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#and here the other pic i took with da jacket
visixv · 8 months
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Cyberpunk 2077 | Photomode 264 / ∞
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sgntr · 4 months
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Adventure 10 - Filling the void
300 follower special! Thank you for the 300 of you. Never thought people would be interested. hahaha
Michelle texted me to ask if I was interested to bang again. Of course I am and we met up the next day at her place.
I thought was gonna be her and her husband again. But I was wrong. Turns out its just her. Husband is on a business trip. So it was just me and her.
Here is a pic she sent me when she asked me to come over. Face cropped out for obvious reasons.
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When I entered the house, she was in a dress without the jacket. For a women her age, I would not imagine her dressing like that. But I like what she was wearing. She pulled me led me a different room from the previous time we banged.
However, this time she did not ask me to shower first and instead bent over to reveal her already wet pussy asking me to fuck her there and then.
I undid my pants, we up and put my already hard dick at her pussy opening. My head was rubbing along the opening as I coated it with her wet juices. She was all ready to feel my dick in her.
I grabbed her hair and pulled her head towards me.
"Not so fast. You have to earn it." I whispered in her ear.
"Yes da.." before she could finish, dragged her to the floor and walked her to one of the chairs in the room by pulling on her hairs. She crawled along the floor on all 4s. I sat on the chair and she got to work.
On her knees, she stuck her head down my shaft and tried to take in as much as possible with out gagging. The layer of saliva coating my dick got thicker and thicker. She went up and down for a good 5mins. Without warning, I would hold her head down when she wants to come up for air and gag her till she is on the brink of fainting. Her tapping my thighs and begging to be let go with hers rolled back made me even harder.
Once I felt it was wet enough, I got up and walked to the bed. As an obedient bitch, she crawled behind me. I gestured for her to get on the bed and she did as commanded. She got on the bed and stuck her ass up. Using her 2 hands, she spread her pussy open ready to welcome my dick.
I spanked her ass a few times and while she was moaning about the ass spanking, I thrusted my dick into her pussy and she screamed.
"Fk daddy just like that, uhghhh", I yanked on her hair to pull her head back.
"Yea? how much do you like it?"
"More than my husband's. I wish i could fuck you dick all day"
"Older women sure know how to talk"
Sure enough, as she was mentioning her husband, her husband called. Turns out its morning time wherever he was and they video called everyday when he wakes up. I was like just video call with me in it, Im sure he does not mind since he knows me. But she told me that he is only with her fucking others when he is around and gets super pissed when she does it without him.
Honestly I was ready to stop. But i continued so i can write this HAHA.
So she laid in missionary position so I could fuck her behind the phone as she picked up the call. Once she pick up the call, they started chatting about their day and what they were doing. I on the other hand was slowly sticking my dick back in her pussy.
I tried my best to fuck her with no movement but she had a hard time keeping her face straight. At some point, the husband seem to notice something was not right and asked her if she was okay. Michelle said she was actually in the mids of masturbating when he called and just wanted to do both at once.
To my surprise, the husband said "let's do it together then". Michelle was a pro and started giving jerk off instructions to her husband on the phone. I took this chance to fuck her hard as usual. She moaned louder and louder as I continued fucking her.
3 minutes in and her husband announced that he was about to cum. Coincidentally, I was also on the edge.
"I want every drip on me. Spray it on me. I want you seeds all over my body daddy"
At this point I am not sure who is she talking to. But to my surprise, she hung up on her husband and told me to cum in her mouth. I did just that and shot everything in her mouth. It was a rather big load as I had not been jerking off for awhile. Her mouth was filled with my juices and she swallowed every last drop of it, even sucking the last few droplets that were leaking out.
Moments after that, her husband called back. She picked up and gave the excuse that she accidentally clicked hang up. If it were not for the bad resolution on the video call, he might be able to see the small cum droplets on the side of her mouth hahaha.
I got dressed and left to catch my last bus home.
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If you like to hear more, do give this post a like and reblog. You can also follow me to keep updated. I will do my best to post but adventures take time hahaha
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belphies-cuhm-sluht · 3 years
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If It Means That Much To You (Mammon x GN!Reader) Slight Angst -> Fluff
I realize now that if I had written this last night and Levi's tonight, I could have posted in the order of the brothers... but I goofed up on that... Whoops! It's slightly angsty, just the teeniest tiniest bit, but soft Mammon is so sweet. I don't write enough for him, feel kinda bad for skimping out on Mammon fics. So here's a Mammon fic!
Word Count : 1.7K Warnings : Slight angst;
The smile spread across your face as you swiped through the pictures that you had taken with your boyfriend. You both looked happy, and it wasn’t fake like those other couples that you had seen way too many times back in the human realm. This was the first time in what seemed like your entire life that you had been one hundred percent, without a doubt, happy. You had someone who loved you more than words would ever let him express, but he didn’t need words to tell you, he always showed you that he did, whether it be through the way he would hold you, or even just the way he looked at you. The way his lips would crash against yours whenever he saw you after being apart for five minutes or more. Even the way that he looked at you, you could see the emotion, so raw, you could feel it, you could almost hear it, just by looking into his eyes. His love, and his adoration for you was unmatched, other than by your own feelings towards him.
It was a perfect relationship, anyone would be able to tell just by looking at the two of you together. They would be able to see it through the multitude of pictures that you took together, pictures that he would never let you upload. Every picture was taken within the House of Lamentation, or somewhere deep in the garden behind the house, places where no one other than his brothers would ever find out that the two of you were together. It never really bothered you, not enough to bring it up to him at least. Lately though, it had been getting under your skin a little more than usual. It could have something to do with the fact that his latest modeling gig had garnered new fans for him, which should have been a good thing, but reading through their comments on his Devilgram posts had bugged you more than it should. He wasn’t the type to feed into their comments, whether they were raunchy or sweet, he would reply with a simple “Thank You” to as many as he could. You on the other hand, you weren’t allowed to comment on any of his posts, and while he hadn’t explained why that was, you just went along with it. At least you could still like them, and that was enough for you, at least up until now.
“Hey Mams, isn’t this picture cute?” You asked, idly flipping through the latest pictures you had taken together. They were taken in his bed after a long night of… fun… Both of you looked especially worn out, but the smiles on your faces were honest, sincere, and you loved waking up next to each other. His and your hair was completely messed up, and neither of you cared. It wasn’t a modeling shot, but it still looked perfect. You wanted to show him off, show the rest of the Devildom that he was yours and you were his, show them how lucky you were, and what better photo to use than one where you’ve woken up together. “I was thinking of uploading it to-”
Those words had caught his attention, drawing his eyes away from his own phone where he was scrolling through more comments and liking them, giving them the basic reply. The thought of you uploading anything like that though had made him stop, and now he was grabbing your phone from your hands and slipping it into his pocket. “Ya don’t haveta upload nothin’. I know we’re happy, so da you… nobody else needs ta know.” He smiled at you as if his words would actually make you feel better, and most of the time they did. It’s not that he was wrong, and maybe demons didn’t fully understand the concept of essentially showing the world that they were happy, that they had found love and being excited about that, but in the human realm it was a normal thing.
“Alright… I’m gonna go get myself some breakfast… you want anything?” You didn’t want to argue with him about it, you didn’t want to blow it up into something that it didn’t need to be, so changing the subject entirely was the best option. You pushed yourself up off the couch and started heading towards the door, grabbing your jacket off the edge of the bed on your way over. You turned back to face him, to see if he was going to answer your question, and he was turned completely around on the couch, pouting up at you. “You don’t have to worry, Mammon. I’m taking Beel with me.” Which was something you always did when you went to get breakfast… or really any food related item. Mammon was one who worried about your safety often, and since he didn’t like going out in public places with you, he would always tell you to have one of his brothers take you.
His pout only grew as his eyebrows lowered, crossing his arms over his chest. You weren’t really sure what he was trying to do or why he was even doing it, but you were hungry, and you really wanted to know if he wanted anything so you could get going. “Well… just remember who yer first demon was. Beel ain’t no better than me.” He huffed before turning back around and you were left in the doorway feeling nothing but confusion. You weren’t even sure what he meant by that, it made absolutely no sense to you. Obviously you thought Mammon was the better brother out of them all, you wouldn’t put up with so much of his crazy antics or try so hard to keep him out of trouble if he wasn’t your favorite. He also never had a problem with Beel taking you before, so you weren’t quite sure why it was a problem now. “Tell ya no and ya wanna go runnin’ off ta get food with Beel…”
“You know… I can still hear you.” He had whispered the last part, but his whispering sounded more like breathy screaming, especially when he was irritated by something… something that he shouldn’t even be irritated by. “I can go with Asmo or Satan… It doesn’t have to be Beel.” He groaned at the other two brother choices and now you were getting irritated. You didn’t know what he wanted, you were confused, and you were hungry, and he wasn’t explaining anything, and it was just really really annoying. “I don’t know what you want! You don’t want to be seen together, you don’t want me to leave the house by myself, and you don’t want me to leave the house with your brothers either. What do you want?”
His head whipped around so he could face you again, his eyebrows quivering slightly as he looked at you, his voice softer now. “I never said I didn’t wanna be seen with ya…” He sighed, shaking his head. “I just didn’t want anything ta happen…” You weren’t sure what he meant, or what could possibly happen if the two of you were seen together. Simple Devilgram photos couldn’t be enough to stir up problems, could they?
That’s when your brain, your already ticked off and, at this point, hangry brain started piecing together the puzzle, or at least, you thought you were piecing it together. “You mean you didn’t want your fans to get upset… If they saw a picture of you with someone they’d stop giving you likes and commenting on your posts.” His eyes narrowed as he listened to your assumption. He was shocked and even… hurt… that you’d think that that was why he didn’t want you to be seen with him. What was more upsetting was that he had apparently, at some point, given you reason to believe that he cared more about his fan base than he did about you.
He got up off the couch quickly, practically running to you and pulling you into his arms. You weren’t sure if you were just hearing things or if he was actually crying, or maybe he was coming down with a cold… but you could definitely hear him sniffling. “It ain’t about them… It’s about you…” He took a shaky breath, and that slightly verified your thoughts that he was crying, or at least on the verge of it. His hand held the back of your head, keeping your face buried in his chest so that you couldn’t see him, but you could still hear him, his voice vibrating his chest as he spoke. “I owe lotsa Grimm ta lotsa people… demons… witches… I dunno if they’d try ta snatch ya up… take ya away from me ta get their money back…” He finally took a step back, cupping your face lightly as you finally looked up at him. “I don’t want nothin’ ta happen to ya… I don’t wanna lose ya, Y/N…”
“Mammon… I-” You felt awful, terrible for even assuming that he would care more about his fans than your feelings. You had never once thought that he was doing it to look out for you, to take care of you because you meant that much to him… Because he loved you. Sometimes you fail to remember that he was greedy, and he did like to gamble, and usually that money came from other people's pockets. It was hard to remember because with you he was completely different, he never asked for your money and all of your dates were free, spent in his room or the living room or the gardens just enjoying your time together. Everything he did… he did it for you.
“It’s okay… If it means that much ta ya… Upload the pic… If it makes ya happy… I’ll even go out with ya… keep ya safe. No one messes with The Great Mammon’s human…” He smiled proudly, and you let out a small giggle as you shook your head. You didn’t want to worry him anymore than he already did about you, he didn’t need that.
“I know we’re happy… You know we’re happy… No one else needs to know… Right?” The words that he had said earlier made more sense now. You both were happy, and if anyone else knew, it could potentially ruin both of your happiness.
Things were perfect just the way they were. You had the perfect relationship, and it meant way more to you than a little picture being uploaded onto the internet.
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gale-gentlepenguin · 5 years
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ML Fic: Soulmate Survey Part 4
(Original idea here)
(Master post)
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The rest of the school day was a blur for Marinette. She felt like she was practically floating through her classes. Sure her notes might have suffered, but thankfully Alya was more then willing to share hers.
Marinette practically skipped home as she greeted her parents at the entrance.
“Hello my little macaroon, How was school?” Her papa asked as he pulled out a  tray of freshly baked bread.
“It was wonderful.” Marinette singsonged.
Her father put the tray down. Hugging his daughter and handing her a macaroon. Marinette smiled at her baker dad and thanked him before running up to her room.
Marinette went up to her room and jumped for joy. Her red Kwami companion flew out of her jacket.
“Can you believe it Tikki? Adrien said he was happy that we were compatible! He does see me as more then a friend.” Marinette swooned.
“It appears that one little app has a way of changing one’s perspective on things. I am happy for you Marinette.” The red kwami spoke as she flew to hug Marinette’s cheek.
“Life is full of surprises and small things can make big changes, you are a prime example of that Tikki. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be able to be ladybug.”
Tikki smiled at the comparison.
“You flatter me.” Tikki giggled.
Marinette pulled out her phone and opened the app. Smiling as she looked at her compatibility list. Adrien’s picture right beside the number 1 and the ‘100%’ compatibility. It was such a beautiful sight.
Marinette knew it was a bit early to be super excited but she couldn't help but feel a little excited as she felt her mind filled up with possible future scenarios of what it would be like dating Adrien. 
Walking through the park and getting ice cream, playing video games, having Adrien model some of my in progress designs, us having dinner with mama and papa, kissing in a movie theater. Oh and i would need to tell chat noir that I was in a relationship and he would need to cut out the flirting.
Marinette found that thought snap her back to the real world. Tikki noticed her change in expression.
“Marinette?” 
The designer moved to her bed and sat down. Her mind replaying that thought.
She would have to tell chat noir.
She doesn't want to string him along, and she has been saying that she had feelings for another guy. This shouldn't be bothering her as much as it was. She wasn't a fan of his constant flirting especially during an akuma battle ... but there were also those moments, when he dropped the flirty attitude, when he was genuine and sweet, the moments when he would do anything for her, the moments where he showed why she and him made such a good team. It was in those moments that seemed to pop up more and more that made her... question her feelings about him.
 But she knew that she was still in love with Adrien however, she still didn't want to break his heart. The cat was a good guy and a good partner. She would need to tell him the truth if things did happen between her and Adrien, it was only right.
“What I am gonna tell Chat noir?” Marinette asked more to herself then to her Kwami.
Tikki paused. Of course that was a factor. Marinette wasn't aware of the truth. But it wasn't like she could tell Marinette that Adrien was Chat noir, even though she really wanted to.
“I am sure that when the time comes, everything that needs to happen will happen. Who knows, maybe chat noir is using the app and ends up finding someone he is compatible with. There is still plenty of time before anything needs to be said.”
Marinette smiled a bit, Tikki did have a point. Maybe the cat would find someone. She would want that person to treat him well, so when they do reveal their identities, she will make sure that girl will be a good person. Maybe she and Adrien can go on double dates with chat noir. Of course Marinette realized she was getting ahead of herself again.
“You’re right Tikki. I am getting a head of myself. It might also be too early to assume that Adrien and I do remain 100% compatible or even at the top of the other’s list. I guess I was just happy there was a chance.” The ladybug Kwami nuzzled her chosen’s cheek.
“Regardless of outcome, app or not, wherever your heart goes will be somewhere wonderful.” Tikki promised.
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“You know looking at that screen for too long is bad for your eyes.” a black cat Kwami commented. 
Adrien was laying on his couch as the news played in the background. he wasn't really paying much attention to the world around him.
Adrien hardly even remembered getting home, the day was pretty much a blur after his talk with Marinette. His conversation with her replaying in his mind. His eyes looking at the open app at his compatibility list. Marinette’s picture right beside the number 1 and the ‘100%’ compatibility. The more he looked at it, the more he kept finding himself thinking it fit.
“Adrien? Earth to Adrien?” Plagg flailed his arms as he tried to get Adrien’s attention.
The model smiled as he started to think about all of the things that could happen if she and him started dating.
Double dates with Nino and alya, Going out for ice cream in the park, going to those charity events that father funds but never attends, Marinette cheering me on in my fencing matches. maybe she could even join in on learning Chinese with me. Marinette did say she wanted to learn more and having someone learn with me would be pretty great. Going to the movies together and kissing... But what about ladybug.
Adrien felt his thoughts snap back to the real world where he noticed Plagg trying to get his attention.
“Hello? Earth to Mr. oblivious! Can you hear me.”
“Plagg, what am I gonna tell Ladybug?” Adrien questioned as his smile began fading.
Plagg stopped his attention seeking.
“Oh, so when you want to talk now you want to listen.” Plagg rolled his eyes.
“Sorry Plagg, what were you going to say.” Adrien apologized. Adrien sat up to listen to his Kwami companion.
“Can you get more of that cheese with the orange rind? That one is Delicious.” Plagg inquired.
Adrien sighed.
“Sure, I will put an order in this weekend.”
Plagg smiled.
“Okay, now what were you saying about Ladybug? Weren't you convinced she Marinette was Ladybug because of that whole soulmate bit?” Plagg commented, but then realized he might be implying Marinette is ladybug and quickly spoke up again. “Which is not to say that I am saying it is or is not her.”
“I know Plagg. It would be amazing if Ladybug and Marinette were the same person, but with my luck, it is likely not the case. It is already beyond my normal luck that someone I know is 100% compatible with me, and its someone as wonderful as Marinette.” Adrien answered.
“I have been chasing Ladybug for so long. I want to hold out hope that maybe she would come to fall in love with me. But I think I can't ignore the possibility that Ladybug is stuck on that other guy. I am gonna need to tell her I am giving up my pursuit.”
“Wow, don't you think thats unnecessary? Why not just not mention it while you date Marinette in case things don't work out with Marinette?” Plagg points out.
“Plagg, its Marinette were talking about, she is an amazing person and I doubt I would ever want to not date her. The only way it wouldn't work out is if I messed up badly, like not giving up on Ladybug. It wouldn't be fair to Marinette that I am leaving a part of my heart for Ladybug. Thats why what happened with Kagami in the Ice rink went so shaky, I didn't let go like I thought I did. So I need to let Ladybug know the truth.” Adrien explained.
Plagg nodded. He understood how Adrien had this mindset of being 100% into something or was not interested at all. He rarely half-assed things if ever. Fencing? 100% invested. Piano? 0% only plays because his mother did and his father wants him to continue. Adrien was someone that when he can be emotional, he was all for it. It was part of what made him a great chat noir.
“Alright, but you do still have time before then. So you don't need to worry so much yet. Just relax and let things happen how they happen.”
“I think you are right Plagg, I will let things happen as they happen. No need to push yet.” Adrien said relieved.
“Yup, the best option is usually the one that requires no effort.” Plagg advised.
“I don't think thats always true.” Adrien disagreed.
“Things would be less complicated if you just relaxed more.”
Adrien was about to respond, but his phone buzzed. He looked to see a text from Nino.
‘Dude, did you get the Soulmate searcher App? Alya mentioned you would try it out’
Adrien responded
‘Yea’
‘Nice dude! so who did you get on da list? Can you snap a pic?’
Adrien Paused. It was a private list, He really shouldn't be sending it out. But it was Nino and Nino can keep it a secret.
‘Promise not to share it with anyone?’
‘Alya too?’
‘Alya can know but no one else? Promise’
‘Bros honor’
Adrien hesitated for a moment. But he trusted Nino. He took a screenshot and sent Nino the pics.
Plagg looked at Adrien.
“You might want to wrap up that conversation.” Plagg answered as he pointed to the tv.
Adrien looked to see the news was reporting an Akuma attack.
“Plagg Claws out!”
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“Thanks for watching Chris for me on such short notice. I really wanted to check out that sale on new headphones and Chris isn't exactly feeling so great. I don't want to drag him out of bed when he is feeling like this. You are really clutch right now Lila.” The Dj praised 
“Its no problem at all. Thanks for letting me borrow your phone to message my mom. Mine really needs to charge right now.” Lila replied
“You are really doing me a solid. Just let me know when your mom responds.” Nino assured. “I am gonna let Chris know you will be watching him for a bit.”
“Of course. Take your time.” Lila assures.
She was was watching the phone closely. Waiting for Adrien’s response.
A minute passes and the picture shows up.
The brunette smiles as she forwards the 2 photos to her phone from Nino’s phone and then deleting the exchange between her and Nino. She covers her tracks. Deleting the messages between Adrien and him after sending a.
‘Nice, we can talk about it tomorrow.’
She smiles as she closes the phone.
“I am all done.” Lila calls out. 
Nino walks back in and happily takes his phone, unaware of the events that just transpired.
“Hope you get a good deal.” Lila exclaimed as she waved Nino off. The door closes and Lila smiles.
She goes to her phone that had been charging.
“Now lets see where Marinette is on this list.”
Lila clicked the photo and started at the bottom of the list. The first photo was the bottom half of the list.
“She isn't below the top 5, this might be a bit of a pain.” Lila groaned.
Lila still felt confident, 
So what if Marinette ranked in the top five. I just need to find the number one person and copy their answers and beating that annoying pigtailed pest will be easy.
Lila clicked on the other photo to look to see who was on it.
“Kagami is number two? Ugh! Another pain to deal with later. But wait, Marinette isn't anywhere below the second spot... No...”
Lila looked at the first place spot and her eyes went wide and her jaw dropped. Marinette was at the TOP. She was ranked number one? And just when Lila thought it couldn't get any worse, she saw the compatibility percentage.
“No way...” Lila dropped her phone.
“You have to be Fucking kidding me!!” Lila screamed loud enough to be heard from outside. But Nino had put his headphones in as he was heading out and just missed hearing the girls anguish.
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Part 4 is finished (And the streak of Over 1000 notes for each part is still alive. I am amazed thank you all.)
If you want part 5, please let me know. I love hearing feedback and it feeds my impulsive need to write. And I am just gonna say it. (But I will say that getting to this one might take a bit more time since its a weekday tomorrow.)
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theshadowspecter · 4 years
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Nuisance
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(Bloom: again, warning for character death.)
Abigail was lost in thought as she made her way back to her boat. She had to force someone to take her place or suffer a truly horrible fate. She briefly pondered about taking another Mafia member; they were dumb enough to go with her...but the Boss...she couldn't go back to Mafia town. Not just yet. How was she gonna break the news that one of their guys was gone?And then ask them to come back with her? Not to mention Snatcher had mentioned how Mafia soul's weren't filling, or something. What if she brought back some Mafia, and the demon decided they weren't good enough? Then there were the goats and nomads of Alpine, but she didn't know how she would lure them. That just left Dead Bird Studios....
Now there was an idea! The moon penguins had probably barely even heard of Subcon, and those owls, while timid, were also very gullible! She could even tempt them with the idea of using Subcon as the next location for a movie, that'd be bound to get someone in to at least scope the place out! And all the contract said was she had to bring them to Subcon, right? She didn't have to hurt them or even bring them to Snatcher himself, right? She quickly pulled out the contract to skim it over again, confirming her thoughts. This was gonna be easy! She brings an owl into Subcon, gets free of her contract, and helps the owl leave before Snatcher can, well...snatch.
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Arriving at Dead Bird Studios, she brought out the Bird ID that she had received from the Conductor (as a deal to let him into the Mafia Town bar) and walked up to the receptionist. “Evenin',” she greeted, “I'm here to see the Conductor.” The receptionist didn't even look up from his magazine, he just pushed a button and the door to her left opened. She thanked him and went inside, her plan forming in her mind.
She easily found the conductor talking with an owl and waving a script about in his...wing? Hand? Whatever. They clearly weren't filming at the moment, which meant he might actually listen to her.
“Hey Conductor,” she called out, jogging up to him, “I just got back from a trip to that dark forest at the edge of the desert, ya know, Subcon? And I thought it would make a great setting for a horror flick! Do you wanna come check it out?” Conductor looked her way for a moment before turning back to his script and waving her off with his wing, “nae, lass, I'm too busy wit me current filmin ter check out some old woods.”
“Well fine,” she huffed. “Maybe Grooves will want to go instead.”
That did the trick.
“Ohhh no ya don't lassie! I ain't gonna let that peck neck beat me! I'll go check out Subcon with ye.” She perked up, “really?!”
“Aye.”
“Great!, we can go after your shoot-” she began, starting to walk away. “Now hold on a min, lassie, I canne go taday.” The girl stopped in her tracks, and she turned back to him, “you can't?”
“Nae, lass. I got too much work ta do. How's de dae afta tomorrow sound?” She forced a smile and agreed, then left the Conductor to his work. She could still ask Grooves.
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“Now darlin, as much as I appreciate the idea, a horror movie is just not what the audiences want!” The penguin answered when she asked him, “if the Conductor wants to make a horror flick, that's fine by me! I know what people really want to see!” He smirked at his own rhyme, then left her to go back to his directing.
She sighed, before heading back to Mafia town. Like it or not, it was her home.
Back in Mafia town, she hesitated outside the entrance to Mafia HQ. She had to report to the Boss what had happened, but what was she going to say? The truth? I'm sorry but your Mafia man got gobbled up by a ghost that only let me leave after signing away my own soul? She pondered for a moment before walking away, back to her own home.
The next day, still wanting to avoid the Mafia HQ, Abigail went back to Dead Bird Studios. It would make for a nice distraction, at least for awhile. She had just walked through the main doors when a loud Scottish voice called over to her “ah lass! Perfec' timin!” Conductor had been talking with some owls before he went over to her. “Abou' tha' forrrrest,” he began, “I'm sorry ter say that I won't be able ter accompany yew after all.” Abigail froze up for a moment, “you can't?”
“Nae,” the bird continued, “Word is that Grooooves is ahead in his filmin, and I'm not abou ta just sit back and let him release a new movie unchallenged!”
“I see.”
“But fret not lassie, I'm still interested in tha' forest. In fact I've already come up wit' a name fer a new movie, 'Ghost Train', an' dat place will be da perfec' settin'! Course I still need someone ter scope out da place...” the Conductor spun around and pointed at a random Express Owl, “you'll do!”, he cheered. The meek owl let out a small cry, “m-me?”
“Yea, you! Go w' the lass to tha' spoooooky fores' an' see if it's got what it takes ta be in one o' MY movies!”
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It was that very afternoon that Abigail and the owl set out towards Subcon. The history buff was lost in thought, trying to think of a way for her plan to work. 'If I could just loose the owl in the woods long enough to find Snatcher and tell him that I bought someone in but 'lost' them, that will have completed the contract. Then I'd just need to sneak back to the owl and get him out!' It wasn't a good plan, but it was all she could come up with on short notice. She was pulled out of her thoughts by a feathery wing tugging her sleeve. She looked down at the owl who nervously pointed ahead, “a-are we sup-pp-posed to go in there?” She turned and was surprised to see Subcon straight ahead. How long had she been lost in thought? She squared her shoulders, it was time. “Yep. That's Subcon.” She felt the owl shake. “It's...it's ok,” she said, more to herself than to the owl, “we'll just go in, take a few pics, jot down a few notes, and be out lickity-split!” 'At least I hope so' she thought, as she lead the way into the darkness.
The trek though the forest was uneventful, at the start. The express owl was very timid; he kept looking over his shoulder as they ventured further into Subcon. “A-are you sure this is the right way?”
“You bet!”
She really didn't have a clue. She was trying to find a spot where she could quickly leave the bird and then find him again. Thinking back to her previous visit, the only place that stood out to her was Snatcher's tree, but that would be walking right into the lion's den!
A quick movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention. She paused, and motioned for the owl to stop as well. With a small hoot, he looked around like a trapped animal and whispered, “w-why'd we stop?” “I thought I saw something,” the girl muttered. If Snatcher was around, he wouldn't be dodging behind trees. She shook her head, “its probably nothing, let's keep going.”
It took two more instances of sensing something just out of sight that finally made Abigail stop long enough to think. Were they being followed? As if to answer her question, some nearby foliage rustled and out popped a....little cloaked figure. They were small, their face just a glow, hidden under a hood. The owl gave a yelp and hid behind Abigail, who's curiosity overrode her fear. Who was this?
The little figure gave a small wave up at her, “you must be the one the boss wants.” Abigail pointed to herself, “me?” The figure nodded, “yeah! Boss said if any of us saw you, to bring you right to him! And anyone who was with you as well!”
“Boss?” Abigail questioned, “...wait? Us?! There're more of you?” The little hooded one nodded before running ahead a little, then turning back to them, “c'mon! The boss hates to be kept waiting.” Completely dumbfounded, Abigail followed the small stranger, the Express Owl in tow. Abigail had a hunch who this 'boss' was, but was so wrapped up in questions that her previous rough escape plan had all but left her mind.
They didn't walk for very long before the figure stopped and turned, pointing at Abigail, “Boss says you should wait here.” It turned to the owl and grabbed his arm, starting to pull him away. The owl frantically struggled, calling for help and reaching back to Abigail, who, with a “Wh-hey!” started to run forward to grab him when she felt herself stopped. Looking down she saw about half a dozen more small identical-looking beings holding her back. She looked up to see four more pushing and pulling the owl-still crying for help-into some brush. Abigail started to call out, “Wai-!” when a bunch of thorny purple vines shot out of the ground around the owl and the others, completely sealing them from her view. What horrified her more, however, was the dead silence that immediately followed.
The ones holding her back had let go by this point, and she paused to gape at the vines before turning to question the newcomers, but found herself all alone. A noise made her look back at the vines, which were quickly retracting back into the ground, revealing Snatcher. A slight rustle from behind the specter caught Abigail's attention, and she noticed what looked like a couple of those figures running off carrying something heavy...
“I MUST SAY I'M IMPRESSED! I THOUGHT FOR SURE YOU WOULD HAVE BROUGHT ANOTHER OF THOSE DUMB BRUTES.” Abigail looked away in shame. Now two had suffered because of her. At least there would be no more victims...
“There,” Abigail huffed, “I completed my contract! Now relinquish my soul!” The specter laughed, “DO YOU REALLY THINK A SINGLE SOUL IS ENOUGH FOR ME? THAT WAS JUST A TRAIL RUN TO SEE IF YOU WERE UP TO SNUFF! AND GUESS WHAT? YOU PASSED!” With that, her contract flew out of her jacket and burned up in some blue flames. With a flourish, Snatcher poofed another contract and quill pen out of thin air. “HERE, LET'S SIGN ANOTHER CONTRACT!” Warily, Abigail glanced over this new parchment, which now ordered her to bring a new person to Subcon at least once a week for, “an entire month?!” She read, horrified. “THAT'S RIGHT!” Snatcher proclaimed, “AND HEY, THAT'S ANOTHER MONTH YOU GET TO LIVE! PROVIDED YOU MEET THE CONDITIONS ON THE CONTRACT, ANYWAY.”
Abigail trembled, frustration filling her chest. She glanced downcast and whispered “I can't.” She heard him sigh and looked up to see him looking back at her. Still smiling, always smiling, but his voice sounded a little dour. He flicked his wrist and a small golden ball of energy-Abigail's soul- formed in his hand. “IF YOU REFUSE TO SIGN, THEN YOU FORFEIT YOUR SOUL TO ME.” “Wait a minute!” Abigail sputtered, “I finished the initial contract! You have no claim over that anymore!” The ghost smirked at this and simply replied, “TOO BAD. I NEED SOULS, AND IF YOU WON'T BRING THEM TO ME THEN I DON'T NEED YOU AROUND. BUT HEY, I'M FEELING PRETTY GOOD RIGHT ABOUT NOW, SO I'LL GIVE YOU ONE MORE CHANCE.” His voice dropped to a deadly whisper, “SIGN. THE CONTRACT.”
Abigail's survival instincts kicked in and before she could even register what was going on she had already signed. Like before, the paper was stamped, rolled up and flew into her jacket pocket. Snatcher poofed her soul away with another flick of his wrist, before clapping his hands together, “WE'RE BACK IN BUSINESS! I'LL EXPECT TO SEE YOU SOON! SMELL YOU LATER!” and dove into the ground. Not wanting to spend any longer around there than necessary, Abigail took her leave.
Her entire trip back she had racked her brain for solutions to her problem, to no avail, and by the time she got back to Mafia town, she had a headache. Before she could reach her house, however, she heard a “Stop!”. She turned to find a Mafia member, who continued, “Boss wants to know where you are. Boss says to report to him.” Abigail groaned, she really didn't feel like a confrontation, “tell the boss I'll see him bright and early tomorrow, ok?”
“Mafia agree to deliver message.”
“Good,” she said, heading off to her home. She wanted to sleep, but there was no way she could now. Once home, she put some coffee on and went over to her desk. Grabbing a pen and piece of paper, she started to write out ideas...
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bee-kathony · 5 years
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The Oath | Ch. 11 “Need” 
a/n: thank you everyone who has left kind comments on this story! I will be posting the next chapter on Sunday and then continuing as normal on Wednesday :) 
Ch. 1 | Ch. 2 | Ch. 3 | Ch. 4 | Ch. 5 | Ch. 6 | Ch. 7 | Ch. 8 | Ch. 9 | Ch. 10
August 8th, 2019
After Frank showed up and ruined their evening by demanding that Claire come with him, Claire had spent the night cleaning up Jamie’s bloody hand. His knuckles were split and the skin around them was angry and red. As she touched the skin lightly with an alcoholic swab, Jamie winced, cursing under his breath.
“Sorry,” she mumbled. “It’s going to sting a bit.”
“Aye, it does,” he said through this teeth.
“Do you get into fights often?”
Jamie looked at her, a smug expression on his face. “Nah, och well maybe a few when I was younger. Just a stramash here and there wi’ the lads.”
“A stramash,” Claire repeated, a smile on her lips as she looked up at him through her lashes.
“A wee fight,” he smiled back softly. Slowly, he reached his uninjured hand up to cup her cheek, “Claire, I’m verra sorry ye had to see me like that, I canna hold my temper sometimes. I’d understand if ye were scairt of me now.”
Sighing, she turned her head, kissing the inside of his palm. “I’m not scared of you. Perhaps I was a bit frightened, but no… I’m not afraid.”
“Good,” he grinned. “Because ye need no be scairt of anyone or anythin’ when I’m wi’ ye.”
“And when you’re not with me?” She paused her work on his hand, holding it in her lap.
“I’ll not be far,” he ran his thumb over her cheek.
The air between them was buzzing with an electricity that made Claire’s heart beat fast. Shaking her head slightly, she bent it back down to continue to tend to Jamie’s hand. Just a few minutes later, she had it cleaned up and bandaged.
“Don’t go punching anyone for at least a week alright?”
“Aye, Sassenach,” he blushed.
Claire stood from the ground and held out her hand to help him up. When he came to his full height, Claire was standing close to him, her nose just a breath away from his chest and she looked up at him.
She thought he was going to kiss her, but instead he took a step backwards, running his unharmed hand through his hair. “Would ye like to go to Lallybroch next weekend? That is if yer free?”
“Lallybroch? Your house?”
“Aye, well ’tis Jenny and Ian’s now — her husband. My Da left it to me, but I didna have much use for a big ol’ grand house and they’ve bairns to fill it wi,” he shrugged then his expression softened and he placed his hand over her stomach.
“I’d like them to meet ye both,” he smiled. “If ye want to meet my family?”
Claire covered Jamie’s hand with hers, squeezing it gently. “I’d love to meet them. Do they know?”
His cheeks blushed pink, “Aye, they ken. It might have come up a few weeks ago.”
“What did they think? That I was some gold digger after you and your successful business?” Claire sighed, letting her hand fall to her side.
“Nah,” Jamie shook his head.
“What is it?”
“Och, ’tis nothing,” he smiled, but Claire could tell there was something else.
“Jamie, you better tell me before I meet them…”
His hand slid from her stomach and he pinched the bridge of his nose. “My sister Jenny, well—“ he sighed, his shoulders heavy. “She thinks ye to be some kind of whoor since ye dinna ken who the father is.”
Whatever she had been expecting him to say, that was not it.
“Oh.” Claire gathered her first aid kit, walking back into the kitchen to put it away.
Jamie cursed under his breath, following after her. “She doesna even ken ye Claire, ye mustn’t take it too seriously.”
“Well she’s right though isn’t she?” Claire said, her back facing him, her hands on the counter in front of her. Claire wasn’t embarrassed of her baby, nor was she embarrassed of Jamie. But the fact of the matter was that she had had a one night stand with a stranger and had gotten pregnant. Of course, it could still be Frank’s, but Claire shoved that thought aside quickly.
“Sassenach,” Jamie reached out, touching her elbow. “Ye are the furthest thing from a whoor. Yer beautiful. And smart, a good doctor wi’ a kind touch…. I know it.”
Her shoulders sank and she turned to face him. “Then I must be on my best behavior,” she smirked. “I’ll show her I’m no whore.”
Jamie laughed at hearing her speak in such a way. He’d never met a woman who swore as much as she did. “Ye’ll be meeting my godfather, Murtagh as well. I’ll ask him to come over,” Jamie smiled. “He was my Mam and Da’s best friend, been around all my life.”
“And he helps you with Fraser & Co. right?”
“Aye, he started it wi’ my Da and now wi’ me,” Jamie smiled sadly.
Claire reached up, cupping his cheek, “You miss them?”
“Every day.”
“I miss my parents as well,” Claire agreed, dropping her hand from his cheek to her stomach. “I wish they were here to meet the baby.”
“I wish that as well, Sassenach.”
Claire glanced at the clock on the wall, it was past eleven at night and Geillis had been gone for just over an hour. She knew Frank would be at the hospital all night from the beating Jamie had given him; he was also very drunk and would be hungover as well as in pain.
“Jamie,” Claire looked up at him. “Would you mind staying the night? Or at least until Geillis comes back? I just… don’t want to be here alone.”
“Och, of course, Claire,” Jamie smiled, grabbing her hand and squeezing it.
“I’ll um, just make up the couch.”
What she wanted to do was ask him to her bed and not even to sleep with her, but to hold her. Claire walked to the small hall closet and pulled out a blanket and pillow for Jamie, setting it up nicely on the couch in the living room. It was probably not long enough for him, but it would have to do.
“I hope this is alright,” Claire waved her hands at the makeshift bed. Jamie smiled, sliding his arms out of his jacket and took a seat, his hands patting the cushion.
“Tis perfect, Sassenach.”
Nodding, Claire grabbed her phone and started walking back to her room.
“Claire?”
“Yes?” She turned back to him.
“Would ye,” his cheeks turned red as he sat on the edge of the couch, one hand holding a shoe he’d been taking off. “Would ye like to come and sit wi’ me for awhile? My hand,” he held his bandaged hand up, “Tis hurts a wee bit and ye always make me feel good.”
Jamie mentally cursed himself for saying such a stupid thing to her, but Claire smiled and walked back over to him. Sitting beside him, she pulled his arm around her shoulder and leaned into him as they laid back against the couch. Neither of them spoke, but simply lay there listening to the other breathing.
Two hours later, Geillis came home to find Jamie laying on the couch, his arms wrapped around Claire — both asleep. Geillis couldn’t help herself as she tip toed over to them, taking out her phone and snapping a pic. It was their first “family” photo and she knew Claire would secretly be happy she had taken the pic.
“Night, love birds,” Geillis whispered and went off to her own bed.
Being a light sleeper, Jamie had woken up when the door opened, but kept his eyes shut. He’d have to ask Geillis for the picture she’d taken, but that could wait until tomorrow.
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A week passed and finally, Claire and Jamie drove up to Lallybroch — the place where they first met. A strange expression crossed over Claire’s face and Jamie noticed.
“What is it, Sassenach?”
Looking up at the estate, she remembered that she wanted to know if Lallybroch really meant “lazy tower”.
“Aye, it does,” Jamie grinned and pointed up to the large stone tower near the back. “Broch Tuarach means north facing tower.”
“But it’s circular,” Claire laughed as they stood on the gravel outside of the house. “How can it be north facing?”
Jamie smirked, staring down at her. “The door faces north, Sassenach.”
“Bloody Scot,” Clare rolled her eyes and followed him into the house. They were staying for the weekend and Claire was only slightly nervous about meeting his family — considering the situation.
“Dinna fash, Claire,” Jamie whispered to her as he set their bags down. “They’ll be in the kitchen, then.”
He took her hand, leading her through the house. It looked different in the daytime. It also looked different with less people and less alcohol coursing through her system. God, what she wouldn’t do for a dram right now.
Claire had only heard Jenny and Murtagh’s voices in the hall that night, as Jamie hadn’t wanted anyone to see them sneaking up to the library. When she laid her eyes upon his sister, she was taken aback; she wasn’t at all what she pictured.
Hair as black as the night, small frame that just reached Jamie’s chest — Jenny Fraser Murray looked almost nothing like her tall red haired brother. Claire made a mental note to ask Jamie for a picture of his parents later on.
“Janet!” Jamie embraced her, kissing the top of her head. “Tis good to see ye.”
“Aye, ye too mo bhràthair,” The woman smiled, standing on her toes to kiss his cheek and ruffle his hair as a big sister would do. Claire’s eyes followed Jamie as he then embraced a man who must be Murtagh — a tall fellow with a thick beard and kind eyes.
Jamie came to stand beside her, wrapping his arm around her shoulder, making her feel safe, guarded. Not that she needed to be afraid of them, but she couldn’t help but feel inadequate.
“This is Claire Beauchamp,” Jamie said proudly. “And this is my bairn,” his hand slid over her stomach and Claire’s heart skipped a beat.
“It’s so nice to meet you both, I’ve heard so much about you from Jamie.”
Jamie’s godfather, Murtagh walked over to her, immediately embracing her. “We’ve heard all about ye, Claire. It’s good to finally meet the woman Jamie canna stop talkin’ about.”
Her cheeks blushed red and hot as she released him. She still felt the cold stare of Jenny in the corner and took a step forward out of Jamie’s reach and held out her hand to Jenny.
“Hi Jenny,” Claire waited, hand outstretched. “Thank you for having me in your home,” She added.
With a look over her shoulder at her brother, Jenny then cast her gaze to Claire, having to look up slightly at her. Then Claire’s heart leaped as she saw a familiar smirk on the woman’s lips and suddenly she was being embraced by Jenny Murray.
At once, Claire felt accepted. Like she belonged in whatever weird way that she did. No matter what happened between her and Jamie, they had this baby and this baby girl now had more family to love and protect her.
“Where’s Ian, Jenny?”
Jenny slid her arm around Claire’s waist, squeezing it a bit. “He’s wi’ young Jamie and Maggie in the stables, feeding the horses.”
“And Katherine?” Jamie smiled.
“Just laid her down in her crib for a nap,” Jenny smiled back and then looked up at Claire. “I’ve the three bairns, my youngest is but a few months old.”
“I’d love to meet them,” Claire grinned. Cousins. Her baby would have cousins. Growing up, Claire had always wanted siblings and cousins and she loved her Uncle Lamb, but she always wondered what it would be like to grow up in a big house with people running around it.
“Och, ye will, Claire. They’ll be screamin’ the second they get inside. The weens love meetin’ new people,” Jenny laughed.
“Ye’ve only just got here though, how about I show ye where ye’ll be stayin’ — ye’ll both be in Jamie’s old room.” Claire tensed at that and Jamie coughed awkwardly from the corner in the kitchen.
“Two rooms, Janet.”
Jenny nodded, understanding crossing her face. “Ah, two rooms. Well, Claire ye can still have Jamie’s old room. Tis nicer than the guest room which is where I’ll put Jamie.”
“Thank ye, Jenny. I can show her,” Jamie held out his hand to Claire for her to take. “We’ll be back down after we settle in.
A distinct Scottish noise come from Murtagh and Claire turned her head to see him wink at Jamie and had to try her hardest not to laugh.
“Well that went better than I thought,” she sighed as Jamie led her up the stairs.
“Aye,” he chuckled. “At first I thought Jenny was goin’ to snap yer head off, but I think she’s trying to understand and just accept what we have goin’ on.”
They walked down the same hall as that night, past the same pictures, the same doors. “That’s the library,” Claire commented as they passed it.
Jamie squeezed her hand, “Aye, tis.”
They both laughed, if only from a kind of bashfulness that came with remembering what occurred in that very room. Then Jamie opened a door further down the hallway and Claire was in his room. It was clean. Simple. And very Jamie. Or at least the Jamie that had lived here those years ago.
The bed was huge, as it had to be for someone as tall as him. A four poster wood bed with grey linen sheets and comfy looking pillows. Because Jamie only visited Lallybroch and didn’t live here, most of the personal effects that made a room its owners were gone. But there will still traces of Jamie here. Books on the shelves, a Scottish rugby team poster on the wall by the dresser.
“It’s nice,” Claire walked over to his desk, fingers tracing over a few of his items. Her eyes landed on a journal and she opened it, flicking through the pages.
“Och, dinna look at that,” Jamie came over to her quickly, shutting it fast.
“Wot? Why not?”
“Tis nothing,” Jamie laughed nervously.
“What’s in the journal, Jamie?” Claire smiled, trying to open it again.
“It’s just… well, ’tis wee stories I wrote as a lad. I dinna ken why it’s still out here in the open for anyone to be readin’,” He blushed, pulling it out of her hands.
“Will you ever let me read something you’ve written?”
“Aye,” Jamie nodded, hiding the journal behind his back. “But no today, Sassenach.”
“I won’t forget you agreed,” Claire smiled and walked over to the bed, plopping down with a sigh, “God, I could just fall asleep right here, I’m so tired.”
“Then take a nap, Sassenach.” Jamie smiled down at her as he placed her bag near what must be the closet. “We dinna have anythin’ to do.”
“What will you do?” Claire asked as she moved back on the bed.
“I’ll go and see Ian for a bit, visit my horse Donas,” Jamie nodded.
“That sounds nice,” Claire said slowly as her eyes fluttered shut. She didn’t hear Jamie leave the room, but knew that he’d left and she rolled to her side letting sleep take her.
++++++
Jamie had been nervous about introducing Claire to his family. Mainly because it wasn’t the traditional way of things. His father had told him to find a lass and marry her then start a family. Jamie had gotten those things a wee bit out of order.
He left Claire asleep on his bed, curled up on her side with her hand on her stomach. It was a beautiful sight to see, her so round with his child growing inside. At least he hoped it was truly his daughter.
Ian was where Jenny said he’d be in the stables. Young Jamie — named after him — and Maggie were leaning over the gate to feed hay to a horse named Brimstone, a mare with a lot of spirit.
“Och, Jamie lad, tis good to see ye around here. Ye brought her then?”
Nodding, Jamie couldn’t stop the smile that spread over his lips. “Aye, I did. She’s takin’ a nap upstairs. She gets tired a lot as the bairn grows.”
“I ken all about that,” Ian ruffled his hand through Maggie’s curls. Jamie squatted to her height, pinching her cheek.
“How are ye lass? Do ye remember me?”
“Of course I remember you Uncle Jamie, I saw you two weeks ago!” The little girl burst into giggles and Jamie picked her up, throwing her over his shoulder.
“Ye and Claire are havin’ a girl, are ye no?”
“Aye, a wee lassie,” Jamie smiled and then blew a raspberry on the side of Maggie’s stomach, only making her laugh more.
Ian smiled watching his best friend and daughter and then noticed Jamie’s bruised and bandaged hand. “What did ye do this time, man?”
Jamie followed his gaze to his hand and flexed it, still a bit sore. “Claire’s ex,” Jamie’s brows rose and he carefully set Maggie down on her feet and she ran off to where her brother was feeding another horse.
“He came by the other night, demandin’ that Claire come wi’ him and that the bairn was his,” Jamie sighed, crossing his arms tight over his chest.
“Is it his?” Ian asked.
“I dinna ken. Claire is afraid to find out, so I told her we wouldn’t, but it’s killing me,” Jamie’s shoulders sagged with the weight of the pressure he’d been holding up. He wanted to know and very badly, but he didn’t want to push Claire into anything.
“Of course it is,” Ian clapped his hand on his back. “Tis only normal that ye’d want to know if the bairn is yers or not. Will you stay wi’ her, if the lass isna yers?”
Jamie turned to face his brother-in-law, “Of course. I made her a promise that I willna break. She doesn’t have anyone.”
“Just because she doesna have anyone, doesna mean that she must rely only on ye brother,” Ian said, shrugging as he returned to his kids. Jamie knew that Claire was strong and that she didn’t need him. But Jamie wanted Claire to need him — to want him to stay and be with her. And she’d told him as much. But Jamie also wanted to have every part of her and then he remembered that this visit to Lallybroch wasn’t exactly just for Claire to meet his family.
He walked back into the house and upstairs to what had once been his mother and father’s room, but was now Jenny and Ian’s. Jenny had kept all of their Mam’s jewelry and had told Jamie where to find their mother’s wedding ring should he need it.
Jamie found it. A beautiful simple silver band with thistles carved into it and took it from the box and stashed it in his pocket. He didn’t know when, but only hoped there would be a time that he would need it.
Chapter 12: Conversations 
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murfeelee · 5 years
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LoL K/DA Popstars INSP Set
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“We go hard (hard)! / We so in it, in it / We pop stars (pop stars)! / Only winning, winning now / Ain't nobody bringing us down, down, down, down“ ♪ ♫ ♩ ♬ ♭
This set is directly inspired by the promo music video from League of Legends’ fictional K-Pop group, K/DA. 
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18 items included, that I divided into 4 separate sets:
CAS Set: Ahri ears, leggings, shoes; Akali Tatt & glo-sticks, Evelynn’s shades; Kai’Sa ACC
Edits Set: Ahri Whiskers Blush & Tails (1 & 9); Akali Jacket & Mask
Decor Set: 2 Wall Murals, 1 Floor Mural, Chinese Wall Stencils; Floor Lights
Claws Accessory: An old conversion I decided to share, for Evelynn
Enjoy, and Happy Holidays!
Download: SimFileShare folder
Descriptions & pics under the cut:
I only converted a very very small handful of things from the actual game models, because the UV mapping on those meshes was a choice, lemme tell you -- no thanks. The rest were just quick edits to other CC.
CAS CC:
AHRI NINETAILS
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There are 2 Tails: @natalia-auditore’s 9-Tails conversion, which I remade with a recolorale glass texture, and a modified version with only 1 tail. 
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Both tails REQUIRE THE SUPERNATURAL EP! (Because of the transparency.)
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Her Shoes are utter garbage close up, trust me. Non-recolorable.
Her Leggings are non-recolorable. Found under socks, duh.
Her Ears blur too dang easily. (Found under earrings; recolorable; hat slider compatible)
Her Whiskers are an edit from Traelia’s cat face blush at MTS. 
The rest of her CC listed here.
AKALI HEADHUNTER
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Her two glo-stick Rods ACC are recolorable, found under Rings.
Her Dragon Jacket is a retexture of Sha Tsai’s jacket here -- I had to tweak the RGB control and overlays a bit, and then slapped the dragon logo on top. 
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Her iconic Oni Mask uses the same surgical mask we’ve seen retextured a billion times -- I just pasted the teeth on. Recolorable, found under Earrings.
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Her Tattoo is a full body tatt that of course requires CmarNYC’s tattoo mod. 
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The rest of her CC listed here.
EVELYNN WIDOWMAKER
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Her Round Glasses are fully recolorable.
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Her Claws are one of my old Dynasty Warrior conversions. The joints aren’t perfect, but they still look fierce.
The rest of her CC listed here.
KAI’SA VOIDSEEKER
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Her Laser weapon thing is non-recolorable, blurry AF, & found under Necklaces.
The rest of her CC listed here.
Decor Set: 
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The Lights (AND Akali’s glo-stick rods) were ripped straight from the ITF ceiling lights I used here, pfft.
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Basegame only, no worries! Fully recoloirable, found under Table Lights.
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I took all of the Wall & Floor Murals art directly from the music video, only applying some light (read: lazy) photoshopping. Non-recolorable.
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With the Chinese Stencils, I was inspired by Akali’s neon train Asian graffiti, and just grabbed some similar stencils online. Fully recolorable. 
And that’s everything! 
Enjoy, and Happy Holidays!
Download: SimFileShare folder 
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b00bconnoisseur · 5 years
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60 questions for @not-my-brain
1. selfie.......Ugghhhh ok. Imma take one rn
Ok here u go (yes thats a bmth shirt)
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2. what would you name your future kids?.....Ooo hmmm well when i was a kid i really liked the names disney, and mesiah. I didn't know at the time that mesiah was another name for god i think lol. I liked it cause of handlers mesiah. I still do. Ooo and maybe Tj too
3. do you miss anyone?......Yeah. My friends on Pinterest from a year ago. My friend lucas. Stan lee. Bob ross. My cousin who died from cancer some years ago. Snape. Sirius. Lupin. Tonks. Dobby. *continues to name every unfortunate death in hp*
4. what are you looking forward to?.......SE-YA next month!! Its the south eastern young adult festival at this college. You can have meet n greets with authors and alot of stuff its the besstttt
5. is there anyone who can always make you smile?......DEFINATELY. @dirtysocke @mysisterlooksforthisaccountsobye @cristal-kyd1280 @sammchenry my friend lucas and @septembersbloom. ^^
6. is it hard for you to get over someone?..... What like...romantically? Or like a death? If romantically uhhh idk it took over a couple weeks but im ok now. Ive never had another relationship so idk. If death oof yeah idk maybe. Ig it depends on how much i knew them idk. Like when my nanny (great grandma) died i was sad for days (is that alot?)
7. what was your life like last year?.....Sucky af. Still is. But the highlights of my life last year was getting and making friends on tumblr, going to the tøp concert and going to warped tour, volunteering at the library, going to seya and meeting some of my favorite authors, reading, changing and improving my art, listening to all the bands i listen to now, getting into more fandoms, going to a friends house for the first time
8. have you ever cried because you were so annoyed?.......Yes lol. Some years ago when i couldn't find smtn id be so annoyed and pissed id start crying. I dont now but still lol
9. who did you last see in person?.......Hm ig family doesn't count....? Wait do u mean a friend? If so uhh my friends rebekah, anika, and Judah at a TAB meeting at the library sometime last month.
10. are you good at hiding your feelings?......I think so? Like i mean I can hide whenever i get my....time of the month from my mom (talking abt stuff like that with her makes me uncomfortable) and i hid a breakup. And other p big stuff too. So imma say yeah
11. are you listening to music right now?........*pops on earbuds after reading this* yee im listening to bitch lasagna by pewdiepie xD (do i have the best spotify playlist or what?)
12. what is something you want right now?.......To hug @mysisterlooksforthisaccountsobye but SOMEONE has to live so far away
13. how do you feel right now?........Happy that my earbud still works cause they got washed in the wash yesterday....oops. Its not my fault. I told my dad to remind me to take it out of my jacket pocket before they threw it in but noooooo he forgot
14. when was the last time someone of the opposite sex hugged you?.......Uhhhhh fuck idk it was probably from my lil 4 yr old bro sometime last week. Other than him (hes my favorite sibling) i dont let them hug me too much
15. personality description.......Nerdy. Fangirl. "Emo". Tomboy. Hotsause obsessed. Book lover. Music lover. Black. Blue. Harry potter. Introvert. Fall. Sports. Values friendship. Loyal. Uhhhh i cant think of much lol
16. have you ever wanted to tell someone something but you didn’t?.......*sigh* yes. Yes yes yes. Theres some things abt me, or my life really, that i havent told anyone on here or my irl friends that i sooooo want to so bad but i haven't cause i feel like they'd feel bad and pity me and i don't want that
17. opinion on insecurities........I dont really understand this one. Everyones insecure abt something. Is this askin like if i think its ok or not? I say its ok. Im insecure about literally everything about me. My face. My personality. My socialness. My art. What i do. What i say. Basically my whole body. The things i feel good abt are my books, music taste, and my friends (ily fuckers)
18. do you miss how things were a year ago?.........Hmm this time around a year ago....idk its sorta the same but all the stuff i mentioned abt my year from last year didn't happen yet so nah tho my life sucks rn its better than this time last year
19. have you ever been to New York?........Nooo but i want too soo baddd i wanna visit @septembersbloom !! Im coming for ya soon gramps *does the eye watching thing* my dads been to nyc before tho cause he does construction and he had a concrete job to do there. It was a 23 hr drive for him
20. what is your favourite song at the moment?........Uhhh idk!!! So hard! Maybe.....the whole thats the spirit album by bmth ;)
21. age and birthday?.....15 yrs of age and September 27th 2003 (whats yours brainy? I'll put it on my calendar)
22. description of crush......Its weird idk im not sure if its a genuine crush or not but uh....They like hp :).Thats all u get
23. fear(s).......Losing my best friend @dirtysocke and my other friends. Death. Failure. Momo chasing after me then killing me slowly keeping my eyes open to look her dead in the eyes while i die
24. height......5'6 call me short and I'll fuck u up with THIS *pulls out trusty potato peeler named now steve* dont test me boi
25. role model......Hhhhhhhh so many! But uh gosh one of them is @superraedizzle (youtuberrrr) and vexx and bob ross and da vinci and aaaaaaa so many
26. idol(s)......First person that immediately comes to mind is @sammchenry cause he's super cool and he's really nice and his art's reallyyy good (if u havent seen it w-w-what are u even doin with your life?) And he has a great sense of humor and *continues to ramble about why samms the best*
27. things i hate.......Dabs. Transphobes. Homophobic ppl. Basically any hate on the lgbtq+ community. Bullies. The ship starker. Umbridge. Snape haters
28. i’ll love you if….....U you'll eat pizza, draw, and rp harry potter with mee
29. favourite film(s)......Fantastic beasts. Every hp film. Twilight. The maze runner 1-2. The hunger games. Spiderman homecoming. Kingsman: secret service. Into the spideyverse tho i havent seen it yet
30. favourite tv show(s)......Inkmasterrrrr. B99. The mick. The middle. Uhhh idk mostly ink master xD
31. 3 random facts........Ive never had shrimp. I had a beta fish for over a year once. Im eating pizza crust rn
32. are your friends mainly girls or guys?.......G i r l s. I have all girl friends irl and one boy. And on tumblr it seems like i just meet girls? Likei agree with @cristal-kyd1280 its like alot more gals then dudes here. But i do have some guy friends on here too. But mostly girls
33. something you want to learn.......TO DRAW ANATOMY DAMMIT
34. most embarrassing moment........Every moment of my lifes an embarrassing moment. Idk of i can pick a "most" embarrassing one. But one time i i sent my crush (now ex bf) a hey fuckface and like some hearts or whatever for an ask game that meant like "i have a crush on u" "youre adorable" etc and said Hewo but i did it all anonymously. But he confronted me askin if i sent it cause im the only person he knows that actually says hewo lol. Then later on i finally admitted i really liked him and well y'all know the story after i think. Unless you're new
35. favourite subject.......A R TTTT OFC
36. 3 dreams you want to fulfill?........meet my friends on tumblr. Get into mtsu (college i wanna go to) and study art. And go skydiving
37. favourite actor/actress........favorite actor uhhhhhh probably thomas brodie sangster or tom felton and my favorite actress? Hmmm idk maybe evanna lynch (luna lovegood)
38. favourite comedian(s).......probably kevin hart lol he's p funny
39. favourite sport(s)........basketballllllll and football
40. favourite memory........uhhhhh idk?? One oh my favorite memories was when we went to see tøp in concert
41. relationship status.....single as a pringle
42. favourite book(s)......harry potter and the order of the pheonix. Harry potter and the half blood prince. Simon vs the homo sapiens agenda. Divergent. Maze runner. Twilight. Fangirl. Fallen. Red queen
43. favourite song ever.......TOO HARD DONT MAKE ME CHOOSEEEEEE
44. age you get mistaken for.........16 and 17 sometimes lol
45. how you found out about your idol........i was watching someone on yt and superraedizzle always poped up in my feed and my mom turned on one of her vids cause she always saw her vids too now ive seen most of em i love her. Id heard of vexx but never watched him and i was watching a collab from anthony miller art and shrimpy and i checked out shrimpys channel and was lookin at comments and alot of ppl said his art is like vexxs so i checked out vexx. At first i was like eh ok. Now i cant click fast enough when he posts a vid. And i actually fpund out about bob ross from my grandpa on jan 20 2017 when trump was getting sworn in or whatever. We turned on pbs and my grampa told me to look and bob ross was on and i was IN. I loved it. I even started watching full episodes on YouTube of the joy of painting after that. Wonderful man. My first painting i ever did i think was when i followed one of his tutorials xD (i didnt know it was popular at the time)
46. what my last text message says......."ok your turn"
47. turn ons.....uhh nerds ig idk um book lovers, music lovers, art lovers, potterheads, idk and nice ppl
48. turn offs......jerks. Homophobia. Idk ig whatever i said in things i hate
49. where i want to be right now......uhhhh idk wait didn't i already answer this? Ok this ones different ig so uhh with my friend lucas
50. favourite picture of your idol.....oh shit...favorite? Idk xD i have a fave of vexx but not of rae or bob. But heres pics of them any way
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
51. starsign......a libraaaaa boiii
52. something i’m talented at......drawing and speed reading. Thats about it lol. Oh and procrastina
53. 5 things that make me happy.......ooooo art, my friends here on tumblr, books, harry potter, and music ^^
54. something thats worrying me at the moment.....if my friend thinks im being annoying
55. tumblr friends......hhhhh so manyyyyyy. @dirtysocke @mysisterlooksforthisaccountsobye @cristal-kyd1280 @chinesewaffles2 @kingantlion @queen-baelin @sammchenry @septembersbloom and more
56. favourite food(s)......green beans, pepperoni pizza, and vanilla madelines
57. favourite animal(s).......basically any reptile. Puppies. Cats. Any animal really but my #1 are snakes
58. description of my best friend.....well she's a tiny bean (5 feet) and she has dark hair, she wears glasses, she doesnt take shit, she's in love with Josh dun, she's awesome, funny, nice (YES youre nice jackie) and shes the best friend ive ever had. Oh. And she has a weird obsession with spaghetti
59. why i joined tumblr.......well i heard abt it on Pinterest over a year ago but didnt want it. Then @mrfastbass-deactivated20181231 on DeviantArt said he got tumblr so i made one then followed him and figured id just post art and that's it cause i thought tumblr was boring as hell when i first got it. Now im p much obsessed with it
60. ask me anything you want.......go ahead brainy shoot. Give me smtn good
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echelonlab-blog · 6 years
Text
Must Be The Rain
I was busy cleaning up the mess left over from the party when he finally arrived, looking like Santa, with a bag full of gifts slung over his shoulder. I could see the fancy wrapping paper sticking out the top of the toy store bag, and one name came to mind, Connie. No way did he wrap those gifts himself, she did it for him, and even though she was in attendance, she mentioned nothing other than the fact that Shan would be running late. “Knock knock,” he said in that low, gravelly voice of his through the screen door. Jesus, he looked hot and I bit the inside of my cheek so hard that I could taste blood.
“You’re too late Shannon, the party ended an hour ago.” I said bitterly, not bothering to walk over and open the door for him. The party was supposed to take place outside in the backyard, but sadly. the forecast called for rain. We normally don’t get a lot here in sunny California, so it was just my shitty luck it had to happen today of all days.
“I know, I’m sorry, my flight was delayed. I really tried to get here this time Bekka.” He studied my face, trying to see if I believed him or not. “Where is she?”
I glared at him, shifting all of my weight to one foot. “In her bedroom, playing with her new toys.” I was pissed as hell with him for never showing up on time like he promised, but at least he showed up. My father made endless promises to me when I was Ellie’s age and never kept a single one. I was so hurt by his lies, but I blamed my mother for not shielding me better. Thankfully, I didn’t have to worry about that with Shannon. He’d never hurt her like that.
“Can I at least come in and give her these gifts, please?” That sad face and pouty lip still tugged at my heart strings six months later. I wasn’t over him and didn’t think I’d ever be.
I tried like hell, but couldn’t stop my lips from curling upward. “Fine,” I said with as much attitude as I could muster. He opened the door and stepped inside, his boots clicking on the hardwood floor as he laid the bag down next to the couch and proceeded toward me. He leaned in, gripping my arms tightly and planting a kiss on my head as he forced me into one of those strong hugs of his. Just as I started to gather my argumentative words, he let go and sauntered down the hallway to our daughter’s bedroom.
“Daddy! Daddy!” I could hear her excited squeals echoing through the house the second she saw him. She missed him terribly and asked when we were going home pretty much daily.
It crushed my heart and I could sense my eyes beginning to water slightly as I sighed, listening to them playing together. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss him. I simply couldn’t deal with him rarely being around and the temptation that only increased while he was out there on the road. Even though he never actually had sex with anyone else, he had the intention of doing it and backed out at the last minute. I found out after the fact, but the point is, he thought about it. This led to many, many horrible fights. Of course, there was the option to travel with him, stop any chance of it happening again, but that would be too difficult with Ellie. Tour life really wasn’t the place for a rambunctious three year old, and I had to put her first. So, after one too many fights, I packed up and moved into a nice little three bedroom house about fifteen minutes from Shannon.
He made it known that he wasn’t happy with my decision and seemed to be determined to get me to come back to him. He came by often, when he was in town, trying to talk me into coming home. “What did you bring me?” The door burst open and Ellie flew past me, racing over to the overflowing bag. Clearing my throat, I wiped my eyes and continued to pick up the mess in the dining room while watching my daughter go nuts, pulling the first package out of the bag.
“Open them up and find out princess.” He grinned as he came to a halt next to me. Folding his arms, he nudged me with his elbow and nodded over in the direction of our baby girl.
Ellie was already shredding the wrapping paper and I rolled my eyes, noticing that he got her the most expensive toys. “I just cleaned that room up Shannon!”
“Always so negative Bek.” At least he shaved that horrid beard. Last time I saw him it was so out of control and he was much more handsome without it. “I’ll take care of it, okay.” I watched him go sit next to her on the floor, folding his legs in front of him and pulling all of the presents out of the bag. He stacked them up for her to unwrap, handing her a new one each time she finished oohing and aahing over the one in her hand. He then shoved handfuls of the discarded bright pink paper into the empty bag.
Once she was finally done opening his gifts, she asked if they could go outside and play. It hadn’t rained yet, but I could see the gloomy gray clouds building in the sky and knew it wouldn’t be long before it was pouring. Shannon conveniently brought over her new rain coat and matching boots for the little vacation he had planned for next month and oddly enough, that was all she cared about. He asked me two months ago about taking her to Florida for two weeks next month. The coat and boots were merely a precaution, I guess. Apparently September is a rainy month in the south.
My daughter sat on the floor, seemingly mesmerized by the red boots with dark polka dots on them. Ellie slipped off her new shoes and shoved her little feet into the boots. She always was a daddy’s girl and he knew it. As soon as she stood and took a few steps, gazing down at the ladybugs on top of the rubber material, she bolted over to him. “Let’s go outside! Da…ddy.”
I shook my head as she tugged on his jeans. He only laughed, “Okay, okay.” He then squat down and helped her into the jacket, buttoning it up. “Show mommy how cute you look.”
She spun around and smiled at me, but before I could dig my phone out of my pocket and snap a pic, she ran over to the door. “Are you really going outside like that?” I asked, shocked that he was really doing this.
He drew the hood of his jacket over his head. “I suppose so. I’ve got a change of clothes in the car, so I should be good, but I appreciate the concern. If I get sick, are you gonna take care of me? You know, make me stay in bed and feed me some soup?” Raising his eyebrows, he blew me a kiss.
He earned himself another eye roll before exiting the back door with Ellie. I cleared the table, throwing the few remaining party plates with half eaten cake and melted ice cream into the trash. It took me just a few minutes to finish cleaning and move the large plastic bag full of wrapping paper that Shannon left in the middle of the floor, to right outside the front door.
When I was done, I stood in front of the French doors, watching him twirl Ellie around with her screeching in delight. She looked up to the sky, enjoying something she knew I’d never do with her. She had Shannon so wrapped around her little finger that he’d do pretty much anything she asked. When he set her down, she started stomping through the puddles that had already gathered on the pavement. Something as simple as playing in the rain made her light up with happiness, and I was already thinking about going out to join them.
Sadly, just as I was about to put a jacket on, they were coming in. Another missed opportunity. Ellie was pulling Shannon impatiently toward the door. I could hear her saying something about playing with her new doll. I stopped her, asking that she take off the boots and jacket at the door. Shannon already knew the drill and stripped himself of the black hoodie, wringing out the water and hanging it over the back of a chair. His shirt was soaked too, but he darted through the house and out the front door, returning minutes later with a suitcase.
I was busy wiping up the trail of water he left on the floor so that nobody fell and I hadn’t realized that he disappeared. I tossed the damp towel in the laundry basket in the bathroom and pushed my partially closed bedroom door open. There he was, standing there shirtless and holding a clean t-shirt. I looked away really fast, but it was too late, our eyes had already met. It was that look of confidence that made every shade of light and golden amber in his eyes begin to spread darker brown around the edges. “Sorry, I didn’t realize you were in here.” I turned to walk out, but he was quick and spun me around.
He dropped the blue fabric and caressed my cheek. The sound of my name rolling off of his lips ignited every fantasy I’d ever had about him all at once. The second his lips touched mine, all of the pain, doubt and angst blurred together with the ache of missing him. The connection between us was still very much alive and then he pressed his lips against mine even harder. His tongue slipped between my lips and the most intoxicating wave shot through me. I missed him so fucking much it made my head spin.
I wondered if he knew how crazy he made me when he pulled back, tucking a few strands of hair behind my ear and staring deep into my eyes. “You miss me as much as I miss you Bek, I can sense it in your kiss. Aren’t you sick of being apart?”
“I do miss you-“ Just as I started to respond, Ellie began calling for him.
“Shit,” he picked up the blue Journey shirt from the floor and slipped it over his head. “Don’t go anywhere, I’ll be back in a few.”
I knew that once he left the room, he wasn’t coming back anytime soon. This conversation would have to wait until another time. I picked up his wet clothes and stared down at his boots and suitcase, inhaling the familiar scent of cologne I’d come to know and love so much. I threw the wet clothes and a few pieces from my laundry basket, into the washing machine.
While he kept Ellie occupied, I was able to do some things I had been putting off and got dinner ready. Shannon kept her busy even when she grew bored of the toys. They sat at the table coloring for a while. I knew Shannon loved my veggie nuggets and I saw his face when I brought the food to the table. “I assume you’re joining us.”
“Can I?” He asked, picking up the crayons and shoving them neatly back into the box.
“That would be nice,” I responded before heading back into the kitchen for some glasses. He complimented me as we enjoyed a meal with Ellie, something we hadn’t done in a while. After having a slice of her cake, he even offered to clean the mess from dinner while I bathed Ellie and got her into some pajamas.
Shannon went back to play with her for a while and I relaxed on the couch. I was stunned that he was staying as long as he had. This was impressive. Most of the time he stopped by, made an appearance and then darted off to go hang with Jared or some friends.
At bedtime, Ellie was insistent that her daddy read her a story and lay with her until she fell asleep tonight instead of me. I finished up the laundry and got cozy on the couch, playing a game on my phone. It was over an hour later when he plopped down next to me, taking the phone from my hands and placing it on the coffee table. Both of his hands gently cupped my face and I was sure he was going to kiss me and then beg to stay, but he didn’t. Instead, he just kissed my nose and slid his arm around my side. Shannon pulled me against his chest. “Listen, I’m sorry I missed the party, it was beyond my control.” When I didn’t respond, he squeezed me tighter. “You don’t believe me?”
“Yes, I believe you. Your mother said that you’d be late and I know she doesn’t lie.” I just couldn’t get my mind off of that kiss and how it made me feel. I mean, it’s not like I left him because I didn’t love him anymore. When you’re in love with someone, feelings don’t just fade away.
“I enjoyed spending time with her. Thanks for letting me hang out for a while.” He got silent and then a few moments later, he made his classic plea. “Bek please come home.”
I sighed, dropping my head against his chest, “Shannon..”
“Okay…. let’s not ruin the night, it’s been so nice. I should probably go.” He released me and stood up. I remained quiet, watching him head into my bedroom for his things. “Walk me out,” he said, reappearing wearing his boots and carrying his suitcase. He didn’t even bother to ask for his missing clothes. In a way, I wasn’t ready for him to go. Part of me wanted, no, needed him to stay, but I couldn’t bring myself to ask.
“Sure.” I was a coward. Silently, I followed him out to his car and allowed him to pull me into a tight hug. Despite the heaviness in my belly, it still fluttered wildly against his body. Being so close to him again soothed me much more than I had expected. I felt the first few drops hitting my face as he released me. “Shit! You’ve got to be kidding me.” It was starting to rain. “Twice in one day!”
“It’s only water Bek. You don’t know what you missed out on earlier. Ellie had a blast.”
Jesus, what was happening to me. He’s the only man that can piss me off and make me want to kiss him at the same time. Lunging forward, I cupped his cheeks and kissed his full lips. The rain made tracks down our faces to where our lips met and I could taste the droplets in the kiss. He slid his hand along my jaw, his fingers stopping behind my ear and tilted my head back, deepening the kiss. I was dying to feel every inch of his skin. The rain had come out of nowhere and made me blink rapidly as I broke the kiss. “Fuck! Look, I don’t want you to go.”
“What?”
Why was it so hard to admit my feelings? “I can’t do this anymore. I miss you and I hate being apart much more than the stupid reasons I left you for. I trust you and I don’t want you to leave.”
The rain hammered down on us as we stood there, kissing passionately under the bright street light. “Why didn’t you just tell me?” He whispered, but I only shrugged in response. “Must be the rain,” he said with a grin.
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ai-da-ice · 7 years
Text
[Fan Account] ai-da-ice at the MOVIX Kimi Iro Release Event
[For general info on how the event is run, check out my account from my first release event]
After the Tonikaku HEY event in May, I learned three very valuable lessons: 1) Arrive at the event well ahead of the 9:00 starting time 2) BRING LOTS OF SUNSCREEN and 3) Eat breakfast and take a snack with me. When I woke up in the morning, it was overcast and looking ready to storm, so I also opted to bring an umbrella and windbreaker. This time I was not going to be as unprepared and sun burnt as last time.
I left about one hour earlier than I had last time, but it seems like next time I’ll have to leave even earlier because the line was already pretty long by time I arrived. However, the Tonikaku HEY event was during Golden Week– a Japanese holiday where people have a lot of free time to travel around the country–so back in May it was incredibly crowded with people visiting from other prefectures. This event was a little less swamped in comparison, especially since Da-iCE had already had a Tokyo release event at Odaiba. I started a lot higher in line and was able to get my CD order in around 10:40, so I was only in line about 1 hour and 40 minutes, compared to 3 hours like last time.
I was aiming to either handshake with Sota or Toru this time, but once again Sota sold out before I reached the CD tent. Last time, he sold out 2 hours before I reached the tent, but this time it was only about 20 minutes or so– so hopefully if I arrive earlier next time, I’ll finally get a shot at his ticket. I was more than happy to snag Toru, though, as well as a ticket to do a quick handshake with every member of the group.
Last time, I missed out on the priority standing tickets, but this time I was able to try and get one.TRY being the key word– it’s a lottery system: you reach in a box and pull out random numbers which determine your standing position. I thought if you made it to the box before tickets ran out, you would be guaranteed a spot in the priority section… so imagine my surprise when I pulled out my ticket and it said “NOPE” on it instead of a number. So once again, I missed out on standing close to the stage. However, just like last time, the areas away from the priority standing area aren’t THAT far away, so it wasn’t too big of a deal. I’m used to pulling bad lottery tickets at this point.
And so, I settled in for the wait for the 2 PM starting time for the show. Unfortunately, my condition wasn’t very good this time around. For one, the humidity was LETHAL, and every five seconds I had to wipe down with my Paradive towel. On top of that, I was experiencing head congestion which was making it very hard for me to hear. I was worried that I was going to have trouble hearing the show or Toru when I shook hands with him.
Ahead of the 2 PM start time, Sota and Yudai came out for a mic test with a short, practice version of Tonikaku HEY. Thankfully, their mics were set to a volume where I could hear them pretty well in spite of my hearing issue. After the mic test, they went backstage, then returned after a few minutes in their Kimi Iro costumes with the full group to perform Tonikaku HEY in full!
Tonikaku HEY is one of my favorite live songs, and they did an amazing job with it as always (though there seemed to be a near collision between Toru and Sota during the dance routine, they played it off cutely). I love how they went with a simpler choreography during the chorus so the audience can do it with them, just like with Hush Hush.
After the performance, there was an MC. Since they were speaking at a normal volume, unlike when they were singing, it was very hard for me to hear with my head condition going on. They seemed to be mostly talking about Sota’s birthday from the parts I could catch, and from just watching the body language, I could tell Sota was being severely trolled during parts of the conversation, but that’s a given. They also asked the audience questions like last time, but the audience was even harder to hear than the group, so I have no idea what any of them said (quality fan account, I know!). However, I was healthy enough to enjoy the feast for the eyes– Yudai and Toru took off the floral jackets right away, and were wearing muscle shirts underneath.
They ended with a performance of new single Kimi Iro. I seriously love the choreography paired with the costume this time– their movements just look so fluid and elegant, and it’s such a suitable song for summer. Even without it being officially released, it’s constantly stuck in my head all the time.
Before the group handshake started, I went over to the present boxes and dropped off everyone’s contributions to the fan project! The boxes were divided by member, so I picked Yudai at random for the group pics– hopefully he’ll share the pictures with the rest of the members!
When I had taken care of that, the members came out for handshakes in their day clothes– Sota won for the cutest with his overalls and Captain America shirt, but Taiki also deserves credit for his adorable hound dog T-Shirt.
Unfortunately, my head fuzziness and hearing issues hadn’t lessened in time for the high five, so I’m not sure if the members said anything to me when I was handshaking with them T^T Still, their big smiles are a good enough memory to carry with me. Even when I’m not in top form, I’m just happy I can be there to rep international fans and remind them that we’re out there!
Next was my longer handshake with Toru. I had prepared a conversation in Japanese, just like I had last time with Yudai: I was going to talk about how amazing having them in San Jose was, and that their international fans love them and hope to have the chance to see them, too. However, it didn’t exactly go as planned… one, because the exact moment I went up to Toru, my ears popped and the sudden improvement to my hearing all at once out of nowhere kind of struck me speechless for a moment ON TOP OF THE FACT that I was staring into Toru’s eyes and I was overwhelmed by that, too. So, because I was kind of caught off guard in the moment, Toru was able to step in and lead the conversation. He also seemed to want to talk to me in English, because when I spoke to him in Japanese, he answered in English instead. Which certainly wasn’t bad, though I am so sorry I couldn’t give them the message I’d intended. I’ll do it next time, or at least give it to them in written form!
Anyways, this is the jist of the conversation:
Me: (suddenly gets my hearing back the moment I look at Toru, and starts gaping and possibly saying something half-English-half-Japanese while taking his hand) Toru: (in English) Hello! Me: Hello! (Uncontainable fan girl noise) (in Japanese) Do you remember meeting in San Jose last year!? Toru: (in English) America fan! You came to Japan? Me: (Gives up and speaks in English) Yes, this year! Toru: (still in English) Why? Me: To teach English! Toru: Here? In Tokyo? Me: Yes! Toru (dramatic shocked face): Wow! Thank you for that! -Staff says time is up-  Toru: (Finally in Japanese) Good luck with your teaching!
After my traditional fan girl cool down time, I realized that the rain clouds were getting worse and since I had run out of water a few hours ago, I seriously needed to hydrate. I went to the train station, and as soon as I was inside, there was a huge clap of thunder and it started POURING. There was luckily an overhang covering the place where the handshake event was happening, but I hope all the a-i still at the event stayed dry!
So that’s my second handshake event! Even though my health could have been better, I still had a great time, and I’m happy I could talk to Toru (though I wish I had invited him to my English lessons)! Next time I’ll aim for a new fan project and hopefully a handshake with Sota, Taiki, or Hayate!
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canbrake8-blog · 5 years
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Vietnam, Part 2
Hitting the road again, or the skies I should say (although we did one bus ride during our trip – more about that later…), we touched down in Da Nang, specifically to visit The Museum of Cham Sculpture, a museum that is not to be missed if you’re in Vietnam.
I forgot all my deities since I stopped doing yoga (such as Ganesha and Shiva, and how one guy got that elephant head, and why Shiva is wearing that snake around their neck – and smiling about it), so it’s good to do a little reading about them before you go to help you understand more about the artifacts in this museum. We took an 8am flight out of Ho Chi Minh airport, landing about an hour later, and taking a taxi right from the airport to the museum, which is only 3km away (I’ve given some tips at the end of the post about using taxis in Vietnam, that are worth noting), so it was easy to get there and spend the morning looking at the remarkable sculptures and friezes, many dating back to the 4th century.
I have the lowest museum attention span in the world, and two hours in this museum was just the right about of time to take it all in. Then I grabbed a Grab to take us to Hoi An, where we spent the next two nights. The old town of Hoi An is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and its traditional architecture is well-preserved, although not overly so. It still has a bit of funk, in spite of quite a few tourists (including us) roaming the streets.
Someone told me Hoi An is the most touristed town in Vietnam and it’d be hard to disagree. At night, the historic old town is jumping with people strolling by, and shops selling stuff, as well as locals offering everything from boat rides and fruit, to silk scarves (the town is known for its silk) and leather sandals. People also come to Hoi An to have suits and clothing made for them, and you’ll find several streets lined with custom tailor shops. Someone told me that if you bring a picture of what you like; a suit, a dress, or a shirt, they’ll make it for you, and have it ready in a day or two. I grew up wearing ties and jackets to school every day, so it takes a pretty compelling reason (or event) to get me into a suit, so I passed, but could have used a few more linen shirts since the ones I brought were splattered with Pho and dragon fruit stains.
Outside of the old town, we found more interesting things than in the old town, like the jumble of housewares being sold on a sidewalk, below, and spa treatments at White Rose Spa. We learned back in Ho Chi Minh City that massages and facials are very inexpensive in Vietnam, and mostly very good, so we’d indulged with our friends there, and now, here. (Note that it’s customary to tip if you had a good treatment.)
In Hoi An, we had a very good meal at Vy’s Market (the lime leaf chicken skewers were particularly good, as was the tofu skin salad), which someone online wrote was “sanitized” street food. It may have been, but we liked it all the same. Very fresh ingredients, nice servers, and tasty. Cao Lau Bale Well (45/3 Train Hung Dao) was recommended by several people (not locals) and while we found the place interesting, the Cao Lau noodles weren’t all that compelling. It was, however, charming, located off a side street in what was probably part of their home. They were also really nice, which made it…fine.
Another meal was at Nu. A sweet little place where the steamed pork buns were good, as was the chili ice cream we had for dessert. You won’t be the only English-speaking people dining there, but we liked it. There’s also a night market with an indoor eating area for street food, which I’d check out if I went back. If you want a taste of Egg Coffee, I had one at Passion Fruit coffee that even my skeptical partner liked. (I tried to compare it to sabayon, but he wasn’t having any of that.)
We stayed at the Vinh Hung Riverside hotel located on the river, not far from the old town, but far enough away so you were a decent distance from the fray. The staff was unfailingly polite and helpful and we had a nice room on the river, although I’d recommend perhaps staying in a room that’s not on the ground floor. I didn’t want to sleep with the door open so we shut everything and turned on the AC. The button on the machine was so bright that it was like a spotlight over us, in the room, which made it a bit difficult to sleep. It wasn’t really hot enough to warrant the AC, but we used it instead of keeping the door open. (Unfortunately, the unit was high on the wall and there wasn’t anything to block the light with, but I just discovered these, and am thinking of traveling with them because so many hotels have appliances and switches with really bright lights. Can people really sleep with all those lights flickering and glowing in the dark?) But we liked the hotel, which had a nice pool, and the breakfast offered a variety of Vietnamese foods and fruits. I gorged on rambutans, mangoes, and passion fruits.
We then took the 2-hour bus to Hue, which ended up taking a little more than 4 1/2 hours. The bus had funny, sort-of lie back seats, which looked appealing when I first saw them, but anyone taller than 5 feet (or who has never done yoga) might feel a bit squished after a while. (Another spoiler: You couldn’t sit upright in the seat, even if you wanted to.) While the bus had pillows, which Romain and some others grabbed for propping themselves up, the driver bellowed at anyone who took one, so they sheepishly put them back. I was okay lying halfway down for an afternoon, although some people were going all the way to Hanoi, and I’m sure they will need a few massage treatments to uncoil them once they arrive.
I hate to post the obligatory “I’m in paradise” shot, especially when so many of you (or us, which now includes me) are back in the cold. But this was a pretty beautiful spot in Hue.
It was our hotel, the Pilgrimage Village. It was located a little out-of-town, but the hotel had a shuttle and cabs were inexpensive (about $3 -4) to take you anywhere you wanted to go. So it wasn’t a problem going back and forth.
I was especially interested in going to the Dong Ba market in Hue. There was a lot to see there, and when our taxi driver dropped us off, he took Romain’s shoulder bag off his shoulder, and wrapped the handles around his neck, letting him know the keep his eyes on his things.
The market is pretty much an all-out assault of foods, spices, people, stuff, cookware, raw meat, kids, hats, seafood, fabric, jewelry, eyeglasses, bins of rice, tropical fruits, and more. Once you’re inside, you’ve pretty much go to go all-in. Even though the electricity seemed to be off in the market, we surged forward with everyone. If you stand still, within seconds, someone will slide past, through the narrow aisles with tables heaped with stuff on either side of you, and while it wasn’t at all dangerous, it’d be pretty easy to lose a billfold if you weren’t mindful of it.
Some people have said that the sellers were very aggressive here, although we didn’t find that to be too much of the case. Like other markets in Vietnam (except for the ones we went to in Ho Chi Minh City, if you stopped to look at anything, or even glance at it, the vendor will do their best to engage you and negotiate a price, even if you don’t really want it. It’s not my preferred way to shop, but that’s the way it’s done. Which was probably better for me anyway, as I didn’t have as so much to lug home. Although those colorful jars of pickled vegetables were certainly tempting!
We did track down the well-known Bun bo Hue (beef soup) stand, which is in the “street food” section of the market. (There’s a story about how to find it here.) We were a little underwhelmed, as the people next to us seemed to be. Maybe it was an off day, but if you look at the Bun bo Hue we had later that evening, two pics down, I’ll let you decide which soup looks better to you.
If you do go to the market in Hue, I would hire a guide, or take a tour of the market with someone who knows it well. It’s pretty overwhelming and there’s a lot of see, and taste, which isn’t so easy to do on your own. It’s definitely one of the great markets I’ve been to in the world, and worth exploring. But there was so much I wanted to know more about, it would have been nice to have someone navigate for us, and explain what things were, like these orange fruits (or vegetables?)
We ate well that night at Tai Phu where the Bun bo Hue (below) was more to my liking.
We also had some good Banh cuon (rice paper rolls) at Tai Phu, and Romain liked his Bun thit (vermicelli noodles with chicken) but the dish of the house seemed to be the pork skewers (nem lui), which came in a plentiful portion with green mango slices, noodles, and herbs, to roll in rice paper.
[A reader who lives in Hue was kind enough to chime in with some local spots for Bun bo Hue – thanks smallhue! – suggesting Bún Cam at 45 Le Loi and Bún Mụ Roi at 14 Nguyen Che Dieu, that she advised getting to before 8am for the best selection of “options,” as she called them. Our hotel had breakfast on a dock under a thatched roof, with unlimited Vietnamese coffees, so I wasn’t leaving there.]
If you eat at Tai Phu, be sure to arrive in the area early and walk around the streets, where an open-air market takes place. It’s pretty laid back, and like all the markets in Vietnam, you want to cry at how beautiful all the fruits and vegetables are, stacked, lined, and piled up. I think it’s called the Ben Ngu market.
The most beautiful meal we had in Vietnam was at a place whose name I forgot (I know…right?) It had a little open-air area within the restaurant, and from the outside, you’d never know such a charming place existed. When I remember the name, I’ll update the post.
However beautiful the meal was, it was a challenge to eat. Absolutely no offense to the restaurant, but the flavors were very, very strong, and hard to describe. I think, like Vegemite, natto, and blue cheese, some things don’t translate outside their culture. I can’t describe it but I felt bad leaving most of it behind. I also wasn’t feeling so great that day, so it was hard to power through a meal of distinctive flavors. But I will say, the others in the restaurant were eating everything and enjoying it, so it was definitely our tastes, and didn’t reflect on the quality (and the beauty) of the food.
We liked eating at HANH, in Hue, the night we arrived, which was recommended by a woman at our hotel. We started with tiny bowls holding steamed rice cakes with fresh shrimp and bits of crunchy pork rinds, which you pry from the bowls with a spoon and eat with fish sauce. I ordered a bottle of what was called “local rice wine” in English on the menu, and out came a 500ml (2 cup) bottle of “Men vodka.”
When I posted a picture on Instagram, one reader noted it was “just awful stuff” and another said, “terrible…unpleasant.” I asked the server if I could exchange it for shochu, which was so strong, I think I lost a few layers of enamel on my teeth trying to, and a couple of layers of my stomach lining, as I didn’t want to be impolite and leave a lot behind. I drank what I could, then chalked it up to a “lesson learned”! Perhaps the kitchen staff enjoyed the rest after their shift.
After returning to Ho Chi Minh City, we didn’t get to go back to Spice, which we really like the first night of our arrival, because it was Tet (New Year’s), which most of the city shuts down, including restaurants.
But we did eat at Quan Bui Garden (in District 2), where you can also buy beautiful contemporary Vietnamese pottery (I brought six plates back), and Restaurant 13, where we liked the beef and onions cooked in vinegar, which you wrap in rice paper rolls at the table, as well as the little crisp rice cakes, with shrimp and scallions, known as Banh Khot (above), which you wrap in leaves and eat.
At Com Nieu Sai Gon there were several families there celebrating Tet, and having a good time. We had jellied pork, crispy fish on rice (above), Caramelized clay Pot pork, and grilled prawns. (The menu had “fake dog meat” on it, which we didn’t order.) We kept hearing plates shatter, while people cheered, and weren’t sure what was happening. But the restaurant bakes rice until a crisp coating forms on the bottoms in small earthenware bowls. The rice is “presented” by smashing the bowl. It’s called Com Dap, and here’s a video of it:
I also met up with pals Marge Perry and David Bonom, who just happened to also be traveling through Vietnam at the same time, for Banh Mi sandwiches from Banh Mie Huynh Hoa, eating them at a local beer garden, whose men’s room was definitely rated R (or maybe X, depending on your sensibilities). I did take photos but worried that they would violate Instagram’s guidelines (and trust me, even after a few decades of living in San Francisco, I thought nothing would shock me), so didn’t publish them anywhere. But David and I are still recovering from it, and even Marge, who I insisted go into the men’s room for a look.
But I don’t want to leave you on that note, as Vietnam was wonderful. Some readers asked me how it was to travel through the country and I thought it was pretty great. On the whole, it was fairly easy to travel there and people were friendly and helpful. The food was very good, it’s not expensive, and the country is small enough so that you can visit several places if you’re there for ten days or so. It’s a country that’s in transition (they’ve gone through a lot), and has some challenges, but it was one of the most exciting places I’ve ever visited and next year, we’re planning to go back.
Here are some tips and suggestions for traveling in Vietnam:
1. Change money when you can. It’s not as easy to change money in Vietnam as it is elsewhere. While there are banks, locals don’t use them, instead preferring to change money elsewhere, if they can. Citibank and HSBC have ATMs which work with western credit cards; some local bank machines don’t work with U.S.-based cards. Citibank and HSBC ATMs are not everywhere, though, so use them when you find them. 
Many places take credit cards in Vietnam, but some places don’t. Taxis have credit card machines but over half the time, the driver told me they weren’t functioning. (One held up a broken wire, to show me.) So have cash available. Also be sure to call your bank before you go, to let them know you’ll be traveling in Vietnam.
2. Carry tissues or napkins. Some restaurants supply them, others have very small squares of wispy-thin paper to use, and others give you a pre-moistened towelette. The food can be saucy (and restrooms don’t always have towels or tissues) so I was glad I have little tissue packets on hand. You should also carry toilet tissue as restrooms don’t always have it.
3. Drink a lot of (bottled) water. The tap water should not be consumed and it’s easy to get dehydrated due to the heat. I was felled for a day with a mild fever, which maybe was attributed to not getting enough water. (Or perhaps something I ate.) While there are drugstores in Vietnam, they are more like counters with a pharmacist and pills are sold individually. Although we didn’t need them, some travelers find they need Immodium or a similar product, which traveling, so I recommend bringing a box along rather than trying to find a box when you’re desperate.
Similarly, you can get sunscreen in Vietnam, but it’s not as widely available as it may be at home. I recommend bringing a bottle or two, especially if you’re planning any beach time.
4. When eating out, especially at the markets or street food stalls, go to places that are crowded with locals. They won’t return to places that don’t have good hygiene. Use common sense when eating at stalls; look at how clean the surrounding area is, how the food is kept, how the food is prepared, and even the condition of the tables, chairs, and dining area. As someone who’s worked in a number of restaurant kitchens, a messy, disorganized place is not the sign of a diligent cook or owner.
At Pho places on the street, I buried the herbs in the hot soup if I thought they may have been washed with non-filtered water. If you’re unsure about the chopsticks, leave them in the boiling-hot soup a short while before using them. The Vietnamese enjoy cold drinks with ice and I drank plenty of drinks with ice, and didn’t have any issues. Most ice is purchased and made with filtered water. But if you have any doubts, skip the ice.
5. If taking a cab, always take a cab with a meter. Our friends who live there said that Vinasun and Mailinh (the green cabs) are two that have meters in them, and I always looked for one of those cabs. In our experience, it’s better to let them use the meter than agree on a fixed fare in advance. (The one time I did that, the ride was 30% more than the metered fare.) Taxis are very inexpensive and the fare from Ho Chi Minh City to or from the airport was around 150,000 VND ($7).
At places like airports, you’ll find nicely dressed guys with badges who will “guide” you from the cab line to a taxi, then tell you what the fare is. Those guys work for specific cab companies and I found it better to ignore them (in spite of their repeated, and sometimes relentless, pleadings…) and just get in a cab that has a meter. 
6. Grab is an Uber-like service that works the same way, via an app, which you can download before you go, but you’ll have to enter your credit card information while you’re in Vietnam. The service works like Uber. Note that you can order a car, or ride on the back of a scooter. (They provide a helmet for you if you choose the scooter option.) I used them a couple of times, including when we were swarmed by very aggressive cab drivers going into a museum (one even followed me around the museum), so I had a Grab driver meet me on the way out, and took his phone number down for future rides.
7. The currency conversion is a little complicated, at least to my non-mathematical brain. At the time of this writing, $1 = 23,000 Vietnamese Dong. There are no coins in Vietnam (yay!), but it’s easy to get confused. (And note that prices on menus and in shops will often be listed as just “230” when the price is 230,000.) I used AppBox Pro for currency conversions.
8. While it’s nice to learn the local language, Vietnamese is a challenge. I’m going to take some basic lessons next time I go, but Google translate was very helpful when I wanted specific information and couldn’t communicate. Some people do speak English, but most cab drivers (etc) don’t, so take a screenshot of an address or write it down (or have someone write it down for you), which helps, especially directions to the hotel. (Note that hotels that have names in English often have a different name in Vietnamese. Ask your hotel in advance to send you that information and print it out to bring with you, for the driver.) I often shared a screenshot with a cab driver of my destination on Google Maps, which they easily understood, too. Restaurants often have menus with pictures, which helps when ordering. 
9. People in Vietnam were quite friendly. I only got scolded once for taking a pic and most people were fine with it. When in doubt, ask first, but most people were surprised that I even asked, a few even posing.
10. SIM cards are super cheap – and my internet was at least four times faster than it is in Paris. (I wanted to bring it back with me!) If you have an unlocked phone, you can pick up a SIM card for a pittance and have internet access while you’re traveling. I got a SIM card at Mobifone and I think I paid the equivalent of $10 for an enormous amount of data. I went to one of their offices and the clerk was super-helpful and she took care of everything, making sure it worked on my phone before I left. Be sure to have a copy of your passport when purchasing a SIM card. (If you go to a currency conversion place, they’ll want to see it, too.)
11. If you travel within the country you’ll likely take VietJet. (The other option are long-distance buses.) Airfares are reasonable but note that they have a very, very restrictive carry-on allowance of only 7kg and if you go over, the supplement is $100. You can buy tickets that have more generous luggage allowance, but our friends who bought our tickets bought the least-expensive, which are how most Vietnamese people seem to fly (carry on only). Every flight we took that left in the afternoon or early evening was delayed for a couple of hours, so don’t schedule things too tight. We also weren’t able to check in online for any of our flights, but the process at the airport isn’t too difficult and the staff at the airports were pretty efficient. 
12. As for what to wear, I recommend dark-colored clothes as the food is a bit messy to eat, especially the soups. I ended up wearing the one dark, short sleeve linen shirt I’d brought most of the time, which was perfect, and I was miffed at myself for bringing light-colored items. It’s normal to wear sandals in Vietnam so bring a pair or two that are already broken in. Many people wear simple, non-fancy rubber sandals, which you can purchase inexpensively in Vietnam. I wasn’t anywhere where I needed to wear shoes, and once I took mine off, I didn’t put them back on until we headed to the airport for the plane home.
Depending on where you’re going, and when, you might want to pack a light sweater and a rain jacket. We only needed summer-weight clothes, but other places get chillier, depending on the latitude and season. Check the local forecast and pack accordingly. Unless you’re going to a formal event, you shouldn’t need any dressy clothes. If you plan to visit religious sites, such as temples and pagodas, men are expected to wear long pants and no tank tops; women should have something to cover bare shoulders, and you may not be admitted to certain places if wearing a short skirt or wear something with a low neckline.
13. If you want to ride a scooter, technically you are supposed to have a Vietnamese driver’s license. Some say that you can use an international driver’s license, but my friends who live there (who have Vietnamese ones) said that wasn’t the case. I rode on the back of my friend’s scooter for two weeks and it was a great way to get around. Some hotel rent bikes and scooters and I would use them, as they’re more familiar with the rules.
14. If you’re interested in cooking Vietnamese food, Andrea Nguyen’s cookbooks are great sources of recipes for Vietnamese dishes. This write-up of 25 Must-Eat Dishes in Saigon is helpful for identifying certain dishes, and where to find them in Ho Chi Minh City and these articles on best Hoi An restaurants and street food have some enticing addresses, too.
15. Lastly, to go to Vietnam, if you are traveling with an American passport, you’ll need a visa. If you search online, you’ll find a lot of websites which are fake visa processing centers. We used Vietnam Visa Center, which was recommended by Lonely Planet, and it worked well. (A friend who goes to Vietnam regularly uses this company.) We paid the extra small fee to have “fast track” service, and have someone meet us upon our arrival at the airport, and take us through. (Update: Several readers noted that Vietnam does have its own website for processing visas electronically. You can also obtain one from a Vietnamese embassy, too.)
For more on my trip to Vietnam, check out my Instagram Stories from Vietnam archived Here and Here, with videos and geo-tagged addresses.
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Source: https://www.davidlebovitz.com/vietnam-part-2-hue-da-nang-hoi-an-phu-quoc-travel/
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