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brynandchristopher · 5 years ago

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Island hopping round 2!

Hello!

It’s been 2 weeks since we last updated and a lot has happened. Last we updated we had just finished our 2nd Great Walk and were heading down the southwest coast to Wellington on the North Island.

When we arrived in Wellington we were a bit surprised to find how developed and industrial it seemed. There were some low-key skyscrapers, a huge port harbor, and quite a bit of hustle and bustle. Outside of Auckland, New Zealand is very sleepy and quaint so it was a just a bit shocking to be back in a real city. Cities can be cool though! We walked along the seaside wharf and admired the harbor as well as visited the Te Papa Tongarewa Museum. The museum is argued to be the coolest in all of NZ, and being the only museum we’ve been to, we will have to agree. It was indeed super cool and we were enthralled to explore the nature exhibit that explained and demonstrated the unique wildlife and geophysical phenomena present along these volcanic islands isolated out in the ocean. We drove down to the southern most point of the north island to stay the night before our ferry ride the next day. Where we stayed happened to be a marine reserve that boasted an incredible amount of biodiversity. It also advertised marked snorkeling trails in the water - I have a snorkeling set with me from our time in Asia so the next morning before our ferry I decided to brave the water and dive in. I saw a couple of girls the day before snorkeling the route wearing wetsuits but I figured I would be fine without one. The water here is pretty cold but we take a quick dip most days. I was very wrong - it is very difficult to swim long distances in really cold water while breathing through a tube. Unfortunately I had to get out of the water real quick and all I really saw was some cool seaweed but, it was pretty funny for Bryn to watch me flounder.

Later that afternoon we were off to take our ferry to the south island. We got there early and after driving our car up into the giant Bluebridge Ferry we got a lovely window seat and began the 3.5 hour trip across the Cook Strait. The last hour of the trip was incredible. We climbed up to the top of the ferry to watch as our hulking hull glided through steep glacially carved fjords. We disembarked and drove an hour or so to a campground out in the woods where we regrouped and spent the night.

The next day we drove down the coast and made our way to a town called Nelson. Our plan was to get to Nelson, pick up some more butane gas canisters for our stove and keep driving. We ended up staying for 2.5 days. Nelson was a really hip, fun town with lots of cool organic food shops, local artisan stores, 3 farmers market every week and a freedom-campers service hub with free hot showers! The service hub had just opened up and a a news reporter was taking videos and asked to interview us. We ended up on national news here in New Zealand! If only for a few seconds. (https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/nelson-charity-appalled-efforts-host-freedom-campers-instead-homeless) We did some shopping and our first night there we went to a movie at the local theatre, which also happened to be an Italian restaurant but that’s beside the point. We saw 1917 and it was thrilling. Going out to the movies is something we both enjoy a lot and reminds us of home so we had a great time, especially since we snuck in our own popcorn and candy to save some money. :) The next day we went to the local beach called Tahunanui and spent the day walking around and basking in the sun. We have a data plan for our phone(s) but it is somewhat limited so we can’t download a whole lot of stuff - however our provider has these free wifi-hubs where we can get some extra data and download movies to watch in the van. On the hub was a poster for a music festival that night in Tahunanui so instead of leaving we decided to stay another night and check it out. We made our dinner on the beach and found the very small outdoor stage. It was definitely a local family affair with lots of kids running around, local musicians and food vendors, and silly games like limbo and egg tosses between each act. The music was nothing to write home about but all in all It was really fun and we got some boysenberry ice cream.

We were going to try and do a short backpacking trip before our next Great Walk but the weather was amazing and we were feeling the beach, so we decided instead to head up and around the northeastern coast called Golden Bay and check out the highly acclaimed beaches. As we drove up the coast we stopped at the Te Waikoropupu Springs, the largest freshwater spring in the southern hemisphere! We walked 20 or so minutes out to a walkway over the springs where we were able to look down into the clearest water I have ever seen. It has an underwater visibility of nearly 200 feet! It is a sacred place to the local Maori tribe so we were unable to swim but it was still really amazing! And we found a place to swim a ways downriver that was allowed so it all worked out :) We spent one night part way up the bay and chilled on a small beach adjacent to a lot of rare and endangered bird species. We camped near to there and the next day drove all the way up to the northern tip of the south island. There is a famous beach there that we wanted to check out so we got up early and walked the mile or so out to the beach. Wharariki beach was definitely the coolest beach I have ever been to. We had to cross an expanse of massive sand dunes just to get out to the main beach which was probably around 2 miles end to end with huge hills, tons of caves, tidal pools littered with baby seals, and natural archways out in the water and up on the beach. We spent a while just chilling reading our books but the walked the length of the beach gawking at the seal pups and spelunking into the dark beach caves. There was a one that seemed particularly smelly and I had quite a fright as a nearly walked into a sleeping seal hiding in the shadows. We spent 8 or so hours out there and treated ourselves to an ice cream at the very remote and tiny cafe near the parking lot. We drove back down the bay and stayed in the woods outside the town of Motueka.

The next day we drove into Motueka and did some much needed laundry and shopped for our upcoming Great Walk. We mooched some wifi from the KFC parking lot and talked to our parents and then spent the night at the beach in Motueka. We have developed a bit of a tradition of what we eat before and after our Great Walks, and we made rice and dahl that night and went to bed early to rest up. We woke up early and drove to the town of Marahau where we dropped off our car and took a water taxi to the top of Abel Tasman National Park to begin our 3rd Great Walk - The Abel Tasman Coastal Track.

We expected our water taxi to just be a a quick transport up the coast but we were happily surprised to find out it was bit more a tour. We were blessed by the tides and had the pleasure of exploring tidal lagoons and seeing some cool wildlife and beaches while our captain told us about the history of the park. We got dropped off in Totaranui where we started the trek. We planned the trip a bit differently that most people do the track and went north on an inland track up Gibbs Hill and then back towards the coast up and around to Mutton Cove. It was a very steep hill and we were feeling the burn after ~9 miles. This first day was by far the hardest elevation wise. We had a lovely campsite right on the beach and were nearly alone which was awesome. We had a dinner of instant rice and quinoa and then instant pasta which we used to much water to make - it was my first time having alfredo soup and it wasn’t all that bad!

The next day we got up early and headed down the coast winding up and down small hills through the rainforest that hugs the beaches. We made it back to Totaranui and after a quick lunch of trail mix and granola bars, kept heading down the beach to our campsite at Waiharekeke beach. It was a short day of ~6 miles and so we got there in the early afternoon. This was by design so we could avail ourselves to the famous golden sand beaches of the park and bask in the hot sun. We read our books alone on the nearly mile long beach for hours, swimming in the crystal clear turquoise water frequently to cool down. Abel Tasman National Park is known for it color contrasts. The water has vibrant shades of blue, turquoise, and teal and all of the beaches are a rich golden color from the granite cliff-sides and every beach butts right up to the rainforest. We were loving our life in paradise. We had some couscous and lentils and played cards before heading to bed as the sound of the waves crashing against the cliffs lulled us to sleep.

The next day we slept in and there was a bit of an unexpected morning drizzle so we snuggled up in the tent and let it pass. We were in no rush this morning because shortly after our camp was the Awaroa Inlet, which had to be crossed 2 hours before or after low tide. Low-tide being 4:09 in the afternoon we had to wait quite a while to start the bulk of our walk. We took off our boots and rolled up our shorts and crossed through the knee/thigh deep tidal streams that were running out - there was a nice little station to rinse off feet and put our boots back on before heading out to hike 8 more miles at 3:30 in the afternoon. We trudged on quickly up and down some pretty big hills with some incredible views of the sea. We were a bit weary hiking later in the day but we listened to an audiobook as we walked and still had a nice time. We made it to Bark Bay at 7:30 and set up camp and jumped in the ocean to clean ourselves off. By the time we were cooking our dinner everyone else had gone to bed. We had some more rice and quinoa, and pasta mixed with instant peas, not so soupy this time. :)

The next day we were quite tired. We only had around 7 miles to got but it seemed to drag on and both of us were getting a bit sore. We considered cutting the trip a night short and hiking out the final 6 miles that day but that would’ve sucked and I am very glad we didn’t. Around halfway we did a little side trip to Cleopatra’s Pool, a series of natural pools and waterfalls - it reminded us a bit of the rock slides along the Kancamagus Highway in New Hampshire. We had planned to swim but were dissuaded by the 50 or so day trippers already at the pool. Really cool natural places lose a bit of their luster when you have to fight for space in them. We shared a granola bar as we admired the falls and headed back to the track. After some moaning and groaning we finally reached the cutoff to our campsite and descended down a precipitous few hundred feet to Observation Beach where we spent our final night. This was our favorite campsite of the trip, it was a cool little cove looking out at Adele Island with a family of Oyster Catcher birds and chicks right nearby. There were a couple of families at the beach who lived nearby to the park and had taken their boats in. We were very envious of their variable array of potato chips and cookies, coolers full of wine and beer, and fresh fruits. We chatted them up a bit and got a little bit of trail magic - one of them ended up offering us a bottle of wine and a couple beers as the night went on and it was one of their kids birthdays and we got a slice of birthday cake. It was a perfect night to cap off our adventure and were super appreciative of the luxuries on the trail.

We woke up for sunrise on our final day and were treated to a beaut. We made our fourth and final breakfast of oatmeal mixed with dried apricots and trail mix, had our tea and set off before 8 o’clock. This was the easiest section of the entire trail and we did the ~6 miles in just over 2 hours, hustling ready to be done. We made it back to Sweetie and were very glad to see her. We had stashed some reward treats in the van and dug-in. We drove back to Motueka for the weekend farmers market and restocked on vegetables and at the recommendation of our booze/cake friends, got a loaf of sourdough bread from Rodrigo’s bread stand. We drove back down the coast and back to Nelson for the free hot shower to scrub the sweat and dirt off of ourselves. After our shower we got the other half of our Great Walk food tradition, post-walk pizza. We got a small veggie and a small cheese and were a bit bloated after eating them both in about 5 minutes flat. We went to the grocery store for some needed staple items and drove a few hours south down the coast to Westport where we stayed the night on the beach. It’s always a pleasure to sleep in our comfy van bed after the sleeping mats for days on end and we slept in. We spent the morning today unpacking our bags and organizing the van, as well as doing some much needed cleaning of our kitchen. We are hanging out in the Westport library and are going to head farther south here in a little while. Not really sure what we are going to do the next few days but totally cool with that, we will figure it out as we go.

Hoping you are all enjoying yourselves. We love and miss you all. <3

Our very best,

Christopher and Bryn

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lindsbpatterson-blog · 7 years ago

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A Welly Weekend

It was a lovely weekend here in Wellington. It’s sunny and warm. The temp is about 72, but it’s a little humid, so it feels warmer. Despite Ben’s cold, we packed in as many activities as we could. On Saturday morning, I walked to a very small farmers market. I didn’t realize this before heading there, but it was right next to the capital, so I took my first stroll through the beautiful grounds.

When I got home, we headed to Zealandia, which is just on the outskirts of Wellington. Zealandia is an ecosanctuary that began in 1999 as a 500 year (yes, that’s 5-0-0) project to restore an enormous plot of land to it’s pre-human state (pre Colonials and pre Maori). We took a wonderful 3.5 hour walking tour and saw only a small fraction of the sanctuary. Ben was fortunate enough to see this weird creature and took a quick photo before it flew away.

We also saw some amazing plants, birds, insects, and tuatara - the only remaining NZ reptile. Here’s a bird that we saw (I can’t remember what it’s called but it’s like a good looking, big chicken that can’t fly) and a baby fern coming off of a fern tree frond.

Oh, and here’s proof we were there...

Later that evening, we headed to the waterfront where there was a big performance art installation. I should have taken a photo of the whole thing, but - true to form - didn’t think about taking a picture. Just picture a bunch of shipping containers, stacked 2 high, each hosting 1 unique (read: strange) art installation. My favorite was this one.

Today, I went to another, much larger farmers market by the waterfront. It was very different from markets in PDX. It ONLY had fruits and veggies, and there was very little difference between the stands. In fact, I had trouble figuring out where one ended and the next began.

After the farmers market (and after yoga), Ben and I went to an enormous street fair in Newtown, a Wellington neighborhood. This was the Alberta, the Mississippi, the Hawthorne, the NW 23rd street fairs all in one. We bought a blanket so I can keep warm in the mornings, listened to good music, and did a lot of people watching. Mostly what we did was eat good food - tacos, a “rice burger,” gelato, donuts and ice cream. Our favorite non-food stand was one where, for just $2, you could shoot a bow and arrow at a real live “knight”. Here’s the beginning of the street fair.

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gigsoupmusic · 5 years ago

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DEVILSKIN Release Official Music Video for "Corrode"

The unstoppable DEVILSKIN unveil "CORRODE," a monstrous new video, single and details of their long awaited fourth album. The New Zealand four piece--who have toured with the likes of Slash, Halestorm, Motley Crue, and Disturbed--have announced their new album, titled RED, which will be released worldwide Friday April 3 on all formats across all platforms. https://youtu.be/BHBk3F0BIMM RED is the universal colour of passion, vitality, blood, danger, romance, anger, horror and love. Everything evocative. Of all the colours, RED is a warning and a statement. “We wanted to reflect the diversity, strength and depth of the songs on the album with an undeniable declaration.” Says Devilskin bassist Paul Martin. “We are so very excited to share these songs, we are extremely proud of how far we have come and what we have achieved with this recording.” The single "Corrode" encapsulates the red theme perfectly, its angsty lyrics tell of being completely overwhelmed and submerged in grime and stress. Fighting your way through it all and rising to ask for help. Directed by Alex Hargreaves (Alien Weaponry, Beastwars) filmed and edited by DOP Piotr Ziomus (Kwasnik Pictures) the video is powerful, confronting and evolves to show the bigger picture that we don’t always see in our own lives. Martin continues, “Perspective is so important, more-often-than-not, the difference between our happy places and our darkest spaces is just the angle we are looking from. This song is about the journey and the challenges you need to face when you feel lost. It’s saying it’s fine to ask for help.” Track List: 1. Do You See Birds 2. All Fall Down 3. Corrode 4. Eyes Red Heavy 5. Same Life 6. The Victor 7. Bllod & Bone 8. Endo 9. Bright Eyes 10. Sweet Release 11. Be Like the River 12. Everybody's High But Me

“We really took our time with RED, “Martin enthuses, “we had the vision and we knew it had to be done right. The songs each have so much life and we felt a real duty to do them justice. There are some really personal and very real moments on this album. We absolutely did not hold back, there are songs about struggle, depression, suicide and loss and there are songs about strength, hope, victory and love. We demoed almost 30 songs for this album so we had a lot of work to do to narrow the list down. One of last songs we wrote, it almost missed the cut too, but the throat punch we call Do You See Birds opens the album and sets the tone on a real rollercoaster of a ride. We felt it was especially important to give the listener a total immersive experience from start to finish. There’s lots of mood, colour and texture in the songs as well as between them. It’s a trip.” The amazing response of the first two singles "Endo" and "All Fall Down" show the promise this album holds. Both songs receiving high rotate radio play and amassing serious numbers online. From the epic moodiness of "Blood & Bone," the caged rage of "Same Life," the visceral impact of "The Victor," to the poignant beauty of "Sweet Release," the resplendent grandeur of "Bright Lights," right through to the swagger of "Be Like The River" and the manic fury of "Everybody’s High But Me," Devilskin have bared their soul with their finest performances yet. The album will be released digitally on all the usual formats, physically via CD and LP and there will be a limited edition deluxe box set. Devilskin is a four piece band from Hamilton New Zealand formed in June 2010, they already have guts, class, kudos and confidence. The sum total of a determined and accomplished group of musicians who know what they want, the music is organic, dynamic and real. The band features the spectacular Jennie Skulander on lead vocals. Her powerful and compelling voice and alluring stage presence sets her apart from any vocalist New Zealand has put up so far. With an unerring gift for melody, Jennie's incredible voice sweeps from whisper to roar, rips with power, drips with melody and captivates with sincerity. Jennie previously fronted Rotorua band Slipping Tongue garnering a swathe of fans with their videos, EPs and album. Slipping Tongue also impressed many when they opened for Coheed & Cambria in 2008. On lead guitar is Nail from popular Waikato band Chuganaut who won the NZ Battle of the Bands and the World Battle Of The Bands in 2004. Played BDO in 2005 and opened for Iron Maiden at Mt Smart stadium in 2009. Chuganaut has played numerous national tours and released several singles, EPs, videos and an album. Nail's searing guitar work and high energy performance bring real intensity to the live show. Playing bass guitar is Paul Martin, known as the Axeman from arguably, New Zealand's most popular radio show, the Axe Attack. Lead guitarist and vocalist for World War Four, Paul’s previous bands include Knightshade and Blackjack. He has opened for Black Label Society (2006), Heaven & Hell (2007) and Motorhead twice (2008), and played BDO (2009). Paul’s powerful and aggressive bass style is a propulsive force in the bands sound. Nic Martin joined Devilskin as drummer in August 2011 at the age of 15. Paul's son, Nic is the youngest artist to ever play the BDO when he performed with World War Four in 2009 at the age of 13. Nic adds to the show with a real display of power and passion on the drums. With a fierce style all his own and the inexhaustible energy of youth, Nic's truculent style and showmanship are fast becoming a talking point on the NZ live music scene. Not to mention making Devilskin one of the few bands featuring a father and son in their line-up. Together, Devilskin have the ability to write songs that have depth and passion. They create a compelling and irresistible sound and perform a stunning, explosive, live show. Read the full article

#AllFallDown #anger #Corrode #DEVILSKIN #Endo #hardrock #monstrousnewvideo #newalbum #OfficialMusicVideo #Single #titledRED

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megaechoposts-blog · 6 years ago

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Australia’s Gold Coast is a surfing destination but even if you don’t surf, there is so much to do here for families, adventure seekers and beach lovers, like me! From a rainforest hinterland to theme parks, nightlife, street markets, wildlife sanctuaries and some truly unique experiences such as hang-gliding and glowworm caves, there’s something for everyone.

What immediately catches your attention in Australia’s Gold Coast is the skyline – tall skyscrapers looming against the golden sand beaches, enormous waves, and a boundless ocean. You’re highly unlikely to encounter an overcast day here and the extensive coastline is dotted with surfing breaks, glorious warm waters and immense opportunities to capture the perfect sunset.

My Australia trip started in Melbourne and lasted for about 3 weeks and this meant, letting go of a lot of things that I would have liked to do if I had more time. I spent 2 days in the Gold Coast but I could have easily spent a couple more. I’m very much a theme park enthusiast, but having been to several across the world (and also, because I was travelling with my senior parents), I decided to focus on other unique and uncommon activities while here. I have, however, in my post mentioned those things which I had to skip but wish I could have included in my trip.

Australia’s Gold Coast wasn’t as exciting as visiting Cairns and Great Barrier Reef, or even the Whitsunday Islands but it was a close third in my list, especially because I fell in love with Byron Bay. I drove here from Brisbane, via Tamborine Mountain but if you’re already in Gold Coast, then I suggest you start your trip with a visit to the Tamborine Mountain early in the morning. To make the most of your trip, renting a car would be a great idea!

Click here to rent a car in Australia’s Gold Coast.

Day 1: Tamborine Mountain & Gold Coast

Although there are other options such as Springbrook National Park & Lamington National Park, I chose Mt Tamborine because of the diversity of experiences available here. Hardly a 40-min drive away from Surfer’s Paradise in Australia’s Gold Coast, Tamborine Mountain is a lush rainforest with rock pools, canopy walks, hiking trails, adventure parks, and even wineries. You can easily spend a day here so the earlier you start, the better it is!

Cedar Creek Falls

Cedar Creek Falls: Rock Pools

A fairly narrow road that branches off from the Tamborine Mountain road will bring you to the Cedar Creek Falls. Be prepared for a walk down to these falls from the car parking lot. If you’re not keen on going all the way down to the falls, you can walk to the lookout point (500m) and return. However, on a bright and warm day, you will surely want to carry your swimwear, sunblock and sunglasses to be able to jump into the cool waters of the rock pools formed below the waterfalls. The track ahead of the viewpoint is likely to be slippery so its best to wear comfortable and rugged footwear. A series of cascades and pools which are frequented by the locals can be found once at the bottom of the walking path. A dip in these shallow pools is well worth your while!

Tree-top Challenge at Thunderbird Park

Thunderbird Park, Mt Tambourine

I went here specifically for the Canyon Flyer Tour, considered to be Australia’s highest and fastest zip line attraction. While it sounded like the most exciting experience at the park, there were, of course, other activities for the lesser adventurous people. The Canyon Flyer Tour takes you to 7 highly exciting zip lines, soaring you over the lush rainforest and Cedar Creek gorge below. The groups are usually small and the session timings are fixed, so it’s best to find out the availability and the timings before planning your visit. The tour lasts for about 3 hours and costs $120.

If you’re looking for something slightly less in the adrenaline department but exciting, nonetheless, you can visit the Treetop Adventure park that has Tarzan swings, flying fox swings, easier zip lines and other rope courses, suitable for the younger people too. Whichever you plan to do, keep about 3-4 hours for this experience. If you’re interested in any of the activities, you can simply enjoy some quiet time by the creek or in the cafeteria.

Treetop Challenge and Thunderbird Park, Mt Tambourine

Canyon Flyer

Tamborine Rainforest Skywalk

If you’re not really an adventurous person and would rather skip the Treetop challenge and Thunderbird Park, there is yet another way to enjoy the view of the thick forests from the top. This canopy walk is about 1.5 kilometres on a stable platform, that takes you amidst the flora and fauna of the Australian rainforests, providing ample insights into the trees, insects, birds and animals that can be found in the area. A leisurely 45-minute walk takes you past waterfalls, creeks and gorgeous greenery. The experience costs only $20.

Glowworm Caves

Glowworms are typically found only in Australia and New Zealand, so although these caves in the Tamborine Mountain are artificially created and are no match to the Waitomo Glowworm Caves in NZ, it’s a rare experience nevertheless. Due to the ever-increasing temperatures in Australia over the last few years, these caves were purpose-built to provide a controlled environment for the glow worms to survive. The entrance to these caves is through the Cedar Creek Estate Vineyard & Winery. The tours depart every hour (you can utilize the waiting time in trying out some wine at the cellar or the restaurant on site), and the knowledgeable, as well as passionate guides, explain the significance the mode of the life of these glow worms. The alluring blue glow of the worms is a way of hunting for prey and when thousands of these worms are gathered in one dark cave, it forms a sea of starry lights. One needs to get accustomed to the darkness inside the caves; no photography is allowed. The tour itself lasts for about 30-45 min.

Cedar Creek Estate Vineyard & Winery

Back to Australia’s Gold Coast

In the afternoon, head back to Gold Coast. If you manage to get here before sunset, head to Sky Point Observation Deck, located on the 77th floor of Q1 near Surfer’s Paradise, one of the tallest buildings in Australia. You can enjoy panoramic views of the Gold Coast’s skyline and coastline. If you’re an adventure enthusiast, you can also attempt the Sky Point Climb which starts from the 77th-floor observation deck and is one of Australia’s highest external building walks. Harnessed and ready to climb 298 stairs to the building’s summit, this activity reminded me of the edge walk in Toronto’s CN Tower, except that this one actually requires for you to climb higher than you already are and the only way down is via those stairs. A handrail and harness definitely make the climb easier and safer and the views are absolutely worth it. Needless to say, this experience is NOT meant for the faint-hearted, especially if you’re acrophobic!

Sky Point Climb

Sunset at Surfers Paradise Beach

Perhaps one of the most golden sunsets I’ve seen was at Australia’s Gold Coast. Not only is Surfer’s Paradise Beach the best for surfing enthusiasts but it is also the most lively with an esplanade with walkers, cyclists and skateboards, and offers the best views of the ocean possible. Several restaurants are located across the road from the beach and one of my favourites was a Mexican restaurant called Gringo Loco Cantina.

Sunset at Surfer’s Paradise Beach

Beachfront Night Market

We were fortunate to be in Australia’s Gold Coast on a Wednesday night because these amazing beachfront night markets are held on Surfers Paradise only on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday nights (4 to 9 pm). A very lively atmosphere with entertainment, music and stalls selling local arts, souvenirs, foodstuff, fashion, jewellery and homewares, I was impressed with the designs and collection available here. I am totally a street market person and a sucker for good deals, fashionable clothes, unique and authentic food items and handicrafts.

Night beachfront market, Surfers Paradise

Dining at Surfers Paradise

Suggested budget hotel stay near Surfers Paradise Beach: Mantra on View Hotel.

Day 2: Coolangatta and Byron Bay

Slightly more laid-back and pristine than Gold Coast’s Surfers Paradise is Coolangatta, which is located about 30 minutes away by road and on the way to Byron Bay. It is also the border between Queensland and New South Wales and the intriguing part is, that within a span of seconds, you switch from one time zone to another (New South Wales is an hour behind), in the summer month (Oct-Apr). Some popular beaches/ viewing platforms here include Kirra beach, Rainbow Bay, Snapper Rocks and Point Danger.

Another 50-min drive ahead of Coolangatta is one of the most beautiful coastal cities I’ve seen in a while – Byron Bay. Yet another surfing paradise, I loved this place because of the crystal clear blue waters which were a feast for the eyes. On a warm sunny day, the waters are perfect for kayaking or swimming or even better, hang-gliding!

The Pass, Byron Bay

Although Byron Beach and Wategos Beach are the two most popular beaches to visit in the area, if you’re looking to stay away from the crowds, Tallow Beach is completely untouched! However, you’re also highly unlikely to find any restaurants or bars in this area; it is a long, untouched stretch of pure golden sand and blue waters, where it is not hard to spot dolphins and manta rays. For some of the best vantage point views, head to Fisherman’s Lookout, where an elevated platform offers some breathtaking vistas of the ocean. Grab a quick bite at The Pass Cafe while you’re here.

Fisherman’s Lookout, Byron Bay

Tallow Beach Lookout Point, Byron Bay

Another popular point to head to is the Cape Byron Lighthouse which offers sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean. The lighthouse stands at the tip of Cape Byron and an easy 4-km walking track is a great way to enjoy the scenic place. But the one activity I highly recommend, especially for adventure enthusiasts, is hang-gliding!

Cape Byron Lighthouse

Hang-gliding in Byron Bay

Although I found the activity slightly pricey, there’s no feeling like soaring in the skies and enjoying (literally) a bird’s eye view of such a beautiful destination. Of course, the activity is highly dependent on the weather conditions so it’s best to check before planning the trip if it is taking place on that day or not. I flew with Peter Aitken, a chief flying instructor at Lennox Head (you can book your experience here) and the flight lasted for about 30 minutes during which he taught me how to manoeuvre the hang glider, we saw some dolphins in the sea below and talked about how amazing it is they have the freedom to fly so high in the skies, at the mercy of the winds, without any motor or engine.

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Soaring the skies in this gorgeous location

Day 3: Warner Bros Movie World Theme Park or Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary

Unfortunately, my trip was only for two days so I could not fit in either of these options into m itinerary. I prioritized visiting Byron Bay, Mt Tamborine & Surfers Paradise in the limited amount of time on hand. Also, since I had already got my kangaroo and koala fix in Cairns, I was not disappointed about skipping Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary. If you have not made it to the many parks in Australia, you might want to head here, the park is hardly about 30 minutes away from Surfers Paradise.

Also, visiting a theme park in Gold Coast is one of the top things to do; ‘Goldie’ (as Australia’s Gold Coast is lovingly called) is a theme park enthusiast’s paradise, with several options available such as Warner Bros Movie World, Sea World & Dreamworld. Several multi-park access options are also available which you can read about here.

The post 3 amazing days in Australia’s Gold Coast appeared first on Hopping Feet.

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evelynsmusings · 6 years ago

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Head Northbound in New Zealand (Have Halal Will Travel Article)

REASONS TO HEAD NORTHBOUND IN NZ THIS 2019

New Zealand, with its breath-taking natural sights and equally marvellous towns and cities, is a photographer’s dream true come.

Spectacular glaciers, picturesque fiords, rolling hillsides, volcanic plateau, miles of coastline with gorgeous sandy beaches – the list goes on. New Zealand is widely known as having the most amazing landscapes in the world; separated by two islands, each with its own unique charm.

However, if you want to explore a warmer climate with hot springs, mud pools, and white-sandy beaches, explore Maori culture, venture through larger cities, and enjoy more cosmopolitan comforts, the North Island is for you.

Here are three reasons New Zealand’s North Islands should be at the top of your travel bucket list this 2019!

Credit: Giphy

Are ewe ready for this?

1. The incredible Culture of New Zealand

For a small country (much like its national bird), New Zealand sure has a big personality. There is a lot that goes into the make-up of the unique Kiwi culture – being heavily influenced by multi-ethnic migration and the cultural input of the indigenous Maori people.

Credit: @laurao_travels on Instagram

The culture of New Zealand affects the nature, temperament, language and arts of the citizens of the land – it’s important for one to at least know a few things about their culture and traditions. One great way to do is to visit their many cultural sites – try Whakarewarewa at Rotorua.

Credits: @allthelivelongday on instagram

Explore and experience Maori Culture at Whakarewarewa (try saying that 10 times) – the living Maori village. They provide hourly tours through the Maori village where you can immerse yourself in their incredible history (and maybe their mud baths)! The guided tours are entertaining and informative with a focus on giving everyone an understanding of the Maori history, culture and how the villagers live in the challenging Whakarewarewa Geothermal field.

Here’s a little extra; the full name of Whakarewarewa actually “Te Whakarewarewatanga O Te Ope Taua A Wahiao,” meaning, The gathering place for the war parties of Wahiao.

Address: Whakarewarewa The Living Maori Village, 17 Tryon Street, Whakarewarewa, Rotorua Central, Rotorua, 3010, New Zealand

Opening hours: 8.30am - 5.00pm (Closed Christmas Day)

How to get there: 10 minutes from Rotorua Airport or 5 minutes from Rotorua Bus Terminal

Visiting a traditional Maori village is not the only way to immerse yourself with New Zealand’s rich culture. How about celebrating the Matariki Festival? Otherwise known at the Maori New Year, the Matariki Festival is a celebration of Maori culture, language, spirit and people.

Credit: matarikifestival

To celebrate Matariki in Auckland, many significant public buildings and landmarks, including the Auckland Museum, Sky Tower and Viaduct Harbour, will be lit with orange lights. This annual event in Auckland also celebrates with art workshops and displays, flax weaving, kapa haka performances, music, movies and many other events.

Here’s how it goes down: to mark the beginning of the festival, a Matariki dawn karakia (prayer) service will be held at Tāwharanui Regional Park with the participation of local kaumātua (Maori elders) who will recite ancient karakia and lead traditional chants and contemporary waiata (song).

Credits: @hauitichick on Instagram

More than 100 events will be running across the Auckland region during the Matariki Festival celebrating Maori culture, art, entertainment, and food!

Address: Various locations

Opening hours:

Fri 29 Jun 2018, 10:30am

Sun 29 Jul 2018, 12:00pm

Admission: Free

Website: https://www.eventfinda.co.nz/2018/matariki-festival/auckland/great-barrier-island#none

New Zealand’s culture is not limited to just the Maori people – they have an iconic festival called Pasifika Festival, where they bring together Pacific Island communities to celebrate the diverse cultures of the South Pacific!

Credits: noted.co

The festival is free for everyone, with authentic foods, arts and crafts stalls and demonstrations, traditional and contemporary Pacific Island music as well as amazing performances. Try Maori nail art at the Aotearoa village, check out traditional Fijian costumes and accessories, see how artisans from Tokelau use time-honoured techniques to create fishing lures from shells, and enjoy dancing and drumming from around the Pacific.

Credits: @masterfoodsampler on Instagram

Address: Western Springs Park, 731 Great North Rd

Opening hours: Saturday 23 March 9am – 7pm (all villages will close at 5pm with the festival stage continuing to 7pm) and Sunday 24 March 10am – 4pm

Website: https://www.aucklandlive.co.nz/show/pasifika-festival

2. The amazing sights of North Island

New Zealand is known for a lot of natural wonders and crazy Instagram-worthy locations. People say the South Islands have the best spots to get the best scenic views – but let’s beg to differ! The North Islands has its own extraordinary swoon-worthy locations.

Starting with an upcoming festival that will fill your camera with phenomenal shots of hot air balloons - Balloons over Waikato is another one of New Zealand’s free large-scale events! You’d need to be an early bird though to see these beautiful and exotic hot air balloons fill the dawn sky of the Waikato.

Credits: balloonsoverwaikato.co.nz

New Zealand's premier hot air balloon festival, Balloons over Waikato is held annually in Hamilton. This five-day icon event it is arguably the most popular event in the city. It attracts balloonists from all over New Zealand and around the world, to come by and experience the fun.

Credits: balloonsoverwaikato.co.nz

Just imagine, beautiful hot balloons that fill the air - fill your Instagram with these magnificent shots – be prepared to have nothing but comments about where you took it!

Address: At Innes Common & University of Waikato

Opening hours: Tuesday 19th - Saturday 23rd March 2019

Website: https://balloonsoverwaikato.co.nz/

A Mecca for film fans who travel from far and wide, the Hobbiton Movie Set sits within the gentle rolling hills of Matamata - just three hours from Auckland. Wander around the 12-acre set which happens to be filled with hobbit holes, the Green Dragon Inn and the Party Tree – a dream come true for all Lord of The Rings fans.

Credit: @timeouthomes on Instagram

A living movie set from one of J.R.R Tolkein’s popular movie franchises, Hobbiton is an unparalleled experience that will fully transport you to The Middle Earth.

Credit: @eurasianstar on Instagram

You will enjoy it even if you are not a Tolkien Fan - the whole area is simply specular, consisting of green rolling hills dotted with cows and sheep, beautiful unique trees and adorable hobbit holes. I mean – just think of the selfie opportunities!

Credit: @benjwashere on Instagram

Address: Hobbiton Movie Set Tours, 501 Buckland Road, Hinuera, Matamata, Hamilton - Waikato, 3472, New Zealand.

Opening hours: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Directions: A 2 hour drive from Auckland, or a 1 hour drive from Rotorua.

Hobbtion is not the only place you can capture beautiful Instagram-worthy moments.

Tongariro National Park is home to the most remarkable mountain scenery around every corner – colouring it rainbow with red craters, vibrant greens and blue lakes. Did you know Tongariro National Park is New Zealand's oldest national park and is a dual World Heritage Site?

Credits: inafarawayland.com

Start with a gander at the most accessible waterfall in Tongariro – the Tawhai Falls (also known as Gollum’s pool); a mere 20-minute return walk from the roadside. It’s definitely worth the photo stop.

Credit: @jberendtphotography on Instagram

Prepare yourself for a day-hike at the Tongariro crossing – this hike will take you about 6 to 8 hours and features dramatic landforms, volcanic topography and an assortment of endemic flora and fauna. A veritable playground for avid hikers for sure!

Credit: tongarirocrossing.org.nz

On this 19.4km hike, you’ll have ample photo opportunities to get the perfect gram. See the Soda Springs – a flat paved boardwalk trail that will start your journey into the eye-gasmic views of the blue lake, the Tongariro Alpine Crossing is one of many reasons why you should not ignore the North Island!

Credits: @status_afk on Instagram

Credits: Tripzilla

Tip: Avalanches can occur in Tongariro National Park in any season, but are most common from July through to October, so do some research before going over!

Address: Manawatu-Wanganui 4691, New Zealand

Opening hours: 8:00 am to 5:00 pm daily for Summer and 8:30am – 4:30pm Winter (closed Christmas day)

Getting there: The nearest towns are Taumarunui, National Park Village, Ohakune and Turangi. The small village of Whakapapa is located within the park. Daily national bus services are available to and from Ohakune, Taumarunui, National Park, Whakapapa Village and Turangi.

3. Adrenaline junkies, steady your heart

Do you have a need for speed? The thirst for the thrill? The inclination for invigoration? We could go on, but you get the point. If you want the wind in your hair, try these few activities – great for solo travellers and families!

Ever tried real-life Mario Kart? If you think Singapore’s Sentosa Luge rides are fun, wait till you try New Zealand’s own!

Credit: @czech.theworld on Instagram

Skyline Rotorua is the name of this fun park that has numerous activities in addition to luging: there's the Sky Swing, Zoom Ziplines and, the Gravity Park for mountain biking - all accessed via a gondola ride.

Credit: Backpackerguide.nz

Credit: @huiyuan_wen on Instagram

Take the Gondola all the way to the tippy top and you can select from one of three different Luge trails which vary in difficulty! Each luge track is over one kilometre long so there are plenty of twists and turns to navigate - so Tokyo drift your way down!

1. The scenic track is a good option for those who want to experience the adventure at their own pace.

2. The intermediate track is almost 2 kilometres long and includes a tunnel and chicanes, for the more adventurous.

3. The advanced track is perfect for those wanting a speedy, exciting ride with tight corners.

Address: 185 Fairy Springs Rd, Rotorua

Opening Hours: 9am till late Website: www.skyline.co.nz

Price: NZ45 for Adults, NZ29.50 for Children

Remember those hamsters running in small hamster balls? Ever wished you could do the same? Well now you can, and it’s called Zorbing! On top of a million other things to do in Rotorua, zorbing is one you can’t miss out on. Zorbing—where you roll around within a protective air-filled ball— trust me it’s more fun than it sounds.

Credit: Discovernewzealand

Credit: Youtube

There are apparently many ways to Zorb – wet, dry, zigzag or straight down the hill, there is even something called Zydro Zorbing - which happens to be a cross between a waterslide and a rollercoaster.

Credits: zorb.es

Climb inside one of the bouncy balls and take a roll down a beautiful grassy hill solo or with your friends! It’s a fun and safe activity for anyone who loves a thrill and will definitely be something new for you to try!

Address: 149 Western Road, Ngongotaha, Rotorua 3010, New Zealand

Email: [email protected]

Website: http://zorb.com/world/rotorua/

Price: Zydro NZD$45.00 Tandem NZD$40.00.

You’ve heard of wakeboarding, ski boarding, surfing – now how about sandboarding? Just past Kaitaia, New Zealand’s northernmost town (about a four-hour drive from Auckland), you’ll find the mammoth Te Paki sand dunes, which merge with the well-known Ninety Mile Beach.

Credits: deviatingthenorm

The Giant Te Puki Sand Dunes reach up 100 metres, with the longest run nicknamed “Devil’s Hook” offering a 350-long metre “surf” down. You can easily do this independently with your own boards or get boards for hire!

Credits: thestar

The Te Paki sand dunes don’t just attract the thrill seekers anxious to sand board. They are also a remarkable sight to take in while you stand at the foot of them. On a day that has a bit of a breeze, you can stand and watch the dunes change shape right before your eyes. If you do have the energy, then walk up to the top for some amazing panoramic views.

Credits: @ chris.goes.global on Instagram

Address: 47 Te Paki Stream Rd, Cape Reinga 0484, New Zealand

Opening hours: 24 hours

Price: Free (but rental prices for Goggles NZ$2, Board NZ$15 each)

Directions: From Auckland, take a plane to the Kaitaia Airport, which is a five-minute drive from the Sand Safaris office

With the overload of sensationalist information and commentary in the media, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. New Zealand is a good opportunity to get away from it all and appreciate the natural world. Every moment can be breath-taking and scenic even if you're sandboarding or taking a hike down while heading to the festival therefore the North Islands has something for everyone!

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min-minn · 5 years ago

Text

Symphony - Chapter Three

A03

Summary: Viktor Nikiforov, tenor prodigy and top student at the Salchow Institute of Music, is looking for an accompanist.

And word around campus is that Yakov Feltsman, Head of Music and conductor of the prestigious Institute Band, is looking for new members.

Yuuri Katsuki is just looking to survive his next Piano recital

The Yuri on CONCERT Music School AU that we all deserve

Pairings: Viktor Nikiforov/ Yuuri Katsuki

Rating: Teen And Up

Content Warning: Anxiety

A/N:

YIKES, so this was actually SO much longer than I'd anticipated. And I had even planned to add a whole other scene, but it's already stupid long~ Next time~

Also, I was thinking about it, and so many fics have Viktor texting with kaomoji and it just makes me so happy that everyone kind of unanimously agrees that that's how it would go. Especially since Viktor can put the little hearts for mouths and it's just *wheeze* adorable. And I figured Yuuri is the kind of guy who never keeps up to date with things, and even though he's Japanese - since he's from a more rural Japanese town and never texts - he probably missed the whole kaomoji thing entirely. And Phichit would probably just use stickers I think... I don't know. HC thoughts~

There's a bunch of music in this one so I'll just list it all off in order of appearance:

Lazy Bird, the piece that Phichit suggests, is a famous modern Jazz piece by John Coltrane. It's pretty brutal, but also just so, so amazing. I can see Yuuri playing it somehow~ And it makes me so happy~

The Ravel piece that Yuuri plays at the start of their practice is just *wheeze* stupidly beautiful. Again, it just screams Yuuri to me. I could listen to it for hours~

And finally, this Muse song is one of my all time favourites. Such a cool, creative concept, and with three exceptionally talented musicians (or five, WHEN THE REST OF THE SQUAD SHOW UP) I can hear it in my mind palace already. SO COOL. GOOD GOD.

ALSO *SPLUTTERS* THANK YOU. For your stupidly kind comments and kudos and all the things. I've been basically vibrating with happiness and motivation for the last few days~ It really does encourage me in every way. And I like to reply to every comment, so feel free to ask questions, though the NZ time zone might make it a bit weird~ Anyway! Thank you, thank you, thank you.

I'm going to jump straight into the next chapter, but it probably won't be done until this time tomorrow~ Bear with me~

Much awkward, muso love,

- Min

Yuuri heard Phichit yelling at him before he’d even opened the apartment door.

“…think you can just waltz in here at 11:30 at night without so much as a text, you’ve got another thing coming! You piece of shit!” Yuuri winced as he turned his key in the lock, opening the door. He knew Phichit was just teasing him, but he couldn’t help feeling guilty all the same.

Phichit and Yuuri’s apartment was small, cramped enough without the massive Yamaha keyboard that Yuuri had managed to squeeze into the corner. When they’d moved in, it was a toss-up between either a table and chairs or a practice corner. Both had agreed that a table and chairs were entirely optional when there was a perfectly good sofa to eat on, so most of the far side of the room was taken up by Yuuri’s piano and a series of cheap bookshelves fit to bursting with books, music, and various folders. Phichit’s saxophone case and music stand were against the wall next to the piano as well.

Phichit himself was sitting on the couch, some kind of sappy rom-com playing on the tv across from him, though the volume was quiet, Phichit not even looking at the screen. He had one earbud in instead, with a bunch of charts strewn across the couch and the little pile of crates that served as a coffee table in the middle of the room. Yuuri still couldn’t quite wrap his head around Phichit’s obsession with overstimulation – if he didn’t have some kind of movie on and music blaring in his ears, he couldn’t concentrate on his study. Yuuri often had to lock himself in his room or use the school’s studios just to make sure he had absolute silence.

Yuuri gave Phichit an apologetic smile, and Phichit glared back with all the venom he could muster.

“Eight!” he said suddenly, folding his arms and huffing as Yuuri slowly set his coat on the hooks behind the door.

“Eight…?” Yuuri asked quietly before one of the couch cushions was hurled at his head. He ducked with a little noise, blinking in shock.

“Eight missed calls!” Phichit yelled again. “I even called Minako! She said she’d left you at the studio after practice… with Viktor.”

Yuuri winced, ducking his head as he unravelled his scarf. “Yeah…”

“Don’t yeah me. Details. Now,” Phichit reached over and paused the movie, yanking out his earbuds and shuffling over on the couch so that Yuuri could sit next to him. To anyone else, Phichit’s behaviour would probably come across as rude, but after three years of friendship, Yuuri knew this was just Phichit’s way of showing he cared, even if it felt like it was shortening Yuuri’s lifespan.

“Can I at least get some dinner first?” Yuuri asked exasperatedly. Now that he was finally in the safety of his own home, he’d suddenly realised just how hungry he was. And tired. His eyes had grown heavy on the bus ride home, but it was even more prominent now as he realised he’d have to explain everything to Phichit before he’d be allowed to go to bed.

“In the pot on the stove. It’s probably cold by now since you’re, like, three hours late coming home,” Phichit narrowed his eyes. Yuuri found himself laughing despite everything.

“I thought we went over this. We’re only married if neither of us finds someone by the time we’re 50,” Yuuri grinned, feeling triumphant when he saw Phichit’s frown twitch into a little smirk.

“I feel like I’m 50 after worrying about your ass all night,” Phichit threw back at him, but he seemed to have cooled, smirk turning into a smile that Yuuri returned easily.

He moved into their little kitchen, finding a big pot of noodles on the stove and throwing some into a bowl before he chucked it in the microwave. He opted to lean on the counter and wait, watching the bowl spin as his mind wandered.

“Did you kiss at least?” Phichit called from the couch, now turned to face him, leaning over the back. Yuuri groaned.

“No, Phichit, I didn’t kiss the dude I only just met today,” he sighed, reaching for a set of plastic chopsticks that were resting on the dishrack. “I’m not like you,” he added with a teasing tone. Phichit stuck out his tongue.

“Honestly Yuuri, at this rate we will end up married.”

The microwaved beeped, Yuuri taking the bowl and feeling his stomach rumble as he smelt the familiar spices. He cradled the bowl in one arm, taking it with him down to the couch, mentally bracing himself for Phichit’s questions.

“But first,” Phichit said, face ridiculously serious… and he suddenly flung himself at Yuuri, crushing him in a bear hug that was quite impressive despite Phichit’s slightly smaller frame. Yuuri smiled as he held the noodles out of the way.

“I’m proud of you for surviving today,” Phichit said softly, all trace of his grumpy act disappearing. “I know it must have been really stressful.”

“Thank you Phichit,” Yuuri said warmly, breaking out of the hug a little sheepishly. “I’m sorry it took me all day to fill you in.”

“Not even one text Yuuri! Come on!”

“I know! I know … I kind of zoned out on the bus …” Yuuri rubbed the back of his head, glancing down at his lap.

“You’re forgiven,” Phichit said with a mock serious expression. “Now, start at the beginning.” He was shuffling away and sitting cross-legged on the couch, posture stiff as he waited expectantly.

“There’s not much to say, honestly…” Yuuri began, picking at his food with his chopsticks, blowing gently on the noodles with the bowl on his lap. “Madame Baranovskaya is a dragon lady and she hates my guts,” he said matter-of-factly, focussing on picking up as much of the delicious noodles as he could. “The cashier at the café hates my guts, too,” he added, looking up with a thoughtful expression.

“And,” his voice lowered, eyes trailing down to the floor. “I’m probably the worst accompanist in the world since Viktor hates my guts now as well,” and then he stuffed his face, eyes downcast as he chewed, trying to add some sense of finality to what he’d said. He knew Phichit would try and argue with him, but there was no use. He knew it was true. “That’s it, basically.”

Phichit sighed next to him, leaning back on the couch. “Yuuri, they don’t hate your guts. Well… Lilia might, but she hates everyone and everything, so don’t go thinking you’re too special,” Phichit tapped him with his foot to get Yuuri’s attention and they both laughed a little.

“Viktor definitely hates me though,” Yuuri said quietly, hand stilling as he stared back at the floor.

“Yuuri,” Phichit said with a warning tone, “Remember what we talked about? Try and imagine the opposite of what your brain demons are saying. Imagine that’s the truth.” Yuuri scoffed in response.

“But it’s not—” Yuuri began before Phichit shushed him.

“Shh! No. Just pretend it’s true,” Phichit nudged him with his foot again.

Yuuri sighed, taking another mouthful and chewing slowly.

“He asked me to help him practice his aria,” Yuuri said around the food in his mouth, knowing full well that Phichit was still expecting a full recount of the events of the day.

“That’s good, Yuuri,” Phichit said a little excitedly. “Easy, too, since you’ve been playing it since you found out he got the part,” he added, waggling his eyebrows. Yuuri smiled and ducked his head.

“I thought so too, but…” he trailed off, the memory still a little too bitter in his mind, drawing his eyebrows together.

“What?” Phichit frowned before he let out a little gasp. “Oh no, don’t tell me,” he was sitting up now, eyes wide. “Is Viktor one of those singers? Did he nit-pick your playing like he was a piano major? Was he rushing? Oh my god,” he clapped a hand dramatically over his mouth. “Yuuri, was he out of tune?”

Yuuri rolled his eyes. “No, of course not. He was perfect. It was all me,” he sighed, suddenly finding he had no appetite despite feeling starved just seconds before. He put his bowl down on the coffee table, careful not to let it touch Phichit’s charts.

“What did you do?” Phichit asked gently. “It started well,” Yuuri said softly, leaning back in the couch and staring at the ceiling. “He’s a great singer, and easy to follow. I hardly had to think about it at all, it kind of just … worked.” Yuuri chewed on his lower lip, bringing his arm up to cover his eyes. “And then I fucked it all up.”

“You can’t have fucked it up that badly if it was going so well,” Phichit pointed out. Yuuri groaned.

“No, it was like… you know Minako’s studio, right? With all the mirrors? Well… I could see him singing and I kind of got…” Yuuri felt his cheeks begin to burn.

“What, you got distracted by his ridiculously good looks?” Phichit said with a smirk.

“Pretty much,” Yuuri sighed.

“So what? You missed a few notes?” Phichit seemed confused.

“I stopped playing entirely, like, right in the middle. Which would usually be fine but…” Yuuri winced, the memory all too fresh. “He looked at me so strangely. And it wasn’t just that I stopped, I completely zoned out…”

Phichit giggled, “Carried away imagining Viktor’s strong tenor voice, and strong tenor arms, and soft tenor lips…” Phichit was wriggling around on the couch, doing his best impression of a love-sick teenager. Yuuri jabbed him with the back end of his chopsticks and Phichit cried out through his giggles.

“I’m serious!” Yuuri said desperately. “I totally fucked up! And it was so awkward afterwards.”

Phichit let out a rush of air. “I mean, it was your first session together. I’m sure he didn’t mind. It’s just practice, after all, you’re not meant to get it perfect first try.”

Yuuri sunk lower in the couch, wanting nothing more than to let the cushions swallow him whole. “He totally hates me.”

“Yuuri…” Phichit said gently, reaching over and rubbing his shoulder. “He doesn’t hate you, ok? Remember? Imagine the opposite of what you’re thinking is true.”

Suddenly, Yuuri’s phone vibrated in his back pocket and he jumped. Why was his phone vibrating? Was it a text? That was pretty much impossible. The only person who texted him was Phichit and Phichit was sitting right there. He seemed to be just as surprised as Yuuri, gesturing for Yuuri to get his phone out, sitting up slightly with a curious look on his face.

Yuuri leapt to grab his phone, yanking it out of his pocket and scrambling to hold it up in front of him.

And all the colour drained from his face.

Phichit leant over with his brow furrowed, expression quickly morphing into a sly grin as he looked at the screen.

“See what I mean?” he said with a very distinct I-told-you-so tone. “The opposite of what you’re thinking.”

Yuuri could barely breathe.

They were staring at the lock screen, and there in the middle was a notification for a text message.

A text message from Viktor.

“Shit…” Yuuri breathed, glancing up to Phichit with wide eyes. “What do I do?”

“You open it Yuuri, you dumbass!” Phichit squealed, leaning closer to get a better look.

Yuuri swallowed, slowly unlocking his phone and tapping open his messages. Sure enough, there was a text from Viktor. The number hadn’t been saved yet, obviously, but Yuuri could tell who it was from the first line, which had conveniently shown up on his lock screen as well:

> Hey, It’s Viktor ( ⁀ ♡ ⁀ )

“Is that … fucking kaomoji?” Phichit hissed, face all but pressed against Yuuri’s as he eyed the screen with a squint.

“Kao… what?” Yuuri whispered, thumb still hovering over the text, not quite able to bring himself to open it properly. He felt his cheeks flushing ever so slightly as he looked at the little face Viktor had added. Yuuri distantly wondered how he’d even made it.

“Honestly Yuuri, are you even Japanese?” Phichit rolled his eyes, bumping Yuuri’s shoulder with his own impatiently. “Open it already!”

Yuuri swallowed thickly, trying to stop his hands from shaking. He hit the message with his thumb, screwing his eyes shut as it opened.

“Oh…” Phichit gasped, voice quiet.

After a beat, Yuuri dared to open his eyes, peeking at the screen…

> Hey, It’s Viktor ( ⁀ ♡ ⁀ ) Thanks for tonight! You play so beautifully~ How have I never heard you before! ( ≧ ♡ ≦ )

And there was a noise. It sounded kind of like a buzzing – or a droning… then it came into focus and Yuuri realised it was him. He was making the noise. His mouth was open and he was just…

“Holy shit, Yuuri,” Phichit breathed, glancing up at him, eyes sparkling. “The dude’s in love with you.”

“N—N—No he’s not!” Yuuri gasped, all but dropping his phone as he suddenly lost control of all of his motor functions at once. He somehow managed to still hold the phone in his grip, bringing it right up to his face and reading the text over and over.

“H—He’s just being nice,” he whispered, fixating on the little faces and thinking he could almost imagine Viktor making those exact expressions…

“Uh huh. Sure,” Phichit leaned away slightly, looking at Yuuri expectantly. “What are you gonna say?”

Yuuri swallowed. “I … I have to reply?” he breathed.

“Oh my god Yuuri,” Phichit slapped his hands over his eyes – a perfect rendition of a facepalm.

“I don’t … I can’t…” the thought of replying had Yuuri’s stomach doing somersaults. What would he say? He hardly ever messaged people, except the few friends he had online, but that didn’t count. They were all gamers with their own jargon and inside jokes. And most of the conversations he’d had were in group chats or Discord servers where he could stay silent most of the time.

This was different.

This was Viktor.

“Just start with ‘Thank you,’” Phichit offered, leaning back over Yuuri’s phone and watching patiently. Yuuri tried to concentrate on stopping his hands from shaking.

Thank you. Yeah. That sounded like a good idea. He typed it out slowly, careful not to put his fingers anywhere near the ‘send’ button.

“Okay…” Yuuri let out a huff of air. “Now what?”

“Compliment him back,” Phichit said quickly, gesturing to where Viktor had told Yuuri he played … beautifully. Yuuri felt his brain try and kickstart itself back into life.

He managed to punch out a few sentences, testing the waters, before settling on something simple.

>Thank you. You’re a great singer.

“Is that too much?” Yuuri whispered, reading over the words again and again. Phichit groaned beside him.

“Just stop thinking for two seconds, okay?” he said, reaching his hand out and waving it. “Give it here.”

Yuuri swallowed, clutching the phone closer to his chest. “I don’t trust you.”

“Yuuri, please, you wound me,” Phichit clutched at his chest with a mock pained expression. “I won’t send it, I promise. Just let me write it for you and you can check it afterwards.” He waved his hand again.

Yuuri had to admit that sounded like the better option. He could barely make his fingers work, let alone think about what on earth he should say. He handed the phone over slowly, giving Phichit a look.

“Don’t send anything,” Yuuri warned, and Phichit nodded seriously.

“Okay, Okay,” Phichit flexed his fingers before he gripped the phone, fingers flurrying across the screen as he typed. “Gotta come across as casual… but interested enough that he has to reply. Keep him guessing—” Yuuri shoved his shoulder and Phichit giggled.

“Okay, how about this?” Phichit flipped the phone around to show him what he’d written.

> Thank you. You’re a great singer. I’m looking forward to accompanying you again (⌒‿⌒ )

Yuuri just about passed out.

“I can’t send that. Oh my god, I can’t send that,” he buried his face in his hands, feeling his blush creep up and over his ears. Phichit was laughing like a maniac.

“Yes, you can! It’s super casual – I send texts like that all the time. Totally platonic!”

Yuuri groaned. “Yeh but you’re you. It’s just weird coming from me,” He peeked out from under his hands, wincing at the little face Phichit had added. “And I don’t use those … faces,” Yuuri pointed to the emoji with a wince. “And it’s too forward! I can’t just assume he wants to practice with me again,” Yuuri snatched the phone back, ignoring Phichit’s little cries of indignation as he hurried to delete the message.

“Yuuri no! Okay, okay. How about without the emoji?” Phichit offered, still trying to snatch the phone back as they wrestled on the couch. Yuuri sighed.

“Okay… without the emoji,” Yuuri gave in, Phichit rolling back off him as Yuuri hesitantly typed out the message again. As he read it over, his mind whirled with all the implications the words could hold – all the hidden connotations. But it actually seemed pretty good. He could hardly think of anything else to say, anyway.

He swallowed.

“Are you … sure it’s not too forward?” he asked again, breathless, glancing up at Phichit with a worried look.

“It’s fine Yuuri. Go on. Just send it,” Phichit’s eyes were sparkling again and he was leaning towards Yuuri in his excitement, glancing between him and the phone screen. Yuuri couldn’t help but laugh.

He read it again, for good measure. Making sure the punctuation was correct. Yes, he was sending it to the right number. No emojis. No exclamation marks. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, thumb hovering over the send button.

“Its not a nuclear warhead, Yuuri,” Phichit said after a while, the silence dragging out as Yuuri hesitated.

He let out a little squeak, slamming his thumb down and wincing as he felt the phone vibrate. He’d sent it.

It certainly felt like he’d just sent a nuclear warhead.

“Oh…” Phichit said in a low voice, shoving his face closer to the screen once again. Yuuri glanced down.

Viktor was already typing a response.

“I think … I think I need to go to bed,” Yuuri whispered, leaning back in the couch and letting the phone fall as he felt all of his emotions completely steamroll him. God, he was so tired.

“You can do this Yuuri,” Phichit said with an encouraging squeeze to his shoulder. “Don’t you dare take that phone away, I want to see what he says.”

The pair watched the little dots in the speech bubble bump around, indicating that Viktor was in the process of typing. Phichit looked like he was having the time of his life. Yuuri felt like he was seconds away from an aneurysm.

His phone vibrated.

> Aaaa~ Complimented by Yuuri (´ ♡ ` ) I can’t wait to practice again too! When are you free next?

Just when Yuuri thought his heart couldn’t lodge itself further up his throat, he saw Viktor was typing again. Phichit all but screamed next to him.

> And I meant to ask earlier! Have you heard Yakov’s scouting for his band? („• o •„ ) You should totally audition with me!

“Yes, Yuuri!” Phichit all but screamed. “Oh my God!” he was standing now, leaning over and shaking Yuuri’s shoulders a little too violently. Yuuri thought he could almost feel his soul leaking out of his body entirely.

“We can all audition together! Please say yes! Holy shit!”

Yuuri distantly registered that he’d dropped his phone, but couldn’t bring himself to care, rocking back and forth as Phichit shook him in his excitement.

All he could think of was throwing his phone off the balcony and never leaving his room again.

* * *

Yakov Feltsman’s Institute Band was, indisputably, the most esteemed Music School Jazz Band in the country. They’d won countless competitions, performed at nearly every worthy event, and anyone who was anyone knew that only the best of the best were granted a spot.

Yuuri had heard enough about the band – which most students just called ‘Institute Band’ – from Phichit, who was planning on auditioning this year. He’d tried in the final year of his degree but missed out in favour of another alto-sax. This year, however, so many of the students had finished their studies that Phichit was certain he’d get a chance this time around.

Up until now, Yuuri had always imagined the band was Phichit’s thing. Yuuri’s main focus in his degree was on classical piano, though he’d taken a few Jazz papers as well, and often accompanied Phichit for his recitals. But he’d never once considered auditioning for the piano position in the band, content with just being an alternate pianist for the SIM Orchestra. Besides, he hardly had time around Minako’s performances and his own studies to focus on anything else.

And yet here he was, standing in the library, printing out Jazz charts and organising a whole new folder of potential pieces.

Phichit was with him, eyeing his choices critically.

“This one should be your main piece,” Phichit said matter-of-factly, pointing to a chart named Lazy Bird. Yuuri winced when he saw the tempo.

“I still don’t know, Phichit,” he said slowly, grabbing the next stack of papers that had just printed, filing them carefully. “I’m hopeless at jazz.”

“That’s not true and you know it,” Phichit said in a sing-song voice. “Half your ideas for your composition are jazz-based. And think about it,” Phichit pointed to the charts. “Learning stuff like this is sure to impress Lilia—”

“Madame Baranovskaya,” Yuuri corrected with a smirk. Phichit rolled his eyes.

“Besides,” he continued, “It’s just an audition! You’ve got nothing to lose – if you get in, you get to hang out with me more because I’m definitely getting in this year,” Phichit mock flicked his hair and Yuuri giggled. “And if you don’t, you lose nothing and go back to doing whatever normies do when they’re not in Institute Band,” Phichit grinned wickedly.

Yuuri sighed, chewing his lower lip. Phichit had a point. There was little he could lose. If anything, at least it was an excuse to see Viktor again.

Yuuri glanced at his phone for the millionth time, checking the overhead library clock on the wall just in case. Phichit watched him.

“We’re meeting at two, right?”

Yuuri swallowed thickly. “Yeh.” Half an hour. He still had half an hour…

“Did he say anything about what to bring?”

“No, he just said we’ll …” Yuuri flicked his phone to his messages again, glancing at the latest one and wincing. “ 'Make like Louis and wing it.’ Phichit. Who’s Louis? What does that even mean?”

“Oh my God, Yuuri,” Phichit all but threw himself on the ground in disappointment. “It’s pronounced Loo-ee. And he’s only the most famous Jazz musician known to man.”

“This is a bad idea,” Yuuri groaned, leaning on the desk near the printer and clutching his chest. “I’m so out of my depth.”

“That’s why you’ve got me,” Phichit said with a wink, grabbing Yuuri’s folder and flicking through it with an appreciative nod, eventually handing it back to him.

Yuuri’s hands were shaking slightly as he took it, carefully placing it in his satchel. That familiar feeling of his mind spinning out of control was starting to take hold. Why had he agreed to this? Maybe he could still pull out – or at least come up with some excuse. He could say he was sick … or that Lilia wanted to meet with him again? No, that wouldn’t work, Viktor knew Lilia somehow, he’d surely find out, and—

“Yuuri,” he heard from somewhere. “Breathe.”

Oh yeah. Phichit. Right. He was in the library. He glanced up, realising he’d doubled over, blinking slowly as he came to. He glanced up at Phichit, trying to convey as much desperation as he could as he looked him directly in the eye.

“I can’t do this Phichit,” his voice was weak, coming out like an out of tune violin. Phichit sighed, but he creased his brow in concern, all the same, touching Yuuri’s shoulder gently. “Yes, you can, Yuuri,” Phichit said, voice soft, rubbing his shoulder. “I’ll be there with you the whole time, remember?”

Yuuri swallowed, feeling his chest grow slightly less tight at the thought. Yes. Phichit would be there. They were all going to practice together. Perhaps Phichit and Viktor would spend the whole time talking and Yuuri could just hide behind the piano…

“Come on. Let’s go get coffee on our way,” Phichit said with a small smile. “My treat.”

Yuuri laughed nervously. “You must be desperate for this if you’re sucking up to me that much.” Somehow, Yuuri found he could breathe a little better. He straightened and reached for his satchel. “But let’s split it. I know you’ve got no money after that game came out.”

Phichit shrugged with a sheepish grin. “You know me too well.”

They made their way to the café – the cashier from the other day absent, much to Yuuri’s relief – and with coffees in hand, they wandered aimlessly towards the practice studios. Yuuri glanced at his phone again – fifteen minutes to go.

Suddenly Phichit’s phone started ringing – his ringtone an 8-bit rendition of one of his favourite songs from that movie he was obsessed with – The King and the Skater. He let it ring for a while, humming along with the tune and Yuuri laughed. He answered it with a wink.

“Oh hey, I was wondering when you’d call,” he said with a glance back to Yuuri. “I can’t talk right now, but we’re still on. Yep. Mmhm. And I’ll grab it on the way out. Alright, see ya.” Yuuri watched him curiously.

“Who was that?” he asked.

“No one important. Someone asking for some of my music,” Phichit was still staring at his phone, tapping out some kind of message. But then he shoved it back into his pocket and flashed Yuuri a grin.

“Are you excited yet?”

Yuuri sighed, taking a sip of his coffee. “No. I’d still much rather be practicing on my own,” he glanced back at his phone. Thirteen minutes to go.

“Well, maybe you still can while we wait? We’re nearly there anyway,” Phichit glanced up the hallway and Yuuri looked with him. The studio they were scheduled to use was a larger one on the ground floor. They were maybe a corridor away.

“I might go to the bathroom quickly first,” Yuuri said in a small voice, familiar dread gnawing away at his stomach. He didn’t actually need to go, he just wanted some alone time to try and mentally prepare himself for what was about to happen.

Surprisingly, Phichit didn’t comment on it. “Oh sure. I’ll meet you there then?” he offered a small smile and Yuuri narrowed his eyes.

“You’re not going to tell me off…?” Yuuri questioned, and Phichit was suddenly on his phone again, taking little sips of his latte without meeting Yuuri’s eyes.

“Phichit…” Yuuri made his voice stern, watching him intently. “What are you planning?”

Phichit glanced up at him nervously, glancing away. “Nothing, Yuuri!” he said with a little laugh, eyes still fixated on some point on the wall beyond Yuuri’s head. “Sorry, I’m just distracted with this guy … person. Who wants to use my music. The one from before. Anyway, I’ll meet you there!” and suddenly he was sprinting down the hallway, leaving Yuuri alone with his suspicions.

Phichit was definitely planning something. Yuuri almost let himself get swept away with his worries – was Phichit scheming about him and Viktor? Did he have some sort of dreadful surprise waiting for him at the studio?

But then he remembered that Phichit was going to be practicing with them, and his heart rate slowed ever so slightly. He couldn’t be scheming something if he was going to be there himself. Yuuri took a deep breath, making his way to the bathrooms, setting his satchel down and running the faucet. Yuuri took his glasses off, placing them on the bench as he tried to focus.

He was about to practice with Viktor again.

They were practicing Jazz.

But, he reminded himself as the panic tried to settle in, Phichit was going to be there.

That helped.

He cupped his hands and splashed some cool water on his face, relishing the way it was almost painfully icy thanks to the weather. That helped a little too.

He could see himself in the mirror in front of him, hair a little wet, eyes slightly fearful as he stared back at himself.

He could do this.

He could do this…

* * *

Viktor still hadn’t arrived by the time Yuuri joined Phichit in the studio, and Yuuri let out a sigh of relief. Phichit was standing by the windows fiddling with something. Yuuri frowned.

“What are you doing?” and Phichit all but squeaked in surprise, spinning around quickly.

“Nothing! Just … texting,” and Yuuri felt his suspicions return. But then Phichit wandered towards him and Yuuri could see the phone in his hands. Yuuri thought for a moment. Maybe Phichit was texting someone he was interested in?

“What’s his name?” Yuuri asked with a playful smirk. Phichit frowned, and then seemed to cotton on, laughing nervously and glancing down at his feet.

“Oh, just this guy I met at a recital…” he laughed again, scuffing his feet. “He’s super cute. You’d like him.” Yuuri smiled.

“Guess we’re putting that marriage on hold after all?” he tossed back over his shoulder as he moved toward the piano, Phichit laughing again.

“Such a shame,” and he was moving towards the corner where he’d rested his sax on one of the chairs, taking it out and preparing his reeds. Yuuri filed through his folders that were tucked into his satchel, pausing over a familiar one at the back.

“Hey,” he said in a small voice, “Do you mind if I practice some stuff for my solo first?” he asked gently, taking the folder out and flipping through it. “The concert’s not for a while, but the piece is pretty tricky…”

Phichit paused with one of his reeds in his mouth, blinking for a moment. Yuuri narrowed his eyes as Phichit glanced towards the windows, then back again.

“O—Of course not!” Phichit said quickly, sucking the reed and popping it out of his mouth before working to fix it to his sax. “Go for it. I’ve got some music I need to read anyway.”

“Thanks,” Yuuri said slowly, something nagging at the back of his mind, but he squashed it. Now wasn’t the time to be freaking out over Phichit’s weirdness. He was probably just nervous about Mr. Recital. Yuuri took out the familiar piece of music and a small pencil, setting them both on the stand.

It was a rather tricky Ravel piece that one of his teachers – the SIM Orchestra conductor – had suggested he learn for their performance later that semester. Yuuri usually declined solos, but after listening to the piece he found he couldn’t say no, eventually agreeing, much to his conductor’s delight. Thankfully, it was only going to be one solo, unlike the last end of year showcase where Yuuri had had to perform three solo pieces, back to back. He’d messed up, of course. Luckily his set was just before the first years, so nobody even noticed alongside their messy renditions of Flight of the Bumblebee or Beethoven’s 5, the crowd going wild for the familiar pieces. He rolled his eyes. One day they’d scrap those sorts of pieces from the curriculum entirely. The day he didn’t have to play Flight of the Bumblebee to impress his family at CNY, or show off at a party was going to be the best day of his life.

Yuuri scanned the sheets briefly, grabbing his pencil and adding a few more notes to the margins. He was having a bit of trouble with some of the tempo changes, so he wanted to make sure he drilled them in as early as possible. Putting the pencil down, he opted to perform a few quick stretches, twisting his hands and bending his fingers back one by one. He glanced back to Phichit who already had his headphones in, mouthing his reed again and glancing over some music of his own.

Yuuri sighed, closing his eyes for a moment. He could hear the piece playing through his mind, and as he let out a steady breath, he let himself drift along with it, moving his fingers into the correct positions over the keys.

The music began.

The piece always prompted a very clear image in Yuuri’s mind. A creek and a forest. Yuuri tried to imagine the stream as he played, bubbling and swirling over rocks and moss, twisting its way through the quiet forest like honey. He let his fingers fall lightly on the keys, foot tapping on the pedals at just the right moment to let the notes linger where they should. He opened his eyes to glance at the music, registering where he was up to and taking note of the upcoming change, letting his body rock slowly as it came to the fore. His fingers flowed along the keys, the muscle memory allowing Yuuri to close his eyes and let the sounds carry him.

He made a few mistakes, but he hardly noticed them.

The piece was beautiful – intricate, challenging, surprising. There were flourishes and changes that made Yuuri’s chest swell with excitement, shifts in tempo that left Yuuri aching, deep resonant chords that had his brow creasing and his mouth opening slightly.

Something in the back of his mind registered a change in the room, but with his eyes closed and his ear so focussed on the sounds he was hearing, he could hardly bring himself to care.

A nearby flick of paper had him opening his eyes, and he glanced to the music. The paper had turned, and something told him he should be concerned about that fact, but as he registered where he was up to, he felt himself get swept away again, dipping his shoulders and leaning into the piano as the notes swelled into a crescendo.

He picked up speed, fingers dancing furiously over the keys, his right-hand cascading down as he performed the intricate scales and tremolos with ease.

He knew he was close to the end, body adjusting as he shifted his hands higher, back to where he’d begun. The last passage was similar to the first, with a softer sense of completion and finality in each note. Yuuri tried to convey what he was feeling – a bubbling stream that surged into a river, and then fell, settling itself into stillness as it bled out across an ocean.

He had his eyes closed, hair dishevelled and tickling his brow, breath coming in short gasps.

In the silence that followed, reality came crashing back to him and he flung his eyes open.

There was a pale hand with long fingers resting on the stand in front of him, an arm caging him in on one side. He followed it up, seeing it meet a broad shoulder, a slim neck, silver hair …

“Amazing,” Viktor whispered, eyes huge and shimmering in the low light of the studio, fixed on him. He was distantly aware of Phichit’s loud clapping nearby, though he suddenly found he couldn’t tear his eyes away.

“Th—Thank you…” he breathed, swallowing thickly as his mind raced to keep pace with reality.

“Perfect timing Viktor!” Phichit called loudly, causing Viktor to flick his eyes away from Yuuri’s. His face was close, and Yuuri was painfully aware of the soft sensation of warmth emanating from Viktor’s chest, which hung behind him as he leaned on the piano.

“Every prodigy needs a good page-turner,” he replied, flashing Yuuri a quick wink before straightening and moving away. Yuuri let out a long breath.

Viktor really needed to stop surprising him like that. He liked having a functioning heart.

Yuuri frowned.

What had he meant by page-turner?

Yuuri gasped, turning toward Viktor with a look of pure shock.

“You turned my pages?” he blurted out, awkwardly scooting the stool back with a loud screech as he stood. Viktor turned back, face expressionless.

“Of course,” he said, furrowing his brow. “Was I not meant to?”

“N—No!” Yuuri stammered, feeling his cheeks grow hotter and the tips of his ears burn. “I didn’t … I didn’t even notice…” he trailed off, staring at his feet in embarrassment.

Phichit laughed, slinging his sax across his shoulder and shaking his head. “That’s Yuuri for you. Always lost in the music.” Yuuri swallowed. He still couldn’t quite believe Viktor had shown up already – was still coming to terms with the fact that they were about to practice together. Again. He was grateful that Phichit was there to fill the silences, but he also really, really didn’t need him pointing out such embarrassing things to Viktor.

But Viktor was giving Yuuri a strange look. Something like … awe?

“Incredible,” he said softly. “I wish I could do that,” and his tone was genuine.

Viktor wished he could … what?

“Th—Thanks,” Yuuri mumbled, unsure how to respond. Having Viktor’s eyes on him, staring at him like that, it was…

“Shall we get started?” Phichit asked brightly, interrupting his train of thought and blowing a few notes into his sax, adjusting it on his shoulder. “What was it you said? Make like Louis and wing it?” he laughed, and Viktor turned back, laughing too.

“Did you know,” Phichit said slowly, still focussed on his instrument. “Yuuri called him ‘Lewis,’” Phichit continued, flashing Yuuri a smirk. Viktor laughed again, the sound unfairly melodic despite how it made Yuuri’s stomach drop.

“Adorable,” Viktor said, flashing Yuuri his grin again. Phichit was watching on with a teasing expression, and Yuuri suddenly felt like he could have strangled him right then and there. He made eyes at him to try and get him to stop, only making Phichit’s grin wider.

“I wasn’t too sure where to start, or what piece we should even do for the audition, so I figured we could improv a bit?” Viktor said after a beat, reaching into his pockets and pulling out his phone. He tapped the screen for a moment before settling on whatever he was looking for, flashing the screen to Phichit.

“Oh, yes,” Phichit’s voice grew higher in excitement “I love this song,” and Phichit was pretty much bouncing on his feet. “And it has parts for all of us! It’s perfect.”

“Mhm, that’s what I was thinking,” Viktor walked back towards the piano, flashing Yuuri the screen. The little poodle charm was still there, twinkling in the light.

Yuuri looked at the screen where Viktor had opened Spotify. At the centre was a big, eye-catching album, a chromatic hexagonal colour wheel on a white background that looked vaguely familiar, though Yuuri couldn’t quite place it.

“I … Belong to You?” Yuuri asked with a quizzical brow as he read the title. Phichit snickered in the distance and Yuuri shot him a warning look. Viktor made a strange noise at the back of his throat.

“Y--Yeah. It’s one of my favourites,” Viktor said, voice sounding a little strangled. “It’s quite a simple song, but maybe we could spice it up a bit?” he seemed to be looking at Yuuri expectantly.

Was he … asking for permission?

Yuuri swallowed, adjusting his glasses and nodding. “Sure thing,” he said quietly.

“Okay!” Viktor’s shoulders relaxed. “I brought the music with me,” he started walking over to the chairs, rummaging through a rather expensive looking bag, producing a very shiny looking folder and waving it proudly. Yuuri couldn’t help but smile.

“You actually took care of your sheet music this time? I’m impressed.”

Viktor laughed again, grinning and rubbing the back of his neck. “I couldn’t bring myself to let you down a second time.” Yuuri could see Phichit making faces out of the corner of his eye, and he resisted the urge to pull the finger, smiling back at Viktor.

He realised, after a moment, that that familiar sense of ease had returned. Of coming home.

It was … nice.

Clearing his throat, Yuuri glanced back to Viktor’s phone. “I have a speaker if you want to play it for us?” Yuuri offered, making his way to his own bag where his Bluetooth speaker was tucked into one of the pockets.

“Oh, sure,” Viktor said eagerly, flicking through his phone. “It has two parts – the more poppy beginning and ending, with lots of fun piano and a sax solo,” he glanced to Phichit who gave him a knowing nod. “And then there’s an adorable French Operatic solo in the middle. With piano. It would be better with drums, but maybe I could ask Otabek to help…” Viktor trailed off as he focussed on his phone, Yuuri setting the speaker on the windowsill. He noticed something tucked under the curtains out of the corner of his eye, almost reaching to check what it was before a loud crashing noise had him turning around.

“Shit, my bad,” Phichit said with a nervous laugh, reaching for his music stand that was sprawled on the floor. Yuuri laughed, snapping his fingers in Phichit’s direction.

“Earth to Phichit. Stop thinking about Mr. Recital,” and he laughed as Phichit looked up at him with an annoyed expression.

“Hey, I’m the one who teases in our relationship, thank you very much,” he shot back, though he was grinning in response. Viktor made another one of those strange noises at the back of his throat and Yuuri glanced back towards him. He seemed to be eyeing Phichit warily, brow creased. Like he was trying to figure something out. Like something was upsetting him.

“L—Let’s hear it then,” Yuuri said quickly, finding he wanted to distract Viktor from whatever thoughts were making his face do that. It didn’t seem natural. He didn’t like it.

Viktor snapped back to reality, beaming with another smile that simultaneously made Yuuri feel relieved and overwhelmingly excited. He took in a sharp breath, gesturing that the speaker was ready for Viktor to use.

The song was catchy. While it played, Viktor handed both of them their charts, and as Yuuri glanced over them, he was sure he’d heard the song somewhere before. When the saxophone solo came in close to the end, his brain managed to put two and two together.

“Oh, this one,” he said, glancing and smiling at Phichit.

“Yeah, remember that concert?” Phichit was laughing now, “Oh god, I don’t want to think about it. I was such a fanboy.”

“I remember,” Yuuri said with a little laugh. “You even wore the shirt. That’s why the album was familiar.”

The song came to a close, Yuuri distantly aware of Viktor’s eyes on him as it did so. He glanced back, blush creeping across his cheeks as he noticed how intently Viktor was staring after him. Was he gauging his reaction? Surely not. Surely he knew that whatever song he chose, Yuuri would be more than happy to play. Would probably be adding to his playlist after practice and listening to on repeat for the next month. At least.

“Is it okay?” Viktor asked, brow slightly creased.

“Yeah,” Yuuri said, a little too quickly. “It’s beautiful. And it’ll sound much better if you sing it, I’m sure,” he smiled, turning away and glancing to Phichit who was giving him a discreet thumbs up. Yuuri rolled his eyes. Viktor cleared his throat.

“Since we’re meant to be showcasing our jazz talent, we should probably improv some of it, right?” Phichit offered, testing his keys and flicking through the charts that Viktor had given him on his music stand. “The sax solo is great, but I can do a bit better than that,” he smirked. “And Yuuri can definitely do better than Matt Bellamy, no matter how godlike he is.”

Yuuri ducked his head, though he had to agree. The piano was great – fun to listen to with just the right number of flourishes – but Yuuri knew he could do more. He was already mapping out a few ideas in his mind, going over some of the glissandos and calculating whether he could add a few tremolos…

“Definitely,” Viktor replied levelly, his face oddly serious, one finger tapping on his lips in a curious gesture that Yuuri hadn’t seen before. It was quite difficult to stop himself from staring...

“Let’s give it a try and …see where we can go from there?” Viktor offered, reaching for his own music stand and moving to set it up on the other side of the piano.

They ended up talking for a while about the different passages, Yuuri suggesting Phichit play along for most of the song instead of waiting for his solo, Viktor suggesting a few extra bars for a jazz piano solo in the middle of the Operatic part. Phichit suggesting they form their own Muse inspired band, everyone laughing.

Eventually, with a few pencil notes scrawled in the margins, Yuuri had a rough idea of what to play. He tested a few bars while Viktor warmed up, offering some scales and chords every now and then which Viktor seemed to appreciate.

Their first run through was a bit of a mess, though Phichit eased the tension immeasurably. Yuuri was sure he would have run out the door by now if Phichit wasn’t there to laugh or swear or offer some sort of joke every time one of them made a mistake. And somehow, since all three of them were coming at the piece so fresh, their slip-ups soon turned into new ideas. Viktor even missed a few cues, much to Yuuri’s shock and Phichit’s delight.

After running over the song for the better part of an hour, Yuuri could hear that something was still missing. Their own parts sounded amazing – Viktor’s solo in particular, though Yuuri was a little biased. But even once they’d worked in a few “spicy parts” as Phichit had taken to calling them, there was still that essential sense of grandeur lacking. They’d listened to the song over and over, pausing and rewinding little pieces, trying to come at it from a different angle or change the tempo slightly.

Phichit suddenly stopped them a few bars before Viktor’s solo, letting his sax fall and grabbing their attention with a whistle.

“Bass and drums,” he said levelly once they’d stopped playing, rubbing his chin as he thought. “That’s what we need.”

Viktor nodded solemnly. “You’re both playing wonderfully, but we’re missing that classic Muse sound.” He suddenly flicked out his phone, tapping it for a moment and then pressing it to his ear.

“Hello? Yeah, what are you up to right now?” Viktor started pacing the room, Yuuri and Phichit watching as he spoke with someone animatedly. He seemed to be trying to convince whoever it was to come and drum for them.

“Yeah, it’s a Muse song. Yeah, exactly. Piano, Sax, and me singing. Uh huh. Oh…” Viktor suddenly looked very thoughtful. “I hadn’t thought of that. Good idea. Okay, I’ll see you soon,” and he tapped his phone again, hanging up.

“I’ve got a friend who’s an excellent drummer,” he explained, giving Yuuri a small smile. “He’s actually already in the Institute Band, but he said he’d be happy to help us. And I might…” Viktor turned his attention to his phone again. “I might have an idea for a bassist…”

Viktor seemed to be sending a text instead of calling, turning back to them after a moment with a smile. “He said he’ll come! Though, apparently, I owe him now,” he shrugged, tossing his phone back onto his coat and moving back near the piano, flicking through his music that he’d set up on a stand. Yuuri wondered distantly what kind of people he’d found – if they were Viktor’s friends, they were sure to be professionals. Yuuri wasn’t too sure how he felt about having more people in the room…

“We might have to meet them at a different studio though. We’ll need a kit,” Viktor said slowly, putting his finger up to his lips again in that same gesture that entranced Yuuri so thoroughly. Part of him wanted Viktor to stop since whenever he did it, all Yuuri could think of was how soft Viktor’s lips looked and it was ridiculously distracting…

Another secret part of him wanted to watch him do it forever.

“When are they coming?” Phichit asked casually, blowing into his sax and cleaning it out, spit splashing onto the floor. Yuuri winced. As much as he loved the sound of woodwind, he was glad he’d chosen an instrument that was a little bit nicer to clean and didn’t involve any body fluids.

“Next 20 minutes or so I’d imagine,” Viktor said slowly, finger still on his lip. “Let’s take a break maybe? I’ll sort us a studio,” and his phone was out again, fingers dancing across the screen. Yuuri swallowed.

“A-Are you sure it’s ok? Won’t you have to pay…?” his voice was small. Something about the thought of suddenly changing all their plans and meeting two new people had him on edge. Viktor turned and flashed him a brilliant smile.

“It’s no trouble,” he said, swiping his thumb across the phone screen and placing it back in his pocket. “Yakov owes me anyway.”

Yuuri blanched. Yakov owed him. The Yakov? After the last hour of easy banter between the three of them, it suddenly came rushing back to Yuuri that Viktor was pretty much a celebrity. The concept of Yakov owing anyone anything might seem strange to normies like him and Phichit, but he supposed for Viktor, it was probably normal. Probably normal for them to go and get coffee, too. Like old buddies.

It was suddenly quite difficult to breathe.

Phichit let out a low whistle. “What I wouldn’t give to have the Yakov Feltsman owe me a favour,” he said with a laugh, moving to pack up his gear. “Must be nice.”

Viktor laughed at that, glancing at Yuuri with a strange expression that was gone as quickly as it had come. Yuuri frowned.

“It’s okay,” he answered. “He’s actually a total softie, once you get to know him,” and Viktor said it so casually that Yuuri just about choked on his own tongue.

Phichit let out a strangled noise before doubling over in laughter. “Oh, God, that’s an image,” he wiped at his eyes. “What, is he like … a bear? But a Yogi Bear?” he snorted and Yuuri tried to cover up his own little giggle at the image.

“Oh, Yakov’s a twink, for sure,” Viktor said, face serious, moving to pack up his own gear as if he hadn’t just said the most ridiculous sentence known to man. Phichit and Yuuri both froze, glancing to each other, then back to Viktor.

“Didn’t you guys know?” Viktor said again, glancing up at them. But Yuuri could see a tell-tale smirk twitching on his lips, and suddenly all three of them were laughing like school kids, Yuuri having to wipe at the tears suddenly forming in the corners of his eyes.

“Oh my God, please, don’t make us imagine it,” Phichit was gasping for air, rolling around on one of the chairs. Viktor seemed pleased with himself, turning to Yuuri with a dazzling grin. His phone buzzed in his pocket, and Viktor grabbed it quickly, smiling and giving the two of them a thumbs up.

“The favour’s been cashed in, we’ve got a studio,” Viktor said gleefully. “Let’s go, Yuri’s on his way now.”

Yuuri frowned. “I’m right here…” he said softly. Viktor glanced back at him.

“Oh, no, the other Yuri,” he explained.

“The worse one,” he added with a wink.

#yoi #yuri on ice #yuri!!! on ice #yuuri #viktor #phichit #music school au #alternate universe #minminnsfics #fics #FLUFF #victuuri #slow burn

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