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arlana-likes-to-write · 2 years ago

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Lightning Bug - Chapter 13

Master List for Lightning Bug

Warning: mention of human traffiking, mention of abuse, guilt, nightmares, fluff,

Word Count: 6.1 K

Natasha walked out of her room and was welcomed by the scent of bacon and cinnamon. Her stomach growled. She stretched, winching slightly. Her muscles were still stiff but she was alive. She and her team came home alive and that was what mattered. She heard laughing as she walked into the kitchen. America, Kate, and Yelena were sitting down with a plate of food and the teen was flipping a pancake. It was becoming such a normal right that the Black Widow missed it when she was on the mission. More laughter echoed against the walls, it was mostly America’s laugh at what Kate said. “If you keep standing there the food is going to get cold,” Yelena said, looking over her shoulder. Natasha rolled her eyes, walking over to the group. A plate was set down in front of her.

“Want a cup of coffee?” The young girl asked.

“I can get it,”

“Sit,” she said. “I’ve already eaten.” Natasha sat down with much protest as she watched her pour a cup of coffee.

“We got the same treatment,” Kate said, taking a piece of bacon from the plate. “I’m not complaining. It’s like we are VIPs.” A warm cup of coffee was set in front of her.

“Milk, cream, or sugar?”

“Just black,” she blew on it and took a sip. She didn’t miss the way the teen’s nose scrunched in disgust. “What?”

“Nothing,” she raised her hands innocently. “I’m not here to judge how people like their coffee even if it’s gross.” America laughed.

“What you drink shouldn’t be considered coffee,” the teen gasped, clutching her heart in mock offense.

“You are never getting my pancakes again,” Kate laughed as America tried to correct the mistake she made. But Yelena didn’t join in. She was pushing her last piece of pancake around in the syrup. Natasha bumped her shoulder against Yelena’s.

“Ty v poryadke (Are you okay?)” She asked. Her sister didn’t verbally answer but her shoulders moved up and down. “Koshmar? (Nightmare?)” Yelena nodded. She knew this mission was going to be tough. “Vy khotite pogovorit' (Do you want to talk?)”

“Mozhet byt' pozzhe (Maybe later),” she answered, joining in on the conversation on the correct way to drink coffee. Natasha caught eye’s looking at her. She offered Natasha a kind smile and a nod of her head. Natasha smiled back, letting their laughter fill a part of Natasha that was missing.

You weren’t sure what Natasha and Yelena were saying due to them speaking in Russian but you knew it had to do with Yelena. It didn’t take an Avenger or a Black Widow to notice the shift in her mood. She looked like she didn’t sleep at all. After breakfast, Kate and America helped clean up and Yelena took off. You knew she was safe, the team was on strict orders from Helen to rest and recover. But there was a part of you that was anxious to know where the blonde ran off to and make sure she was safe. So, you asked FRIDAY where she was. The AI informed you she was in the shooting range and wanted to be left alone. Well, rules were meant to be broken. The worst thing she could do is turn you away or shoot you. Your hand rested on the door handle. Let’s hope she chooses to tell you to leave as you open the door.

You didn’t know much about guns but you knew it wasn’t good to be shooting in the dark. It smelt like fireworks so you knew Yelena had just recently fired. You felt the wall to find the light switch and you flipped it on. The room was illuminated. One wall was covered with lockers and a few benches. Across the lockers were stalls facing the targets. You saw Yelena sitting on the ground, her knee to her chest and her elbows resting on her knees. She didn’t look at you, didn’t notice that the lights turned on as she stared at her hands. Her green eyes were glossy, she had a far-off look in her eyes.

“Yelena,” you said softly. She made no move if she heard you. “Yelena,” Still nothing. You wondered if you should call Natasha or Kate but more people could overwhelm her. “Dorogoy,” the Russian word still felt thick and unnatural on your tongue. But the usage of her primary language snapped her out of the dissociative episode she was in. She looked at you, eyebrows together.

“I came in here because I didn’t want to be found,” she said. Her Russian accent was thicker.

“Right,” you said. “But I need your help.” She waited for you to continue. “I’m learning Russian,” you held up your phone. “But I don’t know where to start so here I am.” Her gaze softened as she looked from your phone to you.

“You're learning Russian,” you nodded. “Why?”

“Because you, Nat, and Wanda speak it,” you said. “If you’ve learned English so it’s only fair I try to learn your language.” It was why you were learning Spanish because of Lucia.

“Oh,” she whispered.

“Can I join you?” You asked, pointing to the empty spot next to her. She nodded. You sat down next to her and showed her your phone. “So I downloaded Duolingo.”

“Duolingo?” She questioned. “What is that?”

“It’s a green animated owl that teaches you languages,” she gave you a confused look. “I don’t understand it either. Here let me know you.” You took your glove off your left hand and opened the app. You showed Yelena the profile you created before you made the walk down here. You struggled at first - selecting the wrong verb to complete the sentence and incorrectly matching the word to the picture. But Yelena was patient. She gave you time to think and figure it out on your own then provided you tips to get the answer right the next time around. “You're a good teacher,” you said to her.

“You’re not the first person I’ve taught the language to,” you looked at the blonde. “Lila wanted to learn. Laura and Clint speak the language. Not sure if she kept up with it.” You nodded, returning to the app. It was quiet between the two of you. It wasn’t awkward but rather nice and peaceful. Koshmar. Koshmar. You repeated the word over and over again in your head. It was the word Yelena nodded to when Natasha said it.

“What does koshmar mean?” You asked, looking at Yelena. You tripped over the word but you knew she understood by the way her shoulders tensed up.

“It’s pronounced koshmar,” you repeated the word a couple of times. “Better. It means nightmare.” You hummed, returning your attention to the app. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

“I wasn’t going to ask,” you said. You continued to learn simple words and basic grammar rules but you felt Yelena’s eyes on you. “What does suka mean?” You asked. Yelena laughed.

“Suka means bitch,” you gasped, looking at the blonde.

“Natasha called Maria a bitch! That’s so mean!” Yelena laughed again which made you smile.

“That sounds like my sister,” you fell back into silence. “What are you doing?” She finally asked. “Why are you here?” You closed the app and tapped your phone against your hand.

“I wanted to make sure you were okay,” you said, glancing at her and then looking forward. “You don’t have to talk about it but I’m here if you want to.” Yelena sighed, looking up at the ceiling. “Do you want to hear about one of my nightmares?” She didn’t say anything as she looked at you.

“Well, when my parents were alive they liked to have parties, show off the house or celebrate something,” you said, looking forward. “The issue was no one knew my parents had a second kid so I helped set up the party, cooked, cleaned, and did anything my mother needed. Right before the party, I would be sent down to the basement. My nightmare was about a Christmas party. My brother was going to bring me food when the door opened and Natasha and Wanda came down the stairs. They taunted me and dropped the plate of food they brought down for me.

“I grabbed onto Natasha’s arm and she got bad and threw me down the basement stairs. I ran down the stairs and pleaded for them to help me but when the door opened America was there. She told me we weren’t friends,” you cleared your throat. “Told me no one cared about me.” You were leaving out some details of the nightmare but it wasn’t important.

“Minus my sister and Wanda, did that happen to you?” You nodded.

“Sort of. I was promised food if I stayed quiet and good but the power went out and I was blamed for it,” you shrugged. “A car accident caused it. It didn’t matter, my father was upset.” You saw Yelena’s jaw clench.

“He hit you,” you nodded. You noticed a fire form in her eyes. You smiled.

“He’s dead,” you told her. “Died in a fire along with my mother.”

“Death doesn’t erase the pain,” you agreed with her. Yelena rested her forearms on her knees and stared ahead. You waited for her to collect her thoughts. You were in no rush. “Natasha and I aren’t biological sisters,” you figured that much but the blood didn’t make a family. “A mission brought us together and when the mission was over we got separated. I remember her arms around me as the shipping containers opened and I was ripped out of her arms,” she looked down and you saw tears running down her cheeks. Your heart was breaking for the blonde sitting next to you.

“I’m guessing the nature of this mission is to bring back some memories.” Yelena nodded.

“Yeah,” her voice cracked. “I don’t understand why the world is so mean and cruel.” You sighed, leaning your head against the wall.

“I don’t know why either,” you said. “But I’ve been told that in the darkest moments, you’ll find the brightest stars.” You helped out your hand up for her to take. Unlike Natasha or America, she didn’t hesitate to take it. “You aren’t alone, Yelena,” she smiled, whipping away a few of her tears.

“You aren’t either,” you smiled, letting go of her hand and reopening the app to practice. You gasped suddenly looking at the blonde. “What?”

“Can you teach me how to shoot a gun?” Yelena looked, disbelief all over her face.

“No!” you pouted. “1, Natasha would kill me, and 2, why do you need to learn how to shoot a gun?” You shrugged, standing up.

“I think it would be cool,” you headed for the door. “Are you going to stay down here?” Yelena nodded.

“I’ll be up shortly,” she paused. “Thank you.”

“No problem,” you turned around to leave. “Oh thank you for not shooting me,” you said over your shoulder. “I was worried about that when I opened the door.” Yelena’s laughter echoed after you as you opened and closed the door behind you.

“Shit,” you heard followed by a crash. You spun around to see Sam trying to pick up one of his crutches that fell.

“What are you doing?” You asked, walking over to him. A shy smile formed on his face as you picked up one of the crutches that fell.

“I was going to do a light workout,” you blinked at the man standing in front of you.

“Your leg is broken,” you said. He rolled his eyes and adjusted the crutch underneath his armpit.

“I was going to do arms,” you continued to stare at him. Sam sighed and sat down on the bleaches. “Don’t look at me like that, I'm fine.” You sat down in front of him, pulling your knees to your chest.

“Are you fine?” You questioned. He looked at you.

“It's those eyes,” he said. “They stare into your soul and force you to reveal all my secrets,” you giggled. “And yes I am deflecting.” You smiled. “Can I ask you something?”

“Of course,” you said. “I may not answer but you can ask.” Sam laughed. You liked the sound of it. It was warm and comforting. A reminder of home. You kept eye contact as you waited for him to ask his question.

“When you were younger, what did you want to be when you grew up?” You didn’t expect that question. “Look I know you are still a kid but humor me.” You sighed, resting your chin on your forearms.

“I wanted to be an astronaut,” you loved looking up at the moon and imagining what your life would be like up there.

“Why an astronaut?” You smiled.

“Because it was the only thing I could think of to get far away from my parents,” you leaned back on your palms. “Now that I say it out loud, that seems sad.” Sam nodded, offering you a sad smile. “What about you? Did you always see yourself being an Avenger?” Sam laughed, shaking his head.

“I was a boy from Louisiana. Being a ‘superhero,’ he added quotations around the word. You frowned at that. “Wasn’t on my radar. I wanted to be a fisherman and take over my parents’ seafood restaurant.”

“What changed?” You asked. It was his turn to sigh.

“My parents died. I joined the military,” you waited for him to continue. “I served two years and was a test pilot for their EXO-7 Falcon,” you watched as his eyes became lost in the memory. It reminded you of Yelena.

“Did you lose someone over there?” You asked. He nodded.

“His name was Riley. He got hit with an RPG and fell out of the sky,” he sighed. “There was nothing I could have done.” You remember what America said about how Sam got hurt - something hi Sam that knocked him out of the air. You stood up and sat down next to him. You wondered if he felt like Riley, helpless and scared. Or did he feel guilty that he couldn’t do more while he was hurt? You smiled.

“I sometimes forget how human all of you are,” you felt Sam watching you. “I’ve seen you guys on the news and in the newspaper doing impossible things to save us normal folk,” you finally looked at Sam. “But you are human, with human emotions and human limits.” Sam looked away from you and stared at the empty training room. “I’ll say the same thing to you as I said to Nat, you can’t save everyone.”

“What’s the point then?” He asked. “Why were we granted these gifts if we can’t save everyone?” It was a tough question and one that made sense.

“I don’t think you're supposed to,” you whispered. “Good and evil, superheroes and villains, it’s a balance. One can’t exist without the other.” Sam let what you said to sit with him.

“Have you seen Avatar: The Last Airbender?” You shook your head. “It’s a good show. My nephews like it and I think you would as well.”

“I’ll check it out,” he smiled, nodding his head.

“You are wise beyond your years, young Avatar,” you giggled, making a mental note to watch the show. “Thank you.”

“Of course,” you stood up and offered your hand to help Sam stand. He took it and used the extra assistance to get this balance and pick up his crutches from the floor. “When I leave here you better not go try to work out and I’ll have FRIDAY tell me and I will come back down here,” Sam laughed.

“Yes ma’am,” he gave you a mock salute. You turned to leave the training room but stopped and turned to look at the Avenger.

“And Sam,” you said. “You are a hero. Please don’t think you aren’t. Riley would be proud of you.” Sam looked down, his brown eyes glossy with tears.

“Thank you.”

You left the training area and walked into Tony’s lab, watching the billionaire and the doctor tinker with Sam’s wings. They had a whole lineup of suits to work on, the mission must have been a hard one. “Hey kid,” Tony said, lifting his safety goggles and turning off the blow torch. “What are you doing in our neck of the woods?” You smiled.

“I was seeing if you had something. But if you are busy then it can wait. It’s not that important.”

“Of course it is,” he said. “What do you need?”

“Do you have an extra notebook or a pad of paper I can have?” He blinked at you. You could see the gears turning in his head.

“You want a notebook,” he said slowly. You nodded. “To write on.” You nodded again. “Like paper.”

“Yes!”

“Why not use a tablet?” You sighed as Bruce chuckled.

“I have one that you can have,” he stood up and went to go get it for you. You sat down on a stool Tony pointed at. The top spun.

“Why do you want a notebook?” He asked. You didn’t miss his smile as you began to spin in a circle.

“I’m teaching myself Russian,” you liked the way the world looked as you spun. The colors were blurring together.

“You're teaching yourself Russian,” you nodded.

“I taught myself how to read and some Spanish, Russian can’t be too hard. Especially when so many people in the tower speak it,” Tony grabbed onto the chair to stop spinning. “Whoa dizzy.” The billionaire chuckled.

“You’ve never been to school,” he said. “Even before you were homeless.” You shook your head.

“Nope. It’s hard to send a kid to school you wanted no one to know about,” Bruce came back and handed you a small notebook. “Thanks, Bruce,” you smiled. “I’ll see you guys at dinner tonight,” Natasha told you there was another team dinner tonight and you wanted to be there.

“Kid, wait,” you turned back to look at Tony. “Have you thought about homeschooling since you live here now?”

“Homeschooling?” You questioned slowly.

“Yes! You would have to take a placement test to see where you are at but we would be the best teachers. Tell her,” he hit Bruce on the shoulder. He glared at the man, rubbing the spot he hit.

“It should be your choice but we could help you,” Oh. You’ve never thought you’d have the chance to go to school. You’ve read about it; all the cliques, school dances, and football games.

“I feel like you have more important things to do than homeschool me.”

“Look, you don’t have to make a decision now. Think about it. The options will always be there.” Tony said.

“Thank you, Tony,” you said. “And thank you Bruce for the notebook.”

“Of course. See you at dinner.” You took the stairs back to your floor as you pondered his offer. You watched your brother go to school. You saw him stress over upcoming tests, read from textbooks, and do homework. Some kids loved not going to school but dreamt of it for so long. But you couldn’t accept Tony’s offer - they had far more important things to do. The Avengers were superheroes. They saved people from imprisonment and stopped those that want to take over the world. They didn’t have time for that - they’ve done so much for you already.

You sighed, quicking grabbing your headphones from your room, and sat down on the couch. You pulled up Youtube and found videos on Russian grammar. You lost track of time as you took notes on each video, filling the notebook with grammar and vocabulary. You were in the middle of a video on vocabulary and verbs used in a house when you felt your body tense up.

It was a weird feeling as the hairs on the back of your neck stood up. Three people entered the kitchen, and that feeling was normal. People gave off energy, you could tell how many people were in a room, what they were doing, and if they left. But this felt different, goosebumps formed across your skin. You knew it was America, Yelena, and Kate without having to pause the Youtube video and America was walking over to you. What was going on?

America jumped over the back of the couch, carefully not to land on you. You paused the video and took your headphones off. “Whatcha doing?” She asked.

“I’m learning Russian,” you smiled at the confused look on her face. “It’s slow work. Do you need something?”

“Lena, Kate, and I are going to get ice cream. Do you want to come?” She asked. You smiled.

“Yes!”

“Peter is going to meet us there,” you looked at Kate, who was texting on her phone. “Is that okay?”

“Of course, it is,” you said. “Let’s go!”

It was a different ice cream place than the one Natasha brought you to. Peter was already by the door, scrolling through his phone. He looked okay minus a cut on his cheek. He smiled, putting his phone away when you got closer. “Hey, how are you guys?” He asked, hugging Kate and America.

“Ready to eat my weight in ice cream,” America said. Peter laughed, holding the door open. You were about to follow but you stopped. They were there, Michael and his crew. Michael waved at you, smiling. His smile ran a chill down your spine and the color drained from your face. You could still feel his hands on your wrist as he pinned you to the wall. Why were they following you? What did they want?

“Hey,” you looked at Peter. “Are you okay?” You nodded, looking back down the street and they were gone.

“Yeah,” you said, walking into the ice cream. America and Kate were ordering while Yelena got a table. You waited for your turn to order but your mind was focused on Michael. When it was your turn, you got a hot fudge sundae and waited with Kate to get everyone else’s order. You brought your ice cream, America, and Yelena’s to the table and sat down next to the Black Widow. Soon Peter and Kate joined you. Yelense sensed your mood change and kept making jokes under her breath that caused you to smile.

Finally, you joined in - laughing and smiling as the stories got told. You smiled at Yelena, thanking her silently. She nodded. Your stomach was still in knots and your heart was pounding but you knew you were safe for the moment. Michael wouldn’t do anything if you were with the Avengers. With them you were safe.

Natasha watched the elevator doors open and her sister, Kate, America, and Y/n walked onto the floor with ice cream in their hands. “Just the trio I’m looking for,” Maria said. The teen pointed at herself. “Not you.” She smiled, sitting down on the couch next to Wanda. “I need mission reports on my desk by tomorrow afternoon,” America groaned, flopping on the couch. “It’s not coming from me, kid.”

“You’ll get them,” Kate said, sitting on the couch. “Thanks, Maria.” Natasha watched as Y/n laughed along with Wanda as the scenes played out. It was such a nice change, watching the teen show more of her personality. She must have felt eyes on her because she turned around. She smiled, watching the Black Widow. Natasha waved back and the girl’s attention went back to the TV.

“It’s strange,” she said to Maria, quietly to not disturb the movie. “Something changed within. I don’t know what happened.” She looked back at Maria, who was unwrapping a Hershey's kiss.

“I do,” Maria said. “You could have died on that mission, Nat. Any of you could. Maybe it was a wake-up call she needed.” More laughter drew them back to the TV. “FRIDAY alerted her as soon as we got back that you were hurt and ran to med bay. She didn’t leave your side.” Maria opened another candy and offered it to Natasha but she turned it down. “Whatever you're doing, it's working.”

The sound of the young girl’s laughter filled the room again. It sounded so free. Natasha smiled. The Black Widow always wanted kids but the Red Room stripped that right from her. Motherhood was a concept that scared and fascinated her. She was taken from her biological mother, the woman was killed because she was trying to get her back. Melina was a mother given to her because of a Red Room mission then taken from her when it was over. But she’s seen Laura love her kids with everything in her. So her concept of motherhood was skewed.

Natasha sighed, picking up a piece of chocolate and opening it. The girl wasn’t even hers and she hadn’t been here for long but Natasha knew she would do anything to protect her.

Dinner was barbeque food. You sat between America and Yelena with Sam and Maria sitting across from you. You thought dinner on your floor was crazy; this was a whole new level. Everyone was talking over one another as the food was being passed around. You could barely keep up. “Are you doing okay?” America asked.

“You guys are crazy,” the statement caused Sam to laugh.

“Welcome to the family,” he said. “You have to be equally as crazy to join.” You smiled, rolling your eyes. Family. You had a family. Something you dreamed about for yours. It was an overwhelming feeling but it didn’t scare you, which surprised you. You enjoyed it. You had a long way to go to open up and tell them the truth about what you were capable of but that was okay. Your left hand was underneath the table and felt America grab it. She sent you a small smile and you squeezed her hand back.

A stream of light and color appeared in the living room. You jumped to your feet, the chair falling to the ground. You weren’t the only one on their feet. Tony stood up, with part of his Iron Man suit on his arm and Steve was facing the light. Soon it disappeared and a group of people was standing there. The table seemed to relax but you were still unsure of who these people were.

“Ah! It appears we’ve arrived at the perfect time,” a man said. He had short dirty blonde hair and he was holding an ax. “Dinner!”

“Thor, what are you doing here?” America fixed your chair and you sat back down.

“We were in the area,” Thor said. Wanda conjured up another table that was added to the other end. “And FRIDAY informed us you were back from a mission.” The man sat down. “What a better time to celebrate.” You were watching the new additions. There were two older women; one with dirty blonde hair down to her shoulders and the other had curly black hair.

“Carol Danvers and Monica Rambeau,” America mumbled, loud enough for you to hear. You nodded. “They aren’t around a lot because they deal with more off-world threats.” You weren’t sure what she meant by that.

“And that guy is Thor, right? The God of Thunder?” You questioned. America nodded.

“He can be.” She paused. “A lot.” You giggled. Thor, Carol, and Monica sat down while the other member of their group went over to talk to Peter. She was young, maybe around your age. She had black long hair that went to the middle of her back. Before you could ask America who she was, the girl looked away from Peter and looked your way. She smiled, waved, and walked over to you. You felt your heart pound.

“Hi,” she said. “Peter said you're the new addition to the tower. I’m Kamala.”

“Hi,” you said softly. “I’m Y/n. It’s nice to meet you.” You found her smile infectious.

“Same to you,” she clasped her hand together. “Well, I’m starving. Maybe we can hang out after dinner.” Before you could say anything she ran over to Peter, plopping down in the empty seat. You shook your head.

“Like I said crazy,” Yelena and America laughed. Once dinner was over you helped gather the few leftovers, bringing them into the kitchen.

“So you must be Lady Y/n,” you still jumped at the sound of God's voice directed at you. Wait. Did he just call you a lady?

“Uh yes sir,” you said. “It’s nice to meet you.” You turned to Carol. “You too ma’am.” Carol scrunched her nose.

“Call me Carol. That made me feel old,” She said, taking a sip of her beer.

“That’s because you are old,” Monica teased, sitting down next to Thor. “Monica Rambeau.” She introduced herself. She didn’t offer her hand as you had your hands full of food.

“Here,” Thor pulled up an empty chair. “Sit with us.” You sat down on autopilot. You heard Natasha laughing.

“Take it easy on her, Thor,” she took the food from you. “I don't want you scaring her off.” She looked at you, asking a silent question if you were okay. You nodded. The god frowned.

“I’m not scaring her,” he looked at you. “Am I?”

“No-no, sir,” Thor smiled.

“Perfect!” He said. “Now, how do you like living at the tower? Are the others being nice to you? I will strike them with lightning for you, Lady Y/n?” Your jaw dropped, unable to contain your surprise. Carol laughed.

“He’s very protective of the Young Avengers,” she said.

“I’m not an Avenger,” you said, finding your voice. “I just live here.” Monica shrugged.

“Technicalities,” she said with a wave of her hand. “So, are you enjoying it?” You nodded.

“Yeah, they’ve been great,” you began to fiddle with your gloves. “They saved me.” You admitted.

“They tend to do that,” Before you could question what Carol meant, Thor slammed his hand on the table. The sound made you jump.

“We should celebrate!”

“Celebrate?” You questioned softly.

“Yes! I’m guessing you didn’t get a proper welcome home party and the others just returned from a successful mission that is a call for drinks.” Carol rolled her eyes.

“You never need to find a reason to drink.” It wasn’t hard to convince the others to throw an impromptu party. The tables were cleared and soft music was playing to fill the quiet space, not that it was quiet at all. A pool game broke out between Bucky and Steve vs. Sam and Thor. Carol and Tony were going head to head in a game of darts. Wanda, Vision, and Monica were sitting on the couch. There was music and laughter and a lot of noise. You were watching Peter and Kamala set up a table to play beer pong when Pepper sat down next to you with a sigh, a glass of wine in her hand.

“Are you playing the winner?” She asked. You shook your head.

“I’d prefer to watch first then play,” you looked at the CEO. “I’m surprised you're over here and not cheering on Tony.” Pepper laughed.

“He’ll be okay. I wanted to talk to you before the night got too rowdy,” you giggled. “I’m leaving for Paris tomorrow morning for a week.” Oh.

“I’m kind of jealous,” you voiced instead of you saying that you were going to miss the CEO. “Bring me back some chocolate.” Pepper rolled her eyes.

“Of course. Do you want me to leave you some work to do?” She asked. You nodded.

“Yeah!” You said excitedly. “I mean if you want to leave me stuff to do.” You calmed down your excitement. Pepper smiled, standing up.

“Behave,” you smiled.

“Yes ma’am,” she walked away as America and Kate came over.

“We weren’t sure what you wanted,” America said. She had a red fizzy drink in her hand and the archer’s drink looked like orange juice.

“That’s fine. I’ll go get something,” you walked over to Natasha, who was making a drink for Yelena. The blonde took the glass and winked at you as she walked passed. You jumped onto the bar stool. “Give me your strongest liquor,” you teased. The Black Widow rolled her eyes.

“A Shirley temple then,” you shrugged as she put a glass down and filled it with soda and red syrup, and placed some cherries on top. “So, how are you doing with all of this?” You took a sip of the drink. It was sweet and the carbonation tickled your nose.

“Okay,” you admitted. “It was very unexpected.”

“That’s Thor for you,” you looked at the God. He was laughing at something Sam said. “He isn’t on Earth a lot but when he is he’ll always find a reason to celebrate.” You glanced at Natasha, who leaned closer to you. “He’s gone through a lot, lost a way to many people that is why he’s protective of them,” she gestured to the ‘Young Avengers’ as Carol called them. “And all of us.” You looked back at Thor, who met your eyes and raised his glass as a greeting. You smiled and waved back at him. It was so strange, having someone that just met you has a strong sense of protection for you.

“Thanks for the drink, Nat,” you stood up and walked back to the beer pong game. You watched the game between Peter and Kamala then Peter vs Kate, the archer won by a landslide. The archer beat America and the game between her and Yelena was close but the Black Widow came up on top. You didn’t understand them. One minute you thought you had them figured it out but then you were thrown a curve ball and someone would join the group through your understanding. Still, you were jealous that they had this for so long and you knew you were a part of it now, so why were you jealous?

Yelena found Y/n right away, it wasn’t hard she chose the spot to be out of the way. So she could sit back and observe what was happening around her. Yelena saw her doing it at the Bartons. She walked over to the teen, who was sipping on a Shirley temple Natasha made for her. “Are you not enjoying the party?” Yelena asked, sitting down next to her. She was drinking a mojito.

“No I am,” the teen said. “I don’t know.” Yelena nodded.

“You do this thing,” Yelena said, slowly not wanting to offend the girl. “You stay on the outside of any social gathering and just watch. I’m not sure if you realize you do it.” She nodded, sipping on her drink. Yelena watched her ponder what she said.

“I guess I’m still trying to understand all of you,” she said, looking at Yelena. “I think I have you all figured out but then something like this happens then I don’t understand.”

“What are you trying to figure out?” Yelena asked. Again she didn’t answer right away.

“I guess,” she said, slowly. “I’m jealous.” Yelena waited for the girl to continue. “I know I’m part of this now but sometimes I wish I had this with my own family,” she looked at Yelena. “It’s just -”

“Complicated,” the teen nodded.

“Emotions are stupid,” she mumbled, finishing her drink. Yelena chuckled.

“Yes, they are. But they are a reminder that we are free.” The girl smiled, nodding her head. Before she could respond, America ran over to them.

“Hey,” she said. “We are going to hang out on Peter’s floor. Do you guys want to join?” Y/n nodded. The elevator ride was a little crowded as they rode up.

“I invited MJ and Ned,” Peter said, walking onto the floor. “Do you want to watch something while we wait for them?”

“Sure,” Kamala said, sitting down on the couch. “I’ve been off-world for a bit, catch me up on all the funny videos I’ve missed.” Y/n sat down on the floor with her back against the couch as Kate connected the phone to the TV. She pulled up Youtube and played a video of a dog riding a skateboard. Once the video stopped, she passed her phone to America. Her video of choice was a compilation of Avenger Interview moments where the team was goofing around or when they messed up. The video pulled a laugh out of the young girl. Next, it was Peter, he put on a video of pandas being clumsy around their enclosure. It continued like that, Kate’s phone being passed around the group, and a chorus of laughter followed each video. The elevator opened and MJ and Ned walked out. “Yes!” Kamala said, throwing her hands up in the air. “Let’s play truth or dare!”

Taglist: @aestruvx, @toouncreativeforausername, @modedddd,

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myloveforhergoeson · 4 months ago

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junk (for one word prompts)

katie was missing her sunglasses - an essential accessory if she were interested in pulling off her latest scheme while her mother was off grocery shopping. what kind of club bouncer didn't wear sunglasses? at least, all the ones she saw on tv did.

if she wanted to section off most of the pool area to create and exclusive VIP lounge for the palm woods residents, and charge 20 dollars per lounge chair, the uniform was a necessity.

but, she couldn't remember where she had left them, which was her biggest issue at present.

turning the master bedroom she and her mother shared upside down had yielded no results, and she was too afraid of what monstrosities she might find in her teenage roommate's rooms to see if maybe her shades had gotten mixed in with some of their stuff on accident.

so, she turned to the last place she could think of. the blackest of all black holes: the kitchen junk drawer. anything in the knight household small enough to fit in the large drawer was often swept in there during jennifer's cleaning sprees. it contained treasures unknown for years, until someone was brave enough to search the endless amount of stuff packed into that little space.

upon sliding the wooden cabinet open, katie found all the typical small items she was expecting - rubber bands, paper clips, a lighter - mixed in with a handful of take out menus from the best places to eat in LA. a few receipts leapt out at her as she stuck her hand in, all the way to the bottom, and shoved everything to the right, mixing it up in some kind of messed up amalgamation to see if her sunglasses were hiding down below.

nope.

so she shoved everything to the left, then to the top of the drawer, then to the bottom.

nope.

while she wasn't having any luck finding what she was looking for, a small corner of something plastic poked her finger. with a small grunt, she pulled a polaroid picture out from one of the menus.

a photo of her and kendall from her first soccer tournament shone back at her. hair tied back in a pony tail, second place trophy in her hands, she beamed at the camera, smile nearly blinding.

katie was on her brother's shoulders, and he looked up at her, hands encircling her tiny ankles, with so much pride in his eyes.

how embarassing, she told herself, studying the image for a few more seconds, before her vision shifted back to the drawer, and she spotted her black shades by a pad of sticky notes.

when jennifer returned from the grocery store, she was anxious to get the frozen foods into the freezer as quickly as she could before they melted in the los angeles heat. her mission was interrupted as her hand reached for the freezer handle on the left side of the fridge, and she noticed a photo of her children she hadn't seen in ages taped up on the see-through door.

oh... that's where that went.

#big time rush #selangkir #<3 you always make me think of katie

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vladdyissues · 11 months ago

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Fair Catch

Sequel to We Have A Problem

A pair of powerful white headlights bored through the November night, illuminating the way for a glossy black Aston Martin to prowl up the mile-long driveway. The house at the end hardly fit the appellation; it was a castle, pennants waving from the towers, the front façade illuminated by a battalion of landscaping spotlights.

The car pulled into a detached garage, and moments later Vlad Masters strolled into his domicile, still decked in Packers green and gold and toting a foam cheesehead under his arm.

“What a game!” he crowed for the hundredth time. He tossed his keys into a bowl on a side table and moved into the kitchen, offloading some of his accoutrements. Merrily humming the Packers fight song, he flounced to the fridge and grabbed a 12-ounce longneck of Wisconsin King. He popped the top with a metallic clink and knocked back a mouthful of premium Grade A milk as if it were beer.

“Thirty-four to thirty one!” He danced a little jig. Mercifully, no one was present to see it. “What a game!”

And it had been. Green Bay facing off against the Vikings at Lambeau Stadium. The teams tied in the fourth quarter, 31 and 31, with just two minutes left, until Ryan Longwell made a 33-yard field goal with just three seconds to spare. Perched in his own private VIP lounge overlooking the field, Vlad Masters erupted like a green and yellow volcano, cheering and howling and throwing popcorn and furniture and any of his staff unfortunate enough to be within arm’s reach. His mania endured on the drive home and would likely keep him wired for the next twelve hours. Now came the almost onanistic ritual of basking in the triumphant postgame afterglow. A fine finish to a fine evening.

Bottle in hand, Vlad sauntered to his foyer and flipped on the lights. There it was, his extensive collection of Packers memorabilia, all neatly organized behind glass in special humidity-controlled display cases. He strode by, gazing upon his possessions with the air of a hedonistic king inspecting his coffers: vintage jerseys, photographs, limited edition cheeseheads and scarves, rare items of sports history that rightly belonged in a museum instead of a selfish billionaire’s private collection. And sitting front and center on a pedestal, the most treasured item in his hoard, his beloved, irreplaceable—

Vlad abruptly choked. Milk sprayed from his mouth and nose.

The football autographed by the legendary Ray Nitschke, his most prized possession, was nowhere to be seen.

The bottle slipped from Vlad’s limp fingers and shattered on the stone floor. Hysteria clutched his heart. His stomach dropped to the bottoms of his ugly green oxfords, now spattered with milk. His mind raced through possibilities with the frantic fervor of a mother discovering one of her children missing.

“Did the maids—? No. No, and I didn’t…” The color drained from his face. “I can’t have been robbed. It’s impossible.”

And it was; no one could get through his security system. He’d built it himself using the most advanced tomographic and photoelectric beam technology, and tested it extensively before deploying it over every inch of his property. He checked it regularly and performed scheduled diagnostics and upgrades to keep it cutting-edge. Even if the power were to go out, a generator array would keep the system running independently for months.

At that moment he finally noticed the canary-yellow sticky note planted in the middle of the display stand’s empty prongs. He darted close and leaned over it with wide eyes.

Dear Fruit Loop,

Don’t worry, your ball is safe. FOR NOW. I’m going to hang onto it until you get someone else to narate Knowing Universe. All of it. I don’t care how you do it, but I don’t want to hear your dumb stupid ugly snotty voice on ANY of my shows ever again, got it? If you ever want to see your prescious ball again, you’ll get on this STAT.

Sincerely,

You know who

Vlad clenched his fists—and his jaw, his toes, every muscle in his quivering body. His eyes flared red, the left one twitching spastically. When he exhaled, twin jets of smoke whooshed from his nostrils.

“Daniellllllll!”

Read on AO3

#danny phantom #vlad masters #green bay packers #packers fanatic vlad #dp fanfiction #hjbwrites #ficlet #humor

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reasoningdaily · 11 months ago

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16 Black Innovators Who Changed Food Forever

Macaroni and cheese. Ice cream. French fries. Jack Daniel's whisky. Frozen foods in general.

We wouldn't have any of the above foods, plus many others, were it not for Black food innovators and figureheads that have made significant contributions and altered the way we eat and make food today.

Below are just some of the stories of these incredibly talented and inspiring individuals. Some of these names came from research via the New York Times and Food and Wine, but we've also included historical sourcing and context for each person as well. You can click on their names to view those original pieces.

Nathan "Nearest" Green

Known as "Uncle Nearest," Nathan Green was a skilled distiller who mastered the "Lincoln County" process. This method of distilling is thought by food historians and whiskey experts alike to have been brought in by slaves, and uses charcoal to filter and purify foods. The "Lincoln County" process, in particular, uses sugar maple charcoal to filter bourbon.

Green trained hired hand Jasper Newton Daniel (known to the world as "Jack Daniel") while working on a priest's distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee. Daniel eventually made him the first master distiller of Jack Daniel's, the famous Tennessee whisky many people drink today.

While Jack Daniel's shares the story of Green on their website, an all minority-led whisky brand named "Uncle Nearest" continues to build upon his legacy with spirits that use the same distilling technique, but feature Green's name on the bottle.

youtube

While Thomas Jefferson is sometimes credited with bringing foods like mac & cheese and ice cream to the United States, Hemings was the one who actually learned to make them. A slave in the ownership of Jefferson prior to his presidency, Hemings traveled with him to France in 1784 specifically to learn the art of French cuisine.

Hemings became the first American trained as a French chef in history as a result, bringing back several dishes to the United States. French fries, ice cream, macaroni and cheese, creme brulee, French meringues, and French whipped cream are just a few examples. These dishes and others would be incorporated in Hemings' signature half-French, half-Virginian style of cooking he became renowned for.

Hemings would later also cook one of the most famous dinners in American history: the one between Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton that settled who would pay for the Revolutionary War and established Washington, D.C. as the United States' capital. He eventually was freed by Jefferson in 1796.

Zephyr Wright

Zephyr Wright was the personal chef for President Lyndon B. Johnson and his family for over twenty years. It was her cooking that made the Johnson household a popular one for D.C. dinner parties.

Wright would follow Johnson to the White House during his tenure, and was in charge of the home cooking in the White House kitchen. She would also temporarily cook all meals, including VIP ones, in between the tenures of two White House Executive Chefs.

Wright is thought to have heavily influenced Johnson's support for the Civil Rights Act of 1964,. Wright was known to have spoken up to the President during his time in Congress about the injustices she faced road tripping between Texas and D.C. during congressional recesses, saying that she was not allowed to use the bathroom in areas she was driving through, and couldn't stop off and eat at restaurants. President Johnson reportedly used some of her stories to convince Congress to sign the bill. He would also give her a White House pen when the act was signed into law.

Leah Chase

The Queen of Creole Cuisine, Leah Chase was the heart and soul of Dooky Chase's restaurant in New Orleans across seven decades. Known for her fried chicken, red beans and rice, gumbo, and other classics, Chase started out in the 1940s when she got a job as a server at a restaurant. She eventually took over the helm and made it a safe haven for anyone to come and eat at.

Dooky Chase's was known as one of the few places that it was publicly okay for races to mix at, since the cops wouldn't bother activists inside the restaurant. Thus, leaders of the Civil Rights Movement, including local leaders and national ones like Martin Luther King Jr., would often strategize while eating there.

Chase would go on to serve presidents like Barack Obama and George W. Bush, along with Associate Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall and other influential figures. Disney has even made a movie with a character inspired by her: Princess Tiana of Princess and the Frog.

Abby Fisher

Around the early 1880s, Abby Fisher was known for her award-winning pickles and the Mrs. Abby Fisher Pickle Company in San Francisco. She had at least 35 years of cooking experience, some estimates had it, and the awards she won for her food reflected that.

However, Fisher is probably best known for publishing one of the first cookbooks ever authored by an African-American woman. The book, called What Mrs. Fisher Knows About Old Southern Cooking, contains over 160 recipes and uses the dictated words of Fisher herself.

The cookbook surged in popularity in the late 20th century when a publisher began reprinting it in 1995. Today, it offers a window into these early recipes that places like museums try to recreate for guests to sample.

Edna Lewis

Edna Lewis became a legend while she cooked at Cafe Nicholson in Midtown Manhattan starting in 1949. Her fame and Southern recipes led to guests like Marlon Brando, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Salvador Dali showing up for dinner. After stepping away from the chef's role (as an active partner) in 1952, she would lecture at the American Museum of Natural History while working as a chef and private caterer.

Lewis would later become inspired to write her first cookbook as demand for them grew in 1972. She was one of the first African-American women from the South that would publish a cookbook that did not hide her name, gender, or race. She would go on to publish more in the future, eventually becoming known as the Grand Dame and Grand Doyenne of Southern cooking.

Larry James and Jereline Bethune

The Bethune family, to this day, runs Brenda's Bar-Be-Que Pit in Montgomery, Alabama. Open since 1942, the restaurant would become an important hub for those in the Civil Rights Movement.

After Rosa Parks infamously refused to give up her seat on a Montgomery bus, Larry James and Jereline Bethune were instrumental in using their restaurant to organize bus boycott efforts around the city. As the movement continued and literacy test laws (meant to curtail the Black vote) were introduced, Jereline would also quietly hold lessons teaching other African-Americans how to read. They were then able to pass these literacy tests and go out and vote.

Alfred L. Cralle

Ice cream today would not be the same without the work of Alfred Cralle. Born just after the Civil War, he had an affinity for mechanics as a young age, and would go study at Wayland Seminary, a school set up after the Civil War to educate newly freed African-Americans.

Cralle would go on to work as a porter at a drugstore and a hotel in Philadelphia, and developed the idea of the ice cream scoop while watching people struggle using two different spoons to get the ice cream into cones. Cralle's mechanical inventional, which is the basis of how ice cream scoops work to this day, was invented in 1897.

Cralle would also become a successful promoter of businesses in Philly, and was the assistant manager of the Afro-American Financial, Accumulating, Merchandise, and Business Association in Pittsburgh.

Ever heard the story of how potato chips were invented to spite a customer at a restaurant? George Crum was the chef at said restaurant, the Moon Lake Lodge resort in Saratoga Springs. A customer came in around the summer of 1853 wanting extra-thin French Fries, frustrating Crum to the point he sliced them as thin as possible, fried them in grease, and sent them out.

The chips became a big hit, eventually becoming known as "Saratoga Chips." While Crum never patented the dish, he did open his own restaurant, "Crumbs House," that served a basket of them at every table.

Chips wouldn't become a grocery product until 1895, and the concept of bagged chips didn't show up until 1926.

Joseph Lee was one of the most influential people when it came to industrializing the way we make bread.

Having worked in a bakery from a young age, Lee eventually became the owner of two restaurants in Boston, as well as a hotel and a catering company. Looking to find a way to minimize bread waste, he eventually invented a machine that would convert day-old bread into breadcrumbs. Patented in 1895, he later sold the rights and the breadcrumb maker would spread across the world.

That wasn't Lee's only invention, however. He would later patent the idea for an automatic bread maker that mixed and kneaded the dough, the basis to the same devices (think, stand mixers) that we still use in our kitchens today.

Lloyd Hall is considered to be one of the pioneers in the world of food chemistry. A pharmaceutical chemist for Griffith Laboratories in Chicago who completed graduate school, Hall would be awarded over 100 patents and received multiple honorary doctorate degrees for his work.

Hall's main area of work came around the development of techniques to preserve food. Some of his most revolutionary patents included using "flash-dried" salt crystals that revolutionized meatpacking. He also introduced the use of antioxidants to prevent the spoilage of fats and oils in baked goods, and developed a process known as "Ethylene Oxide Vacugas," which could control the growth of bacteria and molds in food.

John Standard was an inventor instrumental in modernizing two pieces of kitchen equipment that virtually every household has today: stoves and refrigerators.

Refrigeration was a concept that was being researched as early as the 1830s, but mainly focused on using some sort of power. Standard's improvement to the fridge, patented in 1891, was an unpowered design that used a manually filled ice chamber as the central cooling unit.

Standard also made significant upgrades to the oil-powered stove, patenting one with a space-saving design in 1889 that could be used in applications like buffet-style meals on trains.

If you've worked in the food industry or any commercial transportation that required keeping stuff cold, you've likely seen the Thermo King brand somewhere in your lifetime. Frederick McKinley Jones was the founder of that company, and inventor of the first automated refrigerated system for trucks.

A skilled and gifted electrician and mechanic, Jones had patents for sixty different inventions across a wide variety of fields, including the portable X-ray machine, motion picture devices, and even medical storage units.

He's most known for the Thermo King, the refrigerated system he invented, because it allowed for fresh goods from around the world to be transported and sold in stores. Jones is essentially responsible for not just all refrigerated transport globally, but also the entire frozen food industry.

Known as the "Oyster King of New York," Downing was most known for his 19th-century restaurant, Thomas Downing's Oyster House. His oyster hall was legendary, with prominent figures like Queen Victoria and Charles Dickens having dined there.

Downing was born a free man, as his parents were freed by plantation owner John Downing. He grew up and was educated on Chincoteague Island in Virginia, and eventually made his way up to New York following the war of 1812. Like many other African-Americans in New York, Downing eventually went into the oyster business, opening his own oyster cellar in the 1820s.

Oyster cellars were the universal food of New York at the time (similar to hot dogs today), but many establishments weren't as trusted as Downing's. That's because he specifically catering it towards the fine dining clientele, with a large dining area, carpet, and chandeliers gracing the hall. Elaborate dishes like oyster-stuffed turkeys and a pan roast made with wine and chili graced the menu.

This, at the time, meant that African-Americans couldn't eat Downing's restaurant, but few were aware of the double life he led. Downing's basement was a key stop in the Underground Railroad, and as an abolitionist, he helped many that were escaping the South in search of freedom. He also led political efforts, funding schools for African-American children and leading the fight in desegregating New York's trolley system.

Downing was so regarded in New York that when he passed away in 1866, the New York City Chamber of Commerce closed so that its members could attend his funeral.

The sugar industry in the United States has Norbert Rillieux to thank for allowing them to become so powerful. Were it not for his inventions, making sugar would still be a time-consuming and dangerous process.

Originally, the sugar refinement process, known as "The Jamaica Train," was dangerous and expensive. Laborers (usually slaves) would transfer ladles of scalding hot sugar case juice between open boiling kettles, often resulting in scalding and terrible burns (anyone who's worked with sugar knows how painful it can be). The result was a dark syrup that was molded into cones and dried before being sold.

From 1834-1843, Rillieux developed a system for refining and crystallizing sugar using a much safer and controlled method, allowing the United States to eventually dominate the sugar market. His process is still used today for freeze-drying food, pigments, and other food products.

Many people know George Washington Carver for the myriad of products he invented that utilized peanuts or sweet potatoes. As an agricultural scientist working in the South, he was also a man responsible for helping revitalize much of the economy in that region.

Working out of the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, Carver was a teacher and a researcher from the late 1890s until his passing in 1943. An early pioneer of crop rotation, he encouraged farmers to plant peanuts in the soil after harvest to replenish lost nutrients, helping farmers improve not just their livelihoods, but their diets as well.

Carver's research and work focused on revitalizing soil and maximizing plant production while keeping costs to a minimum. Outside of agriculture, he was a massive promoter of racial equality, and massive advocate of peanut oil as a potential treatment for polio. While never proven, the claim was widely circulated in media, and eventually turned into a "Peanuts for Polio" fundraising effort that helped raise money for medical care and benefits for children affected with the disease.

Following Carver's passing, then-Senator Harry S. Truman sponsored legislation that would lead to the construction of the George Washington Carver National Monument. It was the first-ever national memorial to an African-American.

#16 Black Innovators Who Changed Food Forever #Black Food #Black Food Innovaters #Food #Black Food Science #Black History #Black LIves Matter #Youtube

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financieur · 1 month ago

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V.01 ━━ M/Y Étoile. Commissioned in 2017 from an Italian Shipyard and delivered during the Summer 2019 in Monaco, the M/Y Étoile is a 6 levels yacht, and the replacement to the 'Nëperke' Yacht, his 2005 Sunseeker Predator 108. It was a much needed [ and desired ] upgrade to make justice to the position Le Chiffre now occupied within Quantum. It remained useful even past the takeover that Spectre went through by his hands in late 2019.

The boat's furniture was bespoke to his necessities, design to reflect little to nothing of his own personality and much of what he was perceived by others, and then crafted by an Italian atelier. As for the ship's internal structure, all finishes, such as the hardwood floors and ceilings, and details, such as the illumination coloring, were carefully chosen by Le Chiffre himself. The decor is nearly monochromatic, with the wood, soft lines and warm indirect lightening being a way to break the coldness of the palette and feign a sense of comfort to make it livable. The hull is painted in a mirror-like coating that uses a special coverage to avoid overheating the surfaces.

Another heavily customized feature of Étoile is the security infrastructure. The decks are all equipped with deck sensory arrays, which give an alert whenever people walk over it, as well as infrared beam sensors , lock-down vessel system, live CCTV and real time tracking by his team of choice. The ship is also equipped with an infirmary and an extremely well stocked armory. The Crew counts with a minimum of 4 security guards and an emergency surgeon in every trip it does.

The main deck is where all guest accommodations can be found, as well as the main lounging and guest entertainment areas. The vessel can comfortably fit 60 guests for events and 10 guests for travels in 5 rooms, divided between a VIP Stateroom, almost as well equipped as the Master Suite, two double cabins and two twin cabins. The upper deck holds the dining rooms and a private kitchen, as well as a sunbathing area and a bar. The fly deck, also known as owner's deck, is where the master suite can be found, equipped with a master bathroom and a walk-in closet, a small office space and a security control room can also be found at this deck. The sun deck holds only a small lounging area with a bar and another sunbathing area.

The lower deck is where the crew is accommodated, as well as most of the functional rooms, such as the laundry room, storage and pantries, can be found. The engine deck is where the technical rooms are found, such as the boat engine room, the infirmary and the armory.

Despite being considered his primary residence for many years, now the yacht spend most of the year docked either at Port Cala del Forte in Italy or the Falmouth Harbour Marina in Antigua, being only used by Le Chiffre when he want to travel in a more secure manner, or to entertain certain guests.

#001://_lore #001://_locations #long post /

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madiomens · 1 year ago

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Just Pretend [n.s.]

Chapter Nineteen

We had a 6 AM flight to the next country, landing in Germany around 8:30. We rolled into the Airbnb at 9:15 all shells of ourselves from the insanity that last night was. We all made our way to the bedrooms to try and get some rest before the show tonight. There wasn't VIP for this show, so the guys didn't have to get to the venue until around 2:30 to help finish setting up and do a quick soundcheck. Noah and I claimed the master bedroom and closed the door behind us, collapsing on the large bed in the center. I rolled onto my side and he scooted closer, chest flush against my back. He slid his arms around me to hold me tightly. I laced my fingers through his that were around my midsection and hugged his hand to my chest, sighing contentedly.

I stirred around 12 and rolled over in Noah's arms, eyes landing on his sleeping face. I smiled and brushed the hair off his forehead, the strands shorter from him cutting his hair again.

"Mmm." He mumbled, rolling onto his back and taking me with him.

I chuckled as I stretched the length of my body down his, my feet right above his knees. "Noah." I said, poking his cheek.

"Mmm mmm." He protested, shaking his head.

I chuckled again and placed a kiss on his lips, pulling back to see him peeking at me through his eyelashes. "We need to eat before going to the venue." I said softly, propping myself up on his chest.

"But I just wanna stay here." He whined, pulling me closer so my head dropped onto his chest.

I laughed and wrapped my arms around him, placing a kiss over his hoodie. "Me too but we have jobs to attend. You have some very dedicated fans to please."

"That I do." He said, tightening his arms around me.

I sighed and pushed myself up to get out of his grasp, causing him to protest with a groan. I laughed and shook my head at him before crawling out of bed and holding a hand out for him. He sighed and grabbed my hand to let me help him out of bed. We made our way to the bathroom to brush our teeth quickly before opening the bedroom door to leave. He smacked my ass when I walked past him and I turned to smack his chest, causing him to laugh. He bent down to kiss my cheek before making his way down the hall.

I watched his back with a smile, shaking my head at him. My eyes landed on Nicholas standing in his doorway watching us, grin on his face. "What?" I questioned confusedly.

He shook his head. "You two are so in love."

I furrowed my brows as a weird pang hit my chest. "No we aren't."

He chuckled and turned to follow Noah down the hallway. "Whatever you say, Maddie."

I chewed on my lip with my brows still furrowed before following them to the kitchen area. The guys put together 'family noodles' which we quickly scarfed down so we could get our stuff together for the show. We arrived to the venue right on time and started setting up the rest of the stage, but my mind was elsewhere. I kept mulling over Nicholas' comment from earlier, the inside of my lip raw from me chewing on it so much.

There's no way Noah and I were in love. Definitely not this fast. I've only been on the road with the band for a little over a month, and even if it does feel like it's been a lifetime, it hasn't. There's no way I could be stupid enough to let myself get attached to a man this fast again. Not when I promised myself I'd never let it happen again since the last time.

"Hey." Noah said, rubbing my back and jerking me out of my thoughts. "You ok?" He questioned, concern on his face.

I nodded, forcing a small grin. "I'm fine."

He furrowed his brows as his eyes roamed my face, as if picking apart the lie I was forcing. "You can tell me what it is when you're ready." He said, placing a chaste kiss on my cheek before joining the other guys to help finish up the stage.

A pain shot through my heart at the gesture. He is so unbelievably thoughtful and caring, which makes my heart soar and break all at the same time. I don't know how it happened, but the 6'3 brunette has somehow weaseled his way into my heart without giving me time to stop it.

And that scares the fuck out of me.

I know Noah is nothing like my ex. I know he would never in a million years put his hands on me, or speak to me anywhere close to the way my ex did. I know all of this. But somewhere deep down, my brain is telling me to pause. It's screaming at me that I'm stupid and that I'm letting my guard down way too fast. That I'm only going to be hurt again.

I took a deep, shaky breath and slowly let it out before making my way backstage to start getting ready. I had no motivation to go all out tonight, so I just applied some mascara and put on my brow gel, leaving my face bare. I pulled on an oversized black sweater with leggings and my Doc's before pulling my hair into a high ponytail, pulling out some pieces to frame my face. I pulled my lip down to look at the damage my anxiety has given me, and sighed when I saw the bloody teeth marks on it. I looked at myself in the mirror, mentally willing myself to shove my thoughts to the back of my brain so I could efficiently do my job tonight. Noah walked up to me when I walked out of the bathroom and I gave him a close lipped smile before walking past him to make my way to the crowd.

"Maddie?" He questioned, grabbing my arm. "What's going on?"

My eyes met his concerned ones and another pain shot through my heart. He doesn't deserve this, but my brain won't let me stop. "Nothing, I gotta get to the fans for the opener."

I walked out of the backstage area before he could say anything else, knowing that if one more word escaped his mouth I'd be a blubbering puddle of emotions and anxiety. I pushed the negative thoughts aside once I started greeting everyone, offering fake smiles to them.

"Maddie! How are you and Noah?" A fan questioned at the front, causing others to turn their attention towards us.

I forced a smile and laugh before answering. "Good, thank you for asking." I bent down to open a package of waters to blink back the tears that threatened to surface. I handed out bottles to people along the barricade, tossing a few further back. "I hope you guys enjoy the show!" I yelled, smile plastered back onto my face.

It took everything in me not to zone out while I sat on my box during the opener. I swung my feet back and forth to give my body some sort of way to relieve the anxiety clouding my mind. Before I knew it, it was almost time for the guys to go on. I decided not to go backstage to see them before, knowing everyone would be asking me what was wrong and probably wind up being late going on stage. My phone buzzed with a message and I pulled it out to see Noah's name on my screen.

'Where are you?'

I stared at the message, chewing on my lip as I tried to come up with an excuse to type back before he sent another text.

'What's going on? Did I do something?'

My brows furrowed as emotions bubbled up over how I was making him feel. How am I supposed to tell him that he is all of a sudden the most important person in the world to me but I can't let him be? I sighed and typed back a message.

'I'm fine, the fans are a little overheated. Gonna stay with them. Good luck <3'

I locked my phone and put it back into the pocket of my leggings with a sigh. Using the fans as a cop out is pretty low, but I can't muster up the courage to go backstage and make eye contact with his big brown eyes. I would crumble underneath his stare immediately. The lights went out, interrupting my thoughts as the screams rang throughout my ears. I took a deep breath as a smile slid onto my face watching everyone's excited faces. Something that can instantly put me in a better mood is witnessing pure joy from people.

The entire show Noah kept sending me concerned looks, slowly cracking away the front I had up. As soon as Just Pretend started, I felt myself tearing up at the lyrics and melody as Noah's voice glided through the air. I made the mistake of looking up at him, instantly making eye contact with his big eyes. My breath caught in my throat while we kept eye contact, the words piercing me like a knife.

'I know the pain that you hide behind the smile on your face

And not a day goes by where I don't think I. feel the same

So will you wait me out

Or will you drown me out?'

My eyes welled up with tears as he sang, my vision becoming blurry while I desperately tried to will them away. Everything inside me screamed to break the eye contact, but every part of me was also unable to. As if this song didn't already have enough meaning to me.

The song ended and the lights went out, causing me to blink and turn my face away from the stage. I wiped the tears inconspicuously that escaped my eyes, rubbing my fingers off on my sweater. I forced myself not to look at the stage the rest of the show and all but ran backstage once the guys finished, hurrying so I could pack my stuff and avoid the worried stares.

"Maddie?" Noah's voice came out, causing me to pause as I was packing my makeup bag. "Baby, what's wrong?" He said, gently resting a hand on my back.

I chewed on my lip as I teared up again. I stood up as I zipped my bag, avoiding eye contact. "I'll talk at the house."

"Hey," He said, halting my movements and placing his hands on my cheeks to force me to look at him. "did someone say something?" He said, eyes searching mine. Concern was etched into every feature of his face, chocolate brown eyes boring into my hazel ones.

I chewed on my lip more before he brought a thumb up to pull it from between my teeth. "Sort of. It's ok." I said, voice coming out barely above a whisper. "I'll talk to you at the house." I said before grabbing my bag and leaving the bathroom before the flood gates opened.

I rushed outside to the car, sighing when the door closed behind me and I was left in the silence. I laid my head back against the headrest and closed my eyes, trying to calm my brain down. It felt like only a few minutes before the guys were climbing in with me, the smell of sweat confirming Noah probably rushed them to leave. I saw Noah look down at me from my peripheral before he brought his hand to mine and laced our fingers together, thumb rubbing the back of my hand. I let myself give in to the contact from him and laid my head on his shoulder, causing him to lay his on top of mine. At this moment I didn't care that he was sweaty from the show, I just needed to let myself give into his warmth one last time for awhile.

We got to the house and climbed out, all of us making our ways to our separate rooms. I paused outside of Noah's as he walked in, heart pounding so hard it could leap from my chest. He turned to look at me, furrowing his brows.

He nodded his head towards the room. "Come on."

I sighed and walked in, closing the door softly behind me. I leaned my back against it and closed my eyes, dropping my head backwards so that it hit the door with a soft thud. "Noah." I whispered.

"Hey, what's going on?" He questioned, hand landing on my arm and causing me to open my eyes.

I chewed on my lip more as my eyes searched his. "I have let myself get too attached too fast." I said, voice even more of a whisper than before.

He furrowed his brows. "What do you mean?"

"I promised myself." I said, pausing to take a deep breath. "I can't let myself fall for a guy just for him to pull the rug out from under me and break my heart."

His brows furrowed deeper, frown on his face. "Maddie, you know I would never."

I clenched my jaw and broke our eye contact, unable to speak my thoughts if I looked at him any longer. "I think I need to slow down."

"Wait, what?" He questioned, softly placing his hand on my face. "Maddie, where is this coming from?"

I sighed as tears filled my eyes. "Nicholas made a comment about us being in love earlier and it reminded me of how stupid I was being. It's barely been past a month of tour and I'm this far deep into you."

"You're not being stupid, I'm in deep too." He said gently, trying to pull my face to look at him. "Come on, baby, look at me." My brows pinched together as I let him turn my face, tears falling down my face the second I made eye contact with him. "I am all in. I only want you." He said, brushing my tears away with his thumb.

I shook my head as the tears kept flowing, a sob threatening to bubble up. "I only want you, but I need time to be ok with that."

"What do you mean?" He questioned, placing his other hand on my face. "What do you need to happen?"

My chest heaved as I struggled to even out my breath, the sadness on his face breaking my heart. "I just need some time. I'll sleep in the extra room."

His eyes searched mine, brown orbs filling with tears and breaking my heart even more. He nodded, leaning down to place a kiss on my forehead. "Whatever you need, baby." He whispered, voice shaky and cracking.

I chewed harshly on my lip as the sob choked me, holding my breath to push it down. "Thank you." I said before slipping out from under him to leave the room and make my way to the spare.

"Maddie." He called at my back from his room, causing me to turn and face him. He had tears on his face that matched mine, cheeks red from emotions. "Come back to me."

A half of the sob escaped me and I nodded before slipping into the room and quickly shutting the door behind me. I covered my mouth with my hands and slid down the door, body shaking as I fully let the tears out. I sobbed into my hands, tears sliding down my sleeves and head pounding through the pain I was feeling. A soft knock came on a door across the room and I jumped before my eyes landed on Folio emerging from an apparently shared bathroom.

"Maddie?" He questioned softly.

Another sob escaped me, causing him to rush across the room and crouch down to my level. He pulled me into a hug and rocked us back and forth to try and console me, violent shakes taking over my body.

"I always fuck good things up." I said through my tears. "I can't let myself be happy."

He pulled back to lift my face, pushing the hair off it. "What happened?"

"Nicholas made a comment about us being in love and my brain spiraled, reminding me how stupid I was being." I said through my shaky voice.

He furrowed his brows. "Stupid? How?"

"Because," I started, hiccup interrupting me. "I haven't known him for very long and I'm already so attached."

He softly chuckled and wiped tears from my face. "And that's a bad thing?"

I nodded as more tears fell. "Yes because the last time this happened was my ex you met."

Sympathy washed over his face. "Oh, Maddie." He said, causing me to go into another crying fit. He wrapped his arms back around me. "You know Noah is nothing like him." He said, causing me to nod against his chest. "Trauma is a nasty thing, and it needs time to heal. I understand if you need some time, but just know Noah is a good one. I've seen the way he looks at you. He's all in."

"That's what terrifies me." I cried out. "How could he be all in with me? I'm just Maddie."

He pulled my face up so I would look at him. "You don't even realize how amazing you are." He said, wiping my tears. "And how incredibly fucking lucky Noah is that you have chosen him. So many guys want to be in his shoes."

My eyes searched his as my tears slowed down, realization hitting me. "Folio...."

He shook his head and wiped more tears from my face. "It's fine, you don't have to say anything. Just know Noah is lucky and will make you the happiest woman ever if you let him." He said, soft grin on his face. "I know you'll never love me the way you love him."

Fresh tears welled up in my eyes at his confession, watching him wipe more tears from my face before pushing himself onto his feet. He pulled me to mine and steadied me with his hands on my shoulders, soft smile on his face. "Thank you for always being here for me regardless." I said softly, voice cracking.

He rubbed my cheek with his thumb. "That'll never change."

He walked out of my room and closed the door to the bathroom softly, leaving me with my thoughts and tears for the rest of the night.

#noah sebastian #bad omens #noah sebastian fic #noah sebastian fanfiction #noah sebastian fanfic #bad omens fanfiction

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daddysmusicblog · 9 months ago

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My Dream

I'm fascinated by the idea of opening a listening and instrument bar or Air BnB. Come in, grab a beverage, and we have coffee tea or something stronger. Are you hungry? We have a full kitchen staff with a large menu. You come in and order and pick your music, and we will bring it to your table with the appropriate machine to play your music on from our library. Relax in one of our comfy leather chairs. What's that you need a warm blanket? We got you covered. Whatever you need for your mood, we have it. Want to spend a night in a private room with a mini bar and a whole library of media to yourself or with a friend or partner? Take one of our VIP suites. Do you want to feel what it's like to turn a vintage guitar up in a loud vintage guitar amplifier? Come rent one of our many new and vintage instruments. Downstairs, we have a full service recording studio with mix and mastering staff. You want to record that album of songs you wrote in high school but never had the chance? We got you covered. Friday nights are live music nights. You just vibe, and we will take care of everything else. That is like my dream to have a place like this. I would take the proceeds from this to sponsor and build a music school to teach anyone who wants to learn to play an instrument but can not afford it free of charge.

#would anyone be interested?#would this work #i want to do this so bad #listening bar #listen lounge #recording studio #air bnb #live music #instrument rental #my dreams #my dream #music school

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serafiel-jacobs · 1 year ago

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Music of the Night (Fanfic)

New chapter from my main series 🩷

Venigni took him to the Opera House, Pinocchio was supposed to go with his father now that he was ungrounded but his father was dead set on fixing that kitchen.

“Father just ask for help!” Pinocchio was pouting this was ridiculous.

“I BUILD YOU, I CAN BUILD THIS KITCHEN!”

So his uncle Venigni took him instead, at least his father promised him that he would make it up to him. Pinocchio was wearing fancy-looking clothes and so was Gemini, wearing a tiny suit inside his cage as both wanted to feel pretty this is the Opera House they were going to after all and, today it was more filled than usual; Pulcinella was there too enjoying a good time with them.

“Don't feel embarrassed Pinocchio, Master Venigni also burned his kitchen once” Pulcinella said.

“Really?” It made Pinocchio at least feel a little less insecure about his inability to use the stove and oven.

“That was such a long time ago, plus I was so young back then” Venigni still remembers that day, Pulcinella has always been the one to cook for him and he wanted to give him some rest.

“You were 20 years old”

“Okay let's change the subject” Venigni was so embarrassed, ever since that day he hasn't tried to cook again, thankfully Pulcinella is a great cook and is always there for him.

A lot of people were flocking to Venigni’s side, but that’s to be expected when you are the richest man in Krat, people compliment him trying to get on his good side, and the staff is extra nice when he gets here or in any place he visits, he is used to it, and he loves the attention, only fair that a genius like him gets all the praise he deserves for his hard work, but today it’s annoying because he is trying to spend time with his family.

Pinocchio was getting nervous from all the attention, he got even more nervous because he spotted Adeline, as she might be a spoiled princess but she still has the lead role in this play and others, and her musical talent is impressive. Pinocchio hid behind his uncle but thankfully the show was about to start so they made their way towards their seats in the VIP section, it had the best view and his beloved nephew deserved to see this Opera from the best angle. The seats were special as it was more of a big comfy couch they could share.

“Are you okay?” Venigni was concerned, even more since Adeline would be the star, she was the one playing the role of Carmen.

“I’m fine” Pinocchio wasn’t lying, his nerves were slowly fading away and he understood that Adeline as rude as she can be is doing her job as a singer/actress.

Venigni smiled, he was glad that Pinocchio was in a better mood, nothing should ruin their time together; before it finally started each one of them ordered something to drink, Pinocchio ordered a soda and Venigni ordered a glass of champagne.

The show began and they were enjoying it together despite them being quiet as to fully appreciate it, with a few words shared in between; Pinocchio was really entranced by it so when he wanted to grab his drink in the darkness of the Opera House, he accidentally grabbed Venigni’s drink, he drank just a little before realizing his mistake.

“Um, sorry” He murmured.

“It’s okay Pinocchio don’t worry about it” Venigni smiled at him, there was nothing to worry about.

A few minutes passed in silence until…

*hic*

Oh no no no it was just so little! Venigni is panicking Pinocchio can’t get drunk like this.

*hic*

Pinocchio was apologizing over and over again, that he didn’t mean to drink it.

“It’s okay, it’s okay don’t worry I’m sure it will pass before you get home” Venigni let out an awkward laugh, “Otherwise your father is going to be a little angry at me”

“He is going to be furious” Pulcinella teased him in his usual neutral tone, which somehow made it even worse.

“Pulcinella please let’s not jinx it” Venigni could already hear Geppetto shouting at him.

The hiccups left as soon as they came but Pinocchio was starting to feel tired, he rested his head on his uncle’s shoulder, and he closed his eyes for just a few seconds but he fell asleep quickly.

No this is a disaster! Pinocchio is now going to be upset when he wakes up and realizes he missed half the show.

Pinocchio was fully asleep now, he grabbed Venigni and hugged him in his sleep, he had a firm grasp on him.

“He is not going to let go until he wakes up” Gemini chirped, he has seen Pinocchio sleep next to his father enough times and knows that will be the same case here.

Although Pinocchio hugs him from time to time Venigni isn’t used to this intense type of affection, Pinocchio looks so happy in his sleep, he doesn’t want to wake him up. He was playing with the boy’s hair, it was cute seeing him like this.

“I wish you would have fallen asleep this easily back when you were a child” Pulcinella was remembering when he had to take care of him.

Venigni had a lot of trouble falling asleep because… because he had nightmares about his parents' deaths. Sometimes he still has nightmares about it.

“Yeah…” Venigni’s voice had a sad tone.

“I’m sorry” Pulcinella was apologetic, “I didn’t mean to bring the mood down”

“It’s alright, I wish I could fall asleep so fast at this age”

“Master Venigni that’s because you can be just as much of a workaholic as Geppetto”

“Come on I don’t work that much”

“Mmm” Pulcinella began to remember “I believe years ago Antonia had to beg the two of you to actually go to sleep when she found the two of you working for 4 days straight”

“That was then, we have changed” Venigni knows that they don’t work as much as before.

“Geppetto has changed, you still stay awake until 1 am some days” Pulcinella was now scolding him.

“I used to fall asleep until 4 am” Venigni felt so proud for not staying awake that long anymore.

“…” Pulcinella was quiet, it was his silence of shame.

“Okay fine” Venigni finally admitted it, “I still work too much”

In a way, Venigni can be just as stubborn as Geppetto, even more so when it comes to work. The main reason is that both have always been too proud of their work, is hard to hand it down to others, knowing it’s not the way you do it and, critically analyzing every possible mistake others can make.

At least Venigni has always had Pulcinella for help, Geppetto always worked so much by himself not to mention how as the director of the Union he is the supervisor of each department.

Geppetto is close to retirement age, and he wonders what Geppetto’s plans are for that, Antonia is even closer to it as the age of retirement in Krat is 65; although recently legally it has been under consideration to reduce it to 60 and Venigni hopes that they do lower it.

Pinocchio was snuggling with him even more, Venigni was hugging him back, he loves the boy so much, he is so happy to have him by his side. He is a ray of sunshine, although Venigni still remembers when Pinocchio first rescued him, Pinocchio was so quiet and he looked so… sad, it was clear that the weight of saving everyone had taken a huge toll on him. Seeing him like this, it makes him smile to see how much his nephew has changed.

“No… get away you… shovel devil” Pinocchio was becoming agitated, talking in his sleep.

Huh, so that’s why Pinocchio hid behind his father when he came to work and saw a shoveling puppet. Although a part of Venigni doesn’t understand how a puppet with a shovel could be that intimidating, some had been armed with swords or even guns. But Pinocchio had dealt with so much, Venigni couldn’t even imagine all the danger he faced.

Venigni rubbed his back and Pinocchio calmed down, time passed and Pinocchio woke up just as soon as the show ended. He was a bit disappointed at first but he felt very calm and at peace, it felt nice to wake up in his uncle’s arms.

“Now Pinocchio” Venigni was patting his head, “Not a word about this to your father alright?”

Pinocchio nodded and it was time for him to head back home.

When they arrived Geppetto had finally finished the kitchen, he was so proud of himself, he would have kept bragging about it if it wasn’t because it was getting late, so Venigni and Pulcinella said their goodbyes, before leaving Pulcinella whispered something in Pinocchio’s ear and Venigni smiled, he was glad the two of them were getting along.

——

The next day, Venigni arrived early at work so that he could leave early, as he had to go back home and have a few meetings there. He heard the door of his office open with force, almost breaking it, and Venigni turned to see who it was.

“Hi Geppetto how-“

“WHY WAS MY SON DRUNK?!” Geppetto was fuming, Venigni had never seen Geppetto so angry at him, not even in that time he accidentally mixed some chemicals when he first started working and it made both of them faint on the spot because of the smell, someone had to come to help them.

Venigni went pale, he saw Pulcinella staring at him and he knew he had planned this. Why is his beloved Pulcinella corrupting poor Pinocchio?!

“Geppetto it was an accident I swear!”

Geppetto was shouting so loudly that all the workers at the factory must have heard him, Pulcinella is smiling from the inside as he can’t physically smile, it was good to team up with Pinocchio to embarrass a little his Master Venigni.

#lies of p #lop #liesofp #lies of p game #lies of p fanfic #ao3 link #this is in ao3 too #lies of p geppetto #lies of p pinocchio #lies of p venigni #lies of p gemini

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someone-ds · 1 year ago

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Totally insufferable is what he is. But God am I just drawn to insufferable men.

He walks with his chin up, clothes worth more than two of my paychecks combined, a kick in his step, and a smirk across his clean-shaven face that would bring any woman to her knees.

He has mastered the art of a souverain aura. He has had a thing for getting the rise out of me since day one. And how I hated his guts, ohh how I hated everything about his stupidly handsome face. He is smart I’ll give him that, almost as smart as me. Our professor has grown fond of our rivalry, instigating heated discussions and making us meet heads every lecture. I love a challenge and mmh how delicious of a challenge he is. Our eyes meet more often than I’d like. He watches me, in return I watch him. I cannot help myself. When he talks my ears perk up, the corners of my mouth curl up, and my eyes usually roll because of his awful trash talk. I fall victim to his charm and wit. I wish to sink my teeth into his throat and mark him as mine. He talks and talks to try and get a reaction out of me. Over the summer he has apparently forgotten how much fun it is. So he does it all the time. Was sich liebt neckt sich what loves that teases

And tease we do. He drives me crazy, he makes me wild. I want to just shut him up with my lips, he brings the worst out of me. And he loves that. God how he saviours my annoyed eyes and angry huffs. He feeds off it. It’s almost animal-like how we prey on each other. He drives to Germany every weekend, he’s from there. Something I tease him about constantly. the way he says certain words makes me cackle. ‘What was that? What did you just say, sorry I didn’t get it?’ ‘Ugh, how do you guys say that??’

My hometown is on his way to his hometown. So, he mentions every other Monday when he comes back to class. On Friday it so happens that instead of going getting off a stop later than he does; I get off at the same time as he does. We’re going to his apartment, in a building with a porter, community kitchens, cinemas, gaming rooms, saunas, and pools. It is straight out of a fucking movie. The walk up to the apartment he talks about the area, his feet and mine falling into sync. I am awestruck, cranking my neck up to see all those beautiful skyscrapers that surround us. It feels like I’m in a totally different city, a feeling that will continue to grow the longer you spend in his bubble. We walk into the rotating doors, and the portier watches me closely and asks me what I am doing here. ‘She’s with me’ he barks and goes up to him. He signs some paper and scowls the man for his rude behavior to his guest. I stand awkwardly to the side. A warm feeling in my stomach. ‘She’s with me’ echoes through my head. Strangely it sounds lovely coming from his lips. There is a tablet in front of the elevator behind two glass doors he used a keycard for us to pass through. He punches a number in, I’m too distracted to see which one. I scan the walls and the floor. We go in. The elevator is spacious and weirdly has no buttons on the inside. There is a red LED indicator telling us which floor we are on. ‘Wait, which floor do you live on again?’ He lowers his head a bit, I can hear the smirk on his pretty pink lips when he says ‘The 23rd’ My jaw drops. Then my head falls back, and a nervous laugh leaves me. I’ve never been this high above the ground before. My knees buckle a bit. He squared his shoulders and stepped out before me. He casually strolls the corridor talking about the VIP features he has; I pay him half a mind. More interested in my surroundings, the carpet and the wall, and the decorations. We go through the gaming lounge. ‘It’s a short cut’ he says and winks. I’m still awestruck and too mesmerized by everything to even consider mocking him for the cheesy line delivery. We are on the 23rd floor of a luxury apartment complex and all I can think about is how much I do not fit in here. We get to his door, it’s the last one in the hallway. He goes in. I stay two steps behind him not sure if I should come in or wait until he’s done grabbing his bags. ‘Come in, I’m sorry it’s so messy… I rarely have people over’ he says the last part more quietly. ‘Should I take my shoes off?’ is the first thing that leaves my mouth. He looks down at my feet and then just shakes his head no. ‘Nah you’re fine, doesn’t matter’. His apartment is smaller than I thought it’d be. A small kitchenette, and a queen-sized bed with a TV in front of it. A small desk and a beautiful dark blue velvet couch. The bathroom is off to the side down a small corridor. But what gets me is the view. The floor-to-ceiling windows and a terrace that wraps around the whole apartment. He opens the door for me and rushes off to pack his bag while I stand quietly by the door. I walk around trying to get a feel of who he really is. A postcard by his bedside table and a picture of the family dog tell me he misses home more than he lets on. I get it- I think to myself. On his desk are two bottles of Dom Perigon 2010 and 2008. A small but heavy Porsche Trophy with his dad’s name on it. A small frame with a family picture around a table in a restaurant. He has his mother’s eyes. I wonder if anyone has ever told him that. I venture out to the balcony. The wind has my curls flying all over the place. I feel like a little kid giggling out there. I look over the city that I have come to call home for the past year. It looks completely different from up here. I feel like I’m on a different planet altogether. ‘How much do you pay for this?’ I say as I step over his clothes that had fallen from the clothing line. ‘1200€ without the garage, it’s 100 more with’ he says nonchalantly as if that’s not more than I make in 2 months.

My knees buckle again. I’m a bit dizzy, the wind and the adrenaline from being up so high are making it worse. I go back inside. I see an elegant black suitcase in the corner of the room. ‘Wouldn’t it be funny if that was a Rimowa suitcase?’ I think to myself. Those things are stupidly expensive. I go look at the black leather nametag with his Initials carved into it, I turn it over and of course, it is a fucking Rimowa suitcase. ‘You’re so fucking predictable.’ I shout in his general direction. ‘Is it true that you get lifelong insurance on these things and if it breaks, they provide you with a different one until yours is repaired?’ ‘Yeah, that’s true, I mean I paid 2,3k on that. That’s the least they can do.’ He changed his clothes and puts his driving shoes on, I bite back the remark about how only old men have dedicated driving shoes. We’re back at the elevator. We go from the 23rd floor to the -2nd floor in less than 30 seconds. We walk around the parking garage and the trunk of a black Q5 opens on its own as soon as we round the corner. He puts his bags inside, shuts the trunk, and walks over to the driver’s door. I’m still looking at the car. The plate with his name and lucky number on it sits proudly on the car. Gobsmacked. What the hell… I get in. The plush leather seat is nice, soft, and smooth. I feel like I’m in a Rocketship. I look around and every second that passes the more in awe I am. He reverses out of his parking space and off we go. His car is so high that I can’t really see over the hood. We drive out of the garage onto the busy streets of Vienna that are beginning to feel more like fucking Miami. He has a panorama roof that slides open, and he puts his hand out the top. The other rested comfortably on the leather steering wheel. ‘Be honest how many times have you stuck your head through this?’ He laughs and shakes his head. ‘Never I just put my hand out like this.’ It is weirdly attractive; he looks expensive and by association, I do too. And that feeling is growing on me. I have been in some car accidents and get nervous being in cars with people I’ve never driven before, especially young rich guys with a car that has 250 horsepower and an inflatable ego. ‘You’re not going to drive like a crazy person, are you?’ ‘I drive more than 500km in a week and have been for over a year, I’m better than most drivers. You’re safe with me don’t worry.’ He turns the music on and I relax in my seat. I then say something about being so high up in the air. He presses some buttons on the little touchpad in the middle of us and I can feel the hind tires lift and the car rising. Then the front tires, I watch as the hood of the car rises while we stand at the red light.

What. The. Fuck? He just lifted us 10cm off the ground. This is so intoxicating, I feel drunk. Bubbly and happy. More from the nerves but also from the sheer ridiculousness that this boy is. He drives us out of the city, and I relax in my seat. We talked about the car how much it cost and the upgrades he got. He starts singing along to the song that is playing. The sun is slowly setting and a strip of light slices through his eyes vertically leaving a honey chocolate strip in his eyes. I ask him how loud the music can get, and he puts it up all the way. And again, I feel like I’m not in Vienna and not with my academic rival but with a friend in Miami. The roof is open the music is loud and good, and I am getting used to feeling like I’m above the rest. The conversation goes from the car and his apartment to his dad and grandparents. His dad is a professional horse rider and owns a hotel that belonged to his grandparents. They own 35 horses and have like 5 luxury cars. He has a younger brother who lives with his mother. His parents are separated. He used to watch his dad on TV and cheer him on. ‘He was home for a day or two a week and then traveled for 3 weeks, I never saw him.’ ‘Did you miss him?’ I ask quietly. It seems like he loves his dad a great deal. ‘No’ his face crunches up a bit, tilting to the side. ‘He was never there so how could I even miss him?’ That breaks my heart a tiny bit. I ask about his mother. ‘Oh, she works in IT’ he says, and I can tell he is embarrassed. ‘Oh, that’s so cool what are you on about?’ His brother has a Michelin-star restaurant named after him. He has to come by every few weeks to walk around and say hello to the guests. The image of that makes me chuckle. I am still mostly looking up at the panoramic window that graces the roof of his car. A pleasant conversation is held with good music coming through the speakers. The wind makes my hair fly around. I feel free.

He drops me off at my house, and I shut the door not before wishing him a safe trip.

He is insufferable and mean. But he is a good guy. Not that I would know what that means. Good guys were never my type.

And over the weekend my mind kept going back. To the feeling of freedom.

#deep #poetry #i love you #love #heartbreak #fanart #truestory #old money #luxury #rich #millionaire #wealthy #rivals to lovers

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