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teribst · 9 months

Text

My Wife My Boss and Poker

A STORY BY

MIKE

My wife and I had been together for 2 years but only married for 6 months. She’s 5’ 3”. She isn’t a thick girl but curvy with a full breasts that jiggles like Jello and are capped with just off brown nipples.

Her 36 27 38 figure always drew the eye of both men and women and with perfectly sculpted legs, ankles and feet, well she is stunning to look at, and walking in from the bath I did just that. I stopped looking back at her lying nude in the dim light from the almost closed bathroom door. She was on her tummy, her right knee bent and pulled up in such a way her naked womanhood was fully exposed. “God I love you Hunter.”

There was a soft moan. “Then come kiss me and get the hell out.” I smiled doing just that knowing that because she worked from home she would not get up for at least another hour.

That was the last normal thing that happened for the next 2 months.

“I’m 6‘ even and in good shape. Weather permitting I ride my bicycle to and from work every day covering the 23 miles in an hour and a half most days. My boss is a good guy and if I’m a little late from my ride knows I’ll make the time up before the pay period is up. This day I was early from a nice tail wind and had changed to my work close well before 8am.

My boss Larry stuck his head in my office. “Come see me when you can.”

I got up walking to him and fell in step. “Now's as good a time as any.”

Walking into his office he pointed “Close the door and have a seat Mike.”

I closed the door as he went around and smiled while sitting behind his desk. “Besides wanting to know when they are going to pour concrete on 1st street.” He paused looking at me.

“That's going to happen Tuesday at 7 am.”

He went on as though he had never stopped talking “Connie and I are having a small garden party for the Cole Brothers. You know how much Grumpy,” I had no idea why he called his wife that she was a nice lady “likes Hunter and she wanted me to invite y'all and ask if Hunter would come a little early to help her set up. It’s going to be this Saturday from about 1pm and go until we are all drunk or just go home.”

“I’ll let Hunter know. It sounds fun.”

Back in my office I picked up my cell to text Hunter.

Me.. Hay babe Larry and Connie want us to come to a garden party on Saturday.

Hunter.. “Well Shit..sorry babe, but I told you know Larry has gotten worse, but if I have to, ok.”

I knew that Larry was always flirting with Hunter, trying to look down her top or up her skirt. She and I had talked about the 48yr old guy being a bit lecherous well before we had gotten married. When I asked her if I should say something she had said “No but I’ll let you know if I need you to step in.

Me.. “I’ll say something to him.”

Hunter, “Mike, No not yet. You're in a good place in the company and I don’t want to jeopardize that.”

My computer dinged telling me I had mail

11:02am

From Hunter King

Subject Your boss

I am forwarding you what he just sent me.

10:45am

From Larry Anderson

Subject Our Garden Party

“Hay Hunter. I know I shouldn't bug you but a few of our guests this weekend are big money people, BIG money people.

So I wanted to see if I can get you to wear something a little more sexy than normal.

I’ll say something to Mike about it if you would like.”

Larry

Now Husband of mine you should direct me as to what you want me to do?

Something sexy our just me? And I Love you very much my man!”

XXX

I looked at the email then up through the glass in my office out into the main room where there were people all over doing their work. I was standing at his door before I really knew I had left my desk. I knocked and he looked up “What the fuck Larry?”

Making no apologies Larry looked at me. “Just so you know, I have told Grumpy the same thing and got about the same reaction.” He looked at me “This is all to do with the Cole Account. I’ll tell you what, have Hunter meet us at Rudy’s. I call Connie and have her there too. We can have lunch and talk about it at the same time.”

I sent a text

Me..“Honey, meet us at Rudy’s for lunch. Connie is not too happy either. See you at 12:30?”

Hunter.. “Shit...I guess.” : (

Larry was already going inside Rudy’s when I saw Hunter pulling her jeep into the parking lot. I was still watching my beautiful wife in a mid-thigh length strapless summer dress with 3” wedge style heels walking to me when Connie came walking across the parking lot to her.

Connie was no slouch in the looks department either. At 5’ 9” she was well over 6 feet in her high heel 3” pumps. She had on black leggings and a white t_shirt style top. She was 45 with a full chest and her short gray hair was perfectly styled as the two women smiled at each other and as they hugged hello. I heard Connie say “I guess he is trying to rope you into this shit as well.” It had been more of a statement as she looked at me.

Hunter said “It looks like he is, whatever THIS is.” And she gave me a very dirty look.

Inside Larry had already ordered a big tray of BBQ brisket, chicken, ribs and sausage. He already had everyone a drink and was waving us out to the back patio. “I have enough of everything for everybody so come on out here.” He pointed to a wall fan “I got us close to the fan too.”

Once we all set him and Connie on one side of a picnic table me and Hunter on the other Larry started talking as the food was being passed around. “As Mike knows we have a big job that's just coming out of the ground for the Cole company. They have 5 more jobs coming up and they want to do one big contract. It's for about 4 million bucks.

Of course with the cost of labor and material the jobs will not bring in that kind of money but the revenue from it will make Anderson Construction a stable company that if everything goes right will continue to grow.” He looked at Hunter then to Connie. “Mike is and has been my number 1 for a few years now. He has always done what was asked and much, much more. He knows as much about this company as I do,” He looked at me smiling “and if we get the contract I’ll be making him a full partner.” I was watching Hunter's face and it never changed as Larry talked. “Now here is the part that I’m in trouble for. Connie” he nodded to Hunter “You and Hunter are the faces of the wives of the top brass of this outfit.” He looked at me “I don’t know how to explain this without sounding like a complete ass.” He shook his head “I need to wine and dine these 2 brothers. I need 2 beautiful women that I can trust to help me do it. The garden party is just the beginning. They are both big-time pool players so there will be a pool party that night. They are both big-time poker players so we will have a poker night and lastly if we get the contract there will be a man's night party or a trip to Vegas or something.” Again he looked from Connie to Hunter “The 2 of you are without a doubt the most beautiful women I have ever seen.” He looked at me “And if Mikes ok with it I am asking the both of you to help me do this.”

Neither woman spoke for a moment, then it was Hunter that spoke looking at me “And how long have you known about this?”

“Babe on our love I‘m getting this information at the same time both of you are.”

She looked at Connie saying, “I’m, well we are not whores Larry. I’m a very happily married woman that has a wonderful man and will not fuck someone to make your company grow.”

Now it was Connie that spoke her voice breaking a little “How could you ask us to fuck your customers?” Her hands were trembling as she took a drink to keep from crying “How could you Larry?”

Now it was my turn and I was pissed “Hell NO! Larry MY wife will not help you like that.”

Larry held up both his hands palm out in a stop gesture. “Wait, wait, wait! SHIT GUYS! I never said anything about anyone screwing anyone! I just want the both of you to dress hot, be around and look sexy. I didn’t mean for you to screw any one. Holy shit Connie I’m an ass but really you think I would do that?”

“Yes Larry I do.”

When we left, I went to go back to work while Hunter, who works from home and that's where she went, was still in tears. I wasn’t sure about Connie. Then as Larry and I were pulling out of the parking lot I saw her pull up behind Hunter. “That can’t be good.” I thought.

“Mike, man there was no way in hell I would want my wife or yours to fuck the brothers.”

“Well Larry, let's say that's true. Hunter is already nervous around you because you spend so much time trying to look up her dress.”

“Fuck me, man, she is one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen, so yes I look.” he gave me a sideways glance “And I have seen you giving Connie the eye more than once.”

“Yes you're right, I have looked, but I haven’t made myself into a letch to do it.”

My phone buzzed with a text.

Hunter, “Are you back at work yet?”

Me, “Yes. Honey I didn’t know!”

Hunter, “Is this something we need to talk about?”

Me, “I don’t know..no.. maybe. How do you feel about it?”

Hunter, “I’m not sure either. You becoming a partner is a big deal.”

Me, “What did Connie say after we left

Hunter, “ : ( How did you know we talked?”

Me, “I saw her pull up behind your jeep as we were pulling out.”

Hunter, “She is pissed. She doesn’t think he would want us to have sex but she was sure there would be a lot of exposed skin.”

Me, “Well Shit!”

Hunter, “LOL That's my line. Well I have until Saturday...and Mike you can always say no.”

Thursday

10:08am

Forward to Mike King

From Hunter King

From Larry Anderson

To Hunter King

Subject The Garden Party

Have you made up your mind Hunter? Are you and Mike coming?”

Larry

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

To Larry Anderson

From Hunter King

Subject Garden Party

Yes we will be there and I’m going shopping. Mike will turn in any and all receipts for my purchase.

Also Larry I am not going to walk around these men and their wives with my ass hanging out, but you will enjoy it.

Hunter

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

To Hunter King

From Mike King

Subject Clothes Shopping

Then I see you have made up your mind about doing this.

That's alright, if that's what you want.

But I have the final vote on what you do or don’t wear.

What if he wants you to go, let's say to the poker party, but without me?

We have not talked about that.”

XXX

To Mike King

From Hunter King

Subject Without You

I didn’t really think of him asking me to go someplace without you. How would that work? He would be there with Connie, wouldn’t he?

And If I did somehow go out without you, I wouldn't have to stay. I like that you can always say no. And think you can become a PARTNER.

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

To Hunter King

From Mike King

Subject Partner

Hunter...NO a 1000 TIMES NO!

I do NOT want you to do any of this for me. That's not the way to do that.

AND I STILL PROMISE ON OUR LOVE

I had no idea about any of this and would rather you not do any of it.

XX ; (

It was noon on Saturday when Hunter came out of the bathroom. Her hair and makeup were perfect. She was in a black dress that had an empire waist and was mid-calf in length. The skirt was full and loosely flirty as it swished around her legs. The bodies of the dress had a high collar and she wore a jacket over it. I smiled at her, “You're even more beautiful than the first time I saw you.”

She smiled at me “You're sweet and I love you.” She pointed to the back door “Come out onto the patio so you can say yes or no to this dress.” I followed her to the door and about fell over as she stepped out into the light. Everytime she moved anywhere the material of her dress touched her skin the sunlight made it become very see-through but in only that spot. One second it was just like any normal dress and then you were seeing her leg up to her hip or her full butt. She smiled at the look on my face as she took off the jacket. She turned to look at me with her back to the light. It was normal but her nipples were predominantly hard. Then she turned into the sun and the top became completely see-through showing her breasts resting in a half-cup shelf bra. She walked out onto the deck then back smiling at me “It had a separate liner that I left off. So what do you think? Is it too much?”

“Well if you pay no mind to it acting innocent it will look like you didn’t know what the sunlight was doing to it.” I shrugged “For me, well I’d like to take you out to dinner in it so I guess it's ok for this garden party.”

We were of course early. Not because Larry had asked but because Hunter had wanted to help Connie set things up and I think they were both a little jittery over being so exposed. Connie was in a crimson floor-length summer dress that didn’t show it until she moved but it was slit up one side to her hip. It also showed, if she moved just right, her very tiny thong panties front panel. I watched Larry looking at Hunter with hungry eyes as she moved around putting things out on the patio table.

Soon enough the Cole Brothers arrived with their wives and again I watched as now all 3 men were taking in Hunter’s dress especially after she took off her jacket letting her breast with their hard nipples be seen. Both Connie and Hunter had relaxed after a time and the afternoon was a success.

I was sitting in the shade on a low chair up on the deck and the table Larry sat at was half-hidden behind a counter that had been set up to hold the buffet. It was just after the Brothers had left and the girls were cleaning up. I’m sure that he didn’t know I had a clear view of the table and the patio counter because I was setting it so low.

Connie was in the kitchen with her back to the patio and was talking to me through the open patio door as Hunter walked past me with a tray she was using to carry things back into the kitchen. She stepped up next to Larry, setting the tray down and I saw it as she suddenly went stiff. She quickly looked at me and half-smiled. I’m sure that like Larry she didn’t know I was watching it as he put his hand on her calf and ran it up the smooth skin of the inside of her leg. I saw the first stiffness of her body go away and much to my surprise she shifted opening her thighs as the hand continued up. I knew when she looked at me again his hand was at the very least touching her sex if not more. I tilted my head and was frowning when she looked at me again, seeing the look on my face she stepped away from Larry. Then with her tray full ran her hand over my cheek as she walked past me going back into the kitchen.

I was hard as stone, I had no idea why Larry touching her had done that to me but I was. I went to her in the kitchen, “Hunter, can you help me for a minute?”

I took her hand pulling her to the hall bathroom. Pulling her inside as I closed the door and locked it she was smiling. “What are you doing?” I turned her to face the counter as I opened my pants with one hand pushing her back so she was bending forward over the counter. I said nothing as I pulled up the back of her dress as at the same time I was pushing her legs apart with my knee. When I reached in and pulled her thong down I found her soaking wet. “FUCK!” My mind screamed he had touched her! “Oh shit!” She whispered as I pushed into her “Oh god not here!” She was speaking so softly to no one in the house but I could hear her and as I began to drive into her she gasped in an almost hissing sound “Aaaa, AAAA, AAAA As I stabbed myself into her over and over.

I had hardly entered her and she was cumming, “So wet, your so fucking wet!” I whispered in a gruff voice. I watched the reflection of her tits in the mirror as my hands left her hips going to her loosely swaying boobs! She was still in full in her climax, her right hand over her mouth to muffle the sounds of us rutting together. It was hard and fast me pushing the front of her thighs hard against the counter as I let out my own soft moan emptying myself into her. I stayed with her until I slipped out, then stepped back watching as she slowly turned and with a crooked smile pulled her panties back up. She stepped towards me, kissed me softly, then still smiling, opened the door and left. I was still standing with my cock dripping into my pants still down around my knees as I watched her go.

Nothing of the afternoon was spoken of as we drove home, but her hand found mine as we walked in the back door of our house. She pulled me to the bedroom stripping as we went, leaving a trail of clothes. I was naked by the time we got to the room and she pushed me back on the bed. Still in her high heels wedge slingback she moved over me taking my manhood in hand, watching my eyes as she guided me into her sheath, setting down on it taking all 9 inches of my manhood into her belly. As she moved slowly, her eyes met mine “Larry touched me. At first I went tense but his thumb slipped under my panties and between my lips so damn fast! He bumped my button and I don’t know, well I do know, I was hot as hell from being looked at all day and I wanted it.” I felt it as her insides began to tremble and she gasped “HUH!’ And a small trimmer of a climax ran through her. “I saw you looking. Ohhh shit!” Her hands went to my chest covering my breasts as she leaned forward giving her button more contact with my pubic mound. “Umm...did you know?” Her eyes closed “Huh, Humm. You did, didn't you?”

“Yes.”

“Oh godddd!” Now she was grinding into me “You saw..umm HUH!”

“Yes.”

She was moving on me now, pumping me into her while trying to keep me as deeply into her as I have ever been “The baaa bathroom!”

“Yes!” My hands went to her hips lifting her as I began to thrust up!

“Oh god yes Mike fuck me..cum in meee!”

Later we showered together, had a light snack and then went to bed nothing more was said as I think we both needed to figure out what was going on. The next day was Sunday and we lay in bed touching, loving, laughing and being a newly married couple. Neither of us brought up the day before. We were just us and very much in love.

It was Tuesday when I got her text

Hunter, “Sometimes it’s easier to talk this way, don’t you think?””

Me, “Yes it can be.”

Hunter, “I know it excited you to see him touch me..is that something you want? To see me with another man”

Me, “No it isn’t. It happened, we both thought it was hot..but no never again.”

Hunter, “Good, you and me ... And we are ok?”

Me, “Yes my love we are fine.”

It was on Monday a week later that I got an email from Hunter

Forward to Mike King

9:55 am

To Hunter King

From Larry Anderson

Subject Poker Party

Good morning Hunter!

Thanks for coming to the garden party. It was a great success with the Brothers and so

I am having a poker party this coming Saturday. I know we talked about it before but I am double-checking to see if you will be able to help Connie host it.

It will be Mike, myself, the brothers and their operations manager. It will be at my home in the dining room from 8 pm until they are tired and want to leave. Of course, there will be snacks and drinks. So that's where you and Connie come in, serving and such.

Please let me know...I’m sorry about the hand thing. I was a little drunk.

Larry

10:10 am

To Larry Anderson

From Hunter King

Subject A Little Drunk

Larry, no you weren’t. I know you didn’t have that much to drink. So that also makes me wonder after a couple of hours playing poker just how friendly you or the other men would get. This time I let the hand thing go, but Larry...well it would kill Connie...and I would hate to be you if Mike knew…

I also would like to know what you would expect me and your beautiful wife to wear?”

Hunter.

My cell buzzed with a text from her

Hunter, “Any thoughts?”

Me, “Let's see what he says next.”

Hunter. “Ok, I’m Hungry. I’ll pick you up at 12:30. You can buy me lunch. (.) (.)”

Me, “No bra? It’s a deal. I’ll be out front.”

My next email came not long after.

Forward to Mike King

10:35 am

To Hunter King

From Larry Anderson

Subject Dress

Not without a lot of talking on my part but yes I have talked Connie into wearing a halter or bikini top and dark pantyhose as pants with heels. Panties are optional..but if worn should be a small thong.

Larry

To Larry King

From Hunter King

Subject Touching

Shit, Larry! If you can't keep your hands to yourself after a little wine how do you think it will go with us dressed like that and a few hours of drinking with your card’s?

And then there is the fact that if the Brother sees you touch, let's say your wife, you know they will want to touch as well. And of course, the turd in the soup is my Mike will be there. Do you think he will sit by and let other men manhandle his wife?”

I’m going to have to think about your request about how I would dress.

Hunter

Hunter was sitting at the door in her Red Mustang GT 500. She paid for it and liked to go fast so I had said nothing when she bought it. I hated riding it and she knew it. My eyes went to her exposed thighs and her dress pulled up to her hips. She had on a tan Maxi dress that when she stood I knew would be floor length. It was sleeveless with the shoulders having narrow straps holding the form-fitting dress up.

Her makeup was perfect and her hair was pulled back in a ponytail. She smiled up at me standing on the sidewalk “Hey MR want a ride?”

15 minutes later we pulled into the parking lot of Torchy's Tacos on South Congress in Austin. I knew what she wanted and without a word, or kiss hello, walked over to place our order. There was a small line at the outside eatery and as I stood in line I watched her walking. It was very clear she was braless and by the way her dress clung to her hips as she moved. I also knew she wasn’t wearing any panties. Seeing me watching her she smiled as she sat down.

Walking over after placing our order I bent to kiss her and she turned her cheek to my lips making me aske, “What?”

“There are somethings I need to say and if I let you kiss me I’ll lose my thoughts.” She pointed to the bench across the table from her and I sat. “Mike, you know that for a year before I met you I hadn't dated anyone and now we have been together as a couple for almost 3 years. So in 4 years no one has seen or touched me in any way except you, that is until last Saturday. Babe I need to be very, very clear to you about this, and I know that you know it, but it has to be said by me.” She shook her head, “I have not asked for or started any of this and I will not lose my marriage so Larry can grow his fucking company.” Our food came and then she went on “Honey I know how much this means to the company, and I know how hard you have worked to get where you are. I just don’t know how far you want me to let this go.” She stood up and did the whole model thing waving her hand up and down her body “I freely gave this to you when I said I do, I did and I have and will continue to do so, but I need for you to tell me what you want me to do. Mike I really don’t mind the showing off part. It’s the whole other man touching me that has me all worked up and bothered.” Her hand came to mine as she sat back down “Babe I’m scared of myself. Hell man you felt how wet I was after Larry just barely touched me and when you took me in the bathroom you felt how close to out of control I was.” She frowned looking at me “What if I...well what if I found I liked them touching me…What if I got all worked up and let one of them take me to the bathroom?”

I was at a loss for words as I looked into her beautiful worried face. “I told you I don’t care about the promotion or any of it. I could quit Larry and go to work tomorrow at a couple of different places. Hunter I don’t want you to feel pushed or forced into doing anything you or we don’t want to do. I, well you know I saw him touching you and you know what it did to me, but that doesn’t mean I want you doing..well screwing other men for the sake of the company making a buck.” I shook my head “If it comes to that he has his own wife to pimp out, but not mine.”

There was a funny smile that came to her face “So you’re saying you don’t want me to help by me fucking your way to the top.”

“That is exactly what I’m saying.”

She gave me a sideways look. “You have no idea how exciting it was for me when you simply bent me over in that bathroom and took me.” Her face was bright pink as she went on. “And then when I got home to my husband I don't think he knew that when he put it in me that night, he was putting it in what you left in me.” she grinned at me “I guess that gives you something to think about.”

My computer dinged

BCC Mike King

2:10pm

To Larry Anderson

From Hunter King

Subject poker party

After a great deal of thought and talking to my husband I guess I’ll work for your party.

But really only because he and Connie will be there keeping an eye on things.

Larry, again I am telling you I am not a whore. I will not screw anyone nor do I want to be touched by anyone and that includes you. If I think things are not like I want them I’ll get my husband and leave.

If all of that is clear to you what time do you want, us, there Saturday?

Hunter

2:30 pm

To Hunter King

From Larry Anderson

Subject Touching

Hunter I will make it very clear to the brothers that both you and Connie are just there at my request as eye candy and touching is not allowed.

I’ll be very excited to see what you wear and again if you need to go shopping just have Mike turn in the bills for whatever you get.

I think 7 pm will work. That will be there early enough to help Connie set things up.

Thanks

Larry

Over the next few days Hunter was her sweet lovable self. But in my mind I kept playing over the things she had said about going out of control. About how she felt when I had taken her in the bathroom and how willing she had been to let me do it. I wondered about her saying she wondered if her husband had felt me in her as he’d had her that night. And indeed I had, god she was hot and so very wet inside. Now I was thinking that she might like to try another guy and come home to me all creamy after she'd had another man.

I sent her a text

“Hunter, come pick me up. I’ll be waiting by the door.”

“You ok?”

“No.”

It was close to noon when she rolled up and I could see the concern in her eyes. “Mike what’s wrong? Are you hurt or something?”

“Or something. Let's run through In and Out then take the burgers to the park.”

I gave her an appraising look. Seeing this she blushed. She was in cutoffs and a t-shirt with flip flops, no makeup, and her hair had just been brushed. “Sorry I thought you were sick or something so I hurried and didn’t dress any better.”

“You’re fine.” I found I was a little angry, “And you’re so fucking beautiful.”

Once we were in the park and Hunter had pulled in under a big old Texas Oak and we both pushed our car doors open. We were sitting in the car eating. “Alright MR, what is the something that's got you so upset about it?”

I tried to smile but couldn’t “It’s what you said about me fucking you in the bathroom. More to the point it was about your husband not knowing he was getting sloppy seconds.”

Her mouth was half full of Monster burger and she held up her hand stopping me “Um…” She swallowed “Is this you and me here in this car or is it me and the guy in the bathroom, you know my husband?”

“I guess it’s you and me with me wanting to find out about you wanting the guy in the bathroom and the poor husband not knowing what he was sticking his dick into.”

“Oh ok, I see...Well.. you are my husband and the only man in the world I want to cum in me, to make my babies. Mike for this to work, me wearing next to nothing and doing the poker game, and then the pool party” She frowned “For me to make it work in my head it has to be like a fantasy. Of course, you are the guy in the bathroom, you're the bad guy that is making me go so scantily dressed and do these things in public. Your that guy that has set this all up and I’m under your power and have to do your bidding.” She took a bite “And if that means I get bent over and have that guy fuck the shit out of me then that's the way it works. As for my poor husband, he has no idea that I am doing these things. I am doing all of these perverse things for him to help him. I have to do it so he can keep his job.” She smiled a little sadly “Mike if it’s me and you I’ll walk down any street in the world as naked as naked can be if you ask me to. But babe it’s not you asking this of me, if it’s Larry asking. Mike, I can't go half-naked like this for him.” She hitched one shoulder, So I make-believe.``

“Well then fuck it Hunter we don’t have to do this. I’ll tell him when we get back that you’re not doing it.”

She chuckled, “There's my husband, the man I love.” She leaned over to kiss my cheek.

“But no, not yet. Let’s let this Saturday play out. You’re going to be there and I know you won’t let things in real life get out of hand. But I might enjoy seeing my fantasy friend.”

It all kind of came together in my head. “Alright then we need to know who we are dealing with.”

She turned in her car seat, put her feet out and stood up next to the car. Walking around in front she held out her hand and said “Come and walk with me, Charles.”

Now I was smiling “Do you have to get back to work Cass?”

“No, I'm self-employed and my husband won’t be home for hours.”

Saturday

Hunter and I decided to go in separate vehicles, her in her car and me in my truck. If we were going to live the night in fantasy we may as well go all in. I had left the house early not wanting to spoil seeing her, however she was dressed for the first time around the other men.

I got to Anderson’s house at 7:45 Just late enough to have things already going on but not too late to have missed anything much.

Hunter was just walking in from the game room and when I saw what she was almost wearing I was floored. I knew she saw me but she acted as though she hadn’t.

Her hair was kind of spiked up and she wore a black lace mask that covered her face from the top of her upper lip up over her nose covering her forehead to her hairline giving her the air of anonymity and I liked it. But my god it was what she was wearing that took my breath!

It was a sleeveless high collared black bodysuit that matched her mask. It was high cut going well up over her hips with a narrow panel not hardly covering her closely trimmed pubic mound and where it ran between her legs it did nothing to cover her pussy lips. When she had turned walking away into the kitchen I saw the thong back had her bottom completely exposed as the thin thong ran between her butt cheeks slipping out from between them at the top of her ass crack. I let my eyes run down the back of her shapely bare legs seeing that she was wearing 3” wedge style black slingback heels.

It was completely sheer and very see-through. “Fuck me.” I whispered as I was screaming in my mind “NO THEY CAN'T SEE HER LIKE THAT!” I wiped my sweaty palms on my pants, my hands trembling as I walked through to the game room.

My eyes were drawn to Connie who was wearing the same bodysuit mask and heels and I had to admit she looked damn good. “Glad you made it.” It was Larry standing at my arm.

I turned glaring at him as I spoke very softly “Larry this is bullshit and you know it. We could have hired a couple of girls to do this.” I shook my head “How humiliating will it be for our wives to have to be around them in a public setting and with their wives?” Now I was watching Hunter as she walked around the poker table making sure everyone had plenty to drink. I hated how the 2 brothers looked at her. It was just then their construction supervisor laughed running his hand over Connie's ass. “And you’re just going to stand there and let him touch her?”

I guess my voice came up because everyone in the room was looking at me “Is the fucking money worth putting your wife through this? It sure as fuck isn’t worth it to me! I love my wife too much to let this go on!”

I looked at her half-smiling face as she stood on the other side of the poker table. “Hunter come here babe.” It only took seconds and she was in front of me “Did you wear a cover-up?”

“Yes sir.”

“Go get it, I’m leaving and so are you.”

I was stone hard as I pulled us into the parking lot at the park. Hunter had not said a word to me as we drove the 10 minutes and when I got out I walked to her side of the truck. I took her hand pulling her out. Now standing in the parking lot under the street light I saw we were about 200 feet from a picnic table. She had slipped on a Sarong and now I held my hand out “Give me your Sarong.” Looking into my eyes she didn’t hesitate or untie it, she simply pulled the knotted end over her head and placed it in my hand. Who are you?”

“I’m Hunter King and your wife, very much your wife.”

“Walk with me.” And totally exposed as she was she walked over to the picnic table staying a couple of steps ahead of me letting me watch her ass as it moved. “I have never seen you look more beautiful or as exciting as you look right now.” I sat on the bench leaning back on the table top looking at her “Walk for me.”

Still, with her face half-hidden under her mask, she smiled putting her hands on her hips. She started walking, strutting around posing this way and that in the soft light of the park’s street lamps. “Hunter, come stand right here.” She did as I asked, stopping a couple of feet in front of me “Take the body suit off and hand it to me.” I saw her eyes kind of dart around but she once again was doing as I asked, unsnapping the crotch then the snaps in her collar. Looking at me as she was pulling the black cloth up and as her breasts came into view I waved my hand at her “That, what you're showing me and anyone looking is mine,” The thin cloth was on the ground and she stepped out of it then bent picked it up, she handed it to me. She was standing with her feet about shoulder length apart as I went on. “I have found that I love showing you off. I am so hard right now it hurts. But Hunter I owe you an apology for tonight and while I am going to have you doing things like this for the rest of your life, it’s going to be for me, you husband or Charles your lover. It's going to be because I asked you to do it. Not because my boss or someone I thought was my friend wants to see you naked.” I saw a car’s lights and handed her the white silk sarong watching as she slipped it on. I found myself smiling that it was not sheer in the park light but it was almost. “Can you forgive me?”

She watched the car draw closer as the Sarong fell in place with the open slit in front. She pulled it open holding it that way with her hands on her hips and her back to the parked car. “You didn’t make me do anything. I went there of my own free will and I wore what I wanted to be seen in, so Mike you owe me no apology.” We both heard the voices of a man and woman and she let the thin cloth fall closed “Your right this does belong to you in every way and either Cass or I will be delighted to show what’s yours in any way you desire. I think this has been good for us. I see more into your mind and you have learned some things about me. I think we should keep telling each other things as we have in the last few weeks and if it's something we both are willing to try then we should do it.”

That Monday I had made a few phone calls and would be starting with a new company making more money with a better benefit package and bonus structure in 2 weeks. I had called ahead and told Larry's secretary to have my final check ready and I would pick it up later in the week. When I asked she had told me Larry had not been in.

Tuesday I had just come in from a long bicycle ride to find Hunter texting. She looked up at me wearing nothing but a smile “That was Connie. She wants us to meet her out at the Lake Austin house.” She gave me a sideways look “I didn’t know about a lake house.”

“It was hers before they were married. I think it’s kind of her getaway place.” I grinned at her “Want to shower with me?”

“Is a shower what you really want?” She smiled getting up.

“No.” And when I pushed her to the couch bending her forward over the back I found her wet and willing as I pushed and took her hard right there in the living room. She was gasping as I pumped myself into her, I was getting close, “Stop baby and she pulled away dropping to her knees. She smiled, fuck me as she looked up at me as she took my cock wet with her juices in her mouth. I pushed in deep and her eyes never left ming as I did just what she ask for and fucked my self into her face. Then it was coming, “Oh god yes Hunter,” She pushed in so her nose was pushing in on my pubic mound as I emptied my self rope after hot rope blasting down her throat and into her belly. Gasping for air she pulled back as the last of my load filled her mouth. Still looking up at me she smiled as my seed mixed with spit ran down her chin oto her breasts and I asked,. “Are you ok?”

Hunter grinned, “Oh hell yes.”

We pulled up at Connie's lake house just a little after noon. She half-smiled as she opened the front door wearing an almost floor-length kaftan. “Hi. Thank you so much for coming. I know what a pain in the ass it is to get out here.” She waved us in then stepped in front of us. “I have some cold cuts and other stuff so we can eat while we talk.” She led us through the modernly styled home to the kitchen that had all of the bells, buttons and whistles you could dream of with a beautiful view of the lake. She pointed to the food on the kitchen island and then the table. “Please set.”

I had not eaten after my bike ride and my sugar was low so I moved to the food as Hunter sat. Connie got us both a Coke Zero then set herself. They talked about the house as I fixed my sandwich and then went to sit as well.

Now she half-smiled but it was not a happy look. I saw a tear run down her cheek as she looked at me “Connie what on earth is it?” Hunter asked.

“I have been married to Larry for 25yrs and I knew he had his..” She kind of sobbed.

“I left him.” she shook her head, “I just needed to talk to someone and I really only know I can trust the two of you.” She looked at her trembling hands “Larry was hurt when he was a boy. He has a blocked something with a name too long to remember, but what it means is he can’t get an erection.” She looked at Hunter “I knew about it when we married but there are so many other ways to have sex and he can climax he just can’t get hard.” She gesture with her hand as she talked. “So as time went on in our life he felt I might need or enjoy the touch of a man, well you know, in me. He, we had started well, we would go out from time to time and I’d pick up someone.

He would almost always watch,” She looked at us “And to be honest I did enjoy getting a good screwing. But Saturday after the two of you left..” She paused, taking a napkin and wiping her eyes. “He was like a man I never knew. He grabbed me pulling me to the poker table and as he pushed me over on it he ripped the crotch out of the body suit.” She ran her hand through her hair as she looked out the window at the water below “For the next few hours they took turns with me. They each had me in every way you can think of at least 3 times and then I kind of lost count.” She shook her head “I was not hurt. But as they did the things they did pumping their stuff in me he just sat smiling and watching, saying nothing as they did it to me. When they were finished and left I went to shower washing the filth off of me and when I came out it was to find him sitting on the bed grinning at me “How was that Babe? Did you enjoy that little gang bang? I’m sorry Hunter left. I know they all wanted a turn with her as well.” She looked at me “I keep a bat next to the bedroom door and hit him with it. It didn’t kill him, but it was the last time I saw him.” She shrugged. “In my mind, not being able to have normal sex pushed him into the other night. But I won’t be going back to him.” She had a sad half-smile. “I’m so glad you took Hunter away. I think they might have hurt you to get at her.” She started to cry. “I thought I knew him…

After calming back down Connie had told us she was moving back to Scottsdale Arizona to be closer to her family. She smiled “I know you're renting your place and was wondering if you would be interested in buying this place?”

Hunter perked right up looking at me “Oh yes, it’s beautiful but there is no way we can afford it.”

“I don’t want Larry to screw this up in the divorce and force me to sell it publicly to just anybody.” She looked from hunter to me “So I’ll make you a deal. I’ll sell this place to you for $5000.00 giving you a clear deed and bill of sale. But in the future, if you decide to sell you have to call me and give me the first offer.”

We moved in 2 weeks later.

We never saw or heard from Larry again, and the new company I had gone to work for was amazing, both at how they did things but also in how they treated their employees, and not one of them tried to get in Hunter’s pants.

Some time passed and Hunter now had 2 cell phones, hers and one that belonged to Cass.

My cell buzzed with a text.

Cass, “Hey babe. I told Mike I had a girl’s night. Want to play?”

Me, “What did you have in mind?”

Cass, “idk as long as at some point you are in me. Let's meet in the park below the Dam on Lake Travis. Do you know the one?”.

Me, “Yes. what time.”

Cass, “6 pm”

Me, “KK”

Cass was already there and I pulled up next to her Mustang. As I opened my Truck door she got out wearing a t-shirt dress that was just above mid-thigh in length and fit her body like a glove.

Our normal Cass and Charles dates for the most part lasted a few hours with me always leaving first and her getting home a little after me

This evening she was a little out of breath when she came to me. She didn’t even look around to see if anyone was looking as she started undoing my pants. “Mike isn’t going to be as late as I thought so we have to hurry.” My pants opened and she dropped to her knees. I saw as her t-shirt pulled up that it was all she had on and as her mouth caressed me her fingers found her wet opening.

Once she had me up good and hard she stood smiling “This is all I have been able to think about all day!” She stepped behind me and bent into the open truck door resting her chest on the seat, that's when I saw the butt plug. She had never done anything with me back there. “I just want you in me!”

She was right, she had been ready and she began to climax as I pushed into her. She came twice before I emptied myself into her sheath. Pushed deeply into her I was holding her by the hips as we caught our breath and I slowly shrank slipping out of her. Cass turned in my arms, kissing me deeply. “Sorry, this has to be a quickly.”

I smiled,

“At least I got to see you.”

She kissed me again, “I have to go so I don’t get into trouble.” She kissed me again then ran around her car calling out “Text me.” As she closed her car door.

As always when Cass and Charles met up it was a good 20 minutes before I got home giving her time to do whatever she might have up her sleeve for next. That night she was standing in the kitchen as naked as the day she was born and wearing that black mask. “Damn man I didn’t think you were ever going to get home. “Oh Mike, my day has been so crazy, and all I have been able to think about is making love to you.” She took my hand pulling me into the bedroom where she undressed me.

10 minutes later I was buried deep in her tummy “Hunter why are you so wet tonight?”

Knowing she was giving me sloppy seconds she just moaned “I was thinking of you.”

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theherothechampiontheinquisitor · 4 years

Text

Peter Parker’s Best Birthday Ever

By @theherothechampiontheinquisitor (MelissaBosquez on AO3) for @superherotiger

Read it on AO3 HERE

For the 2020 Friendly Neighborhood Exchange @friendly-neighborhood-exchange

Rating: G

Relationships: Tony/Pepper, Peter Parker & Tony Stark

Characters: Peter Parker, Tony Stark, Pepper Potts

Summary: Peter Parker was orphaned at the age of 11 when his family was killed an a car accident. Luckily he wasn’t alone for long when billionaire and literal superhero, Tony Stark, swoops in one day and agrees to become a foster parent. However, Peter can’t help but think even as the years go by that he always has one foot out the door, waiting for the day that Tony will decide he doesn’t want to be a parent anymore…he just didn’t think it would happen on his 16th birthday.

Peter overhears a conversation and is convinced that he is going to be sent back into foster care, but not everything is as it seems.

Peter’s alarm clock shrilled through the air, shockingly early that morning, stunning him out of a peaceful sleep. It was only 8am which on a weekday might be considered a good time to sleep in until but today was saturday, and it was definitely way too early to be up. Why had he set it for that early?

Peter felt a nervous anticipation in his stomach as his mind tried to work, still too foggy from sleep to be fully functioning, when suddenly it all clicked into place.

Today was the day!

Peter threw the covers off of him and jumped out of the bed in his excitement, swaying slightly on his feet from the head rush of moving too quickly. He rushed to stand in front of his floor length mirror and inspected his facial features and body intently to see if anything looked differently.

Today was his sweet sixteen birthday.

Biologically he looked the same, though he thought maybe he had just a few more bits of facial hair starting to crop up, not that it was enough to really mention, but every day was one more step to losing the soft baby face features he had carried with him from birth. He’d get there eventually. He hoped.

Not wasting anymore time he ran into his closet and pulled out some clean clothes before rushing to his bathroom and taking a shower and completing his morning routine. Today was his birthday and as such that meant that today was the day that Pepper would be in the kitchen making all of his favorite breakfast things, followed by an obnoxiously extravagant birthday party, as had always been the case since he had come to live with Tony and Pepper five years ago.

It had been just before his eleventh birthday when Peter had experienced the most horrible day of his life. Peter, his parents and his aunt and uncle had all been loaded up in his father’s SUV to celebrate something or another, Peter could hardly remember that day, when another vehicle had jumped the center divider and crashed into their car.

Peter was the only survivor.

With no other family to speak of, the hospital had tasked a social worker to begin the process of finding him a foster home to stay in when he was finally cleared from the hospital.

It had been by complete chance that day that billionaire and literal superhero, Tony Stark had been visiting the Children’s ward of the hospital. According to the chatter from the nurses it was a fairly common occurrence, the man often stopping in to visit and dispense gifts like some kind of Santa Clause.

Peter had always admired Tony, first for his technology, having always held a certain affinity for science and creating, but that had spread ten fold after he became Iron Man. He had even met him once at a Stark Expo, getting an autograph and a pat on the head that he would use to fuel him through bad days for years.

When the man had visited though, Peter couldn’t bring himself to care. He had just lost his entire world and was about to be dropped into an unknown future where he’d probably be pulled out of his school and away from his friends. He’d never get to hug his parents again or never hear his Aunt May laugh at his Uncle Ben’s corny jokes and not even the latest Stark Pad could ever hope to put a dent in that pain.

So, he had kept himself turned away from Tony’s theatrics as he handed out gifts and sat and spoke to all of the kids and their parents. There were no parents to sit with Peter. He had been alone, but thankfully neither that or Peter’s cool reception had been able to stop Tony.

Tony sat and talked to him for hours that first night, first telling funny jokes and stories trying to get Peter to smile, but then he changed tactics.

“The nurse told me your situation. I know it’s not the same but I lost my family when I was really young too.”

That had caught Peter’s attention because he hadn’t realized that. So, he began to open up a little. He responded to Tony, and for the first time since the accident he didn’t feel so alone anymore.

They continued on like that until Peter recovered and they would talk about everything, science, tech, baseball, Iron Man. Each night it grew a little bit harder to say goodbye to Tony at the end of visiting hours but even though he was busy he always promised to come back the next day and he always kept his word.

The day that Peter had been discharged he felt like he was losing the one little bright spot in this entire disaster, having to leave before the time that Tony would normally come and see him, so he didn’t even get to say goodbye.

Little did Peter know he’d find himself stepping out of the social worker’s dinged up Volvo and being met at the bottom of Stark Tower by none other than Tony Stark.

“Surprise,” Tony had said, holding his hands open and stretched out into the air. “This is okay, right? I just…couldn’t let you go yet, kid.” The thin veneer of confidence had faded and shown through to his true emotions, the apprehension evident in his face and the way he shuffled his feet.

Peter had immediately rushed into the man’s arms and hugged him, thankful that if he had to go through this nightmare, he at least was able to go through it with someone who seemed to like him.

That didn’t mean they never had their ups and downs. Tony had no experience being a foster parent or a disciplinarian. Peter’s emotions would often swing back and forth wildly, especially that first year, from sadness to anger and they would fight and misunderstand each other and there was a steep learning curve but they got through it, mostly with the help of a therapist for Peter and the guidance of Tony’s long term girlfriend Pepper Potts. Without Pepper, Tony would have been a mess and they all knew it.

They had finally married last year and Peter had been the best man. He finally felt like he was part of a family again and he hoped that maybe one day they could all make it official.

Peter finished drying his hair and pulling on his clothes, flashing himself a smile in the mirror before rushing out to partake in Peter’s birthday breakfast tradition.

He approached the kitchen quietly, hoping that he’d maybe be able to sneak up on his foster parents and give them a little birthday scare when he heard them speaking in hushed whispers. Peter got excited when he realized that it was about him and more than likely what was in store for his birthday party that day. He pressed his back against the wall around the corner from the kitchen and listened in.

“Tony we really need to tell him now, before the baby gets here,” Pepper said, cracking an egg and letting it drop into the skillet.

Peter almost gasped. A baby? He smiled brightly at the thought. He knew it was something that Tony and Pepper had been tossing around in discussions since they first got married but now it was a real tangible reality.

Then the darker side of his mind chimed in, the side that was filled with all the insecurities and pain that came from becoming an orphan and dealing with the major trauma of that loss. It had been hard to silence that part of himself and though he was better about it now, it was always there lurking in the background, like now, saying that now that Tony and Pepper were going to have their own baby, they wouldn’t want Peter around anymore.

"I know we do, I just don’t know how I’m going to do this, Pep.”

“Just tell him the truth. It’s been coming for years now, I’m sure he has to expect it at this point. Now that we are having a baby, it just moved the timeline up a bit,” she said, gently squeezing Tony’s shoulder. “This was never going to be forever.”

“That doesn’t make it any easier or mean he’ll be happy about it. It’s a delicate situation. I have to break it to him gently and just hope he doesn’t hate me.”

Now Peter’s blood pressure was rising. They weren’t just talking about the baby. They were talking about him, and all of his worst fears were coming to light. They really were wanting to get rid of him, send him back to foster care after all this time. Just when he thought that maybe someday they would want to adopt him, call Peter their son.

He had been so stupid.

He thumped his head back against the wall, stupidly alerting the Starks to his position. The chatter immediately ceased and then Tony popped his head around the corner, his face lit up in a smile.

“THERE’S THE BIRTHDAY BOY!” he shouted, loud enough for Pepper to hear him and fondly roll her eyes.

“Happy birthday, Peter!” she smiled as she finished up their breakfast and Tony wrapped an arm around his shoulder and drug him into the room.

Peter smiled and laughed and ate his blueberry pancakes with the whipped cream and blew out the birthday candle that it was always topped with. He played the part of the happy sixteen year old but inside his heart had been filled with dread and anxiety wondering when exactly Tony was going to tell him that he was being sent back to foster care.

“Hey Pete, did you get everything you wished for?” Tony asked coming to sit down on the couch next to Peter, an arm instantly going over the young boy’s shoulders and giving him a quick squeeze.

Pete gave a half smile because he didn’t want for Tony to think that he didn’t like his gifts or his party. He knew that he and Pepper always went to a lot of trouble to make sure that he had everything that he needed and to make him feel wanted. It really was a great day once he had been able to forget the Stark’s hushed conversation that morning but now that his friends were gone and the party over, he was once again left alone with the dread and the fear.

“Mostly, I think.”

“Mostly? Hmm. That won’t do.” Tony hummed and squinted his eyes up in thought.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to seem ungrateful, I loved everything, really. You guys outdid yourselves.”

“Well, sixteen is an important age. Your first taste of being an adult y’know? You can get your driver’s license and the curfew extends an extra hour and was it just me or does there seem to be a little bit of a romance blooming with you and MJ?”

Peter’s cheeks heated a little at the mention of MJ and how they maybe hadn’t been quite as secretive as they had thought. Tony just smiled knowingly.

“So, you really did have a good day though? The balloons and photobooth too much? You know Pepper talked me down from most of what I wanted to do because she’s not fun like we are.”

Peter laughed. “Yes, yes. I promise it was great. Maybe a taaaad overboard with the balloons though,” he said kicking at the cluster gathered around their feet, sending colorful balloons flying in every direction.

“Yeeeeeah, maybe just a tad. I’ll cut it back a little next year, deal?” he asked, producing his fist for Peter to bump.

Peter rolled his eyes, like he would even be here next year, but for appearances fist bumped the man anyways, even if no one fist bumped anymore.

“So…” Tony started and then stopped, letting loose a deep sigh. “There is uh, just one more thing that I needed to discuss with you today.”

Peter’s heart started thumping wildly. He hadn’t expected to have this conversation so soon, he just thought maybe he’d be able to get through his entire birthday before having Tony tell him they didn’t want Peter anymore.

Peter swallowed thickly over the lump that formed in his throat and wiped his sweaty hands against his jeans. He was never going to survive this conversation if he let Tony ramble through this conversation like he knew that he would. Tony was good at public speaking but these little heart to hearts always made him nervous. Maybe it would be better for both of them if Peter just ripped the bandaid off right out of the gate.

“Yeah, I already know…”

Tony’s eyes narrowed. “Already know about what?”

“You know,” Peter began, hand flailing in the air ineffectually between them, “about what you’re going to tell me…about Pepper right?”

“Okay, kid, out with it. What do you know?”

Peter really didn’t want to say it. He didn’t want to admit to his eavesdropping and he certainly didn’t want to say out loud the words he had heard that meant that his life was about to shift in the most dramatic way possible for what felt like the millionth time in his short life. If he repeated what he heard out loud it made the words real, concrete, inescapable. Maybe this hadn’t been the best idea. One glance at Tony’s concerned face told him though that there was no way in hell that he was going to escape this conversation.

“I know about Pepper and the baby…” he finally said out loud, popping up from his seat and making another section of balloons bounce and scatter about. His heart was pounding so quickly, he could scarcely hear over the rush of blood in his ears and he shoved his hands in his pockets.

Tony leaned forward off the couch, pushing the sleeves of his sweatshirt back to his elbow and clasping his hands together in front of him on his lap.

“You’re right. I am going to be a father…” Tony started but Peter cut him off before he could get started.

“Which is great! I am really excited for you guys. I know it’s something that you guys have wanted for a really long time and now you can finally have it all…only you can’t. Because you have me.”

“Pete…” Tony started again.

“No, it’s okay, really. I get it. You guys finally can have your own family and I am not really a part of that. I appreciate everything that you guys have done for me, really, I couldn’t have asked for a better pair of foster parents and even though I know I’ll never get this lucky again, I just want you to know that I-I won’t fight you on your decision.”

He was telling the truth. As much as the thought of being sent to another foster home actually gutted his insides he could do this for Tony and Pepper. He couldn’t blame them for wanting a fresh start and getting rid of Peter and all of his baggage was the logical way to go. Maybe if he was lucky he’d still get to visit sometimes, or if that was too much he always had his friends to fall back on for support.

“My decision??” Tony gave him an incredulous look and his voice remained low and flat. It was that same look and tone that he would give Peter when he had been caught in a lie about studying when really he and Ned had been building with Legos all night or if Peter had ate the last piece of pizza on movie night.

“Yeah…” Peter said, reaching his hand behind him to rub at his neck. “Now that you’ll have your own kid…you don’t need me anymore and will be sending me back into the system…I heard you tell Pepper that you had to break it to me gently and hope that I wouldn’t hate you. And I don’t. I get it.”

Now Tony looked absolutely horrified. His mouth was slightly agape and his eyes were wide, hands clenching and unclenching in his lap. Peter should have just let Tony speak first and drop the bomb on him instead of Peter having to painstakingly reveal each moment. It would have been easier for him and the looks of it, easier on Tony. Peter’s gut clenched and he could feel the sting of tears behind his eyes as he thought about having to leave this place.

“Pete…” Tony began once again, his name spoken in a whisper. “Do you really think so little of me?”

“W-what do you mean?”

“Do you really think that after five years I’d just-” he broke off, unable to finish the sentence, turning his head away from Peter as he tried to get his emotions in check.

Confusion began to settle back over Peter and he slowly sat back down on the couch beside Tony, folding one leg beneath him as he turned and adjusted to face the man that had been like a father to him all these years. Tony wasn’t often an emotional man. He was sappy, and corny and every bit that type that loved to do Dad jokes but as far as actually showing tears, that level of emotion was rare and for the first time that morning he wondered if he had got it all wrong.

“I just…I heard what you and Pepper were saying…I’m sorry, I don’t understand. If you guys don’t want to send me back then what did you want to talk about?”

Tony took a deep breath, getting his emotions back in check before turning and reaching into the end table drawer beside the couch and pulling out a rectangular wrapped gift, holding it tightly in his hands.

“Okay, clearly we still have some things that we need to work on to make you feel safer and more secure with us. I hope that this will be a good first step.”

He passed the gift to Peter and it felt thin and floppy in his hands. Gently he tore at the paper, revealing an ordinary looking manila envelope. There was no writing or anything distinguishing looking on the outside as he flipped it over and folded the tongs up. He wasn’t sure what he was really expecting when he pulled the small stack of papers out, all of them signed and dated by Tony and Pepper. It definitely wasn’t a ticket back to the foster care system.

“Is this…” he choked out and covered his mouth, his eyes wildly moving back and forth as he began to read over the document.

“You were right, Peter. I am going to be a father…but I hoped it would be to two children.”

“This is for real? You’re serious?”

“Pepper and I have been talking about it for a long time. I was ready to sign these papers years ago but Pepper thought it was better to let you heal and adjust first. I won’t do it if you don’t want me to, I still won’t send you back to foster care, I don’t want you to ever worry about that, but if you don’t want this then just say the word.”

“Yes.” Peter immediately spoke, looking up from the documents into Tony’s eyes.

“Yes?” Tony questioned cautiously.

“Yes, I want for you to adopt me.”

As soon as the words were out of his mouth Peter immediately felt himself being wrapped up in Tony’s arms, hugging him as tight as he could. Peter reciprocated and wondered how he could have ever thought that Tony would toss him away like trash. Tony loved him. Tony was…his dad.

“Pepper has been nagging me to tell you for weeks,” Tony spoke over his shoulder, unwilling to relinquish his grip. “I just couldn’t. I didn’t think you would want this. You’re almost an adult and you’ve already been through so much, I wouldn’t have blamed you, but I wasn’t sure what I’d do if you’d have said no. Gotten over it I guess, but I am really, really happy that you said yes. I swear I wasn’t this nervous when Pepper and I got married,” he laughed wetly, a couple of tears escaping.

Peter laughed with him, his own happy tears starting to fall. “I’m sorry I ever thought you capable of anything else.”

Tony pulled away first. “You have nothing to apologize for. Just promise me that in the future you’ll talk to me first when you start to feel any doubts like that. I love you kid.”

“I will, I promise.”

“Good. Now, did you get everything that you wanted for your birthday?”

“Yes,” Peter grinned, still holding tightly to the adoption papers in his hand. “I really don’t know how you’ll top this next year. This was the best gift I could ever get. I love you…Dad.”

#thefriendlyneighborhoodexchange #superherotiger #Mel's Fics #iron dad #irondad #peter parker #tony stark #mcu

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niall-is-my-dream · 5 years

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Lost Without You - Part Eight

2695 words

Catch up below

https://niall-is-my-dream.tumblr.com/post/186235732118/lost-without-you-masterlist

Six weeks later

You had just finished sorting out your bag for work when the door buzzer went, it was early only 8am but you knew who it was. After buzzing the person up you went and opened your front door.

"Bonjour, Mademoiselle Emma Pearce?" Hello, Miss Emma Pearce?

"Oui, c'est moi." Yes, that's me.

"J'ai une livraison pour vous. Signez ici s'il vous plait." I have a delivery for you. Please sign here.

"Bien sur." Of course.

You took the electronic device from the delivery girl, your eyes wandering over the huge bouquet of flowers in her arm as you signed your name.

"Ceux-ci sont pour vous." These are for you. She said with a smile.

"Merci." Thank you. You replied.

You took the bouquet from her and waved her a goodbye. After closing the door you made your way over to your kitchen. When Niall had first started sending you flowers on a weekly basis, you hadn't owned a vase. You'd had to make a trip to the local store a few blocks away to invest in a few. The arrangement was always the same, an exact replica of the flowers he had sent you the day after he met you.

Your city centre Paris apartment was small but perfectly formed. It kind of reminded you of your dorm room actually, a small area with your desk, a kitchenette, the living space had just a sofa and a tv in. Around the corner of the L shaped room was your bed. Off of that was the shower room with a basin and toliet. You were only here for 3 and a half months so the space didn't bother you. A big two bedroom flat was waiting for you at home in London and anyway you were in Paris it didn't matter about the size of the apartment! You were living the dream and using the degree you had spent three years slugging your guts out at University for.

While lying in bed with Niall the day that you almost lost him, you had agreed to FaceTime weekly on a Sunday and to text everyday. Even if either of you were busy, a simple heart was to be sent to show you were thinking about the other.

Hearts were sent frequently from both of you, especially when Niall was in the U.S. Time differences made it difficult for you to both be free to speak at the same time everyday. Work was busy for both of you and the messages over the last four days had been just full of hearts, some from you and some from him.

Being in the Paris office of Foundation Interior Designs was amazing but challenging. Luckily you had taken A-Level French so could hold a decent conversation and read an email. Google translate was also your best friend. Everyone was sweet in the office and you had made friends with Francine and Gabriel. You went for coffee together and they had invited you to dinner with some of their friends.

You definitely missed Hannah and Jess, although they had already taken advantage of your living status and caught the Eurostar to Paris three weeks after you arrived. You had spent the weekend with them being a tourist and chatting about anything and everything.

When you're used to seeing someone everyday it is strange when all of a sudden they are no longer living right there in the same city as you. You missed hugs from Audrey and obviously her coffee and pastries. You missed joking with Jasper and Luke at the pub, but most of all you missed Niall.

And he was coming to stay the night in 2 sleeps time. In fact he was staying two nights.

He had been the one to count it down in sleeps. When he knew his plans for definite, he had text you a count down of when you'd get to be together.

Niall was in London at the moment, just a short flight or train ride away. He had interviews on some of the main UK radio stations and was then coming to Paris to appear on a Saturday morning broadcast. Then he was yours until he flew to Germany on Monday morning.

You had estimated him to have about 44 hours with you and you couldn't wait.

Being apart had been hard, but your slight wobble about it was past you.

Ok major wobble.

You'd been so confident when you'd first met him. But as time went on and your feelings grew you had found yourself to be a complete mess. Having always been someone who didn't take risks, being with Niall was a big one. The constant travelling and being apart and his high profile status were just a few of the things that worried you. Getting hate because you were with him was a worry, but the main thing you were concerned about was getting your heart broken.

You put the flowers that had been delivered in a vase and placed them on your coffee table. The ones from last week were still blooming, those were sitting on your chest of drawers in the bedroom area. Taking the card between your fingers you opened it to find just a few words.

Just 2 more sleeps now Petal. Can't Wait! N x

When you arrived at the office an hour later you got yourself a coffee and set to work. You hadn't been sure what your internship role would entail, but you were pleased that it wasn't just making coffee or note taking. Jacqueline was the boss in the Paris office and her fiery red hair made her look feisty and fierce, but she was actually a really sweet woman. She wanted to make sure you learnt everything you could from her and her team while you were in Paris.

With a huge contract coming in just a week after you arrived, you found yourself in full on design mode. Everyone's ideas for a full refurbishment of a stunning hotel in a town not far from Paris were taken on board.

You had just finished up some ideas for the main reception area a few hours later when Gabriel came by your desk.

"Coffee break?" He asked. Although your day to day meetings were in French a lot of the time, your colleagues were sympathetic to you and would often speak in English to you.

"Yes please."

The break room was empty when you arrived, and Gabriel went straight for the coffee machine. After being in the office for 7 weeks now, you had got to know him and a few of your other colleagues well.

"Do you have any plans for this weekend? Christopher and I are heading out for food and drinks Saturday night." He asked you as he made the coffees.

"I'm sorry I cant, I have my boyfriend coming in for the weekend."

"Oh I forgot, are you excited?!" He replied as he handed you your cup.

"Yes! I've missed him. Can't wait to spend the whole weekend with him."

"He hasn't been to visit yet has he?"

"No, he's been busy with work."

"It's sad that you've had to be apart for so long."

You nodded in agreement but didn't say anything, choosing to take a sip of your coffee instead. It wasn't that you were keeping Niall a secret or anything but you weren't ready to share that your boyfriend was Niall Horan. You had kept information of your relationship to yourself. Privacy was really important to Niall and you respected and understood that. All your work colleagues knew was that he travelled a lot with work and that his line of work was music. You hadn't elaborated anymore than that. In fact the only people who were aware that you were in a relationship were Hannah and Jess, your parents and your brother Rob.

Gabriel asked about your plans for the weekend and you weren't sure what you and Niall were planning to do. He wiggled his eyebrows and laughed telling you to at least venture outside to see some sights. You blushed at his words and he laughed even more.

*********

When Saturday finally arrived you got up early to prepare for Niall's arrival. Usually on a Saturday morning you would have a lie in. The days at your internship were long and there was a lot to learn so by the time the end of the week came your mind was flooded with information. But with Niall due in just a few hours you were up, dressed and your small studio apartment was spotlessly clean.

Making your way down the stairs of your building you wrapped your coat around you as you braced the October morning. With no car you were happy to see it wasn't raining and would be able to make the 20 minute walk to the supermarche. With hardly any food left in your fridge, you had planned on stocking up on some things for your weekend with Niall.

After buying too much stuff to carry home, you caught a taxi back and managed to get all the bags up the three flights of stairs and put away before Niall arrived.

When the buzzer went off you to alert you that he had arrived, you couldn't help but feel the butterflies in your tummy. Finally after almost 7 weeks you'd get to see him again. Reaching for the button, you held it for a moment as you spoke.

"Hello."

"Hi, it's me." He said.

"I'll buzz you in, straight up the stairs, three flights unfortunately!" You replied smiling.

A quick check of your appearance in the mirror was of no use. Even if you weren't happy about it, Niall would be at the door in just a few minutes. A pair of plain black leggings and an oversized off the shoulder burgundy top was what you had chosen to wear this morning. You'd fretted about it for ages before deciding that keeping it cute and casual was the way to go.

Making your way to the door, you opened it just as Niall had reached the bottom of the last staircase. His eyes never left yours as he made his way up the steps. Your body suddenly felt flush under this gaze.

He had his large leather overnight bag on his shoulder and some similar sized paper shopping bags in one of his hands.

As he crossed over the threshold you couldn't help but breathe him in. Your fingers were shaking with anticipation as you closed the door and locked it. Niall had placed his things down on the floor by the side of the sofa and took the few steps towards you as soon as his hands were free of his belongings.

"Missed ya so fucking much." He whispered as he took your hands in his and wrapped them around his neck.

"Missed you too." You whispered back.

Resting his forehead against yours, he gently nudged your nose with his. You had only been apart once before, when Niall had spent three weeks in L.A. at the start of your relationship. At the time you weren't even sure of what the two of you were. All you knew was that you'd been so desperate for each other when he came to your dorm when he arrived back in the UK, that you both were still half dressed as he fucked you against your dorm room door.

This time however when he finally brought his lips to yours he was savouring every minute of the kiss, taking his time to reacquaint your lips with one another. The feeling of your body finally being held close to his was what caused you to melt against him. Allowing him to lead the kiss, when your body was high from the feeling that you'd been missing.

Who knows how long you'd stood by the door kissing each other. Time meant nothing at that moment.

Niall's lips moved from your lips and across your jaw, his teeth nibbling at your throat when a satisfied mewl came tumbling from your lips.

He brought his face up to yours at the sound.

"Been so lost without you, so fucking lost. Facetiming just once a week with a few messages in between has been shite."

"You agreed that was what would be best considering our difference time zones." You replied to him, your face buzzing with a smirk at his frustration.

"Well I was fucking stupid." He smirked back. "We need to FaceTime more!"

"Lets not argue about this now. How about I take you to bed and show you how much I missed you?" You said with a wink.

"Well, we are in the city of love." He joked.

You burst out laughing at his answer.

"Oh my god I can't believe you just said that to me!" You snorted.

"What?!"

You continued to laugh until he picked you up and you wrapped your legs around him with a squeal.

"Niall!"

"Come on love let's get you naked."

*******

How long is too long to lay and just stare at one another?

You had no idea how long it had been. His finger tips had been slowly drawing circles on your bare hips. The thick quilt you had on your bed was pulled up to your shoulders and you lay on your sides just looking at one another.

As much as you loved your city centre apartment, it was an old building and a little drafty. It had bothered you when the weather has begun to turn colder, but right now your naked body was warm and cosy.

"Could lay and watch you all day." You whispered.

"Mmmm." Niall replied moving closer to you. "Same to you."

His lips brushed softly against yours, tender and sweet.

"Shall we chill out here for a bit, then go do some sightseeing and dinner?" He asked you.

You looked behind him and noticed your alarm clock showed it to 2:34pm.

"Will it be ok for us to be out in the city? Aren't you worried about getting spotted together?" You replied, laying back down.

"It'll be fine. We can go out when it gets dark, I've heard the city is great to explore when everything is lit up. I can ask Basil to come with us if you'd prefer?"

"No, I'm fine about it if you are."

And you were. This was how much your relationship had developed over the last few months. Emma, the non risk taker was taking a big risk being in Paris, being away from home, being in a relationship with a celebrity and you were embracing the risk.

Call it getting older, maturing or just falling in love. You weren't going to shy away from things.

"Well I'm going to jump in the shower and then make us some late lunch. We can head out and grab dinner a bit later. We could go for a cruise along the river and go to this amazing bistro that Gabriel told me about."

"Gabriel?"

"Yeah, my friend from work. I told you about him. He and Francine have been great, inviting me out with them and stuff since I arrived."

"Oh yeah, I remember." He replied, and you could instantly hear the jealous tone in his voice.

You couldn't wipe the smirk off your face at his reaction.

"Gabriel is married." You said slowly. "To someone named Christopher."

His eyebrows furrowed.

"Oh..... Hey I never said anything." He replied, trying to act innocent.

You laughed at his jealous nature.

"Niall you're the one who's a lusted after musician, shouldn't it be me that acts jealous?!"

"I wasn't acting jealous!" He protested.

"Yeah you were, but it's quite cute actually."

"Wasn't." He mumbled.

You sniggered at his reaction as he cuddled into your side. His face resting in the crook of your neck.

"Come on jealous boy, lets get showered and changed. I'll make us a late lunch."

"Stay and cuddle for five more minutes." He begged, his breath tickling your neck causing goose bumps to erupt on your skin. "I've missed you."

Part nine

https://niall-is-my-dream.tumblr.com/post/188653210248/lost-without-you-part-nine

Tag list

@awomanindeniall

@horanscran

@flnialler

@winchesterwife27

@ihearthemcallingforyou

@niallismymuse

@someoneunimportantxx

#Niall #Niall Horan #Niall fan fic #Niall Horan fan fic #Niall fan fiction #solo Niall #Niall fluff #Niall smut #boyfriend Niall #Emily writes

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queenofthebench · 5 years

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Snowy Sunday Thoughts

Day: Sunday, January 27th, 2019

Time: 8am

Weather: Yesterday with windchill, it was -25°F. Today its -15°F. Balmy!

Hello everyone,

Thought I’d write a little update on life! Get ready for a long one. Right now I’m sitting on my couch, enjoying the silence of a Sunday morning :) My husband (I’ll call him A from now on) is asleep, but I was woken up to an email about some new data from a collaborator, so I got up all excited to check my computer and now I can’t go back to sleep! So, it’s just me, my plants, and the golden sun peaking over the horizon :) Very quiet and peaceful.

This week we had recruiting again for my program. 16 students came to visit and we spent from Thursday through Saturday night, walking them to interviews, having dinners with them, doing social activities on the town, you name it. It was actually pretty fun! I connected with the students this weekend more than the students who came last weekend I would say, so I hope some of them come!

In my personal life, things are a bit sad/crazy lately. As I mentioned before in a previous post, my “best friend” out here, who’s also my lab-mate, has recently decided I’m public enemy #1 and has escalated to the point of deciding she no longer wants to have any kind of personal relationship with me, or our other friends (about 6 of us). I’m really stunned and upset, because she refuses to talk to me about it and says it’s “non-negotiable” but will not tell me what has pushed her to this point. We had a hard conversation a few weeks ago about her ex boyfriend and the fact that our group of friends would like to remain neutral in this process (so, not choosing sides and excommunicating him), and something from that conversation caused her to cold shoulder me for 3-weeks, even though we both left the conversation saying we’d be open with each other and we both understand that we have different ways of handling friendships after a breakup (she is in the camp of: you stay loyal to who your first friend was and ditch the partner).

She’s apparently telling people something from that conversation is the “second most hurtful thing I’ve ever heard in my life”, aside from what her ex said to her during her breakup (which I still don’t really know what he said). I really have no recollection of saying anything mean to her. On the contrary, I was trying really hard to express that we were all sympathetic about the situation and wanted to try our hardest to respect her feelings and wishes, while still remaining true to our hearts as well. I honestly think she took me saying we wanted to remain neutral and friendly with both of them as a personal attack, which is really ridiculous.

She has a tendency to take what other people say and warp it in a way that makes them sound like they intentionally are trying to hurt or “betray” her, which is really sad and hard to deal with. Our other friend tried to send her a text on the side saying that she wasn’t sure what was going on, but that she wanted to communicate and try to mend the friendship. My friend said she was a little hurt that my lab-mate chose to ignore us rather than tell us what was wrong. My lab-mate basically said she was a “victim” in this situation because she’s going through the breakup, and we needed to apologize to her because it was our responsibility to reach out to her....even though she was the one who started the cold-shouldering. This friend of mine did apologize multiple times, but by then my lab-mate seemed to have blocked her number so the texts did not get through. I heard from a co-worker that she claimed we were “conspiring against her” and “gaslighting” her when she did nothing wrong.

It’s just a level of drama and paranoia that I have never experienced before, and I’m really upset that she has such a low opinion of us, and such a stubborn resolve that she has no part in wrongdoing during this situation. She’s so quick to assume we are against her, and not say to herself, “Hm, that doesn’t seem like something they would do/say. I’ll make sure.”

My opinion is that if your feelings are hurt or you think someone said something, you should bring it up, because 9/10 that person didn’t mean it that way or you are misunderstanding the message. Or at the very least, you’ve made it known you are upset for reasons xyz and everyone knows. No passive aggressive bullshit. If you choose to leave a conversation without expressing your feelings and then you start cold-shouldering people, they are going to be shocked and hurt, and are eventually going to stop trying to interact with you because it’s hurtful and childish to be treated that way. I firmly believe if you resort to passive aggressive ignoring or any tactic, it’s your responsibility to break the silence because you are the one who initiated it instead of being open and honest about your feelings.

That being said, the last two times this has happened, I was the one to reach out and say “Hey let’s talk, this has gone on long enough”, in an effort to salvage the friendship, even though it really hurt my self-respect to do so. I texted her on Friday saying that I was confused about what was going on, but I was ready and willing to talk if she decided she wanted that. And she replied that she only wanted a professional relationship, she didn’t want to have a personal relationship with me at all, and it was non-negotiable. It was so cold. I am still really hurting from it all. I don’t get how someone could be so sure their best friend is a horrible person, without even wanting to talk about it first. I just said “I’m sad you feel that way and honestly a bit confused, but if that’s your decision I will respect it and try to make the workplace a comfortable place for us both”. She can’t block my number because we work together and need to be in contact, but this is basically the next closest thing.

How do you go from being someone’s best friend to having “no personal relationship” with them? Even my co-workers who I am not super close with, I still ask them about their lives and small-talk with them. I feel like it’s going to be super uncomfortable and robotic. She is here for another year before her post-doc, which feels like an eternity away.

I’m deeply saddened and feel powerless right now.

Has anyone else had a friend or even themselves been in a position where they are convinced everyone around them is “betraying” them? I’d love some insight on how to deal and cope. I know she’s hurting from the breakup, but I just feel like victimizing her and justifying her actions because she’s “in pain” is only making it worse.

#personal #co-workers #advice #friendship #fromthequeen

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alainas-adventures · 6 years

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Tokyo, Volume II

Homer and I are seriously considering making an annual visit to Tokyo. From April 12-15, we enjoyed our second trip to this beautiful city and to the Tokyo Disneyland Resort. This time, we did our trip in reverse order: city first, then Disney. And since we only had four days, we skipped Disneyland and just opted for DisneySea.

Thursday, April 12

We headed to the airport around 6:00 AM. Knowing we’d have just the late afternoon and evening in the city, we didn’t plan to do too much. We checked into a lovely AirBnb just a few metro stops away from Shinjuku, grabbed some fast food (which in Japan means rice and meat), and started to explore.

The view from our AirBnb (which could have been an IKEA showroom, tbh).

If you go to Tokyo and don’t take a street style pic, did you even go to Tokyo??

The first item on our checklist was the Harry the Hedgehog cafe in Harajuku. This is literally a place where you pay to play with tiny hedgehogs. We got there near closing time, so we only got 20 of the 30 minutes we normally would have had, but it was SO WORTH IT. These little creatures are too adorable!!

This one may have pooped while we were holding it. There’s a reason you wear gloves.

After that, we had some time to kill before seeing Roppongi Kaguwa – a cross between Airband, a geisha performance, and a drag show. I really don’t know how to explain it. Picture a stage comprised of small black platforms which rise and fall in order to create various illusions. Now add in two dozen performers, who dance, act, and undergo a slew of quick changes. The surrounding environment is a cross between a theatre and a nightclub. It was bizarre to be sure, but I was fully engaged.

Friday, April 13

We checked out of our AirBnb around 11am (and by checked out, I mean dropped the keys back in their mailbox) and headed to Shinjuku. The previous day, we had found a luggage delivery service there that was able to send our suitcases to Disneyland for about $25 USD per piece. This really helped us out. It prevented us from having to come back to Shinjuku later in the day to retrieve our luggage from a storage locker, and from having to carry it on the metro all the way to Disneyland (which is about 40 minutes outside of the city). If you’re interested in doing this, check out the Tourist Information Center in Shinjuku. There are other locations and companies that do this throughout Tokyo as well. You should give them at least one day’s notice if you’re sending bags to Disneyland, as the delivery truck leaves at 11:30 AM.

After shedding our baggage, we headed back into the colorful Harajuku for some more exploring.

First up was the “Owl Forest,” a walkthrough experience that allows you to come face-to-face with these majestic birds of prey.

Homer took this and I seriously think he should send it in to National Geographic.

Staring contest with this big guy. I can’t say for sure that I lost. He turned his head 180 degrees to avoid blinking at me. Pretty sure that’s cheating.

When it was time for lunch, we ducked into a place that had some of the best fried dumplings I’ve ever eaten.

The rest of the day was spent shopping, basically. We joked that we would visit ever Disney Store in Tokyo. But when the day was done, we actually had hit four of them: Odaiba, Shinjuku, Harajuku, and Shibuya.

This is the Shibuya location, which is a winding tower that takes you through various Disney scenes. The top floor features decor from the Darlings’ Nursery (Peter Pan) and Geppetto’s workshop (Pinocchio).

Next up (as I started to doze off on every train ride because of my lack of sleep), we headed for Odaiba. This is a large shopping mall and tourist destination, featuring a massive ferris wheel, a water park, and a 65-foot robot named GUNDAM. (Guess whose pick this destination was?)

GUNDAM's horn actually transforms every two hours and his lights change as he does so. From 7:30 to 9:30 PM, there is also a projection show every 30 minutes.

After dinner, we took a quick walk (quick because it was cold and very windy by the harbor) to Odaiba’s replica of the Statue of Liberty. Seeing as I’ve never been to the real one, it was pretty cool, I guess.

Finally, it was the moment I’d been waiting for ever since I saw photos on Instagram a year ago... it was time to transfer to the Tokyo Disneyland Hotel. I booked the Beauty and the Beast character room as an early birthday present to myself, and it was SO WORTH IT. Homer was a champ at enduring all of my ridiculous photo requests.

Belle was the first princess who made me believe that this dream could be possible for me, so I have a special connection to her story. Staying in a room that was made to look like part of the Beast’s castle was the icing on the cake of an already incredible trip!

We took a little more time to explore the hotel lobby and gift shop, and to make breakfast reservations for the next morning. It was going to be a busy day, so we tried to go to bed as early as we could (so, midnight. Fail).

Saturday, April 14

Everybody here knows when I go to Disney, I go hard. However, we had been to Tokyo DisneySea before, so I wasn’t as concerned about trying to do EVERYTHING. Instead, we picked the handful of things we liked best from our first trip and focused on those, allowing for more buffer time than in our last trip. Still, since we only had one day (and it was a Saturday), I did want to get an early start. The hotel provided us with special passes that allowed us to enter the inner gates of the park 15 minutes before everyone else (at 7:45 AM). We didn’t quite make it for that, but by 8:15, we were there.

I will say, that extra 30 minutes does make a big difference. Whereas on our first trip (when we waited at the entrance gate from about 7:30 AM, if memory serves) we were able to walk right onto Journey to the Center of the Earth and Indiana Jones, this time we ran into 30-50 minute waits for both. We stood in line to ride the former (mostly to wake ourselves up) and decided to return later for the latter. We then dashed over to the American Waterfront to grab FastPasses for Tower of Terror (success) and try our hand at the lottery for Big Band Beat (we lost). (I’ll explain this more later.)

Now, I do need to address the weather. Unfortunately, though our first two days were in the low 70s/upper 60s and sunny, our ONE AND ONLY DISNEY DAY was of course cold, cloudy, windy, and occasionally rainy. But we were determined to have a good time (and make photo magic happen so that it didn’t look as dreary as it was). Therefore, when we saw a pocket of sunshine opening up in the clouds, we took immediate advantage.

The Mermaid Lagoon area will forever be my favorite part of DisneySea – although I love the entire park. We took a million photos, then enjoyed King Triton’s Concert (Ariel flies over the audience – she even waved at us!)

We were delighted to see an old friend of mine under the sea!

...and I finally got to meet Prince Eric!

After hitting the shops (duh), we headed to the American Waterfront to redeem our FastPasses for the Tower of Terror and enjoy some infamous green alien mochi. If you don’t remember from my last trip, each one is filled with either chocolate, vanilla, or strawberry custard. People line up for ages to get these things – and for good reason!

One more snack that I neglected to get a photo of (because I gobbled it up THAT FAST) was the bacon-wrapped rice roll. My mouth is literally watering trying to describe this. The consistency of the rice was so soft – you would have thought it was potato. Here’s a photo from Have Seat Will Travel:

One of the things we really regretted missing on our last trip was Big Band Beat, the Broadway-style stage musical in the American Waterfront area. This show features a live big band, a vocal jazz quartet, tap dancers, and of course – the VIPs. Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, and Daisy make special appearances – but Mickey is the true star. He plays a drum solo and then GETS UP AND TAP DANCES. It was excellent. We were wholly impressed.

(Side note: we were taken aback by how the audience clapped heartily after every number and, without prompting, clapped on 2 and 4 at appropriate times. I need you to understand that hell would freeze over before this ever happened in Hong Kong Disneyland.)

(Side side note: we also noticed an enthusiasm for audience participation in general. In a special 35th Anniversary show on the lake earlier that morning, Mickey was able to rally the entire crowd into learning a simple dance and performing it along with him and his friends. Again, Hong Kong audiences would never go for this.)

This theatre is HUGE! The only ways to get orchestra seating are either to line up for the first show of the day (people were there at 8am and I was not about to sit there until 12:20, so no) or to win the lottery that I mentioned earlier. You can enter once a day, and our one try was not successful. We sat in the mezzanine because that’s the seating designated for the “unlucky” ones who don’t win the lottery seats on the ground floor. But actually, I quite liked the view from up there, and didn’t view it as a consolation prize at all. (I was also told that we were extremely lucky to get seats by lining up just 20 minutes before the performance. It must have been a slow day.)

Another thing we missed on our last trip was the gondola ride in the Mediterranean Harbor area of the park. This is a stunning area – I wish we could have taken more photos, but the weather was on the decline. The boat ride was a lot of fun – even though we had to hold an umbrella up for most of it. The gondolier even sang an Italian song as we passed under a bridge, and she got all of us to close our eyes and make a wish for good luck. (Again, this would never fly in Hong Kong.)

Next, we made our way to the north side of the park – mostly for photo-taking opportunities, and also to redeem our FastPasses for Indiana Jones.

We found this wall paying homage to Coco next to the Mexican cantina. We both love this film, so we had to stop for photos!

The Arabian Coast area is magnificent. This time we got around to riding the top level of the double-decker carousel.

After the cold started to take its toll and our feet and backs began to ache, we decided to take a dinner break at one of the “buffeterias” (offering set meals that allow you to pick an entree, bread or rice, a drink, and two sides). It felt like we had just won a reward challenge on Survivor. We gobbled up every last bite.

One thing we said we’d never do was Toy Story Midway Mania, for the sole reasons that 1. the line was usually 120 minutes or more and 2. the same attraction can be found in Walt Disney World back at home. But at the end of the day, while everyone was distracted by Fantasmic!, the wait went down to only 70 minutes. We decided to tough it out and make it our last attraction of the day.

The queue area for this ride is a bit different than that of its Orlando counterpart. I especially liked the detail of the corner of Andy’s bedspread revealing the entrance to the “arcade.”

Well, it was a very full day, and I think the weather took even more stamina than would have been necessary on a sunny day. We relocated to the Hilton Tokyo Bay (the Tokyo Disneyland Hotel had been very helpful in sending our bags there for free earlier in the day) and called it a night.

Travel Tip: Tokyo Disneyland offers special tickets called Starlight Passports and After 6 Passports, which allow you to enter the park after 3pm on Saturdays/Sundays/Public Holidays and 6pm Monday-Friday respectively, at a discounted price. These tickets are only available on certain days, but if you arrive on property midday, they can be a great way to save money and still get park time. This is especially useful because Tokyo Disneyland Resort does not allow same-day park hopping unless you purchase a 3- or 4-day ticket package. So make use of the half days that you’ve got! Check the park operation calendar before you go to see which days these passports are available. Click here for more information on TDLR ticketing.

Sunday, April 15

We woke up to this view after receiving a free upgrade to an oceanview room! Then we checked out, booked our airport limousine service, left our luggage with the valet and headed for Ikspiari. This is a shopping district, kind of like Tokyo’s version of Downtown Disney. Located right beside the Tokyo Disneyland stop on the resort line, the mall is attached to Disney’s Ambassador Hotel (which scarily resembles the Hollywood Hotel, my first home at Hong Kong Disneyland). Inside are dozens of shopping and dining options, among them Japan’s largest Disney Store. This marked our fifth Disney Store of the week (sixth if you count the one in the Hong Kong airport) and I wasn’t even a little bit remorseful. Here’s my merch haul from the trip.

From top left: 1. I snagged the backpack on day one of its launch; it’s part of a partnership between Disney and Legato Largo. There was also another style of this bag, and they came in other colors (pink with Rapunzel, pink with Ariel, beige with Belle, navy with Jasmine, black with Minnie Mouse). There is also a line of accompanying wallets and ID card holders. I really liked the Rapunzel one (especially because the text says “You can always find a new dream” – such appropriate timing for me!) but you couldn’t see the outline of the artwork unless you were about a foot away. It looked like a plain pink backpack from a distance. So I chose the Ariel one, with the text, “Under the Sea.” 2. These pink glittery ears were launched as part of the Sakura festival in Japan. Though the blossoms had already vanished from Tokyo by the time we got there, the park still had plenty of these accessories on their shelves. 3. A pin with Ariel’s silhouette. 4. Just a shopping bag featuring the 35th Happiest Celebration artwork. 5. I had to get a new Little Mermaid collage shirt from DisneySea because last time I had a lapse in judgment and bought a large kids’ size, thinking it fit better than the adult small. It shrunk in one wash and turned into an unfortunate crop top. 6. Another Little Mermaid shirt from the Disney Store Japan. This one has chiffon sleeves and a picture of Ariel on the back, with the text “Think Happy, Be Happy.” The artwork is similar to that of the Little Mermaid sweatshirt I bought on my trip to Osaka, but the text is a vast improvement from “Ariel and Flounder, very good friends.” 7. A cup and amenities kit from the Tokyo Disneyland Hotel, also featuring the artwork from the 35th Anniversary. 8. A mini Ariel wallet from the Disney Store, featuring the same artwork and quote as the white shirt. 9. A Chip teacup from Tokyo DisneySea.

As always, we had an incredible time in Japan. This visit solidified my goal to work and live there someday. If I’m not working there by spring 2019, I will definitely do my best to take a vacation there again. Japan has a little piece of my heart!

#tokyo disneyland #tokyo disneysea #tdlr #tokyo #japan #april 2018

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laurenborrelli · 6 years

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Allora, va bene

Ever since studying abroad in rome 4.5 years ago, I have been anxious about my next trip to Italy. Could it possibly live up to the experiences I had while living there? But it was not a matter of competition. I have graduated university, moved to Boston, worked in Architecture for 3 years, and traveled to 6 countries since. I am a different person now - so I tried to be excited to experience the same environment in a different way!

My roommate (Stephanie) for my first two years in Boston had moved to Rome to live with her boyfriend. Since Kate has never been to Italy and knows Stephanie, we decided to venture together to visit her! And while Stephanie sporadically moved home just 10 days before our flight...we made the most of quickly booking two new hostels in Rome and forgetting the money we suddenly had to spend. Everything happens for a reason. And that reason made our trip even better.

Itinerary:

Thursday, April 19th 2018: My flight departed Boston at 9:30pm. Kate’s left Chicago at the same time. As I boarded the plan I got a voicemail of her panting “Lauren - I just made my flight - I ran through security - they held the door for me - see you in Dublin”. So now that I wasn’t going to end up doing this trip alone, the journey began LOL. We met in Dublin and shared a pints of Guinness and Magners in an airport with the best amenities I have experienced. 6 hrs later we flew to Rome. It’s 8pm and we plan to take the train from the airport to Termini Station. I validate my ticket in the machine - all good. Kate goes to validate her ticket - rotates the ticket the other way - and pushes her ticket all the way into the machine and gets it stuck. The train is to depart in 3 minutes and our Italian consists of “scusa me” and “mis dispiace” uhhh ticket-a-stuck? Luckily the snail speed of the ticket attendant to walk over, open the machine, get us our ticket didn’t deter us from running to barely make it on the train. WHEW giggles and sweat overwhelmed us. We capped on the night by checking-in to our hostel and headed to a spot up the street for food. The dinner consisted of with bread + nduja spread and two personal pizzas. Safe to say we went to bed with full bellies and tired minds.

Saturday: Kate survived her first night in a hostel! She talked in her sleep the whole night...which I’m sure the 3 french, 2 british, and one not sure guys were pretty thrilled about! We were the two girls in an 8 person room...bachelor pad! LOL JK they were all under 20 y/o but very polite and easy to stay in a room with! The morning walking tour began with a cornetti and cappuccini at a small cafe where I used to frequent when I had meetings for a design competition Premio Piranesi. Moving on to Santa Maria Maggiore, through Monti, around the forum before the crowds, and checked-out my old lunch nook at the Campidoglio. Then down the stairs along Via Maior Arenula to see where my Cartography classes used to take place and crossed the Ponte Vittorio to check out the Vatican all before noon! There was a choir singing and thousands of people with matching hats...then suddenly the pope comes strolling out in his glass-less mercedes! He goes zipping around and suddenly comes within 10 feet of us!!! Kate and I look at each other in awe...ok we saw the pope in our first 24 hours in Rome we can die happy now. We later found out this weekend was Rome’s birthday, so there was a plethora of activities going on this weekend! After all of this excitement we FINALLY realized how hungry we were!! Pizza al taglia at La Boccaccia in Trastevere and found my old apartment! Then around the Pantheon and the journey back uphill to rest our legs at the hostel. With sunburned noses and hungry bellies we headed in Monti to Pasta Chef. Its a casual pop-in restaurant with a 4.9 rating on trip advisor - the paper plates and plastic cups makes it not seem like a roman restaurant. But the food was SO FREAKING GOOD! Grabbed wine and a tiramisu to go and wandered to check out the Trevi Fountain and Spanish steps at night. Ahhh what a perfect night cap to an amazing first day in Rome!

Sunday: Early morning at the Coliseum. My first time here since it was under renovation before! We beat (some) of the crowds and scheduled a 12am tour. We went inside anyways just to compare what it would look like during the day. As we left the crowds were in full form. Walked around circus maximus and say more bday celebrations kicking off. A huge parade of gladiators took off and we caught them at the campidoglio. Porchetta sandwich for lunch at my all-time fave Baccanale in Campo de Fiori. Espresso granita at Tazza D’oro, to Piazza Navona, then up to the Borghese Gardens. An earth day festival was happening. 75% of the sustainable crafts consisted of spray paint. Aerosols...earth day...jersey show...it all seemed too ironic. Spritz and pastries in the gardens and home for a quick nap / packing before the midnight tour! Made it all the way there despite all of the sketchy guys and cat calls and there was not one entrance point open. Of course the police barely spoke english and made inappropriate comments so we snapped a quick photo of the colosseum light up and quickly jumped in an uber. So did the ticket booth mean 12pm not midnight?...

Monday: Delicious breakfast at a cafe before our 8am train to Como! At our connection in Milan, the second Kate stepped foot on the train it started to depart. Whew barely made it. After struggling at the grocery store in Como with our luggage / weighing every produce item (what does the check-out counter do then?) and touching produce without a glove. We made it on the bus with all of the middle school kids getting out of school...lucky us! Our airbnb was about 30 mins from Como in a tiny waterfront town called Careno. The hosts met us at the house, showed us everything, and could not have been more helpful! We basked in the sun on the beautiful balcony with some snacks and rose. Ahhh now this is the relaxing part of the vacation. It was a beautiful ten minute walk down to the rocky beach basically through people’s kitchens. The water was cold and clear with a couple friendly “buon giorno” heard as we wandered down. Finished the day with some carbonara on the balcony and Italian dancing with the stars.

Tuesday: An early bus ride to Bellagio to go kayaking! Kate’s all-time favorite kayaking tour because it was 20% paddling and 80% chilling. Just us two on a tour with the guide, Mich. We asked him any questions we could think of about Italy - even how old kids are when they start smoking. The answer was 13 btw... We then had lunch of pizza at a hidden gem he recommended called La Grotta. Wandered through the shops to buy beautiful ceramics at Magda Guaitamacchi. The owner was an older woman who spent most of her adult life practicing art in London. She was the sweetest and really made our afternoon. We then spent a couple hours hanging at the park at the point. I did a bit of watercoloring and mostly enjoying the turquoise water against the snowcapped alps. We then hopped on a ferry home and enjoyed a spritz while on board. Our airbnb hosts graciously got us a reservation for the only restaurant in the tiny town of Careno. We had the corner table as the server had grown up with our host. The meal consisted of multiple courses, each with a particular backstory. All of the fish was caught in the lake and it was a wonderful way for us to learn about the history of the area. As we ended with the best limoncello I’ve ever had and bill way too discounted, our server grabbed keys and let us into the church next store. At first it seemed a bit like a horror scene but actually turned out to be magical and show how selfless his actions were. We went to bed absolutely stunned how we could meet three incredibly kind and giving people all in one day.

Wednesday: We checked out of our airbnb and trekked down the steep walk to the ferry launch with our suitcases. After running, sweating, and some last-minute help from our server the previous night (we stumbled upon him opening the restaurant) we made it on the ferry! A leisurely but packed ride to the town of Menaggio on the Switzerland side. It was the holiday for Italy’s independence after the collapse of WWII, so transportation and store times were a bit skewed. Luckily the visitor’s center was open and held on to our luggage free of charge! We strolled through town and had a beautiful waterfront lunch with sammies and spritz. After espresso and gelato we grabbed our stuff to take the ferry all the way to the train station in Como. The town of Como was absolutely packed! Happy we didn’t spend much time there as we grabbed snacks and took the train to our next destination - Modena! We arrived and checked into our next airbnb just in time to catch sunset on the rooftop. People were out drinking and celebrating. We could hear their cheering and signing resonating form the roof it was hilarious.

Thursday: We took the train in to Parma for our day filled with food tours! For my bday, my dad had found a guide who would take us to all local producers in region. It was just Kate and I on our personal tour with her! First stop: Parmigiano Reggiano! The name comes from the rural area of Parma and Reggio Emilia (clever). We got to see every step of the process and enjoy some delicious samples too. Next stop: Lambrusco winery! A refreshing wine with vines that are very young - completely different then my experience in Tuscany. Then to the Proscuitto and Culatello! Delicious meats but the parts hanging in the butcher’s stations were a bit much. How huge these pigs must be is also quite disturbing... Then to lunch at a small restaurant along a horse race track. Pretty heavy local cuisine which actually put me to sleep on our car ride back into town...oops! Finished off the tour with balsamic vinegar. Very interesting of every age is a blend of the old with the new - different then the rigidity of some aged foods. With bellies full of very rich indulgences, we headed back to Modena and grabbed aperitivo at this awesome spot in town. Great vibes, super friendly staff, gorgeous men drinking rose and on bikes, well behaved dogs, a bit of house music, and chips with our spritz...ahhh perfect end to a day once again.

Friday: A full day in Modena and my 26th bday! Morning at cafe with beautiful, innovative interiors. Walked around town and stopped in several stores for fun shopping. Walked through the food market where the Chef Massimo Bottura shops everyday. I made reservations for us to have lunch at his more casual restaurant Francescetta 58. Once we arrived, boy oh boy was I treating myself on my bday! We had a wonderful bottle of white wine with our tasting menus. Kate got the typical 3 course option and I treated myself to the regional 4 course upgrade. The dishes were the best I have certainly ever had and we left with the largest smiles on our face. Best meal ever on my actual bday?...this seemed like a dream. We then walked off a bit of the food and noodled up to the Ferrari museum. Pretty cool space with very modern architecture and the cars were pretty sick to see. The design of each car is so immaculate and just like with any museum, its awesome to see people appreciated the design of something. Being in the design industry this is something I admire and hope I can implement more in my type of work (even if it isn’t something common in the U.S.). Ended the day with apperitivo and a late sunset on the rooftop. And gelato cake in my favorite italian flavor of Amarena. Ah what an awesome day!

Saturday: Took the train back to Rome and arrived at a different hostel for the final leg of the trip. We grabbed a late lunch at Pasta Imperiale - a casual spot similar to Pasta Chef and then headed to my favorite museum Museo dei Fori Imperiali. It is Trajan’s market which was accidentally found below ground in a street repair! I have never been in a building that is an artifact in itself! Great how interactive it is and puts the extensive Roman history into perspective. An evening then of apperitivo and walking around Monti with a reasonable bed time.

Sunday: Early morning visit to the Trevi and the Spanish steps before the crowds then hopped on a train to see family an hour south! It was Kate’s time visiting our extended family and seeing the town our great-grandmother (106 this year!) is from. Carlo and Paula picked us up from the train station and gave us a beautiful tour of their lush garden. It was filled with vines for wine, fig trees, strawberry planters, and a beautiful brick oven. After a delicious lunch we headed up to Ventosa where my great-grandfather is from. We saw the house my nana gave birth to our grandpa. We saw her old home that is still abandoned and looks like it was bombed just yesterday. Then went down the hill to Santi Cosma e Damiano and walked through the church that my nana got married in. She also left her diamond earrings in the palms of the saints the night before she moved to the U. S....The piazza outside is where my great-grandfather apparently saw my nana coming out of church and realized he wanted to date her. He had come back from the U.S. to find a nice Italian wife that would move with him... and then there were facebook icons graffitied in the wall next door. Oh how times have changed! LOL The views from these tall towns are stunning and the younger family members speak much better english then last time! So it was fun to converse with time about their recent European travels and what life is like form them living in the larger town of Latina. Took the train back into Rome in the late evening and grabbed dinner at a fancy food court in Termini Station that our hostel host had recommended.

Monday: Last day in Italy! We walked all through the city up the Giancolo to see the cannon launched at noon. We walked around the tempietto and hung in the Villa Doria Pamphilj park. Then down the hill to the Vatican, to find out that it was completely mobbed and would take us forever to even get inside the chapel. Next time, Kate! We grabbed lunch at the most modern restaurant I have seen in Rome called Bar del Fico. It was great and I hope more like these start to pop up! Similar type of restaurant that Modena is filled with! Then spent the afternoon bopping into a couple art stores, checking out Ara Pacis and back up to grab spritz in our fave little garden bar at Borghese Gardens. We even stumbled upon a gelato festival!!! This was an awesome surprise and while I didn’t have the appetite for it, Kate certainly did! The flavors were incredibly diverse and unique and she had the largest smile on her face the entire time! We ended the night grabbing pizza at Alle Carrette.

Changes since my last visit:

Security: This was my first experience going through a metal detector before entering a church! Man things have changed in Rome since I lived here...but for the better! Better for this precaution then to have a scary situation inside the church. To get into St. Peter’s square we even went through many check points - one including the guard making me drink my water in front of them. Ah yes just water no acid ;)

Spring flowers: This time of year there were flowers growing everywhere! The wisteria around the wedding cake building made it look a bit less...intimidating. The pink and white flowers along teh spanish steps were beautiful too.

Old apartment: It’s converted into a beautiful restaurant/hotel. Which is a relief because the place was falling apart and felt like a lost opportunity when we lived there. Pretty surreal walking around but not a sappy feeling, just happy that I got to have my time there.

What will never change:

Coffee: UGH it’s inevitable to not go a morning without a cappuccino or an afternoon without an espresso. Even kate was having a cappuccino every morning by the end of our trip! They just prepare it so perfectly well that how could anyone not resist.

Work hours: We would be in a park in the middle of the day and it would be littered with people! It was awesome to see how lively and happy everyone was, but why aren’t these people at school or work?... Our Parma tour guide had said full-time jobs aren’t prevalent in Italy now, but is it really THAT bad?

Men: SO. MANY LOOKERS! Very few people acted on it but definitely intimidating for walking around in the evening as two girls. However I did realize if you want to feel good about yourself - go to Italy. If you want to feel bad - come back to the U.S.!

I feel very blessed that the universe brought Kate and I together for this trip. The trip never felt overshadowed by my previous experiences and I could not have been happier to spend it with someone I care so deeply about.

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bebalanced222 · 4 years

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I am a Covid Refugee! (Part 2)

7th September to 22nd September 2020

Did I mention the puppies? We have four miniature dachshund puppies 🐶 here - they were four weeks old when I arrived, and now, at eight weeks, they are heading off to their new homes.

Penny with her five week old puppies

It was so funny last Friday (11/9/20), Rachael was doing the mail run and the Vet appointment to get the puppies microchipped was at 12 noon in Ravenshoe. So Rachael asked me to bring the puppies in, along with Penny, their mum, and she would meet me at the vets. Well, I was running late of course (it was a usual work day for me) and you would have laughed watching me stuff these roly poly puppies into the little carry cage. By the time I got to the fourth one there was no room and they were squirming around - I pushed the last one in and hoped for the best!! They survived! Penny was happy to sit on my lap for the drive in to town. So now they are micro chipped and vaccinated and ready for their new families!

Picture of cuteness!

They are keeping one, one goes to the family that provided the service, and two are being sold.

My daughter Rachael and her husband Scott have a Droughtmaster stud and Scott is really into his breeding. Lots of cow business goes on here on a daily basis - some of their bulls are here where he can keep a close eye on them, some are agisted next door, and they have two paddocks where they agist at Evelyn Central, a twenty minute drive away, as well they manage some cattle that are not theirs. It is a full life - hard working stewards of the land.

Wednesday nights I have been staying in town with my friend Jenny. She made up a session room in her home for me to do my craniosacral work while I am here, and also drummed up lots of clients. Too easy! So we chill out together Wednesday nights, then I have my dowsing Zoom call from 6 to 8am Thursday, after which we walk up town to have a coffee. I love it. The rest of the day is spent seeing clients. Sometimes, if it is a long day, I will stay Thursday night as well, and head home early Friday morning to continue my “work from home” job. Everyone who has received a session from me has come back for more! They all love me and want me to stay. 😍

Preparing for the Big Party

15.09.20:

The family have started to arrive - Brad & Ash and little Evie arrived yesterday and Mark & Denica (the newly weds) arrived a few hours ago. My son Aaron and his family arrive early Saturday, as will everyone else. We are expecting at least 25 will be staying on the property - most will have their own camping set-up in preparation for the Michael Bowden Memorial ride. We are expecting 36 for the ride with maybe 15 of them will be bike riders - the rest are support crew!

Saturday 19th September we are hosting a big party cum BBQ to celebrate Denica’s 30th birthday (in lieu of a wedding celebration which Covid has once again forbidden) and the Memorial Ride will be from the following Thursday 24th through to Monday the 28th of September. It is for these two events that I am a Covid Refugee!

Here is a few photos from the night before the party - we had to check the lights and sample the fire pit of course!

Brothers, Mark and Brad, around the fire 🔥

Party lights are up - thanks Mark!

Mark and Denica decided to make dinner on Friday night - Mark’s famous curried sausages - yum!

The little kids enjoyed walking this pathway! The solar lights create a pretty star pattern.

The hostess is enjoying having all her chickies home!

19th September - party day!

The grey skies dissipated after a week of drizzly weather. Emily and Rob, and Aaron & Janine and family left Weipa early afternoon and drove through the night arriving in Ravenshoe in the early hours of the morning. (It is a 12 hour drive from Weipa in the far north to Ravenshoe - approximately 850 km). Em and Rob were on the fold out bed in the living room. Brad & Ash and Evie were in one of the bedrooms, me in another, and Mark and Denica were in the caravan. Aaron had three bikes strapped on top of his camper so alternate sleeping arrangements had been made for them for that first night. I had one sleepy Eli crawl into bed with Nanny Naj (the highlight of my stay!!!). Beau elected to sleep with Auntie Rachael and Uncle Scott, but after 10 minutes he announced he wanted to sleep with mum and dad! They were in Brad and Ash’s camper but Brad had forgotten to set the bed up for them! Whoops! Sorry guys. The cool night air was a shock for the Weipa-ites!

In the morning Scott put on his chef’s hat and cooked up a hearty breakfast for the fifteen of us. All the work that we had been doing for the previous six weeks had been in preparation for this moment! It was a gloriously crazy time.

The Charters Towers crew arrived, and friends of Mark and Denica from Cairns, Denica’s mum and dad, Scott’s family, and more and more and more . . .

Tents were erected, swags set up here and there, and the day just flowed. The kids had a ball - obviously feeding the animals was a highlight. I will let the pictures tell the story.

Aaron with the kiddies off to see the bulls!

Scott with Evie off to see the bulls!

Poppy Pete discussing the finer details of horses with Cody

Cody and Beau helping Rachael feed the horses

Aaron, Rachael & Beau - all the kids got to ride Sunny

Eli is a fast runner!

Beau

That grin!

Eli on Sunny

Horse rides, dogs, camps ....

Big kids playing card drinking games!

The party table ....

Little kids having fun

Denica’s mum & dad - Emma and Ian. Emma deep fried heaps of spring rolls and chicken wings 🍗 that she had prepared by hand.

Rachael and Mark getting ready to light the birthday sparklers

Rob & Emily - it’s a blurry shot but it captures the moment!

Happy 30th Birthday Denica!

Aaron & Janine & the boys. Check out Cody blowing out the “candles”!!!

Beau showing me his new bike

It was a fabulous night with everyone enjoying themselves. At the time it was thought we may have made too much food, but by the time everyone had departed at the end of the weekend there was nothing left - and no-one left hungry!

The next day Mark and Denica had a date with a wedding photographer, so they set off to repeat their wedding vows in front of their nearest and dearest. (Because of the Covid pandemic, all their wedding plans had been scrapped, even the latest one to hold the reception at the venue they had booked. However, as they had already paid the photographer, they decided to take advantage of this time to create a keepsake of this important occasion.)

At Tully Falls lookout - with faithful Leonard

At Hardy’s Farm in Evelyn Central (refer to my previous blog about this stunning property)

And while on the topic of creating keepsakes, the next day we did a Bowden photoshoot to capture five generations all together!

L-R: Rob, Emily, Scott, Jarrod, Ron, Denica, Nana McVicker, Evie, Mark, Sue, Rachael, me, Ashleigh, Brad, dogs Leonard, Frankie and Giz, and Jarrod is holding an unnamed puppy.

Five generations in one photograph - how special! Nana McVicker is Scott’s grandmother, and now he is grandfather to baby Evie! Thank you Nana for making this day so special for all the family.

This tale will be continued in Part 3 of I am a Covid Refugee.

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anotherloganstan · 7 years

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Prinxiety prompt- Romans been trying to catch Virgil singing again ever since the New Years video. One day he finally does but verge is singing Dead Girl Walking from heathers or something like that and princeys like "wow I'm gay"

Okay so before this I’d never seen Heathers + knew nothing about it, I read the Wiki and watched a poor quality youtube video of the musical, I apologise if I’ve got anything wrong about it. Please listen to Dead Girl Walking if you haven’t already because it’s such a vocally powerful song. Sorry for the late reply though, starting university on Monday and I’m freaking out.

Word count: 685

Virgil had always been fascinating to Roman, he’s an enigma, weird, puzzling. This had not always been meant in a good way. They also seem to be opposites in almost every way imaginable. Emotionally and physically. Well, Roman though they had nothing in common but he was stunned to find that Virgil enjoyed singing, and not just depressing emo music either.

Their New Years video first sparked Roman’s interest to further investigate the other’s shared interest. Sure, Virgil had been his typical pessimistic self but Roman was willing to overlook this to focus on the fact that they had something in common, something that Roman was very passionate about no less.

So, Roman went out of his way to ‘mend’ what he’s done. Consciously not throwing too harsh jokes about, making an effort to get along. It was a slow process, but worked nevertheless. Roman has also made it his personal mission to catch Virgil singing again. They have such a similar voice, yet Roman finds it enticing that they can, and do, sing differently.

It’s around eleven at night on a Saturday when Roman finally hears Virgil sing again. Logan and Patton are both asleep, Roman knows he should do the same but he gets up and aims to go to the kitchen for a glass of water. Except he stops still in shock at the top of the stairs when he hears Virgil’s faint voice.

“The demon queen of high school has decreed it:She says Monday, 8AM, I will be deletedThey’ll hunt me down in study hallStuff and mount me on the wallThirty hours to live..How shall I spend them?”

Roman’s made his way down the stairs by now, he can see Virgil in the dimly lit kitchen, sitting on the countertop and a glass of something in his hands.

“I don’t have to stay and die like cattleI could change my name and ride up to SeattleBut I don’t own a motorbikeWait—here’s an option that I like:Spend these thirty hours gettin’ freakay!Yeah!”

When Virgil hits that high note, and so quietly too, Roman is amazed. He can’t stop the smile forming on his face or his heart from racing. Musicals have always been the key to Roman’s heart, they can be used to express and convey so many things, that’s probably why Virgil also likes them.

“I need it hardI’m a dead girl walkin’I’m in your yardI’m a dead girl walkin’Before they punch my clockI’m snappin’ off your window lockGot no time to knockI’m a dead girl walking”

Virgil stop to take a drink but doesn’t continue the song, he just hums it lightly to himself, Roman decides he should stop lurking around and make the other aware of his presence. “Nice singing Verge, also, Heathers. Great musical.” Roman attempts to be nonchalant, not looking directly at Virgil as he grabs a glass and fills it up.

“Uh, hey Roman, sorry, I didn’t think anyone was up.” Virgil murmurs, taking another drink of what Roman assumes is Gatorade. “Don’t apologise,” Roman starts, leaning up against the sink, “you’ve got a really great voice.” He smiles sincerely at Virgil, who just rolled his eyes, clearly not willing to give away the fact that Roman wasn’t getting on his nerves, “okay, thanks.”

Roman smiles brightly, definitely over exaggerating it, but Virgil mirrors it to a lesser extent. “We’ll definitely have to duet together. Ooh! We could have a karaoke night!” Roman exclaims, jumping slightly on the spot, before sipping his water. “Hmm, okay sure,” Virgil responds sarcastically but he knows Roman will hold it against him sooner or later, he’s not sure if he minds or not yet.

“Well, I’m going to go to bed.” Roman pushes himself off the counter and hovers awkwardly beside Virgil, “uh, try not to stay up too late.” With that Roman gently taps Virgil’s knee and exits the room, leaving Virgil to wonder why Roman didn’t mock him? Why he was so awkward? And what song he should pick for karaoke?

#sanders sides #prinxiety #roman sanders #virgil sanders #heathers #singing #fic #mine #thomassandersownsmysoul

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54kg · 7 years

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Jongin - Come Home (M)

Jongin x (Y/N) scenario

Rating: Mature

Warnings: Oral sex, vanilla sex

Word count: 4552

Saturday mornings always bring tired eyes and lazy Netflix binges tangled in a blanket on the sofa. At least, they have for the past month. I don't have anything better to do anyway. My roommate won't be back from her home-stay for another 6 months. I've nearly forgotten the scent of her floral perfume wafting through the apartment as she scurries around getting ready for work. She hates her job, but keeps a smile on her face regardless. Despite frequently working overtime and off-duty business calls, not to mention lowkey harassment from a coworker (something she doesn't trust will be properly dealt with if she notifies her lackadaisical boss), she remains optimistic. She's like a ticking bomb. Though she doesn't like to admit it, I know that she has a limit. It's only so long until she explodes, and I'm not ready to see such a mess sprawled out before me.

But honestly, as I sit flipping through an endless scroll of B-movies I can't be bothered to waste brain cells sitting through, all I can think about is one person, and it certainly isn't my optimistic roommate. Letting the remote go limp in my hand for a moment, I grab at my phone lazily perched on my hip. No new messages. Damn. How long has it been anyway? 3 days? He could at least drop a text to say "Good morning" or "Sweet dreams" or "I love you~". Even a "Thinking of you" would do. But he's been completely silent for far too long (3 days can seem like a long time when you're completely and utterly in love with someone who isn't near you). It's not like we promised to talk everyday, but considering that he's 92093842347 miles away from where I am, I would be willing to hear even just a small peep from him at least once a day. He must be busy, I tell myself, setting my phone aside again as I begin to harass the remote buttons. "God damn it, there has to be something to watch on here!" And yet there isn't. Either I've watched everything already or there's nothing interesting left. So I pull up YouTube instead. Perhaps a few random tutorials and Story Times down the road, I'll actually find something to binge on. As soon as I open the screen, however, one thumbnail catches my eye and I feel a pang in my chest. '170425 EXO’rDIUM in NY - Acoustic Medley'. I try to hide my frown, if not only to trick my spirits into staying light. My fingers move on their own, and I'm sucked into the melodic harmony of all the members singing Call My Baby and Love, Love, Love, and other songs he's sung to me while I fall asleep nestled in his warm embrace. He looks so content, sitting there among his near brothers, lifting the mic to his lips when it's his turn to sing, gazing out at all the fans who adore him so passionately. And it's almost the same look he gives me when he comes home sometimes after work and holds me in his arms, something we aren't able to do as much as we'd like. I know that I'm the only one who gets that extra special look, that look of "this is the most beautiful person I've ever met in my life". I give him the same one.

Kim Jongin is warm-hearted to a fault. Literally anyone who meets him could tell you that he's always a gentleman, and he's always polite, but he also knows how to joke around. He's the epitome of the perfect sweetheart. It's no wonder he has young girls worshiping him around the world. But, of course, what they see on the screen, even what they are sometimes lucky enough to see in person, is only a part of the man we know as Kim Jongin. Behind closed doors he's so much more. He shows me aspects of his personality that he'd never show anyone else. There's so much to know about Jongin. There's so much to understand, and adore, and protect. Although he's undoubtedly tough, he also has a certain fragility about him, which only makes me care for him more deeply.

I just want him to come home. A month is a long time to be deprived of seeing the one person you love above all else. He's been really good about replying to my texts of encouragement and also the ones that say things like "Oh my god, when the fuck are you getting home, I'm about to die!!!" Although I know he's busy and probably isn't supposed to be on his phone. I get his messages and have to remind myself that it's not, in fact, 4am where he is when he sends them. I can only imagine how the time difference affects him. Poor baby works too hard anyway. We'd tried calling each other once only to have to keep it short because he was getting ready to go to rehearsal at 8am while it was 9pm in Korea. Before we'd even had a chance to talk heart-to-heart, his manager called him away. He promised he'd call another time or maybe even Facetime, but his schedule got more detailed as the days went by. Even before the tour, they were so preoccupied with preparations that he decided it was best to just stay at the company for the time being until after their return. Hence why we haven't seen each other for a month. EXO's schedules get especially rigorous during comebacks and tours. I feverishly worry for him, for all of them.

The video ends and I scold myself when I realize a tear has trickled from my eye. "Come home..." I murmur, my voice cracking. My phone buzzes and my hand has never flown so fast to pick it up. A big smile graces my lips when I look at the screen.

'Sorry, we got really busy. It's times like these when I really, really miss you... xoxo, Nini <3'

The tour comes to an end. EXO is finally coming home. I've spent the entire day preparing dinner, creating a nice romantic atmosphere. The dining room has been expertly transformed into a more fancy setting with a table for two all dressed up with a brand new tablecloth and candle, and a little vase of lavender. I'm thoroughly impressed with myself, though I don't like to brag. I collapse onto the couch when everything is ready, dinner only needing to be put into the oven. Holding my phone above my face, I open my texts, reading over the last message Jongin sent me. 'Omg omg omg can you believe I'm coming home to you today?!' which was a more giddy response than usual. This is the longest we've gone without seeing each other in at least a year. We've grown accustomed to being able to be together at least twice a week. Sometimes we get lucky and EXO's manager will secretly let me come to practice on the condition that Jongin won't get too distracted.

'When does your plane land?' I type, looking at the time to see that it reads 1:23pm (I got too excited and prepared everything way too early in advance, but oh well). I would go to the airport, but I've been warned that because somehow no one has figured out about mine and Jongin's relationship yet during the two years we've been together, it's risky to show up and have people suspect anything. We aren't ready to reveal anything just yet, partly because I'm not famous or anything, so both of us want to protect my privacy for as long as we can. There's no way I want to touch the surface of sasaeng territory.

My phone buzzes almost immediately. '6 more hours... >.<' I giggle at the cute little emoji. Even when he's not with me, he still manages to make my heart flutter just as much. I send back a crying emoji and tell him to get some sleep (if the boys will let him). And then I go to take a shower. Dinner and ambiance aren't the only surprises I've conjured up. A cute little pink parcel with a silk bow tied around the handles sits waiting at the end of my bed. I'll slip that new gem on later tonight after dinner when he least expects it...

6 hours pass by agonizingly slow. Even Netflix isn't helping to make time fly quicker. Every now and then I'll get a cute little text from Jongin saying he wants to call, but the guys won't shut up so hearing each other would be difficult. I tell him it's fine. We talked on the phone just yesterday anyway, and we got a good hour in. He says he wants to hear my voice. I reply that he will soon~

We text for a little while and then he says he'll get some shut eye so he'll have energy when he gets home to me. His manager has generously arranged for him to be allowed to see me first thing when they arrive. The clock ticks mockingly above the mantel piece. It's only 4 now... 3 hours to go. It's never felt so long. If time keeps acting like this, I'm never going to let Jongin go on tour again... But that would be selfish and how would I even be able to pull off something like that? Still, Jongin has me missing him like there's no tomorrow.

Finally, the clock reads 8pm. 'We're landing!' he texts and sends an excited gif to go along with it. I chuckle to myself and jump up from the couch where I've been wasting time on nothing in particular.

I push the braised chicken into the oven and turn on the timer. After quickly checking to make sure that everything is in place, I go to the bedroom to make sure everything looks neat and the lingerie I bought is out of sight in case he happens to go into the bedroom for some reason. It's a strapless black and red lace piece with garters and stockings and everything. There are even tiny pink bows down the bodice. Best of all, it fits me perfectly in all the right places~ I've only ever gotten one set of lingerie in the past, but after using it twice, I figured it was time for something fresh that Jongin has never seen me in before. This certainly was a contrast to the rather plain white one I had before. I was much shier then and I'd never worn anything so scandalous in my entire life. Jongin had told me then that he didn't care if it was the plainest one in the whole world. "You look stunning in anything~" I blush remembering those words, just imagining our night steadily approaching.

I slip into a cute little dress and finished up dinner just as I get a text from him. 'On my way over~ ;)' My stomach does flips in anticipation. Seeing his face in person for the first time in what seems like forever, hearing that voice that sounds like melted caramel, feeling his arms tightly wrapped around my figure as if our bodies are perfectly molded together, breathing in his familiar scent, kissing him with all the passion I've saved up while he's been gone, these are the things that have me practically sprinting around the apartment in excitement. He's minutes away and yet those minutes feel like 6 hours all over again.

Suddenly, a soft knock comes at my door. Without even meaning to, I hold my breath. Taking one last look in the mirror to make sure I appeared just right, I speed over to the door and collect myself before turning the knob and opening it to see him standing there, smiling bright with a bouquet of lilies in his hand. I stare at him, starry-eyed. He stares right back, his smile never faltering as we both drink in each other's presence. He hands me the bouquet, a bashful look on his face, and my heart skips as I breath in their sweet aroma. Where did he find the time...? Breathlessly, I speak first. "Jongin...you're home..." And then he suddenly rushes forward and scoops me into his arms, twirling me around in the air as I hold on, giggling with pure joy. He kicks the door shut and immediately attaches his lips to mine. I wrap my arms around his neck as he massages my waist with his thumbs.

"God, I missed you so fucking much..." he says in almost a whisper, his forehead pressed against mine. I smiled blissfully and caress his cheek with my hand.

"Honey, you can't even imagine know how much I missed you." He smirks, pecking my nose.

"I think I can guess~"

He practically gapes at the setup I've prepared. "Woah, you actually cooked for once?" I playfully shove him and tell him to "just sit and enjoy it because now might be the only time you get something like this from me." He laughs and we sit, and over dinner, he tells me all about the tour and how the boys drove him nuts, but it was okay because being with them was always worth it. He tells me the story about how Sehun, Junmyeon and Jongdae got lost on their first day in New York and they had to pretend that they totally meant to be in some shoe store when really it was the only familiar thing to them in the vicinity. And he tells me about how after one show, he a few others got drinks in their rooms and he had a little too much. "The guys told me the next morning that I had been crying and acting like a total baby, rambling on about how I didn't deserve you and how you were probably going to find somebody else way better than me and then what was I going to do because you're my world and..." He trails off, seeing the look on my face. "Babe, what's wrong?" I reach across the table for his hand and give it a tight squeeze. I want to hold him when I hear him say those things. What you say when you're drunk is often what you're actually thinking in the back of your mind, even if you don't realize it.

"You deserve me more than anyone, love. I'm not going to find anybody else. Why would I need to find anybody else? I love you, Jongin. I can't imagine loving another person quite like how I'm in love with you..." I gaze into those gorgeous chocolate pools, a serious yet soft expression on my face. He gets all shy then and grins like a little boy. I love the small moments like these. They're never awkward, although when we do stuff like this in front of the members, most of their reactions go something like "gEt a rOom!" and "jUNMYEON JONGIN AND (Y/N) ARE DOING THAT MUSHY THING AGAIN-" or "help! the cheesiness in slowly killing me!" (of course Junmyeon and Yixing are in the corner, cooing at us like doting parents).

After I've put the dishes away, I tell Jongin to wait in the living room while I change into something a little more comfortable. Unlike the last time, I feel not a tinge of embarrassment while putting on my lingerie because I know Jongin genuinely loves this kind of surprise and would never want me to be ashamed of showing him my body. And the hungry look he gets in his eyes when we do these things is honestly the hottest look in the universe, way more so than what he displays on the stage. Once everything is in place, I sneak back out into the living room. He sits on the sofa with his back towards me. 'The perfect opportunity' I think, tiptoeing over to him. I lean down and cover his eyes with my hands, getting close to his ear and murmuring in a husky tone, "Guess who~" I can feel his entire body tense. I remove my hands and make my way around the sofa to stand in front of him, letting my hair fall loosely around my shoulders. His jaw hangs as he looks me over.

"Is that new?" he asks, and I can hear a tinge of excitement in his voice. I nod, swiveling my hips a little. He smiles. "Do a little turn so I can see it better." I do this, and when I'm facing him again and I can see that he's swallowing hard, starting to imagine things.

"Do you like it?" He stands up and stalks over to me, pressing his body against mine with his hands squeezing my hips.

"Do I like it?..." His lips come dangerously close to my ear as his breath tickles the sensitive skin around it. "I love it..." I lean into him as his hand travels a little farther and grabs my ass, pulling me closer. Our lips collide and his tongue soon slithers out to fight with mine. This. This is what I had desperately waited for during those 2 months. After not having it for so long, I never knew it could already feel this good.

Suddenly, he hoists me up and I wrap my legs around his waist, our lips never parting for more than a second so that he can adjust my position to be more comfortable. He then makes his way towards the bedroom. My heart pounds with excitement. I can barely contain myself and I know he can tell. My fingers become tangled in his hair as he pushes the door shut with his foot and sets me on the bed, immediately crawling over me. I let my hands wander up his shirt to feel his toned stomach as he attacks my jaw and neck and collar bones with his kisses, leaving a few marks in their wake. He's already got me sighing, wanting as much as I can get. As he moves to my shoulders, he pulls one of my legs to his hip with the hand that isn't propping him up. His fingers tease down my thigh over and over and my entire body begins to tingle. Jongin pulls away for a moment to that I can assist in discarding his shirt. "Thank you, that was really in the way," I breathe, my fingers returning to his exposed skin right away. He places a hand over mine and guides it against his stomach. His eyes bear into mine all the while, as if daring me to go further. Not just yet...

With my other hand, I reach up to grab his shoulder, pulling him down and rolling on top of him. I straddle his hips, carefully dragging my lips from his chest to his neck where I leave my own marks. They'll fade before he needs to be seen in public again. The boys will have a couple of days off anyway. A small groan leaves Jongin's throat and I chuckle. "Already?" As I scatter his collarbones with small but noticeable love bites, he writhes underneath my touch as my hands inch closer and closer to his growing erection hidden behind the fabric of his skinny jeans. I pull myself up to admire my work and that's when he turns the tables and again I'm beneath him. His eyes are full of beastly hunger. I can see it dripping through his skin almost and it immediately ignites something within me. He scours my laced intimate and cocks his head, rolling his tongue against the inside of his cheek in thought. He traces his thumb over a bit of the delicate material just above my breast. "As much as I could drunk on seeing you in this," he says in a deep voice that's already getting me heated. "I'm afraid it's going to have to come off right this minute." My tongue darts out over my lips as I reach up and gently drag my finger across his jaw.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" I say, my voice laced with honey. "Take it off of me~"

He wastes no time in doing so. He promptly rips the lingerie from me and absorbs my body in all it's naked glory. "Fuck, you're so gorgeous~" he coos, kissing my breasts, and then my stomach, and then my hips. "How is that a person can be this beautiful no matter what?" I gently grab a fistful of his hair as he props up my legs and teases my inner thighs with his butterfly kisses. "I'm the one who gets all of this," he murmurs, getting dangerously near to my gradually aching womanhood. "Tell me how you want me to make you feel good, baby~" His lips press against my thigh again. "Here?"

"Yes..." I breathe. He kisses a little closer to my core.

"Here?" The heat within me only grows. I nod.

"Yes~" His lips inch closer.

"How about here?" A soft whimper emerges from my mouth. I need him already! He finally kisses my womanhood, which is becoming wetter by the moment. "And what about this spot...right here?" His tongue flicks out and I slightly arch my back, squeezing the fistful of his hair a little tighter.

"Yes, Jongin!" I moan. He laughs breathlessly.

"So that's the spot, hmm?" His tongue teases it again. My lips purse. "Should I keep doing it like this for a bit?" He gives a long lick right up to the tip of my folds. I nod enthusiastically. I hear him do that smug grin he always does when he's about to do something really "good". All of a sudden, his tongue begins to swirl around my core, pumping in and out, swirling, in and out, more spirals. I'm a writhing mess, but his hands on my waist keep me grounded. I can tell he enjoys seeing me so vulnerable under his touch. As I'm approaching my high, he incorporates his fingers and I whine a bit at the sudden contact. One finger, then two, then three. I'm almost there. I can feel a knot twisting in my stomach, slowly growing more intense. My back arches off the mattress and that's when he ceases his actions. I give a little noise of discomfort at the suddenly cold air hitting my womanhood. "Don't worry, baby, you won't be upset for long." He crawls up over top of me again and takes me hand in his, leading it to the button on his pants. He gives a small smile, a mischievous one. My whole body is throbbing with want. I quickly unbutton his pants and he kicks them off of the bed. He's getting impatient, too, just like I am. Now he's just in his boxers. I eye them for a moment and then look back up at him, my hand moving to the bulge pressed against the fabric. As I start to palm him, his brows furrow with pleasure and his eyes shut momentarily.

"Look at me, Jongin," I command sweetly, going a bit fast. He kisses me roughly and then he can't stand it anymore. I grabs my hand and pins it above my head, tearing his boxers off and letting his member spring free. My mouth opens silently as I anticipate what's going to happen next. "Don't go easy on me, hmm?" I say, letting my free hand slowly travel up his tones bicep.

"Oh, I won't, so get ready." He positions his cock at my entrance. Before I can even prepare myself, he's pushing into me. I squeeze my eyes shut. It's been a little while since we've done this, but luckily I'm wet enough so that it's not all that painful. "Are you okay?" he asks, his tone suddenly laced with concern. I tighten my grip on his arm and nod.

"I'm fine, keep going..." He slows his pace when inserting and finally I've taken all of him. He pauses to let me adjust. "Okay," I signal. Jongin starts thrusting at a leisurely pace, making sure I'm not uncomfortable. He's such a sweetheart, no matter what. I look at him with an arched eyebrow. "I thought you weren't going to go easy,"

"Yeah, but if you-"

"Jongin..." He knows what that means. I nod as one final reassurance that I can handle him. He inhales and all of a sudden his pace picks up. I hold back my moans for a bit, but soon he's pounding into me and I can't help out. I let out a loud whine and the smug grin returns as he starts to pant. My hand wanders over every inch of his body that I can reach, but he teases and places it with my other hand so that I'm completely pinned underneath him. My torso twists with pleasure as he abuses my womanhood in only the best of ways. Low grunts and groans simmer in his throat. A few moans of "(y/n)" lathered in sex emerge from his lips. The noises coming from me become more frequent, too, more needy. His name slips out every so often in the form of a cry whenever he hits a particular spot.

The room is filled with the sounds of skin slapping against skin and feverish breathing and whines and pleasureful moans of ecstasy. In that moment, I'm so thankful that the walls have been somewhat soundproofed so the people in the apartment next door won't be able to hear as much. Jongin buries his face in the crook of my neck, his steamy breath trickling over my skin. I'm getting close and so is he. "Cum on my stomach, baby," I tell him, hardly any strength left to speak. He groans in response, picking up the speed a bit. My back arches to meet his chest as his thrusts become uncontrollable and lose their rhythm. My orgasm explodes within me and I swear I've never felt anything so beautiful in my life. White strings of release flow out onto him as Jongin rides out my high. His breathing get more staggered. He inhales sharply and pulls out quickly before his release quirts out onto my exposed stomach. He lets out a loud groan as he strokes himself off, leaning his head back in pure paradise as he calls out my name. Once he's finished, he collapses on his side next to me, both of us completely out of winded.

"I should have come home sooner," he pants, turning my head to face him. He plants a passionate kiss on my lips, taking my bottom lip between his teeth.

"That's what I'm saying."

Once we've composed ourselves, he sits up and goes into the bathroom. I hear the bathtub running and a smile comes to my face. He appears again with a towel in his hand and gently helps me to wipe away the excess on my stomach. I give him a look and confirms my thoughts with the same one. 'We've never done it in the bath before,' I think to myself. Oh well, there's a first time for everything~

#exo #kim jongin #jongin #kai #exo kai #exo jongin #mature #fanfic #exo smut #exo fanfic #exo scenario

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lucidlucas · 5 years

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Journal.Entry.2019.1.13 (part 2)

Saturday was a busy day. I woke up with a mild hangover that went away when I showered. I ran some errands with my dad and sister, then spent a few hours at Kylers watching tv and getting high. All day I was building up excitement for my date with Jasmine.

While I was at Kyler’s house, I wanted to roll a banana blunt because she had said that was her favorite swisher flavor. My first blunt was all sorts of fucked up so I restarted with the second swisher in the pack and rolled a beauty. I made my dinner reservations, and I had planned to leave his house at 5:30 to go pick Jasmine up. However, she didn’t want me to have to drive so much so we took separate cars and met at the restaurant. I made sure to beat her there so I could open the door for her. She looked absolutely stunning.

We went inside and we got our seats. We got the royal dinner for two and she loved it. Every thing we got served just got better and better and she enjoyed the show. But my favorite part was the conversation. I could just talk to her forever and we never ran out of things to talk about. Dinner took longer than planned, and ended up finishing our dessert and reading our fortunes about 8:40. The movie we had planned to see was starting at 8:45 but anyone who goes to movies knows thats when the previews start. So I had faith.

We were going to take both cars to the theatre but Jasmine asked if I just wanted to ride with her. So naturally, we left my car in the parking lot and took off. Just after I grabbed the blunt from my center console. We were just about to get off the freeway when she told me to spark the blunt. I lit it at a red light on the exit and there was a cop right in front of me. I’m so glad he didn’t notice. We laughed it off and kept going.

We got to the theatre but didn’t go inside until the blunt was gone. Jasmine looked at me and asked, “Do I look stoned?” and I said “No you look cute. but we prolly smell dank as fuck. We hotboxed your car… with a blunt.” and she laughed again. We walked in, got our tickets, and got a drink. We strolled in to theatre smelling like weed and we found our seats. Right when we sat down and got comfortable, Wreck It Ralph 2 began to play. Perfect timing.

As the credits rolled, we left and we were trying to figure out what to do. She wanted to drink so I recommended the Breakaway cause I knew it was close to my house. She took me back to my car, then she followed me to the bar. I walked her inside and we sat right at the bar. We both started a tab and told the bar tender we’d be splitting it 50/50. All we drank was long islands and tequila shots. We were trying to get drunk enough to do karaoke, but last call came before our confidence. People were even buying us drinks to help motivate us to sing I got see Rodney and his whole family for a bit but I never thought about the fact that the bar would close.

We left my car at the bar and she drove us to her house. She was definitely too drunk to drive, but she felt safe and I trusted her. I don’t even remember much of the car ride. It’s just a blurry conversation that ended up with me in her bedroom. She gave me sweatpants to wear that were so comfy, and she changed into sweats as well. We put a movie on but I don’t know what movie it was. We didn’t pay attention. We smoked the last of her weed, had a beer, and then we cuddled on the bed. It felt so nice to cuddle with someone again. She was so warm and her skin was so smooth. I had one arm wrapped around her. It was in her shirt and rubbing her stomach. We were cuddling on her bed sideways so our legs were on the ground hanging off and our torsos were on the mattress.

We talked and slept on and off for a few hours when suddenly my mental alarm went off at 8am because I had to be home by 9. My mental clock hates alarms so it tries to wake me up in time to turn the alarm off before hearing it.

Since I managed this, I was able to rub/scratch her back to wake her up. I wanted to kiss her so bad but I fought myself so I wouldn’t ruin things. I did kiss her neck though. She started getting up so she could drive me to my car, then she developed an idea. She wanted me to take her car to my house and do all my Sunday errands, that way I would have to return the car ultimately bringing me back to her house. I wanted to end up back at her house so bad but I had no idea how long anything was gonna take so I decided against it. She took me to my car and then she went back home to sleep.

If I didn’t have to wake up at 8 today, I would’ve been able to spend the whole day in bed with her. But we already got more plans ahead. I’m pretty sure she’s gonna hang out and crash with me for the weekend my parents are gone. She just keeps giving me more to look forward to.

#text #text post #journal #journal entry

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writingwithadinosaur · 7 years

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“Climbing” - One Shot

Bucky Barnes x Reader

My Masterlist - Here

Word Count: 4380

Key: Y/N = Your Name, L/N = Your Last Name, Y/N/N = Your Nickname, H/C = Your Hair Color, E/C = Your Eye Color

Other Characters: Natasha, Steve

Warnings: Eating Disorder (not extreme, but still present), cursing, super cute fluff

Summary: Reader isn’t very happy with her physical appearance. The team could tell that something was off, but they weren’t sure exactly what it was until Tony throws a party. After hearing some things from other members of the team, the reader’s boyfriend, Bucky, starts to worry and confronts her.

Author’s Note: I came up with this idea based on how I’ve been feeling lately and figured it might relate to others and hopefully bring some sort of happiness to them. I don’t intend for this to be triggering or negative in any way. I write as a form of therapy. Getting thoughts out and trying to create stories to help myself and possibly others. I hope you all enjoy this.

If you or a loved one is suffering from a disorder of any kind, please search for help. Life is beautiful and so are you. You deserve a happy life.

If you would like to be tagged in any future pieces, please let me know! And as always, feedback is greatly appreciated!

- DreaSaurusREX

Tags: @goodnightwife

Weak. Fat. Not good enough. These are just a few of the thoughts that ran through your head on every once in awhile. You understood that these weren’t true most of the time, but sometimes you fell victim to their trap and got stuck in a depressing funk. Your boyfriend tried to help as much as he could, but sometimes you were too good at hiding it for him to notice. Saying that you didn’t feel good whenever you didn’t actually want to eat, saying you were tired when really you felt like shit, and so on.

You and Bucky were a pretty good match for eachother. Yes you had your ups and downs, but every couple does and Bucky never gave up on you. You two have been together for a little under a year, and you’ve never been happier. But that didn’t stop the thoughts.

Everything had been as normal as it could be around the tower, but you woke up one morning and felt those unpleasant thoughts crawling around, taking control of you. Your comforter whispered for you to stay in bed for awhile and you happily obliged. Looking at your phone, you saw that it was 8AM. You rolled over and decided to watch a couple YouTube videos and stay in bed.

~~~~~~~~

Bucky had woken up at around 7AM and started his normal schedule. Wake up, eat something small, go train for a couple hours, have a legit breakfast, then shower and get ready for the day. Usually he would see you at breakfast, but you weren’t there. He just dismissed it as oversleeping. He knew you had a hard time going to bed and staying asleep. He didn’t get home until after midnight, so he decided to go to his room instead of waking you up.

Steve was making some scrambled eggs and asked Bucky if he wanted any.

“No. I’m good. But can you make a plate for (Y/N)? I think she may be still in bed.” Steve just nodded and did as his friend asked. Bucky took the plate and made his way to your room.

~~~~~~~~

Do not eat. You shouldn’t eat as much as you have. Just look at yourself. Disgusting. You stood in front of your mirror in your leggings and tank top. Feeling yourself overthink, your breathing became a bit more strained and you started to shake. Before it got too bad, you heard a knock at your door.

Looking at your clock, you couldn’t believe how long you had been laying around and cooped up in your room. It’s now 10:30AM.

“Hang on a sec!” You grabbed your zip up hoodie from your chair and then slowly went to the door. Bucky stood there with a plate of scrambled eggs. Fuckin great…

“Good morning, sleepyhead!” He leaned down and kissed your forehead before walking into your room. You both had spent so much time in each other’s rooms that it was more like two shared rooms. “I didn’t see you at breakfast so I thought I’d bring you some eggs.” He then really took you in and saw that something wasn’t right. “Hey, something’s off. You doing okay, doll?”

You instantly tried your best to put on a smile and quiet the degrading demons in your head. “Yeah. Just a bit slow this morning. Couldn’t sleep very well last night.” Bucky didn’t believe you 100% but knew better than to push you. So you forced yourself to eat the eggs he made while you two sat in bed and watched TV. As you were finishing up the eggs, Bucky remembered something that Tony mentioned this morning.

“Hey, so Tony is throwing a party on Saturday night, just cause he wants to. I think he said something about getting more good publicity for the team. He told everyone at breakfast this morning, but you weren’t there. He expects everyone to be there.” He watched you as he said that. Your expression didn’t change, but he could tell you were listening. You kind of chuckled.

“Of course he is. I guess I’ll be there.” You tried to sound happy, but you were so stuck in this rut that it didn’t come out as cheerful as intended. You just forced yourself to finish these scrambled eggs and try to get something accomplished today.

~~~~~~~~

Five days later, it was Saturday morning. You hadn’t been able to get out of this mindset. Every night you went to bed with an ounce of hope that the thoughts would quiet and you could go back to normal, but then woke up in the morning and the cycle would start all over. You hadn’t eaten that much lately. Maybe one meal a day? This isn’t the first time you’ve done this type of thing. There would be periods of time when you really didn’t want to eat in fear of overeating or making yourself feel even worse about your image.

But you did your best to get up and try to do things somewhat normally. You would get up for breakfast, but not eat anything. You would try to at least be in the room with the team whenever they hung out. Bucky and you would have your time together. Sometimes there would a bit of a break from the thoughts where you would be genuinely happy and productive, but then they would come back in full force and you’d be back in that rut.

Don’t eat. You’re not worth anyone’s time. Just go away. Why is someone like Bucky with someone like you? Not in shape, not insanely gorgeous, and just plain weird. Any other size 4, happy, stable, and attractive girl could be his if he wanted. Why you? A size 12 girl who can’t even go on missions with the team because you haven’t trained enough yet.

You just wanted a break.

But there was no way of getting one tonight. Tony’s party was in a couple hours and Natasha was styling your hair while you did your makeup. You decided on simple makeup tonight. Partially cause your dress was very classy and you didn’t want to overdo it, and partially because you didn’t want to deal with a lot of makeup. But when you told Nat that you were finished, she made some adjustments. To be honest, you looked better after she fixed it, you just didn’t have the energy to do it.

“Hey, (Y/N). You doing okay?” Nat looked worried as she put the finishing touches on your makeup. You hated when people worried about you. Hopefully she wouldn’t see through your lie.

“Mmhm. Just couldn’t sleep very well last night. Kept waking up and having a hard time getting back asleep. The usual.” You stood up to go to your closet but had to lean on the wall for support. You felt really light headed and got a little bit of tunnel vision, as if you were about to faint. You quickly slid down the wall to sit. Natasha was at your side in a millisecond. You tried to calm her down.

“I’m fine. I just got a bit light headed. I’ll be okay in a minute.”

“(Y/N) that’s bullshit. You wouldn’t have almost collapsed if you were fine.” You just sighed and leaned your head down to try to get some blood flowing again. She looked at you and began to think of what could be causing you to feel like this. Lack of sleep wouldn’t have this affect on you...

“(Y/N), when was the last time you ate?” Natasha asked that but kind of knew the answer already. She had seen you around everyone during meal times, but she hadn’t seen you actually have anything to eat since yesterday. She could imagine why you would do this type of thing, and she didn’t like the thought.

You didn’t answer her. Instead, you stood back up and got your dress out of the closet. You didn’t want to tell her that the last time she ate was breakfast yesterday. You knew she would be even more worried, and you really didn’t want to eat.

Slipping into your dress, you forgot how it was a bit tight in certain places. It wasn’t your first choice, but Natasha kind of forced you to wear it. You could have just said no and tried to find a different dress, but you thought you looked awkward in any dress. If Nat said you looked good, you had to kind of take her word for it at this point.

After a couple minutes of makeup and hair checks, you both headed out to the party.

~~~~~~~~

Tony was known for his over the top parties and tonight was no exception. On any other day, you would enjoy this all, but you felt like complete shit and just wanted to escape back to your bed.

As soon as you and Natasha walked out of the elevator, you were hit with the overly loud music and started to feel overwhelmed with everything going on in this room. Steve and Bucky saw you two enter and immediately came over. Bucky looked starstruck.

“(Y/N), sweetheart, you look… Wow! I mean, you look so stunning.” You felt a smile grow on your face from actual happiness. For a few minutes, you were able to turn your brain off and enjoy Bucky and your friends and the party.

You spent some time standing with the group and listening to their conversations. Then something snapped in your head. Bucky wasn’t telling the truth earlier. Your size 12 fatass doesn’t look “stunning” or anything. Maybe if you didn’t eat so much, you would fit into some better sizes. You felt it slowly growing but tried to not think about it, but the thoughts were coming.

There’s no escaping right now. You are surrounded by people. You need to create a good image so the team gets good publicity. That’s why Tony is throwing this party. Think of how bad you’ll look in any photos or videos of this event though. Just listen and try your best to be normal.

You couldn’t breathe right and needed a drink. Maybe that would help you shut your brain off again. You excused yourself, kissing Bucky’s cheek, and heading to the bar. As you walked away, Steve looked at Bucky a bit worried.

“Buck, is everything alright with (Y/N)? She seems a bit off.”

“I think so. I mean, she keeps saying that she is, but I’ve noticed that too. I know she sometimes has bad days, and I didn’t want to push her. But I am worried that something really bad is happening but she isn’t letting anyone know. You know how she can be.”

Natasha jumped in. “Yeah, I was kind of freaked out by her too. She hasn’t really been as involved as usual. And tonight, we were getting ready and she almost fainted. I asked her when she ate last but she didn’t answer. But I already knew the answer. Breakfast. Yesterday. And even then, it was just toast and some tea. I’m actually scared about her.” Bucky and Steve looked worried and confused. Steve was the first to ask a question that popped into both of their minds.

“Why would she avoid that? Eating is a natural thing right? I mean, you need to eat to stay alive.” Nat saw how genuinely confused both of these boys were. She then realized that they didn’t really know about the whole “perfect body” of the modern day woman.

“Oh wow. I have to have this conversation with you two. Okay. In society, there are ideals of what men and women should look like. (Y/N) doesn’t feel like she fits that. She most likely avoided my question because she hasn’t been eating enough on purpose.” The boys looked even more confused.

“Wait… What? Why would she not eat?” Steve asked. Bucky was silent, trying to take in all of the information and process it.

“Some people think that starving themselves or severely restricting their diet will help them lose weight. But that isn’t how that works. And with how little (Y/N) is eating daily, I’m honestly very worried about her.” Bucky finally spoke.

“But (Y/N) is gorgeous. Dames back in our day would kill to look half as good as she does.” He honestly thought you were perfect for him in every way. He couldn’t wrap his head around the idea of you starving yourself in order to look better because he didn’t believe that there was anything better.

“But she isn’t looking at 1940s body types, hun. She is looking at modern day ideals. Size 2 or 4 instead of size 12, strong but skinny, et cetera. And what she is doing to get to those sizes could end up really hurting her. I’m talking, hospitalization level.”

Bucky’s level of fear raised. He was processing all of this and realizing that this is why you’ve been so off lately. You avoided eating, you weren’t as happy as before, you spent a lot of time in your room. He should have done something sooner. Steve saw this change in his friend and put a hand on his shoulder.

“Bucky, you need to go talk to her. You’ll be able to get through to her more than either of us could.” As soon as Steve finished talking, Bucky turned and walked straight to where you were sitting at the bar, trying to enjoy a glass of your favorite wine. You felt a familiar metal hand on your arm and looked up with a clearly fake smile that turned when you saw Bucky’s serious face.

“Sweetheart, I need to talk to you in private please.” You put your glass down and stood only to get another wave of lightheadedness and have to grab Bucky’s arm for support. He knew you couldn’t have had more than one glass of wine, which was not enough to make you drunk.

Natasha and Steve were watching this all from afar. As soon as you started to stumble, they both were ready to run over and help. Bucky looked at them and gave them a look that said ‘it’s okay. I got this.’ He instantly wrapped an arm around you and lead you to a quieter area that had a chair for you to sit in. He really should have done something sooner.

Once you were sat down, he pulled a chair around so he could sit right in front of you. He held your hand and felt you shaking. Your thoughts were louder than ever. See! He pulled you aside so he could break up with you. You’re too big for him. You’re disgusting. He finally realized how much of a piece of sh--

“I love you, (Y/N). I need you to know that. And I mean really know that.”

You just sat there in silence, not sure of where he was going with this anymore.

“I’m so scared about you. You have been not only shutting me out, but the rest of the team too. You aren’t as happy. You’re not eating. And just… I’m not the only one who has noticed. Steve and Natasha came up to me to ask what was going on. Then Nat told me what happened while you two were getting ready, then I just witnessed it with my own eyes.”

“I-- I stood up too fast. It’s a normal thing.” You tried to lie to Bucky, but he saw right through it.

“Natasha also had to teach Steve and I about the difference between women in my day and women today.” You looked down and tried to fight back tears. Bucky put his hand on your cheek and made you look back at him.

“Sweetheart, you are everything I’ve hoped for in a woman and more. I have never once thought of anything that I dislike or would change about you. I’m going to be 100% honest right now, and you can verify this with Steve, but you look like the perfect 1940s gal. Your body is phenomenal, you are beyond gorgeous, and you have every quality that would make any man the luckiest man in the world. And I am so thankful that I am that lucky man.”

You couldn’t hold back your tears anymore. You loved him more than anything and you knew he was right about all of this.

“I love you, Buck. I just… It’s these fucking thoughts making me second guess everything and hate myself. And just…” You were cut off by Bucky’s lips htting yours. They were soft and gentle, knowing that that is what you needed. He was the one that pulled away and rested his forehead against yours.

“I love you too, doll. So much. I just wish you would have told me about all of this. I want to help in any way that I can. If that means showing you how much I love you or making sure you eat or helping you find a professional to talk to or even just kissing you more often, I am more than willing to do anything for you. We can work with Natasha and Steve on a better training schedule. And I’m sure that Wanda and Sam would be glad to help with planning meals and I--”

You leaned forward and kissed him again, kind of stumbling into his lap because of your unbalanced self. Feeling him smile into the kiss, you reciprocated. Your hands naturally went on his shoulders while his found their place around your hips and lower back. He pulled you closer and let his hands wander around your curves. At first, you felt a bit self conscious. But then you melted into his kisses more and realized how much he really does love you. And you could tell that he really meant all of what he said. You were his girl, and you were so glad that he was your boy.

You broke away after a few minutes of this. You pulled him into a hug and stayed there for a few minutes, just holding each other, catching your breath. Once you were breathing okay again, Bucky thought it would be best to head back soon.

“People are gonna start to worry about us. You feel okay enough to go back?” His hands were still slowly running over your body. He couldn’t get enough of how you felt.

“As long as you are there for support, I think I can make it” He looked at you with nothing but love and protection in his eyes.

“Always.” He helped you up and you gladly took his arm. As you two headed back to the party, he added another comment. “You are going to have to eat.” You sighed before accepting this as a fact and trying your best to enjoy the night.

Steve and Natasha notice you two coming back, but you were talking to Bucky and didn’t really look up. They both looked worried, but then saw you smiling with Bucky and knew things were going to get better. As soon as they were close enough, they took turns wrapping you in hugs. You thanked them for being there and being supportive.

“(Y/N), you are family. And a family looks after each other.” Natasha said as she held your hand a bit.

“We’ll always be here if you need anything. Don’t forget that.” Steve said as he took his turn to hug you. When he pulled away, Bucky’s arm was around your waist.

“Alright, time to get something to eat.” You took a deep breath in and let him lead you to the table with various hor d'oeuvres. This was going to be a tough journey, but you had an amazing group of friends and a wonderful boyfriend to help you.

~~~~~~~~

Three months later

It definitely hasn’t been a walk in the park, but you are finally getting somewhere stable in your life. You hadn’t really gotten smaller or bigger, but you got stronger. Gaining muscle, getting professional help, being on medications, and now had more of a control on your thoughts. They would still pop up every so often, but it isn’t nearly as bad as it had been in the past. You were stronger than ever before.

You had worked with Bucky, Natasha, and Steve on a training schedule that wasn’t too intense for you, but still challenged you. You really enjoyed training and looked forward to working with them. You could see how much you were improving. You had successfully passed multiple tests that the team had put in front of you. You weren’t perfect, but you were getting better each day. Steve mentioned once or twice that with a bit more training, you might be able to finally go on a mission with them instead of just doing work back at the tower.

Wanda and Sam had helped you plan out meals. They didn’t focus on calories but more on the nutrients and portion sizes. They taught you things that you never even thought about when it came to food. What foods contained the best nutrients, what you shouldn’t eat, what you should, and even helped you make a list of cheat foods that you could have every once in awhile.

Your relationship with Bucky grew even more throughout this whole adventure. He never doubted you and kept to his word about trying to help as much as possible. Even when he went on missions, he would either leave a note or be in contact with you somehow.

~~~~~~~~

A month later

You were finally able to go on a mission with the team. They made sure that you were well informed and weren’t put in any high risk situations. The mission ended up being a huge success. You got a few cuts and bruises, but nothing too bad. You were sitting in your seat in the jet while everyone else moved around and talked or got bandaged up. Bucky was talking to Steve and Nat on the other side of the ship. Bucky glanced at you and you flashed him a smile before leaning your head back and closing your eyes. It was going to be another 3 hours flight until you got home, might as well sleep through it.

When you all arrived back at the tower, you wanted nothing more than to shower and go to bed. You got to the common area when Natasha stopped you.

“Hey (Y/N)! How was your first mission?” She seemed off, like she really didn’t want to talk about this but needed a conversation starter. You thought it would be rude to call her out on this, so you decided to let this play out. Maybe she would tell you her real reasoning later.

“It was good. I’m glad I was able to help everyone and we all came out without any life threatening injuries. I’m just really tired and ready for a shower. Can we just talk tomorrow morning? I’m exhausted.” You started to turn around but Nat stopped you.

“Wait, one more thing.” You looked at her questioningly. Her gaze wasn’t really directed at you but more behind you. You almost looked behind you until she actually asked her question. “How long have you and Barnes been together?”

“Um… We just had our one year last month. So a year and a month. But we were friends for longer. He’s been a part of my life for at least 4 years now. And I’m glad he has.” Natasha just smiled. “Okay. You’re freaking me out. What’s going on?”

Suddenly someone cleared their throat behind you. You turned around and saw Bucky standing there. He was smiling but looked nervous. You had a thought of where this was going but then dismissed it as being too dreamlike to be real. That would never happen.

“Did you hear Natasha and I just now?” You felt a bit embarrassed.

“Yeah. It was cute.” You both laughed as you hid your face. “Hey, it could have been a lot worse.”

“Very true.” Bucky had your hand in his and you could feel him shaking. You got worried now. “Bucky, is everything alright? You’re shaking.”

He took a deep breath in and took a second to gather himself. What the fuck? He’s never nervous like this.

“(Y/N). We have been through so much together throughout our friendship and relationship. I mean, I just witnessed you be such a badass out on your first mission. You’ve stuck with me through the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. I have seen you grow into such an incredible and admirable woman. I have had the privilege to be the lucky man that calls you my partner in crime. You are my doll, my sweetheart, and my everything. I know we have been a part of each other's lives for a few years now. But I love you and I want to guarantee many more years will come.”

“James Buchanan Barnes. What in the world--” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box as he lowered himself on one knee. There were already tears welling up as he was talking, but now they fell freely. Oh my god! This is happening!

“Doll, I’m doing exactly what you think I’m doing.” He took a breath and finally asked. “(Y/N) (Y/M/N) (Y/L/N), will you marry me?”

You smiled bigger than you thought possible. Shaking your head yes, you couldn’t stop the tears as you tried to speak.

“Yes! Yes! Oh my god yes!” You heard the team around you holler and cheer as Bucky jumped up hugged you. When he put you down, he took the simple ring from the box and slid it on your finger. It fit perfectly and was even more beautiful than you imagined a ring to be. You pulled him into a much desired kiss and he happily kissed back.

You had started from one of the lowest points in your life, climbed up, and rose to one of the highest points of your life. And you weren’t done climbing yet.

#bucky barnes x reader #bucky x reader #bucky imagine #avengers fanfiction #avengers fandom #avengers imagine

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sakurablossomstorm-blog · 7 years

Note

13. "Looks like we're going to be stuck here for a while," 41. "You're going out dressed like that?" 92. "You're so clingy; I love it," and/or 103. "Sharing is caring. Now give me your fries." 😊

Sorry this took me forever to do!

~~~~

13. “Looks like we’re going to be stuck here for a while.”

“Oh man, look at that” Ben mumbled as his foot gently pressed down on the brake, letting the car roll gently into a stop behind a Prius that was in desperate need of a wash.

Leslie looked up and out of the windscreen; there was a huge traffic jam as far as the eye could see.

“Must be an accident or something” Ben mused as he put the brake lever. “Looks like we are going to be stuck here for a while. Good thing you wanted to leave early for the airport, huh.”

Leslie nodded in agreement and carried on staring out in front of her. Her first trip to visit Ben in Washington hadn’t exactly been great. First the whole River Clean Up proposal went disastrously, and then Leslie nearly cried in front of Barbara Boxer and Olympia Snowe. Not her finest moment.

She couldn’t help it, but she was grumpy and hormonal and was pretty sure her period was right around the corner. And it didn’t help having Ben so far away, surrounded by D.C Amazonian women.

“Are you ok?” Ben asked, taking a hand in his.

“I’m great. Wonderful” Leslie forced out, sounding incredibly fake.

Ben raised an eyebrow. “No you’re not. What’s wrong?”

Leslie sighed. “I just…can’t believe I ruined our first weekend by being cranky.”

Ben chuckled and ran his thumb over her knuckle. “You didn’t ruin it at all. You had a stressful few days, and I completely understand that. I just wish there was more I could do.”

Leslie smiled sadly. “You’re doing everything that I need right now. Just promise me that you aren’t going to run off with a Hot Rebecca while you are away.”

Ben smirked and kissed her hand. “Of course not. I’m only interested in one beautiful lady, and I’m extremely heartbroken that she has to go back home today.”

Leslie felt her cheeks blush. “Can I come again soon?”

“Of course, you don’t have to ask, you have a key to my place, just turn up whenever you want” Ben told her.

Leslie couldn’t help it; she pushed forward into his arms and kissed him fiercely.

Hey, they were stuck in traffic, she was sure they could fit in some making out for the last time. She had to make it count.

Also she wanted to leave her mark, maybe she’d give him a hickey to remind everyone in his office that he was taken.

41. “You’re going out dressed like that?”

“Okay, I’m ready.”

Ben was just adjusting his bow tie when he heard Leslie’s voice. He turned and frowned.

“You’re going out dressed like that?”

Tonight was the Tellenson Award banquet, a night that Leslie had described as the Oscars times the Grammys plus the Super Bowl. But she was standing in front of him wearing her stretchy Garfield shirt and sweatpants.

The only thing she had done was put her hair into a bun and applied lipstick.

“Are you sure?” Ben asked, walking over to her. “Because you look a little underdressed for the biggest night in government history.”

Her words, not his.

Leslie sighed. “Well, I was going to wear that new maternity dress that I got, but then I just felt so tired and I’m pregnant so I’m sure I can get away with this, right?”

Ben smiled sadly at her. “You know you can wear whatever you want and I will think you are beautiful, but you aren’t thinking straight. If I let you go out like that I’m sure I will never hear the end of it. Your make up is done, your hair looks great, how about we just get you out of these clothes and into that dress?”

Leslie sighed dramatically again as Ben pulled the shirt over her head. “Is this just a ploy to get me naked?”

“Maybe” Ben replied with a smirk as he knelt down to take off her pants. Not before kissing the bump on her stomach. She was three months pregnant and still quite small, but probably to Leslie, she seemed too big.

He led her over to the bed and sat her down as he pulled out the beautiful lilac maternity gown that she purchased last week. HE helped Leslie step into it and zipped it up for her.

“There” Ben said, admiring her. “You look beautiful. So beautiful, all eyes are going to be on you tonight.”

“And you don’t think I look fat?”

“Good lord, no” Ben quickly said, taking her hands. “You look stunning, and you are carrying our babies and that just adds to your existing beauty.”

Leslie smiled at him and stoop on tiptoes to kiss his cheek. “I love you so much, my sexy triple Daddy.”

“And I love you” Ben replied, “my sexy triple Mama.”

92. “You’re so clingy; I love it”.

It was the morning after they kissed for the first time when Leslie noticed it.

Just how cuddly Ben truly was, the way he wrapped himself around her and curled into a ball when they slept together.

She also noticed how much he slept, and it was a lot.

All she wanted to do was wake up and cook him homemade waffles, but he wasn’t moving for anyone any time soon. It was coming up to 8am and she had been lying there for nearly two hours, just waiting for him to move.

But…nothing.

All she got were contented sighs and snores.

Carefully, Leslie peeled away his arms and shifted away, causing Ben to moan and whimper, and pull her back into his arms.

“No” he mumbled sleepily. “Stay.”

Leslie sighed. “You are so clingy; I love it. But right now I really need to get up and make breakfast.”

Ben groaned and turned over, looking at his phone for the time. “Babe, it’s 8am on a Saturday. Stay in bed a little longer, please?”

Babe.

That small word made Leslie’s heart skip several beats.

And she couldn’t say no after that.

“All right, if you insist” Leslie murmured, climbing back under the sheets and tucking herself into his arms.

“Mm” Ben hummed. “This is nice.”

And his kissed the top of her head and Leslie’s heart fluttered in her chest.

“It is” she replied, nuzzling into him.

103. "Sharing is caring. Now give me your fries."

“I don’t think I’ll be able to fit into a JJ’s booth for much longer,” Leslie groaned as Ben carefully helped her get comfortable.

“Don’t worry, if you get too big I can do waffle runs for you. I’m pretty sure JJ will miss the company, though” Ben said, as he signalled a waitress, who recognised them and knew their order well, she nodded at them at went to the kitchen to give them their order.

Leslie was now five months pregnant, and getting around was starting to be a challenge for her. They still tried to make it out every Sunday for waffles at JJ’s, but Leslie was starting to slow down, and Ben was sure he’d be the delivery boy sooner or later for her.

Today, however, wasn’t a Sunday. It was a Thursday, and he and Leslie decided to have waffles as a treat.

Because they had just found out the sex of their babies. They would be expecting two boys and a girl in a few months time.

Leslie rubbed the top of her bump and smiled. “Two boys and a girl, can you believe that?”

“I still can’t get my head around the fact that you are carrying three babies” Ben replied.

It was true, sometimes he’s look at Leslie and her growing belly and marvel in the fact that she was doing all the hard work, it was tough on her, Leslie wasn’t one to slow down and relax, but she had to adapt to care for the triplets.

He reached out and took her hand in his. “I’m really happy, Leslie. These babies are going to be so unbelievably loved, and you are doing amazingly.”

“Thanks” Leslie beamed at her husband, just as the waitress came over, placing a stack of waffles and Leslie’s own can of whipped cream in front of her and BLT with fries in front of Ben.

“We’ll have to start researching names,” Leslie said as she squirted whipped cream all over her waffles. “Maybe we should look at the names of the supreme court for ideas?”

“Maybe” Ben grinned, and the frowned as Leslie reached over, taking a couple of fries from his plate. “Hey! You have your own lunch.”

Leslie glared at him. “Sharing is caring, Wyatt. Now give me your fries.”

Ben smirked and pushed his plate over towards Leslie, letting her take as many fries as she wanted.

He wasn’t going to take food away from a pregnant woman any time soon, he knew that there would be hell to pay if he did.

#parks and rec fics #supervanillabear31

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curiouskarenscapers2017 · 7 years

Text

Volume Two – September 2004

Ni Hao! (Chinese for hello remember)

Ok, so after about three tries we got it right and the teething problems are over, we are at press!

Thanks for all the compliments and please, if there is anything specific you want me to check out lemme know, it will make my life more interesting here!

I got the photo’s downloaded and we’re A for away. Will let you know about those.

Anyway, where were we, oh yes. We lost the two Canadian girls and got a South African, Penelope (Pen for short, because the locals had a problem saying the name) and the Canadian Kimberley (Kim for short, just easier) a day later instead. Poor Penelope’s luggage never left SA and two days later she got them delivered to the school by Cathy Pacific! They were put in a new apartment just down the road from us. Pen was having a very hard time about it. They were shoved into teaching the next day with no training whatsoever.!! Hectic, now where did I hear that before……oh yes, it happened to me too!! Anyway, the weekend they had time to breath after a terrible and disastrous two days teaching. They would be fine. I told them they must just calm down over the weekend, do an orientation stint then while it’s quiet and brace themselves for Monday. It will be better and it does get better. My week was a total nightmare hours wise. 13 hrs a day, 71 hours a weak, 306 hrs a month! But obviously I’m not being paid for the hours spent at the office only teaching hours are billed. It’s cruel!!! The initial 3months are used for training then after that you can go home if you don’t have class. For the first 3 months you have to stay at the office weekdays from 1pm – 9pm and Saturdays from 10am – 4pm. This is fine if you are not doing a kindergarten class that starts at 9am and you have to be there at 8am to prepare! So all in all my 1st three months will be 8am -9pm. Cool!!!!!

Anyway, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger!! I finally went to the night market the other night. What an experience!!!! It was a maze of narrow rows between hundreds if little stalls that ranged from food to gadgets and of course the cell phone stores in between!!! My word! The food, the smells and some of the smells…..eeeeeuuuuwww. But overall the food look appetizing and very oily, everything is fried…fried dumplings, fried, noodles, fried meat etc. etc. ect. But what a vibe, Tuesday nights and Friday nights the night markets lives on, with people flowing like blood through it’s veins. Awesome. Better than Leki in Lagos. But different in a way as well. I liked Leki for the unusual stuff, with the odd little Chinese store in between, here most of it is shiny, glittery and it looks like Taiwan is stuck in the eighties!! So I’ll do the expected and start buying cool glittery hair clips and baubles for my hair, seeing as I don’t have much of a choice in the heat, I’m tying it up…can you guys believe it!!

Some beautiful hair stuff. Stunning Jade jewelry. Small trinkets for about NTS300 = R60 to NTS3000 = R 600. Stunning bangles of jade as well. You get a light white jade with a hint of green and then others are dark green. All little religious symbols and things you find at our Chinese stores back home as well as some different ones. This market is just interesting with all it’s stuff and smells. The gadgets are the best, the lighters are awesome, everything flashes!! Lot’s of CD’s DVD’s and VCD’s. All quite cheap. Didn’t look too closely as I was swept away by the stream. Boy what a stream!!! It’s like the game with the frog that has to jump across the road and avoid being hit by a the cars, level advanced!!!! I actually at one stage had to fall back in the stream the way I came and pop out a quiet pooled area on the opposite side and make my way upstream along the side I wanted to get to in the first place!!!! Anyway, it was a great experience and I saw lots of stuff for everybody. The girls will love the hair gadgets and clips and the brother will love the guys shirts here, very with it and clubby!!! The interesting food caught my eye as I was bustled by. Ducks head an neck fried to a crisp, Chicken feet fried to a crisp!!

Saturday I did my time at the school, had to teach 2 classes and then started on this volume. The girls are moving today which means I am moving into the big room with the en suite bathroom, going to miss them and the dogs!! Will go visit as Teri is leaving in 5 sleeps and poor Abby will be alone at home with the kids!

I had a weird traditional food on the Saturday that taste like raw dough…my favourite….but has a spicy or sweet centre that looks like fried onions. Weird, but ok. Won’t buy too many of those. They also look like the green goo we used to buy when we were kids that didn’t stick to your hands, it just kind of went through your fingers but left your hands clean. These balls were like that, they stuck to the plastic they were in but didn’t come apart or leave goo behind…very interesting food. Wonder if it will stick to a car window at a high speed………

Anyway, I moved and have never in my life sweated so much as when I was cleaning out our flat when the girls left. My word, it was soooo hot on Saturday, I went to bed in the quiet apartment and Sunday spent time going through all the left behinds to see what is useable and what’s not. A whole new way of life for me!!!! You don’t want to end up buying something expensive and you can’t take it with! So use what’s left behind and save on costs. The en suite shower is quite an experience, in there being no shower!!! The is a wall mounted tap set and the shower head and away you go, next to the loo in the middle of the bathroom, no curtain, no indent just a slight downward angle and two draining holes…..quite cool actually. Maybe it would be a good idea for the resort…a fiberglass bathroom floor, raised and sealed along the edges and everything in it. Easy cleaning for the crew, you don’t need a bath for the resort and it’s hygienic! Viola, all these ideas!!! I tell you!

So I finally get the dreaded cold I was bracing myself with Vitamin tablets against!!! Got it after Sunday’s cleaning and felt it more on Monday, Tuesday evening I had it full blast with a day from hell the next! Like I said, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger….right?….just incase you don’t hear from me again after this edition…….I love you all!!!! I mean it!!! Naaah not this “onkruid”.

Judy (the owner) was shaking her head in disbelief at the most amazing and well timed, managed, organized way my passport and visa was done compared to EVERYONE ELSE. For some weird reason, I’m the only one with no problems getting a 60day visa, secondly for some unknown reason my visa is the only one, now that they did leave it too late to get the ARC in time, able to be renewed until Oct 21 at the local police station without having to leave the country!! Strange but true, I’ve been telling everybody I’m easy and nobody believes me!!! I’m being looked after big time……as usual. Anyway, I have a three empty rooms, and I know who’s all living in them at the moment while there is space….once again!!!!

So, this is a sign for them maybe to…..I don’t know….hurry the process up a bit with the ARC!!! I’ll stay on them. Just a reminder if I haven’t mentioned it before, the ARC is the Alien Residency Certificate, basically allows me to stay here and work.

(Verimark add scenario)This new rice diet I have tried really works for me! I can’t believe the results! I was a lonely fat teenager all my life and the Chowfan rice diet has change all that!! I can look at people and say….yes, it’s me!!! …No really it’s me, me? Karen, remember? No really it IS! Look, see it’s me…..yes!! Over here, it’s me, I’m here!!!…..okay, maybe not THAT thin yet, but the loss of 10kg’s in my first month and a half, says something for the Chinese people’s cooking. There are very few obese people here, except for the foreigners who eat things like, fried dumplings, fried calamari, fried rice, tipenyaki and all the 7eleven can offer, because of their money that is. But once again, money is the root of fat, the less money the thinner you are….so I have come to the equation – no money = thinner! Eureeeeekkkkaaaa! I better hide my money away from myself after payday! But where….where?????

In my huge room I now have, I have cordoned off a section for exercising. I got some foam tiles you buy in a pack of 6/8 and you connect them to form a mat. I do my sit up/push ups etc all on this little piece of lime green foam. Good to have an exercise routine, I have been missing it! Made a list of what I need for the flat, so that I can go get it this weekend after payday Friday!!! Wonder what we’ll be getting?!!!?

Saw Teri off on Wednesday night at work…can’t believe she’ll be at home tomorrow sometime. Weird to think she’ll see boetie before I do! And I probably won’t see him for nearly a year! Never happened before!! I’ll have to organize…and what about the family, what about my friends and the cats…….aaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh. Anyway, I’ll survive!

Found out a few minutes ago that we don’t have to sit here for the whole 13 hours a day, so we won’t!! Not that my classes are scheduled in such a way that it will benefit me though. But the small gaps in between might help getting away a bit! We’ll see how that goes.

Well I it finally happened again and this time I gave in to my deepest maternal instinct! The first time, someone found a few weeks old stray puppy and I refused point blank, emotionally, space wise and this place is no place for a dog. No grass, no fresh air, no…..wait, I want those things!!!! Anyway, so yesterday evening Abby and Teri was taking out their trash when they found a 3 week old orphaned kitten. She asked me today whether I would please take care of it, I didn’t want to, I said I don’t know, really I did, I was soo strong!!!!! Then I remembered last night when I got home, to my huge empty flat with no life in it at all…….! And then it happened…that little niggly feeling deep down inside, what will happen to this little orphaned kitten? Who will help it? Here? no one!

With typhoon season in full swing, it will probably drown in the trash or get swept away down a drain or…what if the stray dogs eat it??? What then??? It got to this stage and obviously needed help to have a full happy life further, it was meant to be found by them and be taken care of by me! It will have a wonderful life!!! It might just become the flat cat! I’ll see him tonight (Thursday 9/9)

We’re making plans to do the Carrefour journey this weekend to get all the necessary living items. Like bedding!!! I have been sleeping on a fitted sheet and a pillow! Amazing how it turned out that we got here in Summer, Winter would have been a bit funny with no bedding!!! Anyway, it’s not and I don’t have to! Carrefour is actually just around the corner, well sort of, maybe about 5km’s away. Can’t wait.

Ok, so off we went on Saturday after school at about 5pm. What a place!! About three stories high with everything your heart desires! From toiletries to food to bikes to hi-tech stuff……I was like a kid in the proverbial candy store!!! And every time I saw something I saw something else at the same time and bumped into myself a few times until we both pulled in the same direction!!! Stunning!!! Got stuff for the flat, like a wine opener!!!!!! Got bedding at long last, now my bed looks like a bed not a temporary couch I spent a month and a half on. Also the temperature is slowly declining at night and in the wee morning hours, so the new fluffy thick duvet with my different types of blue colouring looks homely and cozy!! You have never bought so blind as here. 1 picture with a full bed set on it. 4 pillows, 1 duvet, 1 fitted sheet and when you open it you have 1 pillow case and a duvet cover. Then you buy another to see whether you could get it as close as possible to the colour and then you find a fitted sheet with 1 pillow case in another….so at the end of the day you have a semi matching set consisting of a denim blue duvet cover with a check pattern and a light blue broad border that isn’t on the picture, a bright blue fitted sheet with circles on it and matching pillow cases and an old night frill around the bed frame that was left in the flat of a different blue….viola!!!!!

Anyway, I sleep well and it feels more like home!! Back at the store! I was still shopping away. Myself, Jane and Melissa(the new Canadian girl that is sharing with me). She was a legal secretary for 8years and decided to do something different, got married the day before she got here! Hectic!!!

So we stopped at the cats/pet section and I got Draco/ Shao Long (Little dragon) a sandbox, very fancy, we should get one for the cats back home!! Some Friskies for cats and Purina for kittens. Jane (one of the Chinese teachers here) was my shopping planner/co-ordinator. She eventually took my list and off she went! People were checking us out because we were probably the loudest shoppers in the mall, well definitely the most excited ones!!! So, we got all the basics and some nice things, checked out the bikes and saw a stunning red Coca Cola bike, but it was a bit of a girls bike….but really cool looking! I eventually left it for now as I wanted to check out the bike place where all the other teachers go for bikes. A toaster, a vacuum cleaner and a few other essentials came to a very reasonable price! We would never pay that in SA for all the things we bought! The coolest part was between the different levels where they had a walking escalator not a stairs one. The best part is that the trolley’s are magnetized and sticks to the escalator!!! You can’t move it!!!! Even with a full trolley, it didn’t budge up and down the escalator…cool!!!! I even approached it at a running speed….amazing! I will definitely go back there. We called the taxi and at about 7o’clock we left Carrefour!! I want to go try out all my stuff at home! Can’t wait!

So that evening the other girls came over, Pen and Kim and we (or rather Melissa) made stir fry, we watched a movie and they left with plans for going exploring tomorrow morning to find the everything store!

Well what a variety of everything stores this place has. Just when you thought this is definitely the everything store you walk into one that has more everything than the first one! I was so sure I got it until we actually got it! We walked a mile….but we were in good spirits and it went quickly. Our first stop was a video/DVD store where we enquired as to how much to rent etc. etc. Worked out to NTS1000 for 80 DVD’s That is a good deal compared to our Blockbuster deals. R200 for 80 DVD’s!! We’ll remember that and we filed down the road again. Next stop was the Pizza shop. Stunning little yellow shop with inside seating and two tables outside. We opted for inside as the aircon does make a difference in a place like this. A small pizza and iced tea worked out to about just over R10 something. Very good as well, I took a membership card as we left and immediately got it stamped!! We’ll be back!! Next stop was a big pharmacy on the corner of a main intersection. They even have a counter as to when the lights will change, this one started at 80sec and counted down. Cool really. Anyway, the pharmacy had quite a bit of paraphernalia and interesting weird stuff. A huge baby section was located upstairs. It’s quite a big deal having children here and they definitely cater for it! Didn’t find what we wanted, which was for me to get nail glue! Everything else is false around here except nails……….

Then we went across the road and found a huge book/stationery store. Cool, books below and stationery above. I left the girls to wonder around in their as I continued my quest for the everything store……just past the book store I found it, I’m sure of it!! A crammed supermarket type shop with everything in it. Looks like a typical Indian shop, you can’t move in the isles. Lots of food and further down lots of household stuff, like cutlery dustbin bags for cheap and then a huge section with beer….interesting! Got two little dustbins for the bathrooms, lots of bags for them and the big dustbin in the kitchen and was off to find the girls and let them know! Got back to the bookstore and they had disappeared into the myriad of shops in Changhua, swallowed by the black hole of consumer marketing and products on demand! So what to do…do I go on shopping or do I go find them….hmmmm…sat on the corner like a foreigner for a few minutes, nothing, walked up a while and side ways, nothing….Oh well, they’re all together so I’ll go exploring down this way………found some shoe shops and a huge everything shop with red writing further down the road. Cool and they had a little bit of nail glue! Must remember this place! Got some sparkly stuff for my hair and felt like a kid again. One with neon orange flower bits with a clear bauble behind it, two with two pink squares on either side with a mother of pearl shine and one with clear squares and a red elastic. Cool!!!!

Walked out and back down the street and as I came to the corner again they were crossing the road. I told them about the shop and they wanted to go see it. I waited at Mac Donald’s with Kim and had a Lemon Coke. We started our journey back nearly 4 hours later. Stopped at the Yellow store, a huge yellow electronics store called BC. Lots of gadgets in here!!!! Translators, camera’s MPR3 players to die for, CD players, TV’s you name it. Laptops are the same to a tad cheaper that home. HP Presario’s at about NT35 000 which works out to about R7 000 to more. I was hoping for much cheaper but they too import them. Then we checked out the Hi Fi section and we all had our favourites. I got a small Philips Hi Fi with a sound to die for and all the extras including a USB port to connect your laptop to it to play MP3’s. Also plays MP3, CD’s RWCD etc etc etc etc. Boetie, will love this!! Nee, dis myne!!! Stunning little thing for under a R1000. They had to order one. Got two fluorescent lamps for the bathroom and kitchen and we were off again. Got closer to home and found a huge fresh market. Walked in and they had all sorts in there! ALL SORTS. We took a quick route past the live chickens being slaughtered and checked out the seafood and other meats. Interesting but also very fresh and good pricing. Calamari to die for doll, squid, octopus, shrimps, clams bubbling away in their cold water crates, eels and al sorts of fish. I wonder if they have butter fish, we had it in Paternoster as part of our sea food platter, I could make a huge seafood platter with these things!!! At the end they had pastries and it smelled stunning! We left and suddenly walked into “The Everything store”. From pots and pans to electrical things in one huge corrugated iron room. Got a lamp for next to my bed, a squeegee to clean the floors with and Melissa also got some stuff. We were nearly home and passed so many eating places on the way. We made an arrangement that once a month we will try out one of the eating places, maybe twice a month as there are so many!!!! Got home, the girls left and I did my hair and nails and went to bed….a good shopping day!!!

The week started with a bang and I was back into my 13hour shifts. Although I had no class on the Monday until the afternoon! Then later I found out they went to the Confucian temple! I wanted to go tooooooo! Abby got the brochure and we’ll go soon. The week flew by and the guys from BC phoned me to come fetch the HiFi. I organized with Jane, my new Chinese best friend, and after work on Wednesday we got on her scooter and went to go fetch it! Great, it was there and they had it waiting. The box was not too big but just uncomfortably sized. At least it had handle holes on the sides. So we started planning how we were going to get the box, me and her on the scooter, so Jane suggested I ride and she’ll hold the box, I advised against that option as she knows her bike better and will be able to counter weight etc etc . So she got on, I got on with the box resting on my left knee and leaning to the right and we were off. The poor scooter! Thank goodness it didn’t rain. We dodged a few cars, had to organize space for us to squeeze through and we got home. I obviously immediately started assembling the thing well into the evening and borrowed CD’s from Melissa to check whether the 5CD changer option worked well! It did, and what sound!!! I’m happy, I have a real room now, bed and Hifi what more do you want! Now, I’ll need to get CD’s!!!! Leki market used to have them at R25 a CD in Nigeria, get this, here, none of them are over NT35 which is R7….I’ll stay here…please send your lists through to me!!!

Anyway, Friday arrived and I had to go to the new school. Asked Judy for her scooter and she said no……..what?…no? What do you mean no? If I have enough time they want us to either walk or ride our own bikes because of the safety hazard on scooters. FINE!!! I’ll take my bike!! I started cycling in about 30C heat and in jeans! It was great! I had such a cool cycle. With the bicycle you go past things slower and you can actually see shops….more shops….cool places to come visit! I made it to the school in just under 20min. Shows you what the scooter does to you, it makes you lazy!! I had a good workout while window shopping. Today they had a world Peace moment from 2:00 to 2:30 and no cars drove around….best time to get where you want to! On my way back from the school, I saw many army trucks and a road block….so much for world peace!!!

I had the weirdest epiphany while cycling back to the school. I suddenly realized fully I was in Taiwan. A country I have only heard about in my entire 34 years. The other side of the world. If I start digging now I’ll come out in Jo’burg somewhere….I’m sure of it. It was so cool, I looked around me saw the emerald green rice paddies in the fields between the buildings, suddenly was aware of all the Asian people around, the writing and the odours from the shops and small votive temples along side the road! Wow, I’m really here! Cool!!! I’ll let everybody know……oh wait, they already do, I’ve been here for two months on the 24th already. Ok then.

There is a Moon Festival party on the 24th in our complex and we are all going! I’ll take pictures! This Saturday is Kim’s birthday party at the Flamingo and we’ll go flea marketing or something on Sunday.

Well, the party at Flamingo’s turned out to be quite the party so we cancelled Sunday! It was great. We were all sitting there and even the Chinese teachers joined in! Melissa and I bought a small little cake at the night market on the Friday. It’s a bout a A5 size compared to a A4 sized cake….if you get the picture. We whipped it out, got the stale sparklers going….my idea of course and sang while the sparklers were going haywire and nearly burning the pub down….so typical!!!

Anyway, we sang for Kim and Sara. Sara is one of the front desk ladies that help us in all our teachings and materials for teachings etc etc etc. It was her 22 birthday to……….WHAT!!! 22….wow, when was that? 19………sad hey? I’m ok…I’m ok. So there we were, Sunny the owner is quite the cool Chinese guy and the place just got fuller and fuller. And guess what, all foreign people, they were coming out of the woodwork!!! Even more SAfricans emerged. From Cape Town nogal! It was great seeing normal faces where ever you looked. Weird! We had a ball and left at about 2:30. In bed by 3:00am and sound asleep. Sunday we woke up after 10 and remembered we organized to go to the morning market near Abby’s place. Nothing happened and I went to the roof to go read my book and relax in the sun. We had a craving for KFC and I went to go fetch it down the road. All the tour buses were parked outside the temples and people were in the streets with their uniforms on waving little flags. Interesting, obviously celebrating the moon festival period. At about 5pm Abby arrived and we all just sat and chatted and watched 2 CSI Miami’s in a row and she left. The one day weekend went so quickly….why?????

So the rest of the week went by. And I had to go get an extension on my Visa….after all that!!! Lucky….once again for me, I could do it at the local police station 2min from the school. I came to school early on Tuesday, got everything organized and was off. Got there and this huge fancy Police Station looks more like a hotel foyer than a police station in our country! So I ask the guy at the front desk what I should do and he gave me a form and I filled it out. Now, they are not supposed to know that I am working. I am only extending my Visa for the sake of holidaying a bit more. I had to go to a room around the corner and spoke to a very straight forward Chinese lady. I had to get the friend that I was staying with to come in and then it changed to I should get this other form filled in by the friend. So off I go again and in between my lessons, Mr Woo (Judy’s husband) got everything filled in for me. And at about 13:30 off I go again. Then the back office people were on lunch and they’ll be back at 2:00. Ok then, back to school and only at about 4:00 could I go through again and they close at 5pm. So off I went again! This time there was a guy that could help me. Very funny guy…don’t know his name. After a barrage of questions, he said to me “OK, I give you two months.” I couldn’t believe my ears. From a normal 2 month visa I’m getting nearly 5 months wear out of it!. Coollll!!! Anyway, as we were talking he said that I must just get a work permit before I start working here….I was like, what was that? Noooooooo, I’m off to Sun Moon Lake and my friends want me to stay for the Moon Festival etc etc. He just smiled and handed me my passport with my extended two month visa. He knows, I know it. I think they get so many people doing the same thing and the next week or two you face him again with a work permit!!!! Teeheeeee.

So there I was, free from any stress of having to leave the country to get a renewal, although a trip to Hong Kong or Thailand would have been great round about now!

Friday arrived and we were all so paste with working so many hours that we were a bit lethargic when we spoke about the Moon festival party at our apartments. We said we’ll see what they have going when we get home. Got home and it was one big Karaoke event with families sitting around their tables and eating and braaiing. So more of a thanksgiving party kind of thing. We decided to give it a miss and have our own. The girls and Ryno pitched in and we christened our rusted braai that has never been used and after a tremendous Smokey Robinson effect in our flat we ate at about 1am. We all just chatted , listened to music and never got around to the 10 VCD’s on the table Abby brought. I got some fish and meat at Yumawo and some mayonnaise for the potato salad Abby was going to make. Got wine and was ready to party. Kim, Abby, Neps, Melissa, Ryno, myself and the Draco(the cat). He had a ball with all the attention and we realized that he had grown double his size since he was found, just skin and bones. He was eventually passed out hanging over the couch arm behind the wine bottles. Would have been a cool photo!!

Found Ming Chia Mei on Thursday, Abby took me to show me where it was. What a shop. Like a huge double story Clicks! Everything you want regarding cosmetics, clothes, shoes, snacky types of foods and kitchen stuff. To die for doll and everything is on sale! They have absolutely all types of things here and even things I recognize from home although the names are different. Once again the logo’s stay the same! Thank goodness. Taking the rest of the girls there on Saturday after school.

It’s Joyce’s birthday on Tuesday and everyone is invited to a coffee shop around the corner called Vogue. They have a strange way of celebrating their birthdays. Just a tea with the friends late afternoonish and then that’s it! No presents, no party till dawn, no nothing, just a card and a cake to die for! I must say, they rival the Germans with pastries here! Their cakes are quite a big thing here for special occasions. The night at Flaming when we whipped out our A5 sized cake they maneuvered in a cake that makes ours look like a cup cake! The box alone is impressive with gold writing on a cream background and the famous, nasty translations of a once stunning birthday wish or something. I’ll enclose some of the translations here……you will kill yourself laughing if you get over the confusion part……WHAT? Can you say that? Is there such a sentence pattern?

It’s the thought that counts! So, tomorrow, Sunday 26/9 we are off to the Moon Carnival at Sun Moon Lake, about an hour or two from Changhua. Can’t wait, camera ready, batteries new….ready, pose, shoot!!

Just as well I did take the extra batteries and my original memory card because I filled it all! I still had photo’s on the cards from the beginning of my trip. I got it downloaded at a little Fuji camera shop. So now we can start seeing what’s going on. Well, what a jol this weekend was.

We got up at about 7am, got a taxi to the train station, Kim, Neps and me. We met up with three new people we didn’t know but that were friends of Abby’s and Nicolene. We explored the train station for the first time and boy, am I going to travel now!!! It’s like a gateway to anywhere! NTS 27 = R5 for a trip to Taichung. Coool!!! Anyway, we had 3 min to get to the platform and we got on the train and was off.

Reminded me of the last time I rode on a train. London underground and this was so similar. We got to Taichung station at about 9 and started looking for a bus to Sun Moon Lake.

A guy approached us with a taxi kombi and quoted us a price on taking us there. After about half an hour and exploring different options as well we decided to take him up on his offer. So all 8 of us got into the taxi and off we went. I called him James, the driver. Just so that I could say “Home James” He immediately handed us brochures of Sun Moon Lake. I think he was very well organized for a bunch of foreigners. It was excellent. We eventually paid NTS 250 there and NTS 250 back and boy for our NTS 500, which is about R100 we got a full on guided tour, stops and chauffeuring around the lake that we would never have gotten on a bus! He was looking after us from 9am to 6pm when we got back home! AND he dropped us off in Changhua that we didn’t have to get a train back. It was the best deal out, we’ll definitely use him again, good driver too. He definitely planned it well, had all his connections along the way where we stopped and shopped….clever.

So we arrived at a small town called JiJi.

This little town has a unique tourist attraction which is a animal freak show. Albino snakes and weird animals. We didn’t go in, had other things to do, like shop around.

They were having a festival outside the small JiJi Train station. The small train that uses their railway is called Chi Chi. It’s like a banana express or the Cherry express etc. We were finally ushered into a shop that we didn’t really want to go into with lots of snacks and biscuits etc. We eventually walked out of there with about three paper bags each….empty nogal. I think these Chinese people must think there is something seriously wrong with us foreigners. It is probably like them walking into Checkers in SA and asking for 3 plastic carry bags and being ecstatic about it because they will use it as gift bags for presents back home. That’s us in JiJi. We freaked out about the stunning brown paper bags with a picture and Chinese writing on. I actually felt a tad embarrassed as we were trying to pay for the bags and they refused point blank to take our money for it. So I bought a yogurt to justify getting three stunning paper bags!

Next stop Sun Moon Lake. Our driver serenaded us a bit more and the next minute the blue green water of Sun Moon Lake stretched out before us and a holiday atmosphere was evident. People all over and stalls and colours and food smells! Stunning! Reminded me a lot of Hartebeespoort dam. The water was just clean and green blue because it was clear not full of algae! There was an International swimming contest on as well from one end of the lake to the other!

Quite a distance but on a day like this, what a pleasure! We drove around the lake and I just wanted to get out and start exploring but we kept on driving to the top of a hill where the magnificent Wen Wu Temple sat overlooking the lake! What an impressive site! We got out and started doing the tourist thing. I explored the flea market as we usually do, quite organized so that I don’t miss anything. I came upon a little stall with a honey drink. And obviously had to try it. It is called honey vinegar and it smelled a bit like vinegar but when you taste it, it has the most amazingly refreshing honey taste. I bought two glasses on ice and eventually had to buy the bottle to take it home and make it there! We then got to a stall that had a soup made of 8 different mushrooms in a huge pot. We stopped and had our breakfast there. It was a clear soup with all these mushrooms in and some herbs. Stunning! I never new there were so many different looking mushrooms…..you could eat! From weird little button type mushrooms attached to long stems to the weird huge ones cut up into pieces. I was sure I was going to be quite happy the rest of the day! The tastes were mixed and nothing like our bland Denni’s mushrooms, fresh crisp and spicy tastes and tastes I’ve never tasted before! Devine!

Anyway, we made our way into the temple and had to stop at the curio shop first. The most beautiful Chinese material tops and shoes. Most way to small but they are starting to cater for the fuller figure!

Well, what a temple! If you think the Roman Catholic Cathedrals are ornate and decadent, you must see this! The most amazing wood crafted window panes, the gold filigree in the walls and the statues in the little prayer rooms were amazing craftsmanship! Here was a little shop in the temple about the third floor with the most stunning woodwork I have ever seen, except for ma’s and tannie Elizabeth’s work of course! I took some photo’s. We went right to the top of the roof where it looks out over the different levels of the temple roofs and the lake in the back ground, what an experience, this is what life is all about!!

After that we went to the Peacock and Butterfly park. The peacocks were a tad dodgy an looked like they have been harvested! Shame, they looked OK but a bit worse for wear, not like ours with at least the full plumage. The white ones were a bit dirty but the idea was cool.

The Butterfly park was closed…..since 1999 when they had their bad earthquake. It destroyed many of the buildings, including the butterfly park. We then went back down the hill to the town and where all the people were milling around the swimming contest. Got there and the contest had finished so we decided to go on a boat trip on to the lake. So for about R40 we got a boat of our own and we organized some drinks for our what was going to be a booze cruise. We designed a new shandy called the Taiwan Shandy, which was using Taiwan Beer and Nestea Lemon tea. Stunning, please try it! We just started and we stopped at a little drifting island in the lake.

The whole island which was probably the size of half a rugby field was entirely made out of drifting platforms of plants and flowers with a solid piece of island in the middle with a monument. Beautiful, it nearly looked like it could be Avalon.

At this stage there was a storm brewing and the mists were all over the place and the mountains, making it look just like a Scottish lake. Too beautiful! Their monuments are so well organized and soo much effort had been put into them with quality material and workmanship. The platforms were of a sturdy wood and the tourist information was on pieces of glass framed by the wood. They sandblasted the island shape and information on these pieces of glass along the path as you circle it. Every piece of glass had some information on a plant on the island with pictures of it. Stunning! We were there for about 15 min and was back on the boat off to a town on the opposite side of the lake. This town was the starting point in the swimming race. A long wooden jetty with a pagoda at the end greeted us. As well as a huge blow up bridge with two dolphin shapes bobbing merrily on top of it, probably the starting point of the race.

What a cool little town this was. The colourful poncho’s were lining the streets. This was more a historical village that showed us a bit more of the original inhabitants of the lake. The Shao and Han people. They are called aboriginal as well and their art reminded me a lot of African art. The figurines, the straw hair the shapes. Very interesting. They had some extraordinary arts and craft here and we’ll have to come back! Not enough money this time round.

We had a very interesting lunch snack at about 5. They make a thin dough lining in a circle shape, fill it with veggies like spring onions and some other greenery and lots of mushrooms, fold it closed into a little ball and deep fry it.

Stunning!! This was so nice, except for the oil it was quite healthy.

It started to rain and the foreigners walked back to our boat. The boat actually looked more like a typical taxi with a dragon on the side breathing fire! Cool!! We got back to shore and got into our taxi and off we went…..Home James!

But James had a another stop to make first. We stopped at a heritage village shop. Nobody wanted to get out of the combi, we were so tired and just wanted to go home. But we did and after all we were definitely getting our money’s worth! SO we got out and the next minute we were all being dressed up in traditional wear! We looked sooooo cool! Bright reds and blues and silver beading on the tops, jingling away merrily as we started posing for photo’s against a traditional painted background outside. Seeeee, everything happens for a reason, we had a ball after all and that’s not all……..then we were treated to green tea! This was turning into a typical Tupperware party. All the girls( all 8 of us) around a table and an old white haired Chinese gentleman pouring us tea from a little stove in front of him on one side of the table. Then they brought out the merchandise……honey, royal honey to drink, royal honey to use on your skin which has amazing rejuvenating abilities. Made by the queen be only, it’s not sticky or sweet like normal bee honey. We were all sold and bought some royal honey to stay young forever! Then we could buy a royal honey drink mix, but I declined saying I had my honey drink already thank you….next time. We got a little tour of some famous peoples pictures that were taken years ago of Chang Gai Shue, a famous person in the history of Taiwan. The Taipei airport is named after him. I will find out more about him.

Then we saw a weird little packaged item in the counter and asked about it. It turned out to be a deer fetus and there were 5 of them! They believe that if you grind it into a powder and drink it you will have longevity and health. At NT$15 000 = R3 000 per fetus! Interesting. What next? How do they get deer fetus if they don’t have to kill the mother? So much for the continuation of that species!

Anyway, we loved the experience and once again told James Home! This time we ended up in Changhua and walked home at a leisurely pace. I quickly went into a Fuji film shop and transferred my two filed up memory cards onto disk for NT$50. Excellent, now I can start all over again!

I couldn’t believe it was the end of the month already. Nearly payday, then we can travel again!

The 28th September is a holiday, no ways……an actual real holiday that people don’t go to work…weird!! So Tuesday came and the Moon Festival was celebrated. It was full moon on Monday night and Tuesday. They celebrate it here by having braais( BBQ’s) with their family, very much like a bit of a Thanksgiving, like I said. We slept late for the first time in a while! Did as little as possible and went shopping at Yumawo (our Woollies) for some braai things. We’ll have a braai of our own. We ate at about 7pm and everybody went to bed early! The Fire crackers have not stopped since. They started about a week before and carried on for about 2 days after. The poor dogs around here! There is no control over fireworks here and we saw kids lighting massive sounding crackers!! I don’t even want to know about it….thanx! So the crackers were going full blast until way past midnight on the Tuesday night. Chasing the bad spirits away! I’m sure it worked well………..other than polluting an already heavy polluted environment and air. The sky was thick with things burning from incense to fireworks to their little stoves on the door step burning paper to ward off evil over this time!

Anyway, savouring my day of doing nothing for a second I listened to my music on my Hi Fi, with Draco (the cat remember) trying to suckle my ear and fell fast asleep!

Well until we meet again………miss you all…….wish you were here!

Tsai Chien! (Goodbye in Chinese remember…there will be a test in the future and you could win a Chinese gift…….made in Taiwan, teehehheee)

Taiwan Times Vol 2 Volume Two – September 2004 Ni Hao! (Chinese for hello remember) Ok, so after about three tries we got it right and the teething problems are over, we are at press!

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trekwithtaylor · 6 years

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Country #92 - Algeria

The Marseille Pit Stop

Before heading to my first stop in Africa, Algeria, I would have to go through Marseille, France. It definitely makes sense that I need to fly through France as Algeria was colonized by the French for 132 years. As a result, French is very common in Algeria and there are many flights to this day to and from France. I had another early morning as my first flight of the day was at 8am and I had to take the bus about an hour from Pergola Hotel to the Malta Airport. I took advantage of my new Priority Pass membership and grabbed breakfast in the really nice Malta Airport lounge.

My flight to Marseille was about two hours, and I was greeted with quite a shock upon arrival. I was going through immigration? I’ve never had this happen before, but apparently you can have to go through immigration when going from one Schengen country to another when the country deems it important to their national security. Given the problems France has been having the past few years I guess that is why. It would have been fine if the line hadn’t taken almost two hours. All of my time that I was going to spend walking around Marseille was spent in this line that normally is not a thing, so it wasn’t a great start to the day.

Things got worse when, after taking the free shuttle bus to the nearby train station that goes into Marseille, the lady at the station told me that I would be better off going to the airport and taking the shuttle from there to the city as the next train was so delayed that it was not even going to be there for another hour and a half. So I took the shuttle back to the airport, took a bus into the city, and almost three and a half hours after landing I was finally in the city of Marseille. At this point I would have just stayed at the airport because I didn’t have enough time to see anything but I had another task: I needed to mail a package home.

A few days into this trip I realized that I had over packed. I had everything that I needed but it was increasingly difficult to close my suitcase and it was so heavy that it was becoming problematic. So after lots of research I found that France would be the easiest point along my trip to mail a package home, and also the cheapest and most reliable. It would also help me to avoid any issues of potentially having to pay for an overweight bag during the remainder of my trip. There was a post office (La Poste in France) about five minutes from the main station so I headed that way bags in tow.

The post office employees did not speak great English but we were able to communicate enough to figure out what I was asking for, and without much discussion at all I was given the box that is used to mail to the US. It’s a flat rate box so it didn’t matter how much I put in, it would be about 50 Euro. This was a lot but worth it considering how much I had been struggling with my suitcase the past few days. I filled the box to the brim and still had a full suitcase so it was definitely a worthwhile endeavor into the city. I was at least able to see a tiny bit of Marseille as well which was nice, but I had anticipated having much more time so it was still a bit of a bummer.

I headed back to the station and then back to the airport where I sat in the lounge for about an hour before boarding my flight. I was officially headed to Africa: country one out of fifty-two on the continent! The flight was not too long and I had no issues arriving in the country. I had to apply for a visa ahead of time so that was definitely the biggest barrier with entering Algeria, but it only took about a week to mail off and get it back.

When I arrived I was expecting a car to pick me up as I had communicated with the hotel, Lamaraz Arts Hotel, that I would need an airport transfer. Lamaraz Arts Hotel was not a sponsor of my trip, but after my experiences over the course of this evening I think I should consider them as one! I was picked up at the airport as promised by the driver, but not only the driver: I was met by Karim, who was the Sales Manager for the hotel. When he recieved my message about the transfer he had looked up and found out about my trip. He decided to come with the driver and meet me at the airport! And they even greeted me with flowers! Karim is a self taught English speaker and I was really impressed with how good it was. We talked during the ride back to the hotel, and he then invited me to eat dinner at the hotel restaurant. It was truly amazing how kind and generous he was without even knowing about my travels until the day before!

We ate dinner on the top floor of Lamaraz which had amazing views out over all of Algiers. Dinner provided quite interesting discussions about travel and the differences between Algerian and American culture. It was a very enjoyable evening and I learned a lot! I was also able to try some traditional Algerian food, which I had not anticipated doing, and it actually was pretty good! I reached a point where I was so tired I could almost no longer keep my eyes open. Given I had woken up around 4am for the past two days this wasn’t too surprising!

I had a great first impression of Algeria and look forward to seeing more tomorrow. Also, special thanks to Karim for surprising me with such great generosity and an amazing welcome to Algeria.

The First African Country

I woke up having had a great night of sleep for the first time in a while to a beautiful view of Algiers, Algeria from my room. I had a nice breakfast where I ran into Karim and we reconfirmed our plans for the day. Not only did I have an amazing welcome yesterday, but he was going to show me around the city for about an hour and a half! Once again, the generosity was amazing. I had really wanted to see Algiers but was a little worried to do it on my own. So when Karim offered to show me around I couldn’t believe it!

After breakfast I packed my things and then headed downstairs to meet Karim. We walked about five minutes to the metro to take into the center of town. The metro looked very new and it turns out that it was. It was apparently finished just last year. The ride to the city center took just about ten minutes and before I knew it I was walking around Algiers. I think my first impression would be just amazed at how beautiful the buildings were and how lively the streets were. It felt like I was in France!

The architecture is distinctly French due to the former French presence, and many of the buildings are currently being renovated and restored to their former glory. The heart of the city was, as a result, very aesthetically pleasing. There were so many people out and about because it was a Saturday. I actually enjoyed this because it was really interesting to see a large city so close to Europe with virtually no tourists. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves and I felt very safe throughout the entire time I was walking around. Having Karim walking with me helped, of course, but it felt almost as if I was walking around the streets in Europe.

While in the city we walked by churches, Grande Poste D'Alger post office, and along the port of the Bay of Algiers. It was a very nice tour of the city and I was able to see quite a lot in a very short amount of time. Karim bought me a tiny gift to remember Algeria which I, once again, really appreciated. After our tour and seeing a lot of the city we took the metro back to the hotel. I arrived in time to the head to the airport where I bid Karim goodbye.

Honestly this was not at all what I was expecting of Algeria. I had no idea the hotel would have any inkling of who I was or what I was doing and yet they did. They did and went above and beyond to provide me with an amazing experience in Algeria. I’m so glad that I was able to learn so much about the country, try the traditional food, and most importantly walk around and see Algiers. I can’t thank Karim and Lamaraz Arts Hotel for making this all happen at the very last minute! I had a great experience in Algeria and really hope that the country continues to grow its tourism industry successfully over the coming years as it can really be a great place to visit.

I departed Algeria around 3pm and then found myself with a five hour layover in the Casablanca, Morocco airport. I was stuck in the sad domestic terminal with no wifi and nothing to do so I worked on my blog and watched some Netflix. Eventually the five hours passed and I was on my plane to Marrakesh! I arrived in Marrakesh around 10pm and had a very nice driver who drove me to my hotel for the next two nights, Dar Ayniwen. Dar Ayniwen was about ten minutes outside of the heart of the city which, quite honestly, makes it the perfect place to stay. Not that it needed any help being perfect - I was literally blown away when I checked in and was shown to my room!

I had not one balcony, but two. And the second one was huge, beautiful, and had two large seating areas. The room was amazing as well, and the bathroom was one of the most unique that I have seen with its stunning tile work! I couldn’t believe that I would be staying in such a nice place and was really excited to see it in the morning. So far Africa is going amazingly well, and I am very excited to explore Marrakesh tomorrow.

92 countries down, 105 to go.

For more information on Algeria click here to read my guide.

To learn more about Lamaraz Arts Hotel click here.

To learn more about Dar Ayniwen click here.

#Marseille #France #Algiers #Algeria #Country 92 #Lamaraz Arts Hotel

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