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roosterforme · 10 months ago

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The Intern Part 3 | Rooster x Reader

Summary: Bradley had an easy way about him that you appreciated. Working for him all summer sounded promising, and you were determined to make it fun for both of you. But as you dipped your toes into getting to know one another on the flights from San Diego to Lisbon, you ended up closer to him than you ought to be, both conversationally and physically.

Warnings: Language, brief mention of drugs (eventually 18+)

Length: 4900 words

Pairing: Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw x Female Reader

The Intern masterlist. Check out my masterlist for more. Banner by @mak-32

"I still can't believe someone is paying me fifty thousand dollars to spend my summer on a yacht," you mused as the private Cessna jet gained altitude over the California desert landscape.

Bradley turned and looked at you from his plush leather seat across the narrow aisle and smirked. "You needed the money that badly?"

"Don't play games," you told him, and he laughed. "My point is, I would have done this for free just to get Ted off my back."

His fingers tightened a bit on his armrest, knuckles growing white as he closed his eyes and said, "Now you tell me. My department budget could be looking a lot fatter right now if it wasn't for you."

You could feel the airplane leveling out as the flight attendant, a woman named Melissa, stood and made her way back toward the two of you. "Oh please," you groaned, earning one of those grins from him that made you feel light inside. "I know how much the shareholders make, Mr. Bradshaw. It's not like it's not listed on the Nasdaq Composite if you dig deep enough."

"Can I get anything for either of you?" Melissa asked.

"I'll take an Old Fashioned, please. Hold the cherries," you replied while Bradley just shook his head in a jerky motion.

When Melissa disappeared behind the black curtain, you asked, "Why are you so tense? Have a drink and relax."

He huffed out a laugh. "It's eight in the morning. A drink is not going to help me."

You leaned a little closer, and his gaze definitely dipped down to your unzipped sweatshirt. "Don't tell me you're into something harder?" you asked, already thinking you'd be disappointed by his answer. You'd been there and done that. Hung out with and dated guys who were users, and it was not something you wanted to be around. Even out of your sorority sisters, there were only a handful who weren't high all week during grad school.

Bradley looked at you with alarm. "I'm absolutely not going to allow drugs on the yacht, Ivy League."

"Good," you replied right away, already feeling more at ease as Melissa dropped off your cocktail. "Thank you."

But she was looking at Bradley now as she said, "Please let me know if I can get you... anything."

He waved her off as you took a sip of your mediocre cocktail. Melissa had gone a little heavy handed with the bitters, probably because she was too focused on your hot boss to measure things correctly. "Take a sip," you told him, reaching across the aisle with your glass. "You look like you need it."

He grunted and accepted the drink, and a few seconds later, he had downed the whole thing. "Thanks," he whispered. "I hate this part of traveling to Europe for Avio. The flights are going to take forever."

You narrowed your eyes at him and took back your empty glass while he white knuckled the armrest again. "You were an aviator, Mr. Bradshaw."

When he looked at you again, his cheeks were a little flushed as he softly said, "You don't have to call me that. Bradley is fine."

"Bradley," you said with a smile, and his face softened a little bit. "Why don't you like the Cessna? I mean, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't also hoping for something at least a little more luxurious from Avio, but it's not that bad."

He shook his head at you, something you were pretty sure you were just going to have to get used to for the summer. But his mustache twitched as he licked his lips and said, "Maybe chartered flights are normal for you, Ivy League, but I got used to being the pilot. Of something much less comfortable than a Cessna Hemisphere. So this just feels inherently wrong to me. I mean, I just drank a cocktail."

"Inhaled," you corrected. "And technically it was my cocktail," you said, waving to Melissa and holding up the glass and two fingers.

"Semantics," he grunted. "I miss my Super Hornet right now. Not only were there no drinks, there wasn't even a bathroom."

You watched Melissa duck behind the curtain again, probably to forget how to make a cocktail again. "Well, we'll be there soon," you told Bradley.

"I doubt these pilots can do Mach 2, so not fast enough for me."

You sighed, knowing this would probably be a lot easier for him if you could get him to drink a second Old Fashioned, but when Melissa dropped two more of them off, they were both garnished with a cherry. "I asked you to hold the cherries."

"Oh, yes. Sorry," Melissa muttered. "I can remove it for you."

"I'm allergic, so I'll actually need you to remake mine," you replied, and Bradley started to hand his back as well.

"Remake hers, and mine too," he grunted, suddenly looking far less nervous about the flight as he made to stand up. "Fresh glasses and everything. I don't want cherries anywhere near her." You looked up at him in surprise as he kind of rolled his eyes and followed Melissa. "I'll make sure she does it right," he whispered, and you watched him walk up to the curtain, as confident as he usually was.

"Thanks," you replied, even though nobody was there to hear you now. Well, he had promised he'd do everything he could to keep you safe and comfortable. You watched as he crossed his arms over his broad chest, and you pressed your lips together. That blue Oxford shirt was the exact best color he could possibly wear, and you wondered if he knew it or if it was an accident that he chose it.

When he met your eyes, you didn't look away. You didn't really care if he knew you were checking him out. Until you did. Because when he walked back with two new drinks, you realized how little you knew about him. "Here," he grunted, voice deep and raspy. Then he clinked his glass to yours before sinking back into the aisle seat opposite yours again and buckling his seatbelt once more.

"Thanks for doing that."

He smiled at you. "Can't lose my intern on her first day. Especially since I've never had one before."

You perked up, loving that you'd cornered the market. "I'm your first intern?"

"Yeah." He was back to downing his drink and looking miserable now, practically throwing the empty glass aside in favor of gripping the armrest. Abandoning your drink after one sip, you stood and stepped over his outstretched legs, his eyes following your every move as you eased yourself down into the window seat next to him. "You okay?" he asked, looking a little amused now that you were just inches away from him.

"I am, but you're not," you told him with an air of authority. "Just relax," you added as you took his hand from the armrest and held it in both of yours. His brown eyes went a little wider, and his lips parted like he wanted to say something. Probably question what you were doing. But you said, "You'll feel better in a few minutes," as you worked your thumbs along the pressure points in his big, rough palm. And then he closed his eyes and without a word, he leaned back in his seat with his hand cradled in yours. Soon he was sound asleep.

-----------------------

Bradley woke up to an almost pleasant humming sound all around him. His hand was warm and wrapped up in something soft, and when he opened his eyes, your face was just a few inches from his as you slept. His body thrummed with something akin to desire as you pursed your haughty lips in your sleep, long lashes grazing your perfect cheeks.

Shit. His hand was resting on your body, fingers tangled up with yours and wrapped in your designer hoodie. His knuckles were pressed to the soft skin which was exposed between your high waisted pants and your damn sports bra. And based on the way the plane was started to descend, he'd taken a five fucking hour nap all cuddled up with his intern. With Ted's goddamn daughter.

Hands off. He'd been telling himself to keep his hands off of you, and just a few hours in, he was literally doing the exact opposite. But you'd been sweet to him, carefully massaging the pressure points in his hand until he was able to fall asleep. You must have drifted off then, too. And now he was loath to remove his hand from your body or look away from you.

He needed another fucking drink. Or several. He leaned carefully over you, and sure enough, he could see the New York skyline coming into view through the small window. And he could smell your perfume. And that was when you opened your eyes, immediately sitting up a few inches and nearly bumping noses with him.

"Sorry," he grunted. "I was just trying to see where we were."

"Where are we?" you asked, your voice soft and a little rough from sleep. Jesus, he liked the way that sounded.

"Almost to New York. Want me to ask the pilot to circle back to Philly so you can wave to your alma mater?"

You laughed and sat up a little more, arching your back, but you didn't immediately let go of him. "No, thank you. I've only been gone for a week, so I'm sure the City of Brotherly Love is enjoying this break."

Bradley found himself continually laughing at your words, but now you were looking at his hand all linked with yours, so he started to pull his free. You didn't stop him, and when you looked up at him, you even asked, "Did you sleep okay?"

He nodded his head once. "I did. Thank you. For making me feel better."

You sat up the rest of the way and stretched, and he had to look away as you said, "A good intern is good at everything."

Your words weren't dirty, so why the hell were his thoughts? He should be trying to find out more about your father, not imagining you wearing a fluffy white bathrobe while you drank an Old Fashioned sans cherry next to his bed. He was miles away in his mind when the plane touched down on the runway before taxiing to the refueling spot. His stomach was growling wildly now as Melissa walked back and offered them a very late lunch.

"I didn't want to interrupt anything," she said, looking between you and Bradley like the two of you had been all over each other. When she turned away to get the salads and sandwiches ready, you climbed over him to use the bathroom, and Bradley watched you ignore a phone call as you went. He also realized that he'd have to tread very carefully around potential clients over the next few weeks. It was one thing for Melissa to make a comment like that, but it would be something entirely different if a line like that got back to Ted.

While the plane was refueled and the pilots switched places for the longer flight from New York to Portugal, you and he ate in companionable silence. You'd returned to your seat across the aisle, and you ignored another call before tucking your phone away in your bag. Bradley also used this time to drink a gin and tonic in the hopes he'd be able to sleep again, slightly afraid you wouldn't join him on his side of the aisle to make him feel cozy again.

"We'll be taking off again in five minutes," Melissa informed him as she cleared away the meal and brought pillows and blankets. Your phone was out again now, and you ignored yet another call as Bradley shook his head.

"Are you going to keep me up at all hours of the night on the yacht yelling at your little boyfriend on the phone?"

You scoffed and looked right at him as you said, "I don't date little boys. Are you going to keep me up calling your wife and kids back in San Diego?"

He didn't want to laugh at the way you talked to him and kept him on his toes. He also registered that the way you'd let him hold your hand while he slept had only come from a platonic place if you were just now asking if he was married. "I don't have a wife or kids."

"Why not?" you asked, leaning on your armrest with your tits smashed together. "You could be married. If you wanted. You're tall and you have all your hair."

"Are those the only prerequisites?" he asked, trying not to look anywhere other than at your face. God, your little bikinis were going to be the absolute death of him if he didn't get fucking laid soon.

"No," you replied without missing a beat. "You're smart, too. Handsome. Tons of money. And you seem nice. Good manners. You make me laugh. Seems like someone would have snapped you up off the market by now."

His cheeks felt warm again as he tried to figure out how to answer. You'd just complimented him nine different ways, and he was reeling a bit. "Because I was in the Navy. Nobody in their right mind would trust a Navy guy with that level of commitment."

"Why not?"

"They lie and they cheat," he said, repeating the lines women had been telling him since he was twenty two. "Nobody you'd want to settle down with."

But you didn't look convinced as your smile tilted a little higher on one side. "Are you a cheater?"

He knew somehow he wouldn't get away with speaking anything but the plain truth to you from here on out. "No."

"I didn't think so." You looked satisfied as you settled back in your seat, about to snuggle under your blanket. The sky was a little darker now, and there was nothing below except for the Atlantic Ocean.

He had a slight buzz from the gin, and he felt a lot better than he had earlier this morning. He reached for his bag and pulled out his laptop before crooking his finger and coaxing you back to the seat next to him. "We have a little work to do, Ivy League."

While he expected you to complain, you didn't. Rather you popped out of your seat with your pillow and blanket, climbed over him and settled in the window seat once more. "What is it?" you asked eagerly, and when he logged in to his email account, he saw something from Ted right away. Just a reminder to keep himself on track.

"I'm going to teach you a little bit about the Avio software we will be marketing, so by the time we land in Lisbon, you'll know as much as I do."

You curled up with your pillow and blanket and looked at him, your words doing more to him than you probably intended. "Don't test me, Sir, or I may end up knowing more than you."

"You're a brat."

-------------------------

This time when you woke up, it wasn't to Bradley's touch or his brown eyes. This time it was to Melissa's laughter and Bradley's soft voice. "When are you flying back to the states?" she asked him as you cracked your eyes open.

"Not any time soon," he replied smoothly. "We have a lot of work to do."

"Well I hope I'm on your flight back," she said flirtatiously as you propped your head up.

But Bradley wasn't paying attention to her now as he turned your way. "You're up," he mused, and you just nodded, wishing you'd had time to shower or check how you looked before he saw you. "We'll be landing soon. And then we'll get you and your designer luggage to the yacht."

You watched Melissa roll her eyes at you before she stood. "I'll be right back with coffee and some breakfast."

"Hold the cherries! Please!" you reminded her, just to be obnoxious. When she pretended she didn't hear you, Bradley chuckled. "You know, it's kind of refreshing being given an attitude. Is this how you feel when I give you one?"

His eyes went a little wider. "Don't make me call your father."

"I thought you valued your intern," you replied with a smirk. "So don't make me spread that nasty little rumor around Avio that you went to the University of Bumblefuck."

"Virginia," he snorted.

"Whatever."

Melissa dropped off mugs, a carafe of coffee, cream, sugar and pastries. "No cherry," she said blandly as you reached for a blueberry muffin.

"Much appreciated," you replied as you peeled back the wrapper and took a nibble while Bradley ate an apple danish in two bites before he poured coffee into both mugs. Clearly the two of you were hungry. You also had no idea what time it was. You had to put your phone on silent since your dad wouldn't stop calling you, even though you told him you'd talk to him when you got on the yacht.

"How do you take your coffee?" Bradley asked as you silently chewed. You went to reach for the creamer, but he pulled it away and looked at you.

You swallowed down your muffin and said, "Cream and sugar, but you don't have to do it. I should probably be doing it for both of us."

He shrugged and got your coffee fixed up exactly the way you would have made it yourself, as he said, "You and I will be working in close proximity, and I feel like this is the kind of detail I should know."

"Well how do you take your coffee?" you asked, but he set down the cream and sugar without adding anything to his. "Black, no sugar."

"Black, no sugar," he confirmed before taking a sip. You watched the alluring scars on his neck as he swallowed, once again surprised that he wasn't married. He didn't seem as helpless as your father, but he seemed like the kind of person who should have someone warm at home when he returned from work each night. Someone to look after him.

You took a sip of your own coffee and smiled, because it really was perfect, especially for something that was made on an aircraft. "Thank you."

"Any time," he responded, and you eased back in your seat and looked out the window as the Portuguese coastline came into view. You drank your coffee and picked at the muffin, watching as the very early morning sun made the Atlantic Ocean glitter. There were marinas filled with yachts and sailboats, and you wondered if Avio's was amongst them.

"Were you on the yacht with my dad last year?" you mused as the plane dipped lower in the sky.

Bradley set his mug down, and maybe it was just you, but his features suddenly seemed a little guarded. You'd always been good at reading people, which made it easy to get a favorable response when you needed one. But he'd never looked at you this way before. "For a few days. One of my buddies from the Navy was there too. Jake Seresin."

You blinked and his expression was neutral again. "The name sounds familiar."

Bradley laughed as the plane touched down. "The face will be familiar, too. Soon enough. He's champing at the bit to get onboard for a few days here and there this summer."

You set your mug down as well and said, "Don't worry, Sir. I'll dazzle him to bits during the dinner parties."

Bradley's nostrils flared, and his pupils grew wider. "I don't doubt that."

When you laughed, he smiled before looking down at his hands. "Well, Bradley, I don't know about you, but I can't wait to get on the yacht. I wonder what kind of caviar the chef will serve for lunch."

You unbuckled your seatbelt, prompting him to do the same. "There are different kinds of caviar?" he asked, one eyebrow raised as he picked up your tote and handed it to you.

"Don't embarrass me, Bradley. The other interns will all laugh at me behind my back."

But he just shook his head as he moved to the side and said, "After you, Ivy League." So you led the way to the front of the aircraft, thanked both pilots and Melissa, even though she clearly didn't like you, and you climbed down the stairs onto the warm tarmac.

You shouldn't and absolutely couldn't keep reacting to Bradley the way you were, but when he placed his hand on your lower back and said, "This way," you nearly moaned. You looked up at him as he tried to guide you toward the waiting limousine. "Go climb in. I'll grab the bags."

"I can get my own bags," you insisted.

"I know you can, but you have nine hundred of them, and I'm still hungry, and I can do it faster."

"Fine," you replied, and you could feel his gaze on your back as you walked toward the driver who was holding the back door open for you. "Thank you." As you slid across the leather seat, you watched Bradley effortlessly lift multiple pieces of your luggage at the same time while you bit your lip. What the hell was it about him? You couldn't quite put your finger on it, but he was enjoyable to watch. His voice made you feel a little fuzzy. He was raw and genuine like your favorite pair of well worn Levi's which were tucked away in your Dior suitcase he was carrying with one massive hand.

You looked away. You counted to ten. You already knew this was going to be an issue, so you weren't sure why it was hitting you now. When you glanced his way again, he was bringing his own two, nondescript pieces of luggage to the limousine trunk, and then he was sliding across the seat next to you.

"Twenty minutes to the marina from here," he murmured, his hand coming to rest on the seat next to your thigh. "And then we can get to work."

You pursed your lips. "I was under the impression we would be playing, too."

He chuckled as you started to look through the compartments next to the seat. "We can play a little bit."

You opened what turned out to be an ice chest, and ran your fingers along a bottle of chilled Dom Perignon. "We can start with this," you said, pulling it free from the ice and holding it up.

He was looking at you, not the bottle, but that little twitch of his mustache was his tell. Even though his eyes seemed stern, he held out his hand, and asked, "Think we can finish it in twenty minutes?"

You smiled brilliantly as you handed it to him. "Don't ever ask me that again."

"Sassy," he muttered, unwrapping the foil and slowly twisting the cage loose before wiggling the cork free with his big hands until it popped. "Here you go."

"No," you insisted as the driver pulled out onto the main road. "You first. Drink to a successful summer."

Bradley nodded once and took a sip before handing you the bottle. His eyes were on your lips as you pressed them to the bottle where his had just been. "To a successful summer," he echoed, his voice a deep rumble as the city went by in a blur. You couldn't stop smiling, and neither could he, and approximately eighteen minutes later, when he helped you out of the limousine, his cheeks were flushed pink.

"Is that it?" you asked, very slowly removing your hand from his as two men rushed your way in matching gray shorts and navy polos. There was a massive yacht with Down to Business lettered across the back and Avio Technologies along the side.

"That's it," Bradley confirmed, slipping his black sunglasses on as he reached to shake hands with the two men who introduced themselves as Antonio and Nikolai. Bradley told them your name, and they both took your hand in turn. "She's my intern for the summer," he said smoothly, and then they started to unload your luggage.

"Let's go," you said, glancing back at Bradley as you started down toward the marina gate, and then he was right next to you again with a few long strides. "I hope you can find your Armani swim shorts quickly, because that pool is calling my name."

"I can, actually. One of the benefits to only bringing two suitcases." He helped you over the gap, and as soon as you were on the yacht, you felt at home. You knew this was going to be the summer you needed.

"Let's go meet the captain," he murmured, his hand finding your back again.

"Do you think he has more champagne?"

"Ivy... it's nine in the morning."

"I'm still on San Diego time."

Bradley paused for a beat while he did the math. "It's one in the morning back home."

"Exactly," you told him with a little pout that you knew wouldn't actually faze him. He just smiled as he guided you past the pool you couldn't wait to jump into and an enormous jacuzzi. You walked through a dining room that could seat twelve people and past a fully stocked bar. It was like the best offerings from your sorority house and your dad's estate all rolled into one.

"Welcome aboard!" boomed a voice with a French accent. "We've been expecting you. I'm Captain Marcell." He was probably in his sixties with gray hair and a matching beard, and he reminded you a bit of your favorite professor at UPenn.

"Pleasure," you replied, shaking his hand after Bradley told him your name.

Next to him were lined up two friendly looking women, one with short brown hair and one with long brown hair. Beatriz and Lucia, the stewardesses, would be taking care of everything you needed. And next to them was an attractive man wearing a bit of a scowl.

"I'm Rocco. The chef. I can make anything. I don't like changing the menu at the last minute."

Oh, you liked him already as you shook his hand. And then your heart fluttered as Bradley said, "I need to speak with you about removing any cherries from the yacht before we leave the marina."

"Cherries?" Rocco asked, scowling deeper.

Bradley glanced at you as he removed his sunglasses, and his mustache twitched. "Yes. Can't have any onboard. That applies to the kitchen and the bars. My intern has an allergy."

"I'll take care of it," Rocco replied before turning away, and you'd never been more certain that someone would take care of something in your life. Then Captain Marcell handed Bradley a folder.

"Rough itinerary. Weather report for the week. List of phone numbers. Please let me know how long you'd like to spend in each port. I can of course adjust anything as needed. Now if you will select your cabins, Antonio and Nikolai will deliver your luggage."

"Thank you," Bradley replied, handing the folder to you. "You're in charge of this. Now why don't we head down so you can choose a room?" He nodded his head toward a wide set of stairs.

You walked down to the lower deck, and once you and he were alone again, he pointed to the left. "The sooner we get settled, the sooner the swim trunks come out?" you asked softly.

"Something like that." His soft chuckle was right behind you as you stopped at a mint green door with gold trim.

"Is this my room?" you asked, placing your hand on the doorknob. There was a little keypad next to it.

"If you want it to be," he replied. "Or, there are three others you can choose from."

"Which one are you taking?"

His eyes flitted from your face to a spot a little further down the hallway. "White door."

When you turned to investigate, you saw a pink door directly across from that one. "Wouldn't it be easier if my room was near yours?"

"Probably." His expression was neutral, but that damn mustache was giving him away.

"I'll take the pink one."

"Very good. I'll get the room codes from Beatriz, and I'll tell them where to deliver the luggage."

"Great," you replied, still standing close to him, but he didn't move.

"Perfect," he said, brown eyes focused on yours. The hallway was narrow, and now he was placing his hands on his trim hips, taking up even more space. "Try not to get into too much trouble while you look around."

Finally he turned toward the stairs, but you called his name right away. "Bradley?" He glanced back over his shoulder with a questioning look. "Thanks for mentioning the cherries."

"Sure," he replied easily. "I got you, Ivy." Then he was walking back up the stairs and out of sight.

---------------------------

We are about to set sail. Let's get into a little trouble. Let's have a little fun. Already feeling a little tension between Bradley and Ivy League. Thanks to @mak-32 and @beyondthesefourwalls

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annislittleshopofhorrors · 4 months ago

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I love your graph girl 🤣

But the fact that 🐟 had to post a welcome card for a movie that finished filming a year ago (and is now doing reshoots) tells me she really is scraping the bottom of the barrel.

This isn’t to be mean/judgemental - but it’s funny how this time last year she was so busy vacationing after however long she was filming - and it seemed like her focus was on her travels with her besties.

A year later. This is what she posts. To let people know she’s still in this film. IDEK if any of the other women who worked on the film posted about reshoots 🤣

She didn’t post about working when the film was actually in production (but maybe that’s because it was during the strike and this film was exempt and allowed to keep filming but the actors couldn’t promote?) so that’s fair.

But no matter how you look at it, this girl’s priorities are always out of whack.

Your biggest claim to fame (WN) has a season two premiere and you decline to be interviewed while your costar is left alone to promote the show.

Instead, you do a walk in Central Park with your “bf” who is the only reason anyone even pays attention to you, and you take some yoga classes and photoshop your way to becoming an instructor. I’m unsure why anyone including your show’s show runner would really be willing to defend you? But again, I’m only seeing it from the outside.

WN fans went on twitter asking a reporter who interviewed your costar if you were doing one too and the reporter says you weren’t available. 🤣 Your costar does a buzzfeed interview alone. Your costars get together to do a save the show campaign and even got together to due a cast table read during the holidays but you were MIA for all of this.

Twitter fans asked if you would attend a comic con for the show in London and you also declined. Which, is your prerogative, but I do wonder what you DO think is worthy of your attention?

…

The ghosted movie premiere because your BF is famous and so is his female costar and there were other actual celebrities in attendance. Wow, Hugh jackman even showed up to the premiere - not for you, of course, and you didn’t even get to walk the red carpet but at least you got your one photo that you could photoshop and post your dress!

Paris fashion week with miumiu.

GQ man of the year.

Scarlett and Colin’s Christmas party.

Dinner with Edward Cullen and his gf/wife Suki.

GG after party for UTA.

CAA preOscars party.

VF after party.

—

Your priorities are always for things that have nothing to do with you (literally) but gets you free press, comped outfits, and media attention.

You didn’t show up to your small PT’s film showing at the Lisbon film festival when your husband was in town touring restaurants, but you do show up to a GQ event two weeks later that has nothing to do with you and you refused to talk to reporters.

I’d be hard pressed to believe an industry as unforgiving as Hollywood would be willing to overlook these things.

I guess your IMDB resume agrees with me though.

Just my two cents, I think her career ended the day she did the speedwalk in NYC. And I can only judge her work ethic and her social media behavior. We don't know how many auditions she did. I think she went to some auditions but I doubt she was so busy and had to travel between NYC and LA the whole time. In my opinion, she thought the title girlfriend/wife is the door opener and she doesn't need to do anything, she would get job offers. She was so wrong. In one of her last Portuguese interviews she said she's selective when it comes to new roles. That's just a nicer excuse why she's unemployed at the moment. There are no job offers.

Oh and let's assume she couldn't post anything about MM due to the strike. Why didn't she interact with the choreographer or other cast members or the crew? Interactions on social media were allowed. But interesting that she's now kissing asses and showing that people like her.

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louisupdates · 1 year ago

Text

FITFWT23: TOUR RECAP MASTERPOST

FASHION RECAP: NORTH AMERICA, EUROPE (Top Ten)

LITHOGRAPHS and PORTRAITS

OUTRO SONGS

IQ 123: Tour promo and production interviews

TOUR TECHNICAL SPECS [TPI MAGAZINE]

GROUP PHOTOS NA

Louis’ care for his fans

NORTH AMERICA

26 May - Mohegan Sun Arena, UNCASVILLE, CT

27 May - Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion, GILFORD, NH

29 May - Place Bell, LAVAL QC

30 May - Budweiser Stage, TORONTO ON

1 Jun - Blossom Music Center, CUYAHOGA FALLS, OH

2 Jun - Michigan Lottery Amphitheater, STERLING HEIGHTS, MI

FITFWT23: WEEK 1

3 Jun - The Icon Festival Stage, CINCINNATI, OH

6 Jun - Kemba Live! Outdoor, COLUMBUS, OH

7 Jun - TCU Amphitheater at White River State Park, INDIANAPOLIS, IN

9 Jun - Saint Louis Music Park, ST. LOUIS, MO

PORTRAITS, 1st set [10.6.2023]

IG stories and selfies [10.6.2023]

10 Jun - Starlight Theatre, KANSAS CITY, MO

13 Jun - BMO Pavilion, MILWAUKEE, WI

15 Jun - Huntington Bank Pavilion, CHICAGO, IL

16 Jun - The Armory, MINNEAPOLIS, MN

17 Jun - Harrah’s Stir Cove, COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA

19 Jun - Denny Sanford Premiere Center, SIOUX FALLS, SD

21 Jun - Red Rocks Amphitheatre, MORRISON, CO: CANCELLED 😪

24 Jun - Wamu Theater, SEATTLE, WA

26 Jun - Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Center, VANCOUVER BC

27 Jun - McMenamins Edgefield Concerts, TROUTDALE, OR

29 Jun - The Greek Theatre, BERKELEY, CA

PORTRAITS, 2nd set [29.6.2023]

PORTRAITS posted 30.6 [x]

30 Jun - Louis Instagram recap

30 Jun - The Hollywood Bowl, LOS ANGELES, CA

1 Jul - The Chelsea at the Cosmopolitan, LAS VEGAS, NV

3 Jul - Arizona Financial Theatre, PHOENIX, AZ

6 Jul - The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory, IRVING, TX

7 Jul - Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park, AUSTIN, TX

8 Jul - The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, THE WOODLANDS, TX

PORTRAITS, 3rd set [9.7.2023]

9 Jul: Louis Instagram recap

10 Jul RTL Radio Interviews

11 Jul - St. Augustine Amphitheatre, ST. AUGUSTINE, FL

13 Jul - Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood, HOLLYWOOD, FL

14 Jul - Yuengling Center, TAMPA, FL

15 Jul - Cadence Bank Amphitheatre at Chastain Park, ATLANTA, GA

18 Jul - Ascend Amphitheater, NASHVILLE, TN

19 Jul - Charlotte Metro Credit Union Amphitheatre, CHARLOTTE, NC

21 Jul - Red Hat Amphitheater, RALEIGH, NC

22 Jul - Merriweather Post Pavilion, COLUMBIA, MD

PORTRAITS, 4th set [23.7.2023]

24 Jul - MGM Music Hall at Fenway, BOSTON1, MA

25 Jul - MGM Music Hall at Fenway, BOSTON2, MA

27 Jul - TD Pavilion at the Mann, PHILADELPHIA, PA

28 Jul - Stone Pony Summer Stage, ASBURY PARK, NJ

29 Jul - Forrest Hills Stadium, NEW YORK, NY

PORTRAITS, 5th set [31.7.2023]

North America FAN EDIT

AUGUST 2023 GAP 1 recap

AWAY FROM HOME FESTIVAL

19 Aug - Parco Bussoladomani, LIDO DI CAMAIORE, Italy

AUGUST 2023 GAP 2 recap (including the 28 launch)

EUROPE

29 Aug - Barclays Arena, HAMBURG

31 Aug - Royal Arena, COPENHAGEN

1 Sep - Spektrum, OSLO [Bigger Than Me anniversary content]

PORTRAITS, 6th set [2.9.2023]

2 Sep - Hovet, STOCKHOLM

4 Sep - Ice Hall, HELSINKI

DORK MAGAZINE PHOTOS 2022 w/ links

5 Sep - Saku Arena, TALLINN

7 Sep - Arena Riga, RIGA

PORTRAITS, 7th set [8.9.2023]

8 Sep - Zalgiris Arena, KAUNAS

10 Sep - Tauron Arena, KRAKOW

11 Sep - Atlas Arena, ŁÓDŹ

13 Sep - Wiener Stadhalle D, VIENNA

14 Sep - Stozice Arena, LJUBLJANA

15 Sep - Budapest Arena, BUDAPEST

PORTRAITS, 8th set [16.9.2023]

17 Sep - Arenele Romane, BUCHAREST

18 Sep - Arena Armeets, SOFIA

20 Sep - Plateia Nerou, ATHENS w/ links to AOTV announcements

SEPTEMBER 2023 GAP recap

1 Oct - Bilbao Arena Miribilla, BILBAO (VIZCAYA)

3 Oct - Altice Arena, LISBON

5 Oct - Wizink Center, MADRID

6 Oct - Palau Sant Jordi, BARCELONA

PORTRAITS, 9th set [7.10]

8 Oct - Pala Alpitur, TURIN

9 Oct - Unipol Arena, BOLOGNA

11 Oct - Rockhal, ESCH-SUR-ALZETTE

12 Oct - Sportspaleis, ANTWERP

14 Oct - Accor Arena, PARIS

15 Oct - Ziggo Dome, AMSTERDAM

17 Oct - Lanxess Arena, COLOGNE

19 Oct - O2 Arena, PRAGUE

20 Oct - Mercedes Benz Arena, BERLIN

PORTRAITS, 10th set [21.10]

22 Oct - Olympiahalle, MUNICH

23 Oct - Hallenstadion, ZURICH

FITFWT23: LATAM promo begins [28.10]

Twitter spree: part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4 Hall Of Fame, [31.10]

IGTV [1.11]: transcript, gifs [x] [x] [x] [x] [x]

8 Nov - 3Arena, DUBLIN

10 Nov - Utilita Arena, SHEFFIELD

11 Nov - AO Arena, MANCHESTER

12 Nov - Ovo Hydro, GLASGOW

14 Nov - Brighton Center, BRIGHTON

15 Nov - International Arena, CARDIFF

17 Nov - The O2, LONDON

18 Nov - Resorts World Arena, BIRMINGHAM

FITFWT23 has come to an end!

ROLLING STONE UK 2023 AWARDS

23 Nov - Camden Roundhouse, LONDON

#fitfwt23 #fitfwt23: mp #fitfwt23: recap #louis tomlinson

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lloydmustache · 8 months ago

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Please stop with this crap, she will be seen at Lisbon Fashion Week with Justin. Just stop with the nonsense

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slovo-theshattered-onion · 7 months ago

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Okay Google, How Do I Cope with an NDA About Nothing Relevant at All?

this is a continuation of that one story i posted, like, the day before yesterday or so about adam and jeremiah and it's from a third party's perspective :D :D :D 2908 words !! enjoy <3

cws: office work, mentioned transphobia, alluded to Severe Mental Health Issues, coming in possession of the Juiciest Gossip that you can under no circumstance share, allusions to kidnapping but only if you squint, possibly (probably) very ignorantly written muslim POV character (tell me if i did an offensive please, i have random bits of knowledge all over the place but i admittedly mostly sourced this post while writing so. by far, not perfect research 👍)

Someway, somehow, despite QaTRO being one of the queerest organisations in Portugal if not worldwide and therefore full of all flavours of people, no one in the ranks is more mouthwateringly intriguing than their boss.

All the tabloids huddle routinely at the entrance to QaTRO's offices in vain hopes to catch so much as a glimmer of the man, to say nothing of the perpetually snooping smear campaigners. Everyone knows of his fashion sense, yet no one knows where he gets his clothes; everyone knows he has transitioned and had most of the available surgeries, but not one photo of him from before has been found; everyone knows he's wonderfully wicked in bed, but anything about his personal relationships is barely speculation at best; everyone knows Adam Pereira the myth, but all anyone knows about Adam Pereira the man is that he's supposedly Brazilian-American and, if you catch him in a conversation, funny and sweet to cavities.

Maryam would love to say it's different inside the offices, but the only additional fact they're all privy to is that Adam very specifically refuses to finish renovating one of the bathrooms on the third floor specifically so he can hide there whenever someone asks him too many questions about his past or personal life. The only different thing is, really, that they can come to him with the fruits of their 'make up the wildest things about Adam Pereira' improv game and get entirely unhelpful feedback. Even as his secretary, Maryam doesn't even know what city he lives in after almost two years of constant direct contact!

All she knows of that is, he's somewhere not too far from Lisbon since he says he has an hour and a half commute to work. Like any other non-demonstrable fact about the boss, though, it's as good a piece of information as that theory he's secretly a cis mafioso from Florida who skinned his arm to mimic a phallo skin graft to... She's not sure what exactly, but the sheer novelty of an anti-transvestigation has stapled the thought into her head permanently.

Either way, the point is, no one knows anything at all about Adam Pereira, and the employees at QaTRO have long since stopped asking because the awkward, sweet guy they're working for will find any possible weasel route out of answering. In worst case scenarios, he’ll have a panic attack about it in his personal, dusty, paint-fumed bathroom stall, as well; running damage control in such cases is pretty much the only time his secretiveness affects Maryam poorly, so. She just enforces his boundaries for him, no big deal.

Which is why, when he shows up a day early after one of his semi-annual missionary trips for threatening tea with the governor of Florida- see also, mafioso rumours- she expects him to spend a customary week home, before getting back to the office and never speaking of why he changed his schedule. Alhamdulillah, the improv game has been getting a bit stale. Only so wild you can go before even discussing evidence for 'he's secretly the avatar of some black hole millions of light years away' loses its punch.

What she's not expecting is her work phone buzzing with Adam's number a good four days before he's due back at the office at the very tail end of her shift.

Staring at the contact name, Maryam contemplates if she should have some kind of emergency service on hot dial just in case the ocean's about to burst alight. Her phone continues to vibrate out the melody- soundless, since it has to be semi-professional- of a song about suspicious businessmen. Well, no use delaying; she swipes to answer.

"Maryam! Hello, my beautiful and most valued assistant. Are you available for a short chat?" Voice spiking through the speakers, Adam asks through the bustle of whatever public place he's apparently in.

Maryam raises her brows. "Subhan Allah, Adam? Is everything okay? Can you cough twice if you're possessed?" Smiling, she leans back in her gamer-grade office chair and crosses her legs. Doesn't sound like her boss is in any kind of immediate danger, at least; her shoulders untense just enough for her to notice how tight they got.

"Oh- no, no, everything's fine. I'm just- you have two sugar babies, right? I need gift ideas."

... What?

"For a sugar baby?" To check if she perhaps misheard, Maryam rises from her chair. No one should come into her and boss’ office without knocking, but better to lock the door just in case.

"Not- quite? I just have someone who I need to know with a hundred percent certainty that money is not an issue. Anything expensive will probably do, but I don't know how personal to make it? Or is it better to just hand over hard cash? I mean, I'm planning to open him a bank account soon anyway. It won't count as a gift if I think it's a necessity though, right??" Rattling off, Adam's voice drowns out all the background bustle, "Shit, it totally doesn't, getting a haircut and new clothes didn't convince him. What do I do then?-"

"Woah, deep breath, bossman. It's okay, this really isn't that straight forward but we'll figure it out, In Shaa Allah." Maryam interrupts, tone as comforting as she can get it, and drops on the impossibly cosy sofa at one of the office walls, "In my experience, stuff that they wanted to get for a while but never had specifically enough money for tends to get it across clearest, but what that is really depends on the person. For Simon, it was Faber-Castell pencils, but that'd never work for Ieva, you know? I know you're a private guy, so I won't pry, but I figure you're diligent enough to figure it out." She smiles, "Whoever's in your orbit is lucky to have you, Subhan Allah."

Silence. Not even sounds of a crowd peek through from the other end of the line; did Adam hang up? He very rarely does without a polite goodbye.

Just as Maryam lifts the phone from her ear to check if the call's still on, Adam speaks again. "Is the printer on?"

Oh? Where's he leading with this? Straightening up, Maryam looks over to the printer shrine, and satisfied to find the little light on, falls back into the cushions. "Yeah? What'd you need, bossman?"

"I need you to type out and print a one way NDA for yourself with specifications as I dictate. It's okay if not, but I'll be hanging up then. I don't mean to bribe you, I promise this isn't any kind of important information-"

"Please don't worry about bribery, Astaghfirullah, you know I'd get myself blackmailed for gossip." Already at the desk, Maryam opens a text document, "Ready when you are!"

Silence, again. Whatever Adam wants to tell her must be pressing on him. Her fingers twitch over the keyboard, and she shifts her hold on her phone to her shoulder.

"Use the typical template, fill it out with your name as the recipient and mine as the discloser. Have clause three saying that you may not share the information with anyone under any circumstances other than if your silence will cause direct, certain harm, and edit clause six to include that you may not create any notes or recordings of any of the confidential information I disclose, paraphrased or otherwise. The term is indefinite, oh, and clause four point a, specify it does not apply to commenting on any otherwise leaked information." Adam breathes, "You can back out whenever until the thing is signed, of course."

Snorting, Maryam checks over her work- she's efficient and Adam knows it- and presses the print button. "Too late, I've got a pen out, Bismillah. Who do you want me to forge into our witness?" Easy, she rolls over to the printer in her chair, signing herself and forging Adam in right against a clipboard that lives at the printer shrine for this exact purpose.

"Go catch someone in the hallway, I'd like this to be a somewhat credible document." Sounding slumped, Adam breathes.

Not one to need being told twice, Maryam bolts for the door, unlocks and waves down a random group of employees passing by- presumably about to leave- with the clipboard. "Hey! Anyone want to be legally liable? Or, well, make me legally liable. Boss' having me sign an NDA."

The employees- all from lower tiers, so generally not overly familiar to her- look between each other before one of them shrugs, trots over and signs where Maryam points them to. Bowing her gratitude, she twirls back into the office and locks again. "Done and dusted, what's the confidential information?"

Even through phone speakers, she hears Adam sigh.

"I- have a new roommate. He is literally the most perfect thing on planet Earth. How the fuck am I meant to cope?" Trailing low into a pathetic whine by the final sentence, Adam bemoans, and oh, that sounds like a crush. Holy shit life's unfair, Maryam can't even breathe a word about this- anyway.

"Hm, well it sounds like you want to take care of him. What's the issue with just spoiling the guy?" Back on the sofa, she pulls off her Mary Janes, folding her legs under her.

"We're not, like, a thing, Maryam. He spooks so easily at too much touch, not to mention his metric of 'too much' is so different- I feel sick, I'm gonna dieeee." No doubt draping over something like the hopeless slinky he is, Adam groans. He doesn't ask if Maryam's ever felt this way, doesn't divert attention; he wanted to share, clearly, but it's still a little weird that he’s doing this at all.

Chest tight, Maryam worries her lip as she smiles. "Wanna tell me more about what he might like as a gift, then? Brainstorm solutions, In Shaa Allah, figure out what your boy-toy to be will go crazy for."

A moment of silence. "He really likes that blindfold Besouro gifted me. Blindfolds like that aren't very expensive, though, and mine works just fine. Would he like some kind of kit for making stained glass windows?? He said he was always sad his church didn't have one of those and loved to make fake ones with plastic and sharpies- that's probably something to ask, god. Maryaaaam, how do you do this?"

Oh no, Adam's down bad. It doesn't even sound like he's trying to change topics, just- genuinely in need. Maryam shifts, biting at her barely contained grin. "Well, okay, what's his vibe? Maybe you can find something by thinking less specific things, you know, open your mind." Maybe this is a bit less of a helpful question and more of her trying to suss out as much as she can in what will probably be one single conversation where she gets to learn something her boss deems 'personal', Astaghfirullah.

Man, will she be the only one in the whole wide world who actually knows his type-

"He's... He's divine, Maryam. So effortlessly cool, it's like he doesn't need to think even for a second for witty comebacks, and so caring, and he hates overly sweet things but I bet if I took a bite I'd taste honey. He doesn't like hugs, but he pushed past it to comfort me and I nearly had a heart attack. And I can't do anything! Because- because I'm dumb. This situation is dumb. Man, if I didn't act so impulsively- sorry, I, it's-"

"Breathe, Adam." Straightening, Maryam soothes before her boss can choke on his own throat, "I don't know what your situation is, and I won't push, but I'm sure you can handle it. If he's really as lovely as you say, I'm sure he'll work with you and not against you, yeah? It sounds like he cares about you, you know." She smiles, sweet, hoping it carries through the speakers.

This is the most vulnerable Adam's ever been with her. Tight in the chest, she pulls her legs up and squeezes herself into a hug. Really, the worst thing about Adam Pereira's secretive nature is, he loves to listen, it's almost harder not to tell him things. Try to share his burdens, though, try to give him the kind attention he blankets everyone with so easily, and he's gone.

... Huh. She didn't realise him pushing her away hurt, until now-

"I- there's a power imbalance. He can't- I don't want to force him." Choked, Adam says.

Breathing, Maryam wets her lips and eases up her muscles. "Hey, I'm not forcing my sugar babies even if I'm much more influential than them, right? It's no big deal if you both understand-"

"None of your sugar babies were homeless before you took them in, Maryam." Adam snaps.

Oh. Oh, that's-

"Shit, sorry. I didn't mean to- it's fine, it's fine. I just, I won't be making any moves, I've been good at it. Some kind of completely not-suggestive gift that he could sell for a shit load of money if he ever needs to escape, and- and that's fine. It's- sorry, I'll-"

"Adam-" What does Maryam say, he'll probably hang up soon, "it's okay. It sounds like you love him, that's- that's hard. I don't know what exactly you did, but- I know you won't hurt him, because you care, a lot, and you're good at it. Just- please come to me to let it out every once in a while, okay? It hurts to be shut out of your life like that, to never be able to give back- I mean, it's fine, if you just talk to your therapist about it it's fine, you don't have to- you don't have to push yourself. Just, I'm here for you, okay?"

Silence. Did he hang up and she not notice-

Heavy, a breath crackles through the speakers. "I- I brought him here from Florida." Adam confesses, "And I... Over-exaggerated the dangers of me just, sponsoring him to help him out of poverty." Another breath, shuddering, "I don't know what it is. I've never felt this way before, but we were talking and, shit, I wanted to have him. Just for myself, close, soft, perfect. And then it was too late to back out, and I'm just- finding whatever excuse I can to throw money at him so he doesn't get trapped. And I- I'm sorry, it shouldn't be your problem."

A warmth unspools, loosening tension, through Maryam's body. "I want it to be my problem, you silly boy. We've known each other for over two years, closely for over one, you know how bad I wanted you to trust me?" She snorts, tenses, shakes her head, "Back to the topic though, you fell in love, and now you know those stupid romances don't exaggerate. You're fixing it all up, aren't you? You'll tell him the truth soon, I know you, and In Shaa Allah, you'll let him go if he wants to go. If you don't, you'll now have to deal with me knowing, and I won't be sweet about it. I promise it'll be okay, yeah? It's a bad deal, and you know well how to make the best out of those."

Silence. Adam sighs before Maryam can even get worried, the smallest groan hiding in his breath. "Shit. I'm sorry I hurt you. I-" Light, he huffs, "It never occurred to me people could be really sad that I don't share. Guess I am a silly boy, damn." Humour no-doubt forced in his voice, he exhales, long and heavy but seemingly smiling, "You're a charm, you know that, Mary?"

He's said that before. Somehow, this particular time it's like peach soufflet on Maryam's tongue, soft, warm and sweet; she's really, really very soft for people trusting her, relying on her, wanting her, isn't she? Crinkles in her eyes, she giggles. "I'm glad. And it's not that bad, I had a lot of practice with clammed up men since I was very little. What's one more to the pile?"

Whining like he did in the beginning of the call, Adam's probably all shrimpy with his posture as his smile flows through the speakers. "I'm not even ashamed, is the thing!! I'm just paranoid! Jesus Christ, this is awful." Light, he jokes.

It's so nice to have one of Maryam's best friends finally reciprocating. Allah, she may just cry.

Instead, she glances to the clock, and blinks at the time. Four eleven! Her shift's over and she'll be late to get home in time for Maghrib if she doesn't get a move on. "Mhm, well, I won't tell no one, not even the first man I ever pincered out of his clam little shell, so you're gonna be safe. Now go! Get your crush a gift. If he's one of ours, nothing's less suggestive than a childhood dream, you know? Get him a barbie or a fire truck or something, In Shaa Allah, he'll like it. Tell me how it goes, good luck!"

With that, Maryam hangs up on him. She can only imagine him cursing the air, but she does get an email that she received a bonus just as she's about to shut off her computer; it's as playful as ever, and the tea roses blooming in her chest open sweeter than they have in days.

Truly, there's no drug like earning someone's trust.

#slovo writes #writing #writeblr #original writing #original character #muslim characters #first love #feelings #you've heard of gay best friend now get ready for. uh actually i don't have a joke i realise #maryam's cool tho. i like her #mentioned sugar babies #rich people being nice. i know. the most unrealistic part of this story :pensive:

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hadnewscom · 29 days ago

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Lisboa Fashion Week Spring Summer 2025 Featuring Carlos Gil-As the sun sets over the picturesque city of Lisbon, the fashion world descends upon the iconic Lisboa Fashion Week for the unveiling of Carlos Gil’s mesmerizing Spring Summer 2025 collection. The Portuguese designer showcases his unique blend of modern

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umichenginabroad · 8 months ago

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Madrid Week 9/10: Viva Italia (part 2… part 1)

Hola a todxs!

Niko back here with week 9 of my study abroad experience. I’m a week late on this one... because last week was spring break (semana santa/holy week, the week leading up to easter)! I was a bit tied up with traveling (which I’ll get into in this blog), so I couldn’t find any time to write. The positive (or negative based on how much you like my writing 🥲) is that I’ll be posting two blogs this week about the trip to make it more digestible, since there is a lot to tell.

So, the week leading up to Spring break was filled with a little bit of scrambling to get all of my stuff done (a paper for Spanish and a presentation for my culture class, which I also think I’ll end up writing a blog about), but once Friday hit, I was free — ready to immerse myself in the true Italian experience 🤌.

The amount of culture in Italy is pretty crazy — I don’t know many other European countries with as many iconic cities as Italy, except for maybe Spain. Beautiful and historically significant places are sprinkled throughout all 301,340 square kilometers, and I think it’s safe to say that I’ve seen a lot of it. Italian fashion, history, wine, geography, and food are also iconic.

It’s also safe to say that I won’t be eating pasta or pizza again for a couple weeks now. I ate primarily carbs for every single meal, and I honestly don’t know how I didn’t end up feeling terribly weak or something like that halfway through due to the lack of protein and nutritious diversity. Quality ingredients I suppose?

Now, I’ll walk through each destination of my break in mini chapters and reflect a bit about each one.

24 hours in Lisbon

When planning out the trip, the cheapest flight that we could find routed us through Lisbon to get to Rome. Seems counter intuitive, I agree, but that’s how it worked out. For the first leg of this trip, I was traveling with one of my Madrid roommates and 3 of his friends that he knew from his hometown.

We had just under 24 hours to get a feel for the city. My conclusion: Lisbon has a wonderful energy. The buildings are beautiful and the narrow streets have a playful way of winding through the city. There are hills in every direction, cute yellow trams bustling about, and the Atlantic ocean is never too far away. I'd already been to Lisbon with my family a few years ago, but it was really nice to experience it from a more grown up perspective.

We went on a free walking tour (pro tip — free walking tours aren’t actually free. Get cash beforehand for tips so you aren’t scrambling to find an ATM when the tour ends [spoken from experience]), listened to a busker perform beautiful Bossa nova (not Portuguese, I'm aware) at an overlook of the city, ate Pastel de Nata (fire af, highly recommend), and zoomed around a little bit on Lime scooters before getting back to the airport to catch our flight to Rome. Pictures tell the better story than I could!

When in Rome

The amount of time we said “When in Rome” or “Hey, Rome wasn’t built in a day” was probably too high to shamelessly write down in this blog, but I don’t regret saying a single one. I mean hey, when in Rome, right?

If you plan on going to Rome, especially during easter, this is the best piece of advice I could give you: book things far, far in advance. I thought it would be cool to book museums and whatnot the weekend before.

Terrible idea. Everything was sold out, and I had to resort to booking expensive tours and second party resell tickets in order to see what I wanted to see. Hopefully, my bank account took the L so that no prospective Italy spring breakers have to. Book in advance from the official websites, and pay the little bit extra to skip the line!! It is worth it.

Rome has an incredible energy that is really enhanced by the history that flanks every inch of it. Anyways, what did I see that I didn't book in advance?

The Vatican Museums/St. Peter's Basilica: pretty insane how beautiful every inch of that building is. Unfortunately, because I was on a timed tour, I didn’t get to fully appreciate all of the art that was in the Museum, but I got a good long while in the Sistine Chapel, which is simply marvelous. The Creation of Adam is truly epic. Michelangelo is the goat. After this trip, I’m a big fan. Michelangelo also designed St. Peter’s Basilica, which I climbed to the top of. It’s also epicly huge and beautiful, and offers amazing views of the city.

The Colosseum: worth going inside — especially if you have a good imagination. Looking down at the arena floor, I imagined gladiators brutally fighting to the death with bloodthirsty Romans sneering and cheering them on from all sides. That happened right where I was standing. Even a peasant in the nosebleeds would have been close enough to the action and seen the killing in gruesome detail.

The Roman Forums: also a big imagination thing. Imagining standing in the center of Rome, massive white marble buildings towering above, cheering peasants on all sides, while the Roman emperor parades through the streets with golden chariots filled with riches pillaged from far away lands.

The Borghese Gallery: Probably my favorite thing in Rome. The pictures speak for themselves, some of the most impressive sculptures I’ve ever seen in my life (close tie with the David in Florence).

The Pantheon: It's crazy how old this thing was (like 2000 years), and how good of a condition it's still in. That's what happened when you transform a pagan temple into a church, I guess.

Rome itself: Rome is also filled with beautiful, free to access public Piazzas and monuments that are also worth visiting. There is a distinct vibe to each neighborhood, tons of delicious food, cool sunset spots, and good vibes both day and night.

My best recommendation for truly experiencing the epic history throughout the country? RICK STEVES! Rick Steves has audio guides for almost all the biggest tourist attractions in a ton of Italy (and the rest of Europe!) His guides are funny, help you visualize, are super informative, and most importantly, FREE! Using his guides really added to my experience, I listened to them every chance I got. Click here for his Italy guide.

On Tuesday, the friends that I came with left to see other parts of Italy I hadn't planned on visiting, while I took an extra day to explore Rome. I engaged in some Solo-traveling (my first true solo travel of the semester), and my confidence in spending time alone and building connections grew. I stayed in a hostel for two nights and ended up meeting a fellow solo traveler, who happened to be Argentinian. We formed a meaningful connection, and shared mate on Thursday morning — a custom I really missed from my time in Buenos Aires.

Fire-nze 🔥

For those of you who didn’t know (I didn’t before going to Italy) Florence is called Firenze in Italian. Not sure where that distinction came from. But I like it.

I stayed with a home friend of mine, Shea (she stayed with me in Madrid a few weeks ago) who is studying there for the semester. I spent four days in total in Florence, two of which I used to take short day trips to nearby cities.

Florence is the birthplace of the Renaissance. As a result, the museums there are pretty insane. The Uffizi has the most impressive collection of Renaissance paintings, probably in the world, with works from Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Raffael, and more. The Rick Steves tour is great for this one.

The Accademia is home to Michelangelo’s the David. More about how seeing it made me feel in the reflection section. But it’s epic.

Florence also has a pretty insanely huge church, the Duomo, and the story about how it was designed is also crazy. In conclusion, the Renaissance men are goated. They were literally good at everything, art, sculpting, engineering, architecture, you name it, they could do it. How I’m tryna be for real.

Going ta’ Bologna (I tried to make it rhyme i'm sorry)

My day spent in Bologna was one of my favorites this trip. I took a day trip there alone from Florence, a quick 1 hour train ride. Bologna has an amazing vibe. It smells fantastic everywhere (food markets, soap shops, flowers, etc. Beautiful.). It felt really local. There were a good amount of tourists, but Italians far outnumbered them, which was a different story from Florence and Rome, both of which were pretty overwhelmed (especially true in Easter week).

Bologna is also a University Town, so it was filled with young people and overall had a great energy. I spent the day just exploring, eating (I had the best lasagna of my life. Bologna is known for its food scene and it did not disappoint. Ever heard of spaghetti Bolognese? Yeah.), and did a mini pilgrimage to see a cool monastery on a big hill. Fantastic vibes overall, 100% would recommend seeing.

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I would have included more pics, but I was limited by tumblr lol. I’ll discuss the rest of my trip and some big reflections I took away from it in the next post I’ll make soon! If you’re reading this after I’ve already posted all the blogs, you can find the next post here.

Ciao,

Niko Economos

Aerospace Engineering

Universidad Carlos III de Madrid

Madrid, Spain

[email protected]

#UmichEnginAbroad #IPEUC3M #NikoEconomos #IPEWinter24 #Spain

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