#i’m gonna try to turn off my texture pack and see if the path is still broken but i really don’t think it should be like that

[dykesbat]

i’m manually adjusting paths to these cit’s bc it’s bugging me so bad this is the most dedicated i’ve been to learning anything about programming i’d be embarrassed if i wasn’t so confused by this

someone tell me what's wrong with this im losing my mind

[bokoutoe-retired]

— #43 “i love you to the moon and back” & #44 “you’re stealing the blankets”

characters; gojo satoru, gn! reader, ft. itadori yuuji, fushiguro megumi, nobara kugisaki

synopsis; working at jujutsu tech comes with it’s risks, but with your husband at your side you think everything will turn out just fine

total w/c; 1475

warnings; canon-typical violence, blood, major injury, hospitals, iv’s, uhhh, non-canon timeline ig? i haven’t read the manga so i apologize for any inaccuracies about how curses and jujutsu sorcery works

「a/n」 thank you to @construct-witchlyght for requesting!! i’m so sorry it took so long but i actually really had fun writing this and i feel good about it! hope you enjoy it <3

being a counselor at jujutsu tech never really meant just being a counselor. sometimes it means being a teacher and instructing a couple classes, other times it means getting called out for exorcisms. despite your job title, it’s shockingly rare you get the chance to actually, you know, be a counselor.

and this was certainly not one of those times. the grade 2 curse you, itadori, fushiguro, and kugisaki are currently dealing with is not relenting. whatsoever. it’s attacks are quick, fast, and calculated. the four of you have done a good job avoiding them so far, but you're not sure how much longer you can keep it up. both you and itadori are hustling to land your blows, slowly chipping away at the almost overwhelming defenses of the curse. nearby fushiguro’s shikigami are working in rhythm with the flying nails of kugisaki’s hammer to take out the weird army of cursed goonies the grade 2 has. they’re not powerful by any means but their numbers add up. the two first years are doing a good job of dwindling their forces

the fight drags on and on, hit after hit, and dodge after dodge, it’s tiresome but necessary. by some miracle, there’s a glimpse of the end as yuuji lands a hearty punch on one of the chins of the curses many mouths. as it makes contact it’s accompanied by a loud, resounding clap, the cursed energy packed behind the hit leaves the air of the abandoned warehouse buzzing. the powerful attack brings the curse down to its last legs, yet it’s still angry, and determined to take you all out. you glance over to check on the other pair, and see they’re exorcising the final lackey. 

‘good, they’re safe now’ you think, but you’re allowed only a mere moment of relief before your attention is directed back to itadori and the grade 2. itadori is still stumbling from the blowback of his own power as the curse lets out a booming roar and you see it gear up for an attack with the sharp claws on one of its four arms. he’s stumbling right into the claws’ path and doesn’t have nearly enough time to completely dodge. panic boils over  in your chest and you feel your body move before you think about it, out of pure instinct to protect your kids. the long arm of the curse swings down and you rush towards the pink haired first year, shoving him out from underneath the approaching claws. hot, searing pain rips down from your shoulder and through your chest. your vision immediately turns spotty but you can see itadori tumble a few feet away from the force of your push. you must’ve screamed without realizing it because immediately all three students are calling out your name and rushing to finish the curse off.

you register that somewhere near you the curse bursts into smoke and spare puffs of cursed energy. it’s finally exorcised, but you're too focused on the feeling of warm, sticky blood seeping from your wound and the bitter taste of copper in your mouth to take note of who officially finished it off. the energy from the curse tapers off into nothing but residuals and suddenly three sets of footsteps are rushing towards you.

“y/n-san!” itadori is the first to reach you, calling out and falling to his knees at your side. “why would you do that?!” his words are frantic but his actions are gentle as he moves your head to rest on his knees. you can almost see the tears welling in his eyes from, in your opinion, misplaced guilt. he looks around searching for help of the other first years. behind him nobaras foot taps incessantly against the cold stone floor. she’s hurriedly dialing someone on her cellphone, presumably ijichi and fushiguro is tearing off his jacket. he does much better job of hiding his worry, but if your eyes were a little more focused you’d be able to see the slight shake to his movements as he bundles the fabric and presses it to your wound. you little out a little grunt of pain, the coarse texture agitates it but does a good enough staunching the steady trickle of blood. despite their lack of experience, it’s not hard for them to recognize this is bad. nobara finishes her call, before pocketing her phone and joining the boys on the ground next to you. she takes the edge of her sleeve, wiping off the small bit of blood dribbling from you mouth. you weakly attempt to swat her hand off, the last thing you wanted was to worry your kids or have them fuss over you.

“‘toru would kick my ass if i had let one of you kids get hurt” your words are slightly slurred but you speak with a little chuckle, referring to your husband while trying to make light of the situation. you even reach up to pat yuujis cheek reassuringly a couple times.

“well now gojo-sensei is gonna kick my ass for letting you get hurt!” he looks like he’s about to continue but the sound of screeching car tires interrupt him.

“ijichis here, lets get her up. y/n-” you can hear megumi talking, but your consciousness is slipping and you can’t decipher exactly what he said. you feel three pairs of hands start to lift you off the ground, the blood making it a little more difficult. as you look up the dots clouding your vision get bigger and bigger, the last thing you see is the crease of nobaras brows as she yells out to someone.

when you wake up, you feel your situation before you see it. the first, and maybe most important thing you feel, is the presence of your husband cuddled into your side. you feel his hair tickling your neck, his body pressed against your uninjured side and his fingers intertwined with yours. just knowing he’s there is enough to instantly put you at ease. your eyes finish adjusting to the bright morning light streaming in from the window and satoru shifts in his sleep, unawarely tugging the thin hospital blanket from your body. 

“you’re stealing the blankets,” you whisper to him as you squeeze his hand in yours, but your voice comes out a little more strained than you had expected. even with his blindfold on, you can tell he’s woken up as he lets out a little hum and adjusts himself on the small hospital bed. with the both of you it’s a tight fit, but you make it work. he’s careful not to jostle you as he sits up and gently brings you to lay on his side instead of him on yours. he’s mindful of your ivs and monitors, all while keeping your hand in his and making sure to drape the blanket back over you.

“rough night?” he asks, the hand of the arm wrapped around you comes to lightly brush over the bandages wrapped snug around your torso. the pain isn’t nearly as bad as it was before you blacked out. whatever meds they’d given you had turned the sharp stinging into a dull ache. but if you were being honest your whole body ached. a long, strenuous battle on top of a deep wound would do that to a person.

“rough night.” you confirm with a little chuckle, relaxing even further into his hold. the room is silent for a moment as he catches your eyes searching the empty room for something that’s not there. he presses a kiss to your temple, bringing your attention back to him.

“they went back to the school,” he states, already knowing that you were looking for the trio of first years, “and before you ask, they’re fine. all three made it out with nothing more than a couple scratches.”

“good, thats good,” you respond while smiling up at him. if those three were okay, any pain, wound, or hospital visit would be utterly worth it.

“i’m lucky i get to say the same for you, my love. itadori told me what you did” he lifts up his blindfold and gives you a look that resembles that of one he would give a student while scolding them. but behind it, you can see the deep amount of worry held in his bright eyes.

“i did what i had to, they're just kids” you shrug as best as yougiven your condition.

“i know, i know. very admirable of you,” he jokes a little before his tone turns serious “but please, don’t scare me like that ever again. you mean the world to me and i don’t know what i’d do without you. i love you to the moon and back, my dear y/n”

“i love you too satoru, to the moon and back”

[iwritekpopthings]

Howler

Characters: You, Choi Junhong Genre/ Warnings: Werewolf!AU, romance Word Count: 3814

A chill went through you as you walked home one night. The wind blew and fallen leaves scattered across the pavement in front of you. The full harvest moon was out in all its glory, shining with enough light to let you see the path beneath your feet. You had decided to take the shortcut through the forest home and now you were regretting that choice. It wasn’t even much of a forest, you could get through it in 5 minutes, 10 tops.

In the distance a wolf howled and you froze. Wolves had been getting more brave recently; they came out of the forest and all the way to some people’s backyards. You paused at the entrance to the forest. You could still go back. The moonlight didn’t reach through the canopy so well here.

You shook your head. No, you were a capable adult and it was only a short walk. The wolves were probably out in the larger part of the forest to the west; nothing to concern yourself about. With that helping your resolve, you took a deep breath and entered the grove of trees. The flashlight on your phone helped illuminate your path and you were able to see relatively well. The wind blew through the trees and you shivered, pulling your coat around you tighter.

Suddenly the air was still. The abrupt change in air pressure startled you and you tripped, dropping your phone in the process. You were able to recover without falling all the way to the ground, but the same could not be said for the phone. A crack ran across the screen as well as across the camera lens and flashlight. The light was now dimmed to an almost-pointless brightness. You knelt down to pick it up with a sigh and turned the phone through your hands.

Rustling came abruptly from your left and you froze, your eyes wide. A low growl was heard and you knew you were done for. You looked out of the corner of your eyes and could see a huge paw right next to you. You felt it’s breath on your back. It’s whole presence loomed over you.

“It’s late. You shouldn’t be out this late, human.” You could hear a gentle but stern voice in your head and you jumped, falling back onto your butt. You looked up and shook slightly as the massive wolf looked down at you with electric blue eyes. A small gold hoop adorned his nose and glimmered in the light. You couldn’t see much else, but it was enough. This was no ordinary wolf.

“Um, I’m sorry. I’ll leave right away..” You scooted backwards, away from the giant form.

He tilted his head to the side. “You don’t have to be that scared of me, come on. I’m not gonna eat your or something.” Was that an amused look in his eyes? You were too scared to tell. However, as if to prove his point, the werewolf lay down, settling on his stomach and watching you, his head at your level now.

You took a few breaths to calm yourself as you looked him over. “You’re.. A werewolf, right? Or am I imagining this?”

He let out a little sneeze/ snicker before looking at you with definite amusement. “No, I’m a vampire. Of course I’m a werewolf! What else would I be?”

“A regular wolf?”

“Nah, no fun.”

“Oh. Okay then.” You began to stand up and he stood with you. “I’m gonna go. Sorry for coming in here and I’ll never do it again.”

“Don’t do that. That’s no fun, either.” He frowned and pawed at the ground a bit. “I’m the guardian for this part of the forest. My brothers are looking after the other areas. I’m all alone, there’s no one to play with meeee.” He whined and gave you the saddest puppy dog eyes you had ever seen and you laughed.

“Oh no, that’s horrible! What are you going to do about it? Why not play with the other animals?” You grinned, already anticipating his answer.

He gave you a flat, deadpan look. “No fun.”

You nodded and laughed. “I’ll think about it, okay?” You picked up your phone, not believing that you were actually talking to a real werewolf right now.

He huffed, but gave you a nod. “Come on, I’ll walk you to the other side. Just to make sure you’re safe.” He began to lead the way before you even knew what was happening. “Human, come on! Slow poke!”

“I’m coming, sorry.” You jogged to catch up with him. He really was massive. His shoulder was a little higher than your head. His paws crunched lightly through the dirt and you could hear the occasional swish of his tail. “How long have you been out here?” You felt like some kind of conversation would be less awkward than the silence right now.

“Hmm.. maybe 2 weeks? It’s hard to keep track of the days when I’m in this form all the time.”

“Whoa.. So that’s why the howls have been increasing? I can hear wolves almost every night from my bedroom.”

“Yes, my presence unfortunately riles up the local wolves. Occasionally the howls are mine, though. Sending signals to my brothers and whatnot.” He paused as the two of you came to the exit of your path.

You turned to look at him and were stunned into silence. His eyes practically sparkled in the moonlight. His two-toned fur was illuminated to show a yellowish color on top and darker underlayers. It shone and was ruffled slightly as the wind came through again.

He tilted his head to the side. “You okay?”

“Huh? Um, yeah. I’m.. I’ll be fine.” You looked away and tried to collect yourself. “I’ve gotta go. Thank you for not eating me.” You grinned playfully at him.

“There’s always next time.” His words made you lose your smile real quick. Then he let out his light snort of a laugh. “I’m teasing. I don’t eat people. But there will be a next time, right?”

You bit your lip lightly, not sure if that was a good idea. “We’ll see, Mr..?”

“You can just call me Junhong.” He bowed his head slightly.

“Thank you, Junhong.” You smiled and gave him your name as well.

“I like that name, but calling you ‘human’ is so much more fun. So I might do both.” He laughed again while you rolled your eyes and smiled.

“Good night, Junhong.”

“Good night, __.”

***

The next time, you came prepared with a little flashlight in your bag. You entered the forest a little apprehensively, aware that there was still some dangerous animals in the forest. You took out your flashlight and went in anyway.

You had only been there for a minute when there was the feeling of a large presence behind you. You whirled around and looked back, only to find the path empty. You shivered and turned around and kept walking. The bushes moved on your left and you froze. When you looked, there was nothing there. You were starting to get a bit nervous. There was something out there.

When you turned your attention back to the path in front of you, you gave a small squeak of surprise. The large werewolf was back, blocking your path.

“Hey! I've been waiting for you!” He bowed down, his wagging tail in the air as his head lowered and he moved into a playful stance.

“Junhong, you startled me.” You couldn't help but smile a little at him when he tilted his head to the side a bit.

“Sorry. I was just having fun. You're here to play with me, right?” He seemed to smile, his bright blue eyes watching you.

“Maybe…” You picked up a large branch as an idea came to you. You showed him the stick before throwing it away into the brush. Junhong sprang into action, going to fetch the stick for you. He pranced back, his head high with the branch in his mouth.

“I don't usually fetch.” He dropped the stick at your feet and nudged your hand with his giant nose. “But I'll do it for you.”

You grinned and picked it up again. “Let's play then.” You threw the branch and he dashed off to go get it.

You threw it countless times until your arms were too tired to throw it anymore. You sat down on the path to rest and Junhong came to join you. He lay down next to you and a thought occurred to you. You looked over at him, admiring his fur. “Hey, can I.. pet you?”

The giant snickered a little. “Go for it. Sounds like fun.”

Tentatively, you reached out. His shoulder was closest and as your hand made contact with him you smiled. “You're so soft!” You pet down from his shoulder, to his back and then his front legs. The texture was like fluffy silk, smooth and soft. You reached up behind his ear and sighed. It was even softer there.

Junhong let you pet him for a while, amused by your fascination with his fur. This was the first time a human had touched him while he was in this form and it wasn't unpleasant. He leaned into your hand, trying to get you to scratch harder. “Oh, that's a good spot, i like that spot.”

You laughed but obliged him, scratching the area around his ears. The two of you began to talk about yourselves and you found it easy to confide in him. He had been a werewolf for a while, but his pack had only recently come here. He wanted to keep the forest safe, so he patrolled around at night.

“What do you do during the day?”

“Sleep, mostly.”

“As a werewolf?”

He rolled his eyes at you playfully. “Sometimes. Usually I change back and go home.”

“Can I see your human form?”

“Unfortunately no. My brothers don't want humans to know we even exist. If they knew we were friends-”

“We're friends?? Awww” You leaned in and hugged him by wrapping one arm around his shoulders and the other around his neck. You buried your face in his fur to hide that you were actually ecstatic to be considered a friend so quickly.

He wiggled a little, not used to so much human contact. “Of course. You played with me. That's all I need. I'm a simple werewolf.”

You laughed and pulled back. “I think we're going to be great friends.”

***

The next time you were a little tipsy. After a party at your friend's house, you left to go find Junhong.

As you came to the forest entrance you tried to sober up; which you did, a little bit. You walked in, no longer worried about the rustling brush around you.

“Whoa, why do you smell like that?”

“Junhonggie!” You turned around to find him standing next to you. Everything about his body language showed confusion. “I came from my friend's house. I came to tell you a thing.”

He tilted his head to the side. “Oh?”

“I came to tell you a secret.” You moved in and hugged him, trying to whisper in his ear.

“Maybe you should hold onto that secret until you're sober.” He advised. When you shook your head, he rolled his eyes and bent down a bit so you could talk to his ears.

“The secret is.. Are you ready? The secret is..” You smiled. “I like you. I like like you. Like, a lot.”

Junhong snickered a little. “You're just saying that because of the alcohol.”

You shook your head. “No, I love talking to you, I love being with you. You make me feel safe.” You curled your fingers into his fur, hugging him tighter. Then you leaned up even further and kissed his cheek, his whiskers tickling you slightly.

“Human.. I'm a werewolf. You're supposed to fear me, not love me.” He let out a low warning rumble from his chest and you pulled away.

You stepped back completely and folded your arms over your chest. “I think I know danger when I see it.” He rolled his eyes. “Besides, you're not scary and I love you, so I can't fear you.” You smiled at him whole he shook his head. You were sure that your logic was solid.

“__, you're making dangerous choices.”

“I live on the edge.”

At this he snickered, giving up on dissuading you. “I guess I should just give in, huh?” He bent down, pressing his forehead to yours.

You laughed and nodded, bringing your hands up to hold the sides of his face. “Yep.” You were sobered up by now and you were becoming fully aware of what was happening.

He booped your nose with his. “I like you, too.” You smiled, your face heating up. “I think we can talk about this when you're completely coherent next time.”

“No fun.” You pouted and he let out a barking laugh.

He nudged you. “Come on, human. Time for bed.” You sighed but followed along. You looked over at him and reached out, placing your hand on his shoulder as you walked. He glanced at you with a shyly amused look.

At the edge of the forest you let go of him and stood back. “Thanks for walking with me. I'll see you tomorrow.” You hugged him and this time he bent his head down onto your shoulder to hug you back. The two of you stayed like that for several moments before you pulled away.

“Sleep well, __.” He booped his nose on yours again and you smiled.

“You, too.”

***

For the rest of the week, you would spend your nights in the forest. Junhong was usually waiting for you, tail wagging upon sighting you. He loved playing and talking to you and you felt the same way. It was easy, effortless.

On the night of the new moon, you really had to use your flashlight. The stars were out and bright, but the moon was nowhere to be found. As you entered the forest, a chill went through you and you froze. Something was different.

“Junhong?” You called out tentatively as you continued down the path. Bushes rustled on your right and you raised your voice a bit more. “Junhong? This isn't funny…”

You aimed your flashlight at the bushes and nearly dropped it. Two real wolves were there. Their eyes flashed in your light, teeth gleaming. You backed up only to freeze again as you heard a growl behind you. It wasn't the growl you had come to know. You were surrounded.

You turned and walked backwards, deeper into the forest. The wolves followed, getting uncomfortably close. One lunged forward and grabbed your leg, it's powerful jaws coming together just enough to make you lose your balance. You let out a scream as you fell flat on your back. The wolves followed, one landing on top of you. You tried to push it away, but you were quickly overpowered.

Then the weight was gone as the wolf was knocked off of you by a massive force. You gasped for air.

“Are you hurt?” His tone was angry.

“I'm fine.” You looked around, only really able to see a minimal amount of activity since your flashlight had fallen to the side. The wolves were still there, watching the werewolf apprehensively.

“Stay here.” Junhong left your side, lunging at the wolves with his jaws wide and ready to attack. He knocked them all back and the group tumbled through the brush.

You scrambled to your flashlight, grabbing it up quickly. You stood up, aiming the beam in the direction of yelps and snapping jaws. They were too far away for you to see, but you knew better than to go after them right now. Instead, you waited until it was silent once again.

“Junhong..?” You took a few steps forward.

“I'm.. I'm here.” You saw him slowly emerge from the darkness and your eyes went wide. There was a giant gash on his shoulder. “During the new moon, my energy levels are low… I'm sorry I took so long. Are you sure you're okay?” He looked at you with worry and pain.

“Forget about me, Junhong, your shoulder!” You went to him, looking at the wound more closely. With a groan, the werewolf collapsed to the ground.

“You have to leave. I can't stay in this form much longer.”

You glared at him, holding eye contact fiercely. “Like hell I'll leave. I don't care, I'm staying with you.”

The weakness took over and his eyes fluttered closed, his head dropping to the ground as he lost consciousness. After a moment his body shuddered and began to shrink. Fur and muscle disappeared, leaving a tall bare man face down on the ground. He groaned but otherwise made no movement.

“Junhong, we have to get you help. I need you to stand up..” You touched his back, feeling his warm skin for the first time. His shoulder was bleeding still and his breathing was ragged.

,

“No hospitals…” You could barely hear him, but his voice resonated with you.

“Alright, we'll go to my house. Come on.” You lifted his good arm and put it around your shoulders. It was an arduous process, but you were somehow able to get him up. You set off toward the path with him barely conscious beside you.

***

Thankfully, your house wasn't too far away from the forest. You made it home and got Junhong to the couch just in time for your strength to give out. You sat there for a minute, looking at the face of the person you had come to love. It was strong, yet childish at the same time. His two toned hair was a little longer than you imagined it would be. You reached out and touched it, finding it just as soft as the werewolf's fur. His little nose ring caught your eye and you smiled.

Then you snapped back to the present, realizing there was a naked man on your couch. You quickly grabbed a blanket and threw it over him, careful not to touch his shoulder.

You left him there for a moment to go get your first aid kit, some towels, and clean water. You took off your jacket, unsurprised to find claw marks and rips in the material. When you returned, his eyes were still closed and you sighed. “I hope you don't wake up and attack me.” You mumbled as you got to work. You cleaned up the wound as best you could, applied a healing cream, and bandaged it up as neatly as possible.

You sat back on your heels and admired him again as you let your adrenaline leave your body. Dizziness and exhaustion hit like a ton of bricks and it was all you could do to wrap a blanket around yourself before you fell forward. You were passed out before your head even landed on the edge of the couch cushion.

***

Junhong slowly opened his eyes to unfamiliar surroundings. He looked around, slowly becoming aware that someone was near him. He saw your hair and immediately felt safe. He remembered the events of last night and reached out with one hand to touch your head.

“Hey..” He called your name out softly, his voice thick with sleep.

You stirred and woke up rather quickly in your uncomfortable position. You looked up and into Junhong's eyes, getting lost in their depth. You reached out and touched his cheek, feeling the smooth skin beneath your fingertips. “You're awake.. Good morning.”

He grinned. “Good morning to you, too.” He reached up and grabbed your hand, holding it in his against his cheek. “Thank you for last night. You saved my butt.”

You could feel a blush heat up your face. “Of course, what else was I to do when you saved me so heroically? I can't just let the man I love die of blood loss.” You looked away, not intending to say such things out loud.

He smiled and leaned in. He closed his eyes and touched his nose to yours. “Still, thank you. I love you.” He closed the rest of the distance and pressed his lips to yours. You eyes fell closed as you kissed him back. His hand moved to your cheek, stroking it slowly. When he finally moved away, you felt rather breathless. You looked at him to see that he was still very close to your face. He nuzzled his nose against your cheek and you laughed. He was too cute.

“Do you want some food? Or clothes?” You asked, pulling back to look at him properly.

“I dunno, do you think I need clothes~?” He winked and you felt your face heat up again.

“You at least need some pants.” You mumbled, letting your gaze travel down is uncovered torso. He let out his little laugh and you pushed his chest lightly. “I'll be back. Stay.” You had to get up slowly since your body had been stuck in that position for so long. Your joints cracked and you sighed. You gave him a stern look before leaving to go find any bottoms that would fit him.

***

You came back with some basketball shorts and a couple cups of instant ramen. “I know you're probably hungrier, but at least start off with this.” You set the cups on the floor along with chopsticks before tossing him the shorts. “I'll let you get changed.” You left quickly before he could call you back.

“You can come back in.” Junhong called out a few minutes later. You walked in while eating your own ramen. He was standing up and the shorts fit well enough. He watched you approach with an odd look in his eyes. “I.. Can I hug you?” You blushed but nodded, walking into his open arms. His warm skin was soft and felt so real. His arms around you made you feel more safe than you had ever felt before. You trusted that he would save you from anything. It was the same for him; having someone hold him like this was a new experience, but now he didn't ever want it to end. “I've dreamt about this.” He said quietly in your ear.

You shivered slightly and pulled back to kiss his cheek. “Really?” He nodded, kissing your cheek in return.

“Since we met, it's been all I wanted. But I thought it would never happen; we're from two very different worlds.” He pulled back to look in your eyes.

You pecked him on the lips. “What you are is not that important to me. You could turn into a capybara and I wouldn't care. I love who you are.”

Your reassurance was all he needed.

★☆★☆★☆

[hknorr2597-blog]

Mardi Gras Through The Eyes Of An Introvert

Beads flung from the balconies of Bourbon Street scattered across the ground, rendering it nearly invisible. People packed themselves onto Bourbon Street like sardines. My fiancé, Darren, grabbed my hand:

“Follow me,” he said.

I kept running into women flashing their chests to the balconies while trying not to roll my ankles walking on the sparkling purple, green and gold beads.

A group of three of our friends, Matt, Joe, and Christina (she prefers to be called “Teeny”), followed closely behind.

Darren cleared a path for us. At 6-feet 9-inches tall, his hazel eyes easily scannedabove the sea of people.

How am I ever going to survive this night?

Club music boomed from every bar and the smell of people sweating alcohol wafted down the street. This was my first Mardi Gras, and I could tell it was more party than I could handle. I knew I was going to need to escape the chaos of Bourbon Street, and fast.

I had been to New Orleans before to visit Darren at the Belle Chasse Naval Base. Previous trips had been relaxed. But this time, the sole purpose was to experience Mardi Gras to the fullest. And party.

It was 9 p.m. I hadn’t eaten all day. I was confident I would die if I didn’t get some food in me before the adventure ahead.

Darren led us to NOLA Po’boys, one of my favorite spots for the state’s signature sandwich. About a three-block walk up Bourbon Street.

“You know what I like,” I said to Darren with a smirk.

While the gang sought a table in NOLA I hustled to make a bathroom break. When I returneda spicy grilled shrimp po’boy waited for me.The fresh French bread and spicy shrimp soothed my soul from the chaos happening just outside.  

But I needed more than a sandwich to get through the evening. I needed to find a peaceful place. A place free from the hellish sounds and smells of Bourbon Street.

We finished our food and stepped back out into the party. Darren took the lead again. We followed closely behind, weaving through the crowd, dodging flying beads.

I dodged to slowly. I was hit in the eye. And those stupid little beads hurt. I’d had enough of the street and it had not even been 10 minutes.

“Alrighty babe,” I said holding my hand over my eye. “Let’s seek some shelter.”

I had seen Bourbon Street on a previous trip to New Orleans. We had gone at around 9:00p.m. on a Sunday that time. And I thought it was bad then.

Darren led us further up Bourbon Street to a little bar called Lafitte’s. It was far enough away from the crowds to be considered peaceful by Mardi Gras standards.

“This is about as mellow as it’s gonna get guys,” Darren said.

We walked inside the tiny bar, which was originally a blacksmith shop built in 1722, to find a live pianist and candlelight. The building sportedits original flooring, old wood beams held up the 300-year-old ceiling, and thestonewalls felt refreshing to lean against.

I was in love.

Darren walked to the pianist who plays any song request for a dollar. The sound of Toto’s Africa filled the bar.

“You have got to be kidding me,” I said with a laugh.

I hate that song, somehow it plays everywhere I go and has turned into my unwanted anthem.

But it put me in a better mood. The live music, the candlelight, and the people at Lafitte’s were like a microculturein comparison to the rest of Bourbon Street.

Mellow.

We found an empty table amongst the crowd and made it ours. Matt ordered a round of drinks. He came back with Laffite’s signature Frozen Voodoo Daiquiri. Better known as “purple drank.”

We made that piano player at least $15 richer as we sang, drank, and danced.

My anxiety was settling. I was one happy introvert.

I discovered a new love for Lafitte’s, but the love was fleeting.Time to find something new.

“Hey bartender!” I shouted. “Where can I find a more laid-back type of party?

She replied in the sweetest southern drawl,

“Baby, Bourbon Street has nothin’ on Frenchman. That’s where the locals go. Good music, good drinks, good people.”

Say no more.

Off we go to Frenchman Street.

We were about halfway to Frenchman when Matt said,

“Wait! We need to see this!”

He was right. And as much as I wanted to get the hell off of Bourbon Street, the drag show that was happening inside a club called Oz was not to be missed.

We entered the purple and blue lit club to catch one queen perform “Diva” by Beyoncé in a neon yellow-green body suit. She looked amazing. Her energy was fantastic. If she could be in a party mood, so could I.

We left Oz. And with a newfound energy, I took head of the group.

We stopped at a little daiquiri place for those tall skinny neon cups with the crazy straws to sip on as we strolled through the narrow streets of The French Quarter. Laughing and singing our way to Frenchman Street.

In minutes we arrived. Calm washed over me. This was it. This was my Mardi Gras-peaceful-place.

The sound of old New Orleans jazz played on rich brass instruments washed out of the bars lining the sides of the street. People filled the sidewalk and street, but I could walk without running into people or stumbling over beads. It smelled of the rich Cajun spices instead of alcohol sweat.

Every bar looked appealing.

Our first stop would be Blue Nile.  

Little neon painted moons, planets and stars splattered across the ceiling of the blue-lit room. The band playing at the front of the bar embodied the energy of Mardi Gras. Lively, colorful, and loud. The singers voice was strong, but still soothing to listen to.

I ordered a gin and tonic and made my way to the dance floor. Darren stood out, as usual, making it easy to find the group.

The distinct beginning notes of Gnarls Barkley’s Crazy catch our ears.

Darren, Matt, Joe, Teeny, and I belted that song like our lives depended on it. Out of key, out of breath and buzzed. We sang along at the top of our lungs.

After five or six more songs that I honestly can’t recall, and a few more drinks (which is more than likely why I can’t recall the songs), hunger overcame us. Again.

Across the street from Blue Nile, a neon sign reading Dat Dog sparked our interest.

As we arrived, it came to my attention that this was a little hotdog joint. And as a vegetarian, I assumed it had nothing to offer me.

I was wrong. So wrong.

I took a glance at their menu and discovered a vegan section with four veggie dog options.

I have spent 10 years taste testing a variety of grocery store veggie dogs at family barbeques only to be disappointed by their rubbery texture and flavor.  I set my skepticism aside in the spirit of Mardi Gras and order the Vegan Italian Dog.

Made of eggplant, red wine, garlic and fennel, the Vegan Italian dog was nowhere near the rubbery texture I had become so used to.

It burst with flavor.

To call it delightful would be an understatement.

Full and happy, a bar called Bamboulas was our final stop.

This bar sports a more open and lit atmosphere. Exposed brick covers the wall where a band of six plays classic New Orleans jazz.

Less packed than bars we had been to earlier in the evening, we found a booth with ease.

Teeny came back with a round of shots with limes.

“Let’s end this night right,” she said.

“Tequila!”

We took our shots. The lime doesn’t help much with that agave liquor sting. But my god does it make for a good time.

I don’t consider myself a dancer by any means. But about 15 minutes after that shot, I was ready to swing.

I grabbed Darren by the hand. He doesn’t consider himself a dancer either.

Too bad.

I pulled him onto the dancefloor, and we performed what I’m assuming looked like some kind of flailing, uncoordinated swing dance.

We didn’t care who was watching or what we looked like.

Soon our group joined us.

Then other couples.

Within five minutes the dancefloor was filled. The music seemed to get livelier with every person who jumped on the floor, as if the band was feeding off of our energy.

We danced for at least an hour. My feet ached, I was sweaty, out of breath and exhausted.

I gave Darren a glance.

“Bedtime?” he asked.

Yes. Bedtime.

On the walk back to our hotel, we crossed through Bourbon Street again.

Frenchman had transitioned my crabby, anxious, Mardi Gras-hating-self, into a calm, happy lover of Mardi Gras.

I though Mardi Gras 2019 would be my first, and last.

Mardi Gras 2020 can’t get here fast enough.

[phallen1]