#last minute flights charlotte

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[lecl3rcw]

KEEPING UP WITH THE LECLERCS | Leclerc brothers x sister! reader

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Pairings: Charles, Arthur, Lorenzo Leclerc x sister! reader (model reader)

Summary: As Arthur and Y/N are on live together, Arthur accidentally spills his guts on Y/N crush on this mystery man, who is this man? And what will her brothers’s reaction be.

Warnings: I’m using meeya dugied’s photos as a reference! But reader has no faceclaim!

Author’s note: WHOO it’s been a while, hope you guys have been well, I just wanted to say Thankyou for being so patient with me, I’ve had a lot going on in my life but just know your requests are in the process of being finalized! I’m the meantime, this is just a little short fic for everyone!

____________________________________________

“Do you think the chicken came first or the egg?”

“….Shut up Arthur”

The boy narrowed his eyes at his twin, the two youngest leclercs were on Y/N’s Instagram live because they were so bored and since then it’s been a blur.

“Y/N who is your favorite brother out of the 3, Lorenzo for sure” she reads out the question and answers it without hesitation.

“Girllll whats up your ass today, did Jo-” before he could say more, the girl quickly covers his mouth, “Shut the fuck up Arthur! I swear I’m never telling you anything again!” She says, pushing his face out of the frame.

“Ouch! See guys this is what happens when you’ve had the fattest crush on this dude named J-” She interrupted him once more.

“Ok everybody! That’s it for this live, Thankyou so much for keeping us entertained and I hope you all have an amazing day! Love you” she says quickly before turning the live off.

“You’re actually such a cunt Arthur” she says as she pushes him again.

“What? It’s not like I said his name” he responds standing up

“it’s not your place Hoe” she responds standing up.

“Whatever girl, talk to the fucking hand” he says raising his hand in the most sassy way possible before walking off.

What in the sassy men apocalypse, she shook it off and just allayed down on the couch, before she got a text.

She rolls her eyes again, “I’m so sick of them” she scoffs.

She smiled at the replies her tweet got, the f1 fanbase has got to be the most creative one yet to exist. Tired from scrolling, she shuts her phone down and decides to rest her eyes. However, her peace only lasted for 20 minutes as her phone rang for a Group FaceTime call. She lets out a loud groan but answers it.

“So Y/N, Tell us who this man” Lorenzo asks.

“Again, no hi, no hello” she responds.

“Y/N I swear!” Charles interrupts her.

“Oh my god, for fucks sake, it’s Jo-” Arthur starts but is immediately interrupted,

“STOP, fine, I’ll text it to you” she says before shooting the groupchat a text.

“Oh Y/N, you know that never ends well” Charles says.

“Says you? Let me ask all your ex girlfriends” she responds in a very snarky way, Charles looked taken aback.

“Ok damn girl, calm down no need to get all violent🙄” he says visibly rolling his eyes.

“Sorry Charlie, i didn’t mean that, if Alexandra and Charlotte are there tell them i love them and that they’re way better than their mans, anyways bye goodnight, have a good trip” she says.

“You too Chérie, hope your photo shoot goes well tomorrow!” Charles says before hanging up, Lorenzo adds to that with “and goodluck with J-”

“OK GOODBYE” she says hanging up, she lets out a sigh and puts her hand on her face. She gets up and does her skincare routine, and goes to sleep.

The next morning, her flight to Milan was very early so she was at the airport by 6.

She hugs Arthur, “Bye tur tur, hope your race testing goes well” he hugs back tight, “you too Y/n/n”

She hugs her mom tightly, “Love you Maman” she squeezes her, Pascale reciprocating the action. “I love you, text me when you land” her mom says, and the young girl nods. She waved one last goodbye to her mom and her brother before boarding the flight.

She makes a quick post on her Instagram before shutting her phone off for her flight.

y/n.leclerc

y/n.leclerc june with my fav people ever🫶🏻 p.s. Alexandra is the best photographer

tagged charles_leclerc, arthur_leclerc, lorenzotollotaleclerc, alexandrasaintmleux, carla.brocker, charlottedipietro, pascale_leclerc

Liked by bengals, charles_leclerc, alexandrasaintmleux, and 1,000,000 others

arthur_leclerc WHATS 4+4😝

^y/n.leclerc ATEEEEEEE

^charles_leclerc girllll more like -8

^y/n.leclerc I’m gonna beat your ass.

alexandrasaintmleux my chérie😍

^y/n.leclerc THE LITERAL LOVE OF MY LIFE😍

bellahadid let’s get married

^y/n.leclerc I’m gonna bite you☺️

leclercupdates NOT THE BENGALS LIKING

^wags4life LIKE ARIANA WHAT ARE U DOING HERE?

y/n’swhore SHES LITERALLY THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PERSON EVER😞

What the girl didn’t expect was to get a text from one of the most popular teams ever.

Bengals Hello! We would like to host a partnership with you, we wanted to invite you to one of our games as an honorary guest, you can bring up to 6 people.

……

[rhiannonsknife]

── ❆ DAY 17: christmas vacation with lottie matthews

— summary: lottie invites you to go on vacation with her and her family.

— warnings: secret relationship. gn!reader. literally just fluff. these were supposed to be only hcs at first.

the first invitation comes out of nowhere, catching you off guard one december afternoon. lottie leans against your locker, twirling a strand of her hair as she speaks to you;

“it’ll just be us, my parents, and the insane amount of christmas decor they insist on putting up,” she says, though there is a slight nervous edge to her voice. she fiddles absentmindedly with the hem of her sweater, her gaze flicking to yours as if searching for a reaction. the truth is, she’s been hoping for this; hoping to spend more time with you, to have you by her side. usually, it’s just her and her parents during the holidays, the house too quiet beneath all the flashing lights and over-the-top decorations. this year could finally be different. this year, you could be there with her. if you agree to come along that is.

“it’s no big deal! we’re just going to my family’s cabin in the mountains. you’ll love it! it’s peaceful up there,” she continues.

you agree, partly because the thought of spending christmas eve with her is too tempting to resist, and partly because you can never quite say no to lottie matthews.

it’s not until you’re actually boarding the plane -her family having insisted on paying for “one of charlotte’s friends”- that you realize her idea of “no big deal” is wildly different from yours.

the flight itself is surreal already. you’re used to crowded commercial planes with tiny, cramped seats, so the first-class cabin the lottie’s family booked is the complete opposite of any flying experience you’ve ever had.

lottie notices, of course. she always does.

she tilts her head, studying you with a knowing smile. “are you okay?”

you nod. “i just…wasn’t expecting all of this” you lower your voice. “you said it was no big deal”

lottie laughs lightly. “it’s just a plane!” she says. then, after a beat, she adds: “but, uhm, thanks for coming with me. it’ll be nice to have someone there”

when you land and step out into the frosty mountain air, you’re struck yet again by how absolutely not “no big deal” this is: the cabin isn’t a ‘cabin’ at all: it’s a sprawling, three-story masterpiece nestled against the snowy mountainside, its floor-to-ceiling windows glowing warmly in the evening light. you honest to god thought these kind of places only exist in winter magazines or on postcards.

lottie watches your reaction from the corner of your eye as the car pulls up to the front. “bigger than you expected?” she teases, but there’s an audible nervousness in her voice, like she’s worried you’ll find it too much.

“way bigger,” you admit as you take it all in. she huffs a small laugh, brushing her fingers against your leg in the backseat when no one is looking.

much like the exterior, the inside of the “cabin” could be straight out of some holiday movie: sleek yet warm, with high ceilings and wide-open spaces that still manage to feel cozy. there’s a stone fireplace, and tasteful christmas decorations that look like they’ve been arranged by a professional (they might as well have been).

you step inside first, breath catching slightly, and lottie lingers behind you. as she steps over the threshold, her gloved hand finds the small of your back.

“that’s-“ you begin, at a loss of words. “you weren’t kidding about the decor”

lights twinkle softly against the pine garlands wound around the staircase railing, and a towering tree stands proudly in the corner of the living room.

lottie’s parents make a brief appearance, sweeping through the front hall as they already talk about some last-minute errands and plans to catch up with old friends in town, their tone polite but distant. exactly as you expected. they offer smiles that don’t quite reach their eyes and a few murmured pleasantries before they’re out the door again.

the sound of the car pulling away lingers for a moment before lottie lets out a long sigh. she unwinds her scarf and tosses it onto a nearby chair.

“is it always like this?” you ask gently.

“what do you think?”

you don’t have an answer, so instead, you step closer, closing the distance between you. gently, you reach up and brush a stray strand of hair behind her ear. your touch lingers when you tell her: “well now you have me here”

“yeah. now i have you.”

the days that follow are a mix of quiet intimacy and subtle luxury.

festive bliss.

mornings are slow and peaceful, with lottie insisting on being the one to make coffee, shooing you back toward the couch when you try to help. “i’ve got it,” she murmurs as she tugs the blanket tighter around your shoulders before padding off to the kitchen.

from your spot on the couch, you watch her move through the kitchen, the sound of coffee brewing filling the quiet air. lottie is dressed in an oversized sweater that falls just past her hips, sleeves bunched up as she works, her thick socks muffling the soft shuffle of her feet.

when she returns, two cups in hand, she settles beside you and hands you yours. “see? perfect,” she says.

you laugh softly, pressing closer to her as the two of you sip your drinks in comfortable silence. lottie tucks her feet beneath the blanket and leans her head against your shoulder, her body warm against yours.

“we don’t have to do anything today,” she reminds you every morning. “no schedules, just us!”

you could spend hours like that, curled up by the fire or watching the snow drift lazily outside the massive windows.

afterward, the two of you bundle up in layers and step outside. the air is cold, your breath visible in short puffs. lottie insists on taking a short walk around the property each day, claiming it helps her clear her mind. hand in hand, you navigate the snowy trails, laughing as you each slip and slide on spots where ice glistens beneath a thin blanket of powder.

at night, the cabin feels even cozier. the christmas tree lights cast a warm glow across the room, and lottie always gravitates toward you, pulling you onto the couch with her to cuddle “come on,” she’ll say, her voice insistent as she pulls you closer.

like that, lottie curls up against your side, her head resting comfortably on your shoulder as you flip through old photo albums she’s dug out from one of the bookshelves.

“that’s me!” she points out, tapping her index against one of the photographs and you can’t help but smile at the sight of a much younger lottie: small and grinning, her hair pulled back in two pigtails. “look how tiny i was!”

by the time her parents return in the evenings, you’re both so settled into your little bubble of warmth that their presence feels almost like an intrusion. they always seem too busy to notice much, though, and for that, lottie is grateful this once. the sound of them bustling through the front door or calling out vague greetings hardly registers; neither of you move from where you’re curled up together, limbs tangled in a way that’s just a bit too close to be purely platonic.

if her parents notice the proximity at all, the way lottie’s hand lingers on your arm or how your fingers absently trace patterns against her back, they don’t say anything. they’re too preoccupied with their own evening routines to look closely, anyway.

there are enough rooms in the house that you’re offered a spare guest room. without knowing what else to say, you accept. but each night, after her parents announce they’re going to bed, their footsteps fading down the hall, you wait. you listen for the house to settle, the sounds of distant doors closing, and then, once you’re sure that they’re in bed, you slip back out into the hallway.

by the time you reach lottie’s door, it’s already cracked open. she’s waiting for you, knowing you’d come and now perched against the pillows. “there you are!”

you grin as you pad across the room and slide beneath the covers with her. lottie immediately pulls you close, her arms slipping around your waist as you get comfortable as her little spoon. she presses her face into your shoulder, her breath warm against your skin. “it’s too cold in here without you,” she mumbles.

you laugh quietly, trying not to wake her parents down the hall.

neither of you says much after that, the silence between you comfortable. when you finally drift off, the sound of her soft breathing at your back is the last thing you hear.

on christmas eve, lottie’s parents insist on a formal dinner, the table set with fine china and candles that flicker gently. it’s the most you’ve heard them talk all throughout your stay; her mother is asking you polite questions about school, your plans for the new year, and occasionally prying into your family traditions. her father cracks dry jokes that make lottie roll her eyes but don’t seem to faze him in the slightest.

even with the slightly tense tone of the evening, there’s something surprisingly cozy about it. lottie keeps sneaking glances at you across the table, her lips curling into small smiles when your eyes meet and every now and then, her hand brushes yours under the table.

after dinner, they exchange presents already. her parents’ gifts to her are expensive, if a little impersonal: a new sweater, a pair of new leather boots….lottie thanks them politely, but it’s when she opens the small box from you that her expression truly softens.

it’s a simple bracelet, something you picked out because it reminded you of her. lottie’s cheeks flush as she fastens it around her wrist, her fingers lingering over the clasp. “it’s perfect,” she murmurs “thank you” it’s then that you want to kiss her desperately. if her parents weren’t there, watching and marveling about ‘how thoughtful your friend is, charlotte’ you would.

later, when her parents retire to bed with wishes of “merry christmas,” you and lottie settle onto the couch by the tree. the cabin is quieter now. lottie leans against you, her head resting on your chest as she fidgets with her new bracelet absentmindedly.

she lets out a soft sigh, her voice barely above a whisper. “you know…i think this is the happiest i’ve ever been on christmas,” she says, tilting her head up to look at you.

“me too,” you whisper back. you’re kissing her before you even fully realize it, your lips pressing to lottie’s. your hand slips beneath the blanket, fingers weaving into hers, the warmth of her touch grounding you as everything else fades away.

[baby-alien11]

Memories: First Public Apearance (Y/N Ulrich Universe)

taglist: @volturi-girl-imagines @dessxoxsworld @camiesully @ethanlandryluver @nowitsmissing @aliciacat20 @gabbylovesreading @nikfigueiredo @itsaaliyah2

Since the start of your relationship on end of august, you and Jack decided to keep it private except for close friends and family to have a few months of peace before having the scrutiny of the public on you, at the eyes of the world both of you were good friends who support each other, but behind close doors you were more than friends, you were lovers

And deciding that a hard launch at the last month of the year would be iconic, the Avatar: The Way of Water London premiere would be the perfect oportunity

So, while he and the rest of the cast were doing press, you and your team of stylist were organizing everything to travel to London, return to LA, and Canada

"Okay, the Club L London brown dress is already bought, we just need to try it when we arrive in London, we achieved to pull an Armani archive for LA, and the Norma Kamali will arrive the same day we do in Canada, we have all the shoes and accesories", Nora enlisted while the living room was a mess with clothes, shoes and accesories, "We got the inspiration moodboards for all the looks, and also the street looks for the three cities, we just need to organize everything"

"Do we need another suitcase?", you asked sitting on the floor in the middle of the mess, "I mean, three countries in two weeks, and I'm also staying with Jack and his mom in Virginia for the holidays"

"Just in case", Nora nodded, "We can use one for the premiere looks and another for the regular clothes"

Going to your room, you went to your closet to get another suitcase and bring it to the first floor to continue with the organization

"We'll do your nails the day before leaving to London, and we got the design ready, which is beautiful", Nora continued checking her tablet, "Make up will be provided by Charlotte Tilbury, Fenty Beauty, Rare Beauty and the Nyx Avatar Collection"

"That is a beautiful collection", Lysette, the make up artist, said, "I can't wait to play with it"

"Hey, sorry to interrumpt but there's a package for you, tornado", Skeet said entering the living room with a big box in his arms which was left in a free space in the middle of the chaos, "Biggest PR package so far"

"Holy shit", you murmured getting up to open it revealing a blue box with the title of the next Avatar movie

Smiling, you went to got your phone to send a text to the person you knew will answer your thoughts

My champ

Hey babe, I hope I'm not interrupting anything

But, can I call you?

Not even a minute after you sent those texts, your phone light up with a videocall from Jack which you were quick to answer

"Hello gorgeous", Jack greeted when he saw your face

"Hi babe", you smiled, "How's everything?"

"Good, we're having a break between interviews", Jack responded moving the phone to show his outfit

"Uh, I love the outfit", you signaled, "By the way, guess what just arrived?"

"An advent calendar? Your Casetify order? A new baking book?"

"No, no and no", you responded before moving the camera to show the big blue box, "Straight out of Pandora, it seems"

"I'm glad it arrived before the trip here", Jack smiled, "And it's more of hand picked gifts, than the regular PR box they are sending to the rest"

"In that case I can't wait to open it, any clues on what I can expect inside?"

"I just going to say that you'll love everything is inside"

"Is that Y/N?", you heard Trinity's voice off-screen, "I want to talk to her"

Seeing a bit of tussle between Jack and what seemed to be Trinity, Bailry and Jamie for a few minutes during what you went to the patio to sit in a sofa, it ended when their faces were in the screen and trying to prevent Jack from taking his phone

"Hi, guys", you smiled, "It's nice to see you"

"I miss you", Trinity said, "When are you coming?"

"My flight is in two days", you responded, "We're still organizing the luggage"

"Did you get what I sent you?", Bailey asked

"I did!", you nodded lifting your hand, "I'm already wearing the Baby Vamp Ring and the Donna bundle, and I love the blue in your hair"

"Do you want to know the end of the movie?", Jamie asked

"No, thank you", you responded

"Guys, give me my phone", Jack exclaimed while trying to grab his phone, "I want to talk to my girlfriend"

"You talk to her daily, we don't", Trinity pointed

"Guys, guys", you claimed their attention, "I promise that the moment I arrive we can talk about everything, I promise"

"Ghostface princess promise?", Bailey asked

"Ghostface princess promise", you nodded

Satisfied with that response, they gave Jack his phone back

"Hi again"

"Hi", you laughed, "I can't wait to go there"

"And I can't wait for you to be here", just as Jack was about to speak again, he was called to continue with the interviews, "I guess duty calls"

"I understand", you nodded, "Go there and be the charming boy that you are"

"I love you gorgeous"

"I love you babe"

Ending the call, you returned to the living room where things were still being organized to move the box to another part of the house with good lighting and position the phone with the light ring in a way that the box and you were visible, before starting an instagram live

"Hello dearest friends behind the screen, Y/N here, I hope you are doing well from wherever you are watching this", you greeted looking at the camera, "So, this package arrived a few minutes ago, and you know I love doing unboxings, so lets start, but first I would like to thank the Avatar: The Way of Water team for sending this"

Opening the top of the box, you were welcomed with a hand written card, which you read out loud

"Dear Y/N, in honor of Avatar: The Way of Water releasing soon we would like to sent you some gifts inspired by the incredible world of Pandora, I hope you like everything that is inside the box and make your experience of watching the movie even better, sincerely, your friends from Avatar", you finished reading to look at the camera again, "Aw, thank you guys, I really apreciate it, okay, lets see what's inside"

Leaving the card in the table next to you, you removed the blue and teal paper to start getting the things

"First we have these blind boxes, we have four of them, after the live I'll open them and upload to stories what I got, then whe have these two atokirinas which you can hang in any space you want, I love the atokirinas, they're so cute, next we have a hat, three shirts and a hoodie, we have also a Loungefly Toruk Makto wallet, plushies of an ikran, a pa'li, a palulukan and an ilu, we also got a scented candle, I love scented candles and this one smells amazing, we have a water bottle which I'm going to use for the gym, we also got an...are you serious? It's an action figure of an ikran, it's so beautiful, I love the purple and green combination and the details, and lastly we have...a LEGO of the Tree of Souls! Guys, you're spoiling me a lot! Fun fact: this is my second favorite tree, the first is the Tree of Voices, but it was destroyed, someone has a video of me crying while watching that scene, well, I would like to thank the team of Avatar for these wonderful gifts, I love them so much, I'm so grateful for them and I'm going to enjoy them so much, also for everyone seeing this, don't forget to watch the movie on cinemas on december 16, I'm sure we are going to love it, love you guys, until next time"

Finishing the live, you put everything in the box again to return to the living room and continue with the packing, this time adding the hoodie in everyone of your airport outfits

When the day of the flight came, and after a ten and a half hours flight, you along with the team of stylists and yours and dad's publicist arrived at London during the afternoon, getting on the van that was sent to go to the hotel were everyone was staying

Arriving at the hotel and getting all the luggage out of the van, your group entered t go to the lobby and get the rooms

"Anna", you exclaimed when she entered the lobby to hug her

"Hi angel", she smiled hugging you back, "I'm so glad you arrived in time"

"I'm also glad to be here", you nodded once the hug ended, "How's everything and everyone?"

"Good, they in the middle of the last interviews of the day", Anna responded while both you returned to the reception, "Tomorrow is the last day and then the next day is the premiere"

Returning to the reception, you filled a form of registration because you'll be staying in the same suite as them, so after they gave the extra key and the rest of your team got theirs, all of you went to the elevators to go to the floors where everyone was staying

While the team stayed in a floor below with the rest of the other teams, you went to the floor were all the cast and part of the crew with their families were staying to walk thought the hall until you and Anna reached the correct door that she opened it helping you with one of your suitcases, even thought if you insisted on carry the two suitcases and the tote bag

"Here's our room", Anna said closing the door, "My room is the one on the left, and Jack and yours is on the right, I think Butters is still eating"

Entering the suite, you saw Butters eating in the dinning room table who at the moment you aproach to scratch him, left his food to greet you because he hasn't see you in a few weeks

"Hi, baby", you said in a small voice scratching him between the ears, "Are you being a good boy? Yes, you are"

"He's enjoying having the room by himself almost all the day", Anna commented, "We often return and he's sleeping in different parts of the whole place"

"Mr Butters is living his best life", you joked

"Angel, do you mind if I leave you for a little while?", Anna asked helping you to carry your things to your room, "They only have two interviews left for the day and I usually am there"

"No, it's okay, don't worry", you assured, "I'm just going to organize my things"

After Anna left making sure you were going to be okay, you started to put some of your things in the bathroom and some of your shoes on the closet, including the sneakers you were wearing, without taking too much space

Once you finished organizing your things, you went to the small kitchen, followed by Butters walking behind you, to drink some water

"So, Butters", you talked to the sphynx cat who jumped into the counter next to you while petting him, "How's fame treating you?"

Just as Butters let a few meows and purrs, the principal door opened inmediatly followed by Jack, still in his interview outfit of the day

"Gorgeous!"

"My love!"

Running to each other, both of you met in the middle to collide into a hug, during which Jack lift you up the ground at what you circled his waist with your legs

For a few minutes, both of you stayed in the same position with your arms around his neck and legs arund his waist, while he rounded your waist with his arms, and his head on top of yours, all while Anna stayed in the entrace filming the entire thing

"I missed you", you said

"I missed you too", Jack responded now looking you in the eyes, "I was literally jumping in my seat during all the interviews just thinking about you arriving today"

"I was also hoping that the plane would go faster", you said, "But I rewatched the movie to have it fresh in my mind, and read the three volumes of 'The High Ground' on my iPad, and then I fell asleep for the rest of the flight"

"Hey, what if I go change because they'll kill me if I wrinkle the clothes and then we can talk and have some dinner?"

Nodding, Jack left you put your feet on the ground to go to his room and change to something more comfortable, while you and Anna started to order some room service for dinner

While having dinner, the three of you talked about everything that happened while being in different countries before going to sleep because of the tiring day all of you had

The next day, while Jack was being styled for the last day of press, you dressed up in a black body, a Burberry skirt, black tights and black high boots, with your hair tied with a hairclip to spend the day with your mom

After being ready and taking your stuff, the three of you went to the first floor to get breakfast at the hotel restaurant were some of the cast were eating, and noticing the table where Trinity and Bailey were, you gave your jacket and purse to Jack before walking silently to them before covering their eyes with your hands

"What's your favorite scary movie?", you said in your best impression of the ghostface voice

"The one you're going to be in", Trinity responded taking you hand that was covering her eyes, "You're here!"

Almost screaming, both girls stood from their seats to share hugs before Jamie, Britain, Filip and Duane joined when seeing the commotion, greeting you when they saw you there

"When did you arrive?", Bailey asked when all of you sat in the table

"Last night", you answered after ordering a coffee, "While you were having the last interviews of the day"

"And we decided to wait until today because all of us were tired", Jack explained with his arm around the back of your chair

"Smart choice", Britain nodded

"So, Y/N, the movie ends with-"

"Goodbye, I'm going to get breakfast", you interrupted Jamie standing from your chair

"I already told you she hates spoilers", Jack said to him before following you to the buffet

"You seriously wanted to tell Y/N Ulrich, the daughter of the first ghostface, the end of the movie?", Duane asked

"It was a joke", Jamie justified, "Besides I told a hundred people the ending"

"Yeah, but she is the ghostface princess, she's horror royalty", Bailey insisted, "And she's a baddie too"

"I heard that", you exclaimed from the buffet, "You're also a baddie and part of horror royalty, Bai"

"By the way, we got renewed for a second season", Bailey said

"I'll be seated", you responded finally returning with a plate of fruit with yogurt and another of regular breakfast food, "So, how's everyone doing?"

"Us we're good, just chilling until we have to go to the premiere tomorrow", Filip said refering to him, Duane and Britain, "Today we're just going watch some movies and going out for lunch, want to join us?"

"I appreciate the offer, but I made plans with my mom to have lunch and spend the day together", you declined, "And I also need to pick up my dress for tomorrow"

"Do you have pictures?", Trinity asked at what you nodded and gave her your phone with the picture of the dress, "It's beautiful, it's giving Evermore"

"And you haven't seen the shoes", you added, "They look like the Tree of Souls"

"Hey, kids", a member of the Avatar media team said getting close to the table, "Sorry for interrupt, but the interviews start in twenty minutes, we need to go"

Eating the most they could of their breakfast, Jack, Trinity, Bailey and Jamie stood from their seats to follow the media person and their families

"See you later, gorgeous", Jack said while sharing a hug, "Enjoy the day and say 'hi' to your mom from me"

"I will", you nodded, "Have fun and go charm everyone, spider boy"

"I love you", Jack smiled with a small kiss

"I love you", you returned the smile

"Where's our kiss?", Duane joked

"Are any of you my girlfriend?", Jack joked, now only circling your waist with an arm to watch the three of them

"No, but we spent four years together", Britain simplified, "We peed in the tank, that was a bonding experience"

"Ew", Bailey groaned, "It's more gross everytime I heard it"

"We all peed in the tank", Jamie exclaimed, "You can't denied it"

"Guys, James is saying that he personally is going to come if you aren't there in five minutes", the media person said reading the message James sent

"Big boss is calling", Trinity commented

Saying the last goodbyes, they left to continue with the last day of interviews, while the four of you returned to eat

"Do you want to see pictures of Jack during filming?", Filip asked

"Absolutely", you exclaimed, "Show me everything"

During the rest of the breakfast, they showed you photos of everyone during the filming of the movies while being careful to not spoil something, and even adding you to the groupchat "Pandora kids"

A bit after finishing breakfast and talking a bit more, you along with Nora and Rachel took a cab to go to the store to get the dress for the next day; arriving at the front of the store, you noticed your moms car parked outside the store and she reclined against it

"Mom", you exclaimed running to her

"Hi baby", Georgina smiled hugging you tightly, "I'm happy to see you here, you look beautiful, I love the outfit"

"Thank you", you smiled twirling a little

Entering the store, they lead the four of you to a private area where the dress was hanging on the wall, with a few couches, small tables, a changing area and a big mirror

"It's even more beautiful in person", you squealed aproaching to saw it better, "I can't wait to try it"

Going to the changing room with the consultant, you changed from your clothes to the dress before stepping out and stand in front of the mirror

"You look stunning", Georgina smiled taking pictures with her phone

"How does it feel?", Nora asked helping you with the heels

"It's comfortable", you responded looking at yourself in the mirror, "I love the fabric, the shape, the color, the slit"

"Can we close the slit?", Georgina joked

"Mom!", you laughed

"And the best part, is that no one has worn it to any red carpet, premiere or event", Rachel, your publicist, said, "And the shoes and the nails are the perfect contrast against the brown"

"With all the complete styling tomorrow it will be perfect", Nora pointed, "I can already picture it"

After returning to your regurlar clothes and while they were packing the dress, you decided to check some things they had in there which end up in buying some things

While leaving the store and waiting for a cab, Nora and Rachel took the dress and the things you bought to take them back to the hotel, while you and Georgina drove to another part where there were stores and coffee shops to walk around

"So, are you excited for tomorrow?", Georgina asked with her arm around your shoulders, "The premiere and making the relationship public"

"Yeah, I can't wait to not hide anymore", you smiled, "Also excited because I know the movie is going to be incredible, by the way, Jack says 'hi'"

"I'm so happy that you found someone who loves you a lot, he's a good guy, and respect of the movie, I literally see giant posters of the characters in every street"

Laughing, both of you continue to walk until she stopped in front of a Hérmes boutique confusing you a bit

"Quit that face, you got three premieres to attend", Georgina joked, "I wanted to give you an early christmas present, and I know you dream of having a Birkin bag some day and that you have to have a sales history, so I decided to get you the first item"

"Thank you so much, mom", you almost sobbed hugging her, "It really means a lot"

"Anything for you, little one"

Entering the boutique, a sales associate aproached with a kind smile

"Miss Cates, welcome", the sales associate greeted, "I'm Irene, I will be your sales associate for the appointment"

"Thank you so much, the appointment is for my daughter, I want her to choose something she likes"

"Hi, I'm Y/N, nice to meet you", you said shaking her hand

Walking around the boutique and seeing the things they offered, until you decided to try some sandals for tomorrow in case you wanted to change shoes for the after party, and also because they were stunning

During the rest of the day, both of you walked around some of the streets and having lunch at a nice restaurant (in which you decided to bought pastries for everyone), before continue with the walk and some shopping in between, until it was time for you to return to the hotel to be in time for the dinner that was organized before the premiere tomorrow

"I wish I could be here tomorrow with you", Georgina sighed while hugging you

"I share the feeling, mom", you said, "But I understand that you have a very important photoshoot"

"But I promise I would have all my twitter and instagram notifications on to see you on the carpet"

After saying goodbye again and making sure that you were inside the hotel, Georgina left while you walked towards the elevator to leave your shopping spree in the room and retouch your make up

"Hello baby Butters", you exclaimed closing the door and leaving the bags in the kitchen table to see the cat waking up from his nap in the back of the couch, "I bought you something to be elegant and cute"

Going through one of the bags, you pulled out a red collar and a pair of glasses for cats and getting them closer so he can sniff them, and having his seal of approval, you put the items on him carefully before taking photos of him and then carrying him in front of the mirror and putting your glasses and taking a few photos of both of you

"We look amazing", you declared sending the photos to Jack and Anna before putting the cat in your lap

Fortunately, the retouch only consisted in removing your jacket, re-aplying your lipstick and releasing your hair from the hairclip and brushing it, so when Jack and Anna returned from the last day of interviews, the three of you went to the first floor where the dinner will be held in a conference room

Arriving there, Anna went to talk to some of the parents while you and Jack walked around the room to find a table, until he saw someone

"Come, I want you to meet someone", Jack smiled walking you towards a small group, "Sig!"

Knowing who he was calling by the nickname, you almost froze in your place if it wasn't for Jack's arm around your waist guiding you towards her, who stopped her conversation to turn to look at both of you with a smile on her face

"Queen Sigourney", you murmured still in shock

"Sig, this is my girlfriend, Y/N", Jack presented both of you

"I've heard so much about you", Sigourney speaked hugging you while you were still in shock, "I'm so happy to meet you"

Separating from the hug, you were still in shock but you gained the hability to speak again

"I'm a great fan of you, it's an honor to meet you", you said not noticing how Jack slipped away, "I'm sorry if I sound like a fangirl, it's just that I admire you a lot, and Alien was the first horror movie that I saw, and I'm sorry if I started rambling"

"That's okay, don't worry", Sigourney laughed, "I also act like that when I met someone that I admire"

"Okay, now I feel a bit calm", you joked, "And I would also like to tell you, that in high school I wrote an essay about you"

"I think that is the best compliment I recieved, what was the name of the essay?"

"'How Sigourney Weaver as Ellen Ripley influenced on the future final girls', and I got an A+ and I was published in the school newspaper along with the other perfect grades"

"If you don't mind I would love to read it"

"Of course! I'll send it to you"

After exchanging numbers, you sending her the essay, talking for a bit more and taking a few photos together, you went to the table where Jack was sitting talking with Duane

"I think I just died and came back to life", you said sitting in the chair next to Jack who was quick to put his arm around your shoulders at what you put your head on his shoulder

"How was the conversation?", Duane asked

"It was like talking to an angel, I swear I was going to fade at any moment, especially because she asked to read my essay about her, and now I have her number on my phone"

"How did you save her?", Jack asked this time

"The only correct answer is 'Queen Sigourney'", you smiled, "And then she saved me as 'The cutest Ulrich', this is one of the best days of my life"

Noticing how James Cameron and Jon Landau were stepping into the small stage with mics on his hands, everyone went to sit at their tables, which include Duane going to the table where his family was, and Anna sitting with you two

"Here's my boy", Stephen Lang said clapping Jack on his back before sitting on his other side, "How's everything going?"

"Good, good, everything's good", Jack nodded, "I wanted to introduce you to someone, this is Y/N, my girlfriend"

"It's nice to finally meet you, Jack has told me a lot about you", Stephen said shaking your hand

"It's nice to meet you too", you smiled, "I'm such a great fan of your work, especially 'Don't Breathe', it's one of my favorites"

"Big fan of horror, I see", Stephen pointed

"I guess it's in my blood", you joked causing everyone to laugh

Interrupting the small conversations, James and Jon gave a speech thanking everyone for being part of the project and things like that, and anouncing a small karaoke between the boys and the girls

"Y/N, you're with us!", Bailey exclaimed from her table

"Of course I am!", you exclaimed back

Running to the stage, the boys choose 'I Want It That Way' and 'Everybody' from The Backstreet Boys (Britain wanted to die from embarrasment during the whole thing) while the three of you choose 'Bad Blood' and 'Look What You Made Me Do' from Taylor Swift, while the adults were having fun watching the small battle

The next day, which was the premiere, all of you took the oportunity to woke up a bit late until the glam teams arrive to start the prepearing for the afternoon, and it seemed like the rest had the same idea because while having a little brunch thanks to the room service, all of the younger cast came to the room to grab from the box of pastries you bought the day before

When the glam teams arrived and while they started to prepare the things and the outfits, each of you took a shower before sitting to get ready, except for Jack who at the moment was wearing face masks sitting on the couch while playing with Butters

During the process of the hairstyle, your phone started to ring with a groupal videocall from your dad and siblings, which you were quick to accept inmediatly seeing their faces

"Hi everyone", you greeted

"There's the fashion icon of the family", Jakob exclaimed with Megan by his side from their house, "What time is it there?"

"Three twenty-two", you responded

"Here is seven twenty-two", Skeet said taking a sip of her coffee, "How's London?"

"Fortunately, not as cold as I thought, by the way, say 'hi'"

Moving your phone, you pointed at everyone in the room who were happy to greet your family at the screen

"Everyone looks beautiful", Naiia exclaimed, "What time is the premiere?"

"Starts at six, and we have to arrive before nine", Jack said at what you turned the camera to his face again, "We're going to run on caffeine and energy drinks"

"With responsability", Anna pointed at what you moved the phone to her direction, "Only a coffee and an energy drink per premiere"

"Anna, you're a saint only for dealing with those two", Jakob joked causing everyone to laugh

"Especially after tons of caffeine", Skeet continued

After talking for bit more the call ended to let all of you to continue to get ready, when Anna was ready, it was Jacks turn to get ready, while they finished your make up, they started to prepare everything to dress you

"Y/N, it's time", Nora said with tape and scissors

"I thought we were going to use the strapless bra", you frowned

"We don't want to take the risk of the bra falling off mid-premiere so the tape is better", Nora explained

Sighing, you got up from your chair to follow her along with Lysette and Tessa to your room

"Wish me luck", you said before closing the door

"Good luck!", the rest exclaimed

Getting into the tape and dress took twenty minutes, during which you talked with them about random topics, after putting the dress, the four of you got out to see Jack in his suit ready for the premiere while you were still putting on the accesories, shoes and prepearing your purse and the emergency sandals

Once your look was ready, they took a few profesional photos for social media, before getting to the lobby and into the van to go to the premiere

Arriving there, all of you got out of the van and walk a bit hearing people going crazy by seeing the two of you holding hands, before stopping to wait to your turn for the press photos

When it was your turn, both of you walked to the first part of the carpet to let them take photos of you side-hugging, which some of them ended up in both of you looking at each other laughing and smiling, even sharing small kisses on the cheeks and lips, and then some of them were individually

Letting him take photos with the rest of the cast, you followed Rachel to the press area where a reporter from 'People' was waiting to interview you

"Y/N Ulrich! Look at you!", the reporter exclaimed making you laugh, "You never disapoint with your looks, can we talk about this one, if you don't mind?"

"Of course", you smiled, "This whole look is inspired by Jacks character, Spider, this Club L London brown dress represents his costume, the blue accesories the painted blue stripes, the hair is also an interpretation of his hairstyle, the nails are also na'vi themed, and the shoes, I don't know if you can see them, but I bought them because they reminded me of the Tree of Souls"

"I absolutely have no words for your creativity"

"Thank you so much, and it was a team effort with my styling team, they are my fairy godmothers"

"That's a beautiful way to refer to them, now, speaking of the movie, the first one came in 2009 and now in 2022, we're finally seeing the second one and also we have three more movies in the way, how does it feels to be able to see the franchise expand?"

"It's amazing, and I'm not going to lie, I saw the first movie for the first time early this year during one of Jack and I's dates, and I ended up mesmerized by the amazing world that James and Jon created along with the cast and crew, and knowing the effort everyone put during this years of production it adds more value"

"What do you expect to see in the movie?"

"First of all, I don't want to see Neytiri suffering, my girl deserves a break and a nice vacation after everything that happened in the first one, and also I can't wait to see the new part of Pandora, which is Awa'atlu and the metakyinas"

"Well, thank you so much for this interview, it was a pleasure to talk with you, you look incredible, and also congratulations on your relationship with Jack"

"Thank you so much, you look beatiful as well, enjoy the night"

After doing two more interviews, you saw that the cast was doing their interviews, so you went with Anna to keep her company

"How's it going?", you gretted them intervining your arm with hers

"It feels gratifying to see everything became real, I feel proud of him", Anna said a bit emotional

"You have every right to be, you have been with Jack since the beggining, it's a full circle moment", you responded putting your head on her shoulder

After Jack finished his interviews (in which you joined him for two), everyone entered the teather to finally watch the movie

"Y/N, last chance for me to tell you the ending", Jamie joked while all of you walked into the teather

"Not going to happen", you denied, "We're litearlly about to see the movie and I won't let anyone, speacially you, tell me the ending"

"That was hot", Jack murmured in your ear while hugging you from behind

"Thank you", you smiled

Entering the teather, you grabed a bag of butter popcorn and a package of red twists to go sit with Anna, while the cast went to the front to share a few words before the movie

In the end, the movie completely broke you (it was luck that your make up was waterproof) so much that even James Cameron aproached to see if you were okay and to invite you to the set when filming starts again

[toasttt11]

meeting charlotte

Quinn pushed the stroller towards his car he was renting for a few days, the airport very bare and quiet from quarantine. Quinn having waited three months since the birth of charlotte till he could fly to michigan where his family was all quarantined together at the lake house.

Quinn having chosen to stay in Vancouver when covid started as he was waiting for his daughter to be born.

He unlocked the car clipping the bottom of the car seat onto the backseat and slipped Charlotte car seat from the stroller and onto the bottom connection, He leaned pressing a gentle kiss to his sleepy baby’s head before turning and folding the stroller down and opening the trunk of the car. He slid in the stroller and the two suitcases.

Quinn walked to the drivers seat sliding in throwing his backpack and Charlotte’s diaper back on the passnger seat before connecting his phone starting his playlist before starting the car and getting on the road to the lake house.


The car ride was peaceful the only sound in the car, the low volume of the music before Quinn pulled up into the long driveway and shutting off the car. He grabbed the diaper bag putting it over his shoulder as he hopped out of the drives sets walking to the back door and opening to seeing his precious daughter eyes just fluttering open having fallen asleep during the last hour of their flight.

“Hey Charlie girl, you ready to meet your family?” Quinn gently cooed down to his daughter unblocking her from her cat seat and picking her up, Charlotte rested her head on his chest making a sound after he finished talking. “Yeah let’s go meet these crazy people.”

It’s been three months since she was born and quarantine was a little more open where he could fly home so his family could finally meet their newest member, and where they could finally learn her whole name, Quinn wanting to wait for them to know the middle name till they met her.

Quinn walked up to the front door knowing he had a key but knocked, its was barely a minute before he heard a pair of footsteps rushing to the door and it opening revealing Luke, his baby brother who’s grown so much in the last few months of not seeing each other.

Luke gasped when he saw her and slowly started smiling, Charlotte peeked her eyes up from her fathers chest seeing her uncle for the first time she titled her head putting her hands towards him, Luke looked at Quinn for permission who just smiled.

Luke gently put his hands under her arms gently holding Charlotte close to him, “Hi, I’m your uncle luke.” Charlotte smiled up at him putting her hands on his cheeks making Luke laugh.

Quinn wacthed with a fond look glad his daughter was already comfortable with her uncle. Something he’s been worried about for a little while.

Ellen, Jim and Jack saw the door opened and quickly walked over knowing Quinn and Charlotte was coming.

Ellen gasped in delight being her hands to face seeing her granddaughter for the first time, She slowly brought out a hand brushing her cheek making Charlotte turn her head towards Ellen, “Aren’t you just the most beautiful thing ever.” Ellen cooed at her first grandchild who was watching her grandmother in her uncle luke’s arms.

Jack peaked over Luke’s shoulder catching Charlotte’s attention, He smiled down at his niece who was watching him curiously, She slowly reached her tiny hand up towards Jack and brought her finger towards his nose and booping Jack’s nose making Jack scrunch his nose and that made Charlotte throw her little head back giggling and she clapped her hands together.

Jack slowly chuckled watching Charlotte reached her hand out against towards his nose and booping it again and laughing again.

Quinn smiled seeing Charlotte so happy with their family and glad to see she is comfortable.

Luke saw Jack still watching Charlotte laugh and turned around reluctantly handing Charlotte to him, Jack smiled gently holding Charlotte he turned around with her in his arms and letting his Dad see her.

Jim brushed a hand over her already bright blonde hair and little curls smiling at his granddaughter getting a smile in response from her.

Ellen saw the fond and lovingly look on her eldest son’s face and walked over pulling her son into a tight, “You done well Quinny.” Ellen whisperer to her son pulling back cupping his face.

“Thank you Mom.” Quinn smiled glad his mom thinks that.

“Alright i think that Miss Charlotte needs to see all her presents.” Ellen grinned turning around to look at Charlotte who peaked up at her grandmother.

“Mom you didn’t have-“ Quinn fondly shook his head.

Ellen tsked cutting him off, “Nonsense Quinny.” Ellen walked over and gently took Charlotte from Jack and started walking to the living room letting the boys say hello to Quinn.

Ellen waked into the living room seeing all the presents they wrapped, a lot of the stuff Ellen thought would be a good idea to have at the Lake house and not have to fly with it everytime but then a lot of toys and stuff animals as well and of course lots of and lots of clothes.

Jack, Jim and Quinn walked into the living room gaining Charlotte attention and she instantly did an adorable little screech looking up at Quinn.

“What Charlie girl.” Quinn grinned towards his daughter knowing that’s the sound she makes when she wants him. He walked over taking his daughter from his mother’s arms.

Charlotte made a satisfied hmph sound and leaning her cheek against her dad’s chest. Quinn kissed the top of her head and gently swayed with her.

Ellen proudly smiled watching her son become such an amazing father and doing it all alone as well.

Luke came walking back into the room with his hands behind his back, he walked towards Charlotte and got her attention and moving his hands from behind his back and shaking her a grey soft shark, Charlotte eyes seem to light up and her hands made grabby motions towards the shark, Luke smiled watching her grab the shark and cuddle with it against Quinn’s chest.

“Thank you Moose, she loves it.” Quinn smiled clapping his not so little, little brother on the shoulder.

Jack smiled hopping onto the couch next to his parents, “So Quinny when do we get to know her full name?”

Quinn turned towards them, “It’s Charlotte Ej Lucia Jacklyn Hughes.” He smiled seeing the various emotions go through all four of them.

“Ha! Told you Jack is a good name!” Jack smugly grinned having told Quinn since he found out about Quinn getting someone pregnant that Quinn should name them Jack, but truthfully he was happy to know Quinn cared to choose a name similar to his for his niece.

“Ej?” Jim raised an eye brow having an idea whats its for.

“Yeah for you and Mom.” Quinn explained seeing the mist in his mom’s eyes, he smiled slightly towards her making her nod in return.

“Lucia is a pretty awesome name.” Luke grinned looking down at his niece who was watching him while she cuddled her shark.

Quinn sat on the couch holding his baby with Luke sitting next to him, Ellen got up grabbing some presents and setting them next to Quinn and Charlotte. Quinn sent his mom a smile before picking a present up and holding it towards Charlotte who was looking it at and then looked at Quinn, Quinn smiled down at her nodding towards the box.

Ellen wrapped most the presents very light so Charlotte could easily pull the paper off.

Charlotte opened the first one making her happy screeching sound at the sight of a mini stick, Quinn chuckled, “You love your sticks huh?” Quinn having bought a mini stick before she was even born and she’s obbessed with it.

“She’s a Hughes.” Jack smiled glad that she already loves something with hockey, of course he would support her if she wanted to do something else but he hopes she love hockey like how their whole family does.

Quinn picked up the next box, holding it for her to open, revealing a whole box of clothes that he knew his mother bought.

Quinn looked towards his mom who gave him an innocent shrug, “What it’s about time i get a girl in this family.”

Quinn just smiled before grabbing another box and they continued to do this for awhile just seeing all the toys, stuffed animal, clothes anything that they had all picked out for Charlotte.

“Thank you really.” Quinn looked at his family in appreciation, He looked down at Charlotte who was holding Luke’s hand and her shark, “Charlie girl how do we say thank you?” Quinn knowing she is only making babbles and not words yet but is very smart and great at understanding things, She looked up at her father before leaning over and kissing Luke’s cheek. Quinn then smiled standing up being her to Jack letting Charlotte lean down kiss Jack cheek, making Jack smiled and gently boop her nose.

Quinn then brought her to his dad and she leaned down to kiss her grandfather on the cheek as well. Quinn then turned slightly letting her see his mom and Charlotte lean down and kiss her grandmothers cheek as well.

“Aren’t you just the sweetest.” Ellen smiled at her granddaughter.

“She is.” Quinn proudly smiled kissing the top his Charlie’s head before looking down at her noticing her hands moving and seeing her look at him and making a fist, something he started doing early on when she was hungry so she could tell him, “Are you hungry sweet girl.” Quinn looked down at her in question getting another little fist in a response.

Quinn walked to the couch he was at before where he set the diaper bag and pulled out her bottle that he filled up with water after she ate last, and quickly opened the formula and put a in two scoops in as she had a long nap after her last feed and is probably pretty hungry. He shook the bottle up making sure to keep swaying know Charlotte is little fussy because she’s hungry and swaying will keep her calm before she starts crying.

Quinn grabbed a burp cloth and sat on the couch back next to Luke who was watching Quinn curiously, “You want to feed her?” Quinn asked his littlest brother.

Luke nodded quickly looking excited, Quinn smiled gently handing her to Luke, who was a naturally holding his niece especially having only held a baby once before. Quinn gave him the bottle and Luke gently gave it Charlotte who quickly started drinking it.

“Good job.” Quinn smiled seeing his brother be a natural at feeding Charlotte Quinn set the burp cloth on Charlotte’s stomach, “She might be messy so you can use that to clean it up.”

Luke nodded but didn’t take his eyes off his niece making sure he’s still doing it right.

Jack walked over sitting on the floor in front of Luke resting his head on Quinn’s leg wacthing his niece.

Ellen took a picture of her boys and girl, leaning into Jim sharing a smile with him watching their family.

[brewed-pangolin]

Drabble request for Super Soap Sunday:

Origin story of the Soap MacTavish mohawk, 500 words or less...GO.

First Flight of the Scottish Hawk

Ooohhhh I love this!!! I may be one of the few that actually loves Soap's hawk, and this just gives me full range to go creatively nuts with this. Thank you!

Warnings: Mentions of loss at the end. Nothing more than ridiculous MacTavish household shenanigans throughout.

This turned into something I honestly didn't see coming. I couldn't stop writing, and I let the creativity flow through me. If you all like it enough I will expand on it more. Much love 💛

Massive thanks to @deadbranch and @d3athtr4psworld for your input.

Word count 1.4 k (Oops, got carried away again)

If there is one thing you should never do, don't ever dare John MacTavish to do anything. Period.

It's simple, really. All it takes is a few choice words and a push in the right (or wrong) direction and John MacTavish will go full beast mode.

You can thank his sister, Charlotte for the crested motif.

--

After completing basic training at the tender age of 16, John returned home with nothing but a triumphant chip on his shoulder and, more noticeably, a trimmed line of peach fuzz along his scalp.

While his mum and dad couldn't be more proud, his siblings on the other hand were chomping at the bit to get a rise out of him.

Hamish, the oldest of the boys, chimed in first.

"Ye look a'that, mum. Lil John's come back all growned up." He jabbed, before wrapping his arm around his neck forcing him into a tight headlock.

"Not n'the kitchen, Hamish! You'll break tha bloody cabinets!" Mum exclaimed while pushing her two oldest boys into the hall.

"Got'a test tha' strength ma! Can't..oofff" He was swiftly cutoff by John's elbow into his stomach. The two were now fully engulfed in a standing wrestling match.

"Fuck. Off. Hame!" Each of John's words were grittngly emphasized as he wrapped his hands around his older brothers arm.

"Gonnae be a whippin' fer the both a ya if ya donnae knock it off." Mum's warning fell on deaf ears, as this went on for another 10 minutes. By the end of it, both boys had endured the verbal wrath of a furious Catholic Scottish Maiden. (COs can't hold a candle to a pissed off mum)

The twins, Michael and David, couldn't be bothered with real world nonsense. They were too busy with the neighborhood boys playing their own version of 'modern warfare' deep in the backyard woods.

Albiet mildly gruesome in itself, fellow parents enforced a strict 'no guns' rule within the ranks. Imagination would rule the day once more. Sticks were a better option, anyway. And video games were non existent in the MacTavish household.

"Git out me sight, tha' lot'aya!" Patriarchal Rules over all.

Last, and on both ends of the birthing spectrum were Charlotte and Genevieve. John found them in their usual hiding place, the knitting room.

Genevieve, or Evie, as she was so lovingly referred to was only 4. A 'precious surprise' dubbed by mum, and the absolute light of John's eyes.

"How's my favorite lit'le lass, eh Evie?" He could never strain above a whipser when he called to her. And as he knelt down his arms stretched out and awaited her usual 'mighty bear hug'.

But it never came. As she looked him over, her precious green eyes began to water, her face slowly began to contort into a seldom seen melancholy, and then she cried.

"Smooth, Johnny." The sarcastic venom in Charlotte's words was immeasurable, yet still held within it that familiar sibling banter.

"Ooh, no Evie. It's still me. Still yer Johnny." He pleaded as he quickly tried to console her.

"Git out ya arse! Ya makin it worse!" Charlotte chided him as she knelt down to pick up her now inconsolable sister.

"Ah, c'mon Char. Donnae be like that."

Heartbroken is the only word that came to her mind. And being the oldest, she now had two 'children' to console.

"Jus' giv'er a minute, Johnny. She's only seen ya at home. Not like, this." She waved her hand at him, accentuating the difference in his appearance and demeanor. She also lessened her tone, for both their sakes. She'd make a good mother one day.

"Ya think I look tha' different, Char?"

"T'me? Nah. But I knew why yer were gone, Johnny. Evie didn't."

Of course, he'd ask only her this question. Besides their usual sibling rivalry, John looked up to his oldest sister the most. Craved for her approval above all others. Even more so than his parents at times.

"Aye. Is it tha hair, ya think? Bit of a shock t'myself if ya ask me."

"It donnae help yer cause, Johnny. Ya do look like a fuzzy bowling ball."

"Haud yer wheesht, Char!"

The playful jesting slowly began to smooth the lot of them. Evie's sobs eased into soft whimpers as she turned to face her brother once more. Her forehead rested into Charlotte's neck as her eyes once again roamed over her brothers familiar face.

"I donnae like it, Johnny." The high-pitched quiver in her voice nearly broke him to tears. He swallowed hard, forcing those feelings down into the newly formed gullet deep within his chest.

"I know, Evie. It's only fer a little while." His soft blue eyes matched hers, glistening in the dim light as they continued their conversation in wordless speech.

A slow tremble began to form in her lower lip. Quickly she released her grasp around her sister's neck and stretched out to him. It may not have been the bear hug he was expecting, but the comfort of her on his chest more than soothed that aching heart within him.

"The people've spoken, Johnny. What'ya give'm, eh? A typical buzz cut, stylish pompadour, a fricken mohawk?" Charlotte's jab struck a nerve, the evidence all over John's face as his brows furrowed in utter bewilderment.

She answered with her own expression, that sly curl to her lip that John was all too familiar with.

"Donnae do it, Char. I'm warnin' ya."

She had to. In the presence of Evie, Charlotte knew not to speak such fowl language. Silently, she mouthed and provoked him.

'I. Fucking. Dare you.'

That's it. That's all it took. The right words in the wrong direction, by the right person. John couldn't refuse. And like a baited fish, Charlotte swung him in and quickly mounted her victory atop her mental walls.

Six months passed before John returned home again. Military life suited him well. So did his new hairstyle.

It was the typical MacTavish family reunion; mum and dad always the proudest parents in all of Glasgow, ridiculous hairdo aside.

Hamish greeted him with the classic headlock, which again was followed by the verbal chastising of their Iron Maiden mother. (John would tell her one day she'd make the perfect Drill Sargeant)

The twins were currently grounded in their room for saying 'naughty words' in school. John didn't poke too hard, but got this gist it was something about 'God forsaken homework.' The usual teenage behavior.

He sought out his two favorite lasses with overwhelming vigor, finding them yet again within the walls of the knitting room.

"How's my favorite lit'le lass, eh!"

"JOHNNY!" Evie's squeal may have nearly burst his eardrums, but he would gladly go without all sound just to remember that beautiful voice.

He had barely crouched down before she swung her arms around his neck, throwing that much needed 'mighty bear hug' against him.

"Easy Evie, ya ain't such a lit'le lass anymore." His playful strain made her tighten the death grip around him, and he gleefully recipricated.

“Ha? Th’army turnin out softies now, eh?” Charlotte called from the corner as she effortlessly hung her newest knitted masterpiece on the wall, a large afghan in the most brilliant forest green hues.

“Awa’ an bile yer heid, Char.”

“Watch it, Johnny. Tha lit’le rapscallion on yer shoulder gotten a knack fer echoin th’lot of us. Gonnae be eatin soap fer dinner if she keeps it up, yeah.”

Evie strained her neck and forcefully stuck out her tongue in retaliation. The banter was a welcome grief to John. He’d never admit it, but he missed his daily chastising from his oldest sister during those hard days in the field. CO’s could learn a thing or two from the scolding mouths of a MacTavish woman. 

“Ya lookin good, Johnny. Besides the rooster crest. What’re they callin’ya, ‘Mornin Wood?’”

“That’s classified.” The bite in his retort didn’t go unnoticed.

“Ohh, look a’mister fancy pants ov’r here.” Charlotte threw her hands up in taunting surprise. She’d never admit it, but she missed throwing those playful insults at him below the chest. It was an ebb and flow that no other seemed to be able to grasp.

“Donnae matter, Char. Only needs one approval, yeah. What’ya think, lass?” John turned to face the green-eyed angel within his grasp, her eyes slowly studying the features of him, finally focusing on the thick crest atop his head. 

“I like it.” 

“Thas’all I need. Gonnae keep it, yeah. Jus’ fer you, Evie.”

“Pinky swear?”

“Aye. Pinky swear.”

Her voice was the lullaby that tamed the savage beast. The silent tempest on the shores of a violent sea.

John wrapped his finger around hers and gave into the overwhelming power she had hung over him. Evie smiled, and buried her face within his neck. The vice-like grip around him doing nothing but melting that hard metallic soul growing within him.

“Ya gone’n don’it now, Johnny.” Charlotte’s quip was sharp, yet softened as it flowed freely through the air.

John responded in equal softness, an eerily reminiscent silent jab.

‘Fuck. You.’

25 years and a full military career later, Captain John ‘Soap’ MacTavish sat lonely at the bar, pondering the ice within its liqoured embrace and watched as the waves of liquid slowly melded within themselves. He was within pleasant company, something he had truly missed over the remaining years of his career.

He heard the cadence of footsteps first, their possesor non other than the legendary John Price himself. 

“Ya know ya got to drink it for it to work, yeah.” 

“Aye. Jus’ takin my time with it.”

A somberness flowed freely through them, no longer wanting or needing to keep old wounds bound and at bay. Price scanned the crowd once over before returning his gaze to the scarred and crested veteran, both looking more worse for wear within the golden age of their careers.

“Ya know, Soap. I’ve known ya for over 20 years. And somehow I never thought to ask.”

Price paused as Soap brought the cold and perspiring glass up to his lips.

“Why do ya keep the mohawk?”

Soap turned to face his war hardened comrade. A silent shock washed over him as the quiet memory of her surfaced into the realm of his periphery. He sat motionless for a moment, spinning the glass within his hands as her name gracefully returned to the soft tissue of his lips.

“Evie. I kept it for Evie.” It felt like a hymn, to speak her name again after so many years of silence. The sound of it wafting into the wooden rafters before cascading and disappearing into the boisterous cacophony around the bar.

“Who’s Evie?”

“She was my sister.” Soap’s chest tightened as the words fell out of his mouth. 

“Was?”

The slip of the tongue caught him off guard. Soap met Price’s gaze and held within it a cold blue steel. 

“Touchy subject.” Price titled his glass, and gave him a friendly pat on the shoulder before leaving him alone again at the bar with his thoughts. 

An ache formed within his heart. A void that was filled with her memories and locked away from the world's prying eyes. 

His fingers slowly turned the tumbler on the weathered bar while his eyes slowly began to focus on the smallest finger of his hand. Bringing it up to his face he studied its features as a chemist studies the inner workings of molecular bonds.

The slightest curl of a smile formed on the corner of his mouth as the sound of her voice ricocheted within the recesses of his mind. And the green, those bright green eyes like the mossy hills of the Scottish highlands. 

Edited 2/5/24 to include remastered Soap Squad 🧼

“Pinky swear, Evie.”

@deadbranch @sofasoap @d3athtr4psworld @punishmepunisher @jynxmirage @glitterypirateduck @astraluminaaa @shotmrmiller @obligatoryghoststare @homicidal-slvt @ghosts-goldendoodle @a-small-writer-in-a-big-world @writeforfandoms @tacticalanxiety @simpingoverquestionablemen @queen-ilmaree @havoc973 @foxface013 @sadstone-s @haurasha @mykneeshurt @designateddeadend @luismickydees @kkaaaagt

[saintmeghanmarkle]

Recycling old snits to kick Catherine again: Revealed: Meghan Markle's reality TV star friend Garcelle Beauvais made jibe at Kate Middleton for missing Lilibet's birthday by u/Von_und_zu_

Recycling old snits to kick Catherine again: Revealed: Meghan Markle's reality TV star friend Garcelle Beauvais made jibe at Kate Middleton for missing Lilibet's birthday Why is the DM prominently running this stupid story about this Garcelle person's comments uttered in June 2022, on E!'s Daily Pop talk show about her opinion as to the failure of William and Catherine to drop everything to attend the putative female child's birthday party in June 2022 during the Platinum Jubilee. And, I guess they also missed the chance to be photographed by sycophant Misan and appear in the NF mockumentary as photos from this "party" were splashed about strategically by Madame after the fact.Btw - am I the only person who does not have a clue about this Garcelle person? Just like I had never heard of Megsy until she had been dating Harold, I've never heard of her before the jam crap. Now, I consider her pre Markled and toxic.Garcelle Beauvais, known for her stint on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, has become the latest famous fance to join the exclusive 'jamfluencer' club alongside Chrissy Teigen, Heather Dorak, Tracy Robbins and Kris Jenner.Garcelle, who lives in Northridge which is a 80-minute drive to Montecito, has previously spoken about the royal family feud and opened up about her thoughts on The Prince and Princess of Wales.Garcelle said it was it was 'shady' for the future King and Queen to miss their niece Lilibet's first birthday, which she celebrated at Frogmore Cottage in Windsor in 2022 during the late Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee.On the day, Wiliam and Kate were in Wales representing his late grandmother by overseeing concert rehearsals at Cardiff Castle, joined by Prince George and Princess Charlotte - who undertook their first official royal walkabout.***However, Garcelle said it was it was 'shady' for the future King and Queen to miss their niece's birthday, despite being on official duty.The 57-year-old said: 'What's going on is, "What a coincidence, we're out of town, I'm washing my hair". There's a little shade there.' When she was asked whether the scheduling could be a coincidence, Garcelle replied: 'No. They can't hold back the flight a couple of hours to meet Lilibet and Archie?'The reality star has since proved her closeness to Meghan after she bagged herself jar number 15 of the royals' American Riviera Orchard Jam, and uploaded a picture of the jar resting on a bunch of vibrant, yellow lemons.She captioned the post 'Sweetness' with a lemon emoji and tagged the American Riviera Orchard Instagram. Only 50 of Meghan's closest celebrity pals got sent a limited edition jar of her jam as part of her 'soft launch' to the brand.What?! How charming to equate duty and royal engagements with the "I'm washing my hair" excuse. How thoughtful to suggest inconveniencing everyone involved with the long scheduled royal engagements in favor of a last minute birthday party for someone they do not know. Of course, William and Catherine, and the entire RF should have dropped everything to show up to celebrate this child's birthday! Because of course, Harold and Madame are more important than those peasants awaiting them in Wales!It is just incredible to me that they are finding this petty crap from years ago to keep them in the news, to kick the PPoW again, to distract from any criticism of their faux royal tour to Nigeria, etc.Also, it could not be more obvious to me that someone in Montegrifto prompted/wrote this article.https://ift.tt/28XPo5J post link: https://ift.tt/cRZa9ne author: Von_und_zu_ submitted: April 30, 2024 at 04:44PM via SaintMeghanMarkle on Reddit disclaimer: all views + opinions expressed by the author of this post, as well as any comments and reblogs, are solely the author's own; they do not necessarily reflect the views of the administrator of this Tumblr blog. For entertainment only.

[dedicatednotobsessed]

Special Birthday Surprise [Ewan Mitchell x Fem!Reader]

Other HOTD stories [requests open]

A/N: Seeing mine and Ewan’s birthday is only seven days apart, I decided to post an early birthday one shot for Ewan. Hope y’all enjoy. 💚 (it’s a few days late- it was supposed to be posted on my birthday- I apologize. 😂)

Summary: Being Ewan’s longtime girlfriend, you have rarely spent a birthday without him. With filming of the second season of House of the Dragon beginning shortly before his birthday, it was believed you would not be able to spend it together….

“Oh, he is going to be so excited!”

You smiled hearing Phia gush over your birthday present for Ewan. “I know, he called me the other night saying he wished I was here,” You said giggling.

You came in on a flight last night, everyone being in on the surprise. You had called a local bakery ahead of time to make a special cake in the shape of a green dragon.

"Mama!" Your five-year-old daughter, Charlotte- or Lottie for short- whined a bit. "I want to see daddy." She pouted.

You giggled while picking up your daughter. You remembered when you first found out you were pregnant; Ewan was so excited to be a father. He had been there with you through your good times and your bad. A part of you was scared that he was not going to take the news well at all but he was beyond happy to become a father, even if you were so young at the time.

"Well, Phia is going to take us to set," You began while rubbing her back gently. "Then we're going to surprise daddy with a giant dragon cake."

Lottie pouted but nodded. The girl may have been a spitting image of you, but she was a daddy's girl through and through.

“Tom is distracting Ewan right now,” Phia spoke up as she helped you with your bags in the rental car. “He calls it operation surprise birthday party.”

You couldn’t help but giggle at the name while you got Lottie in her booster seat. “I trust Tom being a good distraction.”

You gotten along well with all of Ewan’s costars, them especially loving Lottie. It did not matter if they were Team Black or Team Green, they absolutely loved the young girl.

“Well, let’s get Operation Surprise Birthday Party underway,” You said while getting in the passenger seat.

“Yeah!” Lottie squealed causing you and Phia to giggle.

“I believe Tom and Ewan are in the middle of filming so it shouldn’t be hard to sneak everything in,” Phia explained.

You rubbed Lottie’s back as Phia led you into the big green room. You smiled seeing the banners already up and balloons set in place.

“It looks like you guys have been busy,” You said while giggling.

“Well, Fabien was a good guard dog while we set it up,” Phia stated with a small smirk.

You laughed a bit once more. "So, they should be dropping the cake off around two," You stated while checking the time on your phone. "It should give us plenty of time to finish setting everything up."

Phia blew out a breath while nodding. "I know we still need to set up the gift table still and have a few decorations to hang up."

You looked around with a small smile. You knew he was going to love this little surprise, and even love the present that you had for him. He had never been one for presents, always enjoying the company you and your daughter brought him yet this present was a special one.

"Let's get going then!" You said while tying your hair back so it was out of your face.

❈ ❈ ❈ ❈ ❈ ❈ ❈ ❈ ❈ ❈ ❈ ❈ ❈ ❈ ❈ ❈ ❈ ❈ ❈ ❈ ❈ ❈ ❈

“He should be here in about five minutes," Olivia called while walking into the break room.

You nodded a bit, placing your hands on your hips. The green dragon cake turned out to be perfect- even better than you expected. The present table was completely filled from costars that were there to costars that sent their presents in. You even were able to bring presents from his family. You wanted to make this day extra special.

“I feel like Tom needs a raise for being the distraction,” You said with a small giggle. You looked around and smiled at everyone that could make it. “Thank you guys for your help. It really means a lot to me.”

“We are always happy to help,” Phia said with a wide smile bringing you into a hug.

You smiled returning her hug, laughing as Lottie hugged your legs. The House of the Dragon cast was like a second family and you were glad they were able to help you make Ewan’s birthday special.

“They’re coming!” Fabien called turning to you with a wide smile.

You looked over as the door opened, Tom and Ewan in their Aegon and Aemond get up respectively. A bright smile came on your lips when Ewan’s blue eyes connected with yours.

“What are you doing here, Y/N?” Ewan asked, clearly shocked.

“Did you really think you could celebrate your birthday without your girlfriend and daughter?” You teased and laughed as he hugged you tight.

“Happy birthday, daddy!” Lottie exclaimed and squealed when he picked her up.

You smiled as you watched Ewan sit at the special throne you made for him. Although his character wanted to be king and couldn’t, this was the second best option being the birthday king. You took pictures of him with Lottie in his lap, the little girl just excited to be with her daddy again.

“That’s payback for the Viserys Funko,” Tom stated seeing Ewan open the present from him which was a Daemon Targaryen Funko.

Ewan chuckled a bit as he looked at it. “Well, Daemon is my favorite character so I’ll still cherish this,” He said with a wide smile.

You tilted your head and looked down at your hands with a soft smile. “There’s one more present,” You spoke up when he opened everything.

You bit your lip gently as you handed over a pink envelope before pulling out your phone to record his reaction. Ewan slowly opened it before furrowing his brows as he pulled out the pictures. You laughed a bit seeing the tears forming in his eyes.

“We’re going to have another kid?” He asked looking up at you.

You laughed and nodded with a small smile. It was the first pictures of your second baby. You were finding a good time to tell him and the perfect way was to tell him on his birthday. You smiled wide as he stood up and kissed you suddenly on the lips as everyone cheered around you.

You smiled lightly against his lips, placing a hand on his cheek. “Happy Birthday, Ewan,” You whispered kissing him once more before hugging him tight.

{tagged readers: @lxdyred }

[sleekervae]

Yoü & I [2.6]

Masterlist

A/N: The finals season is wrapping up and I'm almost finished all my projects, but I still got lots of content I'll be banging out over the holiday break. Thanks as always for sticking around!

Warnings: none

--

Charlotte could draw many parallels between Toronto and New York: tall-ass skyscrapers, streets shrouded with people all with more important places to be, homeless who begged for money on every block and a niche of street food and culture to indulge in. 

After the two hour flight into Canada, the bands took the day to decompress before their show the next day. The hotel they were staying at was beautiful, and a perk to staying in a gorgeous hotel in the dead of summer was the rooftop pool -- which Maria practically begged the girls to come with her for a 'pool day'. 

A pool day sounded like just the thing Charlotte was due for. Her hands were cramped from clutching pens and her fingers were blistered from working on the guitar so much -- a break was overdo. 

She stood in the illustriously well-lit bathroom, admiring her slim physique in the little black bikini she'd slipped on. It was a newer piece that Maria had picked out for her on a recent shopping trip, and while Charlotte wasn't so keen on how little it covered at first, the more she looked at it on her the more she liked it. 

Tying her hair into a half-assed bun, Charlotte exited the bathroom to find Chloe still lying on the bed, texting and smiling like a mad man. She didn't pay much attention to her bandmate, but Charlotte didn't mind. She watched the galaxy-haired drummer with a coy smile as she slipped on a yellow sundress.

The last time Chloe looked this giddy was just before the band had taken off -- about three years ago, now. She hadn't had much luck in the way of romance since her career had skyrocketed, much like the other girls, she was always busy traveling, tracking, writing. And when she did meet a potential interest, it didn't forego more than a week when Chloe would either loose interest or she would be ghosted for no apparent reason. 

"Who ya' talking to, Smiley?" Charlotte asked.

"Jeff the Killer," Chloe replied.

Charlotte nodded, "Well, maybe you can take two minutes away from Eva and go get your swim suit on? Before we get assaulted with Amber alerts?"

At the mention, Chloe set down her phone and glanced at the singer, "Do you think it's too early to be sending bathing suit pics?" she asked. 

Charlotte simpered, "Um -- it's been about a week, so I'd say so. Does she follow your insta?"

"Yeah,"

"Then just post it there," 

Chloe smiled, "Ah ha! The subtle thirst trap! You're a genius!"

I'm not so sure 'subtle' is affiliated with any social media, Charlotte thought to herself.

"Thank you," she replied. 

Chloe changed into her own electric red one-piece and shorts, and the girls quickly went to meet their friends at the pool. They caught a glimpse of the elevator just as it was beginning to close, growing cause for the girls to sprint. 

"Hold the door!" Chloe called. 

A hand extended out of the gap and held the doors open for the girls to rush in. And lo and behold, Luke and Michael were in the elevator as well. 

"Hey, fancy meeting you guys here," Luke grinned.

"Funny how we just keep running into each other," Charlotte smirked, "As it by fate,"

Chloe meanwhile glared down at Michael's swim trunks, "Nice shorts, Mikey," 

Michael glanced down at his blue swimmers, printed with little silhouettes of fish and turtles -- sure, at first glance they may have been more suited for a child rather than a twenty-year-old man. But Michael liked them, so what?

He, as well as Luke and Charlotte, waited anxiously for another snarky remark from Chloe, but she just looked straight ahead. She said nothing. 

"And?" he asked. 

"And what?" Chloe turned to him.

"No follow up?" 

Chloe smiled, "Oh, I have a follow up. I'm just in a good mood right now," 

"Oh,"

"... If I wasn't in a good mood, I'd ask why you were skimming through the children's section at Walmart for swim trunks," Chloe went on.

Luke snapped his fingers, "There it is," 

The pool wasn't the only highlight of the hotel's rooftop. Aside from umbrella seats, a canopy bar and a hot tub, the kids had a stunning view of downtown Toronto. Not as infinite as Tokyo and not as imperialistic as Vienna, the skyline of glass buildings reflected off of one another, creating a beautiful ripple of blues and teals that crashed against the cloudless sky above. 

Maria and Kimberly were already laid out on deck chairs, soaked in sunscreen, rays and bikini clad. Across from them were Ashton and Calum, partaking in a game of ping pong. There were no other guests on the deck, meaning they had the pool to themselves for a while.

 Kimberly pried her eyes open when she felt a shadow fall over her, scrunching her eyes and blocking the sun with her hand to find Charlotte and Chloe standing over her. The material of her own navy blue two-piece glinted in the rays.

"Yes?" she raised an eyebrow at them, prompting Maria to look over.

"You guys are no fun," Chloe chided.

"No fun? We were waiting for you," Maria said, her voice a little gravelly. 

"Our bad, but somebody just couldn't stop texting another particular somebody," Charlotte winked at the girls. Kimberly awed up at Chloe.

"Aw, how's Eva?" she asked.

"Wishing she was here instead of Syracuse, I imagine," Chloe replied, taking the deck chair next to her. Charlotte took the one on the other side of Maria, both of them stripping back down to their bikinis. 

"You guys have been talking for how long, now?" Maria asked.

"Just under a week," Chloe replied.

"And it's constant," Charlotte remarked, "I think we have reasons to be optimistic," 

"We can start getting optimistic after the three week mark. If you don't scare her away, I'll be so proud of you," Kimberly told her.

Chloe simpered back, "Your confidence in me is astounding," 

At the other end of the pool, Luke was just pulling off his t-shirt and unpacking his backpack. He had his iPhone with an audiobook he thought he would try out. He could hear his mom's voice in his head, reminding him to be sure he put on lots of sunscreen. It was ironic how he came from one of the hottest continents in the world, and yet he was as pasty as a soy bean. 

When he turned back around, reaching as best he could to slather sunscreen on his back, his line of sight fell on Charlotte. Her yellow sundress had disappeared and she was clad in a black triangle bikini, contrasting against her natural olive skin that seemed to glow under the sun. Her shapely legs crossed one in front of the other as she hunched over to shake out her hair. He had to swallow the lump in his throat when she suddenly swung around in his direction, not realizing that he'd been caught staring when his eyes locked with hers. If he had a clear view of Charlotte than she had a clear view of him. 

He smiled sheepishly and waved, a tint of blush covering his face. Charlotte shook her head at him with a little smirk and put up her middle finger. Though she wasn't exactly innocent in the staring department either, and how could she not be?

"Eyes to yourself!" Chloe suddenly shouted, having caught Luke staring, too. Her outburst drew the attention of everyone else. 

Ashton giggled to himself, therefore missing Calum's backhand. The ping pong ball whizzed right by his face.

"I win!" Calum declared.

"You do not!" Ashton countered, "That went out of bounds,"

"We didn't set an out of bounds!" Calum argued. 

Ashton pointed to one of the potted plants behind him, "Yes we did. We agreed if it landed after the tree on my side, or the towel rack on your side, then it's out. Besides, Chloe distracted me,"

"Oh, boo hoo," Calum chided back, "Sore loser," 

With the others distracted, Michael took the opportunity to take a running start and do a cannon ball into the pool -- effectively splashing everybody within a metre of him. Maria and Kimberly were violently ripped from their sun bath with icy cold water droplets, while Chloe hid behind her deck chair and Charlotte covered her head. 

"Michael!" Kimberly scolded, sitting up in a huff. The guitarist remerged from the water, rubbing chlorine from his eyes and shaking out his drenched hair.

"The water's fine, guys! Come on in!" he replied.

Luke shook his head at his hyperactive friend, mouthing a 'sorry' at Charlotte before jumping in himself. Charlotte made good to stand back this time -- the other girls weren't so lucky.

"Oh, come on guys!" Maria whined, wiping cold water off her legs, "A little warning would suffice!"

Charlotte couldn't help but laugh at her friends. Sure, they were trying to have a relaxing afternoon in the sun, but hey, a pool was a pool. And since no one else was around...

Kimberly saw it coming this time, and she moved off the deck chair just in time as Charlotte jumped in after the boys. Maria grimaced when more water splattered across her face.

"Where's my --" Chloe then cannon-balled in, sending water everywhere once again, "... towel?"

There was an assortment of balls and blow up floats for the bands to fool around with -- though given the colours of the toys they were very well meant for little kids. Never the less, a game of volleyball ensued in the pool, with Charlotte and Chloe on one team and Luke and Michael on the other. Calum and Ashton's ping pong game was still in full swing, considering that Ashton demanded a rematch. Kimberly kept the score this time around and they set the boundary lines. 

Luke pitched the rubber ball to Chloe, who bunted it over to Charlotte, who spiked it back at Michael. However, Michael miscalculated where the ball would land and ended up getting knocked in the face. He fell back into the water.

"Oh, shit!" but he emerged quickly, rubbing at his nose and eyes. All attention around the pool was directed at the sudden injury. 

"You okay, mate?" Luke swam over to him. 

"Mike, I'm so sorry!" Charlotte exclaimed, thinking the worst she'd done was bruise his eye or cheek. And God knows they'd have fun explaining a heinous mark to their managers.

Michael pushed the water off his face with his hands and pushed back his sopping hair, looking dazed as he glanced around the pool, "Where am I?" he then glanced at Luke, "My God, are you gorgeous," he then broke out into a smile. Luke rolled his eyes.

"He's fine," he assured the girls, grabbing the ball and handing it to him, "Your serve,"

Meanwhile, the ping pong game was getting heated. Kimberly's head was practically moving in sync with the little white ball as it bounced between Ashton and Calum. Ashton was determined to knocked the ball past Calum but he was a swift opponent. At the next pass, Calum batted the ball just a little too hard however.

The little white ball whizzed past Ashton's head this time, only instead of hitting the ground it flew over the deck and over the railing... over downtown. The boys were stunned, Kimberly was at a loss for how to call the game. 

"So... who wins?"

They both stared down a stunned Kimberly, who only shrugged as she racked her logic, "Okay... the ball is technically... definitely out. Ashton wins by default," she decided. 

"Yes!" Ashton rejoiced, throwing his hands up. 

Calum just shook his head and threw his paddle down, going instead for the neon green floatie, "It's too hot for ping pong anyway," he slipped the floatie around his waist and took off in a little run.

"Go Calum!" Michael chanted. Calum reached the edge of the pool, but instead of a grandiose jump he simply chose to hop in. He didn't even get his head past the water thanks to the floatie. The boys broke into fits of giggles.

Maria just shook her head, "What? You afraid to get your hair wet?" she called.

Calum smirked at her, "Are you, Little Miss Sunshine?"

Maria rolled her eyes, opting to stand up and proudly show off her purple bikini set. Calum subconsciously licked his lips, which didn't go unnoticed by Luke. Maria stood at the deep end of the pool, did a little bow, and dived in gracefully. She emerged a few seconds later, shaking out her raven black hair. 

"Beat that, Marty Mc-Floatie!" she smirked at Calum. 

Ashton did some flexes and bending before he took his running start, ready to make another big splash. However, he didn't count on Michael. hucking the rubber ball at him as he jumped in. The ball nailed him square in the chest and instead of a pencil dive he just flailed in. 

"Michael!" the girls scolded. Ashton made a quick recovery, glaring over at his bandmate.

"Fuck you!" he pretended to cry, clinging to Luke in pity. Luke held him tightly.

"It's okay, honey, he didn't mean it," 

Kimberly pushed some of her dreadlocks over her shoulder, nervous to get them wet. It wasn't so much getting them wet that was the problem, but the drying process could be pretty tedious depending on the day.  

"Come on, Kim!" Chloe urged.

"Do you know how much of a bitch it is to do my hair when it gets wet?" she replied. 

In his peripherals Luke spotted another large floatie: a raft, to be specific. He had a brilliant idea, then. He swam to the other edge of the pool and retrieved it, pushing it towards Kimberly.

"Here!" he called, "Use this!" 

Kimberly smiled at him, "Thanks Luke," she quickly tied back her dreads and sat on the edge. Luke and Calum held the inflatable raft steady so she could wiggle on top, laying on her stomach and paddling over to meet her friends. Her hair was safe. 

Much of the afternoon was spent splashing about. They played a couple round of volleyball and then tried to play a game of Marco Polo. Emphasis on tried to. Poor Calum was picked to 'Marco', but the others devised to slip out of the water quietly all while shouting 'Polo'. 

"Marco!" he called tirelessly, his eyes squeezed shut as he hopped from spot to spot.

"Polo!" Chloe called back, helping Kimberly off of the raft. 

"Marco!" Calum called again.

"Polo!" Ashton quietly sat back on a deck chair and threw his hands behind his head. Calum's patience was wearing thin. He should've at least tapped someone out by now. Calum waded through the pool for a good five minutes before he realized everyone was cheating. 

"You wankers," he muttered, understandably miffed when his friends started laughing. 

At some point, Charlotte took to clambering back to the edge of the deck for a dry spell. She sat on the ledge and let her feet dangle in the water. Just as soon as she slathered on some more sunscreen, Luke had come to sit beside her. He had with him a cold bottle of water that he offered to her.

"Thanks," she smiled at him, "You want some SPF 50?" 

"I'll pass," he shook his head politely. Charlotte raised an eyebrow at him, having heard those words many a times before Luke would be complaining of sunburn hours later.

"Famous last words," she teased. Luke stuck out his tongue. 

Chloe and Ashton were still in the pool, facing off against Maria and Calum in a fierce game of chicken. Kimberly just watched from her raft, sipping a bottle of orange juice while Michael played referee. 

Luke kept his glance on Charlotte, she couldn't help but shiver as water droplets slid down her spine. She was a sight to behold under the sun, her golden skin ablaze against the sharp black fabric of her bikini, and she had some makeup that stained beneath her eyes but Luke didn't point it out. She looked really cool, actually.

"How're you doing?" he asked, not having much of a chance to talk to since they took off again. Really talk, the way they used to. 

"I'm wet," Charlotte replied, unable to keep the smug smile off her face. Luke rolled his eyes.

"No shit," he grinned, "I mean really, though. What's going on with you?" 

Charlotte shrugged, "Nothing. I'm stuck on the road with a bunch of crackheads for three whole months. Other than that... I guess I'm just -- existing,"

"Existing?" 

"Yeah. I'm here, but lately I feel that I haven't been here," she pointed to her head. 

Luke's smile fell a little, "Has Ben been bothering you again?" 

"No," she shook her head, "No, I think he finally got the hint,"

Luke sighed and looked down at his hands, his face tinting red but not from the sun, "You know..." he spoke after a small moment of silence. Charlotte glanced at him and sipped from her water. He laughed nervously, "You're gonna think I'm a cheese puff or something but -- I'm really fucking grateful for you, Char," 

Charlotte broke into a flattered smile, "I'm really grateful for you, too,"

"But seriously," Luke said, "I feel like I don't thank you enough for everything you do for me. No one else would do the things you do for me, no one else tries me happy like you do and you have no idea how much you mean to me. And I know I dicked around on ya a couple weeks ago --"

"-- Water under the bridge," Charlotte said, her heart burning in her chest. She had no idea where this was coming from. 

"But the fact is I don't know what I did to deserve you and I need you to know how fucking grateful I am for you... even when I don't deserve to have you in my life. And if you feel like you can't talk to me about shit 'cause I'll judge you, I won't. I'll always take care of you. You're my best friend and I don't know what I'd do without you," 

Charlotte bit the inside of her lip, willing away the stinging sensation in the back of her eyes, "Jesus Christ," she wrapped her arms around him. She never expected him to say anything like that to her, especially because it was the exact way she felt about him. 

"Am I corny?" he chuckled, hugging her tightly. None of them cared that they were just skin-to-skin in midday. She smelled so sweetly of grapefruit intermingled with bitter chlorine.

"No, you're perfect," Charlotte laughed, "If anything, I'm the one that's grateful for you. No one puts up with my stupidity and shit like you do. I don't know how you do it, honestly,"

Luke snickered and shook his head, pushing some of her wet hair behind her ear, "You're not stupid. You're far from it, Shorty," 

Charlotte smiled and punched his arm, "If the others heard us they'd take the piss out of us so hard right now," 

Luke rolled his eyes, "Like I told you before, they're just jealous of us, "

"Always gotta' be a fucking optimist, don't ya?" Charlotte huffed.

"Always gotta throw in a fucking curse, don't ya?" Luke shrugged. 

Charlotte glared back, and before Luke knew it he had been shoved into the pool. When he resurfaced Charlotte was in a fit of giggles while he sputtered and coughed up chlorine. 

"And here we were having a moment!" 

[pbandjesse]

I am ridiculously tired today. I don't even know why. I am just really struggling this evening and I cannot wait to turn off my phone and sleep.

I didn't even sleep poorly. I woke up a few times but I felt rested when I woke up for real. And the morning would be fine. I feel very introspective today. My brain feels quiet but like I'm contemplating something. I would get up and get dressed and made the bed. It was a beautiful day outside.

I would go downstairs and had some of the deviled eggs James made me last night. My sense of taste still felt off. And everything seemed really salty. But it was fine. Still good.

I chilled for a few minutes but pretty quickly it was time for me to go.

I wanted to go and walk around second chance before camp. And I did a really good timing the whole thing out. I gave myself a half hour to walk around the store.

And it was fun. I got over there and I was looking for two things specifically. Plastic boxes for putting in sweetp's enclosure and a metal fire pit.

I would actually find both things but I did not get the fire pit. It wasn't cheaper then at target for a new one. So I will continue to keep my eyes peeled. I did get a plastic shelf thing for Sweetp and I would find a small shoe rack I'm going to use in the studio closet. And I got to use some of my birthday gifts card so that was nice.

I left at 1120 and went right to camp. And arrived right at noon. Which was perfect because I was meeting Celia to give her some fish tank filters before she left to go to Vermont for the eclipse. I hope that she has so much fun.

The open house was not as crazy as the last one. Which was great because I was tired. And I kept gagging. I think it's like acid reflux or something but I was going through it. Alexi did bring me a parfet from dough run and it was really good. And helped me feel a little better.

And I did really enjoy giving tours. I just didn't feel as on my A game as last time. I still really enjoyed being a tour guide and it was just really nice interacting and talking about the good stuff. It made me happy.

I also got compliments on my puhtok fanny pack that I have with all the beading and embroidery. I actually think I'm going to embroider the new hip pack I got too. Maybe as an activity on our flight. We will see!

It was a lot of tours. But I also had some quiet moments. Like when I first got there and I had to find where my laptop and TV were hiding. Someone moved it into the kitchen broom closet?? And Charlotte was there and she smiled real big and came up to me and I was really surprised but it made me happy.

But at 4 when the tours were over I was very excited to leave. I walked to the office with one of the councilors that came to work today to show her where the secret extra fanny packs were and she was so excited. So that made me feel nice. Happy to help.

I would head home. I would stop at 711 and got pizza. And some candy. And has a nice conversation with the nice woman at the counter who made the pizza fresh for me

What a sweetie. A guy came in and bought a gallon of milk and 4 pints of ice cream and I was like. Milkshake party?? And he said yes basically. Pregnant wife. So cute.

I got home at 445. And I was so happy to see James. We opened up the backdoor and the windows and it was so nice out. And pretty quickly after that Callie was here!

She wanted to go over all the things for taking care of plants and animals. But also I was just happy to see her.

It didn't take long to explain everything since she has done it for us before. Because she's the best. And then James asked if we all wanted to take a walk to the park.

And it was a little more walking then I wanted but I still had fun. We walked to the pond. And enjoyed the birds and plants and the breeze. We talked and laughed and it was just really lovely.

When we did finally get back to the house Callie headed home and me and James cuddled on the couch for a long time.

I started feeling a little unwell. Stomach hurts. But mostly just really tired. I would go take a bath. And fell trying to get out of the bath and hurt my elbow a little but mostly just upset myself.

So now I am hanging in bed. Feeling very tired. And very ready to go to sleep. Tomorrow we have our appointment with passport health for our trip. Getting vaccines and things. I am nervous but it's going to be a beautiful day. And then the eclipse!! I have an alarm set and I am ready. I will probably make a pin hole viewer or something. I hope we get a good sky.

Let's hope my energy is better tomorrow. Sleep well everyone. Be safe. Be well. Goodnight!

[malbecmusings]

Bellingham, Wshington

July 25: So long Bellingham. We didn't see much, but we found a good BBQ restaurant and, most importantly, the peeps at the hotel and FBO were awesome. Gas is a little higher here at $7.20/gal but that'll look cheap compared to the prices farther north.

The first order of business after getting checked into the hotel last night was to find dinner. Shoutout to Big Stick BBQ; I'm a little too far west to find my favorite Eastern NC BBQ, but the brisket was pretty damn good. We spent a couple of hours catching up, comparing notes, and making plans, then went back to the hotel and promptly crashed.

The temperature this morning was a cool 54°. Goodbye sweating, hello down jackets. We had breakfast at the hotel (a big thank you to Danis for taking care of us early) before Jose hauled us to the Fred Meyer and to the airport. Even with shuffling 5 planes up to the pump to fuel up, we were wheels up by a few minutes after 8.

The plan was to go from Bellingham to Ketchikan to refuel before ending up in Juneau, or an alternate location if everything aligned. We skirted Vancouver and followed the Strait of Georgia north until we turned direct to Ketchikan. I've been on, and in, Puget Sound. As stunning as it is from the surface, it's insanely beautiful from the air. With the view of the vast Pacific off to port, especially breathtaking at the 140 mile-wide opening to Queen Charlotte Sound, it was easy to imagine the #NextChapter when we'll be sailing north instead of flying. (or motoring as the Inside Passage makes for terrible sailing)

Although we don't have any real use for them now, I've been teasing the Boy Scout about getting floats. All I could think about as we flew over the island-dotted waters was how sick it would be to look down, pick a spot, and land on the water. Maybe do a few dives off the floats before having lunch and flying off to find the next interesting spot. After today I don't think he needs more convincing.

The Ketchikan International Airport is located on an island across from the town of Ketchikan, which appears to exist solely to cater to the cruise industry. Like many other towns in Alaska, Ketchikan is not connected to the rest of the world by any kind of road; it's accessible only by water or air. We topped off the tanks (11.29/gal) and continued toward Juneau.

About halfway to Juneau we passed over the community of Wrangell which lies opposite the Stikine River Delta and several glaciers formed from the Stikine Icefield. There are several National Park and State Recreation cabins available but we couldn't see any way to access them short of a boat or a float plane (hey cowboy). Flying over them confirmed they were a no go. What we did find was a multitude of gravel bars which was the perfect excuse to put the new tundra tires to work. For the most part the ground was sandy/gravel and pretty smooth but the big tires made the landings like buttah. After finding a wide gravel bar where we could park and tie down all five planes well off the water, we set up camp in the tree line overlooking the river. A few tried their hand at fishing (no luck) while the rest of us gathered firewood, did a little exploring, and chilled. A little river-bar happy hour soon commenced around the fire while we thought about what freeze dried delicacy would be on the dinner menu.

I should add here that I'm not a boy scout. I grew up sailing, not camping. Tonight's events were the most boy scout shit ever, and it was awesome. More flight-seeing, including glacier flyovers, tomorrow before we head to Juneau for a couple of days. Assuming the local bear population doesn't get rowdy in the middle of the night.

[violetleaves]

season one break: day 86... christmas eve -- aka, the christmas special location: charlotte’s childhood home time: 7:20pm for: @thursdaygrl​

          the probability of this not completely blowing up in wes’ face is not in his favor. there are so many different aspects of this that could go wrong -- whether it be his mother finding out his true intentions, or charlotte not being happy to see him, or something like a cruel act of god shooting a bolt of lightning at his private jet, it’s highly unlikely that he will make it out of this weekend getaway without something going horribly wrong. how, exactly did wes manage to get himself on a solo flight to charlotte’s hometown to party crash christmas at her parents? it’s partially due to the perks of having a jewish pilot fly his private jet, and the other part is all wes and his masterful scheming. if he thought he was good getting that photoshoot set up, now that he’s forty thousand feet in the air he thinks he just might be a connoisseur. 

however it was not easy tricking his mother into thinking that wes has an audition in the midwest on christmas day, but his determination to see charlotte made it all worth it. he spent most of the day researching casting calls that would be filming in denever, and with luck on his side he’d managed to stumble across one having open call auditions just thirty minutes outside of charlotte’s hometown. he made a few fake emails, pretending to be the director inviting him to attend, and shot them off to his mother who he knew was going to be preoccupied the entirety of the following day and would not be able to join him on this trip. “i’ve set up an audition for you tomorrow.” she’d said, not even looking up from her phone as she sent back an email confirming wes would be in attendance. “you’ll be taking the jet tonight and will be back home tomorrow by the end of the night. you have an appearance on kimmel on the 26th so we need to squeeze this in as quickly as possible.” 

one night is all he needs. just one night with charlotte in between this six month break will at least sooth the voices in his head that beg him to get closer to charlotte every single day. 

immediately as wes steps off the plane he realizes he didn’t even think to check the weather. this christmas in california happens to be a particularly warm one, and while wes is wearing a cushy green sweater... that’s it, and the only thing he’s brought with him on this spontaneous adventure is charlotte’s christmas gift. no overnight bag with extra clothes, or even a jacket in case he gets chilly. it’s not snowing right now, but it seems like the sky could open up any second, and as wes scurries across the tarmac to the car he’d ordered he’s starting to wish he’d maybe prepared a little bit more. 

it’s a lot warmer in the sleek town car that’s escorting him to charlotte’s childhood home. another showcase of wes’ excellent scheming skills is in his procuring of this address. he was only able to get it a few hours ago, once he’d decided that he had to go through with this crazy plan, through jack. a simple, hey, merry christmas! text along with the lie that he wanted to have christmas cookies last minute delivered to charlotte’s house was enough to get jack to send it on over immediately. 

but wes has not ordered christmas cookies. he’s brought himself instead. and now that his driver has dropped him off, he’s standing outside of charlotte’s childhood home, shivering his ass off. he waits a beat -- nervous for a second like maybe he wants to turn around and throw this crazy plan out the window but he’s come so far, done so much scheming that he can’t turn back now. taking in a deep breath, wes lifts his hand and musters up the confidence that he only ever feels while acting and finally knocks on the door. there’s voices on the other side, chattering about who could be at the door unexpectedly on christmas eve, and while wes hopes that it will be charlotte who is the one to greet him, instead it’s the head of charlotte’s father, poking out and smiling before he opens up the door a little bit further. the man is dressed in brightly colored christmas pajamas, green and red plaid from the cap on his head to the slippers on his feet. he recognizes wes, not just from the show he and charlotte star in together, but from their one brief interaction a few days before his daughters birthday. he doesn’t loudly announce wes’ presence at the door, which wes is grateful for, but instead he smiles, and nods. 

          “lottie, honey, i think it’s for you.” mr. washington calls over his shoulder, “looks like you’ve got a present from old saint nichols.” the joke doesn’t exactly land, but it still makes him laugh, albeit anxious laughter. charlotte’s father disappears, leaving the door cracked open, but he doesn’t exactly invite wes inside. that’s charlotte’s job, if she wants him here, that is. she approaches, looking angelic as ever dressed in the same plaid pajamas as her father, and his heart skips a beat. he can’t believe he’s seeing her right now. it’s been almost three months, and he still feels the same: hopelessly, hopelessly in love with her. “hey, uhhh...” he starts, shifting his weight between his feet as he looks down at the snowy pavement. he’s shivering his ass off, unprepared for the cold weather. “i know this is probably really weird... but any chance you have room for one more at dinner?”

[chrysanthemumskies]

pls send all the good vibes bc I was supposed to fly out to Charlotte for heroescon yesterday (Wednesday) but my flight got cancelled last minute so I’m flying out today in the afternoon and my checked luggage with my con display AND inventory are at the airport and I really really hope that everything works out today bc aaaaaaa

[broadraiwrites]

Whumpuary 2024 January 7-8, 2024 "Help me" / Lightheaded / Kneeling Charlotte James/Jay White

Jay knew there was something wrong as soon as he woke up that morning. The first thing he heard when he opened his eyes was a soft whimper from the blonde lying beside him. He knew the winter could be hard on Charlie, and he knew that travelling in the winter was especially hard on her. Traveling from state to state and going to different climates so frequently during AEW tour stops wasn't easy for the woman he had spent the last two and a half years with, but she often tried to push through it and mask her pain for the sake of others. Jay knew from these soft sounds that awoke him that she wasn't going to be able to hide it anymore. The pain she had been pushing down for weeks at a time was finally catching up to her.

He carefully moved himself out of bed to not jostle her when he did so, and he moved over to her side of the bed to make sure that the electric blanket that they brought with them when they were traveling was turned on. It had a timer on it that would only allow it to stay on for eight hours, so often when Charlie was having a particularly rough day, it would be turned off while she was sleeping since she tended to sleep longer when she was in more pain. He moved over to their bags to make sure that he got out her medication for the morning and started to place a delivery order for breakfast. They wouldn't be leaving the hotel any time soon.

He watched her carefully for a few minutes to make sure that she wasn't going to wake up anytime soon before calling down to the front desk of the hotel to ask them to charge his card for a two-day extension on their reservation. They didn't have to be home for anything in particular over the next few days, so he wanted to give Charlie as much time as she needed to recover from the flare-up she was obviously going through. He would make the call to change their flight soon after.

He watched the way her leg shifted as she slept, almost as if she were running away from something. Occasionally, he would see them shake with a spasm beneath the blankets. If she was going to be able to sleep through the worst of it, he would let her, as much as he hated to see her like this. If sleep was going to be the best thing for her, then he would turn off both of their cell phones and let her sleep for as long as she needed to. Despite what she often told others, in his opinion, once she left the AEW locker room after a show, they were no longer entitled to her attention. He wasn't going to let her take calls from anyone today. Today, she was going to focus on herself.

It was about an hour after he originally woke up when the breakfast delivery arrived at their hotel door. The sound of Jay closing the door was what finally awoke Charlie from her late slumber. Jay mentally cursed himself when he saw her trying to sit up in bed. He had really tried to be quiet with that door, knowing that the loud slam of a door could sometimes send his partner into panic attacks. He sat the food down on the tiny table in their room. “I'll be there in just a second, sweetheart,” he said softly. He made his way over to the bed to slowly help her to a sitting position, knowing that when she was in a flare like this, she often had even less control over her body than she would have on a typical day. “I ordered us breakfast, and I have your meds ready to go whenever you want them. Whenever you feel up to getting out of bed, I can carry you wherever you want to go.”

Charlie blushed a little, looking away from him for a moment. “I need to go to the bathroom,” she admitted quietly, “but I don't think I can stand right now, and I definitely don't think I can walk. I'm a little too lightheaded for that right now.”

Jay carefully scooped her into his arms in bridal style. “All you had to do was ask, sweetheart,” he said, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “If I had to take a guess, I would say that's probably from the new meds they put you on last week. You're still adjusting to them, and that's got you a little woozy. Until you feel strong enough to get around on your own, I'll get you wherever you need to go, no questions asked. ” Jay didn't know what he had done to be lucky enough to have Charlie in his life, but now that he had her, he would walk through hell to get her the things that she needed.

[bobbinacrosstheequator]

April 1-2, 2023 Epilogue (or SJO-MIA-CLT-IAD)

We hope that in short order, we’ll look back fondly on our trip and not think about the agonizing journey home. It was a full - seriously long, FULL – two days of travel starting with a pleasant, early drive from Monteverde to San Jose, with Olgar, from our drive to Monteverde, and Juan Carlos. We even had a stop on the side of the road to observe a howler monkey family.

We checked-in for our American Airlines flight from San Jose to Charlotte, where we’d connect to DC. Only once checked-in, we learned that the flight was delayed. It wound up being the first of four delays on day 1 of our return. Because most people had connections they would miss, every passenger on the plane wound up clambering to be rescheduled, at first individually at various AA desks, then all together at a gate assigned to the task. We had our turn at the desk – were minutes from being rescheduled (!) on a different airline – only to have the AA attendants shut down the process and direct us all to reenter Costa Rica through immigration/customs, pick up our bags (note to selves — only duffels with wheels next time), get in line to rebook our connecting flights for day 2, retrieve hotel/food vouchers from AA, and proceed to the Crowne Plaza on shuttle busses for the night. Turns out the incoming flight was arriving the next day, so our flight was going to be delayed until the next day. Good Grief!! We divided and conquered – Sebbie collecting luggage and Jillebob heading up to the ticketing desk to get in line for re-booking. By the time she got to the front of the line, Seb joined her. We successfully (we thought successfully - more on that to come) re-booked the Charlotte-DC connections for our morning flight on day 2. We sprung for a taxi – finding what turned out to be a decent “official” driver in the sea of aggressive sheisters we’d been warned about. We got to the hotel before yet another line formed for check-in by everyone on the flight who took a shuttle. Dinner – a buffet – was marginal — a real let down after 2 ½ weeks of food that ranged from quite good to excellent. Sometime in the evening, Seb realized from an AA email that the attendant had only re-booked Jillebob’s connecting flight for day 2, even though he looked us in the eye and told us that we were rebooked together. Seb spent ages in the hotel in an online chat with AA customer support. The rep was courteous enough, but a response of “sorry for the inconvenience” is more than inadequate for having been lied to!!!! In the end, there was nothing the rep could do: all flights/all airlines from Charlotte to DC were reportedly full at that point. At least the hotel managed the large, last-minute influx of patrons well, even giving us a wake-up call (not requested). We were already up, and again took a taxi back to the airport to beat the masses from our flight and get our situation resolved before the agents were worn down by what promised to be a long morning of dealing with irate people.

Back at SJO on day 2, the first rep was super nice, checked us in and managed to get Seb on a United flight that got in later than Jill, but at least before the midnight arrival she was slated for. Oops, then when flight delays started again and it wasn’t clear she’d make the sweet booking she’d landed the day before, Jill had to rebook to a later Charlotte to DC flight. Then, several delays later, Seb had to re-book because she’d miss her re-booked United flight. United couldn’t do it, so another on-line chat with AA resulted in us being back on the same Charlotte to DC flight. In the end, we lost track of how many delays there were: an hour here, 90 minutes there…. Finally, the plane for the flight out of San Jose arrived, with added chaos of two AA 1248 flights: one on-time for April 2 and another one delayed from April 1, also leaving on April 2 — both listed on the departure board within minutes of each other. There’s humor in here somewhere. We lined up – again - and once on-board, doors closed, they announced that our destination was Miami. It almost felt like being kidnapped. It wasn’t clear whether the same plane would continue to Charlotte or whether we’d go through immigration/customs in Miami and have to figure out getting to Charlotte. On touchdown, one flight attendant welcomed us to Miami and wished us well for our connecting flights. SERIOUSLY!?!?!? Finally sorted by the airline, while we were still on the plane, we all put our bags back in the overhead bins; they brought on a fresh crew (we had to land in Miami because the last crew had reached the FAA’s flying duration limit); and shortly after, we took off again. All things considered, as grumpy as many of us were, we and our fellow passengers were pretty calm about the outrageous situation. Well, all but the few who had gone ahead and rebooked to Miami connections only to not be let off the plane.

Passing through immigration/customs in Charlotte was remarkably quick and easy. We were both a little disappointed that we did not get to use our Global Entry, just a quick wave through by a border agent. A short wait to board in Charlotte and 55 minutes later, we landed at Dulles. The events of these two days will fade and we’ll be left with memories of tortoises, sea turtles, sloths, tarantulas, an array of birds, among others and great experiences across the equator and back.

[laureltreetransports]

Discover Nassau Bahamas Taxi and Transportation Services: Your Guide to Seamless Island Travel

Nassau, the vibrant capital of the Bahamas, is a tropical paradise brimming with beautiful beaches, lively marketplaces, and historic sites. For travelers, navigating the city is easy thanks to the range of transportation options available, including Nassau Bahamas taxi services, airport transportation, and guided island tours. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know to make your transportation in Nassau smooth and enjoyable.

Arrive in Style: Nassau Airport Transportation

Your Bahamian adventure begins as soon as you land at Lynden Pindling International Airport. Nassau airport transportation services offer a stress-free way to get to your accommodation, with options ranging from private shuttles to shared rides and taxis.

Benefits of Nassau Airport Transportation:

Convenience: Book a ride ahead of time and be greeted upon arrival.

Reliability: Many services track your flight, ensuring they’re ready if there are any delays.

Options for All Budgets: From economical shared shuttles to private luxury SUVs, there’s an option to suit everyone.

Getting Around with Nassau Bahamas Taxi Services

Nassau’s taxi services provide flexible and efficient ways to explore the city and surrounding areas. Taxis are readily available at the airport, hotels, and popular destinations.

Why Use Nassau Bahamas Taxi Services?

Local Knowledge: Taxi drivers in Nassau often double as local guides. Many are happy to share insider tips about the best attractions and dining spots.

Flexible Routes: Whether you want a direct ride to a beach or a scenic route around the island, taxis give you the freedom to set your own schedule.

Affordable: While not as cheap as public transportation, taxis in Nassau are affordable, especially for short distances within the city.

Explore Nassau with City and Island Tours

One of the best ways to experience Nassau’s culture, history, and natural beauty is through guided city and island tours. These tours range from half-day city excursions to full-day adventures covering the highlights of New Providence Island.

Highlights of Nassau City and Island Tours:

Historic Landmarks: Visit the Queen’s Staircase, Fort Charlotte, and Parliament Square to dive into Nassau’s rich history.

Beaches and Natural Wonders: Love nature? Head to Cable Beach, Blue Lagoon, or the stunning Clifton Heritage Park.

Local Flavors: Many tours include stops for authentic Bahamian cuisine, giving you a true taste of the island.

Popular Tour Options:

Private Tours: Customized for your group, allowing you to set your own itinerary.

Group Tours: Great for meeting other travelers and enjoying a guided experience at a more affordable rate.

Combo Tours: Many services offer combo packages that include transportation to and from the airport, as well as sightseeing tours.

Booking Nassau Transportation Services

Here’s a quick checklist to help you plan and book Nassau transportation services smoothly:

Research and Compare: Check reviews for different services and compare rates to find the best option for your needs.

Book in Advance: Popular services fill up quickly, especially during the busy travel seasons.

Confirm Details: Before your trip, confirm pickup times, locations, and pricing to avoid any last-minute hiccups.

Tips for Hassle-Free Travel Around Nassau

Ask About Rates: As mentioned, Nassau taxis don’t use meters, so clarify fares upfront.

Cash is King: Many taxis prefer cash, so keep Bahamian or U.S. dollars on hand.

Consider Rental Cars: For those wanting ultimate flexibility, renting a car is a great option. Just remember that in the Bahamas, driving is on the left side!

Conclusion 

Getting around Nassau can be easy and enjoyable with the right transportation choices. Whether you prefer the convenience of a pre-booked airport shuttle, the flexibility of local taxis, or the fun of a guided island tour, Nassau’s transportation options cater to all types of travelers.