving.

“Yeah?”

“Don’t… don’t crash my boat.”

You can only manage a half-hearted chuckle in response, too busy trying to steer and fight back your tears to react to his joke. After about fifteen minutes, you see the lighthouse and the lights from the marina and make a beeline for it. After five more minutes you pull up to an unattended dock where you can see the flashing lights of the ambulance. You honk the boat’s horn and suddenly see people racing toward you as you drop the anchor and tie the boat to the dock posts.

Paramedics are on the boat in an instant, hammering you with a million questions. You show them where Yoongi is and then someone grabs your shoulders.

“Chica, what happened?”

You turn around when you recognize the voice. “Henry!” You cry, happy to see a familiar face amidst the chaos. “He went in the water and then… and then he…” You can’t finish your sentence. “Henry it’s all my fault!” You whimper, unable to fight back the tears any longer as you watch the paramedics carry Yoongi over to the stretcher.

“It’s okay, you ride with him, I’ll lock up the boat and meet you at the hospital, okay?”

You can only nod, handing the keys to Henry before climbing off the boat and rushing after the paramedics. You climb into the back of the ambulance, and grab Yoongi’s hand as you speed off to the hospital.

.

It takes two hours. Two hours of sitting alone in the waiting room. Two hours of anxiously picking your nails apart before someone comes out to update you.

“Min?”

“That’s me!” You shoot to your feet and walk over to the nurse.

“You can follow me.” She waves you over and leads you down a hallway, explaining things to you the whole time. “He’s doing well. The doctor cleaned him out and stitched him up. He’s on fluids, painkillers, and antibiotics and he’ll need to keep it clean to make sure he doesn’t get an infection.” She stops in front of a door and opens it to lead you in. “He’s on a sedative, so he won’t be up for a while yet. Is there anything I can get for you?”

“Actually, can I have a pencil and some paper?”

“Certainly.” She disappears for a moment before returning with the items in hand. “Here you go. The doctor will be in when he wakes to go over cleaning and such for your husband’s leg.”

“Oh, he’s not my-” It’s too late. She’s already gone.

You turn back to look at Yoongi to see him sleeping peacefully. You grab the chair sitting by the wall and drag it over to his bedside, taking a seat beside him and watching him carefully. He looks so content, like the past three hours didn’t happen and he’s just been asleep the whole time. You brush a piece of hair away from his forehead and realize they must’ve removed his headband. You sit back in your chair and rest your feet on the side of Yoongi’s bed and begin to do what you always do when you’re nervous; you sketch.

It’s about an hour later when Yoongi’s forehead creases and he grumbles and groans for a second. You sit up and watch him intently until you see his eye peek open. 

“Yoongi…” You breathe.

“Y/N…?”

“Y-yes?” You whisper, scooting closer.

“Did you crash my boat?”

You breathe out a laugh. “No, Holly is safe at the dock.”

“Good.” He mumbles, shifting and settling back against the pillows.

“How… How are you feeling?” You ask.

“Me?” He stretches his arms up in the air. “Fan-fucking-tastic. I love being on pain meds.”

“Ah, right.” Before you can question him further, the doctor walks in. You quickly fold up your sketch and shove it in your pocket.

The doctor goes over how Yoonig needs to keep his leg clean and elevated, and how he needs to rest until it heals, so no more research for you. As the doctor continues, a small skinny woman walks into the room, worry evident on her face as she clutches her purse. It isn’t until Yoongi sees her that her presence is acknowledged.

“Auntie?” Yoongi asks as he sits up.

“Ah Yoongi. What have you done to yourself?” The woman asks him in Korean, her Daegu Satoori strong and present in her words. 

“Auntie, what are you doing here?” Yoongi responds.

“The hospital called me. I’m your emergency contact, remember?” She looks him over carefully. “Wait until your mother hears about this. I told her it was no good for you to take this job, chasing sharks with some girl you don’t know. And now look at you! You’re lucky you still have a leg to stand on!”

“Don’t tell mom about this.” Yoongi grumbles. “She doesn’t need to know.”

“We’ll talk about this later. Let’s get you out of here.” Yoongi’s aunt turns around and takes in your presence for the first time. “Oh, hello.” She smiles sweetly before turning to the doctor. “Doctor, when can I take my nephew home?”

“Nephew? I thought he was going home with his wife?”

“Wife?” Yoongi and his aunt question at the same time.

“I’m not his wife!” You groan. “I’m his…” How do you explain this. “Business partner.”

“Right. Well, my nurse will get you your paperwork and then you can leave.” He states, turning on his heels and leaving the three of you in the room.

“Auntie,” Yoongi begins, sitting up. “This is Y/N. The shark girl. From Daegu.” He adds, causing her face to light up with the realization that you understood everything she said.

“O-Oh! Uh, hello. I’m Sooyin, Yoongi’s aunt.”

“Nice to meet you.” You bow your head politely. 

The three of you sit in awkward silence until the nurse comes in to discharge you. It’s only a few minutes later that you’re pushing Yoongi out of the hospital in a wheelchair; well, his aunt is pushing him, you’re trailing awkwardly behind them, carrying Yoongi’s new crutches. 

“Thanks auntie,” Yoongi nods as you walk out of the hospital doors, the sun just starting to come up over the horizon. “We can call a cab from here.”

“Yoongi, I’m taking you home.”

“What?” Yoongi stares up at her incredulously as she starts pushing the wheelchair again.

“You think I’m going to leave you alone on that filthy boat of yours? No, you’re coming to my house so I can take care of you.”

“I don’t need to be taken care of.” Yoongi insists. “Besides, I have a guest.” He looks up at you, his eyes begging you to help him. 

“I-”

“She can go home. You can’t help her with her research now anyway.” She huffs, shooting a glare in your direction. 

“Actually, my flights not for another three days out of Jardines del Rey. Non-refundable plane ticket.” You state. “I can look after him and then drop him off at your house that morning before I leave? Like you said, I can’t do research anymore, so it’s not like I’ll be distracted.”

Sooyin purses her lips at you, obviously displeased as Yoongi gets on his feet and you hand him his crutches. “At least let me drive you to the marina.” She offers. “No sense wasting money on a cab.”

“Fine.” Yoongi grumbles. “Where’d you park.”

.

An hour and a half later, you and Yoongi are finally alone. It took ten minutes to drive you to the marina, but Sooyin insisted on staying as long as Yoongi would tolerate, making you both breakfast before she went home. Now you’re sitting at the table, watching your shark cameras while Yoongi lies on the bed, resting and watching a tv that you didn’t know he had. When it’s time, you make lunch, nothing special, just sandwiches, and then go back to your computer until Yoongi calls your attention.

“Hey Y/N.”

“Mm?” You mumble, not looking away.

“Can you do that over here?” He asks, patting the bed beside him. “I’d rather look at your research than the tv.”

“Hm? Oh, sure.” You pick up your computer and make your way over to the bed, taking a seat next to Yoongi and propping your computer up in your lap for him to see the screen; the five shark cameras open on one side, and your notes open on the other.

“Have they done anything interesting?” He asks.

“I got some great footage of Caroline snatching up a barracuda.”

“Really?”

“Mhm! Do you want to see?” Yoongi nods and you pull up the clip, watching Yoongi’s expression as the shark takes down her food. He seems fascinated by the action.

“That’s amazing.”

“I thought so.” You smile, minimizing the clip and going back to the live feed.

“Hey, what were you drawing at the hospital?” Yoongi suddenly asks.

“Hm?”

“I saw you sketching something before the doctor came in.”

“O-oh, it was nothing.” You shake your head.

“Let me see.” Yoongi suddenly reaches for the pocket your stashed the drawing in.

“Yoongi-” But it’s too late, he takes the paper out of your pocket and unfolds it, gazing down at the up close sketch of his face as he sleeps before a smile creeps across his face.

“Am I your new muse or something?”

“Yeah right.” You laugh, but honestly? You really like drawing Yoongi for some reason.

The rest of the night goes by uneventfully, you order takeout and after a large meal, you take Yoongi into the shower to clean his leg, trying to be as careful as you can while he grimaces. You give him a pain pill and help him back into bed where he falls asleep on your shoulder while watching tv. You very carefully move out from underneath him to put your laptop away and change into your pajamas. As you climb back into bed, you reach over Yoongi and crank his music box until the sweet melody begins to fill the room, lulling you to sleep.

For some reason, even though you’re exhausted, you don’t sleep very well. You toss and turn all night, reliving the moment that Yoongi got bit over and over, except in your dream, he never resurfaces. You wake up drenched in sweat every time you watch the water turn bright red, turning over to see Yoongi sleeping peacefully beside you.

You finally fall back asleep around 6 am, this time, not dreaming at all, and wake up around 9 am, deciding to finally get up. You attempt to roll onto your back, but much like the first time you slept next to him, Yoongi is pressed right up against you, his arm wrapped around your waist, holding you close as his breath fans your ear, and much like the first time, you feel something poking against your ass. 

“Yoongi,” You grumble, but the boy next to you doesn’t stir. You carefully slip out of his hold and get out of bed, stretching as you walk over to the coffee machine and start it up. When it’s ready, your grab yourself a cup of coffee and head up on deck. The morning sun bakes your skin as the insects and birds around you buzz and chirp the day away. You lean against the railing as you sip from your coffee, wishing that you could stay here longer, but you know the institute won’t fund any extra days this time, and unfortunately, in two days you’ll have to return home.

“Y/N?” You hear your name being called from below deck and you casually make your way back down into the cabin to see Yoongi sitting up, looking around panicked until he spots you. 

“What’s up?” You ask, coming over and sitting on the edge of the bed. 

“Ah, I just… Didn’t know where you were. I thought you might’ve left…”

“Nah, I’m still here. I was just enjoying the sun.” You state, drinking the last of your coffee. “How’s your leg?”

“It’s alright. Hurts a little. Can you hand me my crutches?” You nod, handing Yoongi the crutches as he scoots to the end of the bed. “Um, can you look away for a minute.”

“Why?” You ask, until you realize Yoongi’s trying very hard to discreetly cover his lap with his hands and blankets. “Your friend already visited me this morning. He was pressed against my ass when I woke up.” You tease, making Yoongi flush red.

“Ah, s-sorry.” He mumbles. 

“Did you really just apologize? No snappy comeback?”

“Not today.” He whispers.

You shrug and look away, listening to Yoongi get up, grunting as he does; he must be hurting more than he’s letting on. As he hobbles over to the bathroom, you flip open your laptop, listening to the power chime on as it whirs to life. When Yoongi comes back out of the bathroom, his problem has deflated and he hobbles over to the bed, sitting back down on the edge and wincing a bit.

“So,” You start, walking over to get a bottle of water from the kitchen, then heading back toward Yoongi and handing it to him along with his pain pills before seating yourself next to him. “What do you want for breakfast?” 

“Y/N…” Yoongi sighs. “You don’t have to do this you know.”

“Do what?” You tilt your head, puzzled.

“Take care of me like this… I can do it myself.”

“It’s the least I can do after-”

“After I ruined your research?”

You shake your head. “You didn’t ruin anything.”

“Because of me, your trip practically gets cut in half. I can’t do anything to help you and you’re stuck here with me for another two days until your flight home. Doing nothing. Because I fucked it up.”

You can’t help but giggle. “Yoongi, I’m staying because I want to help you. You’ve done so much for me, I wanted to return the favor.”

Yoongi scoffs. “What have I ever done for you?” 

“You let me sleep in your bed, charted me around on your boat for five days, and jumped into a feeding frenzy to save my camera and my research.”

Yoongi’s silent for a moment before he responds. “I didn’t jump, I fell…”

“I want to help you Yoongi. It’s my fault you were attacked, I want to help you get better.”

“...You really don’t mind being around me for that long?”

“Are you kidding? I have to finish my sketches you know.”

This makes Yoongi finally crack a smile. “How about some pancakes?”

.

The rest of the day goes smoothly; you enjoy each other’s company as you get to know each other a little better, bonding over your favorite ice cream shop in Daegu; and when it’s time to go to bed, you put your notebook and pencil down. Yoongi’s been out for a while already, his pain medicine makes him even more sleepy than usual, and you were finishing up the sketch from the hospital.

When you climb onto the mattress, you find yourself curling up to Yoongi’s side. Strangely enough, you feel content, peaceful here with Yoongi as you watch his face, his eyebrows furrowing in his sleep. You brush a stray hair behind his ear and his face instantly relaxes, his lips pushed out in a plush pout. He’s actually kind of beautiful like this, maybe that’s why you like to draw him as he sleeps. You shrug and snuggle up next to him, humming softly along with his music box as you feel his chest rise and fall beneath your palm, drifting off.

.

The next morning you wake up to the sound of knocking. Loud obnoxious knocking. Knocking that’s disturbing your sleep. You lift your head and look around for a minute, remembering where you are as your arm rests across Yoongi’s chest. You must’ve been laying on him in your sleep. You sit up as Yoongi opens his eyes. 

“What is that?” He grumbles. 

“I think someone’s at the door.” You mumble, sitting up completely. 

“Tell them to fuck off.” Yoongi states, rolling onto his side and pulling the covers up over his head. You stumble to your feet and walk over to the door, unbolting the two locks before opening the door to see Sooyin standing there. 

“What took you so long?” She scolds as she walks right past you into the cabin. “I’ve been knocking for ten minutes.” She stands in the middle of the room, looking at Yoongi laying in the bed, and then looking over at you, still in your pajama shorts and tank top, with no bra. “What are you still doing in bed at this hour?” You look at the clock to see it’s only 6:30. This hour? What time does this woman wake up?

“Auntie.” Yoongi groans. “What do you want?”

“Is that any way to talk to me?” She chides. “I brought you some groceries.”

“Auntie I can get my own groceries.” Yoongi states. 

“Oh I’m sorry, did I interrupt something?” She prys, looking at Yoongi’s shirtlessness before double checking your attire once more.

“Yes.” Yoongi grunts as he sits up. “My sleep.”

“Alright fine. I can tell when I’m not wanted.”

“Can you?”

Sooyin huffs as she turns and hands you the bags in her arms. “Here. I’ll be off then.” She turns on her heels, and when no one stops her, she stomps back over to the door and walks up the stairs. 

“Lock the door or she’ll come back.” Yoongi states. You place the bags in the kitchen and then close and lock the door to the cabin. Yoongi falls back down against the bed and you bend down to sort through the bags. She bought the basics; milk, eggs, bread, and a shit ton of vegetables. Yoongi seems to be expecting this. “How many different kinds of vegetables did she bring?”

“So many that I don’t even know what some of them are.” You put everything away and then Yoongi waves you over.

“What’s up?” You ask as you walk back over to the bed. 

He pats the mattress next to him. “I want to go back to sleep. Get up here.”

“You need me to do that?”

“I sleep better when I’m hugging something.”

You chuckle to yourself, grabbing your laptop as you settle back against the pillows. Yoongi rolls over to face you and wraps an arm around your waist as he relaxes. It isn’t long before you hear his breathing even out, his arm growing heavier across you. You work on your research for a few minutes, but you find yourself wanting to fall back asleep, so you close your laptop and put it on the floor next to you before sinking down into the bed, facing away from Yoongi and letting him pull you closer as he snuggles up to you. 

.

When you wake up you roll over to see it’s already three in the afternoon, but the bed next to you is empty. You sit up in a panic until you see Yoongi in the kitchen, crutches under his arms as he drinks a glass of water. He puts the glass in the sink and then turns to see you sitting up.

“Oh, you’re up.”

“Ah, yeah I guess I didn’t realize how tired I was.”

He nods as he walks over to the bed. “Me either. I’ve only been up for a few minutes.” He sits down on the mattress and lays his crutches down before a soft sigh leaves his lips. “So um… You’re leaving tomorrow.” It’s not a question, it’s a statement.

“Yeah. I guess I am.”

“I’m sorry again, for putting a dent in your research.”

“Don’t worry about it.” You shake your head. “I have more than enough. Besides, I can always come back.” You add.

“You’d come back?”

“Surprisingly enough, I’ve had fun with you.”

A small smile spreads across Yoongi’s face. “I’m glad.”

“Even with our unprecedented adventure.” You tease.

“Aish… I still feel bad. Are you sure you got enough footage and stuff.”

“I should, although, now that you’re a shark attack survivor, maybe I can interview you one more time after dinner?”

“I guess I can allow one more interview.” 

“Wonderful.”

.

The two of you watch tv for a bit until it’s time for food. You splurge a little on your last night and make Yoongi your own version of dumplings and short ribs with rice, making as much as you can from scratch. After you cook and eat dinner, it’s about 8pm. You set an alarm on your phone while you’re thinking about it so you get up in time to drive to the airport before grabbing your camera and setting it up while Yoongi takes his pain pills. When everything’s set, you help Yoongi sit up on some pillows before you press record. 

“So, Min Yoongi. You’re now a shark attack victim and survivor, how do you feel?”

Yoongi thinks for a moment. “I feel like my leg hurts. Next question.”

You roll your eyes. “Is that how we’re going to do this?”

“Maybe.” Yoongi smirks at you.

“Yoongi…”

“I feel different.” He admits. “But I can’t put my finger on why… I almost feel vulnerable?” He stops and shakes his head. “Like, I know it’s over, but… I don’t know, I still feel like I’m stuck out in the water. I can still feel myself being dragged under by its teeth.”

“What went through your mind at that moment, when you were first bit?”

“Confusion. I didn’t know what it was at first.”

“And once you realized?”

Yoongi sighs as he looks at you instead of the camera. “Fear.”

“Fear of what?”

“Well, first it was a fear of dying, but then it was a fear that I’d never get to do anything with my life, that I’ve come this far, but I’ve never actually amounted to anything.”

“That’s not true.” You burst before you realize what you’ve said. “You have an incredible and successful business.”

“But is it enough?”

“Yoongi…” You hit pause on your camera and walk over to seat yourself on the bed next to him. “You’ve made a life for yourself here, away from your home, away from your family and friends, you risked everything and look how far you’ve come.”

“I just wish I’d done more. Tried harder, you know?” He looks down at his lap. “Maybe then I’d be an actual scientist and not just a guy with a boat.”

You reach up and cup his cheek, forcing him to look at you. Without even thinking, you lean forward and press your lips to Yoongi’s. Yoongi’s eyes go wide at first, but after a moment, he relaxes and kisses you back. Yoongi pulls you closer and you tilt your head, deepening the kiss. You part your lips and allow Yoongi access to your mouth which he happily accepts, slipping his tongue past your lips to tangle with yours. 

After a passionate, breathtaking kiss, Yoongi pulls back and meets your gaze, confused, but interested. “Are we… we’re doing this?”

You nod. “I-if you want to.”

“Fuck I want to.” He growls before looking past you. “Your camera.”

“I paused it.”

“Good. Take these off.” Yoongi orders, tugging at your shorts. 

You stand up and slip out of your short and panties, letting Yoongi tug you into his lap so that you’re straddling him. When he has you where he wants you, he grabs your tank top and yanks it over your head, tossing it to the side. Yoongi grabs your hips and pulls you close, placing his lips on your neck as he moves your hips back and forth over his growing bulge. You get the message and start grinding against him as his hands move to grip your ass tightly.

Yoongi groans in your ear as one of his hands comes down hard on your ass, making your core clench around nothing. You don’t know how Yoongi can’t feel your wetness, you’ve drenched the front of his shorts already. Yoongi leans forward and places a harsh bite on the top of your breast, making you whimper before he can’t take it anymore. Yoongi stops your movements before reaching down and pulling his hard cock out of his shorts, not even giving you a chance to see him before he’s rubbing against your entrance and guiding you down onto him. 

The mornings where his morning wood poked into you did not do him justice. He fills you. Oh lord does he fill you. You sink down to the hilt and grip his shoulders tightly, trying not to cry out as your walls adjust around his thickness. 

“Holy shit you’re tight.” Yoongi swears, leaning his head back against the headboard. You can only whine in response. “What’s wrong?”

“B-big…” Is all you manage to mumble, your nails digging into his skin. 

Yoongi can’t help but chuckle. “Does it feel good?”

“S-so good.”

Yoongi’s hands find your ass again, massaging the soft flesh before very gently, trying to move you on his cock. You nod in understanding before lifting your hips and then sliding back down onto Yoongi’s length, letting out a satisfied moan as you do. You repeat the movement again and again, with Yoongi guiding you along, occasionally whispering words of encouragement.

“Just like that baby.” His voice has gotten deeper, rougher. He can’t take his eyes off of you as one of his hands comes up to cup a breast, squeezing softly before pinching your nipple, making you gasp. 

He feels so good inside you, so good against you, it’s a miracle you haven’t cum already. You haven’t been touched in months, too busy to even think about it, but something about Yoongi stirred up your insides, and you’re oh so glad that he did.

“Yoongi…” You whimper, wanting to voice to him how good he feels, but you can’t speak, too wrapped up in the pleasure. 

“I know baby.” He groans. “You feel good too. Fuck…”

Your thighs burn from the position, but you’re suddenly determined to give Yoongi everything he wants, so you ignore the pain and start to move your hips faster, wanting to please him. Soon after that, the swirling in your abdomen intensifies, and you find yourself closing in on your release. You want to warn Yoongi, but all that comes out is a strangled moan, and moments after that, Yoongi’s cock slams into your g spot, kickstarting your orgasm as you see stars.

You stop your movements, Yoongi buried to the hilt as your core spasms around his length, your thighs quivering on top of him as your high swallows you, drowning you in pleasure as you cry Yoongi’s name. You pant harshly as the feeling starts to fade, slumping against Yoongi’s chest, your body spent. You hear Yoongi chuckle as he kisses your forehead. 

“Y/N-ah, lay down for me.” He coos, helping you roll off of him and onto your side, facing him. He lifts your leg up and places it over his waist, pulling you close before slipping back inside you, making you whine from the overstimulation. “Baby I’m so close I promise, just a little more for me?” He asks, holding himself still inside you.

You nod lightly, wrapping your arms around Yoongi’s neck and snuggling close to his chest as he fucks you lazily, your core burning at first, but soon it starts to feel good again and you’re moaning right along with Yoongi. It’s only a few minutes before Yoongi swears under his breath, groaning low in his throat as he picks up the pace before burying himself deep inside you with a broken moan as he cums, his release filling you up. 

Yoongi presses his forehead against yours as he tries to slow his breathing. When he’s calmed himself, he pulls your lips to his for a messy kiss. He slips out of you, and you can’t help but feel disappointed; you’re turned on again, but you don’t want to ask for more when Yoongi’s obviously tired. You’re about to sit up and go clean yourself when Yoongi stops you. 

“Do you want to cum again?” He asks, his voice low and husky. 

“W-what?” Can he read minds or something?

“I could feel you getting into it again baby. Let me help you.”

“Ah, t-that’s okay.” You shake your head. 

“You sure?” Yoongi’s hand caresses your hip softly. Should you give in? He’s already done so much for you…

“I-if you don’t m-mind, I guess…”

Yoongi smirks before moving down your body, spreading your legs and settling himself in between them, laying on his good side. 

“W-wait,” You sit up and try to close your legs. “I-I thought you meant your f-fingers.”

Yoongi meets your gaze with a devilish grin on his face. “What’s the fun in that?” And with that, Yoongi dives face first between your thighs.

His tongue instantly finds your swollen, needy clit, drawing tight circles around it before wrapping his lips around it and sucking harshly, his tongue still flicking against it. Your back arches off the bed from the pleasure and Yoongi takes it as a sign to slip two long fingers into your core, scissoring them inside you. He pulls his face away for a minute and just watches his fingers, playing with the sticky white mess he left inside you. 

“You look so good like this.” He groans. “All my cum dripping out of this pretty pussy… Damn.” Yoongi’s tongue finds you again, licking long, hard stripes up your center while his fingers try to push all of his cum back inside you. You chance a look down and see his eyes staring up at you, making your core clench around his fingers as he smirks.

He closes his eyes and goes back to enjoying you, relishing in the way you taste, freshly fucked full of his release. He groans against you at the thought, feeling himself growing hard again. He pulls away and you whine, wanting him to keep going. 

“Shit…” He curses, sitting up.

“Where are you-”

“Shh.” He interrupts, leaning over the bed and grabbing one of his crutches before standing up at the end of the bed. You stare at him confused until he grabs your legs and yanks you down to the edge of the bed, lining himself up with your entrance before plunging back inside you. 

“Yoongi~!” You moan. Yoongi pushes your knees back into your chest and starts thrusting into you harshly, more desperate than he was before. 

“Fuck, Y/N you’re just too hot.” He pants. “You make me so hard, I can’t help myself baby.”

He holds onto the backs of your thighs as he pounds into you, hitting spots that make you dizzy. From the passion alone, you can feel your arousal building inside you, a coil ready to snap from the pressure. 

“Tell me you’re close.” Yoongi begs as his hips stutter, his words only pushing you closer.

“Yoongi I’m so close.” You whimper.

“Fuck.” Yoongi drops his crutch and leans over you, connecting his mouth to yours as he slows his pace to carefully calculated thrusts. “Cum for me baby, cum hard.” He pleads, the need and desperation in his voice so tangible it makes your head spin.

A few more well placed thrusts and you come undone, the coil snaps inside you as you cry out, your core contracting twice as hard around Yoongi as it did the first time. Yoongi swears under his breath before groaning against your lips, his hips faltering as he slams into you one last time, filling you up once more with his hot release.

The two of you stay put for a few minutes, not moving, not thinking, just relishing in the post sex glow. Yoongi presses his lips to yours again in a hot, slow kiss, savoring the moment before he pulls back, resting his head on your shoulder. 

“Fuck…” He mumbles. “You were amazing baby.” He presses another kiss to your neck and then one on your cheek before he flops down on the bed next to you, reaching over to his nightstand to grab a box of tissues, leaning over to clean you up first before tending to himself and then tossing the tissues in the trash can. He scoots up the bed and you go with him, slipping under the covers as he pulls you close, nuzzling against your neck. The two of you lay tangled together until at some point, you drift off. 

.

You wake up to the sound of your alarm blaring. You reach over next to you to turn it off before you remember you left your phone on the table last night. You groan as you get out of bed, picking up your clothes on the way to your phone, turning off the obnoxious ringing with a sigh. You turn back to the bed to see Yoongi still sleeping peacefully. You should let him sleep… 

You gather your things scattered across the boat, putting them all in their respective suitcases and bags and putting them by the door. The last thing you need is your camera. You grab it off the tripod to see that it’s dead before putting it and the tripod away in your camera  bag. You’ll have to charge it when you get home.

Home. You get to go home today, but why does your heart feel so heavy? You make yourself some coffee and as you sip it, you hear the sheets rustling and look over to see Yoongi sitting up. 

“Good morning.” You state quietly. 

“Morning.” He smiles at you until he sees the pile of your things sitting by the door. “Why didn’t you wake me?”

“You need your rest.”

Before Yoongi can argue, there’s a pounding on the door. “Yoongi?” It’s his aunt.

“Shit.” Yoongi scrambles out of bed and throws on some clothes before signaling for you to open the door. 

“Morning Sooyin.” You smile as she walks in. 

“Yah, are you ready to go?” She asks the two of you. 

“Go?” Yoongi questions as he grabs his crutches.

“Yes. Go. You said your flight was in the morning right? We should get you to the airport. And Yoongi-ah, you’re coming to stay with me, remember?”

“Oh, you don’t have to drive me all the way to the airport.” You shake your head.

“Of course I do, now are you both ready?”

.

About twenty minutes later you’re sitting in the back of Sooyin’s car with Yoongi’s crutches next to you, staring out the window at the scenery that rolls by on your way to the airport. There was no arguing with this woman, but thankfully it’s not that long of a drive. The three of you are quiet, listening to the radio, but the closer you get to the airport, the more your heart sinks, and you still can’t figure out why. 

When Sooyin pulls up to the departures, you sigh as you get out, grabbing your things out of the trunk before shutting it to see Yoongi standing there watching you. He limps over without his crutches and grabs you, pulling you into a tight embrace. When he lets you go, the two of you stare at each other for a moment until Sooyin ruins the moment. 

“Yoongi, get back in the car let’s go.”

You bend over and grab your bags before waving goodbye and turning toward the airport.

“Wait, Y/N!”

You immediately turn around at the sound of Yoongi’s voice. “Yeah?” Your heart starts racing. 

“Um,” He looks at the ground, as though embarrassed by his outburst. “H-Have a safe flight.” And with that he turns and gets in the car, leaving you standing on the curb feeling dumbstruck as he drives away. 

.

You sit at your table in your office, finally getting the chance to plug in your camera. It’s been a week since you got home from Cuba, but the institute had you so busy, you haven’t had time to settle back in until now. You take the memory card out of the camera and plug it into your laptop, uploading everything on it before wiping the card and putting it back into the charging camera. 

You open the folder with the new files to see only a few. The interview with Yoongi in Cayo Coco, the footage from the night of Yoongi’s accident, and then one more file that you can’t quite make out. It says it’s about four hours long. You click on the file and press play to see Yoongi sitting on the bed, watching something, and then you come into frame and sit on the bed next to him.

“You’ve made a life for yourself here, away from your home, away from your family and friends, you risked everything and look how far you’ve come.”

“I just wish I’d done more. Tried harder, you know? Maybe then I’d be an actual scientist and not just a guy with a boat.”

You watch in shock as the you on screen leans forward and kisses Yoongi. You must not have hit play when you started the interview, but when you thought you were pausing it, you were actually recording. Shit. You watch, unable to look away as you strip out of your clothes and climb onto Yoongi’s lap. You skim through the rest of the footage to see the camera recorded it all, along with an hour and a half of you two sleeping before it finally ran out of memory and then battery. 

You slam your laptop shut, stopping the playback and slamming your head down on your desk. All you’ve been doing since you returned home has been trying to forget Yoongi, but everywhere you look you’re reminded of him, every time you pick up a pencil you find yourself drawing him; you can’t get him out of your head. You don’t know how it happened, but in the week you were there, you developed feelings for Yoongi. You hoped he reciprocated them, but you know that’ll never happen. He probably fucks all the scientists he drives around. You groan out loud and bang your fist on the table when you hear a familiar voice behind you.

“Bad time?”

“Not now Joon.” You sigh, sitting up and leaning back in your chair, staring at the ceiling.

“What’d I do now?” Namjoon asks, walking over and leaning against your desk.

“You talked me into going to Cuba.” You whine.

“I thought you liked it there? You said you had fun.”

“Yeah, well now I’m fucking miserable.”

“Are you still blaming yourself for Yoongi’s attack? I’m telling you, that boy deserved it. He’ll be fine.”

“Please don’t talk about him…”

“Why not?”

“Just… Please.” You mumble. 

“What happened?” Namjoon pesters. “You never said anything about after the accident.”

“Because nothing happened after the accident.” You lie. 

“Oh come on, you expect me to believe that?” Namjoon scoffs. “You haven’t been yourself since you got back from this trip.”

Before you can respond, the phone on your desk buzzes. You press the intercom button. “Yes?”

“Ms. Yang? There’s a man coming to your office, I couldn’t stop him, so-”

Before your assistant finishes her sentence, the doors to your office burst open. You look up to see a pair of crutches walk in and look around until he sees you.

“Yoongi…”

“Y/N.” He walks over to you as fast as his crutches will allow. 

“Yoongi?” Namjoon asks, confused before he smiles. “What are you doing here man? Long time no see.” Namjoon sticks out his hand for a handshake, but Yoongi ignores it, only focused on you. 

“Namjoon, could you give us a minute.” Yoongi asks. 

“Uh, sure.” Namjoon nods, waiting for your okay before walking toward the door and leaving your office. 

It’s silent for a long time, neither of you sure what to say until Yoongi speaks. “Do you know how long it takes to get through airport security with crutches?” He asks.

“A week?”

“No, but it takes about an hour for them to pat you down.”

“Why are you here Yoongi?” You ask, turning back to your desk. You don’t want to look at him. 

“Y/N,�� He walks over and lets his crutches fall to the floor as he cups your face, forcing you to meet his gaze. “I got back to Holly before I realized I made a mistake. I made my aunt drive me back to the airport and I hopped on the next flight out here.”

“If you got on the next flight, why did it take you a week to get here?”

“It takes a week to walk here on crutches.” Yoongi tries to joke, but you’re not having it. He sighs before trying again. “Because I’m a coward. I’ve been sitting in my hotel room for a week because I was afraid that… that you wouldn’t want to see me.”

“You’re right. I don’t.” You state, shaking him off of you.

“Y/N… You can’t tell me you don’t feel it too?”

“Please leave.” You whisper.

“Y/N-”

“Please…”

“Just hear me out.” He begs. You sigh before nodding. “I haven’t felt this way in a long time, but being with you, spending time with you, laughing with you… You’re the only person that puts up with me and my sarcasm and does it with a light heart, not out of pity. Y/N, you’re so amazing and beautiful and I can’t stop thinking about you. As I was getting my things from Holly, everything reminded me of you, I could see you in the kitchen making coffee, at the table looking at your laptop, my pillows still smelled like you for christ’s sake. I shouldn’t have let you go, but it took you leaving for me to realize that I like you. I might even be in love with you, I don’t know. What I do know is that I want to be with you.”

His words make your heart swell with happiness. A smile plays at your lips as you meet his gaze. “Yoongi…” You whisper, unable to say anything else before Yoongi presses his lips to yours in the sweetest of kisses. He grabs you out of your chair and places you on your desk, kissing you again and again and you start laughing and have to stop him. “Not at work please.” You giggle. 

“Then take the rest of the day off. Let me show you how much I missed you.”

You roll your eyes at his eagerness before pressing the intercom button on your phone. 

“Yes, Ms. Yang?”

“Cancel my meeting this afternoon. I’m taking the rest of the day off.”

“Are you sure?” Your assistant asks.

“I’m sure.” You take your finger off the button and Yoongi’s lips return to yours. When you break apart again, you brush a stray hair behind his ear as you smile at him. “I’m sure…”

Copyright © Inkjam-Moon 2019

[mobius-prime]

40. Tails Miniseries #1

Previous / Table of Contents / Next

Southern Crossover! (Part 1)

Writer: Mike Gallagher Pencils: Mike Gallagher and Dave Manak Colors: Barry Grossman

So you might notice right off the bat that Mike himself is actually credited as a penciller for this issue! He actually only pencilled one page, right at the very beginning. My guess is that he's not as accomplished an artist as some of the other pencillers, so he decided to do the first page himself, for one particular reason: it's meant to have been drawn by Tails himself!

He's been drawing comics of himself as a hero due to his ongoing frustration about not being taken seriously by the rest of the Freedom Fighters due to his age, something which is only compounded when Sally shows up to check on him.

Well, Tails will be treated like a child no longer! He has oil in his tank, he has supplies stored up, and now he's planning to check out that manifesto he found on the island in StH #29. And so, he sets off on his own adventure! Quite honestly, this first issue of his miniseries really doesn't have much action compared to other miniseries' first issues. It mostly serves to act as a hell of a lot of setup for the two coming issues, setting the stage and introducing most of the important players. For now, we see that Robotnik is going to be transporting some important materials in a giant dirigible, because even though he's a master inventor and mechanic who can create weather-altering devices, turn organic beings into robots with the push of a button, and conquer the entire world with his forces of evil, apparently a big hydrogen-filled zeppelin is his best option for transporting delicate materials long distances. Haven't you ever heard of the Hindenburg, Robotnik?

Meanwhile, Tails is investigating the listed flight path and spots the blimp from underneath. When he checks it out, he finds its destination to be Downunda, which if you couldn't guess is the rather humorous name for the Australia expy on Mobius. However, he's soon spotted and shot down, where he's attacked by Octobot, who's made his return. Octobot totals his submarine and drags Tails to the depths to drown him…

Intermission time! Now we're learning a little more about the first real sub-boss of Robotnik's that we'll be seeing in the comics, Crocbot. Nothing much is really explained about Crocbot - he doesn't seem to be a roboticized croc, seeing as he maintains his own free will, but that would also seem to preclude him being a direct creation of Robotnik's as well. Really, he's just this random robot crocodile in Aus- I mean, Downunda, who is apparently working with Robotnik to take over the continent, which has remained largely untouched by war up till now. However, Crocbot is simply planning to use this shipment to secure his own rule over the area, followed by a coup to put himself in charge of the world instead of Robotnik. Drama!

Back to Tails. He wakes up on a tiny island, having been deposited there by a friendly manta ray named, well, Ray. Ray explains that he's a member of an undersea group called the Forty Fathoms Freedom Fighters, who spotted Tails being drowned by Octobot and attacked, saving him and driving Octobot away.

Tails isn't perhaps as grateful as he could be for the rescue, agitated that he's stuck on some tiny island without his submarine when he was in the middle of an important mission. In response, Ray moves out of the way and the "island" reveals itself to be…

Tails' new ride! With that, Fluke the Blue Whale begins his journey with Tails on his back to Downunda, so he can complete his mission. Tune in next month for… ehh… I think you get the picture. Next issue! Maybe in the next one we'll actually get some real action going.

[roundtheworldrambles]

Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef, Australia

Day 71/72 – Hong Kong → Manilla → Cairns

In the evening I took the MTR out to Hong Kong’s airport, boarding my flight with Philippines Air, bound for Cairns, Australia. In the scramble of re-routing my flights over the previous days, I was scheduled to take a red-eye with an overnight layover in Manila. As someone who usually can’t sleep a wink on an airplane, this leg of my journey was particularly fatiguing. Fortunately, my first flight was not without a silver lining, as I was in for a pleasant surprise once our on-board dinner was served. Simply put, Philippines Air easily had the best plane food I had ever experienced: perfectly seasoned chicken adobo with a hearty side of rice.  

Navigating through the terminals of Manila Airport during the wee hours of the morning, I eventually found my transfer gate to Cairns and tiredly plopped myself in a corner, curling up next to my pack. In the hours that followed, I dazedly realized that the secondary screening next to my gate was actually for Quarantine purposes – as there were no bathrooms, water fountains or shops in the vicinity. Unfortunately, this also meant I was not even allowed to bring water with me onto my next flight! This was certainly an eye-opening realization for me, as I could see just how seriously Australia takes biosecurity to protect their unique agriculture and wildlife.

After nine hours in air on my second flight, we gradually began our descent into Cairns, located on the Northeastern coast of Australia. It was a beautiful bluebird morning, with patches of dark coral reef occasionally visible beneath the shimmering ocean below. Descending the air stairs onto the tarmac, I was immediately hit by a powerful wave of heat. Although I had travelled to Cairns with my family well over a decade earlier, the distant memory of intense heat and humidity was quickly brought to the forefront, as I breathed in the thick, tropical air of Queensland.

Having secured my ETA Visa in advance, my Canadian Passport allowed me to easily pass through the electronic gate in the small airport. Collecting my pack quickly at the baggage carousel, I was heartened by the thought of finding a bed to sleep in shortly. And as my luck would have it – a customs official thought otherwise. At the time, I did not realize how suspicious a single backpacker travelling from Asia was – but in my following weeks in Aus, I heard countless stories of backpackers being connected with drug trafficking through countries such as Indonesia and the Philippines. Over the following hour, the customs agent thoroughly examined each item in my pack – swabbing everything from my toothbrush to flip-flops to test for trace amounts of cocaine and other drugs. Although I had nothing to hide, the entire process still came with a certain amount of apprehension, as I had heard stories of drugs and contraband being planted in luggage. After finally receiving the all clear, the customs official waved me on my way, with a comical parting comment: “you have to be the neatest backpacker I’ve ever seen!”, referring to my many packing cubes and vacuum packs. With a tired chuckle, I trudged out of the airport, briefly stopping to pick up a new SIM card on my way to catch the airport shuttle into town.  

Travellers Oasis

Blasting A/C and country music, the shuttle cruised along a series of palm-lined boulevards and roundabouts leading into Cairns. After more than 24-hours in transit, I was thrilled to finally arrive at Travellers Oasis, a charming, family run hostel a short walk from the city centre. This hostel was easily a top favourite from my entire trip. I was originally a bit concerned about staying in hostels in Australia, as I knew that Aus had a younger backpacker scene compared to other places I had travelled. This was forgotten immediately as I was welcomed into the hostel’s laidback, tropical oasis, and was met with a mix of travellers of all ages. After a much needed power nap, Gabriel, the hostel owner, walked me through all of my options for open-water certifications in the Great Barrier Reef. I was thrilled that there was a last minute spot on one of the “liveaboard” boats, and booked a 3-day, 2-night open water certification with Reef Encounter, starting a few days later.

I spent the late afternoon wandering the palm-lined boulevards of Cairns, shopping for more appropriate clothes to match Queensland’s overpowering humidity.  Sweaty and dusty after a long day, I plunged into the hostel pool in the evening, sharing cold beers and trading Australia tips with fellow visitors from Switzerland, Canada, Britain and the US. Gabriel, the hostel owner, and his daughter Poppy had organized a delicious pizza dinner for us, which we ate family style – gathered around wooden tables under the tropical foliage. Full and very tired – I crashed shortly afterwards, but not before loading the air conditioning machine in my room with all my spare change (The only drawback of the hostel – no free A/C!)

Day 73 – Cairns

Sleeping in and shaking off my jet-lag, I fixed myself breakfast and set myself up at a shady poolside table for the day, gearing up for a crash course in scuba diving! After signing myself up for my open water certification the previous day, I had been given a thick manual to read, along with test questions to respond to as I worked through the course. I found the material surprisingly challenging, as there was a substantial amount of physics and biology involved – taking me back to my undergrad at Western! As I went through the course, I took regular breaks to cool off the pool, and Facetimed a few friends and family back home.

After finishing the scuba coursework in the late afternoon, I met up with a Dutch and English girl, and we headed out into the town to explore. Walking towards the wharf as the evening fell, we began to hear the high-pitched screeches from a massive colony of fruit bats, who were just beginning to wake up as the sun was setting. Dangling from trees near the city centre, these large, black “megabats” have a wingspan of up to 1.6 metres!

We continued onwards to the Cairns Night Market, an open-air bazaar with local goods for sale, Australian food products, souvenirs and food stalls with cuisine from all over the world. A much more relaxed night market compared to the souks of Morocco and food alleys in China, we meandered the stalls and checked out the range of products for sale. Leaving the market behind, we strolled along the nearby wharf, lined with dark palms swaying in the balmy ocean breeze. Nearing the ocean, I was immediately struck by the number of large, yellow signs, warning of the dangers of swimming due to the large number of saltwater crocodiles, or “Salties” which inhabit the area. In addition to crocodiles, these warm ocean waters are also home to a variety of jellyfish known as “stingers”, including large box jellyfish and the tiny Irukandji jellyfish, both of which are considered to be among the world’s most venomous species. Since it is far too risky to swim off the picturesque beaches of the town (and a such a shame, at that!) a large, manmade lagoon has been built next to the ocean - for a croc and jellyfish free swimming option!

The girls and I ended our evening at a lively Cantina in town, sharing a few pitchers of Sangria on the patio, and swapping stories from respective countries late into the night.  

Day 74-76 – The Reef

I packed a small bag in the morning, leaving my pack behind at the hostel as I set out towards Marlin Wharf, the busy departure point for snorkeling and scuba diving trips in the Great Barrier Reef. Navigating through crowds of day-trippers, I located the small catamaran which would transport me to the Reef Encounter, my floating home for the next three days. As we cast off from port, the humidity and heat gradually eased off as we ventured further into the coral sea.

My home for the next three days!

Arriving aboard the Reef Encounter, I was shown to my small portside cabin, which I was sharing with Poppy (the hostel owner’s daughter – who happened to be taking her open water certification at the same time!). After a delicious lunch and thorough orientation the boat’s safety procedures, I was introduced to Anna and Nick, our open water instructors, and Elmira, a Russian teacher who was taking the course with me. Anna and Nick, a couple from Spain and Germany (respectively), wasted no time in suiting us up in full scuba gear, complete with buoyancy compensators (BCDs), weight belts, an oxygen tank, regulators, masks, and flippers. We were also fitted in bright blue, Lycra stinger suits – certainly no fashion statement, but necessary protection against the lethal jellyfish and fierce sun of Northern Australia. After running us through equipment set up and safety checks with our diving partner, Anna and Nick had us get in the water, rolling off the back of the boat in our inflated BCDs!

A few fantastic underwater snapshots - courtesy of our on-board photographer!

The next three days were simply magical, and were my favourite days of travel up until that point. We were completely immersed into a spectacular world of colour and marine life, and completed 10 dives in total, some at the crack of dawn, and one night dive!It was definitely hard work, as Anna and Nick put us through our paces, practicing countless essential skills from controlled descent/ascent, equalizing our ears, underwater emergency drills, breath control, energy conservation and oxygen monitoring.

Spotting a hiding cuttlefish in the reef

As we became more and more comfortable in the water, it became easier to relax and appreciate the breathtaking underwater landscape around us. From swimming next to technicolour cliffs of swaying coral, drifting past giant sea turtles, and swimming next to hunting reef sharks and giant trevallys (during a night swim!) – there are no words I could use to fully describe this astounding wonder of the natural world. The distortion of images and sounds deep in the ocean was also fascinating – a fish biting a piece of coral feet away sounded as loud as someone crunching on cereal next to my ear! I also kept bumping into things - my depth perception questionable now that I was 9 meters underwater.

During our time onboard, The Reef Endeavour took us to several different dive sites scattered around the Outer Barrier Reef, including Norman, Saxon and Hastings Reef. As we moved between the many dive sites, Elmira and I practiced filling out our logbooks, tracking our maximum depth, bottom time, water conditions, and calculating our residual nitrogen levels using dive tables.  An added benefit of staying overnight on a liveaboard boat is that we could begin diving as early as 7am – plunging into the crystal clear water long before any other day trips had set out from Cairns.  These early dives were equally captivating as those at night, as we could see the reef waking up – coral opening and tilting towards the morning sun above, and sleeping reef sharks drifting along the sandy ocean floor. Fascinating fact about sleeping sharks – by sleeping in moving tidal currents, water naturally flows through their gills, allowing them to breathe when asleep!

After three perfect days, I completed my last dive with Anna and Nick, wrote my open water certification test, and officially received my Open Water Diving Certification through Scuba Schools International (SSI)! The full-immersion into the diving program allowed me to learn quickly and improve after every dive, and during my time on the boat, I would constantly catch myself thinking - why didn’t I do this 10 years ago?!

On my final day of diving, I met a fellow scuba diver named Carlos, a medical resident on placement from Barcelona. As we returned to the mainland, I joined him and his 3 Spanish friends for dinner and beers in Cairns, where we tried crocodile and kangaroo (which were delicious, for the record!). After comically trying to recall my high school Spanish for a few hours, my newfound friends and I parted ways just as heavy drops of rain began to fall. Sprinting back to my hostel in the middle of a pounding tropical thunderstorm, I arrived drenched – but happy and exhilarated.

Trying out local cuisine - including crocodile and kangaroo!

[dazstormretro]

My Little Intro and the Story of the 464

As with a number of middle aged guys (and girls) I’ve now joined the the growing trend of owning my own man cave. A small area dedicated to my hobbies and interests. A place where I can temporarily hide away from the adult stresses of this world, a place where I can transport myself back to my teens, my own personal time machine and of course a place where I can store all my old ‘crap’ which I’ve collected over the years.

In my case it’s a small log cabin situated in my back garden filled with retro gaming consoles, toys, posters, little figurines and basically lots of things from my childhood. Though to many people these random possessions may appear a bit strange and childish, to me they hold precious memories from my past, a time when I had no real responsibilities, a time when all that mattered was hanging out with mates and having fun.

It was whilst sitting in my cosy man space trying to remember how the hell I used to play Goldeneye with this damn controller that I suddenly had an idea, how many old video gaming memories from my past could I recall? This idea started to grow so I began to jot them down on my phone and before I knew it I had about a hundred different notes in front of me - games I’d played, friends I’d known, old arcades we would visit, gaming shops where I would spend hours salivating over the latest releases, so many gaming memories some of which I hadn’t thought about in years.

So with all this information I decided to create a kind of video gaming memories blog. Working in chronological order I intend to visit key points from my retro gaming past starting from the beginning and finishing, well I guess we’ll find out.

I’ve tried my best to get as many dates, games and places correct but I do apologise if a few facts seem to go astray, it has been many years after all.

But first things first. My names Daz and I’m a 40 year old gamer from Hyde which is a small market town in Greater Manchester, England. I’m not a writer nor do I work within the industry I simply love playing video games. Ive played games officially since I was ten years old. My very first computing memory was playing on my parents Atari 2600 way back in the mid 80’s. From what I remember they had two games, Space Invaders and Combat. At that time I was more interested in playing with my Transformers and Lego sets rather than trying to control a little red tank around a beige screen but this would all change in the years to come.

The big turning point in my video gaming history would be Christmas Day of 1988. To help set the scene Cliff Richard was currently at number one in the singles chart with Mistletoe and Wine, Rain Man was selling big at the cinema and that evenings the must see television program would have been the Russ Abbot Christmas Show on BBC1. But back to the important stuff, presents. On the morning of 25th December me, my brother and two sisters rushed into the living room full of excitement to see what delights Santa had brought us. Being the eldest I had already pre-ordered my Christmas presents in advance with the big guy. The previous year it had all been about M.A.S.K toys and I had built up quite the collection including Rhino, Switchblade and even Boulder Hill but this year it was Transformers and Lego. Top of my list was one Scullcruncher Headmaster Transformer and one ginormous Lego Space Monorail Transport System with working train and flashing lights!

Thanks to my parents (and Santa) I received these great gifts and spent that Christmas Day repeatedly attacking the poor space monorail Lego crew with a giant mechanical crocodile but something else had caught my eye. My younger brother had asked for a home computer as his main gift that year, so set up in the living room in all its grey glory was an Amstrad CPC 464 with colour monitor and the Amsoft game pack bundle. Now apart from my small Atari stint a few years previous video games were completely alien to me at this point. I would watch with intrigue as my mum and brother would take it in turns to race around the maze in Oh Mummy trying to find the treasures whilst avoiding the onslaught of enemies. My mum would then (very suspiciously with ease) load up another game, Roland in the Caves and proceed to demonstrate to my brother how to effortlessly jump around the cave whilst avoiding what appeared to be a pink Pterodactyl?

Turns out she’d previously been playing these games for weeks prior to Christmas Day having initially only set the computer up to “check it worked ok” but then becoming addicted.

That evening after Christmas dinner I finally got my chance to try out this strange new toy. After a few failed attempts at Oh Mummy my mum loaded up Roland on the Ropes. It was experiencing this game for the first time that something inside of me just connected. This was it, this was where my life long love for video games began. I know it sounds cliché but I couldn’t get over the fact that I could move this little man around on the tv screen by myself, it was like a cartoon but I was in control, the possibilities were endless. Next came Harrier Attack and once again I was enthralled, piloting this little black jet plane whilst dropping bombs on the enemy below.

Turns out my brother wasn’t really all that interested in computer games after all so for the remainder of the Christmas holidays I spent hours up in our shared bedroom glued to the Amstrad, playing each game in turn, trying to beat my mums high scores whilst completely unaware of the adventure this wonderful machine would take me on?

[somewhatlargerobot]

huntsman spider, goliath beetle, peppered moth!!

Giant huntsman- where would you most like to travel to? 

I’ve always wanted to take a meandering trip up the coast, hitting up sleepy towns like Goodsprings and checking out tacky tourist traps like the Cabazon Dinosaurs. I used to go on road trips all the time when I was young and I kinda just wanna go, the trip matters more then the destination.

Goliath beetle- favourite bug right now?

I’ve always been a big fan of Bombardier Beetles cuz they’re more or less the bug version of the Churchill Crocodile Tank, but moths have really been growing on me lately. Heck I just got a shirt with a moth on it for my birthday!

Peppered moth- how do you feel about forests?

I’ve lived most of my life in and around the SoCal area and proper forests always seemed kinda just far away enough. There’s nothing but desert, scrub, and HEAT around here. They’ve got this mystical quality to me, be a good destination for a road trip.

[travelonlinetipsofficial]

Group Friendly: Restaurants in Toronto

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Group Friendly: Restaurants in Toronto

It can be hard enough to organize an event that organizes a group of people in Toronto. Trying to find a restaurant that not only accommodates everyone but also happily satiates them can be hard. No one wants to wait in a line or get shoved into a corner. No one puts baby in the corner (Dirty Dancing reference for those not up on their 80s film classics) and no one will put your people in a corner with these 10 Best picks.

There are choices for the talkative and rowdy, such as Wvrst which has a casual, beer hall mentality with beer flights and duck fries to make everyone happy. Or, if you like sushi and a lot of yelling, try out the infectiously vibrant Japanese restaurant Guu Izakaya. 

Sometimes you need a little more class than sass. Cluny has an atmosphere that warrants a little dressing up, but will happily welcome those in stretchy pants who intend to do Cluny’s bread products justice. In today’s day and age, stretchy pants always have to be an option.

Determine the attitude of the company you keep and match the style of restaurant and ultimately everyone will be happy, whether you are hosting a discerning aunt or your friend who always seems to have a mustard stain on his lapel. 

The food photos from Fishman Lobster Clubhouse are so voluminous, so mountainous, that it seems that this restaurant might scoff at a party of one. All parties are welcome, but the platters of seafood at Fishman Lobster Clubhouse seem more aptly suited for a ravenous group. Tables shudder under the weight of crab legs or Hong Kong style lobster. Floor to ceiling fish tanks house gigantic crustaceans. There is a lobster tower on the menu, if towers of seafood fit the bill for your group. As a warning, it weighs 50 pounds and costs almost $700 (for around 10 people), but it may be economical depending on the size of the stomachs in your company.

Recommended for Group Friendly because: Lobsters and snow crabs in ample quantity for any size group.

Courtney’s expert tip: The set menu is a great deal for a smaller group and will certainly fill your bellies.

Read more about Fishman Lobster Clubhouse →

Since Hong Kong-born chef Susur Lee arrived in Canada in 1978, he’s built a reputation on inventive cuisine that fuses the dishes of his homeland with other global influences. Lee is his flagship Toronto restaurant, with a menu that is built around sharable tapas-sized plates. Expect the unexpected with a mashup of Asian and French flavours. Chef Lee’s Singapore Slaw has been a fixture on the menu for years and is well worth the splurge. The presentation is impressive, with the salad mixed at the table and sculpted into a tower. Inventive ingredients range from daikon to fennel seedlings and edible flower petals. Save room for an inventive dessert, such as the French and Chinese Tong Yuen with a rice dumpling, chocolate nougat, Indian pastry and strawberry/creme brûlée. What?!?

Recommended for Group Friendly because: Susur Lee’s restaurant is a fantastic place to share a memorable foodie experience with your group.

Courtney’s expert tip: It’s super easy to book a private dining experience for your group at Lee. Check out their website for more details.

Read more about Lee →

When you walk into the carbon bar, you feel like you have stepped into the future, with sky high ceilings and glowing white lamps. There is a lot of history in this building (it was once a Disney dance studio!) but now it is all delicious BBQ bites, like the wood fired sweet and spicy ribs with coleslaw and dill pickles. There are also a host of snacks (crocodile bites, anyone?) and craft cocktails that are impressively balanced. Private dining is divine here, with a chef’s table option for a group up to 14, or for larger groups there is the Green Room, an upstairs private dining space which gives a prime view of the dining room.

Recommended for Group Friendly because: BBQ heaven and a private dining room – nothing wrong with that.

Courtney’s expert tip: The carbon bar has catering available for groups of 8 of more (must be placed 48 hours in advance), if you decide to keep your group at home.

Read more about The Carbon Bar →

Take the “a” off of “Planta” and you will realize what this restaurant is all about (and it’s not the hokey pokey). Marketed as plant-based cuisine rather than vegan, this fresh and airy restaurant specializes in delicious food from around the globe that any meat-eater would be proud to chomp. Planta burgers have queso, pickles, buffalo aioli and spiced fries. Enjoy cashew mozzarella, ranch dressing and cauliflower on your pizza. The creative and innovative dishes are plated beautifully and and the light and airy dining room and private dining area will impress your group.

Recommended for Group Friendly because: Plant-based dining is sexy and hip. What better way to show off to your friends?

Courtney’s expert tip: Larger groups are suggested to book through the private events link on their webpage.

Read more about Planta →

Luma is a wonderful restaurant to stop by if you are in the heart of the city. Right on King Street around everything that is buzzing, the warm wood within the restaurant offsets the surrounding hustle and bustle. Luma is an Oliver & Bonacini restaurant that has many menus to complement the time of day you choose to dine. You have lunch, dinner or dessert, of course, but there is also a post 3pm lounge menu. The menu is seafood heavy and includes such gems as clam carbonara and miso cod with maple syrup. The Manhattans are named after neighbourhoods in Toronto (the High Park; the North York). It is worth saving room for the desserts, with an amazing “chocolate bar” which is like a soft dark chocolate brownie layered with banana and peanut butter ice cream. Heaven.

Recommended for Group Friendly because: Upscale and chic, the location couldn’t be more convenient. Let your group congregate in the heart of the city over excellent food.

Courtney’s expert tip: Luma is available for private events on Sundays, so do contact them if this is something of interest to you.

Read more about Luma →

Photo courtesy of Blu Ristorante

Blu is the kind of fine dining you want to make time for, although it won’t take much time to have a superb group experience. There are three private dining restaurant rooms, one for 12 guests, one for between 12-20 and one for 22-30. You can also fully buy out the restaurant for an event with 100 guests. Whether you go with a small crowd or a giant one, Blu is the perfect place to slurp some pasta with someone you love (or at the very least, like). Try the truffle wild boar ragu with wild mushrooms over sweet potato and ricotta gnocchi for a dish that will make your eyes roll back into your head.

Recommended for Group Friendly because: Whether you are planning a breakfast meeting or a family reunion, Blu is the perfect place to eat well and sit together.

Courtney’s expert tip: Audio visual equipment is available at Blu to make your next breakfast meeting even simpler. They are private rooms, but not completely soundproof, so may want to keep the long-winded speeches to a minimum.

Read more about Blu Ristorante & Lounge →

Japanese restaurant. Tapas restaurant. Drinking establishment which serves food to accompany the drinks (at least according to the definition of Izakaya). Guu Izakaya does it all. This lively and energetic restaurant opened in 2011 after being acclaimed in Vancouver. Communal style tables encourage strangers to get friendly as they share the experience of eating Japanese comfort food. Baked oysters, beef tongue, almond tofu, sashimi salad and bibimbap are some of the options, and all are exquisite. Dishes are great for sharing, and you can sit at the bar to watch the food being cooked. Don’t miss the cocktail and sake list. A couple of drinks will put you in the right Guu mood.

Recommended for Group Friendly because: This restaurant is already noisy, so your group won’t even make a dent in the energy. Bring your rowdy friends.

Courtney’s expert tip: If you plan on trying everything, order at least two of each dish for a large group and pass everything around. Now is the time to try angus beef tongue.

Read more about Guu Izakaya →

Photo courtesy of Cluny

Cluny Bistro takes French food and makes it unfussy. You can have your caramelized onion soup and moules frites but you don’t need to have a side of snobbery. Even so, the backdrop for your dining experience is absolutely stunning with high ceilings and may have you convinced that the Eiffel Tower is within walking distance. Groups are more than welcome with a private dining area just for the occasion.The boulangerie is more of the takeaway aspect of the restaurant, with all things pastry waiting to be fawned over and taken home in a paper bag. But make sure to enjoy the classic French dishes on a plate, like the foie gras eclairs or the fried frogs legs. The large patio fits 100 people and its cobblestone floor transports you right to France.

Recommended for Group Friendly because: Joie de vivre isn’t something you should keep to yourself.

Courtney’s expert tip: There are a wide variety of cocktails, but there are also fantastic mocktails if you choose not to imbibe.

Read more about Cluny Bistro & Boulangerie →

The world can be divided into two groups of people: those who say “yay” to a beer hall and those who say “nay.” For those who are in the “yay” category, Wvrst is an informal way to have a lot of fun (and potentially a lot of beer). With communal tables encouraging friendly banter, this King Street located, Munich-style beer hall specializes in all-natural sausage (as you may have guessed from the name). Vegetarians have a ton of options, from the beyond sausages to black bean, green curry and more. Meat eaters have even more variety, from kangaroo to wild boar to rabbit. There are also duck fat fries with dipping sauces. The food encourages the beer drinking and the beer drinking encourages hunger to persist. It is a feedback loop that is just perfect for those “yay” sayers.

Recommended for Group Friendly because: Whether or not you come with a group, Wvrst’s communal tables make you feel part of something greater than yourself. Is that the beer talking?

Courtney’s expert tip: Get the fries with a series of dipping sauces. Truffle mushroom mayo? Come ON.

Read more about Wvrst →

You can certainly judge the closeness of your friendship by how much guacamole you are willing to share with someone. Prepared table side, El Catrin’s comes with avocado, tomato, onion, fresh cilantro and serrano chilis. Plates are tapas style, all the better to share with your group of ravenous friends. If coming with a crowd, you must get El Jefe’s taco feast, or 2 of every taco on the menu (which has everything from beef to chipotle stewed shrimp to charred chayote squash). There are semi-private dining spaces for groups of 13 or more. Did we mention that there is the largest tequila collection in the country here? Bottoms up.

Recommended for Group Friendly because: Tequila, large open spaces and sharable Mexican food make El Catrin a group positive destination.

Courtney’s expert tip: This is one of the best patios in the city. Go on a beautiful day and try to tear yourself away from the margaritas. Or brave a cold winter day by the fire pits and be rewarded with a brunch that is 50% off.

Read more about El Catrin →

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[decandnicoletraveladventure-blog]

Weeks 3-5

The last couple of weeks took a bit of a turn for us, but I’ll start from where we last left off and go from there. After writing my last blog entry, we stayed at Daintree National park for two nights, and then headed off north with Cape Tribulation as our end goal. The journey took us on a car-ferry across a river, and up some ridiculously windy, vertical steep roads up the mountainous terrain.  It was whilst there, driving up these insane vertical bends in first and second gear, engine revving to the max, that we suddenly realised we had No. Fuel. Whatsoever...

How could we be so stupid, you ask? Well, rest assured, we asked ourselves the same question. Personally, I blame our very questionable fuel gage, which stays on the same point for miles on end, before suddenly dropping by half a tank. Although it is possible that it could also have something to do with our combined air-headedness though…

Nevertheless, with little other choice, we ploughed onwards in the desperate hope of coming across a gas station while Sherman still could. As it happened, the gods took pity on us. After a hair-raising journey coasting the entire way down the vertical winding decline that, unsurprisingly,  followed the crazy vertical winding incline (would not advocate this driving style), we finally came across the blessing we were looking for, and pumped our tank full. By this point, Declan’s chair was soaked in sweat, and I think it’s safe to say we had definitely learnt an important lesson. Now, we vow never to let our questionable petrol gauge drop below the half way mark again. And, the whole palaver had a positive note too, in the form of this spectacular view…

Anyway, we continued onwards exploring the beautiful tropics of the North East. Cow Bay was our first stop, and probably my favourite; A gorgeous white sand beach with not a soul in sight, bordered by some brilliant rock-pools with wildlife that kept us entertained for several hours – sea cucumbers, hermit crabs, giant blue mud crabs, luminous blue fish, and even a couple of lizards. Although the ever-present threat of potential crocodiles lurking certainly made us wary!

From there, we went on to the highly-recommended Fruit Farm Ice Creamery. The concept was rather a novel one; Based on a large plot of land, they grow all sorts of exotic fruits themselves, importing nothing and harvesting those in season to make unique ice creams. Four flavours are served each day, based on what is currently harvestable, and you pay $7.50 per person to receive a large pot with a big scoop of each flavour. Dec and I were unanimous in our enjoyment of three of the four flavours. Unfortunately, one tasted like vomit - definitely would not recommend Yellow Sapote fruit – but the experience was really cool, and we had a great time exploring the fruit farm too.

From there, we stopped off for the night, unsuccessfully went on a hunt to see Cassowaries in the morning, and then continued up to Cape Trib. Here comes our second ditzy moment, wherein we actually drove past Cape Tribulation altogether, after unknowingly stopping RIGHT NEXT TO THE CAPE TRIB SIGN to check our maps for directions. A real ‘face-palm’ moment. Anyway, we made it to Cape Tribulation, which rather mirrored Cow Bay but was significantly busier. We stayed in the area for a couple of days – again, seeing some crazy wildlife, including a giant Golden Orb Spider and a monstrous Monitor Lizard – and booked ourselves onto the Great Barrier Reef’s  ‘Ocean Safari’; A 25 minute boat ride out to a sand bank and its surrounding coral reefs, where we spent 2 hours snorkelling. We swam with Sea Turtles, saw Giant Clams the size of a 5 year old child, luminous rainbow Parrot Fish, and so much more. It was totally incredible, and Dec especially was pretty elated (although sad not to have seen a Reef Shark).

Unfortunately, things took a slight turn from there.  I’ve been struggling with some complications of the surgery I had 3 months ago, and was in a whole lot of pain after coming back from snorkelling. We made the decision to drive back to Cairns that day and stay at the lovely Castaways Hostel again whilst we went to different doctors and figured out the best route to take to sort me out. We made some progress (many thanks to all the friends and family who got the ball rolling with their contacts!) and stayed there a week before continuing on with our travels. Our next stop was Port Douglas, where we were accompanied by our French friend Ben for a couple of days’ fishing. 

It was a brilliant couple of days. The beautiful scenery from Port Douglas’ Jetty made for an exceptionally picturesque fishing trip. The highlight, however, came from the fishing itself. Along with a Barracuda, a Stingray and Moray Eel, Declan and Ben between them managed to hook 4 sharks. BIG sharks, each reaching six to eight feet in length.  Naturally, this drew in quite a lot of spectators. None compared, however, to the absolute quality New Zealand lad who came out of nowhere in a tiny little boat and, in true Aussie fashion, shouted up to Dec “Oi mate, hop in! Let’s catch the c*nt!” !!!

Picture the disbelief of Ben and me at the scene: Declan, hobbling over metal chains and down the rickety stairs of the Jetty to the water’s edge, clambering onto this tiny boat with some dreadlocked, topless man, all the while trying to keep his line tight, then speeding off across the water (nearly falling off the boat in the process) after this huge shark. Unfortunately, after about 25 minutes of knackering work for Dec, the line snapped whilst they were trying to bring the shark onto the boat. The experience, though, is one that none of us will forget in a hurry, and left us laughing for the rest of the day. I actually managed to catch the whole ordeal on camera, which we’ll upload soon, and Dec was totally chuffed to not only have been able to see these awesome sharks up close, but  to have caught footage of them too.

After a great couple of days at Port Douglas, Ben returned back to Cairns and we continued on inland to go exploring the Tablelands. We are currently at Downfall creek campsite in Danbulla National Park, with plans for the next week to go to the Lava Tubes, natural hot springs, several waterfalls, and whatever else we may come across. Although it’s currently rather wet and miserable, it is fortunately much cooler inland than on the coast, particularly at night, which means spending the day snuggled up in the campervan isn’t awful and stuffy. It’s rather nice in fact – we’ve some sandalwood incense burning, some relaxing music playing, and we’re both sitting in bed doing some writing whilst the rain patters gently on the windows. It does, however, make us both feel a little homesick. Staying at a national park where there is no phone service and very few other people, as opposed to at a hostel surrounded by friendly faces, suddenly feels rather lonely, creating a sombre element to our travels. It certainly makes us feel ready to meet more people and crack on to the next fun activity.

Until then, stay tuned.

Nicole & Dec

P.S Lots of love and hugs to all our family and friends – we’re thinking of you all lots! And special thanks to Mike for helping sort the camper’s dodgy solar power. Really hoping you’re okay. We’re both sending you big hugs.

Danbulla National Park, 17.10.2017

[noblecrumpet-dorkvision]

Druid Week: Druids in the Game

As a DM:

Versatility:

Druids already have a huge part in most roles, so they don’t need much in terms of catering. A bard might need to feel more involved in a campaign, but a support druid can also provide utility, tankiness, damage… they can Wild Shape or cast a spell whenever they need anything! They are one of the most versatile classes in the entire game. If they need encouragement, give them a variety of challenges (as you should always be doing, really) to force them to take more creative problem-solving measures.

Environment:

Make unique landscapes and environments for the druid. You don’t have to do it every time, but every once in a while feel free to go overboard. Floating midair land masses, waterfalls that flow upward, geysers of acid, an insect hive the size of a city… just describe some beauty shot that can really tug at the druid’s magic-strings. They will be interested in the unique plants and animals and magic there, which can influence how you populate such a land. Not to mention the other players will love such a wondrous place, too.

Fauna:

One thing a lot of DMs forget is to give druids a place to excel. Druids fall flat inside an enclosed dungeon. Give them space out in the open; in the wild. Give the druid some non-magical beasts to interact with. DMs always forget that regular threats like lions, tigers, and bears exist and with a druid, these often turn into roleplaying encounters rather than combat ones. Speak with Animals, Animal Friendship, Beast Bond, Beast Sense, Animal Messenger, Dominate Beast, Locate Creature, and Commune with Nature can all interact with beasts in some way. Beasts are everywhere if the druid is looking for them.

Flora:

Another thing to keep in mind is plant life. I just did a whole two-part post about Herbalism as a more fleshed-out system for 5e. Part 1 is just a pipeline of dice tables to make up new herbs. The herb could play a minor role in a story or adventure, or it could simply be a useful tool that exists in your world. For instance, I once had some herbs with yellow flowers that would act as healing potions, but you could only eat them twice within 24 hours or you would get sick. Ever since then, the players could find those herbs elsewhere and have a unique source of HP instead of a boring old potion. Plus they have the a-ha moment of realizing they found something useful on their own instead of opening a chest and finding it there. Part 2 of the Herbalism Guide was more about how to use the herbs as potion ingredients, as medicine, and as spell components. If you want to go the extra mile or want ideas for what herbs could do, use it!

Mood:

Just like clerics, druids can have supernatural senses that can add to the mood of an adventure. Imagine if you were a druid PC and the DM says “The druid senses something off about this forest. It makes you feel sick.” or “This jungle is in agony. You empathize with its pain, which feels like insects stinging you all over your body, and you can almost hear the wails of the trees.” Druids could make an Insight check to try and feel how a beast is feeling in the same way. It singles out the druid, identifies the problem as environmental corruption, and enhances the mood. What more could a DM want.

As a Player:

Get the Most Out of the Game:

Ask your DM questions about the flora and fauna and traits of the setting. When you travel to a new area in-game, be sure to cast Commune with Nature and get a lay of the land. This can add to the experience and provide vital information on targets for Locate spells, herbalism, and beast-influencing spells. Don’t be afraid to ask your DM for strange things that might not exist in the standard rules like “Can my druid think of any herbs that could cure paralysis in this environment?” The DM might find that intriguing and make it a plot point (making things a bit easier on the DM and giving you a potential solution to your problems to boot).

Don’t be afraid to request unique creatures to Wild Shape into, even if they aren’t in the book! I don’t see jellyfish in the Monster Manual but if a player asked me for it, I would just turn them into a Poisonous Snake with no land speed and 10 ft. swim speed, but maybe increase the poison damage a tad. And heck, who says there aren’t Giant Jellyfish in the realm of D&D? Use a Giant Poisonous Snake for that! You could easily reskin monsters like that, especially for cosmetic reasons. In the tropics? Turn into a Giant Parrot instead of a Giant Eagle. In the tundra? Turn into a Snow Hare instead of a Badger to better hide in the snow. In the desert? Turn into a Coyote instead of a Wolf. There are so many animals in the world, there is no excuse for creativity on your end as a druid!

Wild Shape:

Optimize the usage of your Wild Shape. Pick the right animals for the right jobs!

Mobility/Scout: Giant Elk, Deer, Hyena, Horses, Flying Snake, Giant Owl, Giant Eagle, Giant Badger, Ape, Panther, Giant Toad, and Giant Crab all have either fast movement or unique movement (fly, swim, climb, burrow).

Tackle: Lion, Panther, Allosaurus, Giant Octopus, Crocodile, Giant Constrictor, Giant Toad, and Giant Crab can all knock enemies prone or restrain them.

Poison Damage: Poisonous Snake, Giant Scorpion, Giant Spider, and Female Steeder (OotA) all have poison that can deal damage to those not resistant.

Sustained Damage: Wolf, Giant Crocodile, Tiger, Giant Boar, Ape, and Dire Wolf all deal reliable damage and have adequate tank.

Tank: Warhorse, Black Bear, Giant Constrictor, Rhino, Ankylosaurus, Whale, Elephant, Hulking Crab, Triceratops, and Mammoth all have a bunch of HP and AC.

Spy: Mule, Horses, Cat, Frog, Crab, Snakes, and Spiders are great at hiding and some have blindsight! Crag Cat (SKT) has Nondetection as well!

Thumbs: APES HAVE THUMBS. Which means that they can manipulate things other animals can’t. Also: You can wield your weapons while in Wild Shape!

Other tips: use summoned minions or your allies to help flank enemies while in Wild Shape. Cast buffs before you Wild Shape, make sue they don’t require concentration if you want them to stack, otherwise you can at least concentrate on one thing while in Wild Shape. If you are in a long dungeon with little to no rest,  save Wild Shape for big fights when the tank is worn down or save it for utility when the other casters are low on spells. Also for grappler beasts knock the enemies down before you grapple. Then they can’t move and when they break grapple they can’t get back up as easily!

Spells:

Buffs: Druids are great for buff spells. Be sure to buff yourself before entering Wild Shape! ex: Enhance Ability, Faerie Fire, Longstrider, Barkskin, Stoneskin, Protection from Energy, Antilife Shell

Zoning: Druids have crowd control spells, but many of them control crowds through zoning. Take advantage of the fact that you are the largest influence on the surrounding environment. You get to change the battlefield to your advantage! These are big, flashy spells that make the druid fun. Use them to put obstacles in front of creatures to slow their advances, make it harder for creatures to dodge, provide cover for your party, or force enemies into a trap. “Oh there’s a Wall of Fire there I better go around it” [gets bottlenecked by ranged PCs instead of taking fire damage] ex: Wind Wall, Wall of Fire, Entangle, Plant Growth, Spike Growth, Flame Sphere, Sleet Storm, Insect Plague, Wall of Stone, Wall of Thorns, Bones of the Earth (such a cool spell)

Minions: In D&D 5e, most ACs are nearly the same thanks to Bounded Accuracy. So more attack rolls equals more damage. Minions help with this, and druids can get plenty using Conjure Elementals, Conjure Fey, Conjure Woodland Beings, and Conjure Animals! Not to mention spells like Awaken and Dominate Beast to get more allies.

Healing: Druids are good at healing. Note that Healing Word is a bonus action and has range, unlike Cure Wounds. Druids also get the Restoration spells and Reincarnate, which is less powerful than Resurrection and such, but hey it’s something!

Damage: Druids can output damage, mostly through their zoning spells, but also with some neat single-target spells. Note that Moonbeam and Blight are rare sources of Radiant and Necrotic damage, respectively.

Utility: Druids have utility. Various divination spells can break the game if you are clever. Several spells help you get where you want to go or get rid of enemy spells. Use them liberally unless you have a Wizard to lighten the necessity for utility spells. ex: Speak with Plants/Animals, Water Breathing, Animal Messenger, Pass Without Trace, Find Traps, Locate Object/Animals/Plants, Gust of Wind, Detect Poison/Disease, Detect Magic, Dispel Magic, Meld into Stone, Scrying, Tree Stride, Commune with Nature

[anexperimentallife]

When the fucking AUSTRALIANS think your country is crazy, you know you’re fucked up.

I mean, these people live in a land where not only do they have giant birds that defeated a gorramn ARMY, but even the CUTE little birds swoop down to fuck you up like you’re a reverse Disney princess, where bears literally drop out of trees onto your head, and where they have to punch out kangaroos and wrestle crocodiles for breakfast, then slog through miles of desert wasteland fighting off wild mutants and four foot tall venomous spiders just to get to McDonald’s before the snake bite kills them (okay, I admit everything I know about Australia I learned from Steve Irwin, Tank Girl, the Mad Max movies, and “weird history” articles)… When THOSE wild-ass sons of bitches think you’re nuts, you might want to check your shit.

[maxouttrimrf-blog]

Dallas Pool Service

Planning a trip to the South Central United States this year? Put your cowboy hat on and head to the Lone Star State, the second-largest U.S. state in terms of population and area, and the largest in the contiguous United States. Two of the state's largest and most popular cities are Houston and Dallas, which are roughly 230 miles away from one another. The former is home to 337 parks, 12 professional sports teams, scores of popularly visited museums including The Museum of Fine Arts, and long-running annual events including the annual Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, Houston Greek Festival and Houston Pride Parade.

Dallas, meanwhile, boasts more than 400 parks including the 260-acre Fair Park, which has hosted the annual State Fair of Texas since 1886; six sports teams including the NBA's Dallas Mavericks and NFL's Dallas Cowboys; and an active arts scene highlighted by such noted venues as the Dallas Museum of Art and Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center, both nestled within the 68-acre, 19-block Dallas Art District in the heart of the city. Read on for a roundup of fun attractions in each city as well as great choices for lodging that lie near them.

Attractions in or Near Houston

1. Bayou Place: Set in the heart of Houston's Downtown Theater District, this 130,000 square foot megaplex is Dallas Pool Service one of the city's premier hot spots for dining and entertainment. Savor an authentic taste of Italy at Mingalone Italian Bar & Grill, enjoy a film over a glass of wine at the Angelika Film Center, or dance into the early morning hours at Rocbar, a rock and roll nightclub featuring live music from around the world. Bayou Place is approximately six miles away from the Sheraton Brookhollow Hotel, which is convenient to both George International Airport and Hobby Airport.

2. Galleria Mall: Set beneath glass atriums, The Galleria boasts more than 375 fine stores and restaurants, not to mention an impressive ice rink. Texas's largest mall and the fourth largest in the nation, Houston Galleria's shopping complex encompasses the finest names in retail, from Neiman Marcusand Nordstrom to Saks Fifth Avenue and Louis Vuitton. The mall is situated outside the 610 loop in Houston's Uptown District, just two blocks away from the all-suite Sheraton Suites Houston and three blocks away from sophisticated Hotel Derek.

3. Houston Zoo: Roughly 1.7 million visitors flock to this 7th most visited zoo in the nation each year to get up close with its 4,500 animals. Spend the afternoon ambling through the zoo's beautifully landscaped grounds or enjoy a more hands-on encounter by scheduling a guided tour. Among the facility's most popular draws are the recently renovated jaguar exhibit and Kipp Aquarium. Great for people of all ages, the zoo makes an ideal setting for a picnic, birthday party or other special event.

4. Splashtown: This water park features a wealth of slides, a wild wave pool that holds more a half million gallons of water, and Crocodile Isle, an interactive children's play area equipped with kid-friendly slides and a pirate ship. The park also hosts special events year-round. Splashtown is minutes away from Ramada Bush Intercontinental Airport, a full-service hotel featuring an outdoor pool and 24-hour fitness center, and Econo Lodge Houston, which offers guests free continental breakfast to start their day off right.

5. Downtown Aquarium: Interested in learning about sea creatures? Look no further than Houston's Downtown Aquarium, where you'll be able to explore more than 400 species of marine life. Guests can take a fun train ride through the Shark Voyage and gaze at countless sharks as they swim inside a 200,000 gallon tank. You can also check out white tigers lounging about in Maharaja's Temple. Before leaving the aquarium, head to the Aquarium Restaurant, where a feast for the eyes - and palate - is a sure thing. Visitors can indulge in a variety of seafood specialties and pasta dishes while seated around a 150,000 aquarium containing reticulated rays, shovel-nosed guitarfish and other creatures of the deep. What's more, the venue is conveniently located near Comfort Inn Downtown Houston.

Attractions in or Near Dallas

1. Six Flags Over Texas: Open year round, this 212-acre park features a host of rides ranging from pulse-pounding roller coasters like Batman The Ride to gentler options like Bugs Bunny's Spirit of St. Louie. The park also offers mouth-watering food and loads of entertainment, including concerts and Celebrity Karaoke at the Lone Star Gazebo. Six Flags Over Texas is located in Arlington, midway between Dallas and Fort Worth, at the intersection of Interstate 30 and Highway 360. Some 20 minutes from downtown Dallas, Six Flags Over Texas is located near La Quinta Inn & Suites South Grand Prairie, TX, yet another property that offers complimentary breakfast, and the Gaylord Texan Hotel, which boasts a 25,000-square-foot spa and Southwestern themed pool.

2. Dallas Arboretum: Even if you aren't big on nature, the Dallas Arboretum makes the perfect lush setting for an afternoon stroll, wedding, or other special occasion. Located on White Rock Lake, just outside of downtown Dallas, the Arboretum features colorful gardens all year long, and tours are available daily. Concerts at the Arboretum, each showcasing the best in Dallas/Fort Worth music, have become a long-standing tradition. Travelers can book at the nearby Days Inn Dallas East Mesquite, set just four miles away.

3. Dallas Zoo: Situated just 2.6 miles away from the historic Adolphus Hotel, the Dallas Zoo offers 95 acres of fun for the whole family. The zoo was founded in 1888, making it the first zoological park in the Southwest. It is widely renowned for its Wilds of Africa exhibit, Lacerte Family Children's Zoo, and award-winning Jake L. Hamon Gorilla Conservation Research Center. Standing a whopping 67 1/2 feet tall, the giant giraffe sculpture marking the Zoo's entrance is hard to miss.

[seniorbrief]

Walt Disney Reveals Just How Disneyland Was Created in Rare Interview

David F. Smith/AP/David F. Smith/AP/Shutterstock

This article was written by Ira Wolfert and originally appeared in the April 1966 issue of Reader’s Digest.

“Twenty years ago,” Walt said as we drove toward Disney­land, some 25 miles south­east of central Los Angeles, “I was always trying to think of a place to take my two small daughters on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon—a place where I could have fun, too.

“At an amusement park, the only fun provided for a father, besides having his bottom dropped out from under him on the roller coaster, was the same he enjoyed all week: Buy­ing the tickets.”

Now Walt has created his own park, to satisfy—in parents as in children—the profound human hunger to wonder, be amazed, and make believe. With that incompara­ble Disney sorcery, he has combined fantasy and history, adventure and learning in a way that sets every tendril of the imagination to tin­gling. Get a behind-the-scenes look at the first map Walt ever made of Disneyland.

From the beginning, Disney de­cided to lay out this 31-million-dollar playground like a gigantic theater. You’re in the lobby the moment you hand in your ticket: It’s Main Street, U.S.A., as it looked 50 years ago, when Walt was growing up. To the left and the right and straight ahead are the entrances to four “stages”—Adven­tureland, Frontierland, Fantasyland, and Tomorrowland. On these stages are set 45 different attractions, irresisti­ble toys more costly than an em­peror could buy.

Main Street has gaslights, hand­cranked telephones, a penny candy store with jelly beans and orange slices, and a bank where bankers (real ones) wear high stiff collars and massive watch chains and work at roll-top desks. An apothecary shop offers herb remedies and real live leeches in bottles of water. At the “Main Str. Cinema,” real (1914) Thomas A. Edison and Pearl White movies play. Only the ceilings and lighting inside the stores are mod­ern. “I’m sorry you noticed that,” said Walt disconsolately. “We had to change the gaslights here—people complained that they made the mer­chandise look too gloomy.”

At the far end of Main Street stands Fantasyland, the entrance guarded by moat-encircled Sleeping Beauty Castle. “It’s not far away,” said Walt, “but let’s have some fun getting there.” He led me to a quaint old horsecar pulled by a gleaming, burly Percheron. The driver snapped the air between his tongue and his teeth, said, “Giddy­yap,” and clanged a bell. We clip­clopped down Main Street.

The ride over, Walt explained why it had been shorter than it looked. “It’s not apparent at a casual glance,” he said, “but this street is only a scale model. We had every brick and shingle and gas lamp made five-eighths [of] true size. This cost more, but it made the street a toy, and the imagination can play more freely with a toy. Besides, peo­ple like to think that their world is somehow more grown-up than Papa’s was.”

That’s how you make people feel taller and confirm their belief in progress—if you have the genius of a Walt Disney.

David F. Smith/Shutterstock

Fantasyland, “the happiest king­dom of them all,” is a place where childhood dreams come true. Here you can go to the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party in a whirling cup and saucer; ride Dumbo, the Flying Elephant; fall down the rabbit hole with Alice in Wonderland. When you take the Peter Pan ride, sitting in a pirate galleon, you make lovely, airy swoops over rooftops that seem to lie far below. You feel the speed and the wind of your passage as, through the masterly use of tricks of perspec­tive, you soar through the inky night toward the stars.

This sort of thing could be scary for some people, but whenever it seems necessary Walt interrupts re­ality with a wink to let you know it isn’t really real. On this ride the wink comes in advance. The galleon is lifted onto its rails outside the Peter Pan building, before you go into the darkness, so you can see for yourself that it’s all going to happen only three feet off the ground.

“When you go to Frontierland, make sure that Walt takes you to Tom Sawyer’s Island,” said Dick Irvine, head designer at the Disney Studios. “Walt was brought up in Missouri—Mark Twain country—­and that island is all his. He didn’t let anybody help him design it.” Check out some more secrets Disney employees wish they could tell you.

You get to the island on a spittin’ image of the raft Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer built. All around you zip authentic keel­-boats, Indian ca­noes paddled by real Indians, and a grand gold-and­-white stem-wheel steamboat, the Mark Twain. The swift-flowing waterway is kept warm and brown, like the Mississippi River itself.

Everything on the island is free; you need a ticket only to get there. “I put in all the things I wanted to do as a kid—and couldn’t,” Walt explained. “Including getting into something without a ticket.”

So there’s a tree house to climb into and a pontoon bridge to cross, like those built in frontier days—planks laid on empty barrels that bob up and down when you walk on them. From the top of a log fort you can sight in with guns on a forest in which Indians lurk. The guns don’t fire bullets—they’re hydraulically operated—but the recoil is so real­istic that you’d never guess they aren’t the genuine article. You can fish in the water around the landing, and your chances of catching some­thing are good. A net has been hid­den there, and it is kept stocked with catfish. Fishing tackle? You borrow a bamboo pole and worms from an overalled, straw-chewing lad so freckled and friendly he looks as if Mark Twain created him.

We went into Injun Joe’s Cave. This is just a rock tunnel with a hill heaped over it, but it has been tricked out with dripping caverns and a bottomless pit (three feet deep) from which ghostly roaring emerges to curdle the blood. Here Walt has added something to the pages of Mark Twain: A series of little passageways, looping off from the main tunnel, that are just large enough for children only. The kids scoot for them like chickens for feed. There is nothing to see in them and nothing to do, but the dimen­sions are what count. There is joy and nourishment for the spirit in being alone from time to time in a space adults can’t enter—that’s what the children’s hoots and hollers pro­claim.

Uncredited/AP/Shutterstock

From Frontierland we moved on to Adventureland. “Everyone dreams of traveling to mysterious far-off places or exotic tropical re­gions,” Walt said to me. “Let’s go.” We climbed aboard a powered launch. The cruise took us down the misty Amazon, up the murky Mekong, and through the hippopota­mus-filled Congo, with tropical rain forests and bright orchids all around us. Adventure lurked at every bend; crocodiles snapped at us; bull ele­phants trumpeted; lions, tigers and headhunters eyed us suspiciously through the jungle growth.

From this primitive world it was quite a jump—mentally—to Tomor­rowland. Suddenly I found myself in the interior of a space ship, and Walt and I were about to take a ride to the moon. Actually we were in a theater. Around a giant viewing screen in the floor, the seats rose in circular tiers; in the ceiling hung another great screen. The voice of our pilot sounded over an intercom, matter-of-factly warning us to pre­pare for take-off. The lights went out. A view of the earth as seen from a launching pad appeared on the lower screen, and overhead was a full moon as seen from the earth.

Now a great shuddering and jar­ring began. Our seats and the walls and floor of the theater shook. Rockets gushed in deep-throated tones. There was a sudden, uncanny clattering—cosmic rays pelting like bullets as we passed through the ra­diation belt beyond the atmosphere. We saw the earth drop away and become round, the moon come close enough to touch, the stars and plan­ets as they look when there’s no atmosphere to dim them. All this is authentic, made of motion-picture film taken from missiles and satel­lites, from planetariums and observ­atories. The effects were so carefully worked out that the sensation of drifting in the stillness of gravity­-free space became real, too­ astounding and blissful.

“Two of the leading figures in the space field, Wernher von Braun and Willy Ley, helped us with the engi­neering of this ride,” Walt told me. But the biggest help was the father who, 20 years ago, longed to sit with his children and enjoy not just a thrill ride but also a genuine sense of wonder.

In Tomorrowland, too, is the Sub­marine Voyage, one of the most elab­orate illusions ever created. You have the sensation of being completely submerged. Actually, the craft rides on rails and only the part of the hull where you sit facing a porthole is beneath the surface.

The sub starts out under a water­fall, with water foaming and splash­ing over the portholes as over a submerging conning tower. The commands “Dive! Dive!” coming over the squawk-box are the real thing: They were tape-recorded on submarines in actual ocean dives. Ballast tanks are blown, and bub­bles stream past the portholes at a 45-degree angle, to give you the feel­ing you’re at the angle of descent. When the uproar stops and the bub­bles clear, not even a veteran submariner could resist the illusion that he had leveled off after a dive.

Now you are cruising in the deep. Monsters of the underwater world peer at you curiously through the portholes. Giant squid that spread out 26 feet loom up, and clams huge enough to trap a man. But—the Dis­ney wink—when the huge clams open their jaws, you see they’re holding pearls. It reassures the chil­dren and makes their elders smile.

Suddenly you are under the North Polar ice cap, pale cold sunlight fil­tering eerily down. Overhead, ice­bergs grind and scrape, and the conning tower bumps as it glides under the floes. None of this is ex­aggerated. The sounds were re­corded by U.S. Navy subs in the Arctic.

Now you slide into another ocean, one peopled by snow-white mer­maids with flowing purple and sil­ver tresses. “Listen,” Walt cries, as the submarine’s “sonar” tunes in to the silliest symphony ever re­corded: The gruntings, whistlings, and shriekings of fish and shrimp. These sounds, too, are genuine, brought back on tape from the wild world of deep waters. Take another look back in time with a boy who met Walt during his first trip to Disneyland.

Don Brinn/AP/Shutterstock

For our last ride in Tomorrow­land, Walt and I boarded the Mono­rail, a train that runs on rubber tires on a single elevated concrete beam. No toy, this $1,300,000 installation is a seriously proposed commuter­-transportation system. It occupies only a narrow strip of ground, which doesn’t have to be graded; the piers supporting the beam just have to be built to different heights. Since the Monorail can cope with difficult topographical conditions—­rounding sharp curves at high speed, and climbing steep grades—the track could be erected on the divid­ing strip of existing highways. It is being considered as one solution to the traffic problems of congested metropolitan areas.

Where is the roller coaster? In Disneyland you don’t just zip up and down hills that stand on stilts. Between Tomorrowland and Fan­tasyland is a $1,500.000 model of the Matterhorn, “snow-capped” and breath-taking, every feature repro­duced meticulously at 1/100 of actual size—which makes the mountain as high as a 14-story building. (Even the evergreens, edelweiss, and other plants growing up to the timber line are in scale; when they grow larger they’re replaced.) You swoop down the slopes on a bobsled, hear­ing the roar of mountain winds. You pass behind real waterfalls, through icicle-hung caverns and a glacial grotto. And at the bottom you glide to a halt on a glacier lake.

In Walt Disney’s magic kingdom there is nothing to convey the feel­ing you get at most amusement parks—that you’re watching a nerv­ous breakdown and being invited to share it. There are no barkers selling tickets, no “Hurry! Hurry! HURRY!” Thoughtful cards on the display tables of the Main Street gift shop say: “Relax. We do not charge for accidental breakage.” In place of a neon nightmare to lure customers all night, tiny lights resembling fire­flies have been set to twinkling in the trees. Adults whose children have strayed are soothed by a sign that reads: “Lost parents, please wait here for your children to find you.”

More than 19 million people, from all 50 states and 70 foreign coun­tries, have visited Disneyland in the five years of its existence. Among them are King Baudouin I of Belgium, King Hussein of Jordan, Princess Sophia of Greece, and Presi­dent Sukarno of Indonesia. King Mohammed V of Morocco, after his official tour of the park, sneaked back to pay his way in and enjoy it incognito.

The success of the venture has put a ferment into the amusement-park business everywhere. Denver’s Magic Mountain; New York’s Free­domland; La Montaña Mágica in Caracas, Venezuela all follow the basic Disney idea of stretching the imagination while providing fun. At Pleasure Island near Boston last summer, youngsters were piling into whaleboats to take off after a 50-foot replica of Moby-Dick—a far and noble cry from the underprivileged kind of fantasy such parks used to offer.

But the others will find it hard to imitate Disneyland. For something unique and intangible is expressed here—the creative personality of a master of the fairy tale. Next, check out some more fascinating facts about Disneyland that even Disney fanatics don’t know.

Original Source -> Walt Disney Reveals Just How Disneyland Was Created in Rare Interview

source https://www.seniorbrief.com/walt-disney-reveals-just-how-disneyland-was-created-in-rare-interview/