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cheri-translates · 4 years

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Lighthouse (A translated one-shot)

I translated this masterpiece originally written by 白飞飞是我宝贝 on Weibo (with permission)

It’s rare to find a piece of writing that is so immersive and makes the deepest parts of your soul ache. I knew it’d be a tragedy if it isn’t accessible to anyone who doesn’t read Chinese T^T

I’ll be keeping the original writer updated on comments left on this work because she’s the one who deserves all the credit 💕

[1]

Morning sunlight filters in through the curtains and fall on my eyelids, leaving a reddish shadow. I frown slightly, struggling to open my eyes.

Before me are grey curtains and white walls. The familiar yet foreign decor leave me unable to react. I turn over.

My head feels like it's filled with water, and the pain sobers me up a little.

I look at the grey-blue quilt, the grey-blue pillows, and the clean outershirt and T-shirt in the closet...

I shoot up from the bed, ignoring my severe headache. After a quick glance around my surroundings, I finally look down at myself - I’m still in the same outfit as yesterday. Other than it being slightly wrinkled from sleep, not a single button is loose.

Even so... why am I in Gavin’s house?

I get up with some effort, pressing a hand to my head while the other is against the wall, supporting me as I walk out of the room. On the table sits a glass of soy milk, a glass of fresh milk, steam buns, but no Gavin.

Sitting at the dining table, I stare dazedly at the warm milk in front of me.

Maybe my body isn’t fully conscious yet, or maybe yesterday’s hangover has left me a little numb. Today, I don’t feel the irritability and gloom that has been torturing me for almost half a month.

Half a month ago, I broke up with Gavin. I initiated it. To my utmost surprise, he didn't refuse. He simply hesitated for a while, and said “okay” in a hoarse voice.

I take a sip of the milk, suddenly recalling the way a coquettish smile had hung on my lips when I was still with him.

“Gavin, I want to drink the milk you’re holding. Is that okay?”

“It’s not that I dislike soy milk. I like both, so I want to drink it too.”

“But I can’t finish two cups by myself, and I simply enjoy... snatching. Food. From. The. Wolf.”

The tips of Gavin’s ears turn red. With one hand, he grabs me off his body and wraps my entire self into a hug.

Since then, we would always have a cup of soy milk and a cup of milk for breakfast, with both cups placed in front of me.

He would always wait for me to finish my meal before helping himself to the “leftovers”. I would blush and watch as his thin lips casually stick to the cup where my traces still remain. An inexplicable sweetness would fill me, occupying the entire atrium of my heart.

The sudden memories are overwhelming. The knuckles gripping the cup have gone white. After taking a deep breath, I feel the first sting in my heart. I resign myself to my fate, forcing my eyes shut, and let the delayed pain and torment swallow me up whole.

[2]

The phone rings, and I pick it up without checking who the caller is.

"This is Gavin."

In my trance, his classic greeting makes me think we are still together.

“Are you awake? If... you are, there’s breakfast on the table.”

"Why am I in your house?"

My voice sounds strangely hoarse and terrible, like a broken bellow.

"You drank too much yesterday. Minor called me. Your doors and windows were shut, ahem, so...”

"Oh,” my voice is a little dry. “I see, thank you.”

We’re already adults, and even used to be lovers who were attached at the hip. Simply spending a night at his house doesn't warrant me to cause a scene.

What’s more, he is Gavin - the Gavin who has never made things difficult for others.

After finishing breakfast hastily, I tidy the table. I pretend not to see the matching teacups on cabinet. My eyes tremble slightly when they sweep past by the photos we took together.

Before leaving, I walk to the shelf behind the door to retrieve the key out of sheer habit. When my finger touches the ginkgo leaf pendant, I shirk backwards.

When I spot the two pairs of cotton slippers - one large and one small - in the shoe cabinet, I feel my heartstring finally snap, and I collapse against the wall.

The memories in these details are truly terrifying. Donning a harmless appearance, they slowly tear down the defences I had constructed with great difficulty.

These two pairs of cotton slippers were purchased during our early days as a couple. I still remember that it was the first time I saw a sick Gavin. He was leaning against the wall of the hallway - just as I am doing now - his soft bangs covering his tired eyes.

Trying a new menu in the kitchen, I suddenly feel a searing chest pressed against my back. His chin rests lazily in the crook of my neck, and the warm breath exhaled from his nose reddens my cheeks.

"Gavin? Why are you back so early today?" I try to ignore my rapid heartbeat, and my speed of cutting the vegetables slows down significantly.

He rubs his head against my shoulder and responds in a muffled voice:

“Dizzy.”

Only then do I notice his abnormally high body temperature. After hastily washing my hands and wiping my apron twice, I place my hand on his forehead.

He lowers his head obediently and lifts up his bangs, revealing delicate eyebrows. The amber eyes underneath are unnaturally moist, and remind me of a deer in a forest - pure and gentle.

“What happened? Why are you burning up so badly?”

I frown and pull him out of the kitchen, then press him onto the bed without giving him a chance to refuse.

When I was sick as a child, my dad would always tuck me in tightly. Although it was very hot, I would feel much better after sweating it out. So I also tuck the white quilt around Gavin’s neck. He is very cooperative, but his bright eyes remain wide open and he stares at me without blinking.

"What are you looking at? Close your eyes and go to sleep!" I pretend to be angry. However, upon seeing the abnormal flush on his face and the obvious tiredness between his eyebrows, my heart softens. "Well, you should have a good rest if you’re sick. I'll cook some porridge for you. Take your medicine after eating it, okay?"

My tone sounds as though I’m pacifying a child. After hearing this, a bright smile appears in his eyes. After a long time, he responds lazily with an “okay”.

But his actions are not as obedient as his words. While I’m busy cooking porridge, he walks out of the bedroom again and hugs me from behind without saying a word, like a huge koala.

Clearly, a sick Gavin and a normal Gavin are two completely different people. For the first time, I realise that this man, who is unafraid of dying in a shower of bullets, can actually be coquettish to such a degree.

I shake his hand away angrily, but he responds by lifting me up and striding over to the sofa.

"Gavin! What are you doing!" I instinctively want to pound on his shoulder, but when I think about how he’s still sick, I stop myself. The only thing I can do is raise my voice to sound agitated.

He places me on the sofa, then leans against me lazily, his strong arms wrapping around my waist, breathing in the scent of my hair.

"Can you keep me company?" The cold has made his voice deeper, as if a handful of sand has been sprinkled into his voice. "I feel terrible.”

With these few words, the anger that was about to flare vanishes. My heart softens and feels numb, as though there are ants crawling through it.

“...okay, I'll stay with you."

He falls asleep on my shoulder in under five minutes. He must have been really tired. I lay him down carefully on the sofa and pull a blanket over him.

At this moment, Gavin, who is more than 1.8 meters tall, is curled up on the sofa looking aggrieved and haggard. The blanket isn’t large enough to cover his feet, and I realise that he has been walking around barefoot.

Although the weather has begun to warm up during this time of year, it’s easy to fall sick between spring and summer. He once dragged me home because I didn’t wear a jacket. But when it comes to himself, he isn’t as meticulous.

Treading quietly, I leave the house to buy food items from the supermarket downstairs. I also stop by the living area to pick out two pairs of slippers - one big and one small, one blue and one pink, with a wolf and a bunny printed on them.

They feel soft and warm, and are very comfortable.

When I reach home, I’m wrapped in a familiar embrace as soon as I open the door. I hear a voice filled with grievances from above my head.

“Where did you go? Why didn't you tell me?"

I break free from his embrace. Lowering my head, I see that he’s still barefoot.

"I went out to get groceries. I’ll make you porridge with preserved eggs and lean meat tonight."

I kneel down, retrieve the newly bought slippers from the bag. Without looking up, I command:

“Lift your feet.”

Gavin puts them on obediently. I stand up and look at him. “How are they? Do they fit?”

His ears are ridiculously red. He blinks gently.

“Are these for me?”

"Yes, my Mr Wolf."

I reply casually, carrying the ingredients into the kitchen.

Gavin finally settles down peacefully, sitting on the sofa obediently and waiting for my food. Most of the porridge that day ends up in his stomach. After taking the anti-fever medicine, he encases me in his arms and turns the lights off early.

His breathing is especially clear in the dark, and is tainted with scorching heat, ironing the back of my neck in a regular pattern. I can’t bear the numbness and move slightly, but the man behind me holds me even more tightly. I can’t fathom where this sick person derives his strength from. I can't break away at all.

"Thank you for today," I hear him say suddenly, with a slightly hoarse voice that sounds particularly sultry in the quiet night. "I liked the preserved egg and lean meat porridge you made, I liked the slippers you gave me, and... ahem, anyway, thank you."

I chuckle, rolling over in his arms. I raise my head to meet his crystal-clear eyes in the dim night.

"No need to thank me, Mr Gavin. Because I like you the most."

[3]

When I awake from the memory, I hear the rattle of a key coming from outside the door. Feeling flustered, I have no idea where to put my hands and feet. In the next second, I meet the bright amber eyes from my memory once again.

Holding a bag of vegetables in his hand, he stands quietly at the door, looking at me silently. When his eyes trail to the high heels on my feet, his brows furrow slightly.

I bite my lip and break the awkward silence. "Thank you for yesterday. I won’t bother you further. Goodbye.”

I give him a nod. Before I can step outside, he blocks the way.

Lifting my head, I look at him with a puzzled expression. His neck muscles are tense, and his lips are pressed into a line. The morning light falls on his handsome side profile, softening his sharp features.

"Your complexion looks bad. Rest for a while, and don't force yourself.”

Perhaps I have yet to sober up completely, because I find myself agreeing awkwardly. I change my shoes again and sit down on the sofa. Taking a deep breath, I try to ignore the faint pain from my temples.

Gavin pours me a cup of hot water. I hold it in my palm and say mindlessly, "I didn't expect that I would be a guest here one day."

Gavin pauses, and he says nothing.

After retrieving two tomatoes and a piece of tofu from the bag, he walks into the kitchen, which is pretty much a decorative piece to him.

I arch my eyebrows in surprise. When I hear the stove turning on, I walk over with curiosity.

Gavin has his back towards me, surrounded by sliced tomatoes and tofu, and a bowl of beaten eggs. At a glance, there are no eggshells in it. He flips through a booklet and follows the steps in it meticulously.

I probably guessed what he wanted to do. When he finally stretches out his hand to take the sugar, I stop him in the nick of time. "Gavin, that’s white sugar. The salt is over there.

His stiffens, the tips of his ears turning redder than the tomatoes in the pot.

Once the soup is prepared, he ladles it into a bowl and brings it to me.

"Drink a bowl. It’d help you sober up.” His voice is a little soft and obviously lacking in confidence. "I tried it just now... ahem, it's not bad...”

I smile and take the egg drop soup from his hand. Stirring the soup with a spoon causes bright red tomatoes to bob around. The aroma of green onions instantly dispels the smell of alcohol stuffing my nose.

I take a sip. It really doesn’t taste bad.

But I can’t understand why such a delicious soup makes me feel as though I’m drinking something bitter.

I stand at the door of the kitchen, taking slow sips. When I can almost see the bottom of the bowl, I force myself to laugh.

"Is this the former police officer who only knew takeaway food and instant noodles? This cooking is a great leap forward."

The brightness in his eyes dims for a moment, and he responds with a hint of self-mockery. "I’m used to your cooking, so I can no longer eat takeaway food or instant noodles. The only thing I can do now is learn to make it myself.”

I’m left stunned, not expecting that he would say this. He turns back to the kitchen to wash the pots and bowls. I watch his tall figure in a daze, and am suddenly swept up into a whirlpool of memories.

While heading to the supermarket, I turn my head to Gavin and ask him a question.

“Gavin, what do you like to eat?”

He responds with a faint smile. “Anything. As long as you make it, I will love it.”

I know Gavin always puts me first, and that I would get nowhere if I continued down this line of questioning. I simply change my approach.

“What do you usually eat then?”

After thinking about it carefully, he says, “STF doesn’t have a canteen. I usually eat at a restaurant outside, or have instant noodles. I'm not a picky eater, so it’s fine as long as I can fill my stomach.”

I know that he works hard, but I’m still a little angry at his living habits.

“Without me around, would you be eating instant noodles your entire life?”

When he sees me suddenly frowning, his tone gets slightly flustered.

“I...”

“Hmph, in order to punish you, I’ve decided that..." I reach out angrily and pick out a Chinese cabbage from the freezer. "You have to clear the entire plate tonight, and my boxed lunches in future! Eat well, sleep well, and take care of yourself. Do you understand!”

There is a smile in his amber eyes, and the corners of his mouth rise a little. In the end, he rubs my hair with some helplessness, and obediently says, "okay.”

Bang.

The sound of the cabinet door closing shut pulls me back to reality. When I meet his eyes, I hurriedly conceal my dazed expression.

“Thank you. I just remembered that I still have things to do at the company, so I’ll make a move.”

I walk towards the entrance, slightly embarrassed.

When I hear him call my name, I stop.

"Can we talk?”

I stand frozen in place, all the blood draining away the warmth from my heart. It isn’t until I’m surrounded by a broad embrace that I can eventually hear my heart beating again.

Gavin always liked hugging me from behind the most, hanging his head by the side of my ears, his soft sideburns on my face. I would hear his unhurried, gentle breathing.

Just like right now. My back leans against his hard chest, his body temperature wrapping me in a thin cloak. The arms on my waist are strong, and there’s a new scar on it.

The familiar heartache sweeps across me again, unbridled. Before I can react, I hear a breath near my ears.

"If Minor didn’t call me, would I have had no chance to see you again?"

[4]

I ruminated over why Gavin and I broke up. It always came back to a cliche term - unsuitable.

I’m the boss of a small company, living a standard 9 to 5 life. Although I sometimes work overtime, my life has a fairly regular pattern.

Gavin is a special officer who has no fixed working hours. He runs off whenever there’s danger, and we often lose contact. The longest time we’ve been apart was for nearly a month, and the only communication we had spanned only ten minutes. Most of the time, I was asking, “Is there a signal? Can you hear me?”

But I never felt that our professional life was an obstacle in our love. On the contrary, it was precisely because of our intersecting schedules that I cherished the time with him even more.

It's just...

When I learned that he had a vacation on the 520 during our early days together as a couple, I excitedly made a travel plan for an overnight stay at the beach.

There was a filming site of a movie that I particularly liked. I lay in his arms enthusiastically and described the reeds, the lighthouse, and the ocean where the first light of day could be seen. Gavin had smiled and listened to me, then dropped a kiss on my forehead.

But when the time came, I went there alone.

He had received an urgent task suddenly. After hesitating for a while, he wanted to call and decline. However, I held his phone and shook my head at him. "It's okay, go.”

Then, it was the first Qixi Festival we celebrated together. Gavin had specially adjusted his schedule to keep me company. That day, we walked through the ancient streets lined with lanterns while holding hands. We released a small paper boat by the river together. We also watched a sweet and romantic movie. He watched me smile, our fingers clasped together, warm and powerful.

But when I got up in the morning the very next day, I saw Gavin seated on the sofa with his head down. I whispered his name, and he raised his head to look at me. His eyes were moist and red, and his usually clear voice was hoarse.

"The teammate who swapped shifts with me yesterday met with an accident during the mission... if it weren’t for me, he would have been fine now...”

I held his hand distressedly and comforted him. It wasn’t his fault. But when I saw the pain in his eyes, I knew that he would shoulder everything himself, and that he would carry on with this self-blame and guilt.

After that, Gavin became more frequently tasked with missions, and became more frequently injured. In addition to distress, I also felt helpless.

Then came the Spring Festival. He had accompanied me to my aunt’s house. He wasn’t very good with talking, and his body had unconcealed wounds. My aunt’s expression gradually morphed from enthusiasm to politeness.

My aunt dragged me to the kitchen and asked me solemnly, in a low voice.

"What does he do? Special police? You know this kind of work is dangerous! Should you marry him in the future, what if... and I’m saying ‘what if’... what if something goes wrong? What would you do?”

I tightened my cuffs, took a deep breath, and said, "Aunt, no matter how dangerous his work is, or how dissatisfied you are with him, he is the person I’ve decided on, and I love him very much.”

My aunt frowned and looked at me. She sighed slowly. "Silly child, you’ll understand later on that the most important thing in marriage is not love, but suitability. Love is just one condiment in life, and life is a big dish. It needs the right dishes to match, supplemented by condiments, in order to have an excellent and delicious presentation."

“I’m not trying to nag at you. I just want you to think this through carefully. I know that Gavin is a good boy, and I can see how much he cares for you. But I can also see that you don’t look as happy as before. I just hope you young ones can live happily.”

After returning home that day, my aunt’s words continued echoing in my ears. I didn’t want to accept my somewhat shaky reality.

In countless nights without Gavin, I lay in bed and stared at the ceiling in a daze. What flashed before my eyes were Gavin’s scars. He never took the initiative to tell me about his injuries, and never mentioned the danger of his missions.

His solemn and stern eyes told me that every “I’m fine” from his lips had no credibility.

With time after time of heartaches and disappointments, I seemed to suddenly understand what my aunt said.

When he flips through the medicine cabinet in the living room again in the middle of the night, I walk out of the bedroom and turn the lights on with a “click”.

At first, he’s surprised. Then, he starts panicking as he tries to hide the scar on his left shoulder. Without a word, I take out the hard iodine and gauze from the medicine box, carefully remove the his bloodstained clothes, and gently clean up the wound little by little.

This time, the wound isn’t deep, but there is a lot of bleeding. I squat down in front of him, the hand holding the tweezers trembling slightly. In contrast, my words are calm.

"Gavin. Do you know that if I were your teammate, I definitely wouldn't want to see you in this sorry state? It’s only when you take care of yourself that you can protect even more people.”

I throw the napkin away and wrap the gauze around his arm. His muscles are smooth and tight. Even though I’ve seen it so many times, it still gives me heart palpitations.

"In the future, you have to protect yourself well, understand? Don't let the people who love you feel scared all day. This kind of torture is even more unbearable than physical injuries.”

I tie a neat knot, then sit beside him, hugging him gently. His amber eyes flicker, and within them are waves of pain and struggle.

"Gavin.”

I lean my head on his shoulder, closing my eyes and memorising the warmth of his body.

"Let’s break up.”

[5]

I break free from Gavin’s embrace and leave his house in a hurry after leaving him with a sentence:

“Don't follow me.”

I run in a hurry, because I know that if I hesitate for a second longer, I will fall into his arms completely and become unable to extricate myself.

It's ridiculous.

Even though I keep reminding myself that we have already broken up, I still love his warmth.

The drinks were really worthless. If it weren't for this hangover, I wouldn’t have been so embarrassed, and I wouldn’t have been so easily defeated by mere memories and a hug.

I take a taxi and return home.

The moment I close the door, I finally remove all my forbearances. I throw myself onto the sofa and raise an arm to cover my eyes. Tears trickle down the corners of my eyes, silent and endless.

[6]

I must have been crazy to agree to Minor’s invitation to attend the high school reunion. When I see the tall figure walking into the banquet hall, my instinctive reaction is to flee.

But standing next to me is an old friend. He’s chatting about the past enthusiastically, and I have no choice but to remain still and nod along in agreement.

Gavin’s appearance is akin to throwing a boulder on calm water, and the ripples caused by the waves spread through the entire banquet hall, including my heart.

Although he should have already spotted me, he doesn't talk to me. Instead, he sits two spaces away. His expression is cold and fierce, as though he has come to participate in a serious operation.

No one dared to approach him in high school, and this has remained true even now. To outsiders, he is a lone wolf - indifferent and arrogant, causing everyone to retreat from him.

I used to see him in the same light, but everything that occurred later overthrew these myopic impressions. I discovered the softness and delicateness hiding under his hard shell.

“Hey, what's the matter with you? Why are you distracted all the time?"

My old friend waves his hand in front of me, and I apologise with a bit of embarrassment.

After saying a few more words, he suddenly asks, "Do you have a boyfriend now?"

Hearing this, I choke on my red wine. In the corner, Gavin seems to be frowning at me, his amber eyes bright and scorching, making me subconsciously want to escape.

I avert my eyes and shake my head. "No."

He becomes a little more interested then, changing the topic from high school to the present.

"Let me tell you - I’m working at LFG now and have bought a car and paid the down payment for a house. Also, my parents don’t live with me, so if you’re...”

"Are you done?” A cold voice interrupts him. My heart trembles and I raise my head, only to see Gavin's cold glare.

At this moment, nearly half of the eyes in the hall are focused on our conversation. Looking like he doesn’t care about anything, Gavin grabs my arm and pulls me out of the room. I can’t escape from his grasp, and feel frustrated by his inexplicable behaviour.

He takes me to a small balcony outside the hall, then imprisons me between the wall and his chest. He looks down at me, brows furrowed deeply. There’s an unconcealed anger in his eyes.

"What are you doing?” I question, unwilling to look at him directly.

The reply I get is a kiss that plunders everything.

His lips press against mine roughly, and his unique scent overwhelms me. There is a collision and friction between our lips and teeth, and there is pain.

It’s an uncontrolled plunder and invasion.

He doesn’t let me go until my last breath is violently swept away. I pant heavily, but he embraces me in the next second.

This time, his embrace is gentle.

It’s careful, as if he’s protecting a fragile glass flower. His heavy breath brushes my neck, mingling with his low and trembling voice.

"I'm sorry."

[7]

I don’t deny that I lived a terrible life in the half month after separating from him.

I worked overtime every day, letting work fill all the gaps in my life. I didn’t give myself a chance to relax at all, because it only takes a second for pain and regret to gnaw away at me.

Minor has been secretly reporting my life to Gavin. I knew that. But I never thought of stopping him, and a ridiculous expectation even started brimming in my heart.

I wondered if there would be a night, when the lights of the city begin to fade, when he would appear in front of me as he used to. He would wrinkle his beautiful eyebrows and gently bring me into his arms. With a slight touch of reproach, he would ask resignedly, “Why are you working overtime again?”

I also wondered if he would push the office door open anxiously when I’m stricken with another stomach ailment, picking me up sideways without a word. The expression on his face back then was full of anger, but the stream of light in his eyes magnified his distress and tenderness infinitely.

I also wondered, when I have finished my work for the day and am leaning against the wall of the elevator and staring at the changing floors, whether I’d see him as soon as I open the door.

If he did show up, I would put everything down and leap into his arms, and tell him over and over again that I love him.

But in the half month since our break up, he never appeared once.

This city is so large that even if two people were once intimate, they may miss each other for a lifetime if they don’t stay in touch.

So I started to waver again. Why did I live even more unhappily after listening to what my aunt said?

Why is it that once the seasoning of love is no longer part of this big dish of life, the entire thing tastes like wax?

I don't understand - would I be happier finding someone I’m suitable with but do not love, or consume each other’s love and embrace the friction?

Deep down, I know that if I could abandon everything and make a choice, I would choose the latter without hesitation.

At least, my life as of now tells me very clearly that the decision I made was wrong.

And this mistake has tortured the both of us beyond recognition.

[8]

My back is extremely tense and feels like a fully stretched bow.

The hands around my waist move slightly, and Gavin’s voice falls on my ears, drawing intense pain from my heart.

With every breath, I can only smell the scent of his body and the sweet aroma of red wine from just now.

Over his shoulders, I see the bright, brilliant, erosive, and prosperous city. Trapped inside are people all sentenced to life.

I know that I’m one of them.

Without warning, tears trickle from the corners of my eyes, leaving streaks of cold water on my face.

In my increasingly fuzzy and hot vision, I see Gavin’s somewhat flustered expression. He gently wipes away my tears with his rough finger pads.

Those eyes, full of anxiety, become the only lighthouse within reach.

It seems that as long as I look at him, I will never lose my way.

After a few small sobs, I rush into his arms without a care. I pull at the corners of his clothes and cry until his white T-shirt becomes damp.

He comforts me clumsily, his hands caressing my hair in exchange for the string of muffled "sorry"s flowing from my mouth.

[9]

I called my aunt.

"Aunt, is suitability really that important in life?"

"Silly child, suitability is very important. But more importantly, are you happy?"

“What if I’m with someone who I’m not suitable with, but I feel happy?”

"Then he might be the most suitable person for you.”

[10]

I stand at the door of the STF office, holding a boxed lunch and looking outside.

An officer who recognises me greets me with a smile. "Is sister-in-law giving Gavin food again? Just go in and wait. The team is already on their way back.

I smile and nod. “It doesn't matter. Waiting over here is the same thing.”

Another colleague pats him on the shoulder, as if laughing at his stupidity. "What would you know, you single loner? Sister-in-law wants to see Gavin sooner!"

I blush, and suddenly see a familiar profile coming in through the door.

The faint light of dusk outlines his wide shoulders and narrow waist, depicting his side profile clearly. Seeing me, the solemnity and coldness on his face melts into a pool of spring water.

"What are you doing here? Didn't I say you should wait for me at home?"

He walks up to me and takes what’s in my hand, his tone brisk and clear.

I crinkle my eyes and smile, saying, "I’m off work early today, and came over since I have nothing to do.”

We walk all the way to his office. Opening the boxed lunch, he sees that it contains his favourite dishes.

Gavin takes a whiff in a slightly exaggerated manner, then smiles. "Mm, smells good.”

I quickly hand him the chopsticks. He picks up a piece of beef and brings it into his mouth. After swallowing it, he lowers his eyes and smiles. "I get to eat the food you cook after my mission. I suddenly don't feel tired at all.”

I feel a twinge in my heart. I huff nonchalantly and respond. "If you like it, I’ll prepare and bring you boxed lunches in the future.”

"No need." He reaches out and tousles my hair. "Be good and wait for me at home. Just knowing that you’re at home makes me feel very contented.”

After work, we walk home together hand in hand. The setting sun filters through the uneven skyline of the city, elongating our shadows.

The summer evening breeze carries the scent of camphor trees across my face, and the temperature of the day finally reveals a tired and lazy side. Dim light reaches the world through the clouds drifting in the sky, bringing a certain tenderness to this steely city.

"Gavin?" I turn my head to look at the man wearing a smile on his mouth, and happen to meet his clear eyes.

"What's the matter?"

"Your birthday is coming soon. Are there any gifts you want?”

"Anyth-"

“You’re not allowed to say ‘anything’!" I interrupt him with a glare, giving his palm a forceful squeeze.

He smiles compromisingly, and his eyes seem to be filled with scattered gold.

"Then teach me how to cook a meal. I hope one day in the future, you can return home from work and eat a meal I’ve prepared.”

I’m momentarily startled, and suddenly remember what my aunt said -

"Then he might be the most suitable person for you.”

I have thought about this question of suitability many, many times. Just like the “unity of opposites” in philosophy, I simply can’t make sense of it. But no one has ever told me that this question doesn’t require thinking. The answer has always been in my heart, and the clues to finding the answer have been scattered throughout my life.

Even the most trivial things in life carries memories belonging only to us. And these small and plain memories will gather into a surging tide when you least expect it, washing away the dust covering the answer in one’s heart.

Perhaps there has never been such a thing as “unsuitable” to begin with. This so-called “unsuitable” is just used by people looking for an excuse to part ways.

A breeze blows past, and ripples appear on the lake in my heart. When I look at him again, I suddenly feel light and happy both physically and mentally, and that nothing could come between the both of us.

With a big smile, I say, "Okay! I’ll leave the birthday party to you then, Mr Gavin.”

He chuckles softly, his bangs a little messy from the evening breeze. "I will learn properly, and won’t disappoint you.”

The sunset finally sinks behind the tall buildings. Neon lights and vehicle headlights begin to flicker, and the dim yellow streetlights on the side of the road replace the sunset, continuing to illuminate the long road.

I know that he will hold my hand as we walk, step by step, slowly and steadily, along this path home.

#mlqc #mlqc gavin

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shimeiro · 3 years

Text

1- Jean Jacket (Maxwell Lord x Fem!Reader

- Part 1 - Maxwell Lord x Fem!Reader

┃Next Part┃- ┃Masterlist┃

( a / n : I don't know if it's my love for clothes in vintage thrift stores that made me create this story or just my love for that asshole Maxwell but ... Yeah, we'll all see how it goes I guess? (Alistair does not exist in this story so no Father Max sorryyyy) )

Warnings : None ?

Words : 2275

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

Your life was rather quiet and pleasant, you like your job as a saleswoman in a big and quite famous second-hand store in the neighborhood, the vintage clothes are in good condition and the stock is renewed every day so new pieces from the 60's to the 90's make their appearance on the shelves and the hangers of the store full of clothes, Shoes, accessories... Your status as a saleswoman gives you the right to be one step ahead of the store's regulars to choose clothes you like for half the price and that alone makes your job so nice. Just yesterday you managed to find a real denim jacket from the 80's, and as everyone in this store knows: each piece is unique and when you manage to find something you like it becomes a bit of a treasure just for you because no one will find exactly the same thing in the whole store.

Today you decided to come to work with your new jacket, it's a little big for you but the oversize side is very fashionable at the moment, your work doesn't require a proper outfit and the boss himself wears very extravagant and colorful outfits, this man is adorable and full of life which makes the atmosphere at work great. So, your outfit of the day consisting of a black strapless crop top in fabric that holds your breasts does not leave much to the imagination because you are not wearing a bra underneath - necessarily a bustier. - but more and more women do not wear a bra and you're lucky that you don't have boobs that don't necessarily require a bra so you take advantage.

But for some people it seems vulgar even though it's summer and the sun is scorching outside and yes women can wear crop tops and no bra, but with your jacket and your high waist jeans that hide your belly button make the outfit modern and vintage at the same time with your wedge ankle boots found a month ago at the bottom of a cardboard box in the store's reserve. But if this is really neccesary you can close your jacket if you feel that some men will become too... agressive in front of a bar when you come home tonight. Women life...

You feel especially pretty today thanks to your new jacket, the new clothes have the power to make you happy the first time you wear them so you walk confidently towards work while the soft air of the sunny summer morning makes a few strands of your hair twirl to the rhythm of your steps while the music in your headphones makes the street atmosphere you taking every day almost magical.

A strange feeling has been gripping your heart since you left home, it feels like some kind of strange nostalgia and you can't really understand why you suddenly feel this way for no apparent reason, maybe it's because when you left home and put your hand in the pocket of your new jacket you found a small piece of paper yellowed by the years, you immediately found it strange because normally when the clothes arrive at the store they are cleaned because most of the clothes come from people who give them to the store to resell them because they used to clutter up their parents' or grandparents' attics or garages sometimes. So finding a paper in a pocket of your jacket is surprising but not impossible.

But when you carefully unfold the little piece of paper it is the sentence written on it that stirred something in you, it's just a few words written with a black pen:

« Can't Take My Eyes off You. » It's the lyrics of an old song but you felt something strange while reading the paper, maybe it's because of your small - big - hypersensitivity and your romantic side but since reading this old paper - which was clearly meant for the former owner of the denim jacket - you feel this strange feeling. You get out of your thoughts when the music you are listening to ends and another one randomly launches from the playlist in your phone but the earphones start to sizzle in an unusual way, you sigh with annoyance because you bought them no more than two weeks ago, and having music while walking alone outside has become almost more of a necessity than a habit, Having music in your ears almost makes you feel like you're in another world when you're walking and it makes you forget your slight discomfort when you find yourself in crowded streets or a bus full of strangers invading your personal space.

Suddenly you feel a violent vertigo that forces you to stop walking and your earphones sizzle even louder so you have to quickly remove them from your ears before they pierce your eardrums or something like that. You open your eyes gently and don't even notice that you closed them first, your head spins a little and you feel a little nauseous for a few more seconds and then the world stabilizes again and you look around you with incomprehension, you don't know at all the street you're on right now.

You look frantically from left to right hoping to find something familiar, a store, a café, a sign, anything that would help you find your way, but you find yourself in a big, completely unknown avenue that doesn't even look like an avenue that the city where you live might have. You feel your body warmth rise a notch when panic starts to creep into your mind when you realize that absolutely everything seems unknown, the cars are all old American cars, the people walking down the street all seem to be going out in old fashion stores from the 80's, even their hairstyles.

You feel like you're in a movie.

Your brain rushes to try to rationalize the situation you're in to try to prevent you from having a panic attack in the middle of a street crowded with people looking at you weirdly, if only you had your headphones and relaxing music to make you think about something else ... But yes your phone! A wave of relief comes over you when you take your phone out of the back pocket of your jeans, just having it in your hands right now makes you want to cry with joy, you quickly retreat until your back is against the wall of a building and you are no longer in the passage of the street crowded with people who look at you as if you had a second head. You don't even look at the building you're leaning against and you quickly press the button on your phone to turn it on, but once the screen lights up he flashes frantically it's impossible to unlock it and call someone.

« What the hell ... Please ..! » You whisper in a trembling voice as you feel your breath accelerating, the stupid phone has absolutely no mercy for you even though you desperately try to make it work properly by turning it on and off, You have a glimmer of hope when the image on your wallpaper - an adorable picture of Mando with his green baby from The Mandalorian series - stabilizes enough for you to unlock it and access your contacts, you were going to text your position to your colleague and friend Daisy to beg her to come and pick you up in car but suddenly the screen goes completely off and you can't turn it back on.

« No no no no no no no… » You swear that you can feel your heart stop beating for a few moments because of the black screen of your only hope in this nightmare. Yes nightmare, you must certainly be in full dream and you will wake up nice and warm in your bed and Roucky your long-haired red cat will come and purr in your ear for you to wake up and give him food and then ... You are startled when you hear someone clearing their throat insistently right in front of you, it must have been a little while that person has been trying to get your attention and you hadn't even noticed their presence. You raise your head gently with a little smile on your lips to try to hide your internal panic, a salesperson reflex when you are lost in your thoughts while a customer wanted to attract your attention. But your smile fades when you finally see the person right in front of you with his arms crossed over a large chest dressed in a three-piece sky-blue suit, a smirk on his lips and an eyebrow raised in a questioning manner. Maxwell Lord.

Wait...

Maxwell Lord?!

What the fuck ?!

He is literally a fictional character who is played by your favorite actor Pedro Pascal, and he is there in front of you and his deep brown eyes are staring at you with a kind of fun and curiosity not hidden, you it looks strongly like a dream but everything seems far too realistic in a same time, you can smell his masculine perfume and certainly the smell of his aftershave if he was even closer, you hear the noise of the passers-by behind him. Yeah It's really much too realistic.

Instinctively you look down on the hand that is not holding your phone to observe the palm of your hand and your fingers, usually when you have a doubt in a dream about the reality of the situation you are in and if you are in a dream your hand will be anything but normal, a finger in addition or something else and after that you know that you are in a dream what leads you to make a lucid dream and thus to be able to control more or less the continuation of your dream, it is besides often amusing but there your hand is completely normal even if you fix it for a long time.

« Mmh, it's the first time a woman has ignored me like this. »

You quickly raise your head and open your eyes, and Pedr-Maxwell still looks at you, but this time his hands are in his pants pockets.

« Oh- I'm sorry I'm... I'm... in need of sugar! So- I almost fainted so uh... I'm slowly coming to my senses? So... I'm gonna go buy a sugary drink and... I'll feel better. »

You're aware your voice shakes at times when you tell your half lie to the beautiful man in front of you, you almost fainted when you... landed here. But you weren't going to tell him that you were technically from the future, were you? But this world doesn't really exist because it's from a movie but... Yeah...?

You probably had to convince him with your lost and panicked look and his brown eyes seem to soften slightly he looks at you from top to bottom - maybe lingering too much on your black top - then he looks on your phone that you still hold in your right hand, he looks at it curiously but he doesn't say anything and then his eyes go back to your face, it's really weird to see her in front of you after the fanfictions you read about him when you haven't even seen the movie Wonder Woman 1984, in fact the whole situation is weird, you always laughed and said to yourself that if you were in the world of one of the characters you love and you met him you might try to be enterprising and enjoy the moment but right now you're just completely lost and scared.

« Need sugar huh? My assistant was going to get me a coffee, » He takes his left hand out of his pocket and makes a lazy wave with his hand, the gold rings on his fingers shine with the sun's rays, barely he make his gesture a beautiful blonde woman with curves worthy of the muse of an expensive lingerie brand appear next to him.

« Yes Mr. Lord? »

« Usual coffee and something with sugar. »

Her assistant seems slightly irritated when she looks in your direction but she picks herself up when she looks at her boss again.

« What kind of sweet thing Mr. Lord? »

Her tone leaves a kind of innuendo, and you can imagine that as in some fanfictions you read Maxwell must fuck his assistants out of ease, and this beautiful woman with perfect breasts must surely be one of them, Maxwell doesn't pick up the innuendo and doesn't even look at her.

« You bring it back to my office in 5 minutes. »

She stutters a little: "Yes Mr. Lord" while throwing you a murderous look as if it was your fault that her boss was like that, but you are not irritated or hurt by the look of this assistant you are just still in the fog, maybe you really have something sweet finally to clear your mind a bit.

You feel knuckles brushing against your cheek, Maxwell freezes when you look up at his face and his eyes darken for a split second and then he clears his throat and quickly removes the hand that just brushed against your face.

« Follow me, I wouldn't want a young woman to pass out in front of the Lord Industry building. »

You hadn't even paid attention to the building right behind you in your panic to try to get out of this situation but now you've drawn Maxwell Lord's attention and you don't know if it's a good thing in the supernatural situation you're in.

#maxwell lord #maxwell lord x reader #maxwell lord x you #ww84 #wonder woman 1984 #pedro pascal characters #pedro pascal fandom #maxwell lord fanfiction #fanfiction #no y/n #no spoilers #i haven't seen the movie #no canon

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zigbaby-blog · 6 years

Text

AU: Bad Boys | Part 1

Book: His

Characters: The Freshman

Pairing: Zig x MC (Eunice)

Summary: It’s the last year of high school. Eunice meets someone who may make or break her life.

Author’s note: I incorporated part of the plot from the story, His, as I quite liked it except its character development and conclusion. Hence I figured I’d put The Freshman characters in an alternate universe with a new MC. Hope y’all enjoy Zig in a different world xx

Morning sun lit the entire landscape blindingly, immensely hot; laid a girl in a low cut bathing suit on the cool grass at her porch. Blue-dyed hair with the ends wavy, slightly longer than shoulder length - Eunice attempted to get a flattering tan from the last rays of summer. But among the soothing tune playing on her iPod and the occasional soft purr from a random stray cat, came the sound of a roaring loud engine.

She slid her sunglasses down to the tip of her nose and arched her head, peering at the once vacant house right next to hers. There stood a distant figure dressed in leather jacket, leaning on a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. Eunice has always have a liking towards bad boys, and it was no surprise this fresh addition in the street she lived gave her excitement. Oh damn~ She mumbled under her breath while oogling at the mysterious person.

Shortly after, the new neighbour noticed her constant staring then climbed up his bike and rode towards her direction. Eunice’s heart began to palpitate as butterflies fluttered in her stomach. The shy grin on her face betrayed the composure she tried to regain.

“Hey pretty girl,” the guy with lush combed-back hair smirked, after riding what could’ve been a distance of twenty footsteps to her front.

“Are you enjoying your sight?” She questioned, removing her shades and stood up on her feet. “Why don’t you take a picture while you’re at it?” Her brows furrowed.

“I didn’t know that’s an option, hold on.” He rapidly pulled out his phone from the pockets of his slim-cut jeans and snapped a photo. “So.. what’s your name, love?”

The butterflies instantly dissolved into air as her annoyance grew. Sure, he’s attractive but something about his obnoxious tone put her off. Eunice ignored the question and stood in silent; pondering her earlier judgement.

“You just took my picture, you creep! Why would I tell you?” She grumbled. The grin disappeared, jaws clenched.

He chuckled at her adorable angry expression. “No, not creep, I’m Zig. Guess we’re not strangers anymore.” His smirk grew lopsided as his seductive eyes scanned her from head to toe. “I gotta say this lovely neighbourhood offers one hell of a nice view.”

“I’m Eunice, but tell me Zig, are you some kind of a pervert or what?” She regretted the photo and was dying to have it deleted, but she knew he wasn’t gonna give it up so easily. Nonetheless, she still had to try.

Zig laughed, straightening his body at the same time. “You can beg me all you want, sweetheart, but I’m not giving in.”

She resorted to pushing and punching him in the arm. He’s too big compared to her petite frame, his shadow towering over her sun, but she still squared off against him.

“Are you supposed to be hurting me right now?” Zig snorted, “alright alright I’ll delete if that’s going to make you happy. Trust me you have nothing to worry about, you looked amazing in that photo anyway.”

He was so full of pick up lines, but that confidence blew Eunice away. Her imagination began working itself as she took a good look at him; his deep voice sounded like a saxophone playing in the night, and his hair swayed in the breeze like a field of tulips - with a few strands in the corner sticking out cutely.

“Are you enjoying your sight now?” Zig imitated, taking Eunice by surprise, “don’t pretend like you weren’t staring at me, I think I even saw you drooling.”

Her cheeks started to blush under the scorching sun. Just when she thought Zig wasn’t that bad, a high-pitched voice squealed from afar before an unknown girl ran up behind him and jumped on his back. Eunice rolled her eyes as she witnessed the girl, with matching dark hair tied up in a ponytail, hooked onto Zig’s arms while chatting about their ice-cream date. He responded by putting one hand on the girl’s shoulder, pulling her closer.

What a player. Eunice thought to herself. Zig turned back and called out to her with a wink, “you’ll see me a lot from now on, new neighbour” then got up on his bike; his pillion gripped tightly around his waist and rode away.

———

Heading inside the place she called home, Eunice heard a shrill voice screaming her name. She found her elder sister Tammy, who was boiling mad; her red-popped vessels showing through her spray tan as she snapped at Eunice for stealing her swimsuit.

Eunice had no idea since when did their relationship turned sour. They used to be best friends, yet now her evil sister would pick on her endlessly and snitch to their mother. Eunice always only get hand-me-down clothes from her sister, never new and her own. Things became so bad they threw impulsive insults around, talking down each other like they were nemesis. From a simple act of borrowing clothes, Tammy who was 3 years older would go to the extent of calling her sister a thief, dirty and accuse her of sleeping around. Eunice would agree Tammy was the definition of gorgeous - that’s if gorgeous qualifies with having fake hair, fake nails and even fake tan.

Speak of the devil. Their mom, Lynette, walked into the argument and, without hesitation, ordered the younger sister to shut her gap. Eunice knew she always gets the blame regardless of the situation - where even if they called each other bitch, her mom would only reprimand her for it.

“Go change out of your skanky outfit, you slut,” Lynette commanded as she glared at Eunice. “I’ve invited our new neighbours, the Ortegas, over for dinner tonight.”

Wait- the hot guy from next door?

#zig ortega #playchoices #the freshman #zigmund ortega #choices stories you play #tf/ts/tj/ts #zig fanfics #pixelberry #his #chapters #fanfics #zig x mc #zigzaggers fan club

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trcelyneart · 6 years

Text

@saeyoungweek Day 4: Cars.

This is a WIP of a Need For Speed!AU one shot I'm working on. It's not finished yet, but here's the beginning!

-----

Luciel took long gulps from his lukewarm water bottle, leaning against the closed door of his car. The heat was sweltering, summer days becoming sultry with the cloudless sky, leaving him no chance of finding shelter from the burning sun. At least they were going to drive along the coast, where the marine winds brought some freshness and a nice smell of iodine. And his baby car was built to resist such weather, with an air conditioning to die for. The hardest part was to actually get out.

The rules were simple. A two-week long race, from Incheon to Busan, with one race of thirty five kilometres each day. Only the best could participate, other pilots finding themselves betting high amounts of money on who would win by the end of it. He knew he was in the winners forecast, for 707 was almost a legend in the underground racing world, with his powerful Lamborghini Murciélago LP 640 he had upgraded and pimped himself – adding a large yellow strip, going from the middle of the hood to the roof and the rear, over the bright red steel - to become an asphalt killing machine. With a bit more effort and rocket science, he’d probably make it able to fly someday.

He capped the bottle and licked his lips, his attention drawn to a familiar roaring sound to his right.

Well, what a surprise.

Or maybe not, actually.

How could he have even thought she would not participate? He turned his head, letting his gaze glide along the smooth lines of the white Koenigsegg Agera R. Fifteen copies sold throughout the world, 960CH, body made of carbon fiber and Kevlar, chassis made of the same materials plus aluminium, top speed nearing 400km/h. A racing monster. Even his baby which ranked among the most powerful cars looked like an entry-level model comparing to this godsend hypercar.

And well, pilots tended to match their cars, right? He was sure there was a saying of the sort.

MC – or so was her pilot name - got out of her car in all her glory, lifting her sunglasses to the top of her head, locking her bangs away from her sweaty forehead. He let his gaze wander on her white, close-fitting strap stop, trying his best to ignore the wet spots on the fabric due to her perspiration, then her short shorts, along her gorgeous legs to her plum Dr.Martens. Her long brown hair was tied into a tight ponytail, its ends brushing the small of her back. He felt guilty for checking her out like this, but hey, if she had decided to wear such revealing clothes, he had to make the most of it. It wasn’t like she didn’t look divine in any outfit she wore, anyway.

She had started racing six months before. She had simply showed up on one cold December night, clad in her signature plum Dr.Martens, black skinny jeans and a superb leather jacket with fake fur, claiming she wanted to race as well. The organisers had first laughed her off – the underground racing world, like the official one, did not leave a lot of place for women except for the window-dressing girls hired to help with the bets and signal the start of the races – and she had simply raised an eyebrow at them, not losing her composure. They surely had not liked how unshaken she had seemed, and Luciel had found himself snorting at their dumbstruck reactions. Her cool-headedness had been admirable. A few minutes after she had walked away, when the organisers had been sure this joke of a rich-looking girl was gone, she had barged into the crowd with her beast of a car, her wheels screeching and fuming as she drifted to stop right in front of Vanderwood 3rd, who had been in charge of the race that night. The black window had slowly rolled down, and she had rested her elbow on the ledge without a word. Luciel clearly remembered the silent exchange going on between them, MC lifting her eyebrow at them again, them holding her stare, until they had given up with a sigh and stepped aside to let her go to the starting line.

And not only had she participated that night, but she had also won.

That night, 707 had lost his first race in a long, very long while. After that, she kept on winning against him, overtaking him by a hair’s breadth every single time. The king of the road had been defeated to let a queen arise. No, not a queen. A goddess.

To be fairly honest, the more he raced against her, the more exciting it got. In every sense of the term. Every race was a shot of adrenaline, doping his will to win fairly and with grandiosity; he wanted to conquer his throne back, and his rival made it harder and funnier each day that passed. His curiosity had slowly grown, replacing his pleasantly surprised reaction when she had got out of her car and gasped happily when a shocked Vanderwood had announced that she had been the winner. MC was an interesting person, never acting haughty despite her obvious wealthy background, but quick to put people in their place whenever they disregarded her.

Luciel highly respected her. Thanks to her, he had found pleasure in racing again. She was a more than worthy opponent.

And he also had a huge crush on her.

So yeah, watching her with so few clothing made his throat drier than it already was, and he muttered a small prayer as he fidgeted with the silver cross hanging on his neck in hope to be forgiven for checking her out so shamelessly. She spoke with a couple of people, smiling happily at them, until she glanced at him. Her smile grew larger and she waved at him, visibly glad her rival was there too. He waved back at her with less enthusiasm, too busy trying to kick his impure thoughts out of his brain to manage to concentrate fully on the gesture. She locked her car and walked to him, letting the tip of her fingers brush on the scorching hood of his until she stood next to him.

“Fancy seeing you here.” She said with a playful grin.

“I could say the same.” He replied, mirroring her expression.

“At least you’ll make this race more entertaining. It’s funnier when I get to compete against you.” She chuckled.

“Oh, so you wouldn’t have participated if I hadn’t been there?” Luciel teased.

She snatched his water bottle and took a few gulps before smiling at him “707, darling, don’t get ahead of yourself. You’re just making it more enjoyable.”

He couldn’t help but stare at her lips as she licked them to catch the drops that had leaked when he snorted “Glad to be your special someone.”

She held the bottle back to him and pointed back at the Agera with her thumb “I guess you could say that. Anyway, I gotta to get ready. Hope you’re gonna give all you have, 707. See you later!”

She winked at him then turned around and left without looking back, only to be soon surrounded in a small crowd of people. Luciel sighed and drank what was left in the bottle, before tossing it into the nearest bin.

He was not just going to give everything he had, he was going to blow her. Away of course.

The sun had already set, the sky turning into vivid shades of red and pink. Waves were crashing loudly against the rocks a few meters below the road. Luciel stopped his car right in front of the makeshift starting line and got out, leaning an arm on the roof, patting it gently as if it were his precious pet. He had won the qualifiers, which consisted in a one-by-one time-trial on the route they’d take that evening. Of course, they had not closed the road; the race was unofficial and illegal, like everything related to the underground racing world. It made it more dangerous and exciting.

MC, unexpectedly, would start on third position. She had lost five precious seconds when she had to swerve to avoid a van, and had not managed to catch up afterwards. He had to use this advantage and distance her as fast as possible. He hoped he had enough nitro to manage to do that.

The Agera came in sight and stopped a few meters behind on his right, and she got out as well. He turned to glance at her, and when their eyes met, she finger gunned at him with an impish grin. He stuck his tongue out at her, before bursting into giggles. He could not deny that there was some kind of tension between them, mostly sexual, but also some kind of mutual understanding. They were like the two popular kids competing against each other, unable to focus on anyone else but the other, but also being secretly friends. They played a game. A dangerous one. One miscalculation, and their cars would be reduced to dust in less time they’d need to realise their mistake.

But playing with death was his most favourite part of the game. It made him feel alive.

Vanderwood walked to the middle of the road and waited for the eight pilots to be ready. They checked their watch, then pulled out a gun and fired a distress flare high in the sky. A few seconds later, other flares started shining along the road, signalling that everything was ready and that the coast was clear – in other words, that the cops were not there. Yet. Seven watched closely, and smiled to himself when all the lights had been fired. Vanderwood announced that the race was about to start, and all pilot got into their cars. A symphony of roaring engines came to Luciel’s ears, and he rolled his window down to enjoy the sounds his baby car made. He could also hear the very distinctive sound of the Agera.

He hummed a random tune as his fingers hovered over the screen of his radio, searching for a nice song that could make a nice badass OST for the race. Something that would put him in a good mood. His eyes stopped on a particular song.

The Resist Stance – Bad Religion

Perfect.

As soon as the first guitar riffs echoed loudly around his ears and out of the car, he faintly shook his head in rhythm with the music. Vanderwood lifted their hand high.

He placed his foot over the pedal, his thumb rubbing the button of the handbrake and his hand ready to release it.

The Agera flashed its lights behind him. He glanced at his right wing mirror.

MC blew him a kiss.

He smirked.

Vanderwood dropped their arm. Luciel barely heard their shout between the screeching of the wheels and the thundering of the machines.

#mystic messenger #my art #saeyoungweek #saeyoung choi #mc #seven #need for speed au #fanfiction

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men-fashion-tips · 2 years

Text

Indian wedding dress ideas for groom getting married in Summers

So you're about to become a groom! Are you as excited about the summer heat as you should be? Summer's scorching heat is a real concern for all those getting married this wedding season! When it comes to different types of wedding attire, brides have an advantage over grooms. Fabrics can also be used to experiment with for women's wedding attire. Men, on the other hand, cannot wear their typical office linens to any of their wedding functions. Now, don’t get disheartened! Today, we'll give you some wedding outfit ideas that will keep you cool and comfortable during your summer wedding. So, what should you wear to a summer wedding? Continue reading to learn more!

Tips to Stay Cool Did you think you'd be able to avoid wedding planning? That's not going to happen! You, too, need to sit down with your friends and relatives or a design expert to come up with the best outfits for your summer wedding and related functions, just like your bride. Here are a few things to think about while you're at it! Indian Wedding Dress Ideas for Mens in Summer Stay traditional: In the summer, traditional Indian clothing is always preferable to semi-western or western clothing. This is due to the fact that Indian fashion allows for loose fits and cuts. When loose fits are used in Indo-western or Western outfits, they give off a "casual" vibe, which you want to avoid at your wedding. Play with Colours: A summer wedding allows you to experiment with colours, including bright hues and pastel shades. A pastel blue dupatta or sea green waistcoat over a pair of white kurta pyjamas or south Indian white lungi will not only keep you comfortable, but will also be a soothing sight for your friends and relatives at the wedding's morning function.

The Bottom-wear is Crucial: Another advantage of Indian outfits is that you can choose bottom wear that allows air circulation, keeping you cool. Trousers, for example, must fit perfectly with western outfits. This maintains a stiff position in your legs. On the other hand, you don't have to wear a tight churidar with Indian outfits like kurtas and sherwanis. You'll look just as good in a pair of wide-bottomed pyjamas as you will in a salwar. Men nowadays also like to wear patialas with their kurtas. So get creative and think of bottom wear that will keep you comfortable while also making you look like the most handsome groom in town! The Waistcoat: At a summer wedding, a waistcoat serves several purposes. First and foremost, it enhances the look of your kurta-pajama over cotton vest ensemble. In other words, it gets you ready for your wedding without requiring you to put on heavy jackets and coats. Second, you can wear a comfortable cotton kurta underneath a gorgeous waistcoat while still looking and feeling cool. The Fabric: No, you cannot wear your regular cotton or linen clothes to your wedding. However, you can use some discretion when selecting the fabric for your outfits. Make a mental note of all fabrics that are suitable for weddings but do not contain blended or synthetic fibres. Hand-woven, unbleached, natural fabrics such as pure silk, tussar, raw silk, chanderi, jamdani, and others will keep you cool without looking boring. The Work: Some of our grooms may be put off by poky zaree or sequin work on their gowns. This type of work makes the outfit heavier, which adds to the summer discomfort. As a result, we recommend that you select the work on your outfit accordingly. Lucknow chikankari work and pure silk Benarasi brocades are two intricate designs that will make you look and feel cool and classy at the same time.

#wedding #wedding seasons #dressing tips #clothing #men's fashion #groom #indian dress #traditional wear #marriage #sherwani #fabric #colors #waistcoat

0 notes

huhnerhexen · 5 years

Note

all the odd ones for the questions

1. Coffee cups, tea cups, wine glasses, water bottles, or soda cans?

- coffee cups

3. Bubblegum or cotton candy?

- bubblegum

5. Do you prefer to drink soda from soda cans, soda bottles, plastic cups, or glass cups?

- glass cups

7. Ear buds or headphones?

- headphones

9. Favorite smell in the summer?

- campfire

11. What do you have for breakfast on an average day?

- toast with jam or cereal; always coffee

13. Lanyard or key ring?

- key ring

15. Favorite book you read as a school assignment?

- the outsiders

17. Most frequently worn pair of shoes?

- my chucks

19. sleeping position?

- splayed on my stomach like I've just been shot

21. Obsession from childhood?

- The Toy Castle and hamtaros (what ever happened to those little guys)

23. Strange habits?

- whenever I'm alone in the house I whistle 'happy birthday' over and over

25. First song you remember hearing?

- old black rum by great big sea

27. Favorite activity to do in cold weather?

- crochet something with the TV fireplace playing

29. Best way to bond with you?

- over coffee or drinks

31. What outfit do you wear to kick ass and take names?

- my overalls

33. Most used phrase in your phone?

- yeet, man

35. Average time you fall asleep?

- 1:30am

37. Suitcase or duffle bag?

- suitcase

39. Lemon cake or lemon meringue pie?

- lemon meringue pie, hold the meringue

41. Last person you texted?

- my partner

43. Hoodie, leather jacket, cardigan, jean jacket, or bomber jacket?

- hard tie between cardigan and jean jacket

45. Which genre: sci-fi, fantasy, or superhero?

- superhero

47. Favorite types of cheese?

- marble cheese, and marble cheese... I really don't like cheese that much

49. What saying or quote do you live by?

- you do for family

51. Current stressors?

- finance and making sure my rat, Mr. Carlos stays cool this summer (it's been scorching and I don't have A/C)

53. What is the current state of your hands?

- my left has a little cluster of baby bumps that I think are from the housefire last week; my right has a cut on my index finger from washing dishes; and of course, I have hangnails galore.

55. Favorite fairy tale?

- the tale of squirrel nutkin

57. The three biggest struggles you've overcome?

- swallowing my pride, recovering from my eating disorder, and transitioning

59. If you were a videogame character, what would your catchphrase be?

- oh shit

61. Favorite line you've heard from a book/movie/TV show

- "I forgot only birds have wings"

63. Five songs that would play in your club?

- Does Your Mother Know by Abba; Africa by Toto; 9 to 5 by Dolly Parton; the Banana Boat Song by Harry Belafonte; Get Up by Mother Mother

65. Any permanent scars?

- I've got a scar on my right wrist from rolling in bed and giving myself rug burn, a scar on my right knee from when I put my cat down and he scratched me, and a scar that runs all along the inside of my mouth from surgery

67. Good luck charms?

- I usually make spell jars for different things, but my mother in law gave me a talisman for my car and it's worked miracles

69. A fun fact you don't know how you learned?

- a toucan's tongue wraps around its brain, so if you ever need to kill a toucan, just yank super hard on its tongue and it'll sever the brain.

71. Least favourite pattern?

- that old elizabethian floraly crown pattern

73. Favorite weird flavour combo?

- the only one I can think of is subbing the tomato sauce in chicken parmesan with salsa

75. When did you lose your first tooth?

- I have no idea, but I had all my adult teeth before the third grade

77. Best plant to grow on a windowsill?

- a cactus

79. Which looks better, your school ID photo or your drivers license photo?

- my school ID photo, bc they let me smile

81. Fireflies or lightning bugs?

- up until this moment I thought they were the same thing

83. Writing or drawing?

- drawing

85. Fairy tales or mythology?

- fairy tales

87. Your greatest fear?

- abandonment

89. Who would you put before everyone else?

- honestly, the queen of England. Realistically, my rat, Carlos

91. Boxes or bags?

- boxes

93. Nicknames?

- Sly, sugar

95. Favorite app on your phone?

- photos

97. How many phone numbers do you have memorized?

- six; my mom's cell, my dad's cell, my partner's cell, my parents' house, my sister's cell, and my own phone number. I also know 911, 222-2222, and 867-5309 but those feel like cop outs...

#answered

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gkp26307-blog · 5 years

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Summer fashion 2019: Alia Bhatt, Katrina Kaif and others show how to beat the heat with style

Summer fashion 2019: Alia Bhatt, Katrina Kaif and others show how to beat the heat with style - April is coming and so is the summer. The warm summer gaze has begun shinning upon us and we’re already dreading the hot season heading our way. But thanks to our Bollywood stars, the summer of 2019 looks like a fashionable affair. Over the past few weeks, we’ve been keeping a tab on your favourite celebrity’s wardrobe and assorting their looks based on events, occasions and seasons. Today, we decided to pull out the binder and give you five easy-breezy summer looks that will make you look like you’ve got summer under control. From BFFs Katrina Kaif and Alia Bhatt to our fashionista Sonam Kapoor, here are five summer fashion looks for the season. Alia Bhatt:

Summer is all about colour and Alia Bhatt has given us a perfect summer outfit already. The Kalank actress was spotted wearing all colours bright outfit during the promotions of Gully Boy and we lost our heart to her easy-breezy look. Katrina Kaif:

Alia’s BFF Katrina Kaif also painted the summer with numerous colours when she stepped out for a Holi party recently. The Zero actress was spotted wearing a long skirt, a colourful printed crop-top and sported a creamed coloured sheer jacket which oozed of the summer vibes. This is an outfit we would pull off on our day out to the beach. Kareena Kapoor Khan:

Planning on bringing the summer vibe to your office? We’ve got the perfect inspiration for you. Kareena Kapoor Khan had worn a pair of denims with a chic white and red shirt during a vacation with Saif Ali Khan and Taimur Ali Khan. The look had summer and business casual written all over it. Sara Ali Khan:

If you’re entangled in a summer’s affair and not quite sure what to wear, Sara Ali Khan comes to your rescue. The Simmba actress was recently seen wearing a short jump suit at an event and she looked fiercely hot in it. Not only did it make up for a perfect date wear, it was also apt for the scorching heat the season holds for us. Sonam Kapoor:

Is summer ever complete without floral? Sonam Kapoor puts the flower power to summer 2019 with her white dress. Take inspiration from the fashion queen of India for she wears a dress that suits all occasions – dates, picnics, office or even if you have to pose for an Instagram post. Summer fashion 2019: Alia Bhatt, Katrina Kaif and others show how to beat the heat with style Read the full article

#AliaBhatt #KareenaKapoorKhan #KatrinaKaif #SaraAliKhan #SonamKapoor #Summerfashion2019

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superchicalonelyviking · 7 years

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Hello from the Gobi Desert! This post is a bit of an epic so you might want to sit down with a cup of tea if you're planning to read it all! We've been in Mongolia for almost a week now, and have found it to be a fantastic place with very beautiful landscapes, where traditional culture is still very much a part of life as parts of the country are rapidly changing and becoming modernised. The traditional lifestyle in Mongolia is that of nomadic herding, where herders move several times per year with their herd of cattle, goats, sheep, yaks and horses, living in a ger (yurt) which is dismantled and taken with them. The extremes of temperature from minus 40 in the winter to +40 in the summer mean they are very tough ! Mongolia became under Soviet governance in the 20's and was a communist country until the early 90's. As a buffer zone between Russia and China, it received a lot of subsidies from the Kremlin and hence in a lot of ways people felt their quality of life was better during this time - there was free healthcare, universal education and if herders didn't meet quotas set by the government (for wool, meat, etc) they were given enough for a basic standard of living, which it is felt did not encourage productivity. As an independent democratic nation it is in a time of transition to an economically productive country - there is a wealth of natural reserves such as gold, uranium and zinc, and it is hoped that if managed properly, mining will bring a lot of wealth to Mongolia. Nowadays more and more people live in urban areas (around 60%), the main one being the capital Ulaanbaatar, where there is better infrastructure and access to services and employment. Here the landscape is not unlike many other Soviet cities with huge crumbling tower blocks and plenty of concrete, however with one key difference- there has been a strong reluctance of many to leave their ger life behind, and hence the suburbs are full of 'ger districts' where people live in small fenced areas, near to shops, electricity and running water, but in their ger. Everyone in Mongolia over the age of 18 has a right to 0.7 hectares of land, so can take this and put their ger on it, sometimes families will combine their land and have a compound with several gers and different family members . The ger districts have a lot of air pollution in the winter due to coal fires, and apartment blocks have been built for people to relocate to, however this scheme has proved unpopular. It seems the traditional way of living is important to many Mongolians, even if many parts of life are become modernised or westernised to make life easier. Some people will live in the countryside in a ger just for the summer months and spend the harsh winter in the city. There are still many herders (difficult to say how many as some people may live a semi-nomadic life, but around 30-40%) who continue their way of life in a similar way to how it has been for hundreds of years, however many with certain adaptations, for example solar panels, cars and internet access. Tourism has been useful for many people living in the countryside, bringing money for them to be able to buy these things. There is little other source of income here other than selling livestock, and hence it can be disastrous if there is a particularly harsh summer or winter. Buddhism is the main religion of Mongolia, along with Shamanism and certain other minority religions. The buddhist teachings came from Tibet and the church was very powerful until the communist years when it was declared that there was no religion, and monasteries and temples were destroyed. Still, however, Mongolians continued their rituals and all over the countryside you can see coloured scarves representing air, sky, earth, water and fire, shrines and prayer flags and gers all have a family alter, often with Buddhist ornaments. Mongolians tend to be quite spiritual and superstitious people and we're slowly learning some of the things which are bad luck (e.g accidentally touching someone's foot with yours- you have to shake their hand to say you didn't mean it). So combined with the dramatic, diverse and often empty scenery, all in all it makes for a really interesting place to visit! On planning the fortnight in Mongolia we realised two things, firstly that we happened to be arriving on the first day of the Nadaam Festival - a national celebration with a tournament of "manly games" on a similar (if not bigger) scale to our Christmas! And also that planning to explore yourself with public transport is quite hard work and can take a long time with lots of potential pitfalls , so we gave up on that and booked a tour. We found a small company which aims to maximise benefits to local people and minimise environmental impact, and it has been great so far! The first couple of days we spent enjoying the Nadaam festival, an annual festival to celebrate the arrival of summertime, it has taken place for hundreds of years and comprises three "manly games", wrestling, horse racing and archery, and recently ankle bone shooting has also been added to the games. Actually women are able to take part in the horse racing and archery. The evening we arrived there was a big concert in Sukhbatar Square (named after a famous revolutionary) with lots of music and dancing, including some mongolian renditions of Justin Bieber and Ed Sheeran! A huge fireworks display and on the way home there was a jazz band and salsa dancing in the streets. We went to the field by the stadium to watch the archery, you sit in the stands with lots of families and competitors, many wearing the traditional clothes which are a long coat (which doubles as a blanket) boots and a pointy hat, differing in colour and style depending on the person, with the backdrop of the a mountains North of UB behind. the archery we saw was very different to archery elsewhere, the aim is to shoot leather cylinders which are stacked on the floor in a row around 100m away, so the arrows are shot in a long arc - apparently it takes a lot of strength, for a woman it is equivalent to lifting more than 20kg with one arm! By the leather cylinders, judges stand to signal to the shooter whether they were successful or not, and do so by waving their arms in different ways. The following day we went to the horse trainer's Naadam - a smaller festival outside the city for the people who train the horses for the national Naadam in UB and hence miss the celebrations. First we saw the horse racing - interestingly all the riders are kids , as they are lighter - there has recently been a lower age limit of 7 set! They race for around 40km, so it is quite a challenge. It doesn't seem to be a professional/ elite sport as it is in other places- any family who trains horses can enter and win. We also saw the wrestling, where men wearing a nice outfit of a short and decorated jacket with an open front and long sleeves, and matching pants, with a pair of boots, aim to force their opponent to touch the ground with a part of their body other than their feet . Before the fight they salute the referees and perform the eagle dance, where they spread their arms like eagle wings, pretend to swoop around and slap their thighs. The winning wrestlers from the national Naadam were at the event and were awarded a jeep! They then proceeded to drive around the wrestling ring waving out of the sunroof! In between the matches there was a traditional mongolian folk band, a Mongolian pop band and a 'wolf dance' with throat singing and really impressive dancing. It was a scorching hot day and the area around the ring was packed with people. The stands were crammed full with people climbing onto the railings at the back for a better view. A truck drove round to spray water on the grass to keep it moist whilst the music was being performed and also sprayed the crowd, which people were quite happy with! After the Naadam we went into the countryside and drove for miles into what seemed to be dry farmers fields on the side of gentle mountain slopes occasionally asking at gers for directions - it turns out it's quite difficult to find your destination if it moves onto a new pasture in the middle of vast open countryside every few months!-but eventually found the place we were looking for - a family which accepts tourists and has done since the 60's when tourism was strictly and rigidly controlled by the government. When we arrived there were dried curds and home made yogurt inside the ger, where we stayed for the next two nights. The gers are very cosy, comforting dwellings which are surprisingly sturdy, dry and cool. They are made from a lattice of wooden sticks with layers of sheep's wool covered in a white fabric sheet. They tend to have elaborately and colourfully painted wooden chests and cupboards, decorative silk hanging on the walls, and a family altar opposite the door with photographs, pictures and ornaments of deities and other special items for worship or offering. In the centre will be a stove and there is an opening in the centre of the roof to allow air to circulate. There are many symbols used to decorate the ger and it's contents, for example the endless knot, a Buddhist symbol representing infinite life or live, and the interdependence of things. The ger was surrounded by gentle slopes opening up a huge grassy valley, climbing to the top of the slopes you could see over many mountains for miles, and couldn't see anything or anyone else! Only just outside UB, already it felt like the middle of nowhere-but I guess that's understandable in a large country with a population of only 2.9million. And then there were the stars- there were so, so many! It was so quiet at night, all you could hear was the sound of the herd and the occasional breeze. We drank some whiskey in the back of the van for a while -When you drink alcohol you have to put your ring finger into it and flick it toward the sky as a symbol of respect- Bayara is the driver and Mishka the guide, Mishka is a school teacher but has 3month long summer holidays so has started doing tours to make a bit more money. She said she enjoys seeing more of Mongolia too. They are both very lovely kind people and we've been enjoying spending time with them and have been very well looked after! Bayara really cares for his van, spending lots of time attending to it and maintaining it, we feel very safe with him driving (and with the roads here that's saying something!), There is a carpet and cushions, a small library, binoculars and even a TV! We've been watching Mongolian musicians on it and doing a bit of Mongolian karaoke! We drove from UB down to the Gobi desert, moving from grassy rolling hills to dry sandy moonscapes. We camped by collection of huge limestone boulders which were great fun to climb up, and hiked to the interior of one group of rocks where there is an old temple, now destroyed, but people still make pilgrimages here and everywhere hang prayer flags and blue scarves. On top of the rocks are piles of stones- people place a rock on top and walk around the pile three times, praying to the ancestors or deities .some people also leave money and sweets, and even a toy horse,! There was also a natural spring deep in the rock with a long metal spoon you could use to reach it, it is said that it is very good for your eyes which was lucky as Mat was struggling after getting sand in his eyes, now completely fine so clearly the water worked! There is a lot of wildlife here and we've been spending time in the national parks where we've seen wild horses, wild camels, ibex, lammergeiers, golden eagles and gazelles. There is a special type of wild horse (truly wild,the ones in the UK are apparently escaped ferrel horses!) called a Przewalski horse which became extinct in the wild in the 80s, but was successfully reintroduced (there were some in a zoo in Germany;!) And is now doing well. We're currently in the Gobi Ghurvain national park where there are huge rocky mountains rising up out of the desert, created by the same geological events which created the Himalayas. For a few days it was punishingly hot- at least up to 38 degrees - and heading South was a bit nerve racking! But luckily it has begun raining and cooled down massively- it's also very lucky for the herders who have been experiencing a very dry summer and if their animals don't put on enough weight they really struggle to make it through the very harsh winter and spring. If the animals starve they can't make any money and don't have enough to eat. The water source in the countryside is usually a well, which can run out of water. It really demonstrates how climate change and what seems like a small temperature rise can have disastrous effects upon people living in certain areas. Particularly unjust as their relatively very low impact lifestyle means they haven't contributed to the problem. One evening we turned up to a place to stay in the middle of a vast open desert plain where a family lives with their herd of goats, cows and horses, in a semi nomadic lifestyle where they have a barn and several small out buildings for housing animals and producing curds and other dairy products, but can also live elsewhere in different times of year if the herd needs it. None of the family were there as they'd all gone to the local Naadam, all the buildings were locked, and a few minutes later within seconds a huge dust storm had begun where strong winds were blowing harsh clouds of sand like mist across the plain. Soon you couldn't see or hear further a than a few meters in front of you. We all ran and jumped in the van and closed all the windows as it was steadily filling with a layer of dust. The place felt desolate and completely at the mercy of the elements. There was nothing really to do other than some karaoke and Nishka taught us a Mongolian song and wrote out the words so we can now do a feeble rendition of 'Ayani Sliuvud'! Eventually a motorbike with two sisters pulled up out of the dust and they both ran and jumped in the van. It turned out they'd been asked to look after all the local gers while everyone else went to the naadam! After they drove off to find some phone signal to call the host family and locate the keys we eventually were able to get into one of the gers where we stayed the night . This ger was different to others we'd stayed in as it was brand new and had super modern furniture but still with a family alter, Buddhist scarves and elaborate decorations everywhere. We played some ankle bone games - sheep's ankle bones are different on each side and represent a sheep, goat, horse or camel depending on which side they fall on, and the aim of the game is to collect all the bones by flicking matching animals so they hit each other- a bit like a more complicated marbles. It is generally a really fun and satisfying game and we're hoping to get some to bring home (as long as we can get them through customs!) So will be teaching you all how to play (lucky you !:P) We also got a cheap ukulele from China and a chords app which turned out to have the entire Beatles library on it so Nishka and Bayara have been having to put up with lots of Beatles songs in the evenings ! They like 'i wanna be your man's and '8 days a week' The Beatles have even made it to Mongolia and in UB there is a square called 'beatles square' with a statue of Paul in it! One night we stayed in a provincial centre town (with a public shower, woohoo!) with a family of musicians who played some mongolian folk songs for us in full traditional clothing - they had a type of two stringed lute with a goose head for the neck, and a horse fiddle which is played like a 'cello, and they did this incredible throat and overtone singing. Overtone singing is where you somehow sing more than one note at once, it looks like hard work, and produces an intense and beautiful otherworldly sound which hardly resembles a human voice. I would recommend googling it as it was really amazing and very difficult to describe! Travelling up through a wide valley between the mountains of the Gobi Gurvan Saikhan national park you reach the Khongoryn Els sand dunes which are a ginormous bank of golden sand running roughly parallel to the valley, swept up by strong winds and reaching a height of 200m, spanning 180km! It takes up to an hour to hike up to the top, and the view is breathtaking, like an otherworldly coastline without any ocean, like striding edge made of sand! Over the other side are smaller gentler dunes sweeping for miles like a static sea over to the rocky mountains beyond. The dunes change shape with the weather and make humming sounds in the wind, they are nicknamed 'the singing dunes'. A very fun thing to do there is go exploring by camel! The camels in the Gobi are part of the livestock of people living there, and their meat and milk and wool are all used along with their immense capacity for shifting things(including tourists)- they can carry a whole yurt! Another spectacular sight is the 'Flaming Cliffs' at Bayanzag, a name coined by explorer Ray Chapman Andrews (who the character Indiana Jones was based on) one of the first explorers to take the challenge of visiting the harsh Gobi desert in the 1920's. These are huge cliffs of red sandstone, baked by the sun to produce a glowing orange mars-like scene. Here some of the first dinosaur eggs were discovered, along with a lot of other dinosaur fossils. On the way here we stopped to look at some petroglyphs on top of a big rocky hill overlooking the steppe - they were pictures of deer, horses, camels, people and dogs, carved into the rocks sometime between 3000 and 8000 BC! It is not clear why they were carved here but they are thought to be of spiritual significance. Incredible to see folk art from such a long time ago. The last couple of days of our trip were spent near a place called Erdendalai on a gentle grassy plain, camping alongside the family of one of the people running the tour. This was a lovely time as the family were very friendly and welcoming and there were lots of them around - many people who work in cities return to the countryside with their children for the summer. The first night was very wet and windy so they let us sleep in the ger. They were very happy to see the rain! The grandfather prayed by the altar every morning, spinning a prayer wheel, lighting oil candles and sniffing snuff. A 10 year old grandson called Biliun befriended us and we played a lot of card games, he loved Splendor! He took us on a walk one day to what we thought looked like a small pond about 200m away and turned out to be a lake about a mile away! It can be difficult to judge distances here when there is so little on the landscape to provide any scale. You often see mirages of water below the horizon on hot days, making it feel like you're on a great peninsula, but somehow you never manage to reach the shore. Biliun also came to get us when the goats were being milked (in our tent we heard him asking Mishka for help with the English, then a few seconds later "GOAT MILKING GO!!" ) so we got to do our second milking session of this trip, this time of the goat variety! About 7 people were all milking around 80 goats and there was an impressive amount of milk ! More difficult than milking a cow I think but a kick in the face much less scary, so all in all if I had to choose I'd probably prefer the goat milking. The milk is very tasty too, we've had lots of milk tea, a breakfast of home made rice pudding (nana if you're reading this, almost as good as yours!), the 'top of the milk' - a very thick creamy skin of milk made when it's boiled -, dried curds and even got to make some Khushur- a kind of Mongolian Cornish pasty, the pastry made from flour and water and deep fried rather than baked, eaten mostly during Naadam. Speaking of Naadam, we got to go to another one! This time a small rural festival in a little town we passed through, much less busy and grand but still with a fun holiday atmosphere and with archery, wrestling and horse racing. We are sorry to be finishing our trip round Mongolia as it's so peaceful and beautiful here, and completely off grid (weird to have no idea what's happening in the outside world!) but also looking forward to being back home. We have one more short stop in Yekaterinburg so will try to write about that before we get back to the UK. See you all soon!

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frgrungemama-blog · 5 years

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Know Some Advantages and Unique Ways of Wearing Summer Viscose Dress!

In order to keep yourself cool in scorching heat, wearing the right fabric is of paramount significance. It basically allows heat to escape and hence, provides comfort. In addition to this, it also keeps your body sweat-free for all day long! Although for this, wearing viscose fabric can be a boost. It is mainly a semi-synthetic fiber which has honey-like texture and thus, it is quite soft as well. And, this is the main reason why most of the people prefer donning this fabric clothing over others in hot summer.

However, if you are thinking to purchase clothing for Summer, Viscose Dress is the ideal choice for you. For that all you need is to count on a renowned store. Moreover, in the present day, you can even opt for such fabric attire via the online shop. Nevertheless, in order to pick the right outfit, all you need is to check a few things. Such as size, quality, design as well as color. Choosing the dress by keeping these factors in mind can indeed let you buy the right apparel! Moreover, there are many advantages of opting for viscose dress for summers. Like, the clothing of such fabric is usually inexpensive. Hence, anyone can easily afford this type of material attire!

In addition to this, wearing it can also give you silk-like feel. Apart from this, it is breathable just like cotton as well as comfortable. Moreover, this fabric is the ultimate option for those who want to get a luxurious look and that too without spending much. In spite of all, there are many ways of putting on a viscous dress in summers and also, you can blend it with other fibers as well. Like, you can wear your long maxi dress of viscous material with a denim jacket. This will give you a chic yet classy look. Nonetheless, for a casual day, you can even put on this material top with your favorite ripped jeans. And, to complete the look, you can even drape a scarf around your neck!

Hence, if you want to avail all these benefits, opting for Summer Viscose Dress can be a boost! Although in order to find the right store for the same, you can do detailed research via the internet and can also filter out the right one offering similar dress at a reasonable price. Apart from this, you can even ask for references from your friends or family members who have earlier purchased similar material dress! In this way, you will get the right outfit by your side.

#Vestido De Viscose Verão #Summer Viscose Dress

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outfittrends · 5 years

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20 Best Botswana Traditional Outfits For Women To Wear 2018 Outfit Trends - Ideas How to Wear & What to Wear

New Post has been published on https://www.outfittrends.com/botswana-traditional-outfits-women/

20 Best Botswana Traditional Outfits For Women To Wear 2018

Botswana Traditional Dresses For Women. Want to experience the African wilderness via your clothing line? Planning an adventurous trip to Botswana and clueless of what to wear on the land of dry plains, wildlife and unspoiled natural territory?

Botswana people can wear shimmering rhinestone heels or Satin designs to anywhere to their offices to their family wedding occasions. Botswana men are usually seen wearing shirts and jackets while women can be seen slaying long bright colorful skirts with a traditional shawl on their shoulder as their cultural emblem.

Beautiful Cultural Outfits Of Botswana

Besides being a Safari land, another attraction of Botswana for the world is the way people creatively dress there. Nothing holds Botswana people back from getting dressed on events and ceremonies banishing all the rules of the fashion world. They have an attitude about their clothing that “If you own it, you better have to wear it” and their attitude is pretty much exhibited by the outfit trends that they follow. Let’s celebrate African fashion and be inspired by Botswana fashion and beauty.

↓ 20 – Jumpsuit for Chic Casual Wear

African fashion can depict how to style plus size women, unlike western fashion that highlights only skinny, tall and slim models. If Botswana is called the land of Street Style fashion then it won’t be wrong. Botswana women celebrate style and beauty as it comes from within so why not steal some ideas from Botswana fashion and street style. The lovely African prints structures will leave you longing for additional. Aside from the many-sided designs, you can make various pieces with the Botswanan fashion. Also have a look at these Kitenge Dresses for Young Girls.

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↓ 19 – Gorgeous Summer Outfit

Botswana is a sun-kissed region so women have dark colored skin tones. Women usually wrap a hat or a turban or scarf to avoid direct heat on their heads. Many young girls prefer wearing long flowy bright colored skirts along with button up blouse or shirts (whatever they found available in their nearby areas).

↓ 18 – Botswana Wedding Fashion

Older women of Botswana usually prefer wearing long striped socks which can give them more modest look. They generally choose flats over heels (mostly lace-up shoes) so that they can feel comfortable while walking miles to miles without shade under scorching sun beams. For wedding ceremonies, women wear German print fabric which is more towards the traditional side of Botswana. Mostly dresses are custom made with simple lines (can be horizontal or vertical ones). Girls usually love to elaborate their dresses with fancy and glittery laces or satin ruffles whichever they like. Females usually wear loose dresses as the climate at Botswana is hot and tight dresses may discomfort them. Matching head scarfs or headbands with the dresses are worn by Botswana’s young girls. Glittering Shimmering jewelry is preferred in Botswana by their ladies on wedding functions.

↓ 17 – Creative Combinations

In cultural festivals of Botswana, one can witness many creatively made and bright colored dresses worn by males and females and on that day one can actually experience a real African fashion sense of Botswana. By the way, dressing smartly in Botswana is valued by the people of Botswana a lot.

↓ 16 – Funky Prints

Botswana Safari and its unique prints are highlights of Botswana fashion. Even their workplace usually admires people who know how to dress and how to carry their attire. African print dresses is a style that would look extraordinary on each body type. The flared skirt is an extremely charming design for multi-day dress, and the conventional African print will enable you to flaunt the African legacy very proudly.

↓ 15 – A Fashion Inspiration for the World!

The best of present-day African dress styles is nothing but a bright and unique combination of colors and designs hardly found anywhere else in the world. It unbelievably matches rich blue-green shading with coordinating Ankara print to make a dazzling blend. The gleaming gems and the startling designs of footwear couldn’t fit this look better. Indeed, even VIPs and celebrities find it hard to resist the appeal of lovely African dresses! Many times Solange has been spotted wearing African fashion inspired dresses. Solange flaunted a short dress with a great African print, in any case, as one of the greatest fashionistas on the planet, she included a couple of accents and subtle elements that raise the entire look significantly more. Here are 25 Best Kitenge Designs For Work.

↓ 14 – Traditional Dress

↓ 13 – Ceremonial Botswana Dresses

Long dresses haven’t lost an ounce of their ubiquity for a considerable length of time, or, in other words, since no gathering, wedding, or other essential occasions can be envisioned without a choice of refined long African dresses in Botswana. The main dress on the rundown in a flash brings out a grand look because of its full skirt and electric shading. The Botswana outfits would not be as energizing if not for the zesty side patterns and the best bun haircut that makes the entire appear as though it came straight out of the form magazine spread.

↓ 12 – Something Out of the Box from African Fashion

A transformer dress is such a new thought, and the execution of this outfit is shockingly better! One can wear it as isolates with a differentiating top or as a formally dressed long outfit completely made with a remarkable African print. In Botswana, Grown ladies should keep their thighs fully covered, however an ever increasing number of ladies are wearing tight jeans, and short skirts are seen in urban territories.

↓ 11 – Shop the Runway Style

The richest dresses are normally the ones that join at least two textures or surfaces, and the following dress on our rundown is actually what we mean by that. Cool-conditioned glossy silk and trim make an ideal combo, and the emerald green gele is the thing that ties the entire look together. Here is a dress that won’t let you go unnoticed even at the fanciest occasion! The open shoulder neck area and the full skirt watch straight out of the runway, yet we particularly love the fantastic neckband and cap that look both bona fide and in vogue.

↓ 10 – Botswana Outfit For Work

In the following look, you can’t resist the urge to acknowledge how completely every segment of the outfit is coordinated to whatever is left of the look. The rich shades of the dress are featured by the coordinating adornments, and the cosmetics and hair make the entire look even cuter.

↓ 9 – True African Vibes

As of today, we have seen the flood of African prints attire in standard design of western fashion. Originators like Steve Madden, Forever21, Zara and H&M arrange this class of apparel as ethnic form. As a fashionista with profound African roots from Nigeria, West Africa, enhancing these extraordinarily bona fide pieces is relatively similar to a second nature. Botswana has a rich culture, legacy and convention. These best African print form patterns are simply in line to make you feel more Botswanan while you elevate Botswana to the world. Be popular, be in fashion!

↓ 8 – Botswana Queens are Fashionistas

Incredibly, design ideas from the 60’s and 70’s are currently becoming the overwhelming focus while African prints have turned into the hottest request of the day. The excellence and flamboyance of African wax prints have made it an alluring brand for even the western world. In Botswana, African print designs have turned out to be famous among the young and even the old. Fridays are unique days put aside in Ghana for African print garments. Weddings, gatherings, funerals and different occasions give Ghanaians the chance to slay their African print attire and embellishments. You should see the style and can adopt numerous individual dresses for such occasions that go with your local style statement. Don’t miss out these 27 Latest Plus Size African Wedding Dresses That Are Trending.

↓ 7 – Plus Size Botswana Outfit

For the energetic sporty look, there is as yet something for you with the new patterns. African prints are simply exquisite. They can be made into anything and still look amazing and chic. You can flaunt these skirts and still look exceptionally stylish. From a bird’s eye view, you will grab everybody’s eye except what’s more critical is that you will feel free and sure flaunting the outfit. Fortunately for us, these drifting design things are not difficult to get. Botswana is honored with numerous incredible designs. Simply give them a bit of African print texture and they will illuminate your reality. The best part is this, you can buy such designed clothing on the web or by visiting different design pages via web-based networking media. Turn yourself popular and remain upward to speed while advancing your nation’s name in everyone’s mind, heart and soul.

↓ 6 – Talk of the Town Botswana Dresses

Botswanan prints are now being highlighted in real form occasions. Likewise, A-list famous people started grasping the African inspired styles. The interesting thing about the Botswana fashion is that you can customize your very own style. There is no confinement to what the texture can or can’t do. You can do what makes you feel good about yourself. The Ankara dresses exhibit a lot of inventiveness and culture. You can discover diverse structures to wear at the workplace, for a capacity, or an easygoing date.

↓ 5 – African Fashion in Radar

You can wear long outfits to weddings, supper, a ball, prom, or a Saturday trip. All that is forgotten is to figure which style functions admirably for every occasion. Long dresses compliment ladies of various shapes and sizes. With these outfits, you should center on featuring your incredible highlights and limiting any blemishes. Botswana clothes are a great decision for night wear since they truly function admirably to shroud your bigger bust. Both the front and the back of the dress look incredible. They give a thinning impact to your appearance and suits well on African ladies having wavy hair.

↓ 4 – Fashion and Beauty of Botswana

The dress is relatively like the princess outfit, however, has a more sensational base. Despite the fact that women with any shape can flaunt this dress, it is perfect for pear-molded women as it features the abdomen and conceals any blemishes in the lower body. Besides, ladies with substantial busts can accomplish the hourglass figure with the dress as it characterizes the waistline.

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↓ 3 –Party Ready

Thus, keeping current design patterns and your body shape at the top of the priority list, we should view the absolute least demanding patterns that can be embraced and styled in an unexpected way. Don’t hesitate to pick these African ladies design styles and dresses from making a beeline for toe on the off chance that you are truly feeling them appropriate for you. The African dresses alternatives are perpetual. You can transform African texture into whatever style you envision with the assistance of an ideal tailor. This dress is ideal for all body shapes, yet it is one of a kind example and short coat on top makes this dress totally emerge from the group.

↓ 2 – Amazing Styles of Botswana Clothing

The princess dress makes a deception. In that capacity compliments awe-inspiring ladies with moderately expansive busts and in the meantime make them look thin. Additionally, the vertical lines feature the midsection territory and stretch the curves. The length of such dresses fluctuates relying upon the event you are going to. For a wedding, pick the long outfit.

↓ 1 – African Fashion Stimulus

A hot dress for a sexy lady. The mermaid is perfect for stunning individuals as it characterizes your principle highlights from the chest to the base. Slim women like this look as it easily pursues the body. By the by, in the event that you are a stunning larger size ladies can flaunt this look any day whenever. Another incredible style to join into your closet is to utilize African prints as a most recent form as they never leave style.

#african fashion #Colorful outfits for women #fashion ideas for women

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