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destinationstravelguide · 3 years

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12 Best Theme Parks in Europe Europe is home to some of the most popular theme parks in the world, from Disneyland Paris to Alton Towers. There are theme parks for all ages and interests, so it’s not hard to find one that suits you. In this article, we will show you 12 theme parks in Europe that are worth visiting! If you’re planning a family vacation we’ve also put together a list of the 7 best theme parks for family vacations! Check it out here! 1. Disneyland Paris – France Disneyland Paris is one of the theme parks in Europe that started it all. Opened in 1992, this theme park has been copied by parks around the world but still attracts millions of visitors every year with its charming atmosphere and family friendly attractions. With a castle at each end of Main Street USA, you can see how Disneyland Paris was inspired by Disney’s first theme park – Magic Kingdom Park in California! With famous rides like the Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Space Mountain it’s no surprise that this theme park is one of the best in Europe. If you are planning to visit with younger kids they will love the theme park’s Dumbo the Flying Elephant ride, Alice in Wonderland maze and of course, meeting all their favorite Disney Princesses. Disneyland Paris is definitely one of the best theme parks in Europe for anyone traveling with family, and especially younger kids! 2. Europa Park – Germany Europa Park is a large amusement park in Germany, the largest the be exact! It is a great park for thrill seekers with 12 large rollercoasters and many other fast rides. Europa Park has a theme of European cultures with replicas of buildings from different countries and the park is divided into themed areas such as Adventure Land, Mediterranean Harbor, Fantasy Island or Grand Canyon Dunes. Europa Park also features more than 50 attractions that are perfect for younger kids including small rollercoasters like Condor or merry-go-rounds like The Dragon! Visitors can enjoy their time at Europa Park by enjoying one of its two large water parks – Aqualandia and Dolphin Waterpark. If you’re looking an amusement park in Europe to be entertained all day Europa Park should definitely be on your list! 3. PortAventura – Spain This theme park is one of the most popular theme parks in Europe and can be found on Spain’s Mediterranean coast. PortAventura was opened in 1995, which makes it a relatively young theme park but nonetheless has become extremely successful! If you’re looking for an amusement park with lots to do then this should definitely be your destination as PortAventura features many attractions like: Dragon Khan – Europe’s tallest steel roller coaster, Maya The Bee: Kingdom Of Honey or Dolphin Bay. At night time visitors can experience Drachen Fire (fireworks), water fountains that light up at every beat of music played, and even see the stars thanks to its Planetarium show. 4. Tivoli Gardens – Denmark Tivoli Gardens theme park is one of the oldest theme parks in Europe, having opened its gates back in 1843. This Danish theme park has two different sections – an amusement park and a garden full of flower beds with many beautiful colors! Visitors at Tivoli Gardens can enjoy this theme park by going on some traditional attractions like swings or getting lost among the various flowers. There are also other things to do at Tivoli Gardens such as enjoying live music concerts or dining at any of their restaurants where guests have been coming for over 160 years now! For rides, there’s plenty to choose from including rollercoasters, a Ferris Wheel, carousel and more so that all age groups will have fun exploring what it has to offer. Tivoli Gardens is also home to the world’s oldest still-operating roller coaster – The Flying Trunk from 1883. You can’t visit Denmark without visiting Tivoli Gardens! 5. Futuroscope – France Visitors to France will be able to enjoy one of the most famous theme parks in Europe, Futuroscope! This theme park features attractions like high-tech films and rides which are perfect for children. In total, there’s more than 75 different activities available including theater shows, interactive games or a visit at the Space Museum Planetarium that is home to an original Hubble telescope! Futuroscope also has two large water parks – Aquasplash and Tropical Islands with many slides and other things for guests to enjoy all day long. There are even theme restaurants where visitors can try French cuisine while watching live cooking stations from across the world! What could possibly make this theme park any better? Well it’s also open 365 days a year and has the world’s largest theme park screen with more than 5000 square meters! 6. Walibi – Belgium This theme park is well-known for its large collection of theme rides and roller coasters. Walibi is located in Wavre Belgium, which makes it one of the most popular theme parks in Europe as many people come to visit from different countries! With so much variety there’s something for everyone at Walibi such as families with children or teens who are looking for thrill while enjoying live shows on stage as well. Walibi has many famous rides including Popcorn Revenge, and Loup Garou that all thrill seekers will love! 7. Efteling – Netherlands This theme park in The Netherlands is known for its fairy tale theme and has been open since 1952. Efteling isn’t just a theme park but also an amusement center with many things to do like visiting the Fairy Tale Forest or going on any of their exciting rides all day long! There’s no shortage of attractions at this theme park as there are more than 35 different activities that can be enjoyed by visitors including live theater shows, creative workshops, interactive games and so much more! With such a variety, it won’t matter what age groups you have when coming to visit Efteling because there will something available for everyone. 8. Alton Towers – UK Alton Towers theme park is located in the UK and has over 30 different rides that are perfect for all age groups. This theme park offers two main sections – a family-friendly area called Happy Valley with live shows, interactive games, playgrounds and other attractions that are fun for kids to enjoy while also having an adrenaline side of things as well called Xscape where there’s plenty of thrilling rollercoasters! Alton towers is famous for coming up with new and exciting rides before the rest of the industry. If you’re looking for something unlike anything you’ve experienced before Alton Towers is a great place to go! Alton Towers also has a waterpark with slides and water rides that will help you cool down on hot summer days! 9. Parc Asterix – France Parc Asterix theme park is in France and is known for its theme which revolves around the comic book hero Asterix. This theme park has a wide variety of rides that all target different age groups so there’s something for everyone! There are also many attractions such as live shows, food court with desserts made fresh daily and souvenirs shops to purchase gifts from. With more than 20 rides this theme park offers plenty of things to do while having fun exploring what it has to offer. In addition, Parc Asterix also features four themed villages where you can view decorations, and costumes on display or try out traditional French cuisine at one of their restaurants! There’s no shortage of interesting, unique activities here! 10. Pleasure Beach – Blackpool UK Pleasure Beach theme park is in the UK and has been open since 1899. This theme park offers many different rides for people to enjoy such as rollercoasters, water slides, themed rides and so much more! The theme of this theme park revolves around a beachy atmosphere with plenty of sand everywhere that makes riders feel like they’re actually at an ocean while on some of their rides. For those who are looking for something different Pleasure Beach also offers laser-tag arenas where players will need strategy along with quick reflexes when playing against others – it’s perfect entertainment for friends or family! In addition, there’s also live music concerts which take place every night from May through September! This theme park is perfect for thrill-seekers looking for fun on the high seas! 11. LEGOLAND Billund – Denmark LEGOLAND theme park in Denmark is known for its theme which features the Lego company’s iconic building blocks. This theme park offers many different attractions that will excite all age groups and make this a one-of-a-kind experience! There are more than 60 rides, shows, interactive games and so much more to enjoy while visiting here. Some of the popular rides at LEGOLAND include The Dragon Roller Coaster where riders get put on an open cart before getting spun around high up in the air, or Miniland – Kids World where children can have fun playing with life size Lego figures made from real bricks! 12. The Prater – Austria The Prater theme park is in Austria and has been open since 1873. This theme park offers a wide variety of rides for all age groups to enjoy such as rollercoasters, bumper cars, live shows with music, restaurants and more! With a much more olden time feel, this park is laid back and easygoing for people to enjoy. In addition, this theme park also features other activities like an amusement arcade where you can play games or win tickets – which are then redeemable for prizes at the end of your visit. There’s no shortage of things to do here so make sure that The Prater will be on your list if visiting Europe! Due to its location, next to Vienna it makes a great stop before continuing onto another destination while staying within close proximity. With many attractions waiting it won’t disappoint! Europe is home to some of the most popular theme parks in the world. With so many theme parks located across this continent, there’s something for everyone! Whether you’re looking for a theme park that features your favorite comic hero or one themed around Lego building blocks, Europe will not disappoint. Make sure to visit these 12 best theme parks in Europe and exploring all they have to offer – they won’t let you down! And be sure to check out Destinations Travel Guide for all your vacation needs! 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mrs-evadne-cake · 4 years

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“You shouldn't like things because people tell you you're supposed to.”- Movies And TV

Since we’re about to hit the Stranger Things Doldrums where it’s been a while since S3 and S4 has just started filming and if you’re anything like me you’re gonna start jonesing bad- I thought I’d make a So You Need A Hit survival kit for myself of some Stranger Things-esque media to read/watch/play during the wait and that maybe you guys might be interested too. Not all of them are gonna set the world on fire- but hopefully there’s some stuff that people haven’t seen before Expect a lot of Small Town Nostalgia, a bunch of monsters, and more plucky, dangerously unsupervised kids than you can shake a stick at.

(STRANGER THINGS-ESQUE RECS CON’T)

It (2019 and 1990): “Set in 1989 (and 1959, respectively) in the fictional town of Derry, Maine, the story begins when a young boy named George "Georgie" Denbrough disappears after the sudden arrival of a mysterious clown named Pennywise. Georgie's older brother, Bill, is left distraught by his disappearance, and after an encounter with Pennywise, looks for the help of six other outcasts who have had similar encounters with the clown and its other forms. The seven work together to examine the behavior of this shapeshifting creature — which they dub "IT" — and see if they can rescue Bill's missing brother at the same time.” -TVTropes (Obviously)

Super 8 “A group of middle schoolers in a small Ohio town in 1979 are dedicated to making a zombie movie to enroll in an upcoming film festival... While filming a scene late at night, they happen upon a freak train crash and barely escape before the authorities show up. Shaken up by the experience, they find that they accidentally filmed something on their Super 8-mm film camera in the aftermath of the crash, and soon they're caught up in strange happenings with a monster on the lose and a secret military operation.”- TVTropes

(You don’t get closer to ST than Super 8. If this doesn’t fill the Teenagers, Monsters and CIA shaped hole in your life nothing will.)

Monster Squad - “The film follows the exploits of a group of genre-savvy kids who seek to stop Dracula — and a host of other infamous movie monsters — from finding a mystical amulet and bringing about The End of the World as We Know It.” -TVTropes

Midnight Special “Alton Meyer, an 8-year-old boy with supernatural abilities, has been reported missing. In reality, his father Roy, along with Roy's lifelong friend Lucas, have taken the boy from the religious compound where he previously lived and gone on the run. Meanwhile, they are being pursued by members of the religious sect and agents of the FBI and NSA, both of whom are pursuing Alton for their own ends.”-TVTropes

Beyond the Gates Two estranged brothers reunite at their missing father's video store and find a cursed VCR board game dubbed 'Beyond The Gates' that holds a connection to their father's disappearance.” -IMDB

The Hole (Joe Dante 2009) “17-year-old Dane Thompson, his 10-year-old brother Lucas, and their mother, Susan, move from Brooklyn to the quiet town of Bensenville where Dane and Lucas befriend their next door neighbor, Julie. While exploring their new home, Dane and Lucas discover a trapdoor with several locks along each side in the basement. Opening the trapdoor reveals a hole which appears to be bottomless and leads to the darkest corridors of their fears and nightmares.” -IMDB

The Babysitter “Tells the story of a twelve-year-old boy named Cole Johnson who is constantly bullied, but is very good friends with his babysitter Bee. One night, while his parents are away in a hotel, Cole stays up to see what Bee does after his bedtime...and things take a turn for the worse.”- TVTropes

The Lost Boys “A recently divorced mother and her two sons move to Santa Carla, CA. The older one, Michael, falls in with a gang of biker vampires; the younger, Sam, befriends a couple of seemingly insane comic store assistants. When Michael begins turning into a vampire it’s up to Sam, with the help of the Frog brothers, to save him.”- TVTropes

(For the Billy fans out there since Jason Patric and Dacre Montgomery got the same look going.)

Twin Peaks “The plot kicks off with the discovery of a teen cadaver, one Laura Palmer. Eccentric FBI agent Dale Cooper responds to the matter in Twin Peaks, Washington, where he's teamed with the trusty-if-skeptical Sheriff Harry S. Truman. With the arrival of the Feds, further scandals start to bubble to the surface along with this supposedly unprecedented crime. Cooper, meanwhile, finds himself visited by enigmatic visions and dreams pointing to the real culprit.” -TVTropes

Marianne : “Emma, a famous and successful French horror writer, is forced to return to her hometown after the woman who haunted her dreams fifteen years ago begins to re-appear. The work she writes is apparently a work of fiction, but how much is fact? Joined by her childhood friends she finds herself battling a creature that takes the form of her own creation.” Wiki

(This series is one of the most legitimately frightening things I’ve seen in ages and feels more like a Stephen King adaption than most ACTUAL Stephen King adaptions. Like IT it bounces back and forth between a bunch of childhood friends as kids and adults as they fight a monster- originally French but the English dub is excellent for those who don’t like subs.) No-Creature Features:

Summer of ‘84 - “In the Summer of 1984, in the sleepy suburb of Ipswitch, Oregon, teenager Davey Armstrong is a conspiracy theorist who begins to suspect that a neighbouring police officer is a serial killer. With help from three friends, Davey launches a daring investigation that soon turns dangerous.” -IMDB

The Sandlot “Follows the summer adventures and misadventures of a group of boys and their ragtag baseball team playing on "The Sandlot," their makeshift baseball field in Los Angeles, during the summer of 1962.” -IMDB

(You’re KILLIN’ me Smalls.)

Stand By Me: Twelve-year-old Gordie and his friends Chris Chambers ,Teddy Duchamp and Vern Tessio journey into the woods near their home to look for the body of a boy named Ray Brower, who was struck by a train while picking berries. Through the boys' misadventures and conversations, the viewer learns about each character and their friendships.- Wiki

The Goonies: “A small group of kids living on the "Goon Docks" of Astoria, Oregon are in dire straits: the owners of a local country club have threatened their families' homes with foreclosure so they can finish building a new addition to said country club. On one of their last days in the neighborhood, one of the "Goonies", Mikey discovers a Treasure Map in his attic. The map supposedly reveals where to find the treasure of infamous pirate One-Eyed Willie —but to get it, they must outwit a trio of mobsters and survive numerous death traps designed to keep One-Eyed Willie's treasure safe from outsiders.” -TVTropes

#movies #stranger things #media similar to stranger things recs

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retrowave-racer · 2 years

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Hey, have you ever considered doing an AA Ask Blog? Like you I am a big fan of ask blogs and having one with your ocs at the wheel is a good way of uncovering lore! Plus I'll probs be one of the superfans/top askers. (maybe call it Ask the Alton Adventures Cast/Ask the Guardians?)

I had one on the past! I adore the concept of ask blogs even to this day. I guess they just tend to be a lot to keep up with! Especially with how busy I am now a days. I also tend to want to draw every single response and in the past have put off answering asks that pile up as I didn’t have the energy to ask them in the moment! I guess as well my shift went from ask blogs to more comic based story telling (when I of course have the energy/focus/time!) I’d always be up to answer oc asks a bit more causally here though!

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carryonsimoncarryonbaz · 5 years

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Chapter 11 of Can’t Find My Way Home is up!!! A few more chapters of this left! Read the entire fic at Ao3!

Chapter 11

Baz

It’s going too fast. Every minute is passing too quickly. I can’t even let myself savor it.

Well, I’m savoring the sensation of Simon in my arms. The warm weight of him resting against me. The scent of him. Like bacon and freshly baked cinnamon rolls. Something I’d gladly eat.

Neither of us bothered to sleep on this leg of the trip. I think we both sense our time together is drawing to a close. There’s no point wasting it napping.

Not when we can be cuddling and surreptitiously snogging instead. It’s mostly forehead kisses and brushing my lips through his curls when he buries his face in my neck this time.

It’s not any less romantic or passionate. It’s just softer, slower, a cherishing of every memory I’m making with him so I can revisit them all later, when he’s not by my side anymore.

I’ve not asked him to come home with me yet. I keep meaning to, and then I just can’t find the words.

It should be easy. “Would you like to come home with me for Christmas, Simon?”really shouldn’t be that hard to articulate. I’m being a coward.

We’re making our final descent to London now and I’m making sure Simon is adequately distracted. I’m careful not to leave a mark on his neck. If I’m bringing him home to meet my parents I can’t quite have him show up looking like the victim of a vampire attack, now can I?

The plane taxis to the gate but neither of us rush to stand up. I’m holding Simon’s hand and he’s gazing at me, blue eyes warm and comforting, but there’s something wistful there too.

I should ask him now. I’m just about to speak when he looks away and gives a small laugh. “We should probably get off the plane, we’re practically the only ones left.” Simon’s hand slips out of mine to unbuckle his belt, then he stands, shouldering his pack. “Come on, then, Baz. You’re going to make it for Christmas dinner with your family after all.”

It’s the perfect opening so I trample down my apprehension and just blurt it out, none of the artfully worded invitations I had rehearsed in my head coming to me now.

“Come with me.”

Simon tilts his head, eyebrows coming together in question. I stand up, sling my bag over my shoulder, and take his hand in mine again. “Come home with me, I mean. For Christmas.” I swallow. “Please?”

His eyes widen. It would be comical, how astonished he looks, if I wasn’t wracked with apprehension about his answer. I tighten my grip on his hand, my words having left me for good it seems. Why should it be so surprising that I want to keep him with me?

“It’s your family, Baz. I . . . I shouldn’t . . . I wouldn’t want to intrude.” He’s just saying that. I know he’s just saying that. I couldn’t have been imagining that spark of interest just now.

I move closer to him. We’re jammed together in the narrow aisle, the flight attendant at the far end of the aeroplane giving us a quizzical look. The cleaning crew has already boarded at the front. I don’t care. They can sod off. This is more important.

“You wouldn’t be intruding. I want you there.” I close my eyes and drop my head. I have no shame left in me. I’ve confessed so many secrets to him today, what’s one more? “I may have already told my stepmother I was bringing someone home.”

I love the way Simon laughs. The way his nose scrunches up when he does, the deep-throated rumble of it. I don’t think I could ever tire of hearing it.

“You daft git. You decided to wait until practically the last minute to ask me?”

“Well, I could have waited until we reached the ground transport area but I thought that would be pushing it a bit.”

He drops my hand in favor of cupping my face with both of his. He’s so close I can feel his breath ghost over my lips. “Well, when you put it that way, how could I say no? Can’t disappoint your stepmum now, can I?”

The smile on his face dazzles me. The warmth of his gaze envelops me and all my trepidation melts away. “No, not when she’s already made up the spare room and all.”

He laughs again, then reaches down to grip my hand once more to tug me down the aisle to the exit.

Heathrow is deserted. The Christmas decorations sparkle and gleam around us as we walk through the terminal hand in hand to reach the bus transport. “There’s no easy way to get home from here, not without a car.” I give Simon a side-long look. “This adventure of ours wouldn’t be quite complete without some time on buses and trains, don’t you think?”

“The company’s tolerable so I suppose I’ll survive it somehow.” He’s grinning at me.

It takes a few minutes to find the bus to Woking. Once we make our way there we’ll catch the train to Alton. Father’s offered to collect us from there.

It’s quite decent of him. I’d offered to hire a taxi from the station but he wouldn’t hear of it. “You’ve suffered enough of the vagaries of public transport, Basilton. I’m sure you’ll both be exhausted. I’ll just meet you at the station, shall I? Text me when you get to Woking. That will give me a chance to get to Alton in time.”

We board the bus and Simon insists on taking the window seat. “You get cold too easily, let me sit there.” He slides in and I follow, dropping my satchel at our feet and leaning my head back with a sigh. He nudges my shoulder. “Almost there, Baz. Almost there.”

We spend the ride talking about my family. Simon’s met Father, Daphne and Fiona, thanks to our shared accommodations at school, but this will be the first time he meets my siblings.

“Four? You can’t be serious? You’ve got four siblings?”

I tick them off on my fingers. “Mordelia, Acantha, Ophelia, and Magnus. Be warned. Mordelia is full of snark and attitude. She’s twelve going on twenty-five. Jaded and bitter for her age.”

“Wonder where she gets that from?” Simon says smugly.

I bump his shoulder. “Hush. I’m giving you useful information here. Don’t interrupt with slanderous commentary.” I press my knee against his and then leave it there. I like the sensation of our legs touching. “Ophelia and Acantha are twins and they adore confusing people. Knowing them, they’ll have chosen to wear matching outfits just so they can bewilder you. The giveaway will be Acantha tucking her hair behind her left ear. Watch for that and you’ll confound them.”

“And your brother?”

“Stop interrupting, you nightmare. I’m getting to him. Magnus will either hide behind me for the entirety of the evening and then demand you tell him bedtime stories or he’ll cling to you from the start and you’ll be pressed into service giving him piggy-back rides down the halls after dinner.” I take his hand again. “Far better you than me. I’m sure he’s heavier than he was in the summer.”

“They sound brilliant.”

I roll my eyes. “How could I forget--you actually enjoyinteracting with children.”

He laughs again. “From the sound of it, so do you. Not that you’d ever let on, though, you numpty.”

His face grows more serious a moment later. “Baz. I’ve just realized. I’m sure your family does the whole posh thing, dressing up for Christmas dinner. Not to sound like a whiny fourteen-year-old girl, but I haven’t got a thing to wear.” He gestures at his duffel bag.

“Don’t worry. I’m sure they aren’t expecting us to dress up, considering the time we’ve had getting here in the first place.”

He nods and gives me a meaningful look. “I’d not say no to a shower, mind you. It feels like we left Ebb’s ages ago.”

It doesn’t to me.

To me, this day has been progressing as if someone clicked the fast forward button and hasn’t let up.

I glance at my watch. There should be time for us to clean up, once we get home. “I think we can manage that.” I drum my fingers on the armrest, as I mentally run through the contents of my wardrobe. “I’m sure you can borrow something of mine to wear. For dinner.” I doubt any of my suits will fit him but I’m sure to have a jumper or two that might work.

His eyebrows go up. “I doubt I’ll fit any of your posh togs. You’ve at least three inches on me and I’ve likely got a stone on you.”

I eye him up and down, arch one eyebrow and smirk. “That you do.”

“Oh, shut up.” He’s flushed all the way to the tips of his ears now. I love it.

I drop my head on his shoulder and lean into him. “Solid. I like that.”

“I hate you.”

“Liar.”

He laughs again and rests his head on mine.

I’m not worried about what he wears to dinner. My family will love Simon, even if he wears a hoodie and trackies to the meal.

I love him.

Fuck.

It’s true. I’ve never actually managed to fall out of love, not after all these years. If anything, these past few days have made me fall even morein love with him.

I’m so fucked.

And that’s when the realization strikes. Daphne and Father know I’m bringing Simon, my former roommate, home. They assume I’m bringing a friendhome for Christmas. Because that’s what I said when I called.

But I’m not really, am I? I’m bringing the boy I love home to meet the family but I’m not quite prepared to make that declaration before the Christmas pudding is served.

Which means all this touching, holding hands, kissing—what do I do about that? I don’t particularly want to stop but it’s not quite the thing to engage in these types of public displays of affection around my family.

I don’t know what to do. I could say something to Simon, I suppose, but that’s rubbish, isn’t it? It would hurt his feelings, I’ve no doubt about that.

I could somehow explain to Father and Daphne but that’s an excruciating thought in itself. Not just the explaining, but the chance that they’d be frightfully and embarrassingly chuffed about the whole thing.

I’m not sure I could tolerate that.

Christ, is Fiona going to be there tonight?

Under no circumstances am I going to tolerate Fiona making suggestive commentary about Simon in his presence. Or asking if I’m getting laid, God forbid.

Right. I should say something to Simon.

But what?

We agreed we’re going to try to make a go of this, long-distance. The boyfriend thing.

I can’t just tell him we need to stop the snogging. I don’t want to stop. Blast it. Why couldn’t I be normal, like everyone else, and have actually had a previous boyfriend I brought home? Why do I have to be so fucking awkward?

I’ve tied myself in knots mentally so of course Simon notices. “What’re you thinking so hard about?”

“What? Nothing.”

“It’s not nothing. You looked pinched. Like you took a bite out of a lemon.” I hadn’t even realized I’d sat up, hunching forward in concentration. “Baz. What is it?”

I chew on my bottom lip. I’ve got no idea what to say. I’ve been tongue-tied more often than not the last few days. It’s mortifying.

Simon rubs his hand along my forearm. “Hey. Is it about your parents? And us? I mean, I completely understand. They’ve only met me a few times and it was usually while I was staring daggers at you. I’m sure it’s been awkward enough explaining how we ended up as travel companions. Let alone other developments.” He gives me a shy smile. “We’re just figuring this out ourselves, Baz. There’s no need to complicate things by trying to explain it to anyone else quite yet, is there?”

I don’t know how he does it. Simon Snow is a mind reader. Either that or I’m frightfully transparent, which is an appalling prospect to consider.

I slump back against the seat. “But I don’t want to stop this.”I wave my arm between us and nearly wince at the whinging tone of my voice. Christ, I’m pathetic.

“We don’t have to stop this.” He emphasizes the word like I did. “But we can certainly be a bit more circumspect about it.” He waggles his eyebrows at me. “Surely there’s some secret passageway or dimly lit wine cellar in that mansion of yours that we can duck into for a good snog, yeah?”

“I’ll have you know my father’s wine cellar is state of the art. Nothing dim about it.”

“You’re impossible, Baz Pitch.”

I shake my head. “No, I’m not. You were always my impossible dream, Simon. I’m still a bit overwhelmed by the reality of it all.”

“You take the lead, then. I’ll go along with whatever feels comfortable. I’m just spending the night. There’s no need to give a detailed accounting of our . . .” he pauses.

“Relationship,” I interject. I tug him closer. “That’s what we’re calling it.” Suddenly everything falls into place in my head. I want this. More than I’ve wanted anything, my whole life. It’s not about what anyone thinks or how I explain it. Or even needing to explain it.

It’s Simon. And the chance to have not just this moment but all the moments ahead.

Simon

I’m glad Baz and I talked a bit. Spending Christmas with him is so much better than spending it alone in my dodgy little flat. I’m a bit nervous about his family, I’ll not deny that.

His siblings sound nice. I can manage kids. They don’t intimidate me and I know I get on with them. It’s Mr. and Mrs. Grimm I’m worried about. They’ve always been polite, the few times I’ve met them at school but it’s not quite the same thing nodding hello to your son’s roommate as it is meeting his boyfriend.

I am his boyfriend. It seems both odd and so entirely right to think of myself that way.

Christ, I wonder if his Aunt Fiona is going to be there? She intimidates me. Completely. I don’t think I’d dare even hold Baz’s hand in front of her. She wouldn’t be one to politely ignore it.

I think of asking him but I let it go. I’ll find out when I get there. No use getting myself all worked up before then. I just won’t think about it right now.

The train ride is shorter than I expected. I can feel my anxiety ratcheting up as we exit the station. I follow Baz to the platform, my hands in my pockets. I’m not sure meeting Mr. Grimm entwined with Baz is the best idea.

“There he is.” Baz points to the parking area, where a black Jaguar is waiting. Mr. Grimm gets out to shake hands with Baz and then he turns to me.

“Hello, Simon. Nice to see you again. It’s been awhile.”

His handshake is strong. I nod my head. “Nice to see you again too, sir. Thanks for letting me spend Christmas with you.”

“You’ll have to drop the ‘sir’, Simon. You’re making me feel ancient. Malcolm will do.”

“Uh, thank you, sir. I mean Mr. Grimm. I mean . . .” That’s not something I’m going to manage at all. I can’t call him by his first name.

He smiles and shakes his head. “Mr. Grimm is fine if that’s easier for you.”

He’s kinder than I expected. I honestly don’t know what I expected. He always seemed distant and preoccupied at Watford. That may have had to do more with Baz’s mum and his own memories though.

I hadn’t thought of that.

Baz takes the front seat and I slide in the back. I hope their house isn’t far. I tend to get a bit carsick on long rides.

It’s not that far.

And it’s not a house. It actually is a fucking Gothic Mansion.

“It’s Victorian actually,” Baz says. Fuck. I must have said that out loud.

I can’t believe Baz lives on a bloody estate. Well, actually I can believe it, knowing him, but the reality of it is a bit daunting. I wonder if it’s haunted.

Mr. Grimm drops us off at the front and goes to park the car somewhere. Baz bumps my shoulder so I turn to look at him. “It’ll be alright, Simon.” His fingers brush against mine and he grips my hand for an instant before opening the door.

We stand in the magnificent foyer for a moment and then I hear the thumping of footsteps and then a flurry of children rush Baz. He staggers then rights himself as he’s literally enveloped in a mass of arms and bodies.

I feel a light touch on my arm and turn to find Baz’s stepmum next to me. “Hello, Simon. I’m so glad you were able to join us. Baz said you’ve had an awful time of it getting home.”

She’s got a gentle voice and a kind face and it makes me relax just a bit. “It’s been a bit of adventure, that’s for certain.” I nod my head in her direction. “Thank you . . . for having me here . . .I’m sure it’s a spot of bother, having an extra person.”

She cuts me off before I can say anything more. “Not at all. I’m glad Basilton convinced you to join us. I think you both need a bit of a rest after all that nonsense with the weather.”

She moves to give Baz a kiss on the cheek and I realize the pack of children are now all staring at me.

It’s unnerving. They’re all so similar and they all have terribly inquisitive expressions on their faces. The tallest one, Mordelia I think Baz said, tilts her head and narrows her eyes at me. “So you’re Simon Snow.”

“Uh, yes?”

She darts her eyes to Baz and then back to me. “Not quite what I expected but I suppose you’ll do.”

“Mordelia.” Mrs. Grimm and Baz speak at the same time.

Mordelia rolls her eyes at me and links her arm with Baz’s. She looks up at him. “Took you long enough to get home. You promised you’d be home for Christmas.”

“And I am, you frightful wretch.” Baz’s words don’t match his expression. He’s smirking down at her in such a fond way.

“Simon, come with me,” Mrs. Grimm touches my arm again. “I’ll show you to your room.”

She sweeps me away, up the grand staircase at the far end of the foyer. I turn back to look at Baz. He’s still surrounded by the little ‘uns but his eyes are following me. He nods his head and gives me his most brilliant smile.

It makes me feel all warm, a radiating rush of heat from the affection I can see in his eyes. I’ll be alright I think.

I think I’ll be alright.

The room is massive. This place must be on some historic register. The bed is a four-poster monstrosity in a dark wood with drapery all around the bed. Everything is in shades of blue in here—the deep blue velvet curtains, the drapery around the bed, the chair by the window. Even the wallpaper. There are portraits of men and women on the walls and a soothing landscape across from the bed. I put my duffel down on the cushioned bench at the end of the bed and turn around to thank Mrs. Grimm.

She waves in the direction of the wardrobe and points down the left hallway for the shower. I nod my head and then she’s gone.

I don’t even know where to sit. I’m afraid I’ll break something. There’s delicate knickknacks and candlesticks and whatnot all over. I finally decide to sit on the window seat—it looks solid enough—when the door opens and Baz strides into the room.

He shuts the door behind him and I stand at his approach.

“Hey.” Baz’s arms are around me. It’s the most familiar thing in this place, the feel of him, the scent of him.

“Hey.” I slide my arms around his waist. “You didn’t tell me you lived in a fucking mansion, you twat. I should have known.”

Baz laughs. “I don’t think about it that way. It’s just home to me.” He presses his forehead to mine. “I can show you around a bit, if you like. Or you can take a shower and we can do the tour after dinner.”

I feel grimy. “I’d rather take a shower, if that’s alright.”

Baz nods. “Come to my room first. Let’s see if I’ve got anything for you to wear.”

Baz’s room is outrageous. It’s even larger than the one I’ve got and there are literally gargoyles carved into the frame of his bed, I swear to God. Dozens of them. Their eyes are unnerving. Makes me shiver, it does.

It’s mostly done up in dark reds and burgundies. His room could be right out of Jane Eyre or Dracula or some such gothic nightmare of a book. It’s absurd, really.

He laughs at my expression and drags me into a walk-in wardrobe that’s wall to wall clothes. Suits and shoes and jumpers and whatnot. Not an item out of place.

No wonder it drove him mad to share a room with me. My side of the room was always a disaster.

He pulls some jumpers off a shelf. “You’ll have to make do with your own trousers. I doubt any of mine will fit you, with the height difference.” He arches an eyebrow. “I tend to wear them fitted and I don’t think they’re meant for thighs like yours.”

I think I should be offended. “What’s that supposed to mean? I’m not fat, you know. Just . . . sturdy, I suppose.”

His grin is almost predatory. “I mean they’re thick and muscular and stunning and absolutely not suited to be in my trousers.” His grin gets even wider. “At least not that way.”

I can feel my cheeks flame. That’s about the most suggestive thing he’s said to me and it makes me feel tingly, like a rush of fire just below my skin. I need a shower. Preferably a cold one.

Baz fusses with the jumpers for a few moments more, completely oblivious to the effect he’s having on me. Or maybe he’s just enjoying it.

He tosses a jumper at me. “That one will do.” His gaze softens as he looks at me. “It’ll bring out the blue of your eyes.”

It’s a Nordic style, which almost makes me toss it back to him, as I remember the bloke at the airport. But it’s soft and I like the color so I just clutch it to me instead. “I should shower.”

I grab my toiletries from my room and head to the bathroom down the hall.

My hair is an utter disaster but I’m knocking on Baz’s door a short while later, clad in his jumper and the nicest trousers in my bag. They’re a bit wrinkled but they’ll have to do.

“Come in.”

I peek into his room and am met with the magnificent sight of Baz in a dark suit. It looks black from here but as I move closer I see it’s a dark green. It highlights his coloring. I can’t look away.

“I was right. That color suits you perfectly, Simon. I think you should keep it. It never looked that good on me.”

“What?” He’s knotting a blood-pink tie and the effect of that with the suit is so mesmerizing I simply can’t focus on what he’s saying.

Baz turns to face me, which doesn’t help with my situation at all. His hair’s still a bit damp from showering, curling up at the ends. He’s not slicked it back yet. I like it like this. I like it a lot.

“The jumper. You should just keep it. I look a fright in that pale a hue—washes me out completely. I look like the undead.”

“You look bloody perfect right now.” I’ve crossed the room to stand directly in front of him.

He tilts his head and there’s a soft smile on his face.

I never knew Baz had a soft side. It’s one of the astonishing discoveries of this unexpected reunion we’ve had. It’s a precious secret that’s rarely revealed. I feel inexplicably fortunate to be one of the lucky few who see this side of him.

Baz reaches up to brush my curls off my forehead. I’m sure I need a haircut.

I swear he’s a mind reader. “I like it like this.” His fingertips trace a path from my hair to my jawline. “It’s longer than when we were at school.” He takes a step closer.

“I’m due for a haircut, now that I’m back.”

“Don’t.”

It’s my turn to smile. I reach out and wind a strand of his hair around my finger. “I’d say the same about yours. It looks better like this. Loose.”

Baz’s lips meet mine and my fingers tighten their grasp on his hair. He’s pressed up against me and I breathe in the fragrance of his posh shampoo, the aroma of whatever cologne he’s put on, the familiar, sensual, arousing scent of him.

He wraps his arms around my back to pull me flush to him, bodies in contact from chest to hips. The slide of his tongue against mine drives all other thoughts out of my head. His arms hold me, his scent surrounds me, the taste of him is on my lips, my senses overwhelmed by it all.

Which is probably why neither of us hear the door open.

“Oh my God, I knew you were shagging him!”

The speed at which we spring apart is astonishing. Mordelia is standing in the doorway, arms crossed with a triumphant expression on her face.

“You’re supposed to knock!” Baz growls, advancing on her in a surprisingly menacing fashion.

“I did knock. You were obviously too busy snogging Simon to hear me.” She raises one eyebrow in an uncanny imitation of him but takes a small step back just the same. “Mother said to tell you it’s time for dinner.” Mordelia turns her sharp gaze on me then smirks at Baz. “Looks like you’ve already had your snack.”

She makes a run for it before Baz can reach her, the door thudding shut behind her.

“Fucking hell.”

“I’m sorry, Baz.” I don’t know if he’s upset at her walking in on us or at the fact that we’ve just been outed as more than friends. Or both.

He frowns at me. “What are you apologizing for? I’m the one with an absolute maggot of a sibling.”

I shrug, giving him an apologetic smile. I’m concerned about him more than anything. How he’s taking this. “I shouldn’t have let myself get carried away. I promised myself I’d not let your irresistible charms tempt me while I was here.” I keep my tone light. I want him to know I’m not fussed about his sister.

He’s on me in a heartbeat. “Irresistible charm, now is it?” His hands cradle my face. “That should be my line.” He kisses me again, all warmth and affection, not the simmering passion of a few moments ago.

My stomach rumbles audibly. Baz pulls back and shakes his head at me, a hint of amusement visible in his eyes. “I suppose I should get my boyfriend down to dinner.”

His hand slides down my arm until his fingers intertwine with my own and that’s how we make our way down the stairs to the formal dining room for dinner—hand in hand.

#carry on #simon snow #baz pitch #travel au #my fic #my writing

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