#santorini day tour

[seretistravelike]

7-Day Athens And Santorini Holiday: Exploring The Greek Islands

Do you fancy azure water, remnants of ancient ruins, and cozy cobblestone streets? If you are looking for a magical getaway, fortunate for you, the breathtaking Athens and Santorini holiday are exactly what you need. Whether you will be on a honeymoon, a family adventure, or a solo expedition, this detailed itinerary will assist in making your stay here very enjoyable. Your trip begins in Athens, the ancient capital city and the home of millennia of culture and history. Read more:- https://medium.com/@seretistravelike/7-day-athens-and-santorini-holiday-exploring-the-greek-islands-e90529687dee

[thelastofhyde]

ii. santorini.

pairing. tourguide!joel miller x fem!reader. series synopsis. on the brink of undergoing a life-altering change, you runaway from your problems in the only way any sane person can: embarking on a mediterranean cruise. there you meet joel miller, a grumpy, private tour-guide, who just so happens to be tasked with touring you through each stop on your cruise. from greek goddesses to roman ruins, you have ten days to avoid your fate. maybe a frowning, southern, sex-on-legs of a man is just what the doctor ordered. chapter summary. tensions are high as you and joel spend your first day together exploring the popular island of santorini. back on the boat, joel gets a glimpse at more than he bargained for. series warnings. no use of y/n, set in 2015, no apocalypse au, cruise!au, rom-com, enemies-ish to lovers, tour-guide!joel, unspecified age gap, depictions/discussions of grief, angst, fluff, a whole load of smut, a lot of cheesy stereotypical romance tropes bc i just wanna see joel not suffer ( too much ) <3 chapter warnings. mild smut ( female masturbation, mentions of oral sex + piv sex ), bickering, alcohol, mild angst, so much cheese it'll turn you lactose intolerant!! btw joel hates santorini and he makes that known, but none of his opinions reflect my own ( please don't be mean to me over things characters say <33 ) word count. 7.9k hyde’s input. the majority of this chapter was written with a mixture of medicine flowing through my veins, it's a miracle it's even intelligible. apologies for the wait, the holidays and health issues got in the way <3 as always, i hope you enjoy, comments an dreblogs are always appreciated !! previous chapter - next chapter - series masterlist

It is a known fact that your name and late rarely exist within the same sentence.

The mere thought of being late fills you with a sickness you cannot cure. The extremes you’ll go to avoid it know no bounds. From arriving four hours before a flight, to waiting in your car a whole hour before entering a lecture hall, adulthood is a phase in which you’d sworn to repair the damage of a childhood worth of not arriving late.

Late to school, late to birthday parties, late to dentist appointments.

It wasn’t that you were a particularly difficult child, running rampant around the house as your mother tried to dress you, or your father tried to feed you. Quite the contrary, really. Often, it was little-you who chased around after them, and who waited by the door, school bag in hand, tapping your foot with every second that ticked by on the clock. You were too young and hadn’t the ability nor the empathy to understand that your parents were held up with sorting through things directly influenced by your existence, like cleaning up the messes you left at the breakfast table, or fixing the doorknob you and your sister broke in an intense game of hide and seek.

Nowadays, you can count on one hand the times you’ve been late.

First, you were late to your own surprise birthday party, but that was down to you getting stuck an extra hour at work. It was out of your control.

Then, there’d been your graduation ceremony. Your father missed an exit and ended up taking you on a mystery tour of the city, trying to find the next turn that led to your campus. Again, out of your control.

The third time is the one you remember panicking over the most, knee bouncing uncontrollably with nerves as you sat squeezed between two strangers on a plane. Your sister, barely halfway through her third trimester, had gone into labour, and where were you? Stumbling around drunk on a private beach in Cancún, mumbling along to the lyrics of some early 2000s classic you forget the name of. Your niece, all 4 and a half pounds of her, had decided now was her time to shine and there was nothing, not even the 4 weeks she had yet to grow in utero, that was going to stop her. By the time you arrived, mascara smudged eyes and with the stench of tequila still on your skin, she was laying peacefully in her incubator, the tiniest little fingers clenched into fists and a name tag around her wrist. This too was out of your control.

But the fourth time you’re late, as you stride urgently across the wooden decking of the ship, weaving in and out of lounge chairs and polo-neck wearing crew members, it’s completely within your control.

Yet, it’s not entirely your fault.

An alarm that never went off. A game of hide-and-seek with your purse. An unfortunate slip on bathroom tiles adding another bruise to your knees. An elevator that refused to travel faster than the speed of a snail. It’s as though Lady Luck had set out in favour of being against you, doing her utmost to ensure you arrive exactly seven minutes past your deadline. His deadline.

Best be on the deck by 7 am, darlin’, or I’m dockin’ without ya.

Your head whips from one side to another, eyes finding a familiar figure amongst the few passengers meeting their own private guides. It’s the same man from yesterday, out on the balcony, the memory of him cheering his champagne and shooting a tipsy smile your way replaying. Only now he’s clad in plaid, with a frown etched into his forehead as he stares at his watch. There’s another man, hanging off his arm, fusing with the collar of his shirt.

“She’s late,” you overhear him say, voice firm and leaking with annoyance.

“Maybe she just slept in!” The man next to him is cheerier, tired eyes full of optimism, even as he turns his head and stifles a yawn. “Give her a few minutes.”

“What kind of shitty tour guide sleeps in?” Balcony-Man huffs, and you can’t help but think of your niece and her pouty face whenever she fails to get her own way. “Does she think I’d not rather be asleep too? Lazy c-”

“See? This is why I told you to eat that damn croissant before we left.” The taller of them seems to snap, rolling his eyes. “Brighten up, Bill, or so help me God you’ll be leaving this boat a divorcee.”

Trying to tune their voices out, as the guilt of prying crawls its way into your bones, your gaze points down at your feet. The very same heels you’d worn last night, pretty as they may leave you, have you cursing at the Sun and the Moon. If you’d have just worn your sneakers, maybe you could have ran up the stairs instead of taking the snail-evator.

Joel, tour guide, Signore Miller’s voice- though your imagination can’t quite reach his level of arrogance- rears its irritating head through your mind, recalling his words from last night. Wear somethin’ a little more… practical. That had been enough to awaken that stubborn mule inside of you, hell-bent on proving him wrong.

But now, late, and with him nowhere in sight, your heels seem to have had the opposite effect. They’ve proved him right.

Which leaves you here, moping so pathetically you’re incapable of appreciating the shine of a rising sun over the horizon of aqua blue water.

Five minutes, you decide. That’s how long you’ll allow yourself to dwell in self-pity. Then, you’ll trek your way over to the Excelsior lounge, hit up the breakfast buffet, and await the general disembarking time.

Who knows, maybe you’ll get a call to say there’s a miraculous spot opened up on one of the tour groups.

If not, you’ll be fine! You’ve travelled alone before, you’ve got an all-inclusive data plan on your phone and you’re pretty well-acquainted with the less-than-accommodating features of Google Maps. You don’t need help, or a tour guide, much less one as blood-boiling, skin-prickling, irritating as Joel Mil-

“Wasn’t sure how ya like your coffee, but you look like a milk, two sugars kind of girl to me.”

Speak of the Devil and he shall appear. Or, in this case, think of him.

Turning a little too fast, you stumble a step or two back, and, sure enough, there he is. A tight fitting, dark grey t-shirt stretched over the swell of his biceps, a pair of washed-out denims, and two well-worn running shoes, one on each foot. Trailing up the swell of his tanned neck, you count the freckles up to his eyes, and find there’s bags under them. The growth of hair on his face is just as unkempt as yesterday, yet already it seems to have grown longer, making the litter of greys stand out more. The hair that sits atop his head is damp, and the strands that have managed to dry are being messed around by the morning air. He’s still got that ever-present frown stamped into his forehead, yet his mouth doesn’t seem to curl into a snarl as he calls your name.

You must stare a moment or two past his comfort level, for he clears his throat and nods down at his hand. Two to-go cups, the smallest streams of steam floating out the hole in each lid.

He’s extending one out- the one in his right hand- towards you. “If you’d rather black, you can take min-”

“No!” You snap back into your own body, all too quickly and all too volatile. Clear your throat, and then try again, this time with a little less of that im being held at gunpoint shake in your voice. “No… Thank you. It’s fine- Milk is fine.”

It’s more than fine.

In fact, he’s gotten it spot on. Down to the number of sugars you take.

But, still stubborn, you yearn to not give him the satisfaction of being right so early in the day, and instead settle for accepting the coffee out his hand. You welcome the golden warmth eagerly, eyes unable to resist slipping shut as you take your first sip. When they reopen, you find Joel watching you, intently. Purposefully, as though you’re something to be studied.

Clearing your throat, you glance to the side and spot Balcony-Man and his partner greeting an apologetic woman.

“Thanks for the, uh,” his stare is intimidating your nerves, setting you on edge of something you’re all to eager to jump off. “Coffee. Yeah. You didn’t have to… I mean, I actually thought you’d, you know, uh-”

“You thought I left without ya.” He states. All you can do is nod. “I could’ve. I did warn you not to be late.”

“You did.”

“I also told you to wear somethin’ other than them heels.”

“I know.”

“Yet here you are, late and in heels. You’re not very good at following orders.” He exhales something akin to a chuckle, as devoid of humour as it may be, and you swear he’s suddenly closer than you remember, knuckles brushing against your own as he bumps his paper cup against yours. “Just what am I gonna do with ya, huh?”

For a moment, you swear your heart has leaped from your chest and up to your throat, threatening to choke you with the beat of it. There’s no sense you can make of it, this reaction he rouses, a heat you can’t control creeping down your loins as you drag in a whiff of some manly cologne, the kind you’d usually turn your nose up at for being too overbearing. Yet, on him, it’s not. On him it’s just right, like he was born with pine soaked skin, and a tobacco stained kiss, and-

Before you can think of pulling in another breath, Joel’s stepped back, allowing a cool breeze to pass between you and get a hold of your senses.

“C’mon, we’re slotted in for the first tender that leaves for shore.”

“Oh my God.”

You’re half certain Joel’s growing sick of hearing those three words roll off your tongue. He’s likely felt this way since it first left your mouth, feet struggling to safely step out onto the dock as your mind became enchanted by the picturesque view in front of you. Only the burn of his hand meeting your lower back, nudging you ahead to make space for himself and the other passengers to step off the tender boat, was capable of dragging you back into your own body, the wanderlust that had gripped your soul yearning to be free to explore every building that sits carved into rock, every water-taxi that flows idly on cristaline water, every step that winds up and up and up the island’s cliff where, at the top, civilisation seems to lie.

The port you’ve docked on is rather small, with naught more than two docking strips and a walkway of shops and confection stands, with boats that find no space along the docking strips tying themselves to any safety they may find over the expanse of the walkway. It is no wonder the cruise floats safely out in deeper waters, alongside several other cruise lines, with no space for such large vessels. And, yet, the port is alive with something. The ground seems to pulse, like a beat of a heart, and the air, as fresh as the grass after heavy rainfall, almost dances its way down your lungs. Voices swim all around you, tourists scrambling past each other, fighting in a race towards something you’ve yet to identify.

“So this is Gialos, also known as the Old Port of Fira.” Somewhere, behind you perhaps, Joel’s voice pipes up, a speech so rehearsed and robotic, a part of your wonders how many times he’s recited it, how many people he’s recited it to. The other part of you, however, is much too fixated on the stairs ahead to pay him true attention, eyes following as two men and several donkeys descend. “That, up there, is Fira, the capital of Santorini. We’re going to need to take a cable- Are you even listening to me?”

“Yes!” You’re quick to react, a defensive rise in your voice. He meets it with a deadpan look and the crossing of his arms over his chest, which quickly becomes something you wish he wouldn’t do as you watch the tight fabric of his shirt stretch itself thin over the bulge of his arms. “No. Sorry, I’m just… Wow.”

You hope he appreciates the restraint you show towards repeating those three dreaded words again.

“You have all day to stare,” his words trip over his own irritated scoff, and you bite back a question of why he’s a guide if he seems to hate it so much, fearful he’s too honest to not tell you a truth that may hurt your fragile feelings. A truth where it is not so much his job he dislikes, but rather, your presence and all that it brings. “Right now, we need to move. Don’t wanna spend all day waitin’ in line now, do ya?”

This need for speed that hooks the other tourists seems to filter over into your guide, who’s forcing you forward, that heat of his palm now hovering inches away from your lower back. It’s enough to lead you where he pleases. As a pair, you weave in and out small clusters of people, till the space between you both and the large gathering crowd slowly diminishes. It is there where his once telepathic leading fails, with Joel turning left towards it as you stray right, over to the ascending pathway of stairs.

“Where are you going?” His tone is offended, almost, as he comes to a halt and watches you fail to do the same, to notice the space between you both and correct it like some puppy who’s been called to heel by its master.

“Where am I going?” The question, at first, is one you mistake as rhetorical. Staring back at him with an equaled confusion, you gesture to the stairway, as though it is the most obvious answer. Because, well, where else could you have been heading? He said so himself, that up there is Fira, the capital of Santorini, and you’ll be damned if you don’t get to see it. “Where are you going?”

“To the cable cars, that’ll take us up the island.”

Above the crowd of people, hanging over doors of small businesses, lay several signs. CABLE CARS - 6€ ! stands out, impossible to miss. Symbols you scarcely recognise sit beneath it, in smaller text, and you assume it’s Greek. In the distance, you spy the movement of the mobile boxes, people being carted up the length of the cliff at a speed that promises them a journey of mere minutes.

“Oh.” So, perhaps his option makes more sense than your own far longer, more tiring one. Still, stubborn as a mule, you double down on your decision to take the scenic route, inching closer towards the first step. Your guide, still in the face, refuses to move, daring eyes willing you to continue. “You want us to take the lazy man’s route? You go ahead, I’ll take the stairs and meet you at the top.”

You press one foot up onto the first step, weary of where you rest the point of your heel.

Glancing a few steps further up, there’s the unmistakable sight of a mound of brown substance, no doubt excreted out of one of the donkeys that walk ahead, tourists mounted on their poor backs.

“I don’t think you understand,” he finally inches closer, if only slightly, hands clenched at his side. “There’s five hundred and eighty-eight steps until you reach the top.”

The number is more daunting than you expect, and you pray he can’t read this on your face. “Only? I’ll be up in no time then!”

You feel more than see the way Joel’s eyes travel down the expanse of you, stuttering almost over the curvature of your chest, the dips at your hips, till they rest at your feet. The question hangs loose between you, unspoken yet evident.

In those heels?

“Listen, Joel,” taking a second, third, and fourth step, you aim for a literal higher ground, staring down below as he continues to drift closer and closer towards the stairway. “If you’re not fit for the task, or the climb’s no good for your knees, you can just say it, there’s no shame. Like I said, I’ll meet you at the top. Promise I won’t even report the fact my private guide abandoned me in favour of his own comfort.”

Defeat has never come easy.

Well, to phrase it better towards the truth, acceptance of defeat has never come easy.

There was always something more to be said, another excuse to be given for any of your shortcomings. When you’d been turned away from the school’s soccer team, you’d told yourself it was because you were a girl- ignoring the fact three girls in your year made the cut. When you’d lost an arduous game of Monopoly, you’d sworn you’d caught your sister sneaking notes out of the banker’s pile into her own. When you’d been beaten, round after round, by your own niece at Mario Kart, you’d stuck your tongue out at her and told her you let her win out of pity.

All that had been before, of course, back when you still roamed school hallways, when your sister sat across from you at the dining table, when your niece still laughed freely, wildly, celebrating her own victories with an over-the-top, uncoordinated dance around the living room.

As changed as things may be, defeat is still your foe.

It is that reason alone that you bite back a complaint.

You’d enjoyed the initial moments of your trek. Maybe it was the salty air in your lungs, or the beautiful views of your surroundings, or the idle grumbling coming from Joel, a few paces behind you, kicking up dirt under his feet with every step he travelled up. Whatever the reason, adrenaline had been flowing, into your heart and through your veins, covering every square inch of your body, a tingling of nerves from the tip of your toes to the top of your spine.

But, by the 10 minute mark, a dull ache forms in your feet. Each step of your heel feels more life threatening than the last, as the stairs grow slippier, dustier, and well-worn the further up you advanced. By stair who-knows-how-may, you take a near fatal tumble backwards, the crunch of crumbling rock threatening to be the last thing you hear. Till he appears behind you, fast as light, huffing out a breath as you smack down against his solid chest.

“Mind your step.” From anyone else, you would mistake it as a sign of care. From Joel, you know better than to think it’s anything beyond a humourless taunt.

You try to keep count of the steps, from then on, an effort to motivate yourself to move faster with each ten-pace you count. By 50, you lose your place and begin counting all over again.

The journey is difficult in other ways, too, with the constant passing of donkeys who obligate you to stand aside and make way for them. And the distant movement of cable cars, firing up and sliding down more times than you can keep track of.

When a particular step proves itself too steep, you can no longer hold back and, finally, a hiss slips out between your clenched teeth as pain shoots up your ankle, the leather of your shoe rubbing even harder into your brittle skin, threatening the promise of a blister yet to fully swell. Pushing the pain down, alongside a complaint, you take another step. Hiss. Then another, hiss. You can fight it no longer, bending at the waist to slip off your heel and examine the irritated skin.

Sure enough, it’s been rubbed raw, broken and spilling a small pool of blood.

Behind you comes an exasperated groan and, before you can straighten yourself to even register what’s happening, Joel barges past you and the figure of him up ahead slowly diminishes the faster he climbs up hill.

“Hey!” You call after him, hobbling to slip your shoe back on, but it’s to no avail.

He’s long gone, growing further and further out of your reach with each passing minute.

Cursing him under your breath, you decide to hell with the no complaints of his preferred regard for his own comfort. He’s abandoned you, injured and hobbling up the steps, all because he has the patience of a toddler who’s been waiting far too long to go potty.

“Wear somethin’ a little more sensible…” You’re bound to seem deranged to any passers by, half hopping up the steps, mumbling to yourself in a mockery of his deep voice “Yeah, right, how bout I shove somethin’ a little more sensible up your ass. Oh, what’s that? There’s no room up there with the massive stick you’re already carryin-”

“A local man warned me bout ya, on my way back down. Said there was some no-good girl casting out bad juju.” You freeze, foot stopped in mid-air. Shifting your gaze up ahead, you find Joel there, skipping a step every so often as he grows closer and closer. At his side, dangling from two fingers, sits a plastic bag. “Told him it ain’t no juju or curses you’re casting, just throwin’ a little tantrum.”

Like a fish out of water, all you can do is stare at him, wide eyes and mouth agape.

Joel pays your silence no mind, almost delighting in it. With a pop and a crack from his knees, he crouches down before you, holding out the palm of his hand.

“C’mon,” he mutters, pointing towards your injured foot. “Lemme see.”

You’re hesitant, at first, but ultimately lift it and let him curl his grip around it, holding you in place as the shoe slips off you. A tut meets your ears as his eyes meet the bloodied mess, and you watch how he contemplates, for a moment or two, before wetting his thumb with his tongue and swiping it over your broken skin.

It stings, like salt in a wound or a bee’s stinger through skin, and you try to flinch back, retract yourself from his hold. But Joel’s strong, resilient, nails biting at the flesh of your ankle to keep you in place. His free hand digs into the plastic bag he’d discarded at his side and pulls out a white box. Fiddling with it for a short period, he manages to open it at last and slips out a bandaid. He rips that open a lot quicker, using his teeth, and slips it over your open wound perfectly, thumb and pointer finger smoothing it around the curve of your heel.

“D’ya see now why I told you to not wear those things?” You feel like a child at his words, reprimanded like you once were for touching your mother’s curling iron. “And why I said we should take the cable car?”

Biting the inside of your cheek, you refuse to meet his eyes. But he just won’t let you be, craning his own neck to infiltrate the space you stare off into. There’s a pleased look on his face, smugness pulling at the right corner of his mouth. Alarmingly, you think of how it’s the closest you’ve gotten to seeing him smile.

You continue your pursuit of silence, repeating a mantra of how you don’t care that he’d tried to look out for your comfort, or how he’d then tried to save you the effort of an uphill battle, or how his hand, big and warm and rough at the fingertips, is still holding your foot in place, absentmindedly rubbing your ankle in a circular motion.

“Look at ya, gone all quiet on me,” that corner of his lip curls higher. You register the rustling of the bag, his hand digging back inside it. “Ain’t one for bein’ put in your place, are you?”

Out comes his hand once more, though this time it’s not a box of bandaids. Now, resting firm in his grasp, sits a mixture of navy blue dyed cotton, stitched atop a flat, thick layer of a straw-like material. A slip-on canvas shoe. Joel doesn’t await permission, nor does he even ask for it. He simply takes charge, slipping it onto your foot, mindful as he straightens out the back to lay against your heel.

“Other foot, up.”

Switching feet, you stumble as your weight completely shifts onto your injured side. Your hands, reaching out to stabilise your swaying body, are quickly directed by his own to rest atop his head, curls of brown threading between your fingers. You contemplate asking what products he uses to achieve locks so smooth and shiny, then rethink it as soon as you imagine his reply of a disinterested grunt and a snarky ain’t use anythin’ but dirt water and a splash o’ whiskey.

“How’s it feel?”

Soft, you almost reply, then realise he’s asking about the shoe.

With a wiggle of your toes, you tell him it’s fine, and leave it at that. He doesn’t need to know they’re surprisingly comfortable.

Joel rises with a bit of a struggle, yet refuses the help you offer. Rough hands scoop up your discarded heels, tossing them into the bag, and then he straightens his back, lets out a noise of discomfort, before nodding up ahead.

“C’mon, only got a hundred or so to go. We’ll be up in no time.”

The sun sits high in the sky when you reach the city of Fira.

Crossing over that last step, 588 painted in white across it, you huff out a sigh, exhaustion aching you out of any enjoyment of your victory over the stairway from hell. Before you can even utter a word of your thirst, Joel is already reaching into his bag of wonders, unscrewing the lid off a bottle of water and passing it to you. Grateful, you take a sip, and lament the few drops that spill down your chin.

At least they don’t go to complete waste, cooling your skin ever so slightly.

It’s a shame to see Joel start moving again, moments before you’re even ready to gain back your breath, but you follow after him, nonetheless, mindful to not press your foot too hard down. Through streets he winds, past shopkeepers he walks. Eventually, after a few minutes, you ask him where you’re both heading.

“To catch a coach,” his hand moves quickly, tugging you closer as a bicycle shoots past behind you. Your own find themselves against his chest, and realise it is nothing like his hair. Solid, warm, wide. It’s almost a shame to lower them back down to your side. “Less you think you can walk from here to Oia, too.”

Truth be told, you don’t know where Oia is.

But you do know your walking for the day is over, happy to follow Joel onto the coach. You take the aisle seat, he’s by the window. Across from you both sits a couple, young and giggling into one another’s ears, as though the sounds of their joy is sacred to none but them. A pang of envy thumps your soul, and you quickly turn your face.

Only to find that Joel’s is grey.

Not the hair that lines it but, rather, his whole face, paled and blood-drained. It’s a sickly image, and one that’s quick to get your heart racing.

“Are you okay?” Any thought of keeping your composure becomes mute as you hear your own voice, a treacherous shake to it that gives your panic away. “You look…” There is no word kind enough for you to use to relay the image of him, so you lock your lips.

It takes a few seconds for you to get a reply, as your hand moves up to feel his forehead. It’s sweaty, warm, and you move to pull your hand back when he’s holding it firm in place, eyes slipping shut. “‘S cold. You’re cold,” seems to be his explanation. “I’m fine, it’s just- Carsick.”

“You get carsick, yet you work on a cruise.”

“Not the same. Ship’s big, somethin’ bout the size and my own visibility, ‘s what stops me getting seasick.”

You sit like that the rest of the coach, your hand pressed to his forehead, his eyes slipped shut.

“What’s your favourite stop on the cruise?”

As it turns out, Oia is exactly what you’d pictured Santorini to be.

White washed houses, deep blue domes for rooftops, turquoise waters, all for as far as the eye can see. Joel complains, more than tells you, of the rise in tourism over the years, of how it’s turned the beautiful village into a party-town for idiots abroad, disregarding the clean environment, shamelessly blocking paths to snap a frame-worthy shot, raising prices to the ceiling. When you ask him if he thinks he’s in part to blame, if people like him are to blame- running tours, bringing guests onto the island, earning a wage off the visiting of such a place- he grumbles out something about missing breakfast, needing lunch.

So you find a cafe. Or, more, Joel leads you to one. He greets the doorman, with a wave and a pat on the back, before sauntering his way through to a back terrace, overlooking the whole village, the water perfectly framing it. Stepping out and sitting down, the view robs the very breath out of your lungs.

It’s like sitting inside a postcard.

Joel asks if you like Greek food.

You tell him you’ve never had it.

He orders for you both, a mixture of different plates, and swears he’ll find something you’ll like.

It turns out you’re rather fond of baklava.

“Florence.” Joel’s taken his time to answer, staring at you like a deer caught in headlights. Disbelief more than fear in his eyes, you have to wonder if it’s the first time someone’s thought to ask him, in all his years as a guide. Naturally, this leads you to wondering how many years that is. “It’s a real site. Full of history, a real story to be told.” He tilts a ceramic dish your way, eyes glancing down in an offering. You follow them, and spot olives. Shake your head, no, then smile, thanks. He shrugs, more for me, and pops two into his mouth. “There’s this…” he pauses to chew. “This library.”

“A library?”

“‘S not just a library.” He slips out the olive’s pip and raises another into his mouth. You try not to think about how thick his fingers look, rolling the remaining briny green pebbles around in the pot. “There’s a cinema built inside it. Plays some classic films. I always- or, I try to go whenever we dock.”

It’s hard to picture Joel inside a cinema, something about the setting too busy, too loud to place his scowling face in. Would he be the kind to have a favourite seat, perfectly picked to optimise the sound quality? Does he speak animatedly, excited any time he recognises an actor? Or is he a shusher, the kind to roll his eyes when someone dares to even clear their throat?

A part of you wants to ask him if your tour involves a trip to this library.

Something tells you it’s not a place he likes to share, though. It’s his own little corner, safe to sneak a moment of selfish indulgence amidst a week of catering to another’s needs.

“A cinema inside a library?” A waiter interrupts you, asks if everything’s alright. Joel orders another serving of baklava. “Isn’t that a bit of an oxymoron?”

“Yeah.” For a moment, you think you see a smile creep across his lips. “Suppose it is.”

Another interruption comes in the form of your ringtone, rippling the water in your glass as your phone vibrates upon the table. You’re well aware of how Joel spots the word Mum displayed across your screen. Just like you’re aware he sees how you swipe down on your screen and switch on aeroplane mode.

Before he can ask any questions, or the sudden silence can become too deafening, you throw out another question. “And your least favourite?”

“Least favourite stop?” You nod, affirmative, and he needs no time to reply. “Here.”

“Here?! How come?”

The baklava arrives, as if on cue, and you point down at it, as though it is reason enough to be enamoured with the island. It seems to do little to convince him, his hand reaching out to push the plate closer to you, inviting you to indulge yourself.

“Compared to the other stops, Santorini’s bland.” He says it when your mouth is too occupied to protest, stuffed full with layer after layer of pastry. “Kind of like a diamond, y’know? Real pretty to look at, empties your wallet, and, at the end of the day, ain’t much you can do with it.”

“People propose with diamonds.” You point out, and cough as a flake of pastry hits the back of your throat.

Joel’s already passing you your glass of water before you even think to reach for it.

“People propose with rings. Diamonds are just custom, not a guarantee.”

Sunset arrives with no warning, a hue of fiery orange melting down into the calm waters on the horizon. It’s Joel who makes the call to head back, one glance at his watch enough to tell you the last chance to catch a coach is nigh. It’s only as you go to call for the bill that he tells you it’s covered and you realise his earlier trip to the bathroom had been a ruse to go pay.

The trip back is calmer, quieter, with the coach full of sunkissed and heat exhausted tourists.

Again, you take the aisle seat, and Joel, the window.

Keeping an eye on him is easy, switching your gaze towards the approaching darkness of the night sky calling upon the street lights anytime he meets your eyes. When you notice the increase in breaths and the paling of his skin, you wordlessly unscrew the cap off a bottle and slot it into his hand, inviting him to finish off the last sips of your water.

Skipping out on a trip down memory stairway, you quietly follow him into the cable car and, when you reach the Old Port, you try your best to block out his smug remark of how easy and fast the ride was. A feat which becomes easier as you stumble halfway up the dock and turn back.

Like hours before, as you first stepped off the tender, your mouth falls agape. Only, this time, wider. The view of the island lit up in all its glory is enough to leave you breathless, hands scrambling to fish out your phone, open the camera and-

“You gettin’ on or what?” Joel calls out from behind, and you find him waiting on board one of the tenders, hand held out towards you.

It’s a demand, more than it is an offer, to hurry up. The collective of other passengers are watching the interaction, and a feeling you’ve come to know all too well crawls its way into your veins.

A burden, holding them all up, that’s what you are.

The feeling follows you back, as you slip into a damp seat and watch as the boat carries you further and further from the island, it’s lights twinkling in a way that chokes you up, drains you out, eyes stinging from more than just the salty air. You’ll love it, I swear! The memory plays out in your head, those words gushed at you. Hands squeezing your cheeks, a smile blinding you under its brightness. Just wait till you see it at night, the lights shine over it like stars!

You blink.

A tear pools at the corner of your eye.

“Here, look,” something nudges you. It’s Joel, inching his phone into your view. Through blurred sight, you glance at it. And find yourself, centre frame, lit only by the moon. In the back lies the whole skyline of Santorini, lights reflecting down onto the waters below. “Best view you can get, the whole island in one shot.”

Afraid to hear your own voice, you smile.

He answers by pointing his phone back at you, snapping another photo.

Back on the cruise, the two of you part ways, with Joel telling you to meet him in the same bar, same time as the night before.

Dinner had been part of your plans. With a glance over the listed restaurants on board, the ache in your tired bones asks you to stay in bed and make use of the room service. You listen, order something light, easy. It arrives in under 10 minutes and your hunger is satisfied sitting out on the balcony, watching the dark waves roll past.

Phoning your mother is the next port o'call.

Unlike with your food, that takes longer than 10 minutes. Much longer, and involves you countlessly reassuring her that yes, you’re okay, and no, you don’t need her to fly out and meet you in Naples.

“I’m a big girl,” you even throw in a laugh, hoping it’ll ease the worry lines you can picture splayed over your mother’s face. “I think I can climb up a mountain without my mum’s help.”

“Honey, you know that’s not what why I’m worri-”

“Did you know you can get carsick but, at the same time, not seasick?”

You hang up shortly after, with a promise to try your best to answer when she calls tomorrow, instead of hours later, when she should be fast asleep.

The time on your phone tells you there’s still forty minutes until you need to meet Joel. The image of that grandiose bathtub flashes before your eyes and, in record timing, you’re sinking into scalding waters, a complimentary bath bomb dumped in and granting you the childish gift of bubbles.

You try to relax, at first.

There’s no need to wet your hair, so you indulge yourself. Lay your head back, close your eyes. Feel your muscles loosen with the warmth, ignore the sting of soap in your blistering heel. Your hands struggle to find a resting place, until they meet your thighs. They sit still, for a moment or two, before one slips down, inching into the crease of where your legs meet.

Something stirs in your core, comes alive as you think of how long it’s been since you last felt someone. A few months, it has to be. A fellow graduate, if you remember correctly, that stupid robe still on his shoulders as he let his mouth come down on you.

Your hand is soon on your core, before you really notice, mind on a mission to recall the hazy encounter. When you think of his tongue, messy yet eager, your finger’s already on your clit, pressing against it with a tease of pleasure. When you think of his cock, uncut and thicker than your ex, splitting you open on his bedroom floor, your hips cant up against yourself, chasing friction. When you rewind how soft Joel’s hair had been between your fingers, your free hand grips one of your breasts, fingers pinching at your nipple.

Your eyes snap open.

Joel’s hair.

Joel.

Something you should not be thinking of right now, hand buried between your thighs.

You wait a few seconds, remind yourself of the graduate’s face.

His blue eyes, your fingers roll over your nipple.

His blonde hair, your legs spread wider.

Joel’s solid chest, your fingers dip inside your cunt.

Your breath is shaky, Joel’s annoyed groan echoes.

The shame of it, of thinking of him, is almost as tantalising as touching yourself, fucking your own hole full with as much of your fingers the angle will allow. It’s a one time thing, you justify. You just need to get it out your system. One and done, cum and done. No more of Joel Miller between your thighs, this is the closest he’ll get.

Someone knocks at your door.

You nearly miss it over the sound of your breathing, the pounding of your heart.

“Who is it?” You don’t like how weak you sound, but it’s too late to take it back now.

Another knock.

“Can I come in?”

A hand still between your thighs, orgasm titering on the edge, body fully submerged in lukewarm water. “No!”

“Ain’t safe to leave your door unlocked. Anybody could walk in- Jesus!”

You’ve never screamed louder.

Joel takes up most of the bathroom doorway, same clothes save for the shirt that’s got two buttons undone and the sleeves rolled halfway up his arms. You’re pressed right back into the bathtub, as physically far from him as you can get, knees pressed up to your chest, ankles crossed over.

In Joel’s defence, he’s quick to turn away, presenting you with a view of his back. A hand runs through his hair.

“Why are you in my room?!” You inch even further back, the water suddenly dropping several degrees.

“I asked to come in!”

“And I told you not to!”

“Well obviously I didn’t hear that!”

“Why are you in my room?” You’re back to your first question, eyeing up your towel.

It’s across the room, on the bathroom sink. No way for you to reach it without the risk of him seeing you reflected on something.

“You were late. Came to check if ya tripped on them heels and broke your neck.”

“I,” you’re not sure what time it is with your phone sitting by the bed, charging. That's now five times you've been late in adulthood. “Didn’t realise the time. I can meet you at the bar in ten minutes.”

He nods, and you watch him take a step, then immediately pause. “You know, I’ve heard a few things from passengers…” You may not see his face, but you swear there’s that half-smirk, smug look upon it. It’s practically dripping off his words. “The shower head, fourth setting. Seems to get the job done for most ladies on board.”

Grabbing the closest thing in reach- a bar of soap- you launch it and watch it bounce off his irritatingly wide shoulders. “Get OUT!”

You make it to the Tipsy Byson in 15 minutes.

Dressed more appropriately than the night before, your flared jeans and crop top garner less stares. It’s just as busy, if not busier, yet it’s not hard to spot Joel on a barstool, nursing a glass of something syrupy looking. Behind the bar is Luke, head thrown back at something Joel says.

They’re an interesting pair to observe, you realise as you make your way over. With Luke, so tall, so lanky, so bright-face, his energy warm and inviting, and Joel so- well, Joel.

“There she is,” Luke cheers, a little too loudly, calling attention to you as you slip into the stool next to Joel. “My new favourite customer.”

“Thought I was your favourite,” Joel’s yet to look at you, and it’s a relief. He’s looked at you enough for one day, one week, one lifetime.

“Sorry but she smells better than you, Joel,” the barman winks at you, a cheeky grin on his face. “ Plus, she’s a hell of a lot nicer to look at.”

Joel scoffs, you giggle.

“Not sure about the whole smelling better thing,” your response comes minutes later, after Luke’s already served you a glass of wine and turned away your cash, telling you he’ll put it on Joel’s tab. “But thanks!”

Unprompted and uninvited, Luke bends over the bar and takes an exaggerated sniff. “I don’t know, smell alright to me.”

“Really? I’m not even wearing perfume, I forgot to pack any-.”

“Yeah! Go on Joel, give her a whiff, tell her she smells fine!” There’s resistance on his end, but Luke’s adamant, hand clamped on the back of Joel’s head, shoving him face first into your neck. Joel’s nose brushes against you. You hear him inhale. Exhale. Inhale again, then the urge to cross your thighs begins to nag at you. “Well?”

“Yeah, smells nice- Fine. Ya smell fine.”

“Be still my beating heart! Someone alert the press that Texas said something other than-”

Joel interrupts Luke’s dramatics, scowl on his face. “Don’t you have a job to be doin’?”

Only once the bartender is down the other end of the bar, engrossed in a heated discussion over what beer pulls a better head, does Joel speak again, sipping on his drink. Whiskey.

“So I noticed somethin’, when I was checking your bookin’ info.” You nod, urge him to continue, and take a sip of your own drink. Some country song plays over the speakers and you notice a sudden shake in Joel’s knee, his foot tapping to the beat. “Says there should be two of you in my guide team.”

“Oh,” the lump forming in your throat falls safely back into the pit of your stomach as you take another drink of wine. “Must be a printing error. You know how technology can be, always complicating things.”

“Hmm,” it’s easy to write off the awkward energy between you with the excuse of earlier events, and it’s the first bright-side you find to him walking in on your intimate bath. “Well, you know the drill for tomorrow. 7 am on that deck or I’m-”

“Docking without me, I know.”

You finish your drink first. When Joel orders himself another glass, you smile politely and turn it down. Yawn, then tell him you best head to bed.

Before you can slip out the entry, someone calls your last name. Loud enough to turn more than just your own head.

It’s Joel, approaching you, effortlessly parting crowds through the lively bar as though he is knife and, the people, butter. The loud music seems to ring louder in your ear, impeding you from hearing the words that leave his moving lips.

“What?” You call out, hands clasped over your mouth in an attempt to amplify the volume of your voice.

His response is to step closer, hands holding you in place by the waist as he leans down. A hot breath on your neck, the smell of whiskey on his breath, the soft brush of lips against your ear.

“It’s your turn to bring the coffees.”

series taglist. @auteurdelabre

[probablyspooky]

Tesoro Atlantis [Vinny x F!Reader]

[Next]

You're a marine biologist, friend of Milo Thatch, who brings you along on the expedition to find Atlantis, allowing you a once in a lifetime opportunity to see the seabed for yourself, but you find more than that.

The day at the museum was going as it usually does, you were currently leading a small tour through the marine life fossil exhibit, going over many types of prehistoric crustaceans.

“The helicoprion, also known as the buzz saw shark, was a group of shark-like fish with a spiral jar-” you spoke to the large group of people trailing behind you, you trail off noticing your friend, Milo Thatch waving at you from the large archway of the exhibit.

Taking a moment while the group looks around without you, you walk over to him.

“What is it, Milo? I’m working right no-”

“[Y/N], you’re not gonna believe this, last night after work-”

“You mean after the board called you an idiot and you ran after their car-” “Yeah yeah-anyway, there was this woman-”

“A woman?”

“A pretty one, her name was Helga, she took me to this mansion, this man… Mr. Whitman”

“Milo you’re taking up my five minutes,” you hold his shoulder, preventing him from rambling some more.

“I’m going to find Atlantis!” he exclaims, his eyes full of wonder.

“Oh Milo! Thats-” “And you’re coming!”

Wait what?

Here you are, on the launch pad of the Ulysses submarine, taking it all in while you sling your duffle over your shoulder, the bustling sounds of men hauling carts onto the launch pad. You spot Milo speaking to a beautiful blonde woman, you assume that’s the Helga he was speaking of.

You chuckle, following him to the large elevator leading down to where the sub meets the water.

“Are you excited?” Milo asks you, wiping his glasses

“Well of course, who wouldn’t be excited to possibly find a lost underwater civilization?”, you say walking off the elevator with the large flow of men.

Milo and you take a moment to admire the large sub when Milo is run into from behind.

“Hey, junior. If you’re looking for the pony rides, they’re back there.” said this tall Italian man.

You squinted at him taking in his buzzed head with flat top hair, his black sweater, and for some reason he was wearing a chestplate loosely hung onto his body. He proceeds to push a cart full of explosives between Milo and you, glancing at you for a fraction of a second.

“Um, excuse me, excuse me. You dropped your dy-dy-dy” Milo stutters.

“Dynamite” you say, taking it from Milo, and holding it out towards the man.

He takes it squinting at the two of you, mostly you, and then taking an occasional glance at Milo.

“What else have you, uh…got in there?”

The man smirks.

“Oh, eh, gunpowder, nitroglycerin, notepads, fuses, wicks, glue, and…” he glances at you, “paperclips; big ones. You know, just uh, office supplies”

You cover your mouth to cover a chuckle, this makes the man smirk under his large mustache and he continues towards the ship.

“Milo!” a man calls out.

Milo tells you he will be back and to board without him, as he walks off to meet the commander. 

You board the sub, struggling to keep up with the flow of the large crew of strong men boarding at the same time as you. Finally reaching a common area, a little aways from the flow of busy traffic, you take a deep breath.

“I’m going into the deep sea,” you smile, turning to find the bunk room you were assigned to, swinging your duffel over your shoulder. The stupid bag tears, sending your journals and sketches of deep sea creatures all over the floor.

“Dammit…” you mutter, kneeling down and trying to gather as much as you can before people can step on it.

“Need some help, bambina?” a familiar voice says from ahead of you. 

A pair of boots steps up and kneels down, the man from before helps you gather your items and hands them to you.

“Oh thank you…mr…?” you squint at him, trying to pry his name out of him.

“Vincenzo Santorini, but you can call me Vinny okay?” he says, his face seemingly void of emotion.

He reaches over to your bag and looks at the tear.

“Cheap bag, eh?” he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a handful of large paper clips, using them to hold the torn fabric of the bag together.

“I thought you were joking about the paper clips…” “I never joke about something as important as the paperclips”

You chuckle, suddenly hearing Milo yelp, something about a bed.

“Oh that’s Milo,” you sigh, “Thank you Vinny” you smile at him, making your way to where Milo was yelling.

You come to the male bunk area and find Milo getting a thorough checkout from a giant man.

Vinny steps behind you.

“You good Milo?” you ask, tilting your head at the sight of it all, suddenly a dog? Capybara? Shuffles over to you.

You jump a bit startled, bumping back into Vinny.

“Mole, stop scaring her,” he says.

“I was jussst trying to find out her history.” the short man with goggles, Mole said.

Vinny rolls his eyes.

“Girl’s not like men Mole, they wash their hands”

Mole growls and scurries back to his bunk.

“Don’t mind Mole, loves dirt, I’ll show ya to ya bunk okay?” Vinny says, walking down the hall, “You comin?”

You look at Milo, seeing he’s okay, you follow Vinny.

Walking down the metal hallway the two of you are silent. Vinny leads you to a mostly empty bunk room.

“Here you go Bambina,” he says,”briefing in an hour, see ya there eh?”

You nod as Vinny leaves you, setting your bag down you lay yourself onto the firm mattress bunk. 

“An hour…”

You lean down to your bag, grabbing a pencil, trying your best from memory to sketch a certain italian.

On the bridge Milo is discussing the plans to reach Atlantis.

You lean against the firm railing watching Milo struggle to capture everyone's attention. You feel someone's eyes resting on you as you stand there, too nervous to meet their gaze you try hard to keep your focus on your friend.

“Heh, uh, how…how ‘bout some slides? The…first slide is a depiction of a creature,” he fumbles with the slides in his hands trying to slide them into the projector, “A creature so frightening that sailors were said to be driven mad by the mere sight of it.”

The slide he puts into the projector was not in fact the creature, but a slide of Milo and you at the beach.

“Hubba, hubba.” Packard chuckles.

Vinny snorts and then turns his gaze away.

“Milo!” you groan.

“Sorry!” he sputters, scrambles to grab the correct slide, “Anyway, this, uh…okay. This is an illustration of the Leviathan, the creature guarding the entrance to Atlantis.”

Vinny chuckles, leaning back onto the railing with his arms crossed.

“With something like that, I would have white wine, I think.”

You chuckle to yourself, earning a smirk from Vinny as the briefing continues.

Milo continues the briefing, referencing the Book of Job, the bible, where they would need to reach a tunnel that will curve to an air pocket to the entrance of Atlantis.

Mole grumbles, pulling on Helga’s shirt.

“You said there would be digging,”

���Go away, Mole,” she replies, giving him a shove

A helmsman calls the captain over to come look at something, the meeting is over so you saunter over to the window to take in the sights of the deep sea creatures.

Your eyes graze the lower sea beds, spotting giant isopods, fangtooths, even different colors of Abyssal jelly fishes. Smiling to yourself you lean closer to the window to see the ocean floor.

“Good view?” Vinny chimes in, standing next to you with his hands in his pockets.

“Oh!” you jump, a bit startled, “Y-yeah, it’s not everyday I get to see the ocean floor this close up.”

“You like this fish stuff eh?” he asks, crossing his arms over the railing and bending down to look out the window with you.

“Oh I love sea life,” you respond, “Ever since I was young I have had a deep passion for sea life.”

“Oh, I never really like fish, I mean it’s good with some wine and a nice sauce. But I don't really like swimming with them.”

“Ironically,” you smile leaning down, your hands on your cheeks, “I don’t know how to swim.”

Vinny laughs.

“No? You’re in the wrong spot then bambina,” he looks at you, “ Don’t worry I got you.”

You give him a warm smile, as he returns one to you.

Suddenly, the Ulysses jerks violently, almost sending you over the railing, Vinny steadies you with a hand  on your shoulder.

“The hell?” he mutters.

The intercom blares as Helga’s voice blares throughout the Ulysses.

“Load the torpedo bays! Subpod crews! Battle stations!”

Vinny frowns, his mustache furrows.

“I gotta go bambina, get somewhere safe.” Vinny says, running down the hall. 

A deckhand runs up to you, and grabs your wrist, leading you to the bridge as you were a special guest.

The Ulysses jerks again, this time the submarine turns to its side, sending you flying off the stairs, hitting the large bay window.

“Jiminy christmas! It’s a machine!” Milo shouts,

You peer up, holding your head, a gash on your forehead throbbing as crimson life drips down your chin, you look out the large window, peering into the giant red eye of the mechanical Leviathan as it strangles its grip tighter onto the submarine.

Rourke frowns, staring into the eye of the beast.

“Launch subpods!’ Rourke shouts.

You stare as torpedoes fire from small pods that seem to fly throughout the water.

“Vinny! Mole! Fire!” he commands.

The leviathan’s grip on the sub weakens as the torpedoes make contact with its metal shell.

“We’re free, all ahead full!” Rourke barks.

The sub tries to make an escape, full force skimming through the water as the small sub pods continue to try and hold the beast back.

Packard is on the phone, chatting to someone named Marge.

“Sir, engineering on 4,” she mutters, lighting a cigarette.

Rourke listens in on the comm.

“How much time do we have?....Alright. You heard the lady! Let’s move!” he shouts.

Milo comes over, helping you up, his eyes landing directly on the gash of your forehead.

“Move? Where? Move where?!” Milo asks, tugging you along.

Helga shouts down to the crew below her, “Packard, sound the alarm!”

“I don’t think he’s coming back-”

“Packard!” Helga yells.

“I have to call you back.-- No, no, I’ll call you”

The alarm blares as the crew ushers Milo and you towards the escape pods.

“All hands, abandon ship,” Packards voice says over the PA system.

Milo and you are shoved into tight seats as they seal the escape pods hull.

“Lieutenant, get us out of here!” Rourke shouts.

You watch, a little dizzy from the gash on your forehead still bleeding.

The Leviathan roars, strangling the Ulyssess again.

“Lieutenant!” Rourke shouts.

“I’m working on it!” Helga shouts, kicking the lever that seemed to not want to move. With a firm kick, it jolts forward, the hull of the door pops open and the escape pods drop into the water.

“Where to, Mr. Thatch?” Rourke barks.

“We’re looking for a big crevice of some kind.” Milo responds, reading through the journal.

Rourke scans the seabed, and points, “There up ahead!”

Helga grabs the mouthpiece to communicate with the other pods. “All craft, make your mark 20 degrees down angle! Steer clear of our evac pod, we got wounded, she’s staining carpet!”

You don’t remember much besides Milo yammering about some sort of grease trap.

You can see other pods struggling to keep up, some exploding underwater as some sort of blue beam fires into them, next thing you know the eva ship you’re in struggles against the tight space of the crevice.

The pod breaks the surface of the water and Helga opens the hatch.

Milo gets you to the stairs of the ruins.

“You okay?” he asks, taking a rag from his pocket to wipe on your forehead.

A gloved hand grabs Milo’s hand, stopping him from touching your gash.

“You got that from your pocket? A hanky? It’s dirty,” Vinny growls, going into his side pocket, pulling a small first aid kit from it, he produces some alcohol and begins to clean your gash.

“You okay bambina?” he asks a tinge of worry in his voice.

‘I’m fine…” you mumble.

Audrey and Sweet watch this all unfold.

“Neva’ thought I’d see Vinny bein’ so sweet on someone before,” Audrey says, crossing her arms.

“Guys are suckers for cute faces, it just took Vinny awhile to find one he likes,” Sweet chuckles.

The crew holds a memorial for those they had lost in the sea, nearly 200 men in the crew, what they had now were all that were left of the crew.

Rourke sighs, running a hand through what’s left of his hair.

“Okay, people, saddle up. Lieutenant. I want this convoy moving 5 minutes ago.”

Helga begins to bark orders and Vinny turns to you.

“Wanna ride with me?” he asks, pointing a thumb behind him.

You were about to respond when you heard Milo struggling to convince Rourke he can drive a truck, he can’t.

“As nice as that sounds…I’ve gotta help my friend out…” you say, pointing towards Milo, “Maybe next time?” “Okay tesoro…” he smiles, turning to his part of the convoy.

You feel the heat of her cheeks when he says that, and then it fades fast as you hear Milo stalling, and jerking the truck, unable to drive it. 

Mumbling to yourself you manage to catch up with the truck as it was barely moving. The convoy honks and men begin to shout at Milo for holding them up.

“Move over Milo,” you say, climbing into the truck and driving up the stairs, effectively getting the convoy moving again.

The entire trip trying to find this damn door is boring, Milo accidently nearly gets everyone killed reading his map wrong, leading the convoy to the den of a giant hostile bug. 

They take a small break, where they drink some water. 

You stand there drinking some water, as Milo does the same. Vinny comes between the two of you, smirking at you as he addresses Milo.

“You didn’t just drink that did you?!”

Milo nods.

“That’s not good! That’s nitroglycerin! Don’t move, eh, don’t breathe, don’t do anything. Except pray, maybe…” You watch as the Mole man sneaks behind Milo, jumping up with a loud “BOOM!”, causing Milo to scream.

Mole and Vinny laugh out loud, Vinny’s large hand resting on your back and you chuckle with him.

“That was mean…” you say.

“I can be meaner, it’s a tough spot, comedy is good in times like this eh?”

They set up a small camp to eat and refuel, Milo is off to the side, charting with his protractor, compass, and maps.

“Maybe I should go get him to eat something…” you say, going over to him.

“Hey Tesoro, let him do his thing, he can eat in the car, you drove a lot today, come sit, rest eh?” Vinny says patting the spot next to him.

Cookie…despite his name…is not a good cook.

After heading through cold caves, hot caves, climbing over rocks and other ancient ruins.

Milo smiles looking at a giant ancient pillar.

“Good night! Will you look at the size of them? It’s gotta be half a mile high. At least. It-it must have taken hundreds– No, pfft, thousands of years to carve this thing.”

You watch as Vinny places bundles of dynamite, and wires connecting them to  a single wire and then a detonator. Milo is too busy taking in the beauty of the pillar to notice. Vinny grabs the back of Milo’s collar, dragging him back to the detonator.

He holds the hand of the detonator, about to push it down but stops. He smirks, turning to you.

“Tesoro, c’mere,” he reaches a hand out to you, and you take his hand, he pulls you over and places your hands onto the lever.

“Quickly and firmly, just push it down fast.”

You push down, sending the spark to the dynamite, watching as the bottom of the pillar explodes, you look up at Vinny as he smiles at the explosion. The pillar groans as it;s weight causes it to fall over the chasm.

Milo frowns, looking at the piece of history that is now laying across the chasm.

“Hey, look, [y/n] and I made a bridge. It only took us like, what 10 seconds. 11 tops.”

You smile at Vinny and he returns it. Vinny walks back to his truck and is stopped by Sweet and Audrey.

“What?” he asks,

“You neva’ let anyone set off ya bombs, what’s up with you?” Audrey pries, leaning close to Vinny, trying to read his blank face.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” he responds, climbing into the truck.

“I know what we're talking about,” Sweet says, climbing into the truck, “I ain’t gonna say it out loud as it's your business, but do know, I know, and if you don’t tell them, I won’t tell them.”

“Yeah yeah…” Vinny frowns as Sweet continues to drive.

After crossing the makeshift bridge., the convoy approaches a blockade.

Rourke and Vinny stare up at the massive blockage.

“Looks like we have a little roadblock. Vinny, what do you think?” He asks Vinny.

Vinny looks into his bag and then up at the block.

“I could un-roadblock that if I had about 200 of these…Problem is I only got about…10. Plus, you know, 5 of my own. And a couple of cherry bombs…Road flare…” Vinny’s eyes glance behind him, looking at Milo and you.

“Hye, too bad we don’t have some nitroglycerin, eh, Milo?”

You cover your mouth to smother a giggle, hearing Mole laugh out loud. Milo frowns looking at you and Vinny.

Rourke frowns, stroking his chin and walking away.

“Mole, looks like we’re going to have to dig,” he states.

Vinny pulls you away as Mole starts the digger, it barely taps the door before it breaks down.

Audrey walks over to look at the issue.

Vinny is staring down at you, taking in your features as you watch Milo and Audrey talk mechanics.

“You feelin’ okay Tesoro?” he asks, pointing to the gash on your forehead.

“Oh, yeah I’m okay…” you respond looking at him, “what’s a tesoro?” 

He freezes, a small pink tint on his bony cheeks.

“It-it’s Italian…”

“Oh? What’s it mean?” you ask him, 

He stammers for a second before hearing the digger starting up, allowing him to avoid this situation entirely. 

They reach a large cave, and the convoy decides to make camp for the night. You look up at the glowing ceiling.

“Wow…” you exclaim.

“Why is it glowing?” Audrey asks, squinting to look up.

“Pah! It is a natural phosphorescence!” he says.

“That thing is going to keep me up all night, I know it.” Vinny frowns.

“That’s not the only thing,” Sweet says, brushing past the two of you.

The group begins to set up camp for the night. You help Milo set him up.

“Sorry for not telling you…” he says to you, ashamed.

“It’s fine, I brought a blanket, it’s only one night so it shouldn’t be too awful..” you respond.

Vinny looks over at the two of you.

“What’s the matter tesoro?” he asks, walking over.

“Oh, Milo forgot to mention when he was over at my apartment that I would need a tent, he told me to bring sleeping supplies but no tent.” you say plainly looking at an embarrassed Milo.

“W-well you see, I-I thought sleeping materials would…imply a t-tent you…W-wait…Did you call her tesoro?” Milo asks, pointing at Vinny.

Before Vinny can respond, Cookie rings the dinner bell.

“Come and get it!” He calls out.

Vinny gives you a look, beginning his walk to the campfire.

Before you could follow, Milo grabs your wrist.

“H-hey hold up,” Milo whispers to you, “What’s goin on, between you and Vinny?”

“Whaddya mean?” you ask, looking at him, and then back towards Vinny.

“Tesoro means sweetheart…”

You feel red rush to your cheeks, you put your hands together and take a deep breath.

“I’m sure he just means it in a friendly way…” you say.

“Y-yeah…”

You go and sit at the fire next to Milo as Cookie dishes out his meal for now.

“For the appetizer, caesar salad, escargot, and your oriental spring rolls.”

You grimace at the slop that was dropped on your plate.

“There you go, Milo, put some meat on them bones!”

“Thanks, Cookie. That looks…grieser than usual…”

“You like it? Well, have some more! You’re so skinny, if you turned sideways an’ stuck out your tongue, you’d look like a zipper!”

Sweet mentions how they’ve been hard on him, and they invite him to sit with them. Vinny comes over and leads you to sit next to him.

They have a good chat, Vinny stares with his normal blank expression, occasionally stealing glances of you trying to keep down Cookies grub.

Cookie comes over with his cement wagon of grub.

“Main course!”

Everyone politely declines, and when Cookie turns, everyone dumps their portions into the fire, effectively putting out the flame.

At the edge of camp, you roll out your blanket onto the rough ground.

Vinny comes over, and you can’t help but chuckle at the sight of his pale hairy legs sticking out of his ‘pjs.’

“You…gonna lay on the ground?” he asks, flicking the match in his mouth around.

“I don’t have much choice in the matter,” you reply, sitting on it and looking at him.

He grabs you from the back of your shirt, lifting you up and grabbing your blanket. Walking off with it.

“H-hey wait!” you follow at a quick pace.

He goes to his tent, placing a duffel in the center of his mat, tossing your blanket on one side, and then sitting on the other side.

“Sit.”

“I’m sat.”

The others talk about how they ended up this profession, How Milo’s grandpa fueled his passion for Atlantis, finding the arrowhead. How Audrey's dad wanted sons, but got two daughters instead.

Milo looks over at the two of you on Vinny’s mat.

Packard comes over and Milo smiles at her.

“Forget your jammies, Mrs.Packard?” he asks her, leaning into his palm.

“I sleep in the nude.”

Two sleep masks were tossed around, one to Milo and the other to you.

“You’ll want these,” Sweet says, “She sleepwalks.”

Vinny lays on his back, and you look down at him.

“Well, as far as me goes…I just like to blow things up.”

Sweet pulls his mask off his face and stares him in the eyes.

“Don’t start a relationship on lies. Tell the truth.”

Vinny’s eye darts between Sweet and you, he groans, and pulls the mask down.

“My family owned a flower shop. We would sell roses, carnations, baby’s breath, you name it. One day, I’m making about three dozen corsages for this prom…” he sighs, “You know, the one they put on the wrist. And everybody, they come. “Where is it?” “When is it?” “Does it match my dress?” It’s a nightmare. Anyway, I guess there was this leak next door of gas or what… Boom! No more Chinese laundry. Blew me right through the front window.” 

Vinny flips himself over and lights a match, holding it high, and staring intensely into the flame. “It was like a sign from God. I found myself in that boom…”

He glances at you for a second, meeting your eyes for a short bit.

Milo smiles, and then turns to the group again.

“What’s Mole’s story?”

Sweet puts his hand up.

“Trust me on this one, you don’t wanna know. Audrey, don’t tell him. You shouldn’t have told me, but you did, and now I’m tellin’ you, you don't wanna know.”

The light from the lantern goes out, and you lay down, curling under your blanket. 

You hear Vinny.

“You good Tesoro?” he whispers.

“Y-yeah…”

“Comfy?”

“Yeah, I’m okay.”

“Good…”

Drifting off the sleep, dreams of the ocean, flowing in the water, your breathing in the cool water, unable to drown. A hand reaches out and cups your cheek.

“Tesoro…Tesoro…Tesoro!”

You jolt awake to Vinny over you, the smell of smoke filling your lungs.

“We gotta move!” He says, helping you up and leading you to a truck with Sweet. The entire convoy proceeds to try and cross the bridge towards the entrance to Atlantis. The fireflies Milo had awakened lit the truck with gas ablaze, causing a massive explosion, the bridge collapsing, causing the heavy digger to struggle against its own weight.

The digger groans as it tries to fight against gravity to no avail. It slides back, pushing the rest of the convoy to slide and fall into the abyss. Vinny drapes himself over you as the trucks crash into one another, hitting rocks, and falling into pitch darkness.

You can’t see anything, but you can hear Vinny’s heartbeat as he covers you with his body, heavy breaths as he takes most hits from his side.

The crashing, the sounds of metal hitting the ground began to die down.

Rourke lights a match, looking around.

“All right, who’s not dead? Sound off.”

Everyone groans.

The voice of Cookie echoes over the groans.

“Danged lightnin’ bugs done bit me on my sit-upon. Somebody’s gonna have to suck out that poison…Now don’t everyone jump up at once”

“You okay Tesoro?” Vinny whispers to you, loosening his wrap on you.

“Y-yeah…are…are you okay?”

“Eh, could be better, could have wine.”

[bullet-prooflove]

Stand By Me: Terry Silver x Reader

Tagging: @volumesofforgottenlore @kmc1989 @somethingdarkside17 @noonee333

References to the travel journal in All The Places That You’ve Been

Takes place before Whereever You Go

The first time you hear Terry play piano is in a suite in Prague. You’re watching the snowfall over the city as the flames roar in the fireplace. You’re clad in one of his sweaters and a pair of his socks, your damp hair pulled back into messy bun from the shower you’d taken together.

It’s been a while since he’s played not since he was last in LA, six months ago. He’d intended to be back in the US before December but instead he’s brought you to Prague instead so you can experience Christmas in Europe. You’ve spent a wonderful few days there exploring the Christmas markets, walking through Old Town Square to see the Christmas tree and touring the different nativity scenes that the churches had set up in their alcoves. You’d been enchanted by their beauty, and Terry, he had been enchanted by you. 

You’d spent Christmas morning making love, Terry’s lips chasing all over your body, your fingers in his hair. You’d fallen asleep tangled up in one another, your head tucked under his chin as he held you close. He’d woken several hours later to the scent of freshly brewed coffee brought to him on a tray, along with a neatly wrapped gift.

“It seems so small compared to everything  you’ve given me.” You tell him, an embarrassed flush creeping across your cheeks as he delicately unties the bow. You’ve put a lot of time and effort into making it look pretty for him, so he treats it with the care it deserves.

“It’s perfect my love.” He smiles as his fingertips had trailed over the  A5  leather brown travel journal.

It must have cost you a lot of money, he knows you don’t have much. You were an artist in residence when he met you, your work has sold on the open market but still your careful with your finances. A gift like this is an extravagance that you’d struggle to afford. You have no idea just how much the gesture means to him.  

He spends the afternoon writing in it, scribbling notes and drawing pictures. It becomes a checklist of sorts, a record of the places he wants to take you.

 Kyoto, Bali, Santorini…

The list seems endless.

It’s only afterwards when you’re dozing in his lap, his fingertips combing through your hair as he watches It’s A Wonderful Life that he realises he’s planning a life with you.

He thinks about that now as his fingers seek out the keys on the piano, it takes him a while to find his rhythm but when he does, the music it starts to flow. He closes his eyes and he finds himself playing the notes to Ben E. King’s Stand By Me.

It seems fitting in a way, that he’s playing a love song. For the first time in his life he finally understands the depth of that emotion, the essence of it.

It isn’t until your hip bumps against his that he realises you’re sitting on the piano bench alongside of him. He opens his eyes and tilts his head towards you and you smile that sweet smile as you tell him how beautifully he plays.

“I’m rusty.” He murmurs, his lips brushing over your temple before he turns his attention back to the keys.

Your head comes to rest on his shoulder and Terry smiles to himself because these are the moment’s he lives for, the ones he thought he’d never get to have.

Love Terry S? Don’t miss any of his stories by joining the taglist here.

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[epostravel]

How to Make Your Family Tours in Greece Look Amazing in 5 Days

With its rich history, stunning landscapes, and vibrant culture, Greece offers a perfect destination for a family tour. Exploring the ancient ruins, basking in the Mediterranean sun, and indulging in delicious Greek cuisine can create lasting memories for your family. This article will guide you on making your family tours in Greece look amazing in just five days, answering five frequently asked questions to ensure your trip is as smooth and enjoyable as possible.

Day 1: Athens – The Cradle of Civilization

Morning: Acropolis and Parthenon

Begin your journey in Athens, the historical heart of Greece. Visit the Acropolis, the ancient citadel that stands majestically over the city. The highlight is the Parthenon, a temple dedicated to the goddess Athena. As you explore these ancient ruins, take in the breathtaking panoramic views of Athens.

Afternoon: Acropolis Museum

After soaking in the history at the Acropolis, head to the Acropolis Museum. This modern museum houses an extensive collection of artefacts found on the Acropolis. The museum’s interactive exhibits make it a hit with children, ensuring they remain engaged while learning about Greek history.

Evening: Plaka District

Conclude your first day with a stroll through the Plaka District, known for its charming narrow streets, neoclassical architecture, and vibrant atmosphere. Enjoy a family dinner at a traditional taverna, savouring local dishes like moussaka, souvlaki, and baklava.

Day 2: Delphi – The Center of the Ancient World

Morning: Temple of Apollo

On your second day, take a day trip to Delphi, approximately a two-hour drive from Athens. Delphi was considered the centre of the world in ancient Greek mythology. Visit the Temple of Apollo, where the Oracle of Delphi once resided, providing prophecies to those who sought her wisdom.

Afternoon: Delphi Archaeological Museum

Spend the afternoon exploring the Delphi Archaeological Museum. The museum houses a vast array of artifacts from the site, including the famous Charioteer of Delphi statue. It provides fascinating insights into the religious and cultural practices of ancient Greece.

Evening: Return to Athens

Return to Athens in the evening and enjoy a relaxing dinner. Use this time to reflect on the ancient wonders you’ve explored and prepare for the adventures ahead.

Day 3: Santorini – The Jewel of the Aegean

Morning: Ferry to Santorini

Catch an early morning ferry from Athens to Santorini, the iconic Greek island known for its white-washed buildings and stunning sunsets. The ferry ride is enjoyable experience, offering picturesque views of the Aegean Sea.

Afternoon: Oia Village

Upon arrival in Santorini, head to the village of Oia. Famous for its blue-domed churches and narrow streets lined with boutique shops, Oia provides countless photo opportunities. Spend the afternoon exploring the town, and don’t forget to sample some local wine.

Evening: Sunset in Oia

Stay in Oia for the evening to witness one of the most beautiful sunsets in the world. Find a spot at a cliffside café or simply sit along the caldera edge and watch as the sun sets over the Aegean Sea, casting a golden glow over the island.

Day 4: Crete – A Blend of Myth and History

Morning: Flight to Crete and Knossos Palace

Take a short morning flight to Crete, Greece’s largest island. Begin your exploration with a visit to the Knossos Palace, the legendary centre of the Minoan civilization and the mythological home of the Minotaur. The ruins and reconstructed sections of the palace offer a fascinating glimpse into ancient Minoan life.

Afternoon: Heraklion Archaeological Museum

Next, head to the Heraklion Archaeological Museum, one of the most important museums in Greece. Here, you can view a comprehensive collection of Minoan artefacts, including pottery, sculptures, and frescoes, that provide a deeper understanding of this ancient civilization.

Evening: Rethymnon Old Town

In the evening, travel to Rethymnon, a charming town with a mix of Venetian and Ottoman architecture. Stroll through the old town’s narrow streets, visit the Venetian fortress, and enjoy a relaxing dinner at a seaside restaurant.

Day 5: Rhodes – The Island of Knights

Morning: Flight to Rhodes and Old Town Exploration

Catch an early flight to Rhodes, known for its medieval architecture and beautiful beaches. Start your day exploring the Old Town of Rhodes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Wander through the cobbled streets, visit the Palace of the Grand Master, and explore the Street of the Knights.

Afternoon: Lindos Acropolis

In the afternoon, take a trip to the Lindos Acropolis, one of Greece's most impressive archaeological sites. The Acropolis offers stunning coastline views and a glimpse into ancient Greek history with its well-preserved ruins.

Evening: Beach Time and Departure

Spend your final evening relaxing on one of Rhodes’ beautiful beaches. Swim in the crystal-clear waters and let the kids play in the sand. Conclude your Greek adventure with a beachside dinner before preparing for your departure.

FAQs

What is the best time to visit Greece for a family tour?

The best time to visit Greece for a family tour is spring (April to June) and fall (September to October). The weather is pleasant, and the tourist crowds are smaller, making exploring the popular sites and enjoying the beaches easier.

Is Greece family-friendly?

Yes, Greece is very family-friendly. The Greek people are known for their hospitality and love for children. Many hotels, restaurants, and attractions cater to families, offering amenities and activities that children will enjoy.

What should we pack for a family tour in Greece?

Pack light, breathable clothing, comfortable walking shoes, swimwear, sun protection (hats, sunglasses, sunscreen), and any necessary medications. Don’t forget to bring a camera to capture the beautiful moments and landscapes.

How can we travel between the islands?

The most convenient way to travel between the islands is by ferry or domestic flights. Ferries are a scenic option and provide a unique experience of the Aegean Sea. Domestic flights are faster and are ideal for covering longer distances.

Conclusion

Greece offers a rich tapestry of experiences perfect for a family vacation. Every moment is filled with awe and wonder, from the historical wonders of Athens and Delphi to the breathtaking landscapes of Meteora and Santorini. Plan your itinerary carefully, and you'll create unforgettable memories your family will cherish forever.

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[ltomlinsonsx]

lou: i was looking at my calendar and i happen to have over a week off after the athens show, so wanna spend a few days in greece on holiday with me? lou: you keep promising me bikini content, so this might actually get me some of that. lou: we could go to santorini and get high and have poolside cocktails until you get sick of me and/or i need to get back on tour. | @livobrien

[twopoppies]

I’ve seen you getting a few asks about Elounor and if it’s over, I know you don’t really care so idk if you wanna post this but if you do and any of your followers are curious here’s a quick rundown

-Not been seen together since Glastonbury in June (?) and even then what we did see was nothing major. Louis seen more hanging with his band members and even old band member Niall. There was a video of Eleanor looking like she turns to say something to Louis who is already laughing at something else and doesn’t even look or seem to acknowledge her. Eleanor posted pics from the festival non involving Louis womp.

-Eleanor blocked Louis on Instagram in July which caused fans outside the venue to even cheer. Didn’t appear to be a glitch but E unblocked and both followed each other back in the end. Any likes of Louis’ on E’s posts now gone. Testing the waters? Just trying to stir up drama? Who knows.

-E continuously going on sponsored holidays with friends even when Louis had breaks from tour. Never saw Louis’ show again after London in April. Didn’t even go to his special one in Doncaster. Not shy about posting she was flying to Santorini with a friend literally the day Louis was due to finish his tour in Australia. Just constantly going away and never with or to Louis.

-Not being present at family events such as the past 2 Christmases or meeting Lotties baby. In fact think she even went away instead. Not seen with Louis’ family either in a long time.

-does post from his public house apparently although that’s probably due to her keeping her PR wardrobe there for her Instagram posts. Occasionally posts the dogs but not as much and not always both of them together.

-apparently seen wearing a white (Champion?) fleece in an Instagram story that a fan allegedly gave Louis at a signing. Impossibly to know if it’s the same one but who knows. This is from what I can gather one of the only thing giving their stans a bit of hope.

-No acknowledgment of his album or general success this year. Also evidently away at events retreats and holidays with friends when he broke his arm and had surgery.

-Louis didn’t respond when an answer revealed a highly searched thing on Google was if he was single. Hasn’t even mentioned E in months.

-No mention or pics of Louis in Eleanor’s 2022 wrap ups and favorite moments on Instagram.

So there’s what I can gather. No BUA but very minimal on their part and their relationship is practically non existent at this point.

Thanks for all the details, love. I don’t have the energy to double check, so anyone who’s reading this will have to do their own. IMO it’s really unlikely they’re going to continue pushing that relationship. I don’t think we’re going get an official break up announcement until/unless he starts a new “relationship”. And even then, it probably won’t be more than a mention.

[comphy-and-cozy]

congrats on 1k!! can i request a blurb with prompt number 13 with jt compher?? thank youu! 🦋

you know i'll always write my main man xoxo

celebrate 1K with me

Prompt: #13 "I never want to leave."

Pairing: JT Compher x Reader (gn)

Word Count: ~700

Warnings: Alcohol use/mention, more disgusting fluff, very, very brief mention of leaving Colorado anxiety/angst (i'm sorry)

The first vacation after the end of the season is always special, a chance for JT to finally unwind and truly relax without the pressure of training or the remainder of the season waiting around the corner. Though of course it’s not the same as lifting the Stanley Cup, it’s a decent alternative to have uninhibited and uninterrupted time together without even broaching the thought of hockey. This year, you’re in Greece, two weeks spent island hopping and swimming in the sea, and the Mediterranean air has done wonders for both you and your ginger man.

Your last stop is in Santorini, in a romantic suite on the cliffs overlooking Thirasia and the horizon behind it. Your room comes with a private jacuzzi on the porch, something you both have taken advantage of after days full of sightseeing and tourist excursions. 

Today in particular, you spent time souvenir shopping before heading to a private wine tasting and tour of a historic vineyard, followed by a five-course meal cooked by a private chef. In short, you’re pretty sure that you’ve died and gone to heaven, hardly believing that this is your life. 

You arrived back to your hotel room, tipsy and belly full of one of the most delicious meals you’ve ever had in your life. When JT poured another glass of wine for you, jerking his head toward the patio with a smile, you couldn’t help the butterflies that filled your chest. This time, you actually pinch yourself to make sure that you’re not dreaming.

Both of you are quick to slip into your swimsuits, cranking up the heat of the jacuzzi tub before stepping into the bubbling water. JT’s cheeks are pink—whether from the wine, or the heat, or both, you aren’t sure—and he has a dopey smile on his face as he pulls your body into him, tugging your waist into his lap.

“I love you,” he says, soft before he kisses you.

“I love you too, J,” you reply with a smile. You hand him his wine glass, clinking yours against his before sipping on the Greek wine provided with your suite. 

Both of you grow quiet, content to sip your wine and watch the sun sink beneath the horizon. Santorini sunsets are unmatched, you heard, and so far you can’t dispute that statement. Today is no different, the colors lighting the sky on fire and reflecting over the wide expanse of the Mediterranean sea as far as your eyes can see.

It’s peaceful, calming, and you feel a tranquility in your soul, the heat of his body solid behind yours while his arms wrap around you.

“I never want to leave,” he murmurs, pressing an offhanded kiss to your shoulder. “I don’t want to think about what’s next.”

You know what he’s referring to, the strain and stress of finding a new contract, of talking to teams and GMs, of whatever emotions will come when he officially signs somewhere that isn’t Colorado. Then, after that, the discomfort of navigating a new city, of learning new systems, of having to learn how to make new friends when he hasn’t had to make that effort in 7 years. It’s bittersweet; exciting but daunting, refreshing but intimidating. You’d be lying if you weren’t feeling anxious, too, but you ground yourself in his strong arms and the feeling of his lips against your skin.

“I know,” you whisper back, leaning your head against him. “You don’t have to. Not yet. Just stay with me, okay?”

JT smiles again, the worry dissipating from his eyes as he looks at you. You can see the love he has for you in his irises, feeling the warmth melting your heart. “I can do that.”

[seretistravelike]

Unforgettable 5-Days Athens and Santorini Adventures Tour

Set out on an amazing five-day adventure with Seretis Travel Ike and discover the majestic beauty of Santorini and the historic wonders of Athens. On this carefully chosen trip, you will learn about famous sites, breathtaking scenery, and real Greek culture. For More Information :- https://www.greecetours.com/package/athens-santorini/

[thelastofhyde]

⏤ sail away with me, series masterlist.

pairing. tourguide!joel miller x fem!reader

series synopsis. on the brink of undergoing a life-altering change, you runaway from your problems in the only way any sane person can: embarking on a mediterranean cruise. there you meet joel miller, a grumpy, private tour-guide, who just so happens to be tasked with touring you through each stop on your cruise. from greek goddesses to roman ruins, you have ten days to avoid your fate. maybe a frowning, southern, sex-on-legs of a man is just what the doctor ordered.

series warnings. no use of y/n, takes place in 2015, cruise!au, rom-com, enemies-ish to lovers, sunshine!reader, tour-guide!joel, unspecified age gap, depictions/discussions of grief, angst, fluff, a whole load of smut, a lot of cheesy stereotypical romance tropes bc i just wanna see joel not suffer ( too much ) &lt;3

disclaimers. this series will have no official update schedule because i suck at sticking to them, but my aim is to write a majority of the fic before beginning to post it.

★ the cruise stops ! aka the chapters. ⇢ prologue. rome. ⇢ i. sea-day 1. ⇢ ii. santorini. ⇢ iii. mykonos. ⇢ iv. athens. ⇢ v. corfu. ⇢ vi. sea-day 2. ⇢ vii. sicily. ⇢ viii. florence. ⇢ ix. napoles. ⇢ x. barcelona.

[mulaasritha]

Vlychada Beach A Serene Gem Among Santorini's Stunning Shores

A Natural Marvel:

What sets Vlychada Beach apart is its awe-inspiring landscape. As visitors approach, they are greeted by towering cliffs sculpted by centuries of wind and sea erosion. These majestic formations, known locally as "moon-like cliffs," create a striking backdrop against the azure waters of the Aegean Sea. The beach itself is adorned with fine black volcanic sand, adding to its allure and providing a stark contrast to the whitewashed buildings that Santorini is famous for.

Tranquil Seclusion:

Unlike some of the more well-known beaches on the island, Vlychada offers a sense of seclusion and tranquility. While it has gained popularity in recent years, particularly among travelers seeking a quieter alternative to the bustling shores of Perissa and Kamari, Vlychada maintains a peaceful ambiance. Visitors can unwind under the Mediterranean sun, listening to the gentle lapping of waves against the shore, and relishing in the unspoiled beauty of their surroundings.

Activities and Amenities:

Despite its serene atmosphere, Vlychada Beach is not devoid of amenities. Beachgoers will find a selection of sunbeds and umbrellas available for rent, providing comfort as they soak up the sun's rays. The beach is also home to a handful of tavernas and beach bars, where visitors can indulge in refreshing drinks and traditional Greek cuisine.

For those seeking adventure, Vlychada offers opportunities for exploration both on land and at sea. Adventurous souls can embark on hiking trails that wind through the surrounding cliffs, offering panoramic views of the Aegean Sea and the island's rugged coastline. Boat tours are also available, allowing visitors to discover hidden sea caves and secluded coves along Santorini's southern shore.

Preserving Nature's Beauty:

Efforts have been made to preserve the natural beauty of Vlychada Beach and its surrounding environment. The beach is part of a protected area, home to a unique ecosystem of flora and fauna. Visitors are encouraged to respect the environment and adhere to responsible tourism practices to ensure that future generations can continue to enjoy this pristine paradise.

Visiting Vlychada Beach:

Access to Vlychada Beach is relatively easy, with ample parking available for those traveling by car or motorbike. Additionally, the beach is accessible via public transportation, with regular bus services connecting it to the island's main towns.

Whether seeking a peaceful retreat or a captivating adventure, Vlychada Beach promises an unforgettable experience for travelers exploring the enchanting island of Santorini. With its stunning natural scenery, tranquil ambiance, and array of activities, it remains a cherished destination for those in search of beauty and serenity by the sea.

In conclusion, Vlychada Beach stands out as one of the captivating gems nestled along the stunning coastline of Santorini. Its unique landscape, characterized by striking cliffs sculpted by nature's artistic hand, offers a surreal backdrop for a day of relaxation and exploration. The contrasting hues of the volcanic ash cliffs against the azure waters of the Aegean Sea create a picturesque scene that captivates visitors from around the world.

[larabiatasstuff]

Hey bestie 😁 I was hoping to make a request please? Please could you write a scenario where CK Terry surprises you for your anniversary by taking you to Greece, Santorini. He has his own little villa there with a hot tub on the balcony with drinks and a beautiful view. Maybe ending in some sweet romance? Take your time bestie, love you 💚💚💚

That's a wonderful request Bestie 🖤 Of course I write that for you 🤗

It was a nice Sunday evening, Terry and I were sitting on the terrace, talking about our anniversary in a week. We were married for almost two years and he was just the best husband I could ever wish for."Any ideas for our anniversary honey? I thought we could maybe make a little weekend trip or something." I said my head leaning against his shoulder. "Oh sweetheart I forgot to tell you. I have a very important business trip to Greece , I tried to reschedule everything but there's no chance." "Oh okay, so I'm all alone here?" I asked a bit disappointed. "No I actually thought you'd come with me. Maybe doing some sightseeing while I work." "That's not the same but better than being here all by myself." So the day of the trip came, we drove to the airport and and got into Terry's private jet. Terry was constantly typing on his phone so I decided to listen some music. I must have fallen asleep cause I woke up to Terry's voice." Hey my love,wake up we're here." I stretched myself, took my bag and got out of the jet. Terry took my hand and we went to a large limousine that was already waiting for us. The weather was amazing and Greece was just beautiful and I just saw the airport but I was still sad that Terry had to work all the time. We got into the car and I looked out of the window, the landscape was breathtaking. After twenty minutes the car stopped in front of a beautiful little villa. I turned to look at Terry. "You booked a whole house for our stay?" he gave me a soft smile "Actually my love I own this house." we got out of the car and I just stood there frozen in place. "You never told me you own a house in Greece." "Well there are a few things I didn't tell you about. That this isn't a business trip for example." "What do you mean?" he pulled me into his arms and kissed me on the lips. "I don't have to work sweetheart. I wanted to surprise you with this for our anniversary. You always talked about how you never left the country or had a real holiday. So I wanted to do this for you." I felt tears welling in my eyes. "Oh my god Terry that's wonderful. Thank you so much. I don't know what to say." "I do anything to make my beautiful wife smile. Let's go inside I show you around okay?" I just nodded, I was so happy and excited. After our tour around the house we were standing in the living room. "I have one more thing to show you, ready?" "Yes." he took me by the hand and guided me on the balcony. There was a large hot tub and a small table with some drinks. "Terry that's wonderful, no one did something like that for me before." "They obviously didn't treat you like the queen you are my love. How about this we both change into something more comfortable and having a good time in the hot tub together?" "I'd love that honey." So I changed into a very nice bathing suit and went back to the balcony where Terry was already waiting. He helped me into the hot tub and pulled me into his lap, his arms around my body and his head resting on my shoulder. "God the view is beautiful honey."I said leaning back against his chest "Not as beautiful as you my love. I could spend hours just looking at you and I would never get tired of it. You make me the happiest man alive do you know that? And I can't wait to start a family with you. " he placed feather light kisses on my neck. " Well Mr Silver we have the whole week, maybe we can practice a bit?"I said turning to look at him " What are you waiting for my love? " with that he pulled me into a passionate and loving kiss.

[ayo-itskate]

Hello fellow wanderers,

Come along with me on this virtual odyssey to one of the most to one of the most enchanting destinations on Earth, Santorini, Greece. Santorini is a jewel located in the Aegean Sea and is well known for its iconic white-washed architecture, crystal clear waters, and sunsets that paint the sky in pink and gold hues.

☆Things to do in Santorini

Escape to Amoudi Bay

Amoudi Bay is a well-known site below the village of Oia. It is famous for the 200 steps leading from the base of the bay to the town above.

Amoudi Bay's beautiful turquoise waters invite us for a refreshing swim while the many seaside tavernas beckon with the promise of freshly caught seafood and Aegean delicacies, the bay is also said to be an excellent location for viewing the sunset.

☆Go Wine Tasting

Santorini's terroir is as unique as its landscapes. Sipping Assyrtiko wine amid vineyards shaped in the island's traditional basket style is said to be a sensory experience. The volcanic soil imparts a distinct flavor, making every sip a celebration of Santorini's viticultural heritage.

The Assyrtiko is a Greek grape that produces fresh, crisp and dry white wines

☆The Caldera's Embrace: A boat tour adventure

Caldera's Boats offers a half day tour to Santorini caldera, the hot springs along with a trip out to the island of Thirasia.

The cruise starts off at Nea Kameni, a volcanic island, where you'll have time to walk around the island and swim in the hot springs. Then you'll cruise to the island of Thirasia, where you'll be able to grab lunch and explore the island before sailing back to Santorini. The duration of this trip is said to be six (6) hours, with an average cost price of $33.19 USD and a maximum of 70 persons of all ages per group.

The hot springs:

Thirasia:

☆Visit the ancient mysteries in Akrotiri

Venturing beyond the tourist-laiden paths, we uncover the ancient mysteries of Akrotiri. Preserved in volcanic ash, this archeological site reveals the remnants of a thriving Minoan civilization.

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As we bid farewell to this Agean haven, we carry the memories of its beauties and its flavors along with the indescribable sense of wonder Santorini had inspired.

Sources for the pictures used

https://images.app.goo.gl/4tbYQCcxtvj38uXF6

https://images.app.goo.gl/rvF4qTBnBX2EnxFY6

https://pin.it/2KN8FkW

https://pin.it/5EzIvPL

https://pin.it/5L4JuMu

https://pin.it/55LkZND

Until we meet again,

Kate♡

[severewizardphilosopher]

Places to Go for Vacation

Introduction

Planning a vacation is an exciting endeavor, and the world is brimming with remarkable destinations to explore. Whether you're seeking natural beauty, cultural richness, adventure, or relaxation, there's a perfect vacation spot for everyone. In this article, we'll take a tour of some of the top places to go for vacation, each offering a unique and unforgettable experience.

1. Bali, Indonesia

Known as the "Island of the Gods," Bali is a tropical paradise with stunning beaches, lush rainforests, and vibrant culture. Visitors can explore ancient temples, enjoy water sports, and savor Balinese cuisine. Don't miss the tranquil rice terraces and the energetic nightlife in Seminyak.

2. Santorini, Greece

Santorini, an enchanting island in the Aegean Sea, is famous for its iconic white-washed buildings, crystal-clear waters, and dramatic sunsets. It's a romantic destination with breathtaking views, ancient ruins, and delicious Mediterranean cuisine.

3. Kyoto, Japan

For a taste of Japanese culture and history, Kyoto is a must-visit. This city is renowned for its traditional tea houses, stunning cherry blossoms in spring, and beautiful temples. Stroll through bamboo forests, participate in tea ceremonies, and admire the art of the geisha.

4. Bora Bora, French Polynesia

Bora Bora is synonymous with paradise. Its turquoise lagoons, overwater bungalows, and coral reefs make it a dream destination for honeymooners and water enthusiasts. Snorkeling, scuba diving, and relaxation are the order of the day.

5. Tuscany, Italy

Tuscany's rolling hills, historic cities, and delectable cuisine make it a favorite European destination. Explore the charming streets of Florence, sample world-class wines in Chianti, and savor the simple pleasures of life in the Tuscan countryside.

6. Maldives

The Maldives, a collection of over a thousand coral islands, is a tropical haven with luxury resorts and stunning marine life. It's an ideal spot for beach lovers, honeymooners, and those seeking seclusion in paradise.

7. Machu Picchu, Peru

Machu Picchu, the ancient Inca citadel nestled in the Andes Mountains, is a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the world's most iconic travel destinations. Hike the Inca Trail or take the train to witness this archaeological wonder.

8. New York City, USA

For the bustling urban experience, New York City is a top choice. Explore iconic landmarks like Times Square, Central Park, and the Statue of Liberty. The city offers a vibrant arts scene, diverse cuisine, and endless entertainment.

9. Cape Town, South Africa

Cape Town is a city of breathtaking beauty, nestled between Table Mountain and the Atlantic Ocean. Explore vibrant neighborhoods, visit the Cape of Good Hope, and savor South African wines in the surrounding vineyards.

10. Patagonia, Argentina and Chile

Patagonia offers awe-inspiring natural beauty with its glaciers, mountains, and remote wilderness. It's a dream destination for hikers, nature lovers, and wildlife enthusiasts.

11. Iceland

Iceland's dramatic landscapes include geysers, waterfalls, volcanoes, and geothermal springs. The Blue Lagoon, the Golden Circle, and the Northern Lights are just a few of the attractions that make Iceland a unique vacation destination.

12. Marrakech, Morocco

Marrakech is a bustling and exotic city in North Africa. Explore the bustling souks, visit the historic medina, and relax in stunning riads. Marrakech offers a blend of tradition and modernity.

13. Sydney, Australia

Sydney, with its iconic Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge, is a vibrant city with beautiful beaches, world-class dining, and a variety of cultural attractions. The city's coastal charm and natural beauty are hard to resist.

14. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Rio de Janeiro is known for its lively Carnival, stunning beaches, and iconic Christ the Redeemer statue. Enjoy samba music, relax on Copacabana Beach, and explore the lush Tijuca Forest.

15. Istanbul, Turkey

Istanbul straddles Europe and Asia, offering a rich blend of cultures, history, and architecture. Visit the Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, and the Grand Bazaar for an unforgettable experience.

Conclusion

The world is a treasure trove of vacation destinations, each offering a unique blend of natural beauty, culture, history, and adventure. Whether you're drawn to tropical paradises, ancient cities, or remote wilderness, there's a place for every traveler to discover and savor. When planning your next vacation, consider the experiences that ignite your wanderlust and create memories that will last a lifetime.

[preacherpollard]

Bible Land Tours (Mediterranean)(VII)

Neal Pollard Today was a free day. We made a stop that almost undoubtedly the apostle Paul nor any other Christian in the New Testament ever made: Santorini. According to multiple sources, Christianity did not make an appearance on the island until the third or fourth century. What this Greek island is known for is its explosive history and the breathtakingly spectacular beauty that resulted…

[30-before-30-but-im-27]

Greek Islands, Cyprus, Jordan & France - Full Itinerary

This summer I made one of my life goals come true and travelled for 3 weeks to 5 countries (the 4 I was meant to visit originally + an accidental stopover in Austria) including Greek mainland and island hopping as well as visiting one of the 7 Wonders of the World, Petra in Jordan.

ATHENS - GREECE

Official gov tourism website https://www.visitgreece.gr/mainland/attica/athens/ 

Day 1

Take a 40 min bus from the airport

Temple of Olympian Zeus - Acropolis & Slopes Pass

Hadrian’s Arch - FREE

Theatre of Dionysus - Pass

Ruins of Asklepieion and Stoa of Eumenes - Pass

Odeon of Herodes Atticus - Pass

Acropolis of Athens - Pass

Erechtheoin - Pass

Temple of Athene Nike - Pass

Parthenon - Pass

Acropolis Museum - €15

Coming down the hill Areios Lagos (ancient law court) - FREE

Ancient Agora of Athens  - Pass

Temple of Hephaestus (at the ancient agora) - Pass

Monastiraki Square - FREE

Hadrian’s Library - Pass

Day 2

Plaka - FREE

Zappeion Garden - FREE

Ethnikos Kipos (Athens national garden) - FREE

Kalamaki Beach - FREE

Day 3

The Prison of Socrates - FREE

Church of Saint Demetrios Loumbardiaris - FREE

Pnyx - FREE

Philopappou Hill - FREE

Flight from Athens to Santorini

SANTORINI - GREECE

Day 1

Thera (Fira) day out - 30 min bus (€2)

Three Bells of Fira - FREE

Black sand beach - FREE

Day 2

Day trip to Oia

Day 3

Ancient Fira - £5

Ferry to Heraklion

HERAKLION - GREECE

Day 1

Beach day - FREE

Day 2

Venetian port Heraklion - FREE

Old Town - FREE

Day 3

Knossos Palace - £15

Heraklion Archaeological Museum - Included in the ticket

Day 4

Take the bus to Chania, 2 hours 30 min https://www.allincrete.com/buses-timetables/ around £15

CHANIA - GREECE

Day 1

Old Venetian Port of Chania - FREE

Lighthouse of Chania - FREE

Boat Trip - many depart daily from the port for £25

Day 2

Chania International Airport flight to Paphos

PAPHOS - CYPRUS

Day 1

Take a 25 min taxi to the hotel

Explore Paphos Old Town - FREE

Day 2

- Venus Beach - FREE

Day 3

Archaeological Site of the Tombs of the Kings - £2

Day 4

Archaeological Site of Nea Paphos - £4

Paphos Castle - FREE

Forty Columns Fortress - PAID

Paphos Mosaics - PAID

House of Dionysus - PAID

Villa of Theseus - PAID

House of Orpheus - PAID

Agora - PAID

Lighthouse - FREE

Day 5

Flight to Amman Queen Alia International Airport

AMMAN - JORDAN

Day 1

Take a bus from the airport (departs every 30 min) 

Roman Theatre - JORDAN PASS

Folklore Museum - JORDAN PASS

Amman Citadel: Open Cistern, Palace - JORDAN PASS

King Abdullah I Mosque - FREE

Rainbow Street - FREE

JORDAN PASS (includes visa) https://jordanpass.jo/Contents/Prices.aspx 

Day 2

Take a bus from Amman to Petra 6:30 am takes 3 hours arrival 9:30 am https://www.jett.com.jo/en 

PETRA - JORDAN

Day 2

Petra Tourist Office - FREE

Petra Museum - included in the JORDAN PASS

Siq (the Treasury) trail, then Jabal Haroun trail, then the climb up 900 steps Ad-Dier Monastery Hike - JORDAN PASS

Take a 40 JOD taxi to Wadi Rum Visitor Centre

WADI RUM - JORDAN

Day 2 Continued

Pick up from Wadi Rum Visitor Centre for 5 JOD organised by the camp (let them know arrival time one day prior to the stay)

Check-in at Desert Magic Camp & Resort Ad Disah Road 1, 77110 Wadi Rum, Jordan

Traditional dinner - 13 JOD

Day 3

Jeep tour of the desert (regular 4 hours) - 22 JOD

5 JOD jeep ride back to Wadi Rum Visitor Centre

Take a bus back to Amman

AMMAN - JORDAN

Day 3 Continued

Dinner at Hashem Restaurant

Day 4

Swim in the Dead Sea - Amman Beach - Dead Sea - FREE or ask your hotel for a private driver around 80 JOD for two people with access to a private beach at one of the resorts

The Baptism Site of Jesus Christ https://www.baptismsite.com/operating-hours-a-entrance-fees/ - 12 JOD

Flight to Paphos then flight to France Marseille Provence Airport 

MARSEILLE - FRANCE

Day 1

Chateau d’If via boat - €6 transport not included 

Day 2

Palais Longchamp - FREE

Cathedral La Major - FREE

Basilica of Notre-Dame of la Garde - FREE

Flight from Marseille Provence Airport back to the UK