#the rain in the background noise on my iphone sorry

[marktuansvevo]

got7 reacts to something theyve never experienced before in a relationship

warning(s); slight cursing, sexual content in bam’s part

mark; being jealous

mark understood why his past partners could be jealous of him in his line of work. as long as it didn’t get out of hand, he thought it was cute. he was never the jealous one in the relationship. he didn’t even know what jealousy felt like....

....until tonight.

you were mark’s entire world. you excited him, you built him up like no other. never before could he see himself spending his life with someone before you came along. you made the world brighter to him.

but now he was only seeing red. 

you had been a trainee and never debuted, which you weren’t too upset about, you had a boyfriend you loved and a career with less physical and time demands than being in the entertainment industry. this meant that you knew a lot of other bands, stray kids being one of them. chan was, quite frankly, your best friend during your trainee days, so when you saw him at this afterparty you were attending with mark, you threw yourself into his arms.

mark just watched you from afar.

and his blood boiled.

chan spun you around in his arms, the biggest smile on his stupid, handsome face. “yah!! y/n! mark didn’t say you’d be here.”

you giggled, trying to keep your tears at bay. you put your hands on his face, poking his dimples. mark scoffed at the blush that was forming on his friend’s face. “god, chan i missed you so much.”

“bro, you look constipated,” bam snuck up behind him. “dude, your face is so red right now.”

mark rolled his eyes. “these parties are so annoying.” he didn’t take his eyes off of you as you caught up with chan, who still had his hand around your waist.

bam followed his line of vision. “shit, you’re not constipated, you’re jealous. yugyeom, come look at him!”

mark walked away from his intoxicated friends and up to you. you smiled at him before returning to your conversation with chan. 

“y/n, we have to go,” mark said lowly, smiling a sickly fake smile at chan, who immediately dropped his hand from your waist. 

“why, baby, we just got here? are you not feeling good?” you asked. he wanted to feel bad, your voice was laced with concern.

“something like that. see you, chan.”

as you got in the car, you smiled at him, poking his cheek. “somebody’s jealous, huh?”

“huh? of chan? i don’t know what you’re talking about,” he clenched his jaw, not making eye contact with you as he steered his car out of the parking lot. you were giggling now.

“you’re cute when you’re jealous. maybe i should make more time for chan.”

“y/n!!!”

jaebeom; wearing disguises in public

jaebeom never thought he would have to dress up in a disguise to go out in public. and jae would never want to put you in such a position. it was draining, and you, as his girlfriend knew that he despised it.

but you wanted to go to a concert with him.

and you wanted to stand in the pit with him and be part of it. don’t get you wrong, you loved when he bought you suite seats or could watch his shows from backstage, but you wanted to sway to ariana grande in th pit with your boyfriend.

“cmon, jae, i think everyone is going to be paying attention to ari. we can skip the opening act?” you suggested.

“y/n, i don’t want to take a chance...im sorry,” he pouted at you. you sighed, trying to figure out what to do.

“what about disguises?” he said. “like, we could wear our halloween costumes?” you were giggling to yourself, but your boyfriend seemed like the idea.

“i could wear my jesus wig and you could paint a beard on me?” he said with serious eyes.

“jae, you hate going out in disguises.”

“true...but, babe, this will be fun. you could wear your sailor mars wig, it’d be cute,”

okay, this was a really cute idea and you were warming up to it...if it made your boyfriend more comfortable to be out in a crowd of so many people, you were down to try it out.

“this really feels like halloween in july,” you giggled as you used mascara to draw a beard on his chin.

“do I look like jesus??” he asked childishly.

“well, you don’t look like im jaebeom of got7, that’s for sure,”

“you look like an egirl,” he laughed at himself. “don’t hate, you know you love it,” you said. “we look so cute, let’s take a mirror selfie and post in later,”

“no, then people will be on to us,” your boyfriend sent a pout in your direction as he looked at his makeshift beard in the mirror. “I look sexy as fuck in a beard,”

“super sexy aegyo please?”

the two of you arrived at the arena, not be noticed by anyone, but jae was still on edge, so you held his hand tight as you made your way into the pit.

“im so excited!!” you shouted over the noise. he shook his head before leaning in to kiss you. the two of you danced the whole night away to arianas crooning, his arms around you as you swayed to her pretty, soothing voice. the two of you let the world fade away while ariana sang honeymoon ave in the background.

jackson; his significant other saying ily first.

it was no secret that jackson was stock full of love and kindness. he had had other partners before you, all with him ending up getting too attached, or scaring them away when he said “I love you” too early.

he did not want to scare you away, and honestly, he had known he loved you two months into dating, but he didn’t want to scare you away, so he never outwardly said those three little words to you.

he wasn’t expecting you to say it, first though.

you had invited him over for dinner and a movie, just wanting a chill night in with your boyfriend. he brought the wine and promised to give you a back massage, so really, what more could you want on this chilly thursday night?

“what’s been going on, honey? you know you can tell me anything,” jackson whispered into your ear as he helped you out of your clothes.

“I feel like I deserve to oversee my department at work. i have the most education of all of them, more experience than them, and generally, I am more optimistic than my superiors….,” you sighed, letting him rub just under your shoulder blades, which had been itching all week.

“mmm?”

“i think they might be scared of powerful women who like to wear hot pink fendi suits to work,” you smiled, knowing he would be offended at your joke. you could almost feel him pouting.

“so the reason you can’t get the job is because your superiors don’t like the suits your boyfriend buys you? wow, what a way to hurt a guy’s pride…,” he followed your lead on the joke, trying to make you laugh because he knew this was really getting to you. “baby, I think you should go to their boss and see if you can get a promotion…tell them everything you told me, okay? i know you’re not only the best woman for the job, but the best person for the job…period,” he said, making you feel so overwhelmed with emotion. none of your previous partners had ever revered you the way jackson had. you felt so incredibly blessed and in love, you couldn’t help yourself.

“god, jackson, I love you so much,” you whispered.

the movement of his soft hands on your back stopped abruptly at your words. ‘oh god, was it too early to say that?’

“j-jackson…im sorry-“

“ive been waiting to say that to you,” he breathed against your lips, closing the distance that was between them.

“jackson wang….you love me?” you could feel the tears building. the man of your dreams was in love with you, too.

“i love you,” he whispered reverently.

“say it again,” you begged. he said it like a mantra.

“i love you, i love you….i love you..”

jinyoung; moving in together

jinyoung thought you were so cute. you were ecstatic to move with jinyoung. you had been living in your shared apartment with your mom your whole life and we’re excited to start a new chapter of your life. jinyoung didn’t think you were taking in the fact that moving is one of the most stressful things a person can go through.

he didn’t want to rain on your parade, though.

the two of you got settled into your new apartment after a long day of unpacking. jinyoung kissed you as you laid onto your new king sized bed. “im gonna grab takeout, you want your usual?” he asked sweetly, squeezing your hand. you just nodded, squeezing his hand back.

you watched as jinyoung walked out of your shared bedroom. that’s when the dam broke. you were so overwhelmed. you didn’t know how to make warm water happen in your shower, you didn’t have your wifi set up, and you forgot your favorite teddy bear at your moms. you missed teddy and your wifi and your mom.

“hey, i ordered you two egg rolls and they gave us three - hey, baby, are you crying?”

“no,” you replied lamely. “I miss teddy,” you wailed miserably.

“teddy...the...stuffed bear?” he asked.

“i slept with him every night for the past 20 something years.”

“baby...we can get your bear in the morning...,”

“we don’t have netflix set up so how am i supposed to sleep tonight?”

“y/n...,” he chuckled. you frowned harder now that he was laughing at you. “moving isn’t as exciting as it looks. tomorrow, we will fix the wifi, okay? and we can visit your mom and rescue teddy.”

“okay...okay. im sorry, im just a bit overwhelmed,” you confessed.

“its gonna be okay, honey. it’s a lot to take in, i know. but you can hold me instead of teddy, and ill sing you to sleep,” he whispered, the takeout now long forgotten. before you could fall asleep, he pulled his iphone out of his back pocket and pulled you into his chest to take a selfie. “there. now we have a picture of us in our bed for the first time.”

“i love you, you sap.”

even though you called him the sap, the next day you went to the pharmacy to get the photo printed and frame it. when jinyoung came home from the market that day, he eyed the frame on your bed stand, smirking at you.

“oh, so im the sap, hmm?”

youngjae; picking up the tab

it was the first date the two of you had been on since youngjae had been on tour. he told you to get dressed up and that the two of you would go out for a fancy dinner and catch up on everything. this is why you loved him, because while you wanted to hear all about his stories of life and tour abroad, he always wanted to hear about everything that was going at home, to see if you were alright.

youngjae looked dazzling in a black checked suit, while you matched him with a little black dress that made him groan when you stepped out of the bathroom. “can we skip dinner?” he’d ask cheekily. you rolled your eyes at him before kissing him on the cheek. “we aren’t skipping dinner, and we definitely won’t be skipping dessert,” you winked before leading him to the car.

the two of you ate dinner together, him holding your hand and looking at you with stars in his eyes as you told him stories that had happened while he was away. you ordered appetizers, drinks, shared an entrée, and youngjae even ordered you a slice of apple pie for the two of you to share.

“baby, I’m going to go use the restroom,” youngjae said before kissing your hand. “’kay, don’t get mugged, please,” you teased him. he shook his head at your playfulness. you watched as he left before frantically waving your arms at your waitress. she ran over to you, checking if you were alright.

“I just wanted to wonder if I can pick up the cheque really quick? I wanted to pick it up for my boyfriend as a surprise,” you spoke in a hushed tone, making the waitress giggle. she nodded her head before handing it to her. you handed her your credit card, thanking her before your boyfriend had any suspicions of what you were up to.

youngjae came out of the bathroom as soon as the waitress set the cheque down. you were applying your lipstick so you couldn’t snatch it in time. you watched as his pretty brown eyes scanned the receipt, looking confused as ever. “is this a joke? what kind of waitress lets the girlfriend pay?”

“jae,” you giggled. “you don’t always have to pay for dinner. I wanted to treat you…I missed you so much,” you confided, watching his expression from anger into warmth.

“oh, thank you honey, you are so sweet and thoughtful, I love you so much,” you let him wrap his suit jacket around your arms before planting a kiss to your forehead. “but that will be the last time you ever do that.”

“shut up, i like doing nice things for you,” you pouted.

“since you paid for dinner tonight, i have to put out, right?”

he ran to the car before you could slap him in the chest.

bam; his s/o borrowing his clothes

remember how joey never shared his food? well that’s how bam was with his wardrobe. he was very particular about his clothing, not letting people borrow them at all. yugyeom used to steal his clothes just to be petty and piss his best friend off. he had never let past partners borrow his clothes, and nothing was going to change, it wasn’t his fault, it was an obsession. if you were sure of one thing, it was to not steal your boyfriends clothes.

but one day, while he was gone from work, you thought you would take pictures of yourself in only one of his blazers to tease him.

you weren’t expecting him to walk through the door while you were trying to take self timer pictures of yourself.

“baby? what are you doing?” bam asked, laughing as you let out a squeal of surprise.

“i..i wanted to surprise you...,” he tsked, pulling away to look at his blazer. “i know you don’t like me wearing your things..,” you stammered as he circled you.

“you have such pretty things, though, bam,”

“you look so sexy in this,” he purred. “you were trying to get me worked up while im trying to work?”

“u...uhhh,” you couldn’t think coherently with you boyfriend acting so domineering. you gasped as he slid his hand up to your cunt, rubbing your clit in little circles. “bam...please...,” you groaned. 

“keep the blazer on,” he said as you writhed in his grip.

“its gonna get all sweaty though and then you’ll yell at me,” you teased him as you followed him to the bed. 

bam just groaned. “baby, im sorry I haven’t let you borrow my clothes before but you look better in them than me. now, let me fuck you and i promise you can have anything you want in that closet.”

he knew exactly how to shut you up.

yugyeom; his s/o buying him flowers

yugyeom was always so stressed during comeback season. you always scolded him when he forgot to eat, or wasn’t staying hydrated enough, but you were so proud of him. seeing the smile on his face and the way he walked a little taller was so worth it.

he was still busy during comeback season, coming home late after all the videos he had to shoot for publicity.

one night, yugyeom had gotten home around midnight to a bouquet of pink roses and a handwritten note from you. it read; “I am so proud of you, my love. congrats on breath… I can always feel your love,” he blushed and giggled to himself, thinking, “isn’t the guy supposed to buy the girlfriend the flowers?” he wandered into your shared bedroom to see you sprawled into his side, with your book in your hands, a soft snore leaving your lips. he nudged you, not intending to wake you up, he could thank you in the morning. but he did accidentally. “yeom?” you whispered. 

“shh, baby go back to sleep,” he shushed, changing into his pjs. 

“did you like the flowers?” you asked, suddenly awake now. 

“theyre really pretty, baby, but aren’t I supposed to buy you the flowers?” 

you narrowed your eyes at him. “not my boyfriend being a sexist,” 

“yah! y/n stop it, I didn’t mean it that way!! I love them, you remembered I said I love roses,” he was pouting now, pulling you into his chest to spoon you. his voice got quieter now. “no one’s ever remembered my favorite flowers…much less bought them for me,” he paused, kissing the back of your neck before closing his eyes and falling fast asleep.

he was whipped.

#got7 #got7 scenarios #got7 reactions #got7 preferences #got7 writing #got7 imagines #park jinyoung #mark tuan #choi youngjae #kim yugyeom #bambam #jackson wang #im jaebeom #got7 writings

[alolowrites]

Late Night Visitor

Summary: A mysterious stranger visits your balcony and accidentally leaves behind a priceless jewelry that they stole from a museum.   

Author’s Note: I’m pleased to share the next story for @bnhabookclub​ Hero Camp Bingo event. The prompt I used was “Crime AU” It took a while getting this done because of work stress and having slight writer’s block (plus I kept changing the story’s direction). But really, it was because of how stressed/tired I’ve been the past few weeks. So, really sorry if it took forever posting another story.

It’s also my first time writing for Hawks, so hopefully I did him justice! He was the first character that popped up when working with this prompt. Please enjoy!!

Word Count: 2.3K+

“Ah! Hot, hot!”

Well, isn’t this just great? Nothing like accidentally burning your tongue during dinner to remind yourself how impatient you are—damn hunger. One hand flails to cool down your mouth. Steam dances above the hearty bowl of curry rice, the sweet smell of caramelized onions greeting your nose with a soft kiss. Bless the local 7-11 markets for selling quick and easy meals.

You sit criss-cross applesauce on the fluffy gray rug and scroll through social media for the millionth time. It’s been a slow weekend as yesterday’s news is recycled for today’s news. A random show plays on the television, but you don’t pay attention to the white noise. All your focus is on the phone, yet you still reach for another bite from your meal. How the rug stays clean during dinner nights at home is a complete mystery.  

Sipping on your drink, you spare a glance at the balcony and do a double-take—a stranger is crouching outside. You choke, “Oh shit!”

Without thinking, you scurry behind the gray couch, not caring if the rug becomes messy. Your pounding heart is like a concert bass drum which echoes around the small apartment. The sound drowns out the show’s mindlessly chatter. Frightened eyes peek around the corner, and you whip back in full regret.

The person is still outside. Their back is facing toward the balcony door, and they are wearing a form-fitting black hoodie. Hands search for your phone, but they come up empty. Panic finally settles in when you realize it’s on the coffee table. Great, you moan as your head softly hits against the furniture—is the door even locked?

You’re faced with a dilemma: Do you stay out of sight until the stranger leaves or risk being seen while getting help? After much deliberation, you swallow a hard pill and growl at the ceiling, “If I’m doing this, I better not die!”

You’re like a soldier crawling through the mud with a drill sergeant yelling down your neck. You snatch the phone off the table, but make the mistake of looking up at the sliding door. Everything comes to a screeching halt as curious gold eyes stare into your timid ones. The mysterious visitor becomes more intimidating thanks to the balaclava mask—it covers the lower half of their face.

The intense staring contest last for an eternity. You nearly rip off the loose strands on your rug when the stranger approaches closer; they stop when you back away. Taking pity on you, they jump over the balcony and disappear into the quiet night.

A sense of relief washes over you.

Who knows what could have happened to you? Maybe your mom was right about learning some self-defense; the pepper spray is not enough. As you stand and dust off your pants, a shiny light catches your attention; it’s coming from outside. You go against your better judgment and tiptoe toward the balcony.

Your jaw immediately falls to the floor when you spot an exquisite ruby pendant. A sparkling round diamond sits above the bright red gemstone, a slight tint of purple hue lurking underneath. Even the platinum metal chain carries an air of luxury. It’s as if the gods carefully hand-crafted this entire jewelry themselves. In short, it is simple but elegant.

Sliding the door, you wonder if this is some kind of trap. After checking your surroundings, you swiftly pick up the accessory and snort, “Thank you for making me feel poor.”

Fingers glide along the gemstone’s perfect curves as you gaze at the sleeping neighborhood. Your mind goes wild: Who was the person with those haunting golden eyes? Why did they come to your balcony? And why in the world did they leave behind a beautiful masterpiece?

You have so many questions but very few answers.  

༛༛ ༛ ༛༺༻༛ ༛ ༛༛

“So, you didn’t call the police?”

“Um…no…?”

“And why not?”

“It was a mixture of being both scared and stupid.”

“Oh my—” Fuyumi pinches the bridge of her nose. You twiddle your fingers like a guilty child and sink further into the booth. Fuyumi had her suspicions when you texted her to meet up at the usual coffee shop near your apartment. It’s your go-to place whenever you’ve done something questionable, which is ninety-nine percent of the time. Plus, the café whips up the perfect batch of castella—her favorite pastry.  

Customers stroll in and out of the coffee shop as piano music plays softly in the background. Roasted coffee beans linger in the air, tempting your nose with its delicious aroma. Out of habit, you push the castella closer to Fuyumi as if that would help soften the blow. She exhales, “Next time, please call the police.”

“Yes, mother,” you mumble much to Fuyumi’s displeasure, but she lets it slide. With the worst over, you bounce straight up and tap the table with an air of excitement. “Oh! Here’s the best part though, besides surviving a break-in—”

“The person was outside your balcony.”

“—close enough, but not really the point, okay?” Fuyumi rolls her eyes, and you fish out your phone to show her a picture. She takes a closer look as you ramble off. “Anyway, my late-night visitor left behind this gorgeous pendant! Why they were carrying this around is beyond me, and so carelessly too. I’m no jeweler, but I’m pretty sure those stones are worth a fortune—still beautiful, though.”

“Yeah, and stolen!” The white-haired teacher hisses. You blink, wholly baffled at her extreme reaction. Fuyumi whips out her iPhone with two fingers flying above the screen. She shoves it toward you, your eyes skimming through the article. The news delivers a sharp slap across your face as the realization sinks in.

Oh no…

Fuyumi bites her lip, “It’s The Grand Droplet, a priceless heirloom rumored to offer infinite life and prosperity. Police are saying the notorious thief, Hawks, stole the pendant last night from the Yutaka Jewelry Museum.” A few seconds later, she adds, “You have the pendant—”

“Shhhhhh!” A hand attacks her arm, your panicked eyes wandering around the coffee shop as if your cover got blown. No one turns their heads, but you shoot an annoyed glare at Fuyumi. “Why don’t you say it louder? I don’t think the barista heard you!”

“I’m sorry! It’s just,” she grips the table’s edge and leans closer, “This is serious! You have to bring the pendant to the authorities. See, this is exactly why you should have called the police last night! The longer you wait, the more guilty you look. Maybe you’ll even become an accomplice to the crime.”

“You’re not helping!”

“Sorry…”

You dramatically groan into your hands, “Why did this happen to me?! When I said I wanted to live like Larry, I didn’t mean this!”

“I know,” Fuyumi pats your head and sneaks a bite of her delicious treat; her phone chimes beside you. She checks the message before flashing an apologetic stare. “Listen, I have to take care of something with my family, but I hate to leave you like this.”

“No, it’s okay. I can handle this myself,” you pathetically convince her. “I’m sure nothing bad will happen, knock on wood—”

“The table is metal.”

“I said what I said!” Your fist aggressively pounds the table, scaring off some customers. A mother hastily pushes her child away from the chaotic scene. You calm down and sigh, “I promise to call you if I’m in danger, okay?”

“Okay.”

You nod before whispering, “Sorry, table.”

༛༛ ༛ ༛༺༻༛ ༛ ༛༛

The walk back home is anything but relaxing. You are on high alert, throwing suspicious glances at anyone coming too close to you. They could be undercover cops waiting to ambush you and interrogate your poor soul for hours until the necklace reappears.

But I didn’t do anything! I’m a good noodle!

You sigh as the key unlocks the door, your shoes flying off by the entrance. Fortunately, you hid the pendant in a safe place. All you want to do is get rid of this jewelry; it brings nothing but trouble.

Marching down the hallway, you grumble under your breath, “Stupid Hawks, and his stupid stealing habits.”

Everyone knows about the infamous Hawks. He strikes when one least expects him to, and somehow successfully evades capture after every heist. But Hawks always leaves behind his signature red feather as a little present for authorities—it never fails to rile them up. Hopefully, the cops show some mercy when you explain what happened. Maybe you should work on your puppy dog look before heading downtown, which might help you score a few sympathy points.

You find the burgundy jewelry box sitting on the closet’s top shelf and breathe a sigh of relief—the pendant is still inside. Not wasting precious time, you close the lid and exit your room. A soft click makes you freeze.

Standing by the balcony door is Hawks, who wears a black jacket with a white shirt underneath. His ashy blonde hair is lazily slicked back, a few strands sticking here and there like no tomorrow. Surprisingly, he lowers the balaclava mask and flashes a boyish grin, “‘Bout time you came home! I was getting bored out there.”

“How did you—wait, never mind. You break into high-security places to steal things for a living,” you say, shifting the jewelry box onto your right grip. “Listen, as much as I would like to stay and chit-chat, my day is fully booked. Can’t really cancel on these people, ya know?” You slowly tiptoe backward, an awkward laugh ringing through the air. “Let’s do a rain check; I’m free next week. Okay? Okay! See ya—“

“Hold it!” You halt on his order, a curse slipping out your mouth. Hawks strides across the floor, and you clutch the box closer to your chest. You feel as though your feet are glued to the ground, the nerves growing stronger once Hawks stands only a few feet away. He crosses his arms and nods at the box, “Whatcha got there?”

“Oh, it’s nothing special, really.”

“Can I take a look?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Um, because I don’t want to, that’s why,” you childishly snap and send him a dismissive wave. “Now, shoo! You’re wasting my precious time.”

Hawks chuckles at your feisty attitude. He finds this whole ordeal extremely amusing. You know who he is, you know of his reputation just like everyone else in Japan. And yet, you keep on swinging like a boxer with your witty responses. Still, he has a job to finish. “I’m not leaving until you give me that pendant.”  

“Well, I hope you’re paying for half the rent because there’s no way in hell I’m giving it to you, Mr. Thief.” Two seconds later, you add, “Besides, it’s not even yours!”

“It’s not yours either.”

“Oh!” You give him a fake laugh, pointing one finger at your chest. “So the thief is criticizing me for having something that’s not mine? How rich.”

“You’re lucky I find you cute, but,” Hawks dangerously invades your personal space without giving you a chance to stop him. From far away, he doesn’t appear tall. However, Hawks somehow towers over you, which makes you involuntarily squeak. A wicked glint shines through his golden eyes as he studies your unique facial features. You suddenly forget to breathe when his eyes glance at your lips—damn him.

Hawks plucks the box from your loose grip. The hypnotic spell comes crashing down, and you loudly snarl, “Hey! Give it back!”

“Sorry, Dove,” Hawks keeps you at arm’s length, his gloved hand giving your shoulder a soft squeeze as he smirks, “I got a buyer who’s willing to pay a hefty price for this beauty. Of course, you are way more stunning, but he doesn’t need to know that.”

“Quit charming me!” You’re a blushing mess now and throw a pillow at him; he easily dodges it much to your dismay. Hawks’ cackles bounce off the wall, which makes you scowl. His fingers slide the balcony door open, and he tastes sweet freedom.

“Farewell, Dove!”

You have a deja vu moment when Hawks jumps over the edge. Your legs rush outside, and eyes frantically search the streets, but it’s no use—the thief is long gone. One hand slaps your forehead as you stupidly let him get away with the jewel. Feeling like a deflated balloon, you whip out your phone and make a quick call.

“Fuyumi…yeah, the pendant got stolen again.”

Stupid thief.

༛༛ ༛ ༛༺༻༛ ༛ ༛༛

You collapse on the couch with as much grace as an inexperienced dancer who steps on people’s toes. Work left you exhausted, but you’re glad it’s almost the weekend. You’ll definitely sleep in and have a lazy day on Sunday. It’s what you deserve after meeting tight deadlines and also talking to the police about Hawks.

Fortunately, they do not blame you for anything, much to your relief. It’s been about a week since Hawks broke into your apartment to steal back the Grand Droplet. Police have no luck locating him; they believe the thief is lying low until it’s safe enough for him to strike again. Where exactly is anyone’s guess.

A knock disrupts your thoughts.

It comes from the balcony, and you jump to your feet. No one is outside, although a flash of red catches your eye. Lo and behold, it’s Hawks’ signature feather with a small note attached. Oh, how lovely, you think before snatching the gift off the floor. Your pet name is affectionately written across the paper. You hate yourself for finding Hawks’ calligraphy impressive, but proceed to read the note.

Sorry for cutting our convo short—had a deal to close. No hard feelings, though, right? If anything, I’ll make it up to you, Dove. Besides, you still owe me that rain check.

See ya soon!

-H

You don’t bother biting back your smile.

Guess you’ll be seeing Fuyumi at the coffee shop again.

Fourth prompt is crossed off. Which one will be next? Stay tune! Thank you for reading! 

Previous prompt: Cuddles 

Hero Camp Bingo Masterlist

#hawks x reader #keigo takami x reader #hawks imagine #bnha hawks #keigo takami #bnhabookclub #hero camp bingo #crime au

[thetourguidebarbie]

KC + angst and happy ending preferably canon-y (no babies or sc or anything after season 4 lmao) but if the muse takes you in a different direction that’s okay :)

This has a cliffhanger. Please don’t hate me. I have another prompt I’ll use for a part two if there’s interest :)

———

Caroline shifted in bed, pulling the fluffy comforter more tightly around her body, absently tracing the embroidered floral pattern with her fingertip. The cabin was cold, the rain pelting the windows, and she was trying to figure out whether or not to be worried that Klaus was two days late coming back from his negotiation meeting.

She knew it was silly on its face, since Klaus couldn’t be killed, but she vividly remembered the way he looked when she finally rescued him two centuries before, finding him dessicated and buried in a shallow grave, trapped and unable to escape, his eyes still very much alert. It had haunted her nightmares, and she suspected his too, though he’d never admit it. She couldn’t imagine what it must have been like, to be buried alive while the people on Earth were being slowly evacuated to Mars and then beyond, not knowing whether anyone would find him, whether he’d be buried alive for eternity. She’d kept tabs on him over the years and had been confused when he seemed to fall off the face of the earth, but she knew something was wrong when he didn’t call or make any sort of contact on her birthday. Call her arrogant, but she knew that he wouldn’t just stop contact abruptly, especially when she’d just started being open about warming up to him.

So, knowing the direction the wind was blowing, that they wouldn’t be on Earth much longer, she set off to rescue him before there weren’t any evacuation ships left. It would have been difficult without a constant food source, but Caroline was a natural planner, liked to be prepared for everything–including the eventual end of the world–and she’d known from the first iphone video after she turned that the days until vampires were discovered were numbered. She got a medical degree and two PhDs and recruited-slash-compelled a few of her professors’ contacts to start working on a synthetic blood substitute that would be sustainable. They succeeded just in time, and her idealistic optimism made her hope that humans wouldn’t be nervous because they’d have no reason to feed.

She’d been wrong.

She managed to rescue Klaus and hop on one of the last fleets. She soon learned that no matter how many solar systems the technology allowed them to jump through, he still somehow managed to piss people off anywhere they went, creating a laundry list of enemies. It was infuriating, honestly. She wasn’t exactly the most diplomatic person in the world, but she at least had some tact, and Klaus seemed to be the only person in the three solar systems they’d discovered so far that was worse than her at keeping his mouth shut. It didn’t help that his enemies were organized enough to hate him together.

His hybrid army was now an actual army in every sense of the word, used to defend them from people, both humans and aliens, who wanted to eliminate them as a threat.

Vampires were scattered around the various planets that had been discovered, generally sticking together in areas of the bigger cities, but humans were still wary despite the overwhelming majority of vampires being perfectly willing to live off of a diet mostly comprised of the synthetic blood (which, honestly, was just as good as the real thing, and she didn’t just say that because she’d helped invent it). The strain had come to a head just two decades before, and as the de facto king of the vampire race, Klaus had taken the mantle of general of the vampire army easily. She hadn’t been content to stand by the sidelines while he plotted and fought the small group of humans who were trying to destroy them, and he mostly seemed to understand that she couldn’t be a passive contributor, but he’d managed to convince her that she shouldn’t be on the front lines. 

As the unofficial war had waged on, she’d begun seeing less and less of him. The number of vacations they took and cities they toured per year dwindled over time, and she’d been so excited for this getaway, their first in months. She knew that he probably hadn’t been overpowered by the humans across the negotiation table, but it didn’t stop her from worrying, and he knew that. He knew how annoyed she’d be if he was too distracted by his plotting and planning to remember that she had planned time out of her busy schedule to spend with him, and if he had a single shred of common decency…

She huffed, trying not to go too far down that path. He was being a jerk and she was mad, but in her three hundred years of life (two centuries of which she’d spent in a monogamous committed relationship with the jerk in question), she’d gotten reasonably self-aware, and she knew that she was more hurt than anything else. He loved her, she was very aware of that, and when she brought it up before a few times over the last few decades he’d promised that once the threat had been taken care of he would whisk her away to New Australia (her favorite planet of the ones nearest to New Brazil, their current home) and make it up to her. 

And frankly, she was looking forward to that. She was sick of his assurances that it was almost over, that they were getting closer to victory. Maybe Klaus had been a bad influence, but the past two centuries had jaded her and at this point non-violent negotiations were getting close to being off the table. Not that she was advocating genocide, but she wasn’t exactly happy to call a ceasefire and continue to live in fear. She knew Klaus wasn’t either.

Sighing after another few minutes passed, she threw off the blankets to throw on one of his henleys, a heavy sweater, and some leggings, grabbing her phone off the bedside table to check the time, deciding she’d call him soon if he didn’t turn up. She poured some synthetic blood into a mug and sat down on the couch, absently fiddling with her phone and staring out the window for a bit before feeling a bit pathetic and turning on the hologrammer, settling on a competition reality show where people were dropped on an “abandoned” planet and had to figure out how to find their way back to civilization to win six thousand star coins. 

It didn’t do enough to distract her, though. He almost always called if he was going to be late, and the feeling that something was horribly wrong was nagging at her. Still, she toughed it out, checking her screen every few seconds to see if there was a text or a voicemail or something, but it remained stubbornly blank.

Once the episode was over she decided it was time to call, if only to make sure that he’d at least be home before she went to bed. He picked up on the second ring, and she found herself frustrated by the smile she could hear in his voice. “Hello, sweetheart.”

“Hey,” she said cooly. “Are you going to be home soon?”

“I’m about to board the ship now. I was just about to call,” he said, hesitating for a moment before continuing, clearly interpreting her tone correctly. “Everything all right?”

“I just…I was…”

She trailed off, not wanting to admit that she’d been worried, knowing that it was irrational, but Klaus had clearly picked up on it from the soft hum and the whoosh of air and cutoff of background noise that meant he’d found a more private place to talk. “I’m sorry, love. I should have called. We’d agreed on jamming communication to the outside for the duration of the negotiations and it took much longer than expected to reach an agreement, but I do have good news. We’ve agreed on a truce for now.”

Caroline snorted, momentarily distracted from her anxiety about Klaus’s safety to fall into strategy mode. “Yeah, like they’ll keep to it.”

“Oh, I expect they won’t,” he said, his tone deceptively mild. “But I don’t intend to either. We’ll talk more when I get back. I’d like your input on some possible avenues we can take.”

Caroline felt a slow smile grow on her face, feeling pleased that Klaus clearly wasn’t trying to shut her out. “Okay. When do you think you’ll be back?”

“A few hours.”

“Ugh. I still don’t get why they wanted to meet so far away from both base planets. ‘Neutral ground’ my ass. They’re totally up to something.”

“I had the same thought, but turning them down wouldn’t have been advisable,” Klaus said, sounding just as irritated as she was with the whole thing. “I’ll see you in a few hours, sweetheart.”

“Okay.”

“Stay safe.”

“You too. I love you.”

“And I, you. I’ll call when we get to the landing area.”

“Okay. Sounds good.”

She hung up, running a hand through her hair and glancing out the window. The rain was still pounding against the glass, and she winced when she saw the hybrid guard on duty wearing a large, thick black raincoat that obscured most of his body, clearly trying to keep warm. Figuring that the least she could do was bring him some warm blood (it’s not like he was allowed to leave his post for snacks), she pulled her sweater down where it had bunched up around her waist and slipped out of her and Klaus’s bedroom. The hallway to the kitchen was dimly lit, and she froze when she felt something wet on the hardwood floor under her bare feet. She reached for the light switch on the wall, flipping it on and feeling her breath catch in her throat as she followed the red pool down a few feet to see a hybrid with a slit throat.

The hybrid who was supposed to have been on duty.

The reality of the situation hit her all at once. Whoever was outside wasn’t her guard, Klaus had clearly been lured far away by the humans for a too-long negotiation on purpose, she somehow hadn’t smelled the blood all over her hallway, and she was in very deep trouble.

She felt a sharp pain in her neck.

Her world went dark before she could scream.

#klaroline #klaroline drabbles #klaroline drabble #klaroline fanfiction #mydrabbles #anon #ask #answer

[findingxace]

“26 going on 27…”

Future AU ~ Based off the line where LJ thinks about another time…”If only Peter and I had met when we were 27, that seems like a good age to fall in love.”

 ___________________________________________________________

Lara Jean is currently a working as a Publishers Assistant (because you know with those love letters how does she not grow up to be an author or something in that field)

Peter K has recently graduated from the police academy and is still a newbie on neighborhood patrol (this is based off the scene in the Netflix movie version of their characters where LJ almost crashes into Peter - the way he taps on her window seemed very police officer style…) _______________________________________________________________

If she had left the office just 5 minutes earlier she would have been home by now and not stuck in the light rain that was just starting to come down. It was a late September night and her car dashboard read the time was 7.48 PM in bright scolding numbers.

She was late.

Which was terrible because she was never late! She was always the first one to help set up for special celebrations, especially when it came to celebrating her Father’s birthday.

Kitty, her not-so-baby-sister, had already been texting her like crazy she had to mute her Iphone so the annoying text bings would not distract her from driving. Lara Jean had always been a cautious driver and drove 5 miles under the speed limit with seat belt always secure but when it came to running late or when the weather was bad - she was a complete mess. Now she was late AND it was raining - the combination was not looking good for her.

She blinked fast  not wanting to take her eyes off the road and was pressing lightly on the brakes as the window wipers pounded loudly in the background. She was just a few feet away from the vehicle approaching the stop sign, just a turn or two and she was almost home. She was trying to figure out if she was on Cherry street yet or in their main street when the loud annoying beeping came in throwing her completely off.

“WHAT THE --” she shouted.

And before she could think about it - it happened. She let the breaks go for just a second but it was too late - she didn’t realize how close she was until she heard the impact of her car.

CLACK!

In reality the moment only lasted about 3 seconds - it wasn’t that bad to the driver ahead of her it was just a small graze. But to Lara Jean she felt like she was watching all of this go down in slow motion and when her brain finally snapped from it she had pressed the breaks a second too late. The damage was already done.

She hadn’t even realized the tears were on her face until her hands flew up to her face mouthing OH-MY-GOD, and then she felt her face go red and damp in tears.

If she had to describe it into words it felt like someone had pressed pause in the middle of one of those loud action movies and then pressed play again during the exciting climax and action.

When she snapped back to it her eyes finally locked in on where the noise had originated - her panel in the center had come to life displaying a new text from Kitty: “Daddy, is here! WHERE ARE YOU?!”

When had her dad found the time to synch her Iphone to her car smart settings? She remembered having asked for this over a month ago thinking maybe she should just stick to the plain old GPS on her phone settings but he had promised her he would help her out with the bothersome task - but since she never saw her father poke his head to her car Lara Jean just assumed he had forgotten about it. Until now. He had accomplished this and with it had also synched her important text messages from family with it. Having muted her phone - Kitty must have figured she could reach her in her car.

Well it worked -- terribly!

Her hands had by now moved to park the car - knowing now she was going to have to exchange the drivers insurance information. She had only been in one other accident before when she was in high school and she had vowed to never experience this again. Well too late for that now. Her fingers were now rubbing her tears away and when she finally looked up she had somehow missed the part where with the rain coming down the driver in front of her had put his hazard signal up, had stepped out of the car making his way to her window and when she looked closer there was a small flashing red light on the roof of his car.

Oh no! She gulped.

The tall man was now tapping on her window. She waited just a second before grabbing any of her courage left that night. Then pressed the button to lower the window down, rain coming in and all.

“Evening ma’am.” His voice was soft but firm. No hint of anger - yet. She paused as she took in the mans off duty clothes but the navy blue jacket with his name stitched in was still pretty clear. “Good Evening….Officer Kavinsky.”

__________________________________________________________

He had just gotten off a late shift and if he was being honest probably wouldn’t have had to if he hadn’t volunteered to make a last stop at a house party, it was a noise complaint call. It hadn’t taken him long he had showed up, then in uniform, explaining to the homeowners and guests that they had to keep it down. Lucky for him it was two  young ladies maybe in their early 20’s that had answered the door - he flashed a smile and they were sold. They simply shock their heads and apologized.

“Yes, officer were so so sorry. Won’t happen again.”

With that he turned around and drove back to the station and clocked out for the night finally getting the chance to change into his civilian clothes. He drove a two seat black Kia but somewhere under all his spare dirty shirts and left over boxes from donut runs was an emergency siren when needing to switch back from Peter K to Officer Kavinsky.

He was still new to his role as officer and hadn’t really thought he would need it anytime soon. And that’s when the rain came tonight and before he knew it he heard the loud - CLACK too.

Secretly he was hoping to pull the bad boy out for something more dashing like a car pulling 60 miles an hour in a 25 mile speed zone. But never really thought he would need it for a simple fender bender. He pulled his car to a stop, parked it, and put the hazard lights on. He was tired, it was raining and that bump was going to cost him so he had to put his tough face on. Maybe he would be lenient - but he could already picture his mechanic giving him a harsh quote for the damage.

And then he was making his way over to the vehicle behind him and knocking on the window tinted glass - he was only able to see the silhouette of the driver so he couldn’t tell if they were male or female until the window finally rolled all the way down.

She was leaning towards the younger side, late twenties if he was being exact, actually toward his age so 28 if he had to take a wild guess. Asian decent - but he probably would never guess what part unless he asked. Long black hair tied in a tight ponytail. But her eyes it was kinda hard to tell what color because he noticed right away that she had been tearing up - she was embarrassed it seemed, but sometimes that feature could be mistaken between being tipsy is what he had been taught.

He wasn’t really sure if to address her as a Miss, so he always went for Ma’am it seemed pretty neutral ground.

“Evening ma’am.”

Her eyes blinked quickly as her eyes locked into his.  “Good Evening….Officer Kavinsky.” Her voice seemed so innocent and definitely not drunk - more hurt.

His reaction was confusion at first. Did she know him from somewhere?

“I’m sorry - have we met before?”

She blinked again. She was silent.

“No - but I mean your jacket…?”

“Oh right,” he looked down noticing his embroidered name, “thought I grabbed my other jacket before leaving the station.”

That seemed to change her expression from embarrassed to alert. This reaction was normal, came with the title. Then he realized she was waiting for him to continue.

“Right - so...I might be in civilian clothes but as you can see we’ve got a situation here.”

What? When he heard himself say the last words out loud he wanted to smack himself. She already addressed you as ‘Officer’ - why are you making this weird?

Yet she was following along. She nodded. “Yes...I understand.”

Ok great now focus Kavinsky - get to the point.

By now he was finally pulling out his official badge and displaying his identification as Officer Kavinsky. “I’m going to need to ask for your license, registration and insurance information - if I may.”

She just nodded quietly tears now drying up in her face. And then she quickly pulled out her wallet and handed everything he had requested.

He grabbed all the information with a stern smile. And his eyes quickly scanned everything over.

Lara Jean Song Covey.  Covey...Why did he recognize that name? Age: 27 - he had been close. When he got to her address he had the street name memorized - her neighborhood was actually one of his frequent areas he patrolled.

He took in her picture last - everyone’s license picture never did justice because DMV agents always captured people at the moments when their least ready to snap the picture. But this Covey girl looked like had been pretty ready for the picture and had a warm smile on her face, as if she were glowing. Not at all like the young lady who had bumped into her now. He knew he couldn’t say it out loud but she was very cute. Not sexy per say - but definitely cute.

He was looking over everything so carefully that he was almost surprised when she spoke.

“You’re wet.”

“Wait, what?”

Ok yea - she had really caught him off guard. Yes he found her attractive - but it felt like she was reading his thoughts.

“You’re getting soaked! Do you want my umbrella? I’m very sorry about all this and now I’m causing you to get wet.”

Well yes he was wet - but not that way. Get it together, Kavinsky - what’s going on?

“I uh it’s fine don’t worry Miss Song, I -”

“It’s just Covey,” their eyes locked, “Officer Kavinsky, right?”

The way she said his name, it just felt right. Now he was the one that felt embarrassed, what kinda charm did this girl have?

He cleared his throat. “I’m sorry for keeping you - I’m off duty for the night now but I’ve still got to report this unfortunately. If it’s alright I’ll take a picture of your identification and could you provide me with your best contact information?”

He needed to focus.

She nodded following along and provided him with all the information. He snapped the picture of her things and saved her number. Then handed her back her things once he was done.

“You haven’t been drinking have you?”

“No - something just startled me. I’m so so sorry.”

He nodded. “I believe you.”

She nodded again waiting, as if he was going to continue.

Her next words were barely a mumble but he caught them. “Ok, Officer - now what?”

He gave her a small chuckle.

“Don’t worry Miss Covey I’m not going to arrest you or anything. It’s just a fender bender - but I will be in touch so that means you can’t avoid me. I know where to find you.”

Her face almost made him laugh - but he couldn’t. It was a mixture between relief, worry and literally ‘oh shit’.

“Ok, I understand.”

“Ms. Covey?”

She was lost in thought and suddenly met his eyes again.

“Yes, Officer?”

“You may go now. But please - I beg of you drive safely.”

She finally gave him a quiet smile - not like her ID picture but almost there. Her car quickly came back to life and he motioned for her to continue ahead of him.

He watched as she cautiously stopped at the stop sign, put up her right turn signal and drove off.

Officer Kavinsky then ran back to his car, shut off the hazard lights and the bright light he had set on his roof and headed back to his house in the opposite direction. With his interaction from Ms. Covey still glowing in his thoughts.

#to all the boys i've loved before #tatbilb #my fics #lara jean x peter #lara jean song covey #peter kavinsky #i wrote a thing hope ppl like it

[serena-waldorf]

Snagged from @linguistlove24

1. Who are some of your favorite artists? Nicki Minaj, Drake, Shania Twain, Katy Perry, Joni Mitchell, Lady GaGa, Eminem, Beyonce, The Spice Girls, Lana del Rey, Johnny Cash, Rihanna...a lot more that I’m forgetting right now. 

2. What are some of your favorite genres? I listen to mostly pop, rap, R & B, and hip hop lately. But I’m pretty eclectic and my tastes and preferences change all the time depending on my mood. I also love folk music, some country, rock, and showtunes/musicals. 

3. What was the last song you listened to? Doo-Wop (That Thing) by Lauryn Hill

4. What song are you listening to right now? Chained To The Rhythm - Katy Perry

5. What are some songs that help you relax? All In All by Shania Twain Breathe (2 AM) by Anna Nalick Fire & Desire by Drake

6. What are some songs that get you pumped? Beez In The Trap by Nicki Minaj I’m The Best by Nicki Minaj Blazin by Nicki Minaj feat. Kanye West Run The World (Girls) by Beyonce Flawless Remix by Beyonce feat. Nicki Minaj 

7. What are some songs that give you the chills (the bad kind)? The Man Comes Around by Johnny Cash The Show Must Go On by Queen No One But You (Only The Good Die Young) by Kerry Ellis Hallelujah (most, if not all, versions of it) 

8. Who are some of your least favorite artists? Justin Bieber, OneRepublic, The Jonas Brothers, Kanye West (I actually like some of his music, if only he wasn’t such a dickhead), Nickelback (LOL, sorry, to anybody that likes any of these bands/artists!) 

9. What are some of your least favorite genres? Screamo, heavy/death metal, Techno, EDM, most country music (I make a few exceptions for some artists and songs) 

10. What song are you sick of hearing? Anything that they play at my work LOL. Not that I don’t like most of it actually, but after hearing the same songs, almost every day for 8 hours a day, you get tired of hearing the same stuff over and over again. Sometimes more than twice in one day even lol. 

11. What are some songs that make you cry/want to cry? Little Green by Joni Mitchell Fire And Rain by James Taylor Fix You by Coldplay

12. What songs do you listen to when you are sad?

The ones from the above answer plus:

River by Joni Mitchell (or sometimes the Sarah McLachlan version depending on my mood) I’ve Been from the Next to Normal Original Broadway Cast Recording Breathe (2 AM) by Anna Nalick Not Ready to Make Nice by The Dixie Chicks Landslide by The Dixie Chicks

13. What songs do you listen to when you are angry? Roman’s Revenge by Nicki Minaj feat. Eminem FU by Miley Cyrus feat. French Montana Bitch Better Have My Money by Rihanna

14. Do you listen to music when doing homework, or any work in general? Usually, if I’m cleaning or doing housework/chores. If I don’t have the TV on for background noise than I probably have music playing because I can’t stand silence if I’m doing that kind of work. And since lately, I’ve been applying to more jobs with more frequency than I used to, I do listen to music while filling out online applications and sending out resumes. 

15. Headphones or earbuds? Earbuds

16. Where do you play music from (iPod, MP3, iPhone etc.)? My phone or my iPod usually

17. Do you play any instruments? Nope

18. Do you want to play an instrument? Not really. Not at this moment in my life anyways. I would probably prefer to get back into acting/improv or learning comedy performing or something like that right now. 

19. Do you sing (either professionally or just for the hell of it)? I do. At karaoke with my friends when we go or just for fun when I’m home alone and feel like it. And in the shower haha. 

20. Do you listen to foreign music? A little bit 

21. What kind of headphones/earbuds do you have? Sony earbuds 

22. Do you listen to music from movies/videogames? I listen to tons of musical and movie soundtracks :)

23. Do people hate on your music a lot? Not really? I don’t know? All my friends and I have different tastes but we can respect each others tastes for the most part. One of my friends doesn’t like rap music but he especially hates Nicki Minaj and Drake for some reason. He gets really annoyed if someone sings Drake or Nicki Minaj songs at karaoke but I don’t really care and I sing them anyway haha. If he says something negative about my music tastes, I can just make fun of him for liking Nickelback ;) 

24. Do you like to dance (professionally or for the hell of it)? I don’t dance well, I’m definitely an awkward white girl when I dance but yes, I love to dance in all my awkward white girl glory lol. So excited that now that the weather is warming up, it makes it easier to go out dancing in the future this summer (hopefully) :) 

25. Do you listen to music while getting ready? Always

26. When was the last time you listened to music? Listening to music right now. 

27. What song could you listen to forever? Hmm...this one is really hard. Any of the songs mentioned in this questionnaire lol. 

28. Who are some artists you find attractive? Nicki Minaj, Drake, Rihanna, Shania Twain, Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez

29. When do you normally listen to music (when stressed, when you wake up etc.)? All the time. When I’m getting ready, while I’m doing housework, for a little bit in the morning when I first wake up sometimes if I have the day off from work, while I’m in the shower, for a few hours before going to bed. When I’m happy, stressed, sad, angry, etc. 

#linguistlove24 #ask meme #music asks #song asks #music #about me

[poolenick-blog]

Hey Aileen! I am planning on becoming a digital nomad as I go on a RTW (round-the-world) trip next year. For my journey, I will have a check-in luggage where I will put all my clothes and shoes in, and when it comes to my laptop, camera, and electronics, I would like to put these valuables in a carry-on. But I’m having difficulty in finding the right way to pack them! I also don’t want to miss on any essentials during a flight (may it be a short one or a long haul). I follow your updates and live feed on Snapchat, and it seems like you always manage to pack well and light for your travels. As an experienced traveling digital nomad, I would love to know how you pack valuables in your carry-on!

– Nana from France / May 18, 2019

packing routine — which I would now be sharing with you!

Hence: no matter how long your trip may be and no matter where you’re going, below is a list of my typical carry-on essentials and gear that can keep you “properly equipped” during all of your travels!

(*My lifestyle is basically that of a digital nomad — enterepreneur-slash-blogger — but with today’s time, I believe that the items below applies to EVERYONE anyway since, we’ve all become such tech junkies!) .title-bar:after, .title-bar:before, .title-bar:after, .title-bar:before, h2{ border-color: }

What’s in My Carry-On?

– The “Carrier” –

Most airlines allow one (1) carry-on cabin luggage that is under their respective weight limit (typically around 5 to 10kgs only).

Fortunately, there are also some airlines that allow two (2) items: one (1) carry-on and one (1) personal item (a handbag, a backpack, a laptop bag, an umbrella, a briefcase, etc. that can be stowed under the seat before you.) Given this fact, there have actually been times that I do NOT have any check-in baggage at all: I only bring along one carry-on backpack, and one small rolling luggage that contains my clothes — a set-up that is VERY helpful for avoiding long check-in lines.

Often times though, I am faced with preparing just 1 carry-on bag, while the rest is stored in my main luggage. Nevertheless, as dependent upon your trip and the airline that you’ll be riding in, it just really helps to have bags ready that are generally within the standard limits for cabin luggage.

My recommendations would be:

A Backpack

For years, I have been on the hunt for the PERFECT backpack that can properly organize and protect my carry-on items. This is because most small backpacks are thin and “top-loading” (where you simply shove items into the depths of it and wish that you’ll find them easily later on). I rather wanted a versatile one that can keep my tech gadgets secure and can segregate my other carry-on items better for ease and swift access.

Thankfully, my search ended last year when I was introduced to Venque’s innovative CamPro Bag! Now why has this become my ultimate carry-on backpack?

The bottom section is ‘front-loading’ (like a suitcase) and can be sectioned into compartments with the help of its adjustable velcro dividers which is as you see in the image above. You can even take off all these velcros and convert it into one big space — so yes, its layout can be changed in order to fit your needs.

The upper compartment is sectioned off too, with its own velcro dividers. (Rest assured, you can also take these velcro dividers off and open it up towards the bottom section if in case you want to convert the CamPro into the typical full top-loading backpack.)

The insides are very well-padded and there’s even a zippered section at the back that can fit 15″-sized laptops. The quality of the material is also superb as it is made of leather and innovative quanta fabric that is ever-lasting, stain-repellant, and anti-scratch. It even comes along with a water-resistant cover in case it rains!

Slim (15.7″ x 7″ x 12.1″), comfortable, with lots of pockets and extra features. For instance, it comes with buckles on the sides where you can strap on a tripod for instance, and it even has removable buckles to balance and transfer the weight that you carry.

*You can buy this awesome bag at Urban Traveller & Co. They ship worldwide and if you use the coupon code: Aide de Camp’s camera bags.

As for luggage, as I’ve already mentioned, the dimension limit for a carry-on varies across all airlines. I’ve done my research, and so far, in order for you to be in the ‘safe’ side of such limits, you need a luggage that is within or around this standard size: 22″ high, 14″ wide, and 9″ deep.

I personally use a Samsonite Luggage Winfield 20 because I love how lightweight and strong it is. I’ve been using it for a while now and it has truly withstood the wear and tear from all of my travels.

IMPORTANT NOTE: All the items that are listed below can fit inside my CamPro bag alone. In fact, after everything is packed in, I always have ample space left for extras (around 20%).

Yep. It’s that amazing!

– Gadgets & Tech –

 travel apps that can help assist me in the duration of my trip. If you’re curious, I own an iPhone 5s which has superb camera specs (I actually have a handful of my travels where I only packed my 5s, making it as my sole photo-taking gadget).  Kindle Paperwhite has been my travel companion ever since! (For entertainment during long flights, long bus/train rides, chill afternoons, etc.)

I can store TONS of books in it and its battery life is also mind-blowing. I’ve been on a week-long vacation before and I used my Kindle every single day — when it was time to go home, its battery life still had more than half! Later on, I’ve learned that there’s no need for me to pack my Kindle’s charger because it can last a long time.

*You can pack a tablet instead like an iPad Mini, but I fell in love with a Kindle when it comes to reading (it’s more easy on the eyes). Besides, an iPad Mini is basically like a bigger version of my smartphone. Overall: as dependent on your personal preferences, you can pack an eReader OR a tablet. It’s up to you! Laptop

Yet another no-brainer item to bring in my carry-on. As a digital nomad, my laptop is my lifeline. I never travel without it, and I’m glad that my CamPro bag protects it well and good during my travels.

I work with a Macbook Pro 13″ for years now, and I know it’s not as light nor thin as a Macbook Air, but since I wanted a machine that has the capacity to handle my graphic and video processes while I’m on the road, I rather opted for the Macbook Pro. (The difference between the two in weight is not so huge after all. My Macbook Pro is still very slim and it’s also more compact than most laptops out there.)  Earphones

Perfect for cancelling out the noise and for slipping into my own music-filled world. I also question the cleanliness of the headphones offered during long flights, so I always make sure to pack my own earphones.

Some people find headphones, like the noise-cancelling ones, as a better item to pack in their carry-on. However, they can be quite huge and it often puts stress on my head and my ears. I find that as long as you purchase earphones that are powerful and well-fitted to your ears, they can offer almost the same benefits as headphones. (I recommend Panasonic’s ErgoFit In-Ear Earphones).  Canon Powershot G7 X

For all-around photography: Sony Alpha A6000 Mirrorless (I have a prime lens of 50mm and an all around 55-210 mm lens)

For action, sports, and underwater: GoPro Silver 4

If you’re not particular with photography and you just want a great point-and-shoot camera for your travels, I recommend Canon’s Powershot G7 X. There’s no need to bring along a massive DSLR.  Plugs, Adapter, Chargers, etc.

For organizing my chargers and to avoid them from tangling altogether, I place them in one velcro section of my CamPro bag and twist the wires around with a Nite Ize Gear Tie. When it comes to a travel adapter, I use Ceptics.  Power Bank

This is very helpful for emergencies or for simply just prolonging your gadgets’ lives. I once got lost with my phone dead; thanks to my Anker power bank, I got myself out of that mess in a jiffy.

You also have to remember that though there are electric outlets in the airport or in cafes, most of the time those are being hogged by other people. Therefore: it’s better to be safe and prepared, than sorry!  This is an optional item. If I know that I’ll be staying somewhere fixed with a decent internet connection, I wouldn’t bother getting myself one. But in times that I have to hop from one place to another (most especially when it’s a trip that spans for more than a week), a pocket WiFi is a must to have and I have stood by Tep Wireless for years now. I simply trust their product and service for they have never failed me. Tep Wireless is also a lot cheaper than other providers like HipPocketWiFi, My-WebSpot and xCom Global.

Use code IAMAILEEN and you can save 15% off when renting a Tep Wireless pocket wifi!

With them, you can choose to either rent a unit, or just buy one and be charged whenever you use it. (I just purchased my own Tep Wireless unit given how I frequently travel — which saves me the shipping cost everytime I rent one).  Data Storage Items

Some people bring along bulky hard drives, but I rarely have the need to do so — I just leave that at home. Instead, when it comes to backup data storage, I would just bring along a memory card (in case one of my camera’s memory cards gives up on me) and a USB stick (with lots of storage space). – The Small Stuff –

Hearos Xtreme.

Neck pillows and eye masks are also heaven-sent items for making your flight a lot more comfortable.

When it comes to eye masks though, I typically buy these Japanese steam eye masks because they help a LOT in relaxing tired eyes and prevent swelling after an ‘uncomfortable’ sleep inside a plane. I highly suggest that you give it a try! Together with this, I also pack a face mask (to keep germs and allergies on check) and sheet mask (to keep moisture on my face — a flight can be very dehydrating on your skin!) Snacks, Mints & Water Bottle

Surely there are airlines that offer free snacks and meals during flights, but at times they don’t — you either have to pay for it or procure them yourself. So why not just bring some small snacks along like nuts, trail mix, biscuits, bars, fruits, etc.? (Take note: plane food is usually unhealthy and bland anyway). While you’re at it, pack along some mints as well for that tinge of refreshment and ~fresh breath~ during your journey. You can also pack chewing gum instead to help make your ears ‘pop’ (but sucking on mints or candy as well as drinking can help you accomplish this).

I would also suggest a water bottle if it’s not too bulky on your bag. After all, water is very expensive in the airport and there is an abundance of water stations to refill your water bottle with. Otherwise, once you’re in the plane, flight attendants can just simply serve you water as you need it.  notebook to complete this ‘set’, but I personally don’t bring this anymore; thereby saving myself some weight. You see, I’ve long lost the art of writing things down (yes, I blame technology). “There’s always spare paper lying around”, is what I regularly think too and that’s true. For the Eyes

Apart from a good pair of sunglasses, I also pack along my graded glasses and its case (since I am short-sighted). I also wear contact lenses but I stow these away along with the cleaning solution in my check-in luggage since I customarily don’t wear contacts during flights given how it can dry up my eyes quickly — more so during long flights.

However, naturally, if you choose to wear your contact lenses during your flight, don’t forget to pack these and its solution in your carry-on.  

   Etc.

Those marked with an

Hand sanitizerLotiondo you know those small vials that you get as samples for perfumes in department stores? I keep those and pack them when I travel. It’s better than packing a whole bottle of my perfume)

Wipes (wet wipes, feminine wipes, facial oil-absorbing sheets)

Basics make-up kit: for me, that’s my lipstick, liquid eyeliner, and eyebrow kit.

Napkins or tampons (better yet, wear a menstrual cup)

— IMPORTANT NOTE: Make sure that ALL liquids are NOT larger than 100ml (3.4oz) and they should be stowed away in at most a 20cm x 20cm resealable see-through bag. – Required & For Emergencies –

 Passport, IDs, & Business Cards

 Cash & Debit – Credit Cards    Travel Insurance

Have you ever asked yourself: “Do I need travel insurance?” I bet you have and no matter how many times you pose this question, my answer will always be a resounding YES.

You do NEED travel insurance because you never know what can happen while you’re overseas. I personally like and use World Nomads Travel Insurance because it encompasses a LOT of countries worldwide, insures your baggage, belongings, and flights, covers medical emergencies, it’s affordable, and can be extended while you’re on the road (no need to go back home to apply for one). 

 Spare Clothing

In case you loose your luggage, it helps to stow at least one outfit (I pack an extra light dress) and undies in your carry-on. Sure, you can always buy them abroad but it’s best that you save yourself from those costs and hassles. Be prepared like a girl scout!

Along with this, I pack along a medium-sized microfiber travel towel because it’s not only small and light but it can absorb water fast and dry fast too! I’m telling you: it’s unlike normal towels because it’s the kind that doesn’t consume a lot of space.  Other Valuables

Like jewelry and keys that I wouldn’t want to put in my check-in luggage.

Optional: In case my destination forecasts rainy weather for the majority of my stay, I make sure to pack a small umbrella. – To Wear –

In case you’re curious about what I frequently wear during flights, my clothing highly depends on the weather situation of my travel destination; however, as a standard, the following items keep me comfortable during my journey from point A to point B:

Shoes

I typically wear doll shoes or slippers/sandals since they’re the most comfortable footwear for me! But should my trip necessitate heels or boots, I would then opt to wear my heaviest or bulkiest in order to save space in my main luggage. It’s not going to be comfortable especially in a long flight, but I can always take them off during transit.  Compression Socks

I was told by my traveler friends that this in an important item that they wear during long flights (that span for more than 4 hours) since it helps reduce the risk of DVT (deep vein thrombosis), blood clots, and leg swelling. It basically squeezes your legs gently to move blood up your legs. Ever since I’ve learned of this fact, I made it a point to wear compression socks.  Sweater and/or Scarf

I have low tolerance toward the cold so I always pack a sweater. If I’m heading to hot place, a light long-sleeved cardigan or a huge scarf already works best for me. .title-bar:after, .title-bar:before, .title-bar:after, .title-bar:before, h2{ border-color: }

Overall

These may seem a lot, but it actually isn’t. Again, like I’ve told you: ALL these items fit nicely and lightly inside my CamPro bag, and it even leaves enough space still for extras.

You probably have other stuff that I haven’t listed above and that you would like to pack in your carry-on — you’re free to do that of course, but just make sure that they’re things that you’ll really be needing for your trip! (Otherwise, you’ll just be packing extra baggage or clutter.)

Rest assured, the items I listed above are the basic travel essentials that have served me well all throughout the years of my traveling lifestyle, and it is now my hope that it gives you the peace of mind that you’re going to be adequately and properly equipped for your trip!

How about you?

What do you think of this packing list for my carry-on?

Is there anything that you might want to add?

Did you like this article? Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube and be notified about my newest posts and updates!

The post Ultimate Carry-On Packing Guide (A Digital Nomad’s Travel Essentials) appeared first on I am Aileen.

#> #ed2665; #>.</span></p> #ffffff; #><span #99cc00; #e1924d; #>. #><strong>*</strong></span> #>*</span></strong></li>