#will i ever stop thinking about 'all roads lead to rome and eventually back to cologne'? no i won't

[ruby-red-inky-blue]

tagged by @spacepandar a literal year ago, but felt like it now, thank you Sasha!

Put your ‘On Repeat’ playlist on shuffle and list the first ten songs:

Jolene - Dolly Parton

Just The Other Side Of Nowhere - Johnny Cash

Still Breathing - Green Day

Shake It Out - Florence + The Machine

Langeweile - Pankow

Tommi - AnnenMayKantereit

I am Stretched on your Grave - Kate Rusby

Irish Eyes - Rose Betts

Silver Springs (Live in Burbank, 1997) - Fleetwood Mac

In The Air Tonight - Phil Collins

tagging @moonprincess92 because i got fun music recs from her in the past, and @spacepandar if you feel like doing this again! everyone else please consider yourselves tagged if you feel like doing this, as you can see i could do with some more recent music to listen to lol

[adapembroke]

New Moon in Capricorn: Musing on Dark Ages

When was the last time you took a break?

For me, it had been too long by the middle of December. It had been my intention the entire year to take a significant amount of time off during December to celebrate my baby's first Christmas.

I'm glad I had set that intention in advance. Otherwise, I probably wouldn't have taken it. I would have told myself that I couldn't afford to take a break, and that would have been a big mistake.

It's a strange thing, the way human needs work.

There comes a point when you have gone so long without meeting a need that you don't even think you have the need anymore.

People who are starving don't get more and more ravenous. They eventually reach a point where they don't feel hunger. Even if they start to eat again, they can't dive in all at once. They need to start slowly, remember how to eat and digest.

When you go too long without an intellectual rest, similar things happen. Competence wanes. The well of inspiration goes dry. Your work gets harder. The results are sloppier, more and more derivative.

This bothers you, at first. Then it stops bothering you. Once it stops bothering you, you're in a dangerous place. Extreme starvation has its own momentum. It takes an outside force to intervene and keep you from limping along forever.

You might, from time to time, look back at things that you've done in the past with awe the way Dark Age Europeans looked at the ruins of Roman architecture. You know that you aren't capable of those great things anymore, but your curiosity is gone. You don't have the will or the courage to ask yourself, "Why are these things beyond me now? What would it take to get back to my full strength?"

Dark Age Europeans told themselves that the world was once inhabited by giants.

Did some part of them remember that they had been giants once? Did they ever wonder if they were just tired, or if they had fallen into decline?

They couldn't see the universities and cathedrals their children would build. They could only look behind with the certainty that they would never build Roman aqueducts again.

Maybe, they didn't think about those things at all. Maybe they told themselves that thinking about the past was a distraction.

Eventually, we know, they got back to work, meticulously copying manuscripts in a language they could no longer read, because, once upon a time, someone believed the task was useful.

The Dark Ages are a useful myth.

Recent historical scholarship suggests that the Dark Ages weren't as dark as we were once lead to believe, but the story of the years between the fall of Rome and the rise of the Renaissance persists because it is an important cultural myth.

The Dark Ages remind us that time moves in a circle and a line.

Rome is gone. Its language is dead, and its monuments are ruins. It is no longer possible to walk across the continent on Roman roads, and Roman tax collectors can no longer compel you to pay for their bureaucracy.

Rome is gone, but you can trace your finger along the arc of history and find empires that rhyme.

Some histories jump through time from monument to monument, empire to empire, but that isn't an accurate picture.

Human energy rises and falls, waxes and wanes like the moon. There are times when we active and growing to new heights, and there are times when we rest and decline.

Often, we are doing both simultaneously in different areas of our lives.

New Moon in Capricorn: Darkest Moon in the Darkest Season

I am writing this just before the New Moon in Capricorn. I am back from vacation, but I am still tired.

In the northern hemisphere, this is the time when the moon's cycle and the sun's cycle align. We are at the darkest phase of the moon's monthly cycle at the darkest phase of the sun's annual cycle.

It's time to be tired. It is time to rest.

Are you resting? When was the last time you really deeply, truly checked in with your heart? When was the last time you really asked yourself what you're hungry for?

I have rested enough to know that these are the questions I need to be asking, and I will be using Moon Mood Workshop to ask them.

If you are where I am, I'd like to invite you to join me.

[findingjoynweirdstuff]

Dream SMP Recap (June 1/2021) - All Roads Lead to Rome

Ponk tears down one of the towers of L’Llamaburg for overshadowing his supreme fridge.

Tubbo creates a new outpost just outside Las Nevadas to overlook the country.

Techno has a birthday party with the Syndicate and Quackity comes over to bring a message. 

Quackity speaks with Foolish in Las Nevadas about his future plans for the country and roads.

Niki finds out about Wilbur’s revival. 

Bad asks for Techno’s help with destroying his enemies, as he’s upset about L’Llamaburg violating the buffer zone agreement. Puffy confronts Bad about the brewing war.

---

VOD LINKS:

Ponk

Foolish

Tubbo

Technoblade

Nihachu

BadBoyHalo

Captain Puffy

---

- Ponk tears down one of the towers of L’Llamaburg

- Ponk sends Foolish through the labyrinth he built

- Afterwards, they visit the turtle sanctuary

- Ponk shows Foolish that he tore down the tower for overshadowing his supreme fridge. Foolish points out that he and Puffy don’t have the best history. Ponk is still bitter over Puffy destroying Sacrifice’s shrine

- Tubbo creates an outpost on a mountain just outside of Las Nevadas to keep an eye on the country

- Quackity comes over and asks what Tubbo is doing. He says he’ll speak with Tubbo later

- If anyone asks, Tubbo will say it’s just a cookie outpost from Snowchester

- Foolish comes over as well and tells Tubbo that he sent Punz on the mission to find the nuke

- Tubbo asks why Foolish has left Snowchester. Foolish says he’s trying something new -- he’s joining Las Nevadas, actually

- Foolish takes Tubbo on a tour through Las Nevadas. He asks if Tubbo would want to join Las Nevadas, but Tubbo declines

- Techno starts off in his house. He walks outside to find Niki, Phil and Ranboo launching fireworks for his birthday! They also set up a table outside the house with some cake

- After they eat some cake, Techno asks what he’s missed. He’s gone off into the wild to train, while Phil thought he was hibernating. Techno asks if they found out Tommy actually died. Phil tells him he did, but Dream brought him back

- Speaking of things brought back...Wilbur is back too. Niki and Techno are both shocked. Phil tells them that he’s actually living in Phil’s house currently. He tells Niki Wilbur’s changed for the better

- Techno brings Steve out

- He notices the new forest, which the others say sprouted up. It just appeared

- The subject returns to the revival book. Niki says, if Wilbur and Tommy have been brought back, there’s one person left that can be brought back that they don’t want back: Schlatt

- Niki asks if there are any new governments. Phil says no, Snowchester is still there but nothing much has happened that they need to step in on

- They solved the government issue with brute force. Techno says it was “mild property damage,” but Phil disagrees, saying it was mass destruction. They agree to just blame everything on Dream

- While he was away, Techno studied the blade. He suggests a training session for Niki and Ranboo

- Techno has something to do. He leaves, noticing Quackity standing on a hill nearby

- Quackity says hello. Techno tells him it’s his birthday (he’s not sure how old he is, though) and Quackity thanks him for helping with the Egg. He asks if Techno has visited Dream (Techno hasn’t)

- Techno went to the Dream SMP equivalent of Italy on vacation

- Quackity tells Techno he’s been visiting Dream, and that while in prison Dream seems to be a completely different person. Techno asks if Dream’s been treated well, and Quackity says he’s fine 

- Just a few days ago, Dream told Quackity that he wanted Techno to visit, that he finally wanted to call in a “favor”

- Techno explains that the “favor” is that he has to get Dream his favorite meal at some point, since they were at a restaurant once and Techno forgot his wallet

Quackity: “He’s changed a lot. If you walk in there, he doesn’t seem like the person he’s always been, which is weird, how a person can change just like that.”

Techno: “It’s strange what five months of near total isolation can do to a person...as we know, it’s always a positive effect.”

- Sometime during this weekend, Techno will visit. Techno asks if Quackity has any written message from Dream, and Quackity says he can probably get one. He only has notes right now

- Techno asks if Quackity is telling the truth. He would hate to be lied to on his birthday...Quackity says he’s not lying, and as he said, he’s glad they set aside their differences

Quackity: “At the end of the day, scars fade away, Techno...”

- Quackity says goodbye and leaves. Techno wonders if he can trust him

- He returns to the others and they celebrate some more

- Phil takes them all down to show off the training arena he made in the basement

- They go back up and talk some more

- Meanwhile, Quackity meets Foolish at Las Nevadas. He asks about Tubbo’s outpost, and Foolish says it’s a cookie outpost. Quackity tells Foolish not to trust it, realizing he actually hasn’t talked to Tubbo recently

- Quackity is bothered by how clear the view of Las Nevadas is from the outpost and questions why Foolish didn’t stop Tubbo from building it

- He asks the last thing Foolish did in Las Nevadas as they walk over there, and then whether or not he’s already discussed the possibility of a “contract” of formal citizenship

- Quackity wants to get to know Foolish better. He makes sure that he can trust Foolish, confide in him certain information

- Foolish remarks that Quackity seems like the kind of guy who would make a lot of enemies, and gives him a set of Netherite armor

- Speaking of making enemies, Quackity takes Foolish over to the lake to look out at Wilbur and Tommy’s headquarters. Someone paid them a visit

Quackity: “Have you ever met...Wilbur?”

- Foolish hasn’t. Tommy told him a bit. Quackity points out an empty spot in Las Nevadas where he wants something done. He tells Foolish he just paid a visit to an old friend and he went unprotected, so the Netherite is a good idea

- Only two people have just given Quackity armor, and one of them is Quackity’s “right hand man” at the moment: Sam. Foolish mentions Sam screwed him over with L’Sandburg

- Quackity points out Eret’s cobblestone ocean pyramid. This country needs more citizens, more things built

- He shows Foolish the gambling machine and gives him diamonds to try out. Foolish wins Linda! 

- Their objective with Las Nevadas is to build the biggest, most powerful country, and Quackity’s read his fair share of Sun Tzu. He’s actually helped run a country before, which Foolish is surprised to learn (countries are before Foolish’s time)

- Quackity says he’ll talk to Foolish soon and leaves for a couple minutes before returning. He asks for PVP lessons, but Foolish hasn’t done much fighting for a while

Quackity: “I do all my fighting through dialogue, if you haven’t noticed...That’s my biggest weapon, Foolish, it’s the way I say things, everything, all that. But I think, you know, given what could come of all this...”

Foolish: “I was gonna say, I don’t know if that will work forever...unless you’re very, very good with your words, eventually you’ll say the wrong words.”

- Quackity suggests they make their own lookout outpost 

- Quackity has some plans to show Foolish, a project he thought of when he was thinking about making Las Nevadas. His first plan was to build a highway system

Quackity: “They say all roads lead to Rome...in this case, all roads lead to Las Nevadas.”

- He shows Foolish some sign ideas and Foolish says it would be no problem to build up some roads

- Quackity shows Foolish an old idea for a path with rail lines on both sides, layouts for advertisements

- The first place Quackity thinks the road should go is the Spawn area, for when someone joins or dies. Quackity is annoyed that Tubbo blocked the route, but they can go around it

- They plan out the path of the road. Foolish asks if Quackity wants the road to go to Kinoko Kingdom. Quackity goes silent before saying he wants to focus on the main attractions right now

- Quackity leaves again to go check some things

Foolish: “When you choose a side, there’s always other sides...which means I can’t be buddy-buddy with everyone forever.”

- Foolish does the boat slime jump. Quackity comes back with food and continues to discuss plans. Besides connecting everyone, they also need to make cash off of this highway, so he wants to make sure there’s plenty of advertisement

- L’manburg is destroyed, but it also has a lot of history. Quackity’s noticed no one’s really claimed that area. Wilbur and Tommy are neighboring them now. Foolish asks if they’re enemies...Quackity says he’ll explain that in a bit

Quackity: “We can make L’manburg a main tourist area.”

- Foolish knows a few people might be against that. Anyone from L’manburg, maybe. Quackity reminds him he was in the cabinet, and proceeds to tell him the story of Wilbur:

---

When Quackity joined the server, L’manburg was the biggest nation. Quackity asked to join, and he was declined because he wasn’t British -- the one requirement. He didn’t like this, he felt left out, he wanted to be a part of something.The election rolled around, it was SWAG vs. POG.

(They walk over to the ruins of L’manburg)

Wilbur was going to run a “democratic” election with only one option available to vote for, which Quackity didn’t think was very democratic.

(Quackity gets interrupted by George calling him)

Each party had a Vice President. Foolish assumes that Wilbur’s was Tommy...and Quackity’s was George. Quackity points out King’s Court to Foolish in the sky, the place they had their debate. After their debate, Quackity and Wilbur had a talk, a conversation that stuck with him for a very long time.

Then it was Election Day. What happened was, each party had sponsors. Who endorsed Tommy and Wilbur?

Vikkstar.

Tommy accidentally posted the Vikkstar endorsement video in the Discord before deleting it seven seconds later, but that was still enough time for George to get the link and send it to Quackity, and Quackity needed the one person who could match that endorsement: KSI.

Unfortunately, KSI never replied, as it was quite last-minute. 

That’s when the turning point happened, and Quackity calls it the worst day of his life. George slept through the event. Quackity had no endorsements, no Vice President. The other party was going strong -- but they made a mistake. Their second endorsement was Schlatt. However, Schlatt arrived drunk, and instead of endorsing Wilbur and Tommy, he made his own party on the spot. SCHLATT2020. Not only this, but Niki and Fundy also made their own party too: COCONUT2020. 

The votes go out. POG2020 wins. But, Quackity had an idea, to pool votes with Schlatt. They ended up with 1% more votes than POG, and that’s how Quackity ended up as Vice President of the country. However, this was a big mistake. The policies Schlatt enacted were to exile Tommy and Wilbur, took down the walls, changed up things -- and to be fair, Quackity did join him on this. He was down with taking down the walls. Everything started going downhill. Schlatt would constantly undermine Quackity’s Vice Presidency, his policy ideas, and he did the worst thing to Quackity -- took down the White House that Quackity, Wilbur and Tommy built together. 

Schlatt didn’t care. He started teaming up with bad folks like Dream, other people, and the rest is history. Imagine everything that had to happen to lead to this...

(he gestures to L’manhole)

Foolish: “Do you regret it all?”

Quackity: “...No.”

Foolish: “So, you would’ve let it all go the exact same way, down to Wilbur blowing it all up?”

Quackity: “I wouldn’t have changed a damn thing, Foolish...And let me tell you why...All these mistakes, all these things, have made me the person I am now, Foolish. All these experiences, all these bad moments in my life, have made me the man I am today.”

“And you never...you never mess with history. Because everything happens for a reason, Foolish. Everything happens for a reason. You don’t ever pander with history, you don’t ever try to turn it around or change it, because the way things happen are the way things happen at the end of the day. And that’s how we build character. I wouldn’t have Las Nevadas if not for all these...for all these...mistakes, maybe.”

After that, something happened with Wilbur. Quackity didn’t know much about it, but he changed. He was so obsessed with his country that if he couldn’t have it, no one could. He blew up the entire thing, and in that process he ended up dying, and that’s when Ghostbur came to be.

So many more things happened (Foolish finds out that this crater isn’t just from Wilbur), but...it is what it is.

“And if you dwell in the past, you’ll live in suffering your entire life. So take it from me, Foolish. Take in all the experiences you’ve ever had, and apply them to something greater than what you used to be. Take one last gander at...the country that never was.”

---

- Quackity shows Foolish his old house under Karl’s. He’s not seen Karl in a while. He sees that it’s been blown up, and there’s an old message to him from Sam. He’s not sure what happened.

- Quackity shows Foolish the message. Just as he’d said, Sam had given him Netherite armor once. Sam has a good heart. It’s in the right place, he just needs some guidance.

- He leads Foolish down the Prime Path, showing him the other buildings. He takes Foolish over to the museum. 

- They look at the maps and discuss routes again. Foolish asks about a road to the prison, and Quackity says improving his “commutes” would be nice 

- Quackity is glad Foolish is taking the chance on Las Nevadas. Quackity has to leave to address some business, but he’ll get on to help Foolish build the roads later. 

- Foolish goes back to Las Nevadas, looking out over at Wilbur and Tommy’s headquarters.

Foolish: “It’s kinda been a while since I’ve really had enemies enemies...but I have the feeling that is gonna change soon enough...Maybe not even enemies, but certainly not friends. Kind of a shame, though, I’ve yet to really meet Wilbur...”

- He gets out his shulker box from an Ender Chest and looks inside. There is a stack of TNT.

“It’s been a while...”

- Niki is at the Arctic. Wilbur is back. She thought she got rid of him and doesn’t know why he’s back now, in the only place she feels safe

Niki: “Who are you going to manipulate next, huh? Because it’s not gonna be me this time! It’s not gonna be me this time.”

- Tommy? Tubbo? Jack? Jack wouldn’t fall for it. Niki is upset that Wilbur didn’t check up on her. Why would he change? He never changes or cares

- Why would Dream revive him? Dream was his enemy, but at the end he was pretty fond of him

- Niki heads back through the Nether to her secret city. Now the world revolves around Wilbur again

- She still hasn’t finished her city and hasn’t been able to sleep. She goes to a chest to find the diamonds Wilbur once gave her

- Niki saw the TNT when she broke the wall, but she didn’t tell anyone, covered it back up. But Wilbur still blew it up anyway

- Niki puts the diamonds in a chest buried deep in the wall and covers it back up

- She goes back to the main area, to L’manburg. When she was in Manberg, Wilbur promised that he would get her out of there, and she waited weeks. And then Wilbur wasn’t the same person anymore

- Niki thought maybe while Wilbur was still alive, he could still be rescued, could still be happy

Niki: “But you will never be happy, because all you want is what you can’t have. And when you have everything...what will you fight for?”

- Niki wants to see him, ask why he never came back to her. She walks back to the Nether portal and the stream ends

- Bad shows up to L’Sandburg and notices L’Llamaburg next door. He’s upset about the new castle and wonders why Foolish would allow this, as it violates the agreement

- He reads the purpose of L’Llamaburg and is enraged. There’s only one option, and that’s war. He sets fire to the walls of L’Llamaburg, builds an extension on top of his tower to make it taller than Puffy’s build, and builds a giant sign saying “LIAR” 

- After visiting the main area to get some resources, he meets Antfrost on the Prime Path, who has a new skin for pride month! 

- Bad goes to the Arctic to bake a cake for Technoblade’s birthday. After finishing it, he leaves a letter requesting Techno’s assistance:

---

Dear Technoblade,

Greetings on this fine evening. I hope this letter finds you well and I hope your polar bears are doing excellent. It is with my sincerest apoligies that I disturb your peace but I must inquire about possibly obtaining your services. 

Important matters aside I have built a delicious giant cake for you in honor of your birthday. I hope this cake finds you well and may you have many excellent birthdays to follow. If you would be interested in possibly destroying my enemies for me and salting the earth they call home so that they never find happiness again that would be most kind. If you would like to discuss this matter further you know where to find me.

Kindest Regards BBH

---

- Later, Captain Puffy hears of this brewing war and comes online. She confronts Bad about the missing tower from her castle. Bad insists it wasn’t him, it was Ponk

- Puffy reminds Bad of Puffy and Ponk’s conflict from a while ago in which they destroyed each others builds, and says it’s only fair that, if Ponk really did destroy the tower, then she should destroy Ponk’s fridge

- Bad tries to reason with Puffy to not retaliate, while Puffy thinks tearing down the fridge would be doing the place a favor

- Bad brings up the buffer zone violation and they start arguing with each other over Foolish’s land, the turtles, Puffy blames Bad for killing her son, one thing leads to another and soon enough Puffy tells Bad that his L’Sandburg llama citizens are all into BDSM

- They go to the turtle enclosure and see Ponk’s ransom note. Bad says Ponk has to die. Puffy points out they could start with the fridge, and Bad says they should take his other arm. Ponk stole Shelly, they have to kill him

- Puffy gets angry at Bad not wanting to take down the fridge and brings up the death of her son again, how she thought Bad was going to turn over a new leaf at the Banquet and then that leaf ended up covered in blood instead

Puffy: “I should have taken your goddamn arm, Bad!”

- After talking more, the two finally work together to take down the supreme fridge

- Once finished, the two write a return note to Ponk. Bad wants to discuss things with Ponk, and there’s a place in Las Nevadas that he thinks would be good to meet

The note reads:

---

Dear Ponk,

It has come to our attention that you’ve been responsible for some heinous crimes!

Not only did you completely demolish Puffy’s original mushroom house which she let slide. You now have destroyed a tower of her sand castle. BUT IT DOESN’T STOP THERE!

WHERE IS SHELLY PONK!? You’ve not only commited crimes against Puffy but Bad as well! You’ve kidnapped Bad & Sheldon’s dearest Shelly for ransom!

So me and Bad decided to return the favor and give you a taste of your own disgusting medicine!

YOU’RE FRIDGE NO LONGER SUPREME! YOU’VE MESSED WITH THE WRONG MUFFINS AND TAKEN OUR KINDNESS FOR WEAKNESS TOO MANY TIMES!

We all need to talk immediately before this escalates more then it already has.

Leave a book back giving us a time and a place and we will try to attend.

You’ve been warned!

With love, BBH & PuffDaddy

---

- Bad still wants Puffy to move L’Llamaburg, but Puffy wants to stay and protect her son. Bad suggests an alliance: what if L’Sandburg and L’Llamaburg simply combine their territories? It would be beneficial for both nations

- Puffy is skeptical about Bad’s idea and decides that relocating is probably the smartest idea, as Ponk will probably retaliate against her

---

Upcoming Events:

- The final Egg lore stream

- Technoblade’s visit (this weekend)

- Puffy’s lore

- Tales From the SMP: “Space Race”

- Ponk’s lore stream

- Dream’s lore video

- Sapnap’s possible lore stream

- Awesamdude lore stream

[mcwriting]

Lost in Rome

hello, friends! Ever since "La Vita Dolce," I've wanted to write something else involving Italy and at least one Italian phrase, and so this lil story was born! Hope you all enjoy!

Ship: Tom Holland x Reader

Word Count: 1488

Warnings: mentions of drinking, vv slight language

★

You had been walking around Rome for what felt like an eternity.

(It had only been like 30 minutes)

You knew the bar was right near Piazza Navona, but you'd only been to that part of the city one other time, having been staying south on the other side of the river in Trastevere.

You felt embarrassed knowing you were dragging your friends around the city without much of a guide, but you were too stubborn to admit that you were actually lost.

"Maybe we should've gone to Bar San Calisto again. It was cheap and close but noooo. I just had to look up a 'best bars in Rome' list" you thought as you continued to trudge on.

Not only were you lost, but you also didn't have the ability to look up where you were going, since you'd decided to go cheap and not buy an international plan or a vpn, choosing to only using wifi so you'd "stay in the moment."

That moment seemed stupid now that every marble wall and cobblestone street started to meld together in your brain as it continued to darken.

A trip to Rome was something you'd been wanting to do for years, so when your university offered up the chance to go study abroad for 4 weeks, you immediately began scrounging up the funds to go, even scoring a scholarship based on the fact that you'd taken Italian classes in school.

You'd only been there a week but thankfully had bonded with your roommate before even going, having struck up a conversation at the informational meeting the semester before. Since then, you had also bonded with those in the room next door, them sticking to you as their translator.

Finally, you couldn't take it anymore, stopping.

"Okay, look, guys. I'm really sorry but I literally have no idea where we are," you admitted, feeling guilty. Everyone else smiled.

"That's okay! This place is beautiful! I'm sure we'll find it eventually," your roommate, Olivia, said.

"Yeah. Didn't you say it was at Piazza Navona?" Aaron, one of your neighbors, asked. You nodded. "Well as long as we can find that, then we're basically there!"

After some wandering, your group found itself in the square in front of the Pantheon, which was a step in the right direction, but you were determined to actually find the right place.

There was a hotel right there, so you quickly stepped in to ask the desk worker to point you towards the Piazza, who explained that it was only a couple streets East of where you were.

Relieved, you and your friends quickly walked that way, breathing out a collective sigh when you walked into the giant open square, looking around at the familiar structures from the second day of class when you'd toured the area.

"Sooo... where's this bar?" Aaron's roommate Joseph asked.

You all circled the square from the inside and out a couple times, not seeing any signs with the name "Bar del Fico Roma" anywhere.

Dread started to wash over you as you realized the website must not have meant the bar was actually on the square, but was somewhere nearby. You felt stupid for not screenshotting the website page or, you know, actually looking it up first.

"Fine, that's it! I'm marching up to the next person I see and asking where this darn place is. We've made it this far!" you said, exasperated.

The first thing that caught your eye was a group of people who looked close to your age, talking in a small group. They were pretty well dressed, typical of a young Italian, so you immediately started over towards them, expecting them to be the most helpful in giving directions.

"Wait, y/n!" Olivia protested, but you ignored her, walking between a shorter boy and taller girl.

You couldn't help but sigh out the words as you started speaking, placing a light hand on the boy's arm.

“Scusa, potresti dirme dov’è la-" "Excuse me, could you tell me where the-"

"Sorry! I don't speak Italian!" the boy answered in a British accent, turning to face you with hands in surrender.

You both seemed taken aback when your eyes met.

Tom Holland?

"Um, oh what was the word for sorry in Italian again?" the actor in front of you asked, looking to one of his many Spider-man costars around you. Before one could answer, you blurted out one for him.

"It's 'mi dispiace' or 'perdonami,' depending on how you want to say it," you started, realizing how stupid you probably sounded to be teaching a world famous actor Italian words after accidentally infiltrating his conversation.

However, Tom was more shocked by your American accent. Your eyes still widened as you realized what was actually going on.

"Oh my gosh, what am I saying, um. I- I'm so sorry. We're just trying to find this bar and got lost and-"

"Which bar?" he asked in return. You furrowed your brows and looked at him funny, wondering why he would care. He seemed to take notice. "It's just that, we're also headed to a bar and can't seem to find it, either."

You chuckled at the situation, baffled.

"Well, um, it's called 'Bar del Fico Roma.'"

Tom's eyes widened.

"Hey, that's where we're headed!" Jacob Batalon cut in, making you look at him and the rest of the actors in surprise. You could see your own friends shock from your peripheral.

"No way! Really?" Joseph said for you. The group nodded.

"I just got it pulled up on maps," Zendaya said, holding up her phone. Realization suddenly hit that she of all people was the one who you had been standing next to this whole time.

You and your friends all gasped incredulously, amazed at your luck after spending all that time lost.

"If you want, we can show you the way," Tom offered.

"What? No, no we couldn't impose like that," you began, knowing your friends were probably internally screaming at you.

"Oh come on," Tom responded. "We're all going to the same place anyways, not like we won't see you there. It's barely a five minute's walk."

"Seriously, y/n. Do you really want to go around asking more locals for help when we've got it right here?" Olivia asked, raising a good point.

"Alright, fine," you started, rolling your eyes. You turned back to Tom. "You know what they say, 'when in Rome.' Seriously, thank you. All of you. You're definitely saving our asses."

He chuckled as Zendaya began leading the way. Though the sun had set, lights throughout the roads and emanating from various shops lit the way.

Without meaning to, you fell into step with Tom, easily matching his gait as you crossed through the bustling piazza.

"So what brings you to Italy?" He asked. "You don't quite sound like a local."

"We're studying abroad through our university. Unfortunately for me, these goons keep following me 'cause I speak the language," you joked, causing Olivia to slap the back of her hand to your shoulder.

"Ah, I see. I was definitely confused when you went from Italian to American in an instant. Y/n, was it?"

"Yes! Yeah, that's me. And you're obviously Tom Holland."

"You better remember that later, he tends to forget his own name after a few drinks," Zendaya called back to you, causing the group to laugh.

"Hey! That was one time!" Tom defended himself. "Not my fault I was going through a breakup!"

He turned back to you.

"Don't listen to them. I'm quite fun to drink with. You should see for yourself."

"Is that some sort of offer..?" you questioned playfully, tucking your hair behind your ear.

"If everyone's alright with it, I figured you all would join us at the lounge. I'm more than happy to pay for a round or two," he winked.

The group was approaching the bar, and any anxiety you'd had about finding it finally quelled when you could see people outside laughing and drinking as they enjoyed the summer night.

"Hmm... I don't know..." you sing-songed, looking up at the sky.

"Dude are you crazy?" Aaron exclaimed, causing the others to argue in agreement with him.

"Okay, okay. Of course we would be happy to join you for a drink. Thank you."

Both groups cheered in approval.

"The only thing I ask in return is a little lesson in Italian and, if all goes well, a pretty lady's number at the end of the night," he said smoothly, giving you a look.

The others looked between you with wide eyes, surprised at his open flirting. You couldn't help but smile and blush before replying.

"I think that's something I can manage. Now come on, your first lesson will be in ordering drinks," you said, grabbing his hand to lead him in what was about to be the best night of his life.

And yours.

★

A/N: Okay fun fact I thought up this concept immediately after publishing La Vita Dolce and just... never wrote it? The entire work was actually written around the one Italian phrase I used haha.

Anyways... Hope you all enjoyed as per usual and feel free to hmu anytime about anything :)

Send a message or ask if you’d like to be added to my permanent or series taglists so I can verify you’ve been added!

@jackiehollanderr, @one-big-fangirl, @agentnataliahofferson, @spider-babe, @justafangirlduh

[auroras-blend]

Road Trip

Bonus Chapter from Leo's POV where he takes Vittoria on a 10-hour car ride to Rome for a vacation. Basically, he's stuck in a car with an eight-year-old for 10+ hours.

Leonardo Borghese was a patient man and prided himself on his ability to stay calm in tense situations. He wore a mask that most artists could only dream of modeling, but his facade was quickly crumbling in the second hour of the ten-hour car ride. “Are we there yet?” asked Vittoria for the sixth time in the last hour.

“No, not yet principessa. Not for a while,” he groaned, looking at the car’s clock, “Eight more hours.”

He had promised to take her to Rome, his birthplace, months ago and now he, unfortunately, had to make good on that promise. Vittoria had seemed tired when she entered the car at four in the morning (she hadn't even had a panic attack), which is why he had forgone giving her Nyquil, but apparently, she had a burst of energy ten minutes into their ride. Apparently, the panic attack had been delayed and she spent the first hour crying and praying, before finally settling down into a conversation. Every single car ride. Whoever killed Giuseppe and traumatized his daughter would pay dearly, especially considering getting her to church was always a two-hour-long affair if he added in the time for trying to get her into the car.

The past two hours had been hell for him and he had eight more to go. Eight was optimistic given his daughter’s small bladder.

Leonardo Borghese didn’t like being in a small shared space with a prattling person. His cellmate hadn’t been as aggravating as Franco, and dear God he’d say it, Franco wasn't as aggravating as Vittoria was right now. “Why don’t you try and go to sleep?”

“I’m not tired!” she said brightly, before rapidly firing a line of questions at him, “How far is Rome? Do we still get to see gladiators fight? What about the lions? Will they have lions?”

“Far enough,” he breathed, “No, we won’t see gladiators fight and there are no lions.”

“They should have lions,” she quipped, “Did you know they had women, gladiators? I don’t think I’d like to be a gladiator, because I don’t like blood. Minerva was a war goddess and she was smart. I read about her in my book, but she’s not my favorite. Do you know who my favorite is Papa?”

Oh, God. “Who is it Vittoria?” he asked, trying to keep a smile in his voice.

“Venus and Diana. I like Venus cause she's the goddess of love and beauty. I play Venus a lot because I’m pretty. Did you know the planet’s named after her?” she asked, not giving him a chance to reply, “And then there’s Diana because she’s the goddess of the moon. She doesn’t date icky boys and turns them into deers! I’d like to do that!”

How am I going to do this for another nine hours? “Who’s your favorite Roman god, Papa? I bet I can guess! Is it Jupiter? Because he’s the king! Did you know a planet is named after him too? It's the biggest one! You're really big, Papa! Did you know I know all the names of the planets now because I remember the Roman gods and goddesses? Sg.na Sagesse taught me a song. I’ll show you!”

This is hell. Vittoria began singing along to the tune, Michael Finnegan: “There are nine planets around the sun, let me name them one by one…”

Can I mute her? “There’s Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars, they have super pretty stars!”

Leonardo was gritting his teeth and focusing on the road. She’ll fall asleep eventually. “Then there’s Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune but wait one moment we’re not done with this tune!”

Why can’t we be done? “Stop right there, please don’t go, make some room for Pluto! There are nine planets around the sun, now you can name them one by one!”

Leonardo gave a fake gasp. “That’s incredible principessa! You’re such a smart girl,” he praised as he watched a proud blush rise to her cheeks.

“Really?”

“Of course! I could never memorize that song like you can,” he said, unknowingly damning himself.

Vittoria gasped. “Oh Papa, don’t say that! You can! I can teach you!”

Shit. “Oh, it’s okay principessa,” he tried to quickly say before she began singing the song again.

***

He considered himself a saint for not snapping at her. Vittoria had sung the planet song close to thirty times before he finally got the hang of it, or at least until she passed out. He knew the song now. There are nine planets around the sun, let me name them one by one… Those damn lyrics were stuck in his head and he couldn't even drown it out with the radio unless he wanted to risk waking Vittoria. Leonardo looked at the clock...seven hours to go...make some room for Pluto...Leonardo sighed at the long road ahead.

***

They had made six pit stops in the last two hours because Vittoria had the smallest bladder. At the sixth stop, they decided to get lunch where he ordered a light meal but allowed her to order a pizza with a glass of milk, even though she begged for a soda. There was no way he’d make that mistake. Vittoria was incredibly chatty with the waitresses, telling them that they were going to Rome and everything they’d see. She could give Franco a run for his money.

“But all the Roman gods are there! Did you know that, Papa? I want to go to the Pantseon first. That’s my very favorite place!” she squealed.

As exhausted and annoyed as he was, he did smile at her excitement. He had been worried that his eight-year-old would be bored out of her mind and would throw an embarrassing tantrum at the museum, but she wasn’t. She’s an academic, just like her father. “Pantheon,” he corrected.

“Oh right! Anyway…” she continued.

Leonardo let himself enjoy the moment and memories he was making with his daughter. He knew she probably didn’t get to go on any road trips when she lived with her mother, and seeing her excited about her first-ever vacation was endearing. Especially when he was the one giving her her first-ever vacation because he had missed so many firsts. She stole those precious moments from me, he thought hatefully. But he had the rest of their lives to be the only one who gave her those special memories.

He had wanted this, a perfect daughter to spoil and who would worship the ground he walked on, but when he had wished for it he hadn’t imagined that he’d be raising her alone. A proper family vacation would have been with a wife and a car full of children, though now that he was in a car with just one child for the past several hours, he was content to keep the number down for the time being. It was a lot of work just caring for her by himself, not that he was incapable, mind you, but he took great joy in being called a “selfless single father” by those around him. Leonardo knew full well that if he were a woman, the words used to describe him would be derogatory.

He could tell the stigma that Vittoria carried around with her when she was raised in the States haunted her. The names she had been called, people refusing to play with her...he truly was, in his mind, the best thing to ever happen to her. He told himself he was acting in her best interest when he took her to Italy to live with him, after all, it's my right, and that he gave her everything she ever wanted and needed. She seemed far better off now than she did then, well with a sprinkle of a few traumatic events, but details, details.

“Are you happy, then?” he asked.

She nodded as her cheeks puffed out with a large bite of pizza. “Slow down,” he said when he saw her trying to swallow quickly so she could speak again.

He didn’t want her to choke. “But then we have to go to our garden and art museum!”

Vittoria was convinced that Villa Borghese and the Borghese Gallery and Museum were their family’s museum and that it only made sense because they were both artists. He let her entertain that notion. Leonardo, contrary to his nature, let his daughter lead the conversation, mainly because he didn't have the energy to contribute. Another three to four hours seemed impossible, but there was still enough daylight for them to use, and they had to check-in at five o’clock. “I can’t wait to be in Rome! We have to take super lots of pictures!” she grinned.

“We’ll take plenty of pictures,” he smiled back.

“You were born there, right Papa?”

“Yes, I was born in Rome,” he smiled.

“I wish I was born in Rome. I was born in stupid Idaho,” she frowned, “That’s a state.”

Idaho, in his opinion, was an ordinary state with unremarkable people. Not fit for Vittoria. When he had visited Rome a while ago, he had changed her birthplace to Rome to better suit her. She wasn’t an ordinary child. “Did you not like Idaho?” he asked, already knowing her answer.

“No. It was boring and the people were mean. I had to do a report on it and people like us because we grow potatoes, but that’s it,” her frown was set for a moment before she broke out into a smile, “My report was the bestest! I always make my first letters capitals and add periods. I’m the only second-grader who remembers!”

“Of course you are. I bet you were the best writer in your class,” he praised.

He had seen her writing samples, and even when she wrote an argumentative piece about throwing Charles to the tigers, her work was still fairly impressive. Writing seemed to be one of her strengths, which was reassuring given that math and reading were not. “I was! I always got gold stars! Mr. Morgan never gave them to Rodney, because he’s a bad writer!” she said the last part with a smug look on her face that she inherited from her father.

Leonardo had begun to notice the striking similarities they shared in their mannerisms and expressions. The way she slipped on her “happy mask” as she called it and the way she forced her eyes to soften when she wanted sympathy over a pointless tantrum. Vittoria was learning to play the game he had set, practiced, and perfected. She’ll never win, but it’s sweet to see her try.

He indulged her with ice cream before they headed back out into the car and onto the road for another few hours of hell. And it was hell. He had created a car ride bag for her, which he praised himself for making, that he had filled with crayons, paper, coloring books, storybooks, a blanket, and snacks that wouldn’t leave crumbs. He swore by it, finding solutions for the “I’m hungry” and “I’m bored” complaints that he insisted other parents adopt as if they hadn’t already thought of that before, because even though he called it a “car ride bag”, it was most certainly a “dad bag” that was a staple of fatherhood.

Leonardo thought it was one of the greatest things he had ever thought of, but he quickly regretted it when Vittoria pulled something out that he hadn’t even known she’d snuck in. She always claimed it helped her calm down. His shoulders tensed when he heard the tune of the London Bridge begin to play. “Is that your music box?” he asked, not bothering to turn around.

“Mm-hm,” she hummed before she began to sing quietly under her breath.

I’m going to kill Signora Bianchi. He looked at her through the rear-view mirror and saw her begin to color in her coloring book of a Greek garden, a pleasant smile on her face as she whispered the lyrics. It was only a few ear grating moments before the tune ended and even fewer moments in between her cranking it up again. Why am I being punished? “Principessa, I’m going to turn on the radio,” he said, reaching for the knob.

“You can’t!”

“Why not?” he sighed with irritation.

“This is my artist music!”

Of course, it is, he thought dryly. “Vittoria-,”

“I promise only for this page!” she swore, “Cross my heart!”

It was his fault. He refused to admit it, but it was his fault for believing her words and letting her play the song. Vittoria was a child who took her sweet old time with her art, so it was hours (twenty minutes) until she was finished with her masterpiece. “And done!”

“Thank Christ,” he muttered under his breath, “I’m turning on the radio now, okay?”

Anything to drown out that godforsaken tune in my head. And for a while, he was blessed with just the music as Vittoria fell into a post-lunch nap. Thank you, God. It seemed the Lord was shining on him because they were less than five minutes out without any problems. We’ll make it there and- “Papa, I feel sick,” Vittoria croaked.

No. His eyes met the small figure behind the rear-view mirror. She was hunched over, clutching her belly, and her face had gone ashy. He had to stop himself from insensitively saying, don’t throw up in the car! The hotel was right in front of them, all we have to do is make it. “Just hold on, a few moments and-,” as he made a sharp turn into the parking lot, the jolt caused her to unleash whatever was in her stomach.

The sound of her hurling was as sickening as the smell of pizza, milk, and ice cream that had been poorly dissolved by her stomach acid which also made an appearance. The sight of it nearly made him throw up, but he was better than that. He had finished parking by the time she had finished expelling her lunch from her stomach. Leonardo gave a shaky sigh as he heard Vittoria start to cry, apologizing furiously. He got out of the car and stretched his legs outside as he hurried over to her door, not taking a moment to breathe in the fresh air. “I’m-I’m sorry, Papa!”

He quickly unbuckled her from her seat belt and pulled her out of the car and settled her on his hip. He wasn’t his father, he wasn’t cruel enough to think that she could’ve controlled it, and he certainly wouldn’t punish her by making her eat it. His chest tightened just a fraction of a second remembering what he was put through, before focusing on the moment he was in. She’s just my fragile little girl. She can't help it. He knew that now, of all times, was an important reminder for her to know that he was the better parent. The one who is her favorite and who loves her most. “I know, I know you didn’t mean it,” he whispered as he felt her head.

A little warm, but she probably just got car sick. He forced his eyes to assess the damage, which was very little considering she aimed incredibly well into the bag. “Oh thank God,” he sighed before frowning.

Of course, that music box is left untouched. Of course, it is! With the exception of a few specks on the leather that could easily be wiped off and the smell that could easily be remedied by airing the car out, there was no damage whatsoever. He had been terrified that she had thrown up on the carpet that he just had cleaned. The mess was quickly taken care of and the bag was thrown out because they could just buy newer and better items later. The check-in process was swift and he wasted no time getting her into the hotel room and washing her off before putting her back in bed. Vittoria was moaning and groaning against the pillows as if she were a Victorian woman on her deathbed. He didn't know whether to roll his eyes or smile. She’s incredibly dramatic. “Thank you,” she said softly, her eyes vulnerable and wide, “For taking care of me.”

“It’s what fathers do,” he said, having her sip a cool glass of water to soothe her burning throat.

“I had fun,” she smiled.

He climbed into the bed next to her and let her lean against him, “You did?”

He had received absolutely no enjoyment in that car ride whatsoever and thought for all intents and purposes that it was a failure. “Uh-huh, except throwing up. I didn't like that,” she gave a weak laugh, “But I had fun with you.”

It occurred to him that he hadn’t snapped at her when he was annoyed, let her talk about things she was interested in, and do things that she enjoyed. Her mother was an irritable and unstable woman who probably would have already yelled at her ten minutes (he was being gracious with that number) into the drive, before breaking down herself. Who would’ve been furious at Vittoria for throwing up in the car and who would cause her to break down into uncontrollable sobs. Leonardo felt overwhelmingly smug that she had a great time with him and that he was the one who made her smile. “I had fun with you too,” he grinned.

Vittoria snuggled against him before falling fast asleep. She’s such a good sleeper. Vittoria’s breathing became soft and suddenly his breaths started to match hers, as his exhaustion caught up to him and lured him into a deep slumber. He had suffered, but she had smiled. And he had made her smile, and in his mind, that was all that mattered.

[johnsbleu]

Hold My Hand: John Wick x Reader Chapter 65

warnings: nsfw! also it’s like over 10k, but i couldn’t bring myself to delete anything so there’s that.

The air in Rome is sweet and warm, and you inhale deeply as you look around at all of the tall stone buildings. The streets are flooded with locals and tourists, who are snapping pictures left and right. Flowers are overflowing in pots on the sides of the streets and you squint your eyes, almost blinded by the colors. You can feel the history oozing from the cracks in the street, and you find yourself having a hard time focusing on one thing. There's just so much to look at!

You haven’t been here long, but John has already tried to buy you something from every shop you’ve passed. He held up jewelry and smiled as sweet as he could to try and persuade you, but he eventually gave up when he realized you weren’t budging.

As you try to take everything in, you look down to see a beautiful bouquet of white tulips being shoved into your face, “Hi, Jonathan.”

“Tulips.” he says, kissing your cheek, “I saw them and thought of you.”

You look over your shoulder at him and smile, “Tulips…reminded you of me?”

“Well, they symbolize love.” he says, handing them to you so he can wrap his arms around your waist.

You tilt your head back and laugh, “Don’t they say that about every flower?”

“Probably,” he reaches up to cup your face and leans down to kiss you, then pulls you closer to his chest as you watch Tess and Jimmy.

“Oh, my god! Look at that!” Tess says and pats Jimmy’s shoulder repeatedly, “Look at that!”

“I see it, babe.” he laughs and pulls out his phone to take a picture of Tess.

You look back at John and exhale loudly as a smile spreads across your face, “This place…”

“Amazing, isn’t it?”

“It’s so weird to think we’re in a whole different country.” you laugh and tilt your head back.

“So, where is this hotel of ours?” Tess asks and looks at John.

“It’s just down the road and around the corner. It’s a nice day here, I figured you wouldn’t mind walking.”

“Well,” Tess follows next to John as he starts down the street and she bumps his shoulder, “I am pregnant, so if I start to complain about my feet hurting…”

“I’ll be sure that Jimmy carries you.” he laughs and looks over his shoulder at you and Jimmy following behind them.

You look at Tess as she points out stuff to John, and she widens her eyes and smiles as she wraps her arm about John’s bicep. This is all Tess wanted, and she’s having a blast already. The thing she wanted more than anything was a trip to Italy, and you can tell she’s loving every minute of it so far.

John turns around and reaches for your hand, and you fall in line with him and Tess. He points at an alley and you look up at him, “Are you serious?”

“Yeah, it leads to another road, then some stairs and then we’re at the hotel.” he says and kisses the top of your head. “It’s fine.”

Tess shakes her head as she looks around, “I can’t believe we’re here.”

“I know. The flight was surprisingly short.” you nod, still trying to take everything in, “Hope you and Jimmy enjoyed that bed.”

“Oh, we did.” she smiles and winks, “I can’t believe that’s how John flies every time he leaves. God, it’s…”

“I know,” you laugh and look over your shoulder at John and Jimmy talking, “It’s crazy how different his life is from ours, but he’s so…”

“Humble?”

“Yeah.” you laugh and point at the stairs, “Down here, baby?”

John nods his head and reaches out for your hand, “Yeah.”

“This is a lot of stairs, John.” Tess says and leans against the brick wall, “I’m out of breath.”

Jimmy waves for you and John to go ahead, and you follow John to the balcony. It overlooks part of the city and you blink several times, trying to take in the site of all of the buildings.

“Pinch me.” you say and stick your arm out in front of John.

“What?”

“Pinch me.” you repeat and shake your arm. John pinches your arm as lightly as possible and you laugh, “I just can’t get over this place.”

“It’s beautiful.” he says as he pulls out his phone to snap a picture of you. He moves to stand behind you and takes a picture of the two of you. He looks at his phone and smiles, “That’s a good one.”

You take the phone from John and hold it up, “A silly one.”

John leans into the camera and furrows his brow as you puff up your cheeks. You hold John’s phone up and show him the picture, and the two of you start to laugh at how ridiculous you look.

“One more.” he says, taking the phone from you as you tilt your head back to kiss him. He takes the picture with his lips pressed to yours, then he stuffs his phone into his pocket, “Mmm, my girl.”

You tilt your head back again and look at John, “Thank you so much for this.”

“Of course.” he kisses your nose and smiles. You start to frown a little and he shakes you in his arms, “What’s wrong?”

“This is a lot of money. I know I told you that I wasn’t going to focus on that stuff anymore, and I’m trying not to, but…” you look down at your flowers and sigh, “It’s not every day that your friend tells you that he’s going to pay for your entire trip to Rome. Tess is freaking out over this.”

“Think about it this way: we didn’t have to pay for flights, no hotel accommodations, we don’t have to pay for any food at the hotel. I don’t know if you want to go on any tours of anything, but that’s nothing. You said you wanted to go to the Baths of Caracalla.”

You turn around and face John, “You were probably almost killed there.”

John scoffs and shakes his head, “No.”

“Oh, so you weren’t gunned down by a bunch of people there?” you say, looking down as John reaches for your hand. “You weren’t almost killed there?”

“You’re making it sound much more dramatic than it actually was.” he laughs and starts his way down the stairs.

You roll your eyes playfully and laugh, “You’re such a liar.”

It doesn't take a scientist to know John lies to you. Small lies. You'll let them slide, of course. They aren't anything big to destroy your relationship, and John really is doing it with the best intentions. It also doesn't take a scientist to know that John was definitely gunned down by a bunch of people in the catacombs.

Tess gasps loudly, and you look up at her as she flails her arms, “Could this place be any more conspicuous? Holy shit!”

“Whoa.” you say and widen your eyes, “This is…”

“Much different than New York.” John laughs, “Our bags are already inside, we just have to get our room keys.”

The Continental in New York is sleek and sophisticated, but the Continental in Rome has a whole different vibe to it. The door, which is probably 30 feet high, is guarded by two men in knee length coats. One of the men moves to open the door for John, and the other man nods at John, then looks at you and smiles. You cling to John’s side and look back at Tess as she widens her eyes in shock, and she looks around at everything, shaking her head in disbelief. All of the hotel staff recognize John and give him a small nod when he walks past. Every door you walk up to, someone is quickly opening it and you hear Tess let out a small laugh.

“He’s a God.” she says, and you laugh as you turn around to look at her.

“No, it’s just their job to open doors, Tess.”

A tall, dark haired man walks up and reaches out to shake John's hand, “Mr. Wick.”

“Vincent.” John nods, and he lets go of your hand to shake the man's.

You smile shyly when the man looks at you, and you instinctively scoot closer to John, which he immediately notices and so does Vincent. He looks at you for a moment longer, then when he spots your engagement ring, he looks back at John and smiles.

“Congratulations.” he nods and reaches for John’s hand again.

John thanks the man, then gestures for you to continue walking into the hotel. He reaches for your hand again and presses a kiss to the back of it, and he smiles when you look up at him.

The lobby is filled with dark red chairs, and a huge glass chandelier hangs from the ceiling. You look around and notice all the women wearing heels, dresses, and expensive jewelry. You look at John and see he’s wearing nice black jeans, a plain black v-neck, and a black blazer. He looks so classy and sexy today, and you look down to see his nice black boots that he rarely ever wears.

“I’m so under-dressed.” you say and look down at your t-shirt. “It slipped my mind, I should have changed.”

John laughs quietly and shakes his head, “We’ll be in here for ten minutes, it’s fine.”

“Yeah, you’re not stressed because you look amazing right now. I look like a slob.” you whisper as you pull the legs of your shorts down a little. “John, I’m with…you. You have an image to uphold and that’s on me now, too.”

“Stop.” he laughs, looking down at you again, “It’s fine.”

You give John a full body pout and jut your bottom lip out a little, “Are you sure?”

“Yes, you look cute. You look like you’re on vacation, which you are.” he smiles and leans down to kiss your forehead. John greets the concierge and slides a coin across the desk, and you smile when he starts to speak Italian.

Tess leans forward to see his face and she smiles wide in shock and awe, “He’s bilingual.”

“Multilingual.” he corrects her and smiles, “I know quite a few languages.”

“Okay,” she rolls her eyes and laughs, “You don’t need to show off.”

John points at the chairs to the side, suggesting the three of you sit down, “I’ll just be a minute.”

“Okay.” you smile, and he squeezes your hand to reassure you.

The three of you walk over and sit down as John waits at the concierge desk, and you look around at all the people who are in the hotel. You're silently wondering if they're all assassins.

You spot John talking to an older man and you watch as they shake hands. John gestures towards you, and the man looks over John’s shoulder at you and you quickly look away, “Oh, no. Are they coming over?”

Tess laughs, “Yeah.”

You look down at your hands in your lap and moments later, you feel John’s hand on your shoulder. You look up to see him smiling and he reaches down to help you stand next to him. John can tell how nervous you are, so he wraps his arm around your waist, pulling you closer and rubbing your back to comfort you.

“This is my fiancee, Y/N.” John says, and you try to fight the smile spreading across your face after hearing John call you his fiancee. He’s said it a few times now, but it’s still so flattering and it gives you butterflies every time.

The older man immediately reaches out to shake your hand and he smiles, “Welcome to Rome.”

You let out a small laugh as you reach out to shake his hand, “Thank you.”

John’s hand is firm on your waist as you look up at him, and you can see how proud he is of you. He looks down at you and shakes his head, “I’m so sorry, this is Julius. He’s the…manager.”

“I figured, John.” you nod your head and laugh, “This is my sister, Tess and her husband, Jimmy.”

Tess stands up and brushes her hair off her shoulders and smiles, “Hi, you have a lovely hotel. I think I actually prefer this one to the New York hotel.”

“Thank you.” Julius laughs.

Jimmy wipes his hands on his knees and reaches out to shake Julius’ hand, almost bowing, “Hello, sir.”

Tess turns around to look at him, “Did you…did you just bow?”

“I think so.” Jimmy says, avoiding eye contact with Julius, and John laughs quietly.

“I’m sorry, my husband is just a little nervous.” Tess says and wraps her arm around Jimmy's waist.

“Well,” Julius reaches into his pocket and pulls out two room cards, “Enjoy your stay, Jonathan.”

“Thank you.” John says, watching Julius as he walks away.

Once Julius is gone, you reach out and hit Jimmy’s arm, “Stop being so weird, they’re going to think we’re hiding guns or something.”

“Well, I mean…” Tess gestures to John, “He is.”

John puts his hands up in defense and laughs, “I’m not.”

Heading to the elevator, you can’t help but notice all the people staring at you, and the look on John’s face when he notices as well makes you want to melt. He looks so damn proud to have you on his arm. He gives you a small wink, then points to the elevators.

“Everyone is looking at us.” Jimmy says nervously as he leans back on the elevator wall.

Tess shakes her head, “No, they’re looking at her. I can’t tell if they want to be her, or if they want her. Honestly, probably both.”

John lets out a small laugh and wraps both arms around your shoulders, pulling you against his chest just as the elevator dings. He keeps a good grip on you and walks down the hallway with you in his arms, and you tilt your head back to see him smiling.

“Last door on the right.” he says and lets go of you to pull out his room key. He hands the key to you and smiles, “Would you like to do the honors?”

“Oh, well, of course.” you tease and take the key to open the door.

You nearly collapse when you see the room, and Tess gasps loudly as she pushes past you to get into the room first. She puts her hands in the air and spins around in place.

“This is fucking amazing!”

The room is by far the nicest room you’ve ever been in. You thought the New York Continental was fancy -- and it is -- but it’s nothing compared to this. There’s three leather love seats all around a coffee table, and on it sits a glass decanter and several champagne flutes. The walls in the living room are dark brown, and there are shelves full of books and little knick knacks.

John gestures for you to move further into the room, and he smiles when you walk past him. “So, Jimmy and Tess, your room is down the hall on the left.”

Tess squeals loudly and grabs her bag from the floor, heading for her room while you open the sliding glass doors and step out onto the balcony. The view from your room is breathtaking, and you try to keep yourself from tearing up as you lean against the railing.

You look over your shoulder to see John with a huge smile on his face as he watches Tess and Jimmy head for their room. He chuckles quietly when Tess gasps loudly again, then he looks over at you as he walks onto the balcony.

“So, what do you think?” he asks, and you bury your face in his chest. He runs his fingers through your hair several times, then leans back to see your face, “What do you think, Peach?”

You lean your head against his chest and look out across the city, exhaling contently, “I wanna live here.”

John’s body vibrates from laughter and you look up at him. “No, you don’t. I know you love Mill Neck.”

A smile spreads across your face and you laugh, “I do, but this place…is magical.”

“Ooh, magical.” John teases.

You wrap your arms around John a little tighter when you remember he’s taking a job while you’re staying here. “So, about this job...”

“Not tonight.” he says, and you look up at him again. He cups your face in his hands and kisses your forehead, “It’s not tonight. Tonight is whatever you want to do, baby.”

“Well, I want to go to a club, I heard they’re wild here.” Tess says, pushing herself between you and John. “I want to dance and…well, I can’t drink and even if I could, I wouldn’t. But I want to dance.”

Jimmy leans against the balcony railing and nods, “Sounds good to me.”

John watches your face as the smile slowly fades on it, and he instantly walks over to you, “We don’t have to go.”

“No,” Tess turns around quickly and shakes her head, “You have to go.”

“Tess,” you sigh and lean back in John’s arms, “The flight was long, I’m kind of hungry and I just want to maybe chill out. Jet-lag, you know?”

“Oh, bullshit, you slept the whole way over here.” Tess says, rolling her eyes, “Listen, I bought a dress just for you. You have to wear it.”

“Could be fun.” John whispers, and you tilt your head back to look at him, “Plus, you’ll get a new dress out of it.”

“You just want to go because you heard that she got me a dress.” you say, and John starts to laugh. Sighing, you look at Tess, “Okay, fine, but as soon as I want to leave, I’m leaving.”

“You won’t want to leave, because we’ll be having so much fun.” Jimmy says, dancing backwards into the room.

__

“Tess Hendricks, get in here right now!” you say sternly and hear Jimmy and John both laugh.

“What?” she asks, then gasps as she turns into the bathroom, “Yes!”

The dress that Tess picked out for you is a little flashier than anything you would ever wear, and it has a mid-thigh slit on the left leg. The color is pretty – a nice light blue – but the rest is...too much.

“My boobs are literally going to spill out of this.” you try to pull the dress up, but it only causes the slit on the thigh to move up more, “Tess, I can’t wear this.”

“Shut up.” she laughs and stands behind you to help fix your dress, “Okay, first of all, you have the straps all twisted around back here, and it’s not even zipped.”

“Because I can’t reach it.” you look up at Tess through the mirror and shake your head, “I can’t wear this, I have some dresses in the closet in my room. Go grab the purple one.”

“No, you’re wearing this. I picked this one for you. I certainly can’t wear it, so I’m living vicariously through you.” she pats your shoulder and takes a step back, “There. You look fucking amazing.”

You look at yourself in the mirror and let out a small laugh as you turn to the side to get a better look, “Okay, I do look kind of good, and my ass looks good though, but my boobs are way too out there for my liking.”

“Well, good thing we’re going to be in a dark club, no one is going to see you.” she takes a step back and gestures to herself, “What about me?”

“You look really good. Love that dress on you.” you say and point at her boobs, “Those look really good.”

“I know,” she looks in the mirror and grabs her boobs, “Pregnancy has been a blessing to my boobs. This dress also hides my belly, so that’s a bonus. People won’t look at me like a freak for being pregnant and at a club.”

You look at Tess and cock your eyebrow, “Well, good thing we're going to be in a dark club, no one is going to see you.”

“Yeah, yeah.” she says, rolling her eyes.

John and Jimmy are sitting on the couch watching TV, and you wrap your arms around John’s shoulders from behind, “Ready?”

John inhales deeply and tilts his head back, and his lips brush against yours, “You smell good.”

“You’re going to die in about three seconds when you turn around.” Tess says, grabbing her purse.

John turns around and widens his eyes as he looks you up and down, “I…”

“Please don’t make this a big deal, I’m already embarrassed enough.” you say and start to blush. John looks you up and down, and he starts to smile when your gazes meet. “See, no, you’re making this weird.”

“He’s speechless.” Tess says and hands you your purse. “You’re welcome, John.”

As John stands up straight, you look down to see if he’s hard in his pants, and he laughs quietly when he catches you looking. He fixes his belt a little and shakes his head as he walks over to you.

“I had to stop myself.” he whispers in your ear, and you smile proudly. “Why do you think I was sitting down for so long?

“So, you like my dress?”

“You look phenomenal.” he says and takes your hand in his.

__

John is holding tight to your hand as you walk past the long line of people waiting to get into the club. He walks straight past the bouncer to a door on the side of the club and knocks on it. He lets go of your hand to pull out a gold coin and he hands it to the man who opens the door, and he backs away to let you all in.

“Whoa.” Tess leans over and bumps John’s shoulder, “With just a coin?”

“Yeah, you can get just about anything.” he says and grabs your hand again.

You all walk through the dingy backroom of the club, and you scoot a little closer to John when you walk past a group of guys. One man looks at you, then looks away quickly when John catches him. They’re all so scared of John, which makes you want to laugh since John is the definition of soft when it comes to you. He’s constantly laughing and talking in funny voices, but you know he’s just good at separating his work life from his home life. But when it comes to your safety, John has no problem mixing the two.

The club is two levels: the dance floor is in the middle on the first floor, and the second floor has high top tables and booths all around it. The neon lights are flashing red, green, purple, and hot pink, and the music is vibrating through your body.

John heads up the steps in front of you, still holding your hand as tight as he can without breaking bones. You're sure if he let go, you'd be swallowed up by the people dancing on the floor. He points to a table in the far corner of the club, then looks at you, “That’s our table. What do you want to drink?”

“Uh, surprise me!” you smile as John leans down to kiss you.

He points at the table again and smiles, “I’ll meet you there. Don’t move, okay?”

“Okay.” you nod and smile.

You laugh a little to yourself as you sit down, then you point over Tess’ shoulder to John and Jimmy, and when they get closer, she grabs the bottle of water from Jimmy and cracks it open. As soon as Jimmy sits down, he knocks his drink back and gets up to grab Tess’ hand. They head down the stairs to the dance floor, and the two of them are already laughing.

You take a sip of your drink and wince, “Rum and Coke was your idea of surprising me?”

John laughs and takes a sip of your drink, “Yeah, I don’t know, you seem like the type to like it.”

You close one eye, smacking your lips together to get the taste out of your mouth, “When I said to surprise me, I meant like…a mojito, or a long island iced tea.”

John leans back against the booth and smiles, “I can go get you something else.”

You wave John off and look down at your phone to check the time. You stuff it back in your purse, then you scoot closer to John’s side until your thighs are touching.

“Hey,” John says, leaning closer to you so you can hear him, “You okay?”

You look over at John and laugh, “Yeah, I’m fine. I’m in Rome -- I’m amazing!”

“I know you didn’t want to come out though.”

You shrug, leaning closer to John, “Not really my thing anymore. Tess and I used to club all the time when we had just turned 21, and we did it so much that it's just not really fun anymore. And I just hate how loud it can be, and people are sometimes really rude.”

“That’s true.” he says, tucking your hair behind your ear.

“My throat always ends up hurting by the end of the night because it's so loud and I've had to scream just so people could hear me.” you say, and you look over to see John laughing. You scrunch your face up in disgust and laugh, “Plus, sweaty bodies rubbing up against you. No thanks.”

John takes a sip of his drink and almost spits it out as he laughs loudly, “Our sweaty bodies rub up against each other.”

“Yeah, well, that’s much different.” you bite your lip and lean in to kiss him, “I actually like you.”

John rubs his thumb against the apple of your cheek, then he chuckles, “I never thought we’d be in a club together.”

You shake your head and lean in to kiss John again, “Definitely not. Have you ever been to a club?”

“Once or twice.” he says, nodding.

“You and Helen?” you ask, almost in disbelief.

“No,” John laughs, and even though the music is loud, you can still hear him, “Just been to a club a few times for work.”

“Isn’t it distracting?” you ask and point to the lights, “With the music and people dancing?”

John shakes his head and scoots closer to you, “No, not really.”

“Huh,” you move your hair off your shoulder and see John take a deep breath as his gaze falls to your breasts. You stick your chest out more and shake your breasts a little, “You like the view?”

“I do.” he nods, then quickly leans down to kiss the top of your breast, and when the light shines on it, you see the spit he's left behind.

His right hand is on your knee, and you feel it moving up your thigh to the slit of your dress. You look down at his hand, then up at his face as you spread your legs more. You rest your hands on the table and prop your head, looking around the club casually to make sure no one is watching.

John scoots even closer to you and wraps his arm around your shoulder to pull you closer to him until you're practically in his lap. He taps your shoulder and you sit back against the wall, watching his left hand sneak under your dress. You sit up a little and pull your dress up more, and John’s hand instantly slides between your legs when you sit back down.

“Is this okay?” he asks, leaning closer to your face, “I can stop.”

You shake your head and look up at him, “No, please keep going.”

A smile spreads across John’s face, and you open your legs even further as you try to play it as cool as possible. You’re thankful that your table is tucked away in the corner, and you realize John probably always had that in mind. John is caressing your thighs, and his fingers brush against your pussy as you gasp. He leans closer to your ear and lets out a low moan that you can barely hear, and you start to reach over to grab at John’s pants, but he stops you.

“Just you.” he says and smiles as he leans in to kiss you, “You look so beautiful tonight.”

“Thank you.” you smile and look down as John pulls your panties to the side, “I wasn’t sure about this dress, it’s a little too revealing for me. My boobs are busting out. It’s just…not me.”

“Sometimes it’s nice to switch things up.” he says and rubs his fingers against your clit, “Like this, for example.”

You open your mouth to moan and look at John, trying to keep your eyes open, “What about it?”

John smiles, his gaze falling to your lips as you bite your bottom lip. He slides one finger into your pussy and you lean over the table, covering your mouth with your hand. His finger is so thick and warm, and you squirm a little as he slowly pumps his finger in and out. You see Tess and Jimmy on their way up the stairs and you grab John’s hand, but decide to wait to see what he does.

“Hey.” Jimmy grabs Tess’ bottle of water to take a drink, and he hands it to Tess so she can take a sip. He starts to walk back to the dance floor, then he turns around to look at you and John, “You gonna come?”

“Yeah, I think she might.” John says, sliding his finger in further until he's knuckle deep, then flicking his finger to hit your hidden spot.

You feel your eyes grow wide, and you look at John as he laughs. “Jesus, John.”

He slowly inserts a second finger, and you cover your mouth with your hand and close your eyes, trying your hardest not to moan.

Jimmy looks at you and leans closer to the table, “Whoa, you okay?”

You nod your head and give Jimmy a thumbs up as you smile, “Yeah, I’m…great.”

“That’s good.” Jimmy claps his hands and turns around to look at the people dancing.

He's so clueless, how is he a cop?

Tess is watching you closely and she leans over the table, “You two are…incredible.”

You squeeze your eyes shut and wave Tess away, and when you open your eyes again, she’s gone and so is Jimmy.

“Fuck.” you lean back and moan loudly, staring at John as he smiles.

“Does that feel good, baby? My fingers sliding in and out.” he licks his lips and leans back to watch his fingers, then he pulls them out and holds them up, “Look how wet you are.”

“Oh, my god, John.” you push his hand back under the table and look around, “People could see us, they have cameras in these places, you know?”

“I know, but no one can see us here.” he says against your ear and pulls your left leg over his lap, then he pulls your panties to the side again, sliding his fingers back in. “Why do you think I picked this table?”

You cup John’s face in your hand and open your mouth as he slides his tongue into your mouth. As you moan, John starts to kiss down your neck to your shoulder as he pumps his fingers faster. Using both your hands, you push his fingers in deeper and tilt your head back as you moan. You reach over to his pants again and he shakes his head, causing you to frown a bit.

“No, I want to please you.” he says, then looks around the club. He removes his fingers and puts them in his mouth, and he closes his eyes when he tastes you, “I wish I could get under this table and eat your pussy.”

“Jonathan Wick!” you gasp and playfully hit his shoulder, “What has gotten into you?”

“It’s this dress, I swear.” he says, looking you up and down. He sits back as you pull your dress back down, then he huffs, “That’s it.”

“What?”

“I’m hungry.” he says, holding your gaze as you both start to smile. He presses a wet kiss to your lips, then leans forward a little and points to the bathroom next to you, “Meet me in there, or just come with me now.”

“I’ll just come with you now, my legs are wobbly, I can tell.” you reach for John’s hand and he helps you stand up, and the two of you quickly make your way to the bathroom.

John peeks his head in, then opens the door further for you, “It’s empty.”

As you head for the biggest stall in the back, John wraps his arms around your waist, his hands moving up to caress your breasts, and he moves your hair off your shoulder to kiss and suck on your skin. You turn around to lock the stall and you look over your shoulder at John.

“I’m not letting you sit on that toilet so you can fuck me, I hope you know that.” you say as John walks back over to you. He pushes you up against the wall, kissing you hard on your lips. “Oh…”

He pulls the straps of your dress down, caressing your breasts in both hands, “You wear something like this and I’m reminded of how fucking perfect your tits are.”

“John,” you look down at him as he sucks on your nipple, “Jonathan.”

He finally looks up at you and smiles, “What?”

“What has gotten into you?” you laugh and cup his face, “This isn’t really like you.”

John shrugs and looks at you, “You don't...you don’t like it?”

“No, I love it. I love hearing how bad you want me, and I love how you can’t keep your hands to yourself.” you lean up to kiss John and quickly slip your tongue into his mouth but pull it out before he gets a taste, “I’m just so shocked by it. I mean, it’s been awhile since we’ve done anything in public. The dressing room from when Tess got her wedding dress was the last time, that was forever ago.”

“Again it’s this dress.” he laughs, and the two of you pull your dress up.

He slides his hands against your pussy over your underwear, and you close your eyes as he leans in to kiss you. He pulls your underwear back and slowly inserts his middle finger, then pumps it in and out steadily.

“I can’t keep my hands to myself tonight, and seeing how everyone has been looking at you since we’ve been here.” he whispers against your neck, “I’m so fucking lucky. I'm lucky because you're intelligent and witty and sweet and kind, and just everything I've ever wanted. I admire you so much for so many things, but...holy shit, you're a fucking goddess.”

“A goddess, huh?”

John continues kissing your neck and you feel him nod his head, “You're so fucking beautiful, and your body is driving me crazy tonight.”

“You’re so good at this, John.” you lean your head against the wall and look at him, “I say that a lot, I know, but you’re so damn magical with your fingers.”

John kneels in front of you and pulls your dress up even more. He kisses up and down your thighs, and you pull your panties to the side as John smiles. He licks his lips and looks up at you, “Oh, by the way, I didn’t lock the bathroom door.”

“What?” you widen your eyes, then shake your head, “Go lock it!”

“Nope.” he buries his face between your legs, and you press your hand over your mouth when you start to moan.

“Fuck, John,” you moan and look down at him as he flicks his tongue against your clit. “I’m…”

“Already?” he laughs and slides his fingers in your pussy as he licks your clit relentlessly.

“You…” you tilt your head back and moan loudly, which echoes through the bathroom. “You kind of prepped me out there.”

John’s hands slide up your thighs to your ass and he squeezes it tight in his hands. You slowly rotate your hips and John lets out a small moan as he closes his eyes and devours you.

“Mmm, you taste so fucking good, baby.” he says, and you move your hips faster.

You put your hand on top of John’s head, tugging his hair as you rotate your hips, “Do you like that?”

John sucks on your clit and pulls away to look at you, “I love eating your pussy.”

Caressing your breasts in your hands, you tilt your head back as John hums, and the sound of him between your legs fills throughout the bathroom. You press your finger to your mouth, “You are being so loud.”

“I can’t help it. You’re so wet for me.” he smiles, pressing his lips to your thighs, and he buries his face again.

“I’m gonna come, John, I can’t help it.” you whine and press your hand over your mouth, hoping to muffle the moans. John hikes one leg over his shoulder, and you spread yourself further as John’s tongue darts in and out. “Fuck, fuck, fuck…”

Your body jolts and shudders with pleasure, and you feel a wave wash over your body as you come. If John didn't have a tight grip on your waist, you'd definitely fall to the ground. John laughs between your legs and closes his eyes as he licks every drop of you, and you moan loudly when his nose bumps your clit.

“Did you like that, baby?” John whispers as you try to catch your breath.

You tilt your head back and laugh, “Yes, I loved it. Did you?”

“Absolutely.”

You rest your forehead against John’s, and he stands back up to kiss you. He wraps one arm around your shoulder and the other around your waist, pulling you closer.

“Mmm.” you hum and open your eyes to look at him. “I taste myself on your lips.”

“Tastes good.” he says, tilting his head to the right to kiss you better.

“Wow.” you laugh, still trying to catch your breath, and you lean back to look at John, “Your turn.”

John shakes his head and laughs, “It’s okay.”

You push John back against the wall and start to unbuckle his belt, “I know you’re just trying to be nice and gentlemanly.”

John shrugs and laughs, “Well, yeah.”

“Do you want me to suck your cock?” you ask, sliding your hand into John’s pants. He’s already hard, and you feel pre-cum on the tip of his cock.

“Say it again.” he says, breathlessly.

“Do you want me…” you lean closer to his lips and smile, “To suck your cock?”

“Do you want to?”

You laugh and close your eyes, “Yes, Jonathan.”

“Okay then,” John gulps and nods, “Yes, please.”

Always the gentleman.

You unbutton John’s pants and pull out his cock as you kneel down in front of him. You lick your lips and shake your head, “So fucking beautiful.”

John runs his fingers through your hair, and his mouth drops open as you take him into your mouth. You stroke John in your hand, moving lower to suck and lick his favorite spot, and you look up at John as he smiles at you and watches closely.

The bathroom door opens and you hear a group of girls come in, and John’s face turns bright red. You press your finger to lips and shake your head to keep him from saying anything.

“Don’t say anything.” you mouth, and John nods.

You look back at your hand on John’s cock and smirk as you lean forward, taking him back in your mouth. You keep eye contact with John as you bob on his cock, and he presses the back of his hand to his mouth, trying his hardest not to moan.

There’s a knock on the stall door, and you slowly slide John out of your mouth and look up at him, “Occupied.”

“Oh, my gosh, I’m so sorry!” the girl says and moves to the next stall.

You run your tongue up and down John’s cock and he tilts his head back against the wall as his breath becomes shaky and shallow. You tap his thigh to get his attention, and he looks down at you again as you take him as deep as you can. John is trying his hardest to keep his eyes open, and he covers his face with both hands.

“Hey,” you whisper, and he looks down at you. “I love your big cock. Love the way it feels in my mouth.”

John shakes his head and presses a finger to his lips, “Please stop talking.”

“Love the way you taste on my tongue.” you say, sticking your tongue out and licking the tip of John’s cock.

“Baby, stop,” he smiles, running his fingers through your hair again, “You have to stop.”

You sit back a little and look at John, “Do you really want me to stop? Because I can if you want.”

John holds your gaze for a moment, then he smiles wide as he shakes his head, “No.”

“Why aren’t you fucking me right now?” you ask, grinning as you stroke John. You stand up in front of John and pull your dress up, moving your panties to the side, and John holds up your leg and bites his lip as you slowly rub his cock against your clit. “Why aren’t you fucking me, John?”

John watches you as you tilt your head back, and he jerks his hips a little allowing himself to slip in between your legs. You look back at John and he quickly presses his hand to your mouth as you moan, trying to his best to muffle it. He begins to thrust his hips slowly, and you dig your nails into his biceps.

He tilts his head against the wall and squeezes his eyes shut, then he looks down at you as he whispers, “If I was really fucking you right now, you’d be screaming my name.”

Leaning closer to John’s face, you smile and bite your lip, “That’s what I like to hear.”

The girls finish washing their hands and the bathroom grows quiet, so you kneel in front of John again. Sliding John into your mouth again, you swirl your tongue over the tip of his cock, and he finally lets out the loud moan he’s been holding.

“You’re so fucking good at this, baby.” he says and moves your hair out of your face, “I’m…”

“Come on me, John.” you say, and John bites his bottom lip.

You sit back a little to pull your dress down more to reveal your breasts, and John strokes himself as he comes on them. He’s out of breath and he grunts loudly as he looks down at you. You wipe your finger over the cum on your chest and look up at John as you slide your finger into your mouth.

“You are fucking amazing.” John reaches down to help you stand back up and grabs tissues to wipe off your chest. “Sorry, it’s everywhere. Is it anywhere on your dress?”

“I don’t mind, I literally told you do it.” you say, looking down as cum slowly rolls down your cleavage. “I mean, come on, that’s hot.”

“It is.” he takes the tissue and quickly wipes it away, then he buries his face between your breasts, “That was so good, you’re so good.”

“Kinda thrilling, wasn’t it?” you laugh and fix your dress as John buckles his pants.

“Yeah,” he nods as he opens the bathroom stall, then moves to wash his hands. He cups his hands under the faucet, then drinks the water from his palms, “I’m so thirsty.”

“Me, too.” you say and look at John through the mirror as you fix your makeup and hair, “You know, you always surprise me.”

John opens the bathroom door and peeks out to see if anyone is looking, he nods for you to go first, then he follows behind. Once you get to the table, John immediately wraps his arm around your shoulder and looks at you.

“What do you mean I always surprise you?”

You see Jimmy and Tess heading over to the table, and you smile at Tess when she waves. You look over at John and shrug, “I don’t know. When we first started having sex, it was just so…”

“Boring?”

“No,” you shake your head and lean closer to John, “No, not at all. You think our sex life is boring?”

John smiles as he shakes his head, “Absolutely not.”

“I think our sex life is amazing and exciting, but when I met you, I definitely didn’t think we’d be here. I didn’t think I’d be sucking your dick at a club in Rome.”

John laughs loudly and leans over to kiss your cheek, “I enjoyed it though.”

“Oh, I know you did.” you smile and look over at Tess as she sits at the table. “So, how are you feeling?”

“Pretty good.” she smiles and looks at you, “You?”

“I’m peachy.” you nod, looking at John as he laughs. “How about you?”

“Peachy.” John finishes your drink and smiles, “I’m peachy as well.”

Jimmy is still dancing, and he’s inching his way back to the stairs. He looks up at Tess and smiles, waiting for her. She looks at you and smiles wide, and you already know she’s going to ask you to dance. You’re not opposed to it, you and Tess used to go to clubs quite a bit before you moved to Mill Neck, and before you finally got the nerve to tell Tess how much you disliked it.

“One dance.” Tess says and raises her eyebrows, “Me, you, Jimmy, and John. No excuses.”

You groan loudly and get up from the table, “Fine.”

Without hesitation, Tess grabs your hand and leads you down to the dance floor, and you look over your shoulder to see John and Jimmy leaning against the wall watching the two of you. John is watching you with a smile on his face, and when you point at him and sing along to the song, he starts to laugh.

Waving John over to you, he shakes his head and stays frozen in place even though Jimmy is walking over to dance with Tess. You dance a little as you walk over to John, and you reach for him but he pulls you into his arms.

You spin around and lean against John’s chest as you sing and move your hips against the crotch of his pants. He holds tight to your waist as you tilt your head back to look at him, and he kisses your shoulder before looking at you. You move your hips rhythmically along to the music, keeping eye contact with John, and you can feel John growing a little hard as a result.

“If you keep doin’ this, I’m gonna come again.” John whispers in your ear, and you laugh loudly before finally pulling John into the large crowd of people. “I can’t dance.”

“That’s bullshit!” you wrap John’s arms around your waist and lean your forehead against his as you lock your arms around his neck, “Just hold me and move with my body. I know you can do that.”

__

You look over your shoulder as John walks through the room with a glass of whiskey in his hand. He looks around the room, peeks his head into the bathroom, the living room, then turns around to look in the bathroom again. He’s looking for you, and he looks like a lost puppy. He sets his glass down and starts to head for Tess’ room when you knock on the window to get his attention.

“Hi, baby.” you wave at him, and he smiles wide.

“Hey, I couldn’t find you. Thought I lost you for a minute.” he laughs and leans next to you on the balcony. “I should have known you’d be out here.”

You look across the city and exhale, “I can’t decide if it’s more beautiful at night or in the day. It’s just…beautiful here. The flowers are in bloom and it’s so warm.”

“Yeah,” he laughs, looking over at you, “Tess and I kept pushing it back, she knew I wanted to propose, and I kinda liked the idea of bringing you here and introducing you as my fiancee rather than my girlfriend.”

You smile so wide your cheeks hurt, then you lean over and kiss John, “I think it’s cute that you wanted us to be engaged before we got here.”

“I’m happy we decided to come.” John says, reaching for your hand, “Where do you want to go for our honeymoon?”

“Hmm,” you look over at John and smile, “Anywhere as long as I’m with you.”

John laughs loudly, “You’re so full of shit.”

“I am not.” you say, then stick your tongue out at John. “I still think that tree house is cool. I’d honestly love that. I think it’d be tranquil and nice and so romantic to just…be up there with you. Waking up next to you and hearing the birds chirp.”

“It’s a thought.” he nods, “Got any others?”

“Well, I think somewhere on a beach would be fun.”

“A beach, really?” he moves to stand behind you and kisses your cheek, “I wouldn’t have guessed that.”

You wrap John’s arms around you tighter and lean back against his chest, “Yeah, I just want to see you shirtless and in swim trunks all day every day.”

He laughs and leans forward to see your face, “We have a pool at home. You can see me shirtless and in swim trunks there. And also, we sleep together every night, so you see me shirtless every night already.”

“Okay, well, you said the first time you had sex was on the beach, maybe we can recreate that.” you smile and laugh, “Hopefully you can last longer this time.”

John shakes you his arms and peppers your neck and shoulders with kisses as the two of you laugh. He holds your hand up and rubs his finger over your engagement ring, “God, I love this on you.”

“Me, too.”

“Your hands are so soft and dainty, and then to just look down at that…” John lets go of you and leans against the railing, then tucks your hair behind your ear and rubs his thumb against your chin, “I’m so happy you said yes.”

You feel yourself blushing and growing more and more red from John’s gaze, and you start to giggle like a school-girl; he still makes you so nervous.

“I’m happy you asked me.” you say, smiling wide, “Thought I was gonna have to wait forever.”

“Okay,” John scoffs, then reaches out to pull you closer, and he kisses you tenderly, letting out a small, content sigh, “So, where are Jimmy and Tess?”

“In bed already. She’s tired and not feeling well, so they just went to lay down.” you say and look over at John, “Is everything okay? You said you needed to make a call and then you left the room.”

“Yeah, I just wanted to make sure that job is still available.”

“And it is?” you ask, and John nods. You try to hide your disappointment, but John can see it on your face. “I’m fine.”

“No, you’re not.” he says, pulling you closer to him, “I’m going to be fine.”

“I know, I just…wish I hadn’t practically begged you to take a job while we’re here. We’re on vacation, you shouldn’t be working.”

“But it’s better that I take a job while Jimmy and Tess are here rather than you be here by yourself.” he says and cups your face, “I already made reservations for the three of you tomorrow at this restaurant while I’m gone.”

“That’s sweet of you.”

John decides to stop talking about the job as to not upset you any more, which you're kind of thankful for.

“We should head in, I know you and Tess are going out tomorrow morning.”

“Yeah.” you wrap your arms around John and lean closer to kiss him. He lifts you up, and you wrap your legs around his waist as you tangle your fingers in his hair, “You haven’t fucked me in a different country yet. I mean, you kinda did, but it doesn’t really count.”

“Well,” John turns around to lock the balcony door, and he smiles when he looks back at you, “I better do that right now.”

__

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[douxie-casperan]

It’s finally here, part 2 of this ask for @flamekeeperbellroc The prompt below was specifically requested to be the Heart of Glass AU and it’s not angsty either it’s a miracle!

✂ - A vivid memory

All journeys start with a single step as the saying goes and there may well be some truth to the idea. It had been one that led to the loss of his hand, one where he fell through the portal to escape, many that had led the two of them to Nari and a handful more from there to the safety of a fortress that had become their home for months on end or possibly longer… It is rather difficult to parse the passage of time when nothing changes other than what can be marked with distinctive milestones: The before, the welcome, the beginning, his voice, the replacement. However long it had been however he felt the closest possible to being the before than he ever had despite all the damage and cracks in his head that had been left in it’s wake, something he’d never dared dream was even possible.

The Order’s willingness to allow him to take everything at his own pace was perhaps the greatest of all gifts he’d been given because it seemed that no matter how many times he stumbled or fell there was still that chance there to claw his way back, always managing to reach a little bit further with the unwavering support from more than just his familiar. There were still bad episodes or worse and his ability to sleep soundly remained hellishly erratic but even getting to this point without it would have been simply impossible so he tried to ensure that they knew how thankful and refused to let himself be a burden even during the worst moments particularly when he wasn’t the only one who was suffering. In a secret held only between the two of them he might have even dared starting to think of it like being in a family again but he’s not ready to voice such things aloud, not yet anyway.

What he was planning to do next was simply another step towards finding something to help him once more to being functional yet even the very concept of doing it felt utterly terrifying. Asking was even worse and was much dallied over, preparing for an utter nightmare and now there was only one thing left: leaving.

Something that had come as a surprise to him was it had turned out that it was rather unusual all three of them to be here at once, Nari particularly had a tendency to wander then reappear with gifts she had brought or tales of things she had seen. There was only one present when the time came as it happened, something he was well aware of, though when Bellroc suddenly appears at his side it still manages to startle him so badly that a small dragon around his neck has to gently comfort to help his heart get back into some sort of order from it’s attempt to leap out his throat. They say nothing though do look somewhat apologetic, being around them so often has made it much easier to read their moods if still needing to glance down first sometimes. They wait patiently and only when Archie is given an appreciative scritch do they speak up.

“Do you have all that you require, Hisirdoux?” They ask softly somewhat ruined by the noise of clacking adjusting to watch.

“With your insistence on walking it would be easy enough to underestimate things for anyone.”

“We will manage I am sure, will be like being a kid again just less of the whole running for our lives thing.” He is given a non-committal hmm for that so he quickly continues before it can be taken the wrong way.

“Be nice though even if do have a specific goal in mind, we used to roam wherever we liked with the freedom to simply do as wanted… Maybe that is looking back on things too simply but we both miss it, used to talk a lot about what was beyond the walls late at night and there is a bit of a novelty in finally finding out I admit.”

"Very well. Then if you are to go ahead with your plans I want you to know that this place was never meant to be seen as your prison. Apart from that being a solely human concept you have always been free to leave whenever you wished, after all what would we gain from keeping you here as long as you drew breath? It's a sanctuary from the world outside and always will be forever long you want. I believe you would call it a home."

He doesn’t react at first while carefully deciphering the words then, whether they like it or not, a tight hug is launched Bellroc’s direction forcing Archie to scarper for the hood of his current wear unless he wants to drown in their long feathers declining being part of the action himself. For their part they stand there for a moment, no more idea how to react than the first time this had started happening before tentatively putting their arms around the boy content to allow him decide when the embrace would be over not wanting him to feel they wanted to push him away. As if sensing potential for discomfort they are let go with their personal space returned when Douxie needs a hand free to wipe his eyes clean. Emotions are remaining hard, particularly the happier ones and he is given a gentle nuzzle by the dragon reclaiming his spot.

“Thank you, for everything I mean. You might be able to have peace for a little while…” He doesn’t say anything specifically but images from more humble breakages to alchemical experiments gone horribly wrong spring to mind far louder than the worst things it could have. Perhaps it could be taken as a good sign of starting to heal were anyone to know.

“Quiet is not always a good thing, it will make it all the more obvious you will not be here for a time. Do keep in contact, please? The birds will always find us if it is you who sent for them and while it will not be you personally it will be appreciated knowing how you are getting on.”

“I will remind him if need be.” Douxie shoots him a glare to get only an innocent look in return.

“If one does not go out sooner it will be when we get there minimum. I really do not know how long it will take but I guess that is part of the fun getting to try and clear my head out a bit in the process. I just need to know I can do it, you know?”

“Of course. May your travels be safe, Hisirdoux and Archie, and if you ever run into trouble know there is no place we cannot reach.”

His smile could not have been any wider when he left that day, a knowing reassurance bolstering each and every step.

~

The passage of time it turns out is a lot easier to tell where seasons are marked by the change of colour, the work in the fields or festivities coming and going like the tides supposedly did as the pair passed through village and town. The leaves had started to turn when they left originally and now they dazzled in the richest of golds that only just starting to drop one by one threatening the coming of winter and harder going if they did not make it soon. Thus they would press on anyway with knowing, guided by a simple directional spell and stopping nowhere for any more than a day or two to gather more supplies thanking people for their kindness. One bird was summoned on route carefully done under the cover of darkness lest somebody got the wrong idea, things had soured only further against magic since their disappearance from the world and neither wanted to put themselves into a potential firing line.

Eventually places started to become vaguely familiar cropped up in the form of names though with these also came strange rumours that would make the pair look at one another for a moment as though there was something right in front of them that they simply didn’t have the context to quite match. It didn’t help where they were heading was never mentioned once like it had become somewhere cursed along with the talk of some form of exodus that had happened that still sat on every tongue of the gossipers. From there at least the final stretch led them through a wide valley that bordered on woodland and it felt almost unnaturally clear in how spacious it was in the dip and overrun with both grasses and wildflower seeking to reclaim the space for themselves. It felt almost haunting to even exist there, enough that he pulls his hood down to hide his face pressing on with a quicker step and keeping a wary eye until their feet finally found safety on old roads overrun with weed. It was as though nobody bothered to trek along them anymore even in passing which was strange but as they went the direction they needed they simply shrugged and followed them to wherever they might lead.

There was a saying that all roads lead to Rome, in this particular case the same saying should have been to Camelot except standing here now aside from fading traces of the old stone bridge that stretched across the embarkment there was a gaping hole in the ground and with it any chance of closure it might have wrought had been firmly denied.

His heart drops.

With a quick nod Archie takes to the air while his companion wanders as closely as he dares to the edge not trusting it entirely. It is poked with a foot to make sure it is not some form of elaborate illusion given who one of the former residents was only to receive confirmation from both that and the dragon’s shouting that there was nothing there despite a place large as Camelot was simply could not disappear, it was simply impossible. His magic begins to crackle with his anger showing his mood even before his outburst does.

“I mean how do you lose an entire kingdom?!”

With a mutter Douxie reaches into the small pack to retrieve a small orb and smashes it firmly between his palms then allows the breeze take the remnants away to wherever they please. With here now being distinctly absent hopefully there will be another on the network still able to pick up the signal, he had promised to send one after getting here but well who knows what exactly they would make of this particular development?  Because despite standing right in front of it not a single thing that made any sense was springing to mind and he was completely at a loss of what to do next.

[chrysaliseuro2019]

Shaken And A Little Bit Stirred

Our three weeks in Greece has gone by in the wink of an eye. We have loved all of it. While Milos has been our least favourite (but still very enjoyable), Folegandros was scenically stunning and the town intimate and magical. Little streets and alleys lead into squares and while tourists have definitely found it, it’s lovely to see the locals having hung on to their little houses, out on their porches in the evenings chatting away. The tourist crowd are mainly couples or families so no pumping dance music to detract from the gentle vibe.

The Peloponnese is a must-see and I hope this has come through in the blog. As a tourist in July wanting to go where the crowds aren’t this is the place. And there is something for everyone; history buffs, museum enthusiasts, hardy hikers or beach sloths. So much to see, so much to do and a month there would not feel too long.

But today we leave and it’s a mega travel day so up and about doing chores. First off was shuffling the odd piece of still damp washing on our balcony washing line (one of the small and welcome creature comforts of an extended holiday) to take full advantage of sun and breeze. Then packing of cases which is becoming increasingly strategic commensurate with additional purchases, followed by getting the hotel to print out our flight boarding passes. Breakfast, then the final odds ‘n sods into the cases in readiness for our lift from Hotel Riga’s to the port.

Hotel Rigas was delightful. While only 2 stars, the room and balcony were enormous. But the bathroom this time was the size of 2 telephone booths and only room for one person due to an oversized awkwardly placed door which to close you practically had to stand on the toilet. Fortunately after 36 years of marriage, modesty is a concern long forgotten. The staff were the real standout with brother Panos and Christos the front office charmers. But the real star of the show was the housekeeper, who when we returned to the room after our first day out, had hung up our clothes, put things away in cupboards and done a through tidy up. It felt like mum had been in doing a Spring clean . I wanted to pay her one way fare to Fergie Street.

Ferry due to leave at 11.25am and arrived only 10 minutes late which was a relief. Systematic disembarkment for the Milos foot passenger and car arrivals followed by and orderly boarding by those leaving. This was in stark contrast to the Athens leaving fiasco necessitating dashing hither and thither avoiding a reversing oil tanker, taxis, buses, boxes on the wharf, cases, the passenger carrying a canary in a cage and a lot of agitated passengers. Piraeus Port Authority could do worse than do a study trip to a few islands for a few tips on traffic management.

Ferry went via nearby islands Sifnos & Serifos gradually filling on its way to Piraeus. Happily the sea was calm and the boat steady with the 4 hours passing quickly and uneventfully. Food onboard was also worthy of mention for the wrong reason. We shared a smoked turkey, cheese and mayo sandwich. The less said about that the better.

The TVs were showing some FINA Watersport competitions including the Greeks versus the Sth Koreans at water polo. It was Goliaths vs The Punes. The score of 13-2 representative of the physical strength imbalance. Chris was surprised the Punes didn’t turn tail and head straight back to Sth Korea when they caught sight of their opposition. Next on were the prissy-glittery-glammed-up teams of synchronised swimmers. We were half watching it (Chinese coming first followed by the Japanese, who we thought only average, then Ukraine) when the TVs changed to another station. Because all Greek discussion is loud and intense (and our Greek has not progressed beyond yassas and efcharistó) we had no idea whether it was the Midday Show, a regular news bulletin or some current affairs show. With no more synchronised swimming our books got 100% attention until we docked at 3.30pm.

Things were going too well for them to last. So they didn’t. With our ferry due at Piraeus at 3.30pm and our flight to Rome via Trieste due to depart at 7.10pm it was going to be a bit tight to take a train so we’d contacted a car transfer company which sends quotes. First quote arrived on Tuesday for £65 then decreased incrementally over the 3 days to £30. There seemed to be no time limit as to when you could accept the offer so we made sure the ferry was (a) going at all and (b) not delayed before we committed. As soon as we sailed we booked the transfer and emailed the driver to confirm the booking advising what ferry we were on expecting someone to be there when we arrived

Needless to say they weren’t. Port of Piraeus is not our happy place. Meanwhile my phone reconnected to the internet and I received a message from our niece asking if we were ok after hearing about the earthquake. I didn’t think anything more of it.

Meanwhile I put in a phone call to our organised driver who knew nothing of the booking and said he would call me back. Five minutes and no call back so I called him back only for it to ring out. Chris called him but the +44 English prefix probably gave it away cos he didn’t pick up that call either. So several calls to the company who didn’t seem be able to sort a driver resulting in my ire being raised about taking bookings that can’t be filled etc. We await a refund. But the bigger problem was time was on the wing and it was now 4.30pm so we went in search of a taxi.

Taxis in the port area were all pre booked so we found a taxi rank and asked the price. €80/$120!! Tell them they’re dreaming! Already pissed off about pre-booked driver no-show I got into a debate with the driver saying “We would take the taxi and trust the metre”. His bluff was ”It would be more expensive”. I countered “That would work better for you and we’ll take our chances”. His final response was “Take the bus lady” so we walked off in principle. (Think Chris reading my mood thought silence was his safest option.) I asked his mate also in the taxi queue but it was clearly a cartel cos he looked sheepish as he quoted the same which saved him losing face in front of his thieving mate. At this stage I thought my principles might cost us dearly with a missed flight (and I’d have a lot of apologising to do and a lot of extra Holmesglen shifts to cover the cost of lost flights) when we tried to flag down a taxi joining the rank who waved us off. But sometimes sticking to your guns pays off because a little modern Mercedes came around the corner driven by a taxi angel called Lorenzo who stopped as we waved him down. Quote €50. Deal! As he was loading the bags Lorenzo excitedly asked us if we���d felt the earthquake. So this explained the change of TV programming and the text message checking in on us. At around 2pm central Athens had experienced a 5.6 earthquake followed by aftershocks. We googled it and sure enough it was Athens’ first earthquake since the one in 1990 which resulted in 146 deaths and many more injured. Lorenzo who was driving through the city at the time said you don’t feel the movement of an earthquake when driving so he wasn’t aware what was happening. He said people were running out of buildings and dropping to the ground causing him to wonder if it was a terrorist attack. Fortunately there seemed to be no damage and deaths this time.

We were finally on our way to the airport with Lorenzo who determined the usually fast freeway route was jammed (we assumed as a response to the earthquake) taking 1.45 hours so the slower coastal route was a better option. The traffic around Piraeus was appalling but this bloke had the same traffic mindset as Chris....never, ever, ever sit in a traffic jam. We belted down bumpy narrow backroads made even narrower with cars parked on either side as we avoided the bottleneck around the port. The traffic was still heavily congested but our driver took every advantage of space by cutting in at the front of queues, forming extra turning lanes etc. It was quite the performance.

Not only was he determined to deliver us to the airport on time, he loved a chat. He was an Albanian in his mid 30’s married to a Greek with with two primary school aged children. He had been a semi professional soccer goalkeeper and along with taxi driving worked as a goal keeper coach. He proudly told us that only goal keepers can coach the skills of goal keeping. Lorenzo kept us entertained with stories saying when he was young he was popular because he wanted to play keeper whereas it was usually the fat kids who were lumped into that role because all the aspiring Ronaldos wanted to be the goal kicking stars. Another one we enjoyed was that his father used to regularly dink him 24 kilometres on the back of his pushbike in Albania to see a soccer match. The distance wasn’t the only issue as the roads built by the Italians post WW2 hadn’t received any attention from the communist government leaving them rutted, potholed and crumbling. Lorenzo and his dad’s bums must have been black and blue after those 48 kilometre round trips. He was also very interested in our lives so by the time we arrived at the airport at 5.50pm we were thoroughly relaxed with our faith in taxi drivers restored. We happily handed him €60 which he thought generous. We felt certain we were on the better end of that deal.

Flight to Trieste had a Rome stopover. The first leg to Rome left on time and was fine. After landing when the seat belt lights were switched the bloke beside me on the window side stood impatient to get off and leaned all over the top of me breathing heavily - he was not a small man. Usually I would get up too but with leg room being tight and row 24 being towards the back of the plane I stayed seated waiting for the 23 rows ahead to get themselves organised. This did not please bully boy next to me. After putting up with him literally right over the top of me panting I eventually stood at my middle seat. He took this as an opportunity to lean over me attempting to reach up into the luggage hold to drag his oversized case down. With the two irksome experiences at Piraeus still rankling I was not in the mood to be hassled. I refused to move and pushed back against him thwarting his attempts. When I finally moved out toward the aisle he reached over and dragged the case down telling me to move off before the people from the row in front. I told him in no uncertain terms I wasn’t moving until they were out of their seats in to aisle. Could excuse him if he was a peasant or had another flight to catch, but indeed he was well dressed and did not go to transit when we got off. That made 3 strikes with the no-show and thieving taxi driver so my patience was sorely tested.

Fortunately for everyone, probably most of all Chris who’s cage doesn’t generally get as rattled as mine, we had a spare seat for the next flight.

Landed at Trieste just before 11pm so had been on the go for 12 hours. Luggage arrived quickly making a dash to catch the 11.15pm train possible. We arrived at the station with the train pulling in. However we hadn’t had a chance to purchase tickets and with the machine caught in a loop, the train stopping for less than a minute and the guard less than helpful with advice we had to let it go. The only tip he gave us was not to buy the tickets on train as they were €50 more expensive that way (sounds to me like a euphemism for fine). Gave up on the train, taxis €60 (A$100) so not prepared to pay that. Instead we waited and caught the bus whose ticket machine also wasn’t working. No machine =no pay. Suited us. Took 45 minutes to get to TriesTe central station but enjoyed talking to a young helpful Slovenian man who had lived in Sydney for 3 months and a young Romanian woman who works as a purser on one of the small cruise boats that was hit by the big liner in Venice recently. Fortunately for her she was on leave at the time.

Grateful that Chris had booked our hotel not 5 minutes walk from Central Station. To top it all off our room stunk off cigarette smoke and the window shutters refused to open. Night manager couldn’t open them either so a quick move into neighbouring room which proved to be far nicer. Needless to say both knackered. Hope the travel Gods go gently on us tomorrow.

[kootenaygoon]

So,

Paisley needed a break.

We’d weaved our way on to the Fractal Forest dance floor around midnight, and we’d been half-dancing awkwardly for maybe two minutes, when she grabbed my hand and nodded her head towards the exit. There was a slight tinge of panic in her eyes. I followed her through wet surging bodies, trying to breathe through my mouth, shoving people out of the way with one hand. It smelled like cocaine farts and Axe body spray, like next-level B.O. and stinky skunk weed all mixed together. I was finding there were so many sensations coming at me I could only really focus on one at a time. I was trying to will myself into the moment, trying to share in this pseudo-religious party vibe. Each stage really did feel like a church, or a temple, or some pagan altar from thousands of years ago. You got the feeling that this place would be ideal for sacrificing live humans to the Sun Gods, to cut out still-beating hearts with ceremonial blades and display them dripping for the ravenous hordes.

“I’m sorry, Will, I just don’t like it. It’s too loud, it’s too much, it smells so bad. I don’t know, maybe I shouldn’t have come, maybe this was stupid,” Paisley said, once we’d reached a shadowy clearing just off the dance floor.

“I’m obviously not a Shambhala person.”

“Don’t say that. Listen, nobody’s judging you, okay? Everyone’s just trying to support everyone else in having a good time. It’s not an exclusive club.”

“You sound like you’re totally buying into it.”

“I’m trying to understand the culture, babe. I mean obviously this isn’t my scene, but when in Rome, right?”

She sighed. “I think I’ve gotta go to bed. I can’t do any more of this. Can you take me back to the RAV? I don’t think I can find it in the dark.”

I wasn’t surprised that Shambhala was lost on Paisley. She often compared herself to Piglet, as she shared his easily flustered personality. She liked her nest at home with Muppet and Buster, where she didn’t have to navigate too many personalities and things were fairly predictable. Because of her health issues she was fragile, and didn’t always sleep properly through the night. When she first suggested accompanying me I’d been reluctant to discourage her because I didn’t want her to feel like I’d rather go alone, and I figured she would ultimately flake out at the last minute. But in the weeks leading up to it she started to get excited, looking up outfits on Pinterest and endlessly researching on her iPad. She took us out to purchase spirit hoods, something she’d read about online, and now we were hiking across the Salmo River Ranch with bison and elk horns jutting from our skulls. I took her hand and led her through the vendor area, where hundreds of people were milling in line to purchase hot dogs, nachos, Thai food. We passed by the Pagoda Stage, transitioning from one audio soundscape to another, and then through a looming archway topped with Shambhala’s owl logo. 

Paisley and I walked by a psychedelic pirate ship with people hooting and dancing in the prow, down a long line of trailers and out into the wide open camping area. There were enough tents stretched out into the distance to sleep an invading army.  

“I’m worried about Muppet and Buster, do you think they’re okay?” 

“Of course they’re okay. They’re with Tamara.”

“I’m sorry I’m being such a wet blanket. I’m totally ruining the party.”

“You’re not ruining the party, duck.”

“Yes I am, I’m so pathetic. I can’t even have fun anymore.”

“You’re not pathetic, okay? Look at us, we’re having a nice time. This was a nice day, we saw a bunch of cool things, and now we’re going back to the RAV to sleep just as planned. There’s nothing to be upset about.”

“Are you sure?”

As we passed through an intersection another kilometre down the road, a volunteer in an orange vest motioned for us to stop. A giant truck rumbled by, rattling loudly, with water gushing out behind it. This was to keep the dust down, I’d learned earlier, because at times walking from one stage to the next was like being swept up in a sandstorm. While we waited for it to pass a small crowd gathered around us, including a guy who was only wearing a tube sock. Two bikini-clad girls in combat boots were standing beside him, looking surly. The music continued to chug through the trees like some nightmarish science fiction machine gone bonkers.

“Are we lost?”

“No, we’re not lost.”

“You know where we’re parked, right? We’re not going to get lost? There are like no lights anywhere.”

“It’s a ranch.”

“I know it’s a ranch, I’m just saying this feels a little sketchy.”

“It’s not sketchy.”

“What if some druggie freak like comes to rape me?”

“I’m here, and I’ll make sure nobody fucks with you, okay? We’re just spending the one night here and then we’re back to our little refuge with the dogs. Focus on that, okay?”

“This was a bad idea, coming here.”

“There’s no reason to be negative. It wasn’t a bad idea, it was just an experience and pretty soon the experience will be over and you’ll be fine, okay? You’re not going to feel like this tomorrow.”

She took a deep breath. “Okay, you’re right.”

Paisley got like this sometimes, with the hyper-anxiety, which was one of the reasons I was concerned about her cannabis use. We’d both proclaimed our intent to quit multiple times in the past six months, but we couldn’t seem to kick it. We were excellent at sabotaging each other, at justifying why we should be forgiven for just having a puff or two here and there. I was starting to feel like I’d permanently altered my personality, like I’d lost a piece of myself, but then I’d tell myself that was my religious upbringing talking. That was anti-cannabis propaganda. Weed wasn’t what they said it was, it wasn’t this soul-stealing sin like I’d been taught in church. It just calmed me, took care of me, carried me through experiences I didn’t feel like I could get through otherwise. I could never judge Paisley for her need, especially knowing how much pain she’d been through since I met her. 

She deserved her medicine. 

“You know what the craziest thing was?” Paisley asked, as we hiked diagonally down a row of campsites. A few of them were lit up, with people sprawled out in lawn chairs and blaring their music.

“From tonight, you mean?”

“That spider-woman, the one that was hanging upside down. I couldn’t even tell which of the legs were real and which were fake. You know how hard it would be to do that, like dance upside down in midair?”

“I could see you doing something like that, becoming a little festival dancer.”

“Fuck off.”

“I mean it, with your burlesque experience and everything, you could probably at least get one of the gigs where you play with a glow-in-the-dark hoop or whatever. Can you imagine what your Mom would say?”

She laughed, and it was a lovely sound. Being with Paisley meant learning how to successfully navigate her emotional transitions, and nobody could do that better than me. The woman had the most intense emotions I’d ever experienced in another human, and they could be overwhelming to encounter, but they always passed eventually. Then I was left with my adorable stoner girlfriend, the woman I’d literally crossed a continent for, my muse. She was my past, present and future.

Eventually we found the RAV, and we sat in the open back door to smoke a moonlit joint. I chugged two bottles of water, then got up to pace in the grass. Paisley was wrapped in a blanket, looking content. The music was fainter now, chugging and whirring, while multi-coloured lasers swooped through the clouds. I’d been told that the stages play music for 20 hours a day, so the party wouldn’t be shutting down any time soon. Paisley was ready for bed, but I was jacked up on Red Bull and ready to mingle with strangers. After crawling inside to tuck her in, I told her I was going to take a walk around the grounds. I wouldn’t be gone long, I said, I just wanted to tire myself out.

“And you’re not going to do anything crazy?”

“Of course not.”

The Kootenay Goon

[bighandslittlefeet]

Hello Everyone!

So we left Sydney in Val the Van and have been on the road for six days now! It's been marvellous. We’re not sad to see the back of Sydney, serving coffees and running escape rooms can only hold your interest for so long, and I think we packed in all of the good touristy stuff in the first two weeks, so by the end of two months we were definitely hankering for something new! We’re sad to say goodbye to our friends and new work colleagues of course, but the open road beckoned, and on Sunday we set off in a freshly packed Val. We made a short stop for coffee at Four Brothers for Espresso and had a cheeky egg and bacon sarnie and then began the journey properly.

We headed south to go north, hitting up Jervis bay as we had been told by numerous folk that it was truly unmissable. It took us a good five hours to get down, owing to bad traffic on the main highway, it looked to us in passing that a lorry driver had had a serious near miss and was on the side of the road shedding tears to a police officer, meanwhile, we were all diverted down into the valley and onto the b roads. A lot of traffic wound its way through two very picturesque, but very small, seaside towns. Eventually though we made our way out of Sydney and further and further south.

Jervis bay is a nature reserve park with stunning beaches known for their high silica content which keeps them cool and makes them brilliantly white to look at. As we arrived at the park boundary we decided to buy a two day pass, after talking with a really nice park keeper who was sure that the campsites inside the park were a rip off and we’d do much better commuting in and out. So we drove in, the road becoming less and less sealed, further and further, the bush growing more and more tangled and dense. We came to the end of the road. The far end of the peninsula. The furthest beach. We did the obligatory suncreaming and made for the nearest beach. The view was stunning. A sweeping bay with white sands as far as could be seen interspersed with pockets of green and rocky outcroppings encroaching on the shore. We soon realised that this particular edge had quite a lot of rocks and weeds in the amazingly clear water and made our way back to Val, and proceeded to the other side of the headland. This beach, similar in beauty, was replete with a smattering of folks, swimming, eating, sunbathing, and so we felt more comfortable getting out togs off and jumping in. Val came with a full face mask snorkelling kit and two other normal snorkel masks and mouthpieces, so we took the opportunity, as recommended gain by friends, to do a bit of snorkelling. It was chilly water, but gloriously clear. We could see small silvery fish about a handspan in length, and a few jellies here and there. The sand quickly dropped away into the bay and we stuck to the shallows. Later, reading a pamphlet on the beach we would find that we were meant to always face the sea, as sharks were regular guests of the bays! Luckily we were spared any sightings that day!

After a short nap on the sand and a dry off in the early afternoon sunshine we made our way back out of the park. We drove to Hyams beach, another stunner, but the sun was beginning to get low on the horizon and we were starting to get peckish. We made our way to a shop to pick up foodie stuff, the plan was to make a bit of a mexican feast, poached chicken, smoky pepper mole, quac, salsa, blackened corn, and warmed mini tacos. We then made our way over to another site we had identified at bream beach. We couldn’t have done any better, well priced, on the edge of a lake and the people who greeted us were so super friendly. And the kangaroos. They lived on the site. 15 of them, just out of season, so there were some very small young ones! Very cute and very friendly. We watched the sunset with a glass of wine and had leftovers as it was too late to cook.

The next day we headed back into the park. We headed to steamer’s bay, a secluded beach a bit of a hike from the nearest parking spot. It was recommended no swimming, and as we crested the hill we could see why, the beach ran long and shallow and must have had quite a significant drop off as the swell was immense, waves taller than our heads relentlessly crashed onto the beach. We descended the steep staircase into the bay and walked the beaches length and breadth before turning back to the staircase and the walk back to Val. That night we made the feast and ate very well indeed. The next morning we set our sights on hunter valley, a location renowned for its wine and more importantly north of Sydney. We set off and broke the journey for a coffee and a bite in Wollongong, a small seaside town just south of Sydney. A lovely cafe playing Paolo Nutini, served great coffee and a bacon and egg roll - scrambled this time, not fried, and with a nice tomato relish. The BNE as they are called here, seems to the staple of cafes rather than the BLT, as in the UK. I think it is rather excellent. The time in Wollongong was rounded off with a walk up to a lighthouse and along the coast for a little stretch before once again we headed back towards Val. Some of you may know that Becca and I have a collaborative Google map on which we have been bookmarking places to see and go on this trip and we actually had one marked for this town. As we walked back through town to the car park, we passed Chicko’s a fried chicken hut - we couldn’t remember for the life of us why we had tagged it but it looked like it was doing roaring trade. We would have had some had it not been for the lovely food we had just had! And also, fried chicken mid morning seemed a little odd!

Back on the road we blasted the tunes until we climbed the foothills, into the mountains, and finally the valley. An uncanny sense of deja vu took over as it seemed we were transported into the South of France, vineyards and gateways with no fences, lined the route sporadically. Until we hit the towns which were a strange american cultural mix, I could have been in France, although driving on the wrong side of the road! We pulled into the campsite we had booked and set up camp, the temperature was cooler here, and so we shrugged on some jackets and walked across the way to a brewery. We got a tasting platter of local brewed beers, reasoning that tomorrow we could do the wines. We sat and chatted as the sun gto lower and lower in the sky and decided to have a bite to eat at the brewery. A very satisfactory fish and chips and chicken parmo later, and we were contentedly strolling back to camp for a deep sleep.

The next day we did our first campsite wash. The temperature was up so the clothes hung in the sun and were dry in no time. We were soon picked up by our tour which we had booked in Sydney a few weeks ago as a sort of early Christmas treat to ourselves. When in Rome… The tour had been recommended by a friend and was run by a winery/restaurant known as Two Fat Blokes. Julie, our van driver came picked us up at the gates of our site and warned us that today we would be drinking around a bottle and a half of wine each and so had plenty of water on hand - we rubbed our hands with glee. The other couples on the bus were Swiss and American and we picked up a trio of Irish women before making our first wine stop at Leogate. The nine of us sat at a long table outside under a shaded canopy and we were served a flight of 10 or so wines of varying styles and ages. They were all young and fruity and really quite nice. My old world sensibilities have definitely been eroded by this experience. We barreled back into the van, after a few obligatory photos of the vines with the mountains in the background, and began the drive to the next cellar door. Conversation was much more lubricated, thanks I am sure in no small part to the copious quantities of wine just imbibed on near empty stomachs, and we began to chat with the Americans, who turned out to be an Australian and an American who had been dating long distance and were here during their week together. I was asked who my team was, which I had no reply to, until Becca told me he was enquiring about football - at which point I was at even more of a loss. Grasping at straws I related how many people in the UK seemed to be interested in the NFL now, and I myself had picked up a t-shirt at a charity shop which I had been reliably informed was to do with an american sports team, but which I had bought because of its florid tie-dyed aesthetic.

The bus rounded the corner and we were suddenly in a spanish villa. An uncanny sense of deja vu washed over me again, as were were ushered through large oak doors into a high vaulted room. The dude who lead our tasting this time had a very nice pair of DMs on and was a pretty chilled and nice guy. Another flight of wines and we were soon in the van on our way to the two fat blokes pop up restaurant where we had been promised not only nine more wines to taste but also a flight of tasty cheeses to accompany them. The cheese was phenomenal. I’m proud to say the best of the cheese was imported from good ole europe! It was stunning. A real range, and all of them worked very well together on the palate. A new cheese, which I had not had before - a labna, was incredibly creamy and flavoured with a light floral tang. The smoky, the creamy, all went together with the light, the fruity, the well bodied, the red, the white, the rose, and the liqueurs that were placed before us. Placed by, frankly, our alcoholic guide, who admitted to always having at least ten of such and such a bottle on standby, and could happy put away a bottle or two of x and y wines by herself! Much respect. The tasting was made all the more hilarious by the bunch of Irish lasses who had the most amazingly over the top reactions to every cheese we had, it was either ‘the best fucking cheese I have ever tasted, oh my god, Sairosie, have you actually tried this cheese, it's incredible’ to ‘it literally tastes like, and you’ll forgive me for saying this - bird shite’. It was a hoot.

We were the first to be dropped off by the van and we settled into the van quite merrily, making our pre-planned ham and cheese toasties as our designated drunk food. But! These were no ordinary ham and cheese toasties!! As I set about making the roux to form the basis of the cheese sauce, Becca sliced the sourdough breads and began buttering every side. Soon we could begin construction. A doorstop slice of bread, a smear of the cheese sauce, a slice of edam, a few slices of chunky deli ham, a slice of edam, another smear of the mustardy cheese sauce, and finally another double buttered sourdough slice to complete the architectural marvel. Straight to a hot pan, toasted to a golden crisp on both sides, the innards, steaming and goopy. A triumph if we don’t mind saying so ourselves.

The next day we took to the road, bidding goodbye to our strange little campsite in the rolling vines of Hunter Valley. We made a stop at the two wineries we had visited prior to the two fat blokes stop and bought a couple of bottles for Christmas. We then made our way over to Nelson Bay. We spent some time durdling around on a very lovely beach and then made our way up to the headland lighthouse which had stunning views of the bay. We had a spider - an australian coke float, and shared some scones and cream. A questionable variant on the British Cream tea, to be sure. That night we found ourselves in a lovely beachside campsite next to the beach. We tried for another walk but the wind was so strong that it was like being sandblasted. We quickly gave up and turned in as the sun set. That night we found the joys of staying in a powered site, the next day all of our gear was fully charged and the fridge was lovely and cold, now flashing error signs for us as the second battery contended with watery first morning light falling on the solar panel. We set off towards Seal rocks, our next stop, having been recommended a campsite there known as Treachery Camp, by a colleague of Becca’s in Sydney. En route we decided to have lunch at the Rick stein signature restaurant. We hadn’t had any fresh fish yet and we had been looking forward to it down here. So we opted for a fancy meal to treat ourselves. We drank sparkling water on the balcony and ate spiced crab and wonderfully fried fresh fish, and bbq’d king prawns. It was fab!

Soon again we were on the road, barreling along the edge of lakes, and through winding twilight forests. Before we knew what hit us we hit the unsealed road and poor Valerie began to bounce and scream like no-ones business! We slowed to a five km/h crawl and still felt like we were sat on a giant washing machine. After a three kilometre stretch we hit the campsite and found ourselves in the midst of the remains of a festival type hangover. To top it off we were told that they didn’t assign sites we just had to find a spot ourselves. We were a little stressed and found ourselves between some trees - which we soon found out dappled our solar panel! We set out for the beach which was desolate, windy and beautiful. But alas we had no signal and had not expected being without it so couldn’t contact family to let them know we’d be off grid for two days. We didn’t feel like decamping either - only wanting to put Val through that dirt track once more when we left. We made some cracking food though, a very tasty cassoulet, and soon the rabble rousing crowd left and it became a much more young family beach vibe place. We grew more comfortable and relaxed.

We rattled our way back down the unsealed road two mornings later and were soon back on the road towards Port Macquarie. And I’ll leave you with this little tidbit of the next installment - koalas, friends and drinking - oh my.

With Love, Hugs, Spotty Signal and Low Battery Level Power Packs,

Sam and Becca

X

[chonideno]

let me tell you a story about writing to entertain you in these trying writers block times. I started writing in 2006, a mixture of terrible poems (I was in highschool) and stuff for an online RP board. I didn't have other hobbies, and someone else on the board who was a little older and more well-read kinda took me under their wing and gave feedback for every self-contained story chapter I wrote, which helped me get much better fairly quick, it was a good time. at one point i wrote and edited -

two thousand words in two hours, which i am (obviously) still somewhat smug about. I kinda plateaued but got better again in senior year when my english teacher was able to drill the value of being explicitly clear and also concise into my skull. After I graduated I took a few courses at the local community college but didn't really get anything out of them, so I started doing "content generation", writing product descriptions on walmart's site for 4$ a piece, search engine abuse included -

- so I stopped writing for fun and lived a decent life of working casually and quickly for a few hours a day and otherwise drinking and playing video games. I had a good time, but eventually the work dried out, and I had spent three years "writing" every day, but it wasn't writing, it was "content generation", and doing it required intentionally bad writing practices (I had minimum word counts, for example), so I've written a self-indulgent thing here or there since then on my phone etc -

- only in the last few months did I actually really want to write again, and I found myself with a surprise. I didn't (don't?) know how to write anymore. It's been about five years since that job but it's like it damaged me in such a fundamental way that I've been genuinely thinking of the writing I've been doing lately as physical rehab, basically. When I started again I had the thought "oh right, the audience won't know what happens if i don't tell them" because that's the level i'm back on -

- so "Writing is the worst thing i've ever done to myself" style memes never really got me before but man, these last few months they have been T H E M O O D. Anyway I hope you enjoyed my tale of woe and having to relearn basic facts about writing like "show or tell, you have to do one of them, one might be better than the other BUT YOU HAVE TO DO ONE OF THEM", i guess the point here being you aren't alone in "i want write, why can't???" feels.

You know this is so interesting because I was just talking with a good pal about how our blocks feel very different, and this is yet another example of how all damn roads lead to Rome. My block definitely feels very different from yours, which, duh, obviously, we have different experiences with writing, but in the end we scream the same thing. That’s p cool I think. It’s a unifying experience. 

Relearning how to write it the worst but it happens all the time to anyone who’s trying to improve, so what I mean is, you’re on the right track.

[gregkatepetegowest]

The Beginning of the End - Yellowstone

Alert: This is going to be a long one. I am going to try to include lots of detail so when someone asks me about what to do in Yellowstone I can just send them here.

Our drive from Idaho Falls to The Yellowstone River Motel was just under three hours with 1.5 of those hours driving through the park. We lucked out with the weather that day as it was in the low 60’s and overcast (perfect weather for safely leaving Greg in the car for a few minutes). Once we realized we would be driving through the park for 1.5 hours regardless we decided to make some stops so we would have less to cram into the next two days. We stopped off at numerous hot springs and geysers with the highlight for me being Artist Paint Pots. “Paint Pots” are basically little geysers that have heated the rock up enough to melt it and turn it into a mud/clay like substance. They bubble and shoot this mud/clay substance into the air. It’s mildly addicting to watch. After we had our fill of hot springs and geysers for the day, we continued north to the park exit. A few miles before the park exit, we hit a ton of traffic. Someone told me before our visit that if there are traffic jams and cars pulled over, to keep your eyes peeled. Since we were Yellowstone rookies we almost kept driving (also because Pete was stressing about work), but, at the last second, I saw a spot to pull off so we did. We got out of the car and tried to act like we knew what everyone was staring at. Then we saw it! A little chunky black bear rummaging around in the bushes below us. We watched the bear do bear things for a while and then hit the road, feeling lucky we had seen a bear so soon into our time in Yellowstone. The lucky feeling was still fresh when Pete spotted another bear, potentially a small grizzly, running along a ridgeline a half mile before the park exit (and very close to town).

Initially, I really wanted to stay in West Yellowstone. The road throughout the park is set up like a figure eight and the West Yellowstone park entrance is the most central. If you stay in West Yellowstone, you can essentially see/do all the major sites/hikes without ever having to backtrack driving wise. Of course, because I waited so long to book accommodations (and because we had a dog with us) there were no available accommodations in West Yellowstone, or really ANYWHERE. Planning Yellowstone was probably the biggest trip stressor for me once I realized we might be staying 40+ minutes away from a park entrance. Through extensive internet searching, I found the Yellowstone River Motel, which is located in Gardiner, MT. The only way to make reservations is to call them (CAN YOU EVEN IMAGINE) and I truly think that’s the only reason I ended up securing a room. The motel was awesome. Dated, but clean and steps away from the north park entrance. The motel was also right on the Yellowstone River and had an amazing patio/yard space with grills, picnic tables, chairs, etc. Highly recommend staying here if you want to save a few dollars and stay right outside the park. Also, no sales tax in MT so win win.

After five or six stops in the park on our way to the motel, we arrived around 5 pm. Pete had an angry client so he needed to send a tax return out so this man-child would stop sending him angry emails. Most restaurants in Gardiner that were within walking distance closed at 8 pm on week nights so we had very limited food options since Pete didn’t wrap up work until 7:30 pm or so. We discovered the Iron Horse Saloon was open later and a short walk from us so we headed there. The bar/restaurant was right on the Yellowstone River and had a huge deck overlooking the river. We had to wait to be seated so we got a drink and stared at the river, which was lovely. The food was decent and cheap and we are easy to please. Pete got an elk burger because when in Rome! I would recommend this place if you are visiting Yellowstone/staying in Gardiner. No other establishment offers river views like Iron Horse. After dinner, we got right into bed because the plan was to get up EARLY and head to Lamar Valley in hopes of seeing some wildlife. Lamar Valley is where a lot of bison hang out which brings the bears, wolves, coyotes, etc.

Our alarm was set for 4:50 am and sunrise was at 5:30 am. This is where we went wrong. Lamar Valley was an hour drive from us and we should have planned to be there at 5:30/5:45 am. Seems crazy but that truly gives you the best chance to see some action. Alas, we were up walking Greg by 5:20 am or so. I was on high alert for bears and elk. The elk are EVERYWHERE in Gardiner and they are used to people but they will be aggressive if they feel threatened. My worry is always Greg acting a fool and causing an animal to come after us. Luckily, we mostly saw elk from afar on this walk. However, we were walking down a little bank towards the river when Pete pointed out a tiny deer on the hillside. I assured him it was fake because it was so still and looked exactly like those fake deer people set up in their yards to use for target practice. We continued on and when we looped back Pete pointed to the fake deer who hadn’t moved at all with the exception of it’s head so it could watch us. Long story short, the deer wasn’t fake and luckily it was a doe so she just stood like a statue and waited for us to leave her alone. From here, we dropped Greg off and headed to Lamar Valley.

The drive through the park at this early hour was a breeze. I cannot stress enough, especially in Yellowstone, that the earlier you make it into the park the better. We were in the valley by 7 am. Lamar Valley is gorgeous and this was both Pete and I’s favorite part of Yellowstone. You are away from the crowds and it’s quiet and peaceful (if you’re there early or late). Upon arriving to the valley, we realized we were idiots because we didn’t have binoculars. Literally every single other people/couple we saw had binoculars. UGH! Regardless, we had a wonderful morning despite only seeing bison. We left around 9 am to get back to take Greg out before horseback riding at 11 am.

We arrived to Hell’s- A-Roarin’ ranch just before 11 am after driving 10 miles up an unpaved mountain road. We had scheduled a two-hour ride around the mountain. We waited around a bit before getting on our horses. Pete was assigned Jimmy and I was assigned Pet. We started out and three minutes into the ride, Jimmy was kicked by another jerk horse, which of course caused him to jump sideways. Pedro handled it like the true cowboy he is, but I wondered how the next hour and fifty seven minutes would go. Two minutes after this incident, one of the guides/fake cowboys gives me the heads up that Pet was very bad on a ride earlier and “needs her space” or she’ll kick. Oh great. So now I have one hour and fifty four minutes to worry about Pet kicking another horse and potentially causing someone else to fall off/get hurt. We trudged onward and I warned anyone around me to stay back from Pet’s booty or else. Luckily, she did give signals when she was getting angry and, because I grew up riding horses, I could read these signals. Halfway through the ride I decided it was best for mine and Pet’s anxieties if we moved into the caboose position so that’s what we did and we had no incidents, thankfully!

Back to Pete and Jimmy… I really didn’t see Pete much during the ride. On trail rides, the horses typically have “friends” who they like to walk near so you are supposed to let them choose their marching order. I’ll let Pete step in here to give you the 4-1-1 on Jimmy’s overall disposition:

Jimmy is a stubborn and tired old horse. He only has one speed and it’s just slightly faster than the horses in front of him. Despite my continuous pulls on his reigns, he refused to give the other horses their space, preferring to ride up on their hind sides until his nose was nearly touching their rears. He would slow down momentarily and in a matter of seconds we would be back where we started. We spent time near the front of the pack, at the back of the pack, and eventually ended up somewhere in the middle. Jimmy didn’t seem to have any “friends” and couldn’t seem to find his place in the marching order. He mostly followed my lead, but I could tell he didn’t care much for me.

Throughout the ride, the guides/cowboys chatted us up. They were both super young (17 and 22) and lived on the ranch. They all bunked up in a basement together similar to the depiction in Paramount’s series, Yellowstone. Guide one, Logan, was 22 and from South Carolina. He was heading into his senior year at Clemson and was doing this for the summer before joining the rest of us in the rat race. Prior to earlier this spring, he had no experience riding horses. Guide 2, Hanley, was 17 and from outside of Billings, MT. He was… a “good ole boy” if you know what I mean. He meant well but was annoying AF and talked to me for at least 20 minutes which was painful. He grew up on a ranch and recently dropped out of high school, because another student had “disrespected” our flag and/or anthem. He worked his way among the group, telling the same stories over and over about killing rattlesnakes, rodeo injuries, and about that one time last year when he dropped out of high school.

The ride continued and, at this point, I was wishing it was one hour and not two. The ride was very slow. Many stops to wait for people who didn’t really have control of their horse (horses going of the path, stopping to eat grass, etc.). Finally, though, we were in the home stretch back to the ranch. Even though Pet and I were pulling up the rear we had a good view of the horses in front of us. All of a sudden, I see Jimmy and Pete jump sideways and up onto a hill after the horse in front of him decided to back up into Jimmy. Once again, Pete managed to stay on Jimmy and crisis was averted. Phew. This happened again just before the trail ended at the road to the ranch, this time with Jimmy jumping off the trail over some logs and into the long brush. We were both ready to say goodbye and Jimmy, Pet, Hanley, and the rest of the group.

After the horse ride, we were pretty exhausted (mentally and physically) so we headed back to the motel to shower/walk Greg/nap. We had decided earlier in the day to go back to Lamar Valley that night to see if we could spy some wildlife after talking to a woman at the ranch who told us about a wolf den located in Slough Creek. She had been there that morning and seen some of the pups playing. SO JEALOUS.

Before heading back to Lamar Valley, we stopped off and bought binoculars. I will just say, I was very thankful there is no sales tax in MT and I plan to take up bird watching once I get back to Nashville.

We headed out around 5 pm with plans to arrive to Slough Creek around 6 pm and continue into Lamar Valley after. As we were driving through the park, we once again saw people pulled over so we did the same and were delighted to see a mother black bear and her cub. The cub was adorable (obviously). Although the bears were not far from the road, we quickly put our new binocs to use for an up-close look.

We continued on to Slough Creek and Lamar Valley and saw lots of bison but not much else. We realized we should have asked the woman at the ranch exactly WHERE the wolf den was. Fail. Regardless, it was really cool to be back in the same area 12 hours later. We caught the “golden hour” in the valley and again we didn’t have to deal with traffic/crowds/trouble parking/etc. In my option, the move for Lamar Valley is to be there at sunrise or sunset (the sun sets really late this time of year, around 9:20 pm) and post up in camping chairs with some ‘nocs and just wait.

The next day was our last day in Yellowstone and we planned a marathon drive around the bottom loop to see as much as possibly could. We had already driven the top loop, with the exception of the Tower Falls stretch of road, which is closed until next year. I knew that the Grand Prismatic Spring and Old Faithful would be a nightmare of people so we planned to be on the road early. We stopped at many other geysers and hot springs this day as well. They are basically endless to the point that Pete stated he was done with geysers and hot springs. Oh Pete. We arrived to Grand Prismatic about 9 am. A lot of cars were pulling into the parking lot, so we opted to park on the road and walk. There was a trail and it was a 10 minute walk so not bad. Since it was early in the day, it was 50 degrees out which meant all of the springs in the park were extra steamy. Hadn’t thought about that when it came to seeing the colors of the Grand Prismatic. This one was a let down for me. Although still stunning, there was so much steam you really couldn’t see much. When the wind blew, you could see a bit more but still it wasn’t what I had seen in pictures. We also tried to stop here on our way to Grand Teton National Park as it was on the route and we figured that later in the day, when it was warmer, we would be able to see more. We arrived around 1:30 pm and the amount of people – OH MY GOD. We bagged it and continued onward. We could see from the road that there was still quite a bit of steam coming off the springs so I’m not sure how you really win here unless you manage to go early in the morning in July/August on a really breezy day. If anyone has tips, please share, because I’m sure we will be back in Yellowstone at some point!

From Grand Prismatic we continued to Old Faithful. The National Parks app predicts when Old Faithful will erupt, but there is no cell service in the park so this was relatively useless to us. OF’s eruptions occur every 60/90 minutes. We arrived a few minutes after 10 am and had no trouble parking. We hustled over and could see a large crowd already there. A good sign. We found spots to sit on the ground and eavesdropped on people nearby to determine when OF was scheduled to erupt. We ended up only waiting 25 minutes or so which felt like a major win! Old Faithful was spectacular as were all the other geysers in this area (there is a trail that wraps around the backside of OF with many other geysers and hot springs. We spent quite a bit of time at this stop before continuing onward.

Once past Old Faithful the traffic and people thinned out a lot. The loop takes you past Yellowstone Lake which is the largest lake in the United States at a high elevation (I believe it’s around 7k feet). We stopped at one of the beaches to walk around and noticed lots of animal poop on the beach. As I was getting back into the truck, I noticed a sign stating the area was closed due to bear activity. Whoops. We had lunch in Hayden Valley, which was very similar to Lamar Valley and known for lots of grizzly and other wildlife activity. We hung out for a while in our camping chairs but we were there in the middle of the day, so I didn’t expect much wildlife. We saw more bison and did some birding watching thanks to the newly acquired binoculars. We also stopped at the Mud Volcano which was really cool and fairly quick (and no trouble parking) and The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone which is incredible. There was a hike down into the canyon that looked fairly easy and rewarding, but by this point, Greg had been alone in the motel room for most of the day so we didn’t have time to hike down into the canyon. I would highly recommend this hike and had I known how beautiful and impressive the canyon was, I would have skipped over some of the 175 hot springs/geysers we saw.

Finally, after nine hours in Yellowstone, we made it back to a very happy Greg. We went for a walk and then Pete and I treated ourselves to rainbow trout for dinner.

All in all, an amazing couple days. Pete and I both agreed one more full day would have been perfect and we would have started it by going back to Lamar Valley again for sunrise. A couple other pro tips:

- BINOCULARS.

- Download the Yellowstone map so you can access it offline. You are still able to see your location while offline and the map clearly shows all of the points of interest. We referenced this map multiple times every day.

- If you plan to hike, bring bear spray (duh).

- In hindsight, while West Yellowstone is very central I imagine this area is the worst for traffic/parking/annoying crowds of people. If you don’t mind driving a tad more, staying at one of the other entrances may be the better move.

- I would love to get on a boat on Yellowstone Lake. No idea what the options are but this area is so beautiful and again, less people.

[disastrousjest]

Get the Holy Corpse! @rosaoin

Something was odd in the world, lately. He hadn't been able to really grasp what it was. Just a few years ago, he had defeated four if the strongest enemies he had ever faced. A group of ancient people that remember vampires in the means that they could not be in the sunlight and absorbed living beings for nourishment. Granted, he had defeated the strongest of them in a fluke that had saved his life and the world, but it had been done regardless. And yet--the world still seemed unsettled around him. He couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was looming in the shadows. It was the overwhelming feeling if being watched. As if some greater power was heavily scrutinizing everything around him. The world just felt wrong, somehow. And he had noticed a few vampires had popped up here and there as well. Not that he couldn't handle taking them out after what hed been through, but he was certain they had all been exterminated along with the Pillar Men. So why did it seem like there had been an increase in activity again, all of a sudden?

Joseph ran the thoughts through his mind over and over gain as he absently raised his left hand to examine it. He flexed his metal appendages a couple of times before the purple, thorny vines appeared. The vines seemed to just appear growing out from the crook if his arm, tangling around his forearm before curling along his metal fingers. This was his new ability, something he learned was called a stand. These purple vines could be used in various was, giving him a new edge on the enemies that kept popping up. It was just another thing to Joseph though that hinted to him that something wasn't right. If he had been able to use this ability before in his fight against the Pillar Men, he may not have lost as much as he had in the fight. He might have even been able to save Caesar before he even had had the chance to go off on his own. All of that was in hindsight now. He could only focus in what this could mean now. Something else was likely lurking in the shadows. Something that had caused all these things to happen.

With a sigh, he let his stand fade from sight and lowered his arm back to his side. He guessed he wouldnt have any real answers until he looked into it. Researching things was never his favorite thing to do. He loathed hard work, that's why he had decided to take a trip back to Italy to track down his old mentor and his recently discovered birth mother. She was more intune with things than he ever had been. Even if she had started to let it slip with the last couple years, she as still much more skilled at Hamon than he was. Surely if there was a disturbance in the life energy around them, the world around them, she might have a clue as to what it could be. It was a long shot, but it was the only lead he had right now. He just wasnt sure he was ready to go back to Italy after everything had happened. He'd convinced Lisa Lisa to meet him in a public place, luckily. So at least he wouldn't be choked up about having to return to Air Supplena Island. That place just held too many memories for him to want to deal with right now.

(Oh right, I still don't speak Italian.)

His eyebrow twitched as he started blankly at a couple of road signs once he had reached Rome. He had no idea where he was supposed to go. And even being in the town center was making his head hurt..(This was where we met the first time.) He sighed, seating himself on the edge of a large, round fountain at the center of the square. She had said something about meeting at a cafe not far from here, but he had no idea which way he needed to go. He should have asked someone from the Speedwagon Foundation to come along with him as a guide, this was a real pain. And being here was making him uncomfortable and for more than one reason. He was sure that he could feel something--some kind of energy nearby but again he wasnt able to pinpoint it. The feeling had his eyes wondering around the square though, trying to sort out what was giving off such a feeling. So far though, everything he could see seemed normal. Maybe it was just the PTSD from his memories now gripping at his heartstrings and making him uncomfortable. That seemed to be the most plausible explanation. But he couldn't exactly leave, eventually he was sure Lisa Lisa would pass through here to come find him.

(Wait--what was that?)

Something caught his eye though not far from where he wa sitting. Joseph had to take a look around to make sure no one else was seeing it and when no one reacted, he felt as though maybe he was supposed to catch notice of it. Whatever 'it's was. Laying on the ground was a small, bundle. It was giving off a soft glow that seemed to pulse while he watched it. Slowly, he got up off the fountain and approached the thing. He hesitated once, but picked it up to examine it. (What is this thing?) It pulsed as he held it in his hands. And although he would have probably just thrown something like this away any other time. He felt compelled to hang onto it, just like he felt like the world had become wrong somehow. Something told him that he should inspect the object hed found a little more closely it was as though the thing itself was trying to tell him something.

Following his instincts, he called out his stand in the same hand he held the thing in. The vines wrapped around both his hand and the object before penetrating into it. The moment he did, he was given a number of quick flashes. A darkness that loomed over the world, a voice telling him to find and collect all the pieces of a holy corpse if he hoped to stop the evil looming over them. He didnt get much more before releasing his stand front the part he'd collected. Behind him, he heard the sound of footsteps edging closer to where he stood. He hadn't realized until now that the other citizens had suddenly cleared the area. The figures circling him now seemed dark, wrong. Were the vampires? He didnt know but he could tell they weren't friendly.

Tucking away the pulsing part into a jacket pocket, he turned to face them, taking a deep breath and raising his fists. He was ready to fight. "I don't really know what's going on just yet, but come at me if you think you can." He stated.

[thing-you-do-with-that-thing]

What If I Kissed You

Characters: Jensen Ackles, Y/N Y/L/N, Misha Collins, Jared Padalecki, Brianna Buckmaster  

Pairing: Jensen x Reader

Warnings: A few adultish thoughts, Drunkish!Jensen, tipsy!reader, not much. Mostly fluff.      

Word Count: 1700ish

A/N: So I have been writing a lot of angst lately for my series and for and for angst day (yep I am gonna make y’all cry that day). So I kinda needed a change of pace. When I heard Temecula Road’s What if I Kissed You this one shot popped into my mind.

Thanks a billion to the bestest little sister in the world @mysupernaturalfics for betaing this one for me

Note hate against Danneel - I love her. For the purpose of this fic Jensen is single. 

***My fics are not to be saved nor posted on any other sites without my express written permission.***

Being around Y/N on set was bad enough, but tonight it was down right impossible for Jensen to focus on anything else but her. It was a beautiful night in Rome. All his friends, well work friends, were there. Misha and Jared were laughing and talking about something right next to him, but Jensen didn’t pay attention to them at all.

His eyes were solely fixated on Y/N and the way she was laughing and dancing with Brianna. Hell, he couldn’t even hear the music over the sound of her bell like laughter ringing in his ears. He was drunk and not only on the “apple juice”  he had been drinking all day, but on her. She filled his senses and Jensen allowed his mind to wander as he watched how the short summer dress she was wearing clung to her curves in all the right places. Her tanned skin was almost shining in the lights of the club and her hair was swaying with her every movement. She looked happy and free.

Jensen couldn’t help but wonder what she would do if he just had the balls to get off his ass, walk across the floor, pull her into his arms and kiss her right then and there, like he had wanted to so many times before. His feelings had nothing to do with the buzz he was feeling, it had nothing to do with the fact she never wore dresses at work, it had nothing to do with the intoxicating city or the fact that he always felt more free here than he did back home in the states for some reason. It was just how he felt everytime he saw her. He never didn’t want to kiss her. He never didn’t wonder how her soft, plump lips would feel against his own. He always wondered how she would taste. Like honey and strawberries, he was sure. He smiled as he watched her move on the dancefloor, letting his mind run will as he imagined her dancing only for him as her clothes would slowly fall to the floor. He stifled a groan when he almost felt how soft and silky her warm body would feel under his touch.

“Why don’t you just go dance with her, Jensen?” Misha’s voice broke his trance and he looked over his shoulder to see his two best friends smirking at him. Jensen let out a deep sigh knowing there was no way in hell they would stop pestering him about this for the rest of the night.

“Yeah she would love that,” Jared encourage, “the two of you have been tiptoeing around each other ever since she came on the show. It’s time one of you grows a pair.”

Jensen sent his best friend a look that would shut most people up, if not actually slowly back out of the room, but Jared knew him better than that, so he just glared back at him.

“Don’t give me that look Ackles,” Jared huffed, “you know we’re right.”

Jensen’s eyes wandered back to the perfect woman spinning around on the dancefloor, having the time of her life and he so hoped his friends were right. Still how could he take that chance? Y/N had quickly become one of his best friends. She was smart, caring and the most breath-takingly beautiful woman he had ever seen. She laughed at his dumb jokes and she didn’t seem entirely unhappy about spending time with him. Jensen couldn’t help but wonder what she would do if he did kiss her. He wondered if she would kiss him back, if she would let him pull her close holding her tightly against him. He wondered if his wandering hands would eventually get the best of her. If she would take his hand and lead him upstairs to her room. Jensen’s breathing got heavier as he pictured her sultry smile as she slowly backed towards the bed, letting her hands run over the straps of her dress pushing them down her shoulders. He closed his eyes for a second to get his mind back under control before he could imagine her naked before him. He knew there was no going back from that. Jared and Misha would never let him hear the end of it if he popped a boner in the middle of a crowded bar, just by watching her dance. But more than that. She was his friend. He shouldn’t be thinking about her like that. He didn’t wanna screw up their friendship even if it killed him not being able to be with her the way he wanted to.

“I can’t. We’re friends. She doesn't think of me like that,” Jensen spoke quietly, as he returned his attention to his friends. Jared started scolding him, but a huge grin just slid across Misha’s face as he nodded over Jensen’s shoulder as he spoke.

“Then why is she looking at you like you were her last meal?” he teased, making Jensen’s draw drop and Jared go quiet as he carefully glanced out onto the dance floor. Jensen’s eyes were fixated on Jared, as he didn’t dare to look, but the smile on his best friends face told him that Misha hadn’t been lying.

“Turn around, buddy,” Jared urged, making Jensen’s heart race a million miles per hour as he slowly followed his friends’ instructions.

***

Your head was comfortably buzzing as you let Brianna spin you around on the dancefloor before laughingly doing the same to her. It was a hot summer night in beautiful Rome and the company was amazing. Even if you couldn’t help but wish it wasn’t Brianna on the floor with you, but the man you had slowly but surely fallen head over heels in love with over the past year you had been on his show. Jensen Ackles. The one man in the world that could make your head spin with nothing more than a smile and with no alcohol in sight. He was sweet and kind. He always knew what to say at the right times. He was your friend, but what you had come to feel about him over the past few months wasn’t exactly friendly.

Jensen was beyond gorgeous. Any woman could see that and no woman in their right mind would kick him out of bed. Still that wasn’t what it was about. Well not only. Jensen was respectful of everyone around him, he was a gentleman and one of the biggest dorks you had ever met. He never failed to make you laugh, even when you were tired and grumpy and just wanted to go home to bed. His smile lit up rooms, so contagious you had never seen anyone not return it. He was a quiet leader, never once abusing his power that he barely seemed aware of. He took care of his friends first and you were no exception. Jensen was perfect in your mind and you wished he would see you the same way.

“Jensen’s gorgeous tonight huh?” Brianna winked at you, nodding over your shoulder and you couldn’t help but follow her line of sight.

And he really was. You felt your mouth water as you stared at him, a lot more blatantly than you would have ever dared had you not been slightly tipsy from all the drinking you had been doing today. He was overwhelmingly handsome and you couldn’t help but wish he was yours. You couldn’t help but wonder what it would feel like to be held by those strong arms of his as your tongues danced together. You imagined how good he would feel, all of him. His warm solid frame pinning you against his bed, his hands wandering your body. His muscles rolling under your touch. You imagined the groans he would make as he sunk into you, how perfect he would fit, how amazing he would feel as he...  

You let out an almost audible gasp as Jensen suddenly turned around and your eyes met. There was no doubt in your mind you had been caught in the act. Your eyes dropped to the floor as a deep blush crept into your cheeks. You fought your tears, hoping that he was just drunk enough to think he had imagined this or that he at least wouldn’t remember a thing tomorrow.

***

Jensen froze completely when her eyes met his. Had she just been looking at him, like he had her not more than a few minutes ago. Had he really been so stupid he had missed all the signs with her? Jensen felt a rush of courage coarse though his body as her’s clearly left her.

“Screw it,” he mumbled pushing himself onto his feet, as she looked down blushing. Jensen crossed the room in a few strides and as soon as he reached her he pulled her flush against his body with one arm as his free hand gentle cupped her cheek, silently asking her to look at him.

“Jensen,” she gasped, when their eyes met, but he just smiled. His two idiot friends had been right. She didn’t push him away, her eyes were clouded with doubts, but she leaned into his touch as if she craved more. Jensen didn’t say a word, instead he leaned down gently brushing his lips over hers, testing the waters. When her arms closed around his neck and she leaned into him, Jensen grew bolder running his tongue over her bottom lip asking for permission. A permission she instantly granted and Jensen deepened the kiss. She was everything and more than he had ever imagine. The world disappeared around him as he pulled her impossibly closer, pouring all his pent up emotions into that kiss, not even hearing Jared, Misha and Brianna cheering around them. Jensen finally had her in his arms, he was finally kissing her. He finally knew she was feeling what he was feeling and he was determined to make this memory last. He was determined to make her his and make their love last forever.      

Jensen Tag Team

 @mysupernaturalfics @blacktithe7 @percywinchester27 @torn-and-frayed @docharleythegeekqueen @hexparker @deanxfuckingadorablexwinchester @feelmyroarrrr @starswirlblitz @akshi8278 @jpadjackles @crushing83 @flufy07 @quiddy-writes @akshi8278 @sleep-silent-angel @d-s-winchester @fuckyeahfeysand @lenaabs @iamnotsaneatall @jpadjackles @petrovadixon @blanketmadeofstar @arryn-nyxx @winchesters-flannels @winchester-writes @ruprecht0420 @tas898 @emilywritesaboutdean @mogaruke @emoryhemsworth @tennesseewhiskey-and-pie @supernatural-jackles @jojo-nz @riakie @anokhi07 @adriellej @michirutenshi @dance4angels @charliebradbury1104 @jayankles @mouselovesmusic @jensenackesl @twistnshoutx @ivvitm1109 @ivvitm1109 @sinbadcat83 @thebunkerismyhome @iwriteaboutdean @winchesterprincessbride @captainradicalpassion @redunicorn10 @brooke-supernatural16 @purgatoan @haleyhay96 @haleyhay96 @deansbaekaz2y5 @mamapeterson @spn-fan-girl-173 @mamapeterson @sandlee44 @profkmoriarty13 @secretlyfurrydragon @bringmesomepie56 @sonofabitch-spn @gecko9596 @impala-dreamer @jensen-jarpad @deansleather @yoursmilemakesmeloveyou @icequeen1371 @phoenixia67 @chickenmcsade @chaos-and-the-calm67 @brihughes4 @aiaranradnay @angelsdeadromance @katarinfrost @castiels-broken-fool @bemyqueenofdarkness

[tripstations]

Have Instagram Influencers Ruined Travel For An Entire Generation?

What a great platform Instagram has been for influencers to show off the worlds best destinations. Inspiring wanderlust and uncovering new hidden gems. Then, almost overnight, everyone seemed to want to do the same thing. Become an influencer, whilst missing the part about actually being influential. Images became less about the destinations, and more about pretty and edited images where individual egos and a drive for self-fame took over from the overriding message of inspiring travel. The destination took a back seat, and in an ever increasing attempt for ‘insta-fame’ people portrayed perfect lives of 365 days travel a year. Recent stories that have surfaced of apparent influencers editing the same pictures of clouds into different images does little to throw any water on the flames of the current argument.

Almost overnight, the word influencer became one of the most toxic words on the internet. The audience woke up to the fact that entitled ‘influencers’ actually have very little qualification to tell their audience what to buy, where to go and what to think, simply because they take set-up pictures. And rightly so people have woken up to this reality. There are plenty of influential people on social media – that is very different to ‘influenecrs’ who have seemingly largely now renamed themselves to ‘content creators’ – simply discounting from the actual talented content creators ranging from photographers to videographers out there. The crowd pilling into the ‘influenecer’ bandwagon also unfortunately discounted from those that could be classified as an influencer and being influential. Granted, that certainly exists—there are many people on social media that have built-up an adorning audience that cares about what they have to say, and where they go, but it has now become increasingly difficult to distinguish these people in amongst the wider noise. Having followers doesn’t translate to actual influence. This was recently demonstrated by the revelation that an ‘influencer’ with over 2 million instagram followers couldn’t sell 20 T-shirts to her audience. 

Instagram is displayed on Apple’s App Store. (AP Photo/Amr Alfiky)

ASSOCIATED PRESS

How many times have you seen a beautiful picture of an overwater villa in the Maldives on Instagram? Could you actually remember the name of any resorts you see though in the Maldives or the hotel captured in those perfectly set up floating breakfast tray shots in Bali, with overly edited pictures? I certainly can’t.

Looks great doesn’t it? Double tap images, and then move on with your day. The remaining marketing message that you have been left with is that you want to go to said promoted destination, eventually. We are being sold a dream of a room that costs thousands of dollars a night, by people that (largely) couldn’t and wouldn’t be able to afford to stay there off their own accord, without complimentary nights to market the message—influencers have been using a follower count to live complimentary lifestyles sold to whoever pays the most—paid for, in kind, by their followers.

Would that be considered false advertising? Perhaps, but that’s a different topic altogether. The very problem here, and with the never ending push for influencers to get more ‘wow’ content, is that what we are seeing visually, is rarely what we are likely to experience when we travel in reality.

So what happens when we see this visual stimulation? We as the audience see someone’s supposedly perfect life and we wonder why and how this person has these amazing experiences and we don’t. Importantly, we see all these amazing destinations and when we as the audience make that once in a lifetime trip to them, it leads to disappointment that said destination isn’t how we have been made to believe it looks like. The book ‘Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass’ gives an interesting insight into this. Douglass talks about slaves never being made to feel worthy. This hypothesis can be translated to how influenecers make an audience feel, that they have got it so ‘right’. We as an audience seeing all these beautiful destinations feel less worthy and over time, we actually need this ‘expert’ even more, so we can figure out how they are doing so well. We need to buy their product, their service, their presets even! But no you don’t, you categorically don’t. Because that’s how so many of these ‘influencers’ are able to portray such beautiful images onto us and continue this lifestyle. The audience inevitably pays.

Social media users seem determined to push the limits of photos. Taken in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

James Asquith

I’ve heard of ‘influencers’ waking up so early at 5am to go and capture what later appears as perfect pictures at the Trevi Fountain in Rome. Granted, the number of tourists here is incomprehensible, and yes, visually, pictures may look better when you have the fountain to yourself—but what message does that send? When we turn up and see this beautiful landmark and it’s filled with hundreds if not thousands of people with selfie sticks and munching on gelato? The overcrowded reality vastly differs from what we have seen on Instagram, and it often disappoints—why wasn’t I able to get that perfect picture? How did the influencer get it so right and I didn’t? But the visual stimulation we have previously seen means travel is being ruined, because we should be appreciating the buzz, the vibe and the people that bring the destination to life. Would you rather have everything to yourself? No noise, no crowds? I certainly wouldn’t. This is why to all those influencers that edit people out of pictures on the Charles Bridge in Prague, or do idiotic couple acts like hanging out of a train kissing in Sri Lanka, my message to you, from someone that uses Instagram often as well, and has indeed visited every country, is to stop deceiving audiences with unobtainable visual stimulation. Be realistic, otherwise every travel experience will be a let down for your audience. People that have saved up for perhaps years to go to the Maldives and when they get there and don’t have that beautiful huge overwater villa we have all seen ‘influencers’ take a picture of on instagram—disappointed aren’t you? I would be too. The influencer got the villa for free, you would have had to pay thousands of dollars more for it beyond a standard room, and your vacation is not how influencers or instagram would have you believe it would be. There’s a continuing theme here.

Rewind back a couple of years. It all started out so well. The word influencer was quite new, and to a large extent, respected. A group of people that had carved out a niche on social media platforms to showcase the world’s best places and products. Then, like with anything good in this life, almost overnight, everyone tried to get in on being an ‘influencer’. Unqualified at best, and fraudulent at worst. Being an ‘influencer’ seemed a great ‘job’ for many—who wouldn’t want to travel for free and get paid to promote products you’ll likely never use? 

Bali rice terraces – another popular ‘instagramable location’ that gets perfected in photos by many influencers

James Asquith

Because someone takes an unattainably realistic photo and uses extensive editing software, how does that qualify them to preach about what is good and not. Let’s stop to think about the visual stimulation we get shown – ‘influencers’ show off these great destinations, but the pictures we see are rarely ever about just the destination are they? It is about ego and fame. Almost every post has aforementioned ‘influencer’ in the picture pulling some pensive pose like they have just discovered an entirely new destination— whilst likely promoting a clothing line at the same time. 

What happened to a good old picture of scenery or a monument? Now, the people that take those pictures are the real content creators and photographers with actual talent in my opinion. Videographers that make inspirational content that inspire travel. We don’t need to go to a destination and see it as we have seen on an instagram post. The world isn’t perfect and that should be appreciated. The atmospheric buzz of crowds of people in our pictures I would rather take any day over a ‘perfect shot’. Stop for a moment and appreciate your surrounding, who you’re with, and become inspired. But again, you shouldn’t even be listening to me—carve out your own way and don’t let anyone on social media make you feel inferior. 

Pisa, Italy. Influencers have popularised perfect and quirky pictures at the Leaning Tower of Pisa, but tourists are regularly amazed to see the extent of what lays the other side of the camera lens here

James Asquith

I myself use Instagram extensively, but not as a platform to make my income, and have almost never done any paid posts. That doesn’t mean I’m against paid posts, but only when it’s a product an ‘influenecer’ would use themselves, and more importantly would and could pay for themselves, without their followers essentially footing the bill. I have also visited every country in the world and spend 360 days of the year on the road working remotely – does that instantly qualify me as an expert in the travel field? Absolutely not. If I get more likes than other people does that make me ‘better’? Not a chance. We need to appreciate our own individual experiences and stop pursuing the manufactured ‘influencer’ content we are shown. I’ve personally put a light hearted approach on this by laying on the floor like a splatted egg in front of monuments where there are scores of people trying to get that perfect picture like they may have seen on social media.

So the next time we arrive at that bucket list destination, and it doesn’t appear as visually stimulating as to what ‘influencers’ have demonstrated it to be, just remember to enjoy travel on your own terms. Not everything we see has to be about ‘Melbourne’s Top 10 most Instagrammable coffee shops’. Why should a coffee shop that looks aesthetically better than others get more customers, when other coffee shops may serve much better coffee? It shouldn’t all be about replicating what an ‘influenecer’ has done. Pictures are important memories from our travels, but so are the experiences we have. Social media should genuinely inspire us to travel, rather than make our experiences seem inferior to what we have seen. Therefore, I think it’s important to detach that ‘influencer’ content is generally not real life. Tagged brands, likely. A great picture, most definitely. But likely not the great experience that we can all have on our own individual level. 

The post Have Instagram Influencers Ruined Travel For An Entire Generation? appeared first on Tripstations.

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Who Wrote Romans?

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Clarence L. Haynes Jr.

Friday, July 10, 2020

Rome was the political hub of the Roman Empire and one of the largest Mediterranean cities in the ancient world with a population around 1 million. When you consider the history of the Christian church in Rome, it’s possible that its first converts were actually visitors from Rome who came to Jerusalem during Pentecost. It is likely they got converted during this time and went back to the capital city of the Roman Empire to start churches.

The Roman church was filled with both Jews and Gentiles as the early church began spreading the gospel outside of Jerusalem. It is to this church the Apostle Paul, who wrote Romans, writes this letter. 

Photo credit: ©Sparrowstock

Who Wrote Romans?

In the opening line of this letter the authorship is clearly defined:

“Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God” (Romans 1:1).

Paul’s journey to apostleship was quite different than all the other apostles. Born as Saul and originating from Tarsus he was a devout Jew. He was a well-educated man who, prior to his conversion, prided himself on his devotion to the law. In his own words, 

“If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless” (Philippians 3:4-6).

What’s unique about Paul is that, prior to his conversion and in spite of his devotion to the Jewish religion, he was a ruthless persecutor of the church. 

“But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison” (Acts 8:3).

This man was committed and devoted to destroying Christianity while it was in its infancy. Just the mention of his name struck fear in the hearts of the early believers. However, that all changed on the Damascus road. In Acts 9 we read the story of Saul’s transformation:

“Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’” (Acts 9:1-4).

It was this glorious encounter with Jesus himself that changed Saul’s life. After his conversion, God appointed him to be an apostle, not to the Jews but to the Gentiles. It was this same Paul who once persecuted and destroyed the church who wrote Romans for the benefit of the Jewish and Gentile believers living in Rome. He would eventually write 13, possibly 14 of the books in the New Testament. Though he was a great apostle, he suffered greatly for the kingdom of God and the cause of Christ.

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain/Valentin de Boulogne

What Is the Message of Romans?

Romans is one of the great doctrinal books of the New Testament. Tony Evans described it as “the constitution of the church.” Romans gives us a clear understanding of the power of the gospel. It also lets us know of the great chasm between the sinfulness of man and the righteousness of God.

Romans gives you a greater awareness of man’s condition outside of Christ, showing our sinful nature from the beginning, with each of us born under the sin of Adam. What we also see in the book however is God’s plan of reconciliation – contrasting the judgement brought on by the first Adam with the redemption brought on by the last Adam, who is Christ.

“For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!” (Romans 5:17).

This book lays out the plan of God for the nation of Israel, but also shows how God has welcomed Gentiles into the family of God. Some of the other themes in the book include the struggle between the sinful, carnal nature and the Spirit of God. Paul also lays out later in the book how we should live. If you want to sum up the major themes I would put it like this:

Salvation – The power of the gospel and the desperation of man who needs it.

Justification – We were hopeless and lost in our sinful condition with no hope. But God sent Jesus to pay the penalty for our sin. This freed us from the penalty of sin and restored our relationship with God, just as if we had never sinned.

Sanctification – After being saved and justified, the process of transforming and conforming to the image of God begins.

I fully believe if you could only read one book to build your understanding of the Christian faith, if you could only have one book that lays out the doctrines of the faith – Romans would be that book.

Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Estradaanton

What Are Some Popular Verses from Romans?

Romans 1:16 – “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.”

Romans 3:23 – “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

Romans 5:8 – “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Romans 5:20 – “Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.” (KJV)

Romans 6:23 – “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 8:1 – “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

Romans 8:28 – “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

Romans 8:31 – “What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?”

Romans 8:37-39 – “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 12:1-2 – “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Photo credit: SWN

When Did Paul Write Romans?

This letter was written around AD 56 and it was delivered to the church by Phoebe. It is most likely that Paul dictated this letter to his secretary Tertius. This was common in that day and it was Tertius who wrote down what Paul dictated to him. Technically you could say it was Tertius who wrote Romans, because it was his hands that did the writing. He even acknowledges he wrote down what Paul was dictating.

“I, Tertius, who wrote down this letter, greet you in the Lord” (Romans 16:22).

This letter was addressed to the church in Rome. 

“To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be his holy people: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 1:7). 

What Happened to Paul?

After his letter to the Roman church, Paul went on to write seven more letters to other churches. As we stated earlier, he wrote a total of thirteen books of the Bible. Paul’s role as an apostle was to build churches which he did on his missionary journeys. The last book Paul wrote was most likely 2 Timothy.

We know he suffered much for the cause of the gospel facing trials, persecutions, beatings, imprisonment, even being shipwrecked. What is unclear is how Paul died. What we do know is that his life has had tremendous impact on the body of Christ since his conversion on that Damascus road.

I hope now you have a better understanding of who wrote Romans. If you really want to solidify your faith and what you believe, then you should spend some time reading this book. I truly believe it will take your understanding of your faith to a whole new level.

Photo credit: Unsplash/Aaron Burden

Clarence L. Haynes Jr. is a speaker, teacher, author and co-founder of The Bible Study Club. He has spent more than 30 years serving the body of Christ in various capacities and has just released his first book, The Pursuit of Purpose. If you have ever struggled trying to find God’s will, this book will help you discover the different ways God leads you into his perfect will. To learn more about his ministry please visit clarencehaynes.com. 

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