#i get snoring but once I have my earplug I don’t hear the woman it’s okay but my poor parents at least I’m home while they work :(

[yoohyeon]

Some random user liked a post of me complaining about my neighbours earlier and f that user cause why are my neighbours playing music and screaming at pass 3am out of a sudden it’s like they predicted it

[twitterpated-passion]

Running Away From Said Problem (Rain finale Pt. 2)

John and I sit on one of the full sized beds in the room we rented from the inn. I run the towel around my shoulders over my hair, finally feeling clean for once in days. “God, I can pass out right now.” 

“You know you can.” I shrug, leaning on his bare shoulder. “What’s on your mind?”

“...How do you feel about kids?” My eyes look over at him, seeing and feeling his tense expression and body.

“I don’t know. I like them, why?” Shrugging again, he gives me a small look. “Were you thinking about us...?”

“I don’t know, I guess. A child would be a change that we’re probably not ready for, especially since you travel a lot. It’s just a thought.” My head turns to face him. “Besides, I don’t think I’m ready to share you.”

John’s expression melts away into a smile as he kisses my forehead. “You don’t have to, trust me.”

The bathroom door opens soon after, Hades coming out and jokingly gagging, “Should I give you two a minute?”

I narrow my eyes and throw my towel at him, watching it pitifully land at his feet. Hades looks down at it, then looks back up at me, commenting, “Terrifying.”

“Shut up.” He laughs, sitting on his bed before falling back onto it, staring up at the ceiling. I turn back to John, leaning on him again as my exhaustion grows, making me yawn.

Arms are wrapped around me as John lays me on the bed, giving me a look. “Go to sleep. We’re leaving tomorrow.” 

“But-”

“No buts. Sleep. You’ve barely gotten any of it the past week.” His hand clasps over my eyes, making me sigh before I close my eyes, letting sleep take over me.

                                                          ***

The next morning comes earlier than I’d like, the morning light pooling in our room, making me groan. I crack my eyes open and sit up, raising my hands to rub my eyes before stretching. Turning my head to look beside me, I see John, stretched out on his side of the bed.

The want to lay back down and doze off against my furnace of a husband is cut short as the door to the room opens, drawing my attention towards it. Hades walks in, stopping when he spots me. “Morning.”

“...Yea, unfortunately. I didn’t take you as a morning person.” He shakes his head.

“Not at all. I just didn’t fall asleep. Anyway, I got room service for us so that should be here in a bit.” I nod, watching him sit down on the other bed. “So, is that all you wanted to do to Terran? Seems anti-climatic if you ask me.”

“He’s just an asshole who charms people into doing his deeds. There’s nothing I can do to prove that, and I would be in deep shit if I ever laid him on his ass just randomly.” 

“If you were able to do that.”

“Yea, that too I guess.” I shrug, glancing over at John. “If I can’t, he certainly can.” 

Hades nods, chuckling before silence takes over us, only faint bird song bringing noise to the room. My eyes glance around the room until John stirs slightly, pulling me back down beside him once he finds my arm. I hit the bed with a soft thud, hearing Hades chuckle again. “Someone wanted his husband.”

“Yea, no kidding.” I look over at John, running my hands through his hair, tugging gently at every brown curl my fingers get stuck in. His leg sneaks it’s way over one of mine and in the middle of my legs, making me chuckle as I use my free hand and run my finger down his nose, asking softly, “John, are you going to get up?”

I get a groan in response, his eyes cracking open as he groggily says, “Good morning.”

“Good morning yourself.” He gives me a tired, lopsided smile, his head leaning into my hand before he sighs.

“Do I have to get up?”

“Yes, you do. We have to get moving after breakfast.” John lets out a small huff, pulling himself up before looking over at me as I sit up again. He stretches, the blanket falling from him, drawing my eyes to his lower waist, instantly melting at the infamous squish on his tummy. He gets up, waving slightly towards Hades.

“When did you get up...?”

“I didn’t fall asleep. But once you passed out your snores took over for your talking, so if I wanted to, I couldn’t.” My lips press together as I fight a laugh, looking away quickly as John turns his head to see me. “How do you sleep in the same bed as that man, Reed?”

“Earplugs and falling asleep earlier than him.” I look back over at John, giving him a smile before getting up myself. “Love you.”

“Mhm.” I fight back another laugh as we hear a knock on the door, then a woman’s voice behind it, letting us know our room service is here.

                                                        ***

When the three of us get back to the tavern, we stumble through the doors, seeing Rudy and the four girls. They collectively come to us quickly, ushering us to the bar. We sit and I watch Snowdrop drape her coat over Hades’ shoulders. “You’re cold.”

“It rained and we got soaked.” She sighs before walking into the back room, letting me nudge him. His eyes glance over at me. “Yea?”

“Her coat.” Hades pauses, looking at it before looking at the back door quickly.

“Did I just get married without knowing?”

“I think you just did.” I rest my head on my hand and give him a look. “Isn’t this a vow renewal though? Since the first date situation.” 

“I don’t know and I honestly don’t care.” His hand reaches back, grabbing the side of the coat gently. Letting out an airy chuckle, I turn to face John and the others, getting involved in the story my husband is telling.

“It’s as if a switch just flicked inside of him and he just started using the same language Terran was using.”

“Snob?” Madral asks, a glint of a smile on her face.

“No no no. Not just a snob. Rich snob,” Carmine adds, noticing that I’m watching. John glances over at me before wrapping his arm around my shoulders.

“The richest snobbiest language ever.” 

“Gee, thanks babe.”

“No problem.” My eyes narrow at him as Rudy taps something on the counter before slipping it away. “So how was your, obviously, horrible few days without me here?”

Rudy chuckles, shrugging. “Same old same old, just lonelier and more depressing.”

“I could hear the sarcasm and melodramatic tone dripping from your voice.” Smiling, I watch the two pick at each other as the three go to the other patrons at the bar, Snowdrop coming out with three mugs on a tray, stepping in front of us.

Placing a mug down in front of Hades, her lips curl into a smile, saying teasingly, “Coffee as black as your soul...so I put some extra creamer in it.”

“Hey-!” She laughs, placing a mug in front of John and then the last mug in front of me, giving us a sorry look.

“These are just green teas, you two either drink only cold drinks or you haven’t been here enough for me to know.”

“Good enough.” Moving the tray under her arm, she salutes before walking to some empty tables. I wrap my hands around the mug, feeling the warm glass against my hands as my head leans against John’s arm. “You ok, Reed?”

“Yea, just tired.”

“We can head home after this drink. If that’s ok with you.” I nod, blowing at the tea before taking a sip.

“Yea...that’d be nice.”

[addictedtoparesthesia-blog]

Venice: A City of Romance and Water

No matter what anyone may say (or even what I might claim at times), I am and always have been a romantic. No, not in the sense of wanting to be swept off my feet by some knight in shining armor, but having notions of an idealized or otherworldly reality, seeing and feeling with my heart much clearer and deeper than my eyes or hands ever could. Blame Disney and its magical worlds filled with singing animals and bold heroines - or the fact that I’m an INFJ.

So when I arrived in Venice, one of the world’s most romantic cities, I was completely enchanted. 

It was late dusk when I walked out of Santa Lucia train station. I bought a 3-day unlimited Vaporetto pass (the best decision I made in Venice!) and squeezed myself into the crowded water bus that was bobbing in the wide canal. I leaned against the railing and closed my eyes, deeply breathing in the wonderful, faint smell of seawater as we left the dock. 

My back was starting to feel the strain of lugging around my heavy backpack and jumping from train to train over the last 10 days. I was tired and achy. But all that disappeared once we cruised into the historic city.

Just like my first day in Italy, I was transported into another world - one of fairy tales and endless possibilities. The softly-lit paths along the canal made the water look like molten gold. 

We sped past churches and many grand buildings, and under bridges, most of which have stood for centuries and have survived several wars. It reminded me that this beautiful city was once a great sovereign state, all on its own. 

I finally reached my stop at Giudecca, one of the less-crowded islands in Venice, and hoisted my backpack onto my shoulders once more. It was nice and quiet when I disembarked, and I was grateful for the moment of peace. After a short walk, I arrived at the brick-walled entrance to Generator Venice (which is still one of the best hostels I’ve stayed at) and checked in.

The room had three single beds and one bunk bed. An American couple (who barely talked, even to each other) had the bunk bed. A young Korean guy (who didn’t speak English) was in the single bed on the right, and the contents of a purple backpack were haphazardly spilled onto the bed on the left. I noted a pretty hat and some pink razors on the nightstand and deduced that our other roommate was probably a young woman.

I unpacked my bag into the locker under the middle bed, put some sheets on, took a quick shower, and promptly fell onto the warm, comfortable mattress. I remembered to put some earplugs in which, as it turns out, was fortunate. The thunderous snores coming from the top bunk were muffled into almost inaudible snorts as I drifted off to sleep.

Excerpt from my travel journal, dated August 14th, 2016:

I’m sitting at a cafe right on the bank of the canal as I write this. It’s a cool morning (17 degrees) and I can hear gulls, waves, and church bells. It’s giving me chills! I’m having breakfast: a Nutella croissant and black coffee. 

How is it that I’m here? Somehow it still feels like a wonderful dream. I’m writing these things to prove to myself when I’m back in Dubai that I was actually here. How good God is!

Giudecca is right across the canal from San Marco, and I had a gorgeous view from where I was sitting. It was early on a Sunday, and the day before the Feast of the Assumption of Mary, one of the biggest Roman Catholic holidays in Europe, so there were barely any people around. I smiled as I sipped my coffee and bit into the warm, soft, flaky croissant. 

I went back to the hostel after breakfast and found an empty room. The bed on the right had been stripped, so I guessed the Korean guy had already checked out. I looked out the window and realized our room had a view of the top of Santa Maria Della Salute, a 17th-century church. I took the opportunity to grab my sketchbook and pencils and draw while I was alone.

Just as I was finishing up, a girl who looked to be in her 20s breezed into the room. “Oh, hello!” she said, smiling. 

We exchanged pleasantries and I learned that her name was Liz and that she was from Australia. She had been backpacking around Europe for the past month, and we exchanged stories about our adventures.

“Oooh, are you sketching?” she said, seeing the book in my lap. I told her I hadn’t done it in a while and was enjoying getting to do it more during my holidays.

“Wow, that is so cool. Let me just go take a shower...I haven’t been back here since last night!���

By the time she was done, I had put all my stuff away and was getting ready to explore the city. 

“Gosh, I couldn’t sleep here...did you hear Shrek’s snoring?! He was like, ROOOOARRRR!” She dramatically fell backward onto her bed, wet hair and all. 

“Ohhhh my gosh. I am such a slut,” she exclaimed, “Last night I had sex with this American guy in his hostel room...with five other people around us!”

“Oh, wow,” was all I could say, grinning sheepishly.

“I am such a slut,” she said again, “I just came from Capri, met a guy there too, and had sex on the beach. Ugggh.”

We chatted some more, I told her about my plans for the day, and she asked to see my itinerary (which was in a neat little Numbers sheet and colour-coded by activity). 

“Wow you are so organized,” she said rolling over onto her side to look at me, “What do you do for work anyway?” 

“Me? Oh, I work for a church in Dubai,” I said, slinging my satchel over my shoulder.

There was an awful, long pause as she stared at me (probably wondering if I was joking). Finally, she said, “I’m so sorry! I’m going to get my life together, I promise!” That made me laugh and laugh, and I told her not to worry - who am I to judge? 

Excerpt from my travel journal (from later that evening):

I got lost in the bowels of Venice. 

I started out checking off all the tourist spots: Rialto Bridge, The Doge’s Palace, the Bridge of Sighs, Basilica San Marco (and the piazza in front of it). 

I was tired of looking down at my phone to check Google Maps, though, and decided I wanted to be lost, or at least just find my own way around. After all, Venice is small enough to explore in a day.

I rode the Vaporetto all the way around the Grand Canal and just hopped off whenever I felt like exploring the areas near a stop. 

When I got hungry, I stopped at Dal Moro’s in a tiny alley. I took my box of fusilli diavola and ate it while sitting on a little bridge. I waved at tourists passing under the bridge in gondolas and remembered something someone had told me about Venice: “Don’t go there alone. You will feel lonely!”

I smiled as I realized just how content I was to be shoveling spicy pasta in my face and watching the boats glide by. 

After my lunch, I walked around some more and found myself in a lush garden. I sat in the shade and watched people walking by. I read a few more chapters of the book I brought.

As the sun started to go down, I started walking back to San Marco and got some gelato (mascarpone with cookies) on the way. 

The little streets of Venice are a stage for many talented musicians, and I enjoyed stopping every so often to just sit and listen. Two young violinists played a particularly beautiful duet and people tossed coins into their cases, in front of a sign that said “Need money for university. Thank you.”

I finally made it back to San Marco, which was beautifully lit at night, and allowed myself to get lost in the music in the square. It was late when I made it back onto the Vaporetto - I’d lost track of time because I was so caught up in the harmony of the musical strings.

Romance doesn’t require a romantic partner, just an acute awareness of the beauty around you. 

And happiness doesn’t require perfection, just a heart of gratitude for every joyful, challenging, painful, inspiring, terrifying, maddening moment in this irreplaceable gift of life.