#there is so much great cheap street food in central. no one who knows better is paying £3.50 for a soggy tesco sandwich and crisps.

[alljaankari]

These 10 Markets in Delhi Have Affordable and Trendy Clothing for Everyone

Until recently, women were the only ones who went shopping. The metrosexual men of the modern day know how to look sharp, so this summer, prepare to look dashing and fly without spending a lot of money. You’ll find funky graphic tees, cheap jeans, breezy khaki pants, and more at these cool markets in the city. You can give your wardrobe a makeover without the guilt of spending too much on clothes!

1.  Sarojini Nagar Market

Sarojini Nagar was meant to be the setting for the phrase ‘the sky’s the limit’. Can you think of any other place which offers such an incredible variety of everything? Among Delhiites, this flea market is the place to go for all kinds of fashion needs, and for good reason. It is a haven for all the guys in town because they can buy jeans, tie-dyed t-shirts, khaki pants, button-ups, blazers, and just about anything else they need at throwaway prices!

Where | Central Market – Lajpat Nagar II, Lajpat Nagar

Timings | 10 AM – 9 PM

2. Janpath

In terms of fashion clothing and junk jewellery, Janpath is a popular market among college students. The attraction is not only for girls anymore. It is also possible to find many options for men on the market. They have it all, including graphic t-shirts, belts, shoes, and denim, at really affordable prices. You can find some great deals if you use your bargaining skills. During chilly weather, you can find jackets or sweats to keep you warm.

Where | Janpath Market, Janpath Road, Janpath, CP

Timings | 11 AM – 9 PM

3. Karol Bagh Market

There is no better place to get affordable yet trendy clothing than Karol Bagh Market in Central Delhi. A polo shirt can be purchased here for as low as Rs 200, and a sweatshirt can be purchased for as much as Rs 300. In the market, you can find everything you need for a stylish wardrobe, including shoes, accessories, jackets, jeans, and more. You’ll also be able to enjoy some delicious street food while you’re there. Take advantage of your visit to Gaffar by checking out the latest electronics!

Where | Karol Bagh Market, Block 1, WEA, Karol Bagh

Timings | 11 AM – 10 PM

4. Palika Bazaar

You feel as if you’re in another world when you’re in this underground shoppers’ paradise. With around 390 shops, it’s an air-conditioned shopping hotspot where you can score an array of great clothes at affordable prices, among a gazillion other things. In spite of how many criticize the products here as defective, the range and variety you’ll find here is pretty friggin’ impressive. In order to shop here, you need to be a good bargainer because you can even negotiate to have a glow-in-the-dark tee reduced to just 200 for Rs 800.

Where | Palika Bazaar – CP

Timings | 10:30 AM – 8 PM

5. Central Market

When you step foot in Lajpat Nagar’s Central Market, your inner shopaholic will rise from the depths of abyss. You’ve got to keep your eyes peeled for funky graphic tees from roadside stalls at this market, so get ready for a total wardrobe revamp. So gear yourself up to be spoilt for choice with apparel in many styles and colours. This bazaar offers a huge variety of shops, and you’ll never be able to choose between them all!

Where | Central Market – Lajpat Nagar II, Lajpat Nagar

Timings | 10 AM – 9 PM

6. Atta Market

Atta Market in Noida, located in sector 18, is famous for its affordable attire from shops such as New Look Collection, JMD Fashion Zone, and others. Stylish jeans, hoodies, shirts, t-shirts, and hoodies in a variety of fabrics and prints are available in bulk in this store. Clothing stores regularly offer sales starting at Rs 150, isn’t that unbelievable? However, once clothes are sold in these shops, they cannot be taken back! Wear it or throw it! Even though it’s a bit far, you’ll be glad to make the trip when it gives you export surplus clothes!

Where | Atta Market – Sector 18, Noida

Timings | 10 AM – 9 PM

7. Chor Bazaar

Chor Bazaar offers goods from virtually every manufacturer in the country, and sometimes even from other countries. In the heart of Old Delhi, close to the Lajpat Rai Market, this flea market comes to life on Sunday mornings. You’ll find almost every type of clothing here at really affordable prices that you might forget you’re even in Delhi for a moment. There’s a famous store named Prince Majestic, which sells a wide variety of clothes in abundance, including really dapper sherwanis and traditional Indian suits for men at incredibly low prices.

Where | Chor Bazaar – Chandni Chowk, Behind Red Fort

Timings | 6 – 10 AM (Every Sunday)

8. Monastery Market

Located right in our very own capital, this market feels like a mini Tibet. There are many options to choose from here, such as shirts, t-shirts, jeans, bags, belts, caps, and even shoes at very affordable prices. College-goers & tourists alike are attracted to its Tibetan charm. It is usually filled with woollen clothing, such as pullovers, sweaters, cardigans, and gloves.  A leather jacket is another item that makes people want to shop!

Where | Monastery Market – Bela Road, Monastery Market, Ladakh Budh Vihar Colony,

Timings | 10 AM – 8:30 PM

9. Mohan Singh Place

As we know it, this area was probably the birthplace of the shopping mall. This shop offers custom-made clothing for men since 1968, including suits, jeans, shirts, kurtas, and trousers. A perfect fit is ensured by measuring everything precisely. We can confidently say that their clothing has for sure won over the game of custom clothing since they feel like second skin when worn. The best feature is that they have all kinds of fabrics, so you can bring your own fabric and have them make you a shirt that highlights all your toned muscles. It’s time to throw away those baggy tees & droopy pants & slip into something more classy this summer.

Where | Mohan Singh Place – Baba Kharak Singh Marg, Outer Circle, CP

Timings| 10 AM – 9 PM

10. Yashwant Place Commercial Shopping Complex

This hidden gem is nestled among the affluent suburbs of Chanakyapuri and houses all types of leather items at the most affordable prices and of such high quality, that you won’t believe it’s there! There are a lot of foreigners who come here to purchase high-quality leather clothing, bags, and accessories. For some cool leather jackets this winter, head to this awesome complex!

Where | Yashwant Place Commercial Complex – Opposite Post Office, Satya Marg, Chanakyapuri

Timings | 10 AM – 10 PM

#Markets in Delhi

[kelasparmak]

not to be a bitch but do you ever just see a post that’s like

‘i’m going to correct some misconceptions about [x]! i’m not here to shame anyone for getting it wrong, just please learn in future :-)’

and then all the information is just stuff that's the op’s personal experience, or the experience of someone they know because they’re not even [x] themself, and is absolutely not universal and sometimes straight up wrong.

#it's just wild like. what made you think you could or should position yourself as the authority on this subject. #sometimes it is genuinely for real bad like all the 'don't donate to lebanon' bullshit americans were putting out after the explosion #sometimes it's just :/ like those 'for the cis writers out there here's how to write a trans character!' (cue terrible advice) #(most of which is just extremely telling abt op's upbringing/mental health and totally unrelated to being trans) #this time it is not that it is completely harmless which is why this is so petty but #'lol no judgement but i can tell you're american when you write [british character] as [doing a thing they are described as doing in canon]' #'british people would NEVER make tea without a teapot' #'no one in london has a car and it's literally impossible to have your own flat without being married' #'source: my best friend is british and i have been to london twice' #do you somehow think that makes you the closest thing the internet has to an expert on london? #you know british people have the internet right? #'everyone LOVES supermarket meal deals and they are the height of lunchtime cuisine' sorry but yr friend a) can't cook b) is boring #there is so much great cheap street food in central. no one who knows better is paying £3.50 for a soggy tesco sandwich and crisps. #i'm having flashbacks to when sherlock and harry potter were popular #we are two steps away from 'i wish i was british i would eat fish and chips every day that's worth 5 quid' #those who do not study history are doomed to repeat it

[kyber-crystal]

united we stand || s.r

summary: in which you, sam, steve, and natasha are forced to go on the run after civil war. unfortunately, being a fugitive with government officials out for his blood doesn’t seem to stop the great captain america from falling even more in love with you.

words: ~2.5k

warnings: slight angst, sam and natasha being matchmakers, fluff 

a/n: OMG IM SORRY THIS ONE WAS SO POORLY WRITTEN ADLFJDSF

It doesn't have to come down to this, Tony. Look what you're doing. You're tearing the Avengers apart."

"You did that when you sided with Cap, Y/N."

"What do we do now?"

"We fight."

"He's my friend."

"So was I."

"He killed our parents, Y/N. And you're still willing to take his side? I thought I could trust you. But I guess I can't even rely on my own judgement anymore to make decisions, can I?"

Your heart hammered against your ribcage as you jumped from rooftop to rooftop, a dull ache forming at the edges of your skull due to all the thoughts rushing around in your brain and narrowly escaping a flurry of over two dozen of General Ross's men.

Guilt settled in the pit of your stomach, making your insides churn. You turned against the last family you had left, and now you were paying the price.

You're one hundred percent sure that Tony hates your guts at this point. Leaving your brother for someone else; what had you become?

"What now?" Sam asked, looking around and sending Redwing out to survey your surroundings for any other agents that could be approaching. "What's our next step?"

"We gotta catch a train. Belfast's no longer safe for us," Steve panted as he slid his shield over his back, trying to catch his breath. "Our safety's already compromised as it is."

"Nat's gonna go get the tickets, I'll buy us some disguises. We're less likely to be recognized because you guys are all suited up with your wings and shield," you explained. "Wait here."

A few minutes later you were all dressed inconspicuously in your new disguises, looking like the other civilians that were walking around. You didn't have enough time to check the sizes of the clothing, so Steve ended up wearing some jeans and a light grey T-shirt that was about a size too small for him, outlining every inch of his toned torso.

You quickly tore your gaze away before anyone noticed you staring. Sam caught this, however, and sent you a little wink. You glared at him in response.

"The next train to Glasgow leaves in nine. We gotta hurry," Natasha said as she handed you your tickets. "Come on."

Luckily you weren't recognized as the ticket holder came around, though you tried to keep your heads down low when she passed by.

"It's a 14 hour ride. You fellas might wanna relax, take a nap or something," she said, reclining her seat back and closing her eyes. "We won't be arriving until early tomorrow morning."

You relaxed in your seat, the tension in your muscles loosening a bit. But Steve saw the distressed look in your eyes and placed a gentle hand on top of yours.

"You alright?"

"Could be better, I mean, it's not like I chose to be a fugitive on the run from the entire world," you joked, but the smirk on your face quickly fell. "No. I'm not."

"It's going to be okay, you know. Things'll work out in the end."

"I sure hope so."

You fell into an awkward silence after that, resting your chin on your hand as you stared out ahead, watching the rolling hills whiz by in a blur, the vibrant green a sharp contrast to the powdery blue sky. Ireland was a beautiful country, really. You wished you could stay longer purely for the sake of admiring all the lovely scenery.

"You know, if you just want to talk about anything, we can do that. 14 hours is a pretty long train ride," he finally spoke up about an hour later. Sam was fast asleep at this point, mouth opened slightly as his head rested on Natasha's shoulder, who was sleeping as well.

"Yeah, it is. But we've had worse days, right?"

"We have," Steve agreed.

So you just talked, about whatever came to your minds. Your childhood, your past before joining the Avengers Initiative where you'd previously served as one of SHIELD's top agents for several years, Steve's life back in the 40's before becoming a super-soldier, how much things changed over the years. About past missions.

Soon enough you felt your eyelids droop heavily from fatigue. He noticed your tiredness and reached out his right arm, gently wrapping it around you and pulling you towards his side, encircling you completely in his warm embrace. Slowly but steadily, your muscles began to release the tension in them and you leaned into his touch.

"Why don't you get some shut-eye. We have plenty of time to talk when we arrive."

"Mhm," you mumbled sleepily. He smiled, brushing a few stray hairs away from your face as you drifted off.

...

"Good morning ladies and gentlemen, this is our final stop. We have arrived at Glasgow Central Station," the conductor's voice announced over the intercom as the train began slowing down. "The weather is currently 59 degrees, and it is 5:27 a.m."

"Wake up, lovebirds," Natasha clapped as you stirred slightly, looking confused as you raised your head from where it rested against Steve's chest. "Time to get going."

You yawned and stood up, stepping off onto the platform into the station, surprisingly busy at the crack of dawn. You really just wanted to curl back up into a ball and sleep. Talking for four hours straight with Steve had knocked you out completely.

After getting new SIM cards, Sam quickly created an account to get you checked into a hotel.

"It's a half hour walk. We should probably limit public transportation as much as we can," he stated as he slid his phone into his jacket pocket. "Managed to snag a 40% off deal including a free night, so we're good for the next few weeks until we get an actual apartment."

"You know," Natasha commented, adjusting her baseball cap and aviators as you made your way outside down the bustling street, "if we weren't currently trying to flee from the government's grasp, I'd say I'd wanna come back here for a vacation. And that's on nice architecture."

"With us?" you raised an eyebrow.

"Why not? You're pretty good company. I wouldn't wanna hang out with anyone else."

"Well, what can I say?" Sam puffed up his chest. "I'm smooth with the ladies."

You simply laughed. "Yeah, sure you are."

Glasgow was a breathtaking city. With sprawling Victorian style buildings and cobblestone roads, brightly labeled bars and restaurants, it appeared as if it was pulled straight from a rustic 19th-century painting.

You checked into your hotel after grabbing some food from the nearby bakery. For a cheap price, your room was surprisingly simple but large: a king bed in one room, a pullout couch, and a small balcony so you could stand outside and take in the view of the city.

Despite having no time zone difference between Ireland and Scotland, you were still extremely jet-lagged, most likely due to the flight you'd taken over to Berlin not long ago. After binge-watching reruns of some sitcom for the rest of the day, you fell asleep, clutching your pillow tightly.

Natasha and Sam had good eyes, and could clearly see something was going on between you and Steve.

The truth was, you wanted something to happen but both of you were too chicken to make a move, thinking being in relationship while on the run was inconvenient and unnecessary.

The first few days passed by relatively quickly. You only really went out to buy groceries, and even then you went two at a time to avoid drawing unwanted attention to yourselves. Once, you treated yourselves to a night out at a nice restaurant, enjoying each others' company. It was a way to forget about your currently unfortunate situation.

...

But then the nightmares began.  

You swung your legs over the edge of the bed after waking up in a cold sweat, heading over to the bathroom. Everyone had already gone to sleep long ago, and you envied people like Sam as he could knock out cold almost as soon as his head hit the pillow.

Staring at your ghostly reflection in the mirror, you squeezed your eyes shut, releasing tears that cascaded down your flushed cheeks in a hot flood. You ran trembling fingers through your messy hair in an attempt to tame it, taking a brief look at your disheveled appearance. The heavy dark circles underneath your bloodshot eyes that were a result of hardly sleeping over the past week were clear, as well as your sunken cheekbones and deathly pale complexion.

You studied the woman that looked back at you, with the same unnerving and hollowed out gaze that she'd worn for years; a façade she learned to develop so that nobody could see when she felt weak; helpless. 

Ten days. 

Only ten days had passed since you arrived in Scotland, yet it seemed as if you aged ten years during that short amount of time. Small creases in between your brows indicated stress and anxiety from leaving everything you knew behind, for a future you could barely see ahead of. For a life that held an endless amount of consequences if you took one misstep, one wrong move.

Your body felt heavy, weighed down as if you carried the weight of a thousand men upon your aching shoulders. You didn't know what to do; what to think anymore.

You didn't look thirty-two anymore, you looked older. Almost as old as Tony. And there was a 10+ year age gap between you and him.

God, Tony.

You betrayed him. The last living member of your family on earth, and you betrayed him.

Turned your back on him, because you didn't believe in the same ideas. Was it really worth turning your back on your own blood just because of a disagreement?

I thought I could trust you.

I thought I could, too. But I guess things don't always work out as planned, do they?

They don't. I don't even know what I can say to you anymore. Hell, I can't look at you without seeing a traitor. You turned your back on all of us, and that's unforgivable.

The Accords, you know I couldn't sign them. It isn't right. I'm fighting for what I believe in.

No, you're fighting for Steve, not yourself. Always running over to precious Cap even if it costs you your safety, if it costs you everything and everyone you ever loved. Because you think that you can rely on him and him alone, to get through this. You won't get very far by keeping this act up, you know.

News flash; the world doesn't revolve around you, Tony. Just because someone doesn't agree with what you believe, doesn't mean you have to tear their team, their family, apart for it.

You're blaming me?

Maybe I am.

"What are you doing up this late?"

Steve's voice jolted you from your train of thought, and you looked up to see him leaning against the doorframe dressed in sweats and another tight-fitting T-shirt, his blue eyes scanning over you worriedly.

"I could ask you the same thing."

"I'm fine, if that's what you're wondering. I'm just a bit jet-lagged," you muttered, hastily wiping away another stray tear that escaped. He pushed himself off the wall and caught your wrist as you were bringing your hand down, tugging you towards him slightly.

"Tell me what's going on."

"I'm fine!"

"No, you're not. What's wrong, Y/N?"

"I..." your voice faltered. You didn’t even realize you’d started crying until you felt your face grow wet from the salty tears that rolled silently into your cracked lips. "I don't know. Everything's wrong."

"Everything?"

"I made a mistake."

"What do you mean, mistake?"

"I turned my back against Tony. My family. I betrayed my own family, Steve." Your voice cracked. "And now I can't even guarantee that I'll ever see him again."

"You did what you had to do," he said softly, placing a hand on your shoulder. You felt your skin burning up under his touch. "You were just trying to do what you felt was right."

"Yeah, by teaming up with the side of the man who killed my parents. I can't imagine what he even thinks of me right now."

A look of hurt briefly passed over Steve's face at the mention of Bucky.

"...But I know their deaths were out of his control, so I don't blame him," you continued. "Still..I hurt him. And now, I have to live with knowing that fact." "Look, I'm sorry."

"What?"

You looked up and met his gaze, feeling his bright blue eyes boring into yours. He didn't seem upset or angry at all; there was an eerie softness and calming feeling about the way he looked at you that made you relax a bit.

"I shouldn't have dragged you into this mess. I never wanted you to have this kind of life; where you're always living in uncertainty. You deserve better than that."

"It's not your fault at all," you swallowed hard. Talking and breathing grew increasingly difficult with the sob that was building up in the back of your throat, that you tried desperately to conceal for so long, "it's mine. I made that decision to side with you, not only because I couldn't stand the idea of signing the Accords. So it's...it's on me. God, I don't know what to do anymore, I can't—"

A wave of grief suddenly hit you from all sides, causing you to keel over, sliding down against the cold wall with a hand clutching your stomach as an agonized scream tear itself through your body and out of your throat. And you were drowning; suffocated by your own tears as you struggled to breathe. You tried desperately to stop them but nothing could seem to hold back the heavy sobs that wracked your body, clawing at your lungs and heart. 

Steve crouched down in front of you and pulled you against him, arms tightening around your body with each cry that escaped your lips. In that moment he wanted nothing more than to take all your sadness and frustration and grief and put it upon himself, to carry the weight on his shoulders so he wouldn't have to watch you endure the pain. He'd much rather have to suffer himself than watch you try and bear the burden and fall to pieces in the process.

Seeing you breaking down before him with your gut-wrenching cries that echoed across the small space, more vulnerable than you'd ever been in front of him before, made it feel as if someone was directly ripping his heart right out of his chest and tearing it into a thousand pieces with their bare hands. 

"Hey, it's okay," he whispered soothingly as he pressed his lips to the side of your temple, "it's okay. I've got you. You're gonna be okay."

Despite how you felt as if your heart was twisting itself into knots, there was something comforting about the way he held you ever so gently in his arms, the way his warm breath fell against his neck as one arm was firmly hooked around your waist, running his free hand through your hair.

So for a moment, you allowed yourself to believe that there was no one else in the world except for just you and him, holding you close, and that everything was fine, even if the feeling only lasted for a second.

#steve rogers x reader #avengers x reader #captain america imagine #marvel fic #avengers fanfiction #steve rogers one shot #captain america one shot #captain america fanfiction #steve rogers fanfiction #steve rogers x you #captain america x reader

[jbbuckybarnes]

Berlin City Girl [b.b.]

Pairing: Bucky x Reader Description: You decide to move to a completely new city that you’ve never been to before and ask your neighbor for some eggs. Prompt: Seeing a new city for the first time. For: @softbiker​‘s challenge. Sorry, it’s suuuper late. Warnings: awkwarness, the title of this one shot should have a warning for German people my age lol, not proofread.

M A S T E R L I S T

This was a big thing to cross off your bucket list. Moving to a city you haven‘t been to before. Berlin, Germany. You had done a lot of research on the are you would be moving in. It was fairly central and you knew most people understood English there. It wasn‘t super cheap to live there, but definitely more affordable than living in New York City or Los Angeles. „Hallo.“ „Hello, I need to get to Friedrichshain.“ You showed the driver the address on the phone. Seeing the skyline was breathtaking, not New York breathtaking, but Berlin was still an amazing sight to see. It was afternoon by now and the warm light of the sun was letting the city shine in all its colors. That was your new home. The drive through the city was eye-opening. Driving through different parts of the city was like driving through different countries. Sometimes the houses looked super modern, sometimes super old. You knew you had a lot to explore here.

You‘ve never been so glad to move into an already furnished apartment. The two suitcases alone were already hard enough to get up the stairs. After taking a breather, sitting on top of your suitcases you finally gained back control over your lungs and got out your keys. Shk. Click. The door opened a bit automatically from the draft in the house. You fully opened it and walked into a living room filled with evening sunlight. After heaving in your suitcases you went on a little tour of your new home. You‘d only seen it through the screen until now. Big living room, average-sized bedroom with a full-sized bed and a fairly small bathroom, but there were always sacrifices to make. In this case it was a bathtub. Laying on your new couch you contemplated to go grocery shopping or not. You were already completely ruined from the long flight and would rather ask a neighbor for some eggs or something like that. But you had also learned that Germany mostly are grumpy when it comes to the topic of neighbors. You figured it‘s because all of them had that distanced approach and nobody actually tried to go towards each other. With a shrug you corrected your hair in the mirror next to the door and grabbed your keys. Three knocks. Shuffling behind the door. A door being slightly opened with a safety lock still visible. An incredibly blue eye looked at you and you offered a smile, „Hey, I‘m Y/N. I just moved in across and wanted to ask if you had maybe some eggs you could borrow me. I‘m totally obliterated by the 12-hour flight I just had.“ The pin of the safety lock was taken out and the door fully opened. Now you saw both ocean blue eyes and the size of the man living across from you. „Oh, yeah, sure. Gimme a second.“ He mumbled almost shy before vanishing from the door to shuffle through his kitchen. You took a tiny peek inside and saw a rather grey-ish interior. There was some red and mint here and there, but mostly the apartment was decorated very monotone. He came out of his kitchen door with a box of six eggs, „These should be fine.“ „Thank you so much. When I go grocery shopping tomorrow I‘ll bring you some again.“ You smiled at him gratefully. „You don‘t have to...Y/N was the name, right?“ You nodded, „My name‘s Bucky.“ „Nice to meet you, Bucky. You‘re also American?“ You asked. „Yes, from Brooklyn.“ He smiled politely. „Always wanted to visit New York City.“ You gave a little dreamy expression. „It‘s a nice place.“ He shrugged with a big grin on his face. „Well, uh, I‘m gonna make myself dinner. See you around, Bucky.“ You took a step back with the eggs in your hand. „See you around, Y/N.“ With that smile the door closed. You felt like you knew his face from somewhere, but you couldn‘t quite put your finger on it. The only category you could put him in was, „Something before the blip.“ You had been one of the 50% that was gone for 5 years. Thankfully that also meant your savings account had continued for the 5 years you were gone. With a bowl of scrambled eggs you sat down in front of your laptop and watched some Youtube videos for basic German. „Hello, Hallo. How are you, wie geht es dir? Left, links. Right, rechts. Forward, geradeaus. Can I have ___, Kann ich ___ haben? Why, warum? Where, wo? What, was? Who, wer? How, wie? She, sie. He, er. They, es.“ You watched these a few times a week to at least understand the basics. You didn‘t know how big the grin was on the other side of that living room wall. Your pronunciation was cute, but you didn‘t know that. The next morning was spent with getting breakfast and some other things in the Späti down the street and then unpacking your suitcases. „I should bake. This place still smells so stale.“ You mumbled when you looked into the fridge for the third time that hour. So you started making cookies from scratch, spending the better part of your morning in your kitchen and browsing decor while waiting for the cookies to bake. Right after you put the cookies onto the counter to cool down there were two knocks on your door. You peaked through a slightly opened door to see Bucky standing there. In full light your neighbor looked even better. In his hands was a vase full of flowers. „Oh, hey, Bucky.“ You smiled and opened the door fully. „Um, hey. Just thought a welcome gift would be appropriate.“ He smiled and held out the white vase filled with tulips. „Oh god, thank you. You didn‘t have to! I know Germans usually don‘t do this, so I didn‘t really expect anything.“ You looked back up to the giant man looking past you, his nose moving. „I just made cookies to get the dusty smell out of the apartment. If you wanna come in we can wait together till they are cooled down.“ You smiled up and he looked at you with a first reluctant but then eager nod. „Ignore the dust on the furniture. My morning consisted of anything but cleaning.“ You chuckled. „Oh, I don‘t mind if there are cookies.“ He chuckled. He looked so scarily big, but you could already see the softie behind those muscles. „Patience. I just got them out.“ You raised a brow and he innocently stood there and looked up while you put the vase in the center of the kitchen isle, desperately trying to find two other decor pieces to make it look better. Before you could even react his left hand had reached for one, „Hey! They are still hot, don‘t burn yourse-“ You looked at his left hand, just now noticing the different colored fingers and it clicked. „Oh, that‘s why I know your face.“ You facepalmed yourself and got a chuckle back. Great, your neighbor wasn‘t just nice, but also a supersoldier with an assassin past. Better not fuck it up with him. „I bet that‘s one of the best things to use that arm for.“ You pointed out and caught him off-guard. „You know, getting food out of the oven without mittens. Stealing burning hot food. That kinda stuff.“ You shrugged and got a laugh back. „Sure, it has its benefits in the kitchen.“ He smiled at you brightly. You had already made a friend in Berlin and you hadn‘t even left the house to meet anyone. „I can show you around a bit if you want, by the way.“ He suggested while stealing another cookie. „I‘d love that.“ You shook your head as he innocently ate the cookie. „Manchild.“

#25 things challenge #bucky barnes #bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes x you #james buchanan barnes #bucky barnes x y/n #james barnes #bucky x you #bucky x reader #bucky x y/n #the winter soldier #captain america #mcu #marvel #marvel cinematic universe #bucky fanfic #mine #neighbor au #neighbour au #text

[talltalesandbedtimestories]

A View To A Winchester (Part 12)

Series Page

Summary: Julie’s starting a new life after divorce in a home with a very nice view.

A Dean X OFC story. I got this idea staring out the view of my home office window and thinking how nice it would be to have Dean Winchester to ogle.

Section Word Count: 4,300    

Section Content: angst, R-rated language, show level violence

~~~~~

“Welcome to Makenzie’s.” The same chipmunk-cheeked twenty-something from last night smiled at Dean when he approached the hostess stand. Her smile extended a bit wider in recognition. “Winchester, right?”

He flashed his best smile back. “Devin, right?”

She nodded with exuberance. “What can I do for you?”

“Some information would be great, Devin.”

“Sure, just a sec.” Devin handed the waitress standing next to her a few menus and chatted. The obvious flaws in Dean’s original plan smacked him in the face. I’m just going to get escorted out if I try the FBI approach at a place I’ve already been to. Badge says Barrow. Dean canvassed the dining area with his eyes. There was no sign of the woman he was trying to track. The smell of charred flesh made his stomach grumble. He realized he hadn’t eaten anything since lunch, a couple cold pieces of pizza at Cas’s.

“Actually, if it’s alright, I’m just going to head to the bar?”

“Absolutely. Tables are all booked up for a good two hours, at least.”

He nodded and beelined to the bar.

~~~~~

Dean left the bar fifteen minutes later when he got what he needed from the chatty male bartender. Picking up on the gay vibes immediately, Dean turned up the flirting and got Chad to overpour two bourbon shots along with the information. A healthy tip accompanied the cash for a half-eaten plate of onion rings and the liquor. Dean had the first number on speed dial ringing with a flippant push on the exit door.

“Dean?”

“Hey, Sammy. I need your nerdiness.”

Sam huffed. “My computer skills, you mean?”

“Sure. If that makes you feel better.”

“What’s up?”

Dean eased into the driver’s seat and loosened his tie. “I’m not sure, yet. It’s one of my neighbors. She’s gone missing today.”

“Missing?”

“Yeah. I’ve got the name of one of the last people who saw her. Think you can get me an address?”

“I’ll try. Who am I looking up?”

“Ina Rever.”

“I-N-A? Rever, like lever?” Sam confirmed.

“Yep. See if anything comes up in Delaware.”

“Alright, gonna take a little time.”

“I’ll wait.”

Sam sighed.

“Unless I’m interrupting something?”

“No. Well, I was studying. I could actually use the break. Eileen’s out, getting groceries.”

“I thought you two just foraged around in fields for your food.”

“Funny. I can’t get Eileen to eat healthy for shit. Maybe now with a baby on the way...”

“I still can’t believe you’re going to be a dad,” Dean interrupted. “Poor kid.”

“Jerk.”

“Bitch.”

“So, who went missing?”

“Neighbor. Name’s Julie Felton.”

“Wait. Julie? The Julie?”

Dean sifted through his spotty memory rolodex. He was pretty sure he hadn’t mentioned Julie to Sam in any recent conversation. They’d only spoken a handful of times over the past couple months. “What do you mean ‘The Julie’?”

“Cas called this morning and told me all about her… and your date last night.”

Of course he did. “Nothing much to tell, Sammy. It’s just important that I find her.”

“Right, right, of course.” Sam shifted to consoling mode. “You can tell me all about her after you find her. Okay, I’ve got an address for Ina.”

“Great. Text it to me.”

“Yeah, Dean, already done.”

Dean’s phone buzzed at the text from his brother.

“Do you need me to see if I can track Julie’s phone?”

“If you can. But, I checked her mom’s phone - they have one of those family apps that share location - and, it looks like it last shows her at the house this morning. Called up my connection at the police station to see what he could find. Her car turned up in a parking lot at a shopping center, not far from the house. Cop’s goin’ store to store.”

“You called Marty? How’s he doing?”

“I didn’t get a chance to ask.” Dean had mentioned the detective to Sam a few times, being one of the handful of people he could call a friend. “Just sent her number to you.”

“Maybe I can get something else from the cell towers. Finding a car out in the open is pretty good news, Dean. It might all be nothing and she’s safe and sound. You know, a big misunderstanding. Wait, though.” He hummed. “Weird.”

“What?” Dean plugged the address into his phone’s GPS and started the engine as the route calculated.

He switched Sam to speaker. His voice wielded priority over the robotic female starting to spout directions. “Well, I’m not finding anything else on this Ina Rever. No history. Nothing before her poofing into thin air in Delaware.” Dean could hear computer keys tapping. He shifted into drive and rolled out of the parking spot. “Let me just…”

“I’ve got ten minutes before I get to this place, Sammy. Whatever you can find, find it quick.”

“I ran the photo from the driver’s license through a bunch of databases. Got facial matches, all under different names, all over the country… over the past five decades it looks like.”

“Five decades? Woman’s maybe in her thirties.”

“Her Delaware license says she’s 33. Dean…”

“Shit.” No. Julie.

“Something supernatural.” Sam finished.

“What the hell? I got nothing to go on here! No idea what I’m walking into! Vamp nest? Werewolf pack?” Dean yelled at the phone.

“Calm down, Dean. Let me dig into some of the places where this woman’s been. Do you know anything about her?”

“Julie can’t spare a minute for a trip down memory lane.”

“She can if it helps find her. And, you’ve got eight minutes before you get there.”

Dean split his focus between the GPS directions and anything he could remember that Ina mentioned over the dinner table last night. “She’s a waitress at a restaurant. Sounded like she just moved to Delaware a couple months ago.”

“Okay. Whatever it is, if it’s got a routine or needs to…” Sam cleared his throat. Dean knew Sam stopped himself from saying “feed”. “Some weird stuff might have happened a couple months after she moved into these other places. “Missing persons, maybe?”

Dean clenched his jaw, not wanting to speak the next request. “Look for missing persons that turned up dead.” Keyboard clicks went on for a while. “Five minutes, Sammy,” Dean reminded.

“Not helping, dude.” More agonizing seconds ticked by. “Got something. One of the missing persons was found a week after they disappeared.”

“Alive or dead?” Dean took the ramp off the highway, staring out at the business and industrial section of New Castle to his right.

Sam sighed. “Dead.”

Dean kept his focus on the job at hand and took a deep breath. “Where’d they find the body?”

“Looks like it was in an abandoned warehouse.”

“Fuck me!” Dean barked.

“What?”

“This thing’s place of residence is like a minute away from warehouse central! Miles of it.”

“Stick to the plan, Dean. Check out the house first.”

Dean nodded with intent even though Sam couldn’t see him.

“Oh.” Sam mumbled.

“What?”

“The cause of death was exsanguination.”

“Vampire?”

“Maybe. But, I got into the police records. Does this sound familiar? Body was found hanging by its wrists, trussed up. The reporting officer said it looked like a blood bank in there. Needles, tubes, collection vials. Like the person was being drained. Slow.”

Hope sprung back into Dean’s mind. “A Jinn? With an MO like the one that was feeding off me for days? That means there’s time to find her.”

“Maybe. But, it could still be a vamp or some other bloodsucking variation.”

“But if it’s a Jinn, she’s got a shot.” Run down houses lined the blocks of the neighborhood he rolled through. Parked cars squeezed into every inch of available space along the narrow streets. Soft, setting rays angled onto the cheap, dirty vinyl siding on the house that matched the address. “I’m losing sun, Sam. What kind of car does this thing drive?” He parallel parked Baby into a tight spot and shut off the engine, glancing around the street.

“Green, Honda Civic.”

“Great. Nondescript and basic. Like every other car. But… I don’t see one here.”

A barking dog barreled towards Dean’s car in the unkempt yard of the house. It stopped feet short of the chain link fence, whining, as the long leash went taut.

“Son of a bitch. Cocoa’s home.” Dean mumbled.

“What?” Sam asked, confused.

“Nothing.” The car door squeaked. He hurried to the back. A swerve of his head noted no one out on the nearby street or sidewalk. No one hung out in the vehicle behind him, either. He popped the Impala’s hood and readied to hang up. “Let me get in there.”

“Dean?”

“What?” The phone pressed to his ear, pinched between his shoulder and cheek. He lifted the false bottom of the trunk up for peek, reached for his Colt where it always was, and checked the cartridge had silver bullets. They’d been the standard go to for years now. His backup monster insurance. Fresh out of lamb’s blood to dip a silver knife in. Plan B - Bash the thing’s head to chili if it is a Jinn.

“Keep me on the line. You know, in case something happens. I might be able to help.”

The hood clicked close. Dean sighed. “Alright. The phone in the pocket, camera thing?”

“Yeah, that works.”

Sam requested a FaceTime connection. Dean squinted at the screen, walking and talking on the path toward the front porch. “Dude, you look like you’re auditioning for the lead in a Jesus musical... ‘Go Tell It On The Mountain” or some other hippie shit. Your hair. And again with that fucking beard.” Cocoa kept up on the other side of the fence, no longer barking. It didn’t look out of the ordinary. Tail wagging, begging for attention.

Dean could barely make out Sam’s bitchface under all the hair. “Shut up. Remember…”

“Switch the camera angle. Put yourself on mute, would ya?” The phone slid into the jacket’s chest pocket.

“I will.” Sam’s voice was muffled. “That’s perfect. Be careful. Going radio silent.”

Geek.

Dean knocked, surveyed anything he could of the small cottage house through the window panes. “Hello?” He called out and knocked again. The knob rattled under his grip, locked. Flimsy ass door. He looked around to ensure no one was passing by or in his sightline. Dean stepped back and kicked the door dead center. The weight and force behind the sole of his dress shoes propelled it open on its hinges. It swung back almost to the original closed position.

Sam’s probably busting a blood vessel right about now. He tapped the door with his foot to get a lay of the land. “Hello?” Strolling in, he called out. “Door was open.” His hand reached around to his back under the jacket, ready to pull out his gun if needed. “Ina Rever?”

The inside of the house was neat, tidy, and what he thought would be called shabby chic or some shit. It smelled of incense.

“Fuck this.” He mumbled and pulled out his gun. Around every corner, he rounded with an unflinching focus on the front sight and the view just beyond. His feet were quick, two stepping all throughout. His breathing steadied to control his grip and aim. Every closet and room searched, including the basement. The backyard was empty. Nothing.

Dean slipped the gun back under his jacket before stepping onto the porch, shutting the door with the mangled lock best he could. “Still there, Sammy?” He could hear the irritation in his own voice.

It took a couple seconds for his brother to respond. “Yeah.”  

“Anything on Julie’s cell?” He rushed to the car, phone in hand and glanced at his brother’s face.

“Nothing.”

He shook his head and stared out at the countless warehouses on the horizon. “If the car’s not here…”

“She probably drove to where she’s got Julie. I was searching near your location while you broke into the house.”

The undertone of disapproval from his little brother was obvious. He placed Sam on Baby’s hood and removed his jacket and tie, tossing them in the back seat. “And?”

“Three abandoned warehouses.”

“Let’s go.”

~~~~~

“So, this girl?” Sam glanced at Dean from the phone’s screen, mounted on the dash.  He was giving Dean directions, using his location tracker to monitor his movement. A clear blue sky framed Sam, sitting out in his backyard. It was still sunny and 6:00 pm in California. The sun, however, had set on the east coast. The road in front of Dean was dark, lit up golden by Baby’s headlights.

Dean knew what Sam was up to. His way to distract his older brother from spiraling. Act first, think later was never Sam’s approach. And, almost always his.

“She’s not a girl, Sammy. Every ounce of her is all woman.”

“Yeah.” Sam cleared his throat. “I checked out her social media accounts. Very nice, Dean. Another two miles. Make a right at the next crossroads. It’ll be a half a mile on your right.”

Dean closed his eyes as he drove the straight patch of road to the second warehouse on the list. No way my luck would have had her at our first stop. Images from last night flashed in his mind. Julie staring down into his eyes with those big brown ones while he worshipped her. Gorgeous, thick, wavy brown locks of her hair tickling the tips of his fingers kneading her ample chest. Her plump lips parting in arousal and want. The curve of her breast dipping over and above his mouth as he suckled. He could almost taste the slight sweat and salt. The way her hard yet pliable nipple rolled against and pushed into his tongue. She struggled to moan his name. It was the sexiest thing he’d heard in forever.  

A truck coming at him on the two lane road blared his horn. Dean jolted and steered back into his lane. Dammit.

“You okay?” Sam’s forehead wrinkled like the skin folds of a Shar Pei puppy.

“Yeah.”

“Cas said you were pretty wound up last night, about Julie. Really upset that you had to cut the date short.”

“Are you really talking to me about this? Now?”

“I can never keep you on the phone for more than five minutes, Dean. Captive audience right now.”

“And you think I stick my foot in my mouth?”

“Sorry. It’s just… you like her. A lot. Yeah, saving people, it’s ingrained in us, part of our DNA. But you wouldn’t knock a door down the way you did for just anybody.”

Dean drove way over the speed limit.

“When we find her, safe, you’re going to tell me all about her.”

Dean refused to reply, to reveal the thoughts tripping over each other, as he continued down the road. He didn’t speak again until Baby’s headlights washed over the back bumper of a Green Honda Civic parked around the corner of a two story warehouse by a large dumpster. He slowed down and killed the engine, rolling to a quiet stop.

“Looks like the jackpot is behind door number two.”

Sam’s face lit up. “Let’s get in there.”

Dean shook his head. “No. This is what I need you to do. I’m texting you Marty’s number. If you don’t hear back from me in ten minutes, you call him. Tell him who you are, where I am, and what we think we’ve been tracking. He’ll take it from there.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah. I got this, Sammy.”

He nodded. “Be careful.”

Dean gave him a small smile and ended the call. He texted Sam the number, made sure he got a response back that Sam had it, and set his phone to Do Not Disturb. He rummaged through the glove box and found his pocket knife. A small flashlight gripped tight in his fist as he left the safety of the car.

Gravel crunched under his feet, eventually merging into a blacktop near three loading bay doors. The roll-up of the center door was not flush to the ground; left open enough for someone to slide under. Here we go.

Dean wasted no time and scooted on his chest into the building, no longer concerned about the condition of his dress shirt and pants. He jumped to his feet in the pitch black of the warehouse. Breathing slowed. Eyes adjusted while he refrained from using the flashlight. He always wondered how good a Jinn’s eyesight was in the dark. Ceiling high racks and shelves of steel framework came into slight focus. They created three long rows in front of him.

A lingering smell of sawdust filled his nose. He afforded seconds to close his eyes, tilting his head like a satellite dish to zero in on the slightest noise. Aside from the ramping of his heartbeat, there was nothing to hint of occupants other than Dean. Might as well make my presence known. She has to be here. He swallowed, pulled out his gun and turned on the flashlight. His body steeled into a military stance. Grounded, steady steps marched forward. A path down the center aisle would give him the best view of the massive warehouse floor. The flashlight above his gun lit the way, sweeping back and forth along the concrete.

“Julie!” His voice boomed, echoed back. Empty cardboard boxes, pilfered through by vagrants or scavengers, lay along the floor with packing material. Dean zigzagged through the maze. Bubble wrap popped under one foot. He froze, waiting for the sound to subside. “Julie!” He called out again. Not sure if it was his eyes playing tricks on him, he thought he saw a shadow flicker farther down the dead end he was headed straight toward. Movement got his attention along his right in the other aisle. God, I hope it’s just one of ‘em.

More boxes came into focus. But these were neatly stacked, forming a partition and one narrow entrance Dean would be forced to take. He made certain no one was behind him. He inhaled and exhaled slow, then rounded the corner and inventoried the space.

It was a bare bones phlebotomy lab. Three rolling carts had needles, tubes, IV bags, and other random medical equipment atop them. He opened a cooler with the tip of his shoe and noted two filled blood bags atop ice cubes not even melted. Definitely still here.

His eyes were drawn to translucent sheeting hung from steel shelving in the back corner. The halo of light revealed a silhouette behind the milky colored plastic. He straightened, cocked his shoulders back, and approached with his gun aimed, ready to fire if necessary. One of his hands reached for the side of the plastic and ripped it away, hard.

Material swooshed. Clips clanged onto the floor. “Julie.” Dean whispered.

Julie’s wrists were bound in thick twists of rope. Her body hung from the shackling. Dean’s eyes widened at her disrobed state. She’d been left in only a tank top and panties. The toes of her bare feet were the only part touching the floor. A needle had been inserted into her inner thigh. Julie’s blood traveled through the tubing, filling another bag by her feet. Femoral artery. Quick drain.

His neck craned from one side to the other. He peered into the adjacent aisle to see if they had company. When he was certain there was no one, his mind assessed the situation. He holstered the gun behind his back into the waistband. Placing the flashlight on the closest cart illuminated Julie’s grim and dire state. Gotta get her down, at least slow the blood flow.

The pocket knife sprung open in one hand. His heart ached as he stepped toward Julie. He stared down at the disheveled hair falling in front of her slumped figure. “Julie?” He whispered. Two of his fingers went to the side of her neck. Hope sprung back when he felt the faint pulse. “Can you hear me? It’s Dean. Gonna get you out of here, okay.” He wrapped an arm around her waist and held her in a vice, pressing his body to hers for support. Her body lifted off the ground an inch or two. The rope went a bit slack. The knife’s blade pushed taut against the give and sawed.

Julie’s head lolled back between the arms still tied above her. Her hair parted to display the face he’d grown fond of staring at. She looked peaceful, with closed eyes and the hint of the tiniest smile. Dean knew from his own run in with a Jinn that there was a good chance she was in some idyllic dream state. Hopefully not the nightmare kind. “Gonna be okay.” He murmured more to ease his own thoughts. “Come on.” He voiced his impatience at the rope.

He grunted when the frayed rope released its hold. Julie’s arms tumbled to her sides. He let the knife fall to the ground and embraced her tight with both arms, cradling the back of her head with the palm of one hand. “Gotcha.” He whispered and brought her to the floor, resting her gently on the concrete.

Dean rose. Gotta get her help. Before he could search for the phone in his pocket, something barreled from behind right into his lower back. He arched backward at the force and slammed into the side of one of the medical carts and finally into the wall of cardboard boxes. His mind at work the entire time, he righted himself in an instant. A quick hop to his feet and he pulled out his gun, aiming where the attack originated.

All five feet of the petite Jinn, using the name Ina Rever, stood between him and Julie’s slumbering frame. Her blue eyes shone in the shadows. He could make out the intricate tattoos forming on the surface of its skin. She’s charging up her poison. Can’t let those hands touch my skin. Dean closed the distance between them. She knelt to the ground.

Shit. If he took a shot at her now, he risked hitting Julie. The Jinn rotated and spun, extended a leg outward, connecting into Dean’s shins. He dropped to the right. The gun flew out of his hand and he landed face forward onto his chest. Shit.

A tiny elbow with concentrated energy rammed into the center of his spine. He groaned. Fast little fucker. She sprung back up, stepped back, and landed on top of him again, elbow in between his shoulder blades.

She stood up and sounded out of breath. Dean could only see her sneakers shuffling from side to side like a boxer. Julie lay behind her, dead to the world. Dean’s eyes lit up at the pocket knife a couple feet behind the Jinn as well.

“This one wasn’t much of a challenge. Dangle a lost dog in front of her and she willingly offers to drive me back to my car at the shopping center and hand out flyers. Of course, if it wasn’t for naive, helpful people like Julie, I might starve.” Ina’s perky little voice wafted down to Dean. The pain in his back radiated into his limbs. “I didn’t think she’d be missed so soon, though. But, I should have known it would have probably been you, after seeing you both at dinner last night.” He hooked his fingers into a deep grout line on the concrete floor and pulled his body a few inches. Ina kicked him in the stomach, which only helped spur Dean closer to the knife. “She’s got it bad for you. When I fed off her just a little while ago, straight from the tap, I got a glimpse at her happy place. She is all about the happy endings with you. Dean, right?”

“What can I say,” he groaned. “I have that kind of effect on women.” Keep monologuing, bitch. I just need to get a little closer.

“I guess her occupation with you is another reason her guard was down. So, thank you for that.”

“Don’t mention it.” He slammed his hand onto the pocket knife and then catapulted up, plunging the blade into Ina’s thigh. She screeched. He held on with everything he could and forced the knife through the muscle like a lever. Crimson splattered and flowed down Dean’s arm and white dress shirt.

She collapsed to the floor, clutching at her leg. He was on her in a flash and captured her between his kneeling frame. A slash of the blade along her neck sputtered blood. Then, he pummeled at her face over and over again until the body stilled.

Dean was pretty sure she was dead. He slammed her head a few times into the concrete for good measure. He huffed, rose to his feet and closed the pocket knife. He caught sight of his gun on the floor, grabbed it, and slipped it into his pants. When he pulled out the phone he saw Sam had tried to call him numerous times. He called him back.

“Dean? What’s going on?”

Dean kneeled next to Julie. He swept her hair away and checked for a pulse again. “I found her. She’s alright, I hope. But she’s in one of those fairy tale comas, I think.”

“So, it was a Jinn?”

“‘Was’ being the key word.”

Sam huffed. “Well, I hope Marty is as good of a guy as you say he is. He’s on his way there.”          

“How long ago did you call him?”

“I called him as soon as I hung up with you. Maybe twenty minutes.”

He smiled against the phone as he heard the bay door roll up. “Dean!” Marty called out.

“Thanks for not following my directions, Sammy.”

“Anytime, Dean.”

Part 13

Series Page

#dean winchester fanfiction #spn fanfic #spnfanficpond #spn fanfic series #dean x ofc

[topfygad]

Cheap City Breaks Best Affordable European Destinations 2020

Do you want to travel to Europe? Are you under a small budget? The Gods of travel took care of that already. There are plenty of cheap city breaks in Europe in different affordable European destinations you can choose from.

Don’t break the bank but get the very best in spectacular views, nightlife, history, sightseeing, great beaches, people, alternative activities like a yoga retreat in Europe, or some of the best destinations for Christmas.

Read this for the top 10 safest countries in the world today, and this one for cheap travel destinations in Europe.

Are you are a student who wants to travel? Then this post is for you.

Affordable European Destinations 2020

Cheap European Breaks in Prague, Czech Republic

Porto, Affordable City in Portugal

Cheap City Breaks in Athens, Greece

City Trip to Valencia, Spain

Affordable City Break in Budapest, Hungary

Affordable City Break in Lisbon, Portugal

Istanbul, Turkey, Affordable European Destination

Cheap City Escape in Brussels, Belgium

Cheap City Break in Florence, Italy

Best City Break in Madrid, Spain

Best Cheap Trip to St. Petersburg, Russia

Cheap European Vacations in Rome, Italy

Cheap City Break in Corfu, Greece

Berlin, Germany Cheap Holiday Destination

Seville, Spain Cheap European City

Munich, Germany Cheap Holidays in Europe

Summary of Affordable European Destinations

Affordable European Destinations 2020

There is a secret list of affordable European destinations that frequent travelers know.

Countries and cities included in this list are considered a pivot point for your travel experience. Traveling through these cities gets you acquainted with the essence of Old Europe and its history.

We are here to share these secrets for the best cheap city breaks with you.

Cheap European Breaks in Prague, Czech Republic

Right in the heart of Europe, this spectacular city hides lots of secrets, even a medieval astronomical clock that seems to come from a fiction novel. Read a fascinating post for three days in Prague Itinerary.

What are the best things to do in Prague?

Old Town Square (Staromestské námestí)

Charles Bridge (Karluv most)

Prague Castle

St. Vitus Cathedral (Chrám svatého Víta)

Jewish Quarter (Josefov)

Dancing House

Prague Astronomical Clock

National Theatre (Národní Divadlo)

St. Nicholas Church (Chrám svatého Mikuláse)

When to go to Prague?

To avoid large crowds, better go to Prague in spring and early fall (March-May) when the weather is mild. Avoid the holiday seasons (Christmas, Easter).

During May there is a range of important events taking place too: the Prague Marathon, Czech Beer Festival, Prague Food Festival, Prague International Music Festival.

Prague is fantastic among all European Destinations.

Check accommodation and guided tours/tickets/passes options for Prague.

Porto, Affordable City in Portugal

A stunning coastal city with great architecture, history, food, and museums (museums are free to enter on Sundays). The city hosts the UNESCO World Heritage Ribeira District.

What are the best things to do in Porto?

Dom Luís I Bridge

Sé do Porto (Porto Cathedral)

Jardins do Palácio de Cristal (Crystal Palace Gardens)

Avenida dos Aliados (Avenue of the Allies)

Estação de São Bento (São Bento Railway Station)

Mercado do Bolhão (Bolhão Market)

Porto’s fantastic beaches

Livraria Lello & Irmão (Lello Bookstore)

Igreja de São Francisco (Church of Saint Francis)

Port Wine Tastings & Tours

Palácio da Bolsa (Stock Exchange Palace)

Fundação de Serralves (Serralves Foundation Complex)

Museu Nacional de Soares dos Reis (National Museum Soares dos Reis)

Dragão Stadium

When to go to Porto?

From May to September the weather is warm and sunny. Some significant events happening during that time are Optimus Primavera Sound, Serralves em Festa, Festa de São João, Regata dos Rabelos, Festival Mares Vivas.

Porto is one of the best summer European destinations.

Read our post for Porto.

Here are your options for hotels and guided tours/tickets/passes.

Cheap City Breaks in Athens, Greece

There are plenty of things to do in Athens, despite Parthenon and Acropolis. Many prefer this city for two days itinerary but when you read posts like this one, this and this (all Athens section) you will understand that it is for much more.

Due to its geographical location and weather conditions, it is ideal for 10 out of 12 months.

What are the best things to do in Athens?

In short? Read this long post for Athens and things to do if you want more inspiration this post for 40 things to do in Greece and 14-day trips from Athens. You will thank us.

All parks in Athens are free to enter and churches too. Free admission museums are:

The Museum of the History of Greek Costume

The Philatelic and Postal Museum

Railway Museum of Athens

Theatrical Museum of Greece

Natural History Museum of Maroussi

Athens University History Museum

Museum of Greek Folk Instruments

Centre of Folk Art and Tradition

Hellenic Children’s Museum

Free admission holidays

6th of March – Memory of Melina Mercouri

18th of April – International Monument Day

18th of May International Museum Day

5th of June World Environment Day

European Days of Cultural Heritage (The last weekend of September)

27th of September – International Tourism Day

When for Athens?

It’s in Greece! If you avoid December and January, then all other months are fantastic to go to Athens. Even in wintertime, there are ski resorts in less than 2 hours distance from Athens (two in Peloponnese and one in Parnassos mountain). There are options for hiking, all museums are open, and food remains excellent all year long.

Check here for accommodation and available guided tours.

Athens is one of the most fabulous European destinations, as it is a pivot point for the Greek islands.

City Trip to Valencia, Spain

Affordable and easy to reach with a high-speed train from Barcelona or Madrid. A coastal city, vibrant with history and museums. It is famous for its oranges too, so taste some while there.

What are the best things to do in Valencia?

Central Market (Mercado Central)

Plaza Ayuntamiento

Cathedral (Seu)

Fine Art Museum of Valencia (Museo de Bellas Artes de Valencia)

Instituto Valencia d’Arte Modern (IVAM)

Albufera Nature Park (Parque Natural de la Albufera)

La Lonja de la Seda

Valencia Beaches

Bioparc Valencia

City of the Arts and Sciences (Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias)

When it is great to go to Valencia?

April to May is best, though there are plenty of visiting in the wintertime. Keep in mind that museums operate under short ours in the winter. Critical events in that period are The Superbike World Championship, Fiesta de San Vicente Ferrer, Holy Week, Festival of Our Lady of the Forsaken.

Check staying prices and guided tours/tickets/passes options for Valencia.

Affordable City Break in Budapest, Hungary

An aspect of the castle from afar

The city is famous for its food and its baroque, neoclassical and art nouveau architecture. Budapest dates back to the Stone Age and comes with great food options!

What are the best things to do in Budapest?

Fisherman’s Bastion (Halászbástya)

Danube River

Castle Hill (Várhegy)

Széchenyi Chain Bridge (Széchenyi Lánchíd)

Heroes’ Square (Hosök Tere)

St. Stephen’s Basilica (Svent István Bazilika)

Buda Castle (Budai vár)

Matthias Church (Mátyás-Templom)

Dohány Street Synagogue (Dohány Utcai Zsinagóga)

Gellért Hill (Gellért-Hegy)

Hungarian State Opera House (Magyar Állami Operaház)

Hungarian Parliament (Országház)

House of Terror Museum (Terror Háza Múzeum)

Hospital in the Rock Nuclear Bunker Museum (Sziklakórház Atombunker Múzeum)

Budapest Zoo & Botanical Garden

Legenda Sightseeing Boats

Thermal Baths

When is it fantastic to be in Budapest?

March to May and September to November is best. That is if you want to avoid huge crowds of tourists (in summertime). The weather is generally mild. Special events happening during these months are:

March to May: Budapest Dance Festival, Macaron Day, Budapest Spring Festival, Budapest100, Rosalia Festival, OTP Bank Gourmet Festival, Budapest Beer Week.

September to November: Jewish Cultural Festival, Budapest Wine Festival, Sweet Days Chocolate, and Candy Festival, Oktoberfest Budapest, Design Week Budapest, Budapest Christmas Markets.

Here is Budapest accommodation options & tours.

Affordable City Break in Lisbon, Portugal

Belem Tower

The city offers at a fraction of the cost whatever you expect to find in a European city. This is another city that emits mystery from Old-World, despite the growth of the modern building. Read this insider’s guide for things to do in Lisbon.

What are the best things to do in Lisbon?

Alfama

Belem

Sintra

Torre de Belem and Monument to the Discoveries

Cascais

Feira da Ladra

Santa Justa Elevator (Elevador de Santa Justa)

St. George’s Castle (Castelo de Sao Jorge)

National Tile Museum (Museu Nacional do Azulejo)

Gulbenkian Museum (Museu Calouste Gulbenkian)

Monastery of St Jerome

Oceanarium (Oceanario de Lisboa)

Taste of Lisboa Food Tours

Lisbon By Boat

Tram 28

When is it best to visit Lisbon?

March to May and September to October is ideal, not excluding other months, too, of course. From March to early June, these events take place: Lisbon Half Marathon, Lisbon Fish & Flavours, Music Days in Belem, IndieLisboa, Festival de Sintra, Out Jazz Festival. On the other hand, the MOTEL X – Lisbon International Film Festival happens in September, while the Out Jazz Festival continues too (May to September).

Read our posts for Lisbon and Lisbon food, Cascais, Sintra, Fatima. There are plenty of day trips from Lisbon to consider.

Book your accommodation early and allow time for guided tours.

Lisbon and the nearby cities make it another great spot among all European destinations.

Istanbul, Turkey, Affordable European Destination

A jewel of the Orient. A city of thousands of secrets and legends, with different locations that drive your mind to thousands of mystical stories.

Herbs & spices, Bosporus, belly dancing, fantastic architecture, and all kinds of landmarks. Istanbul will fill your days with many things while acting as a pivot point for many nearby cities.

It is famous for Agia Sophia and the Blue Mosque, but that is just a fraction of the things to see and do. Read the post from our trip there. For what to eat in Istanbul, read this.

What are the best things to do in Istanbul?

Blue Mosque (Sultanahmet Camii)

Grand Bazaar (Kapaliçarsi)

Süleymaniye Mosque (Süleymaniye Camii)

Taksim Square

Ortaköy

Hagia Sophia Museum (Ayasofya Müzesi)

Istanbul Archaeological Museums (Istanbul Arkeoloji Müzeleri)

Topkapi Palace Museum (Topkapi Sarayi Müzesi)

Istanbul Modern Art Museum

Chora Museum (Kariye Müzesi)

Basilica Cistern (Yerebatan Sarnici)

Dolmanbahçe Palace

Galata Tower (Galata Kulesi)

When it is amazing to visit Istanbul?

Best go there from September to November and from March to May. In the first period, you will have the opportunity to attend these too: Contemporary Istanbul, Istanbul International Puppet Festival, Akbank Jazz Festival, Istanbul Theatre Festival.

In the March to May period, these things happen at the Istanbul Film Festival, Istanbul Music Festival.

For hotels in Istanbul, check these options as well as for guided tours.

Cheap City Escape in Brussels, Belgium

If you crave for some delicious chocolate, then you can visit Brussels even for one day. Take the train from Paris or Amsterdam and savor all these from kiosks you will find in all streets.

Restaurants will be pricey, so no need to pay more for chocolate than needed. There are lots of museums and don’t forget that this is a multicultural & multilingual country.

People here speak Dutch, French & English, of course.

What are the best things to do in Brussels?

Manneken Pis

Grand-Place

St. Michael and St. Gudula Cathedral

Royal Museum of the Army and Military History

Palais de Justice

Mini-Europe

Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium

Musical Instruments Museum

Atomium

Horta Museum

Belgian Comic Strip Center

Cantillon Brewery

When is it nice to be in Brussels?

March to May and September to October is best. In the first case, because it is Springtime while in the second case, prices drop significantly, while the weather stays mild enough.

Check Brussels accommodation prices. Here are the tour options.

Cheap City Break in Florence, Italy

Have we been to Florence, Italy? Yes, twice. The first one was as part of a road trip that involved crossing Europe to the UK driving at the North.

The second one was as part of another road trip getting from the UK to Greece from the South part fo Europe!!! Read this excellent post for Florence (Firenze).

We have traveled to many cities in Italy (including Sicily island). Read the post for things to do in Sicily.

What are the best things to do in Florence?

Piazzale Michelangelo

Ponte Vecchio

Piazza della Signoria

Duomo (Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore)

Uffizi Gallery (Galleria degli Uffizi)

Baptistry (Battistero)

Galleria dell’Accademia

Palazzo Pitti

Basilica di Santa Croce

Giotto’s Bell Tower (Campanile di Giotto)

Boboli Gardens (Giardino di Boboli)

When it is most nice to visit Florence?

Preferably from May to September. Lots of sunshine, but you need to search thoroughly for accommodation as in touristy places prices get high.

There is no need to stay in, such though as the city is easy to walk. You can quickly get into the historical center with public transportation.

Either way, you will walk all the historical center to see the things mentioned above.

Check this for staying in Florence and all the tickets & passes options.

Florence is one of the best cultural European destinations, that is seen in video games.

Best City Break in Madrid, Spain

There are so many plaza’s (Madrid is Spain’s largest city) that are free to the public. You can spend days just visiting each other.

However, Madrid is far more than that. Read our post for things to do in Madrid and check the list below too.

What are the best things to do in Madrid?

Plaza Mayor

Gateway of the Sun (Puerta del Sol)

Plaza de Cibeles

El Rastro Market

Temple of Debod

Retiro Park (Parque del Retiro)

Royal Palace of Madrid (Palacio Real)

Prado Museum (Museo Nacional del Prado)

Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum

Mercado San Miguel

Sorolla Museum

Bernabéu Stadium

Queen Sofia Arts Center

When is it excellent to visit Madrid?

The March to May and September to November rule holds for Madrid too. The weather temperature is the main reason for this. Summer in Madrid is scorching due to the city’s geographical location. In Autumn, you can attend the Autumn Festival.

Here are the Madrid lodging prices & tours.

Best Cheap Trip to St. Petersburg, Russia

Russia is a destination where you will get reasonable prices if you book early. Most people will visit Moscow, St. Petersburg, or both on a trip.

Moscow is great for New Year’s Eve, too, while St. Petersburg offers an entirely different experience.

What are the best things to do in St. Petersburg?

Hermitage Museum and the Winter Palace

Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood

Grand Market Russia Interactive Museum

St. Isaac’s Cathedral

Summer Garden

Peterhof Palace & Garden

Russian Museum

Yusupov Palace

The Naval Cathedral of Saint Nicholas in Kronstadt

Chapel of St. Xenia of St. Petersburg

Yelagin Island

When is it great to visit St. Petersburg?

Avoid winter. Better to visit from June to September. Hot events taking place are White Nights, International Festival of Choral Art, International Early Music Festival.

Winter is cheaper, but lots of activities are not happening, and cold in Russia is rather extreme.

Check the best accommodation options and guided tours/ticket/passes options for St. Petersburg.

Cheap European Vacations in Rome, Italy

The famous Vatican stairs: Bramante Staircase

The city of Rome is a living, walk-through museum. It is an unbelievable destination suitable for all seasons (not so good when rains fall but still beautiful).

We have been multiple times in Rome with kids or not. It is suitable for going without kids too. Prepare for lots of walking as a car is useless in the vast historical center which covers most of the city of Rome.

What are the best things to do in Rome?

Trevi Fountain (Fontana di Trevi)

Church of San Luigi Dei Francesi

Santa Maria Della Vittoria

Ancient Appian Way

Trastevere

Basilica di San Clemente

Piazza Navona

Gianicolo Hill

Campo de’ Fiori

Porta Portese

Spanish Steps

Musei Capitolini

St. Peter’s Basilica (Basilica di San Pietro)

Pantheon

Colosseum (Colosseo)

Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel

Roman Forum (Foro Romano)

Palatine Hill

Galleria Borghese

Gruppo Storico Romano Gladiator School

When is it wonderful to visit Rome?

Prices are lower from October to April. The weather is hot in summer, but Rome has free water fountains all over the city, and you will be amazed by the colors of the city with summer light.

You can find lots of affordable accommodations outside of the historical center, but it will still be close to it, so no worries. Better to go there with the sun than rain.

The cold will not be an issue with all the walking (if you plan for winter). Food is affordable if you avoid tourist restaurants.

Check here for where to stay in Rome and all tours with a guide and skip the line tickets.

Cheap City Break in Corfu, Greece

Corfu is a contradictory island, suitable for many different tastes. One of its sides/coasts has lots of beaches while the other one is rocky.

The best beaches will be revealed by the locals when they like you, so make sure they do. This post will be somewhat informative for you.

The islands hold the essence from the Venetian history, and you will notice that in the architecture of its capital.

What are the best things to do in Corfu?

All the beaches

Paleokastritsa Monastery (and beach)

Corfu Donkey Rescue

Church of Saint Spyridon

Corfu Museum of Asian Art

Achillion Palace & Museum

Palaio Frourio (Old Fortress)

Aqualand (lots of fun)

When is it superb to visit Corfu?

Summertime is the best season. In case you want to hit the lowest prices ever then visit Corfu from April to May and September to November.

Corfu is in the West part of Greece, and you can encounter lots of rain during those times. In case you can be there in Orthodox Easter time, you will see lots of local customs happening.

Here is where to stay in Corfu and guided tours.

Berlin, Germany Cheap Holiday Destination

Berlin is a somewhat controversial city with extreme nightlife. If you are after nightlife, then it won’t be very cheap. Many other things come at really affordable prices.

Here is a post with ideas for three days in Berlin and another one for five days in Germany.

What are the best things to do in Berlin?

Brandenburg Gate

Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe

Potsdamer Platz

Tiergarten

The topography of Terror

East Side (Wall) Gallery

Reichstag

Museum Island

Pergamonmuseum

Zoologischer Garten Berlin

Checkpoint Charlie

TV Tower

Charlottenburg Palace

When is it thrilling to visit Berlin?

From May to September, you can additionally attend these events: Formula E ePrix Championship, Carnival of Cultures, Fete de la Musique, Berlin Fashion Week, Lesbian and Gay City Festival, International Berlin Beer Festival, Berlin Marathon.

Berlin is at the center of Germany but also in the North of Europe so that any other months will be rather cold.

Find here the Berlin lodging options & tickets for excellent tours and landmarks.

Seville, Spain Cheap European City

With hotels moving around the USD100 per night, this city is affordable too. There are hostels and such if you want to lower the accommodation fees.

There are lots of parks, promenade locations, museums, bull-fights, and tasty food. See more great places to visit in Spain.

What are the best things to do in Seville?

La Carbonerí

Guadalquivir River Cruise

Metropol Parasol

Museum of Fine Arts

Plaza de Toros de la Real Maestranza

Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán Stadium

Torre del Oro

Isla Mágica

When it is great to visit Seville?

Better to visit from March to May due to mild temperatures. The famous events of Semana Santa and Feria de Abril, happen in these months.

Where to stay in Seville? Check here. What do in Seville? Click here.

Munich, Germany Cheap Holidays in Europe

Munich maybe not the first destination that comes in your mind when you plan to visit Europe, but it is a great one.

You can read our experiences in Munich from here, here and here. By the way, beers and food are fantastic.

What are the best things to do in Munich?

English Garden

Church of Our Lady

Viktualienmarkt

Nymphenburg Palace Gardens

Biergarten am Chinesischen Turm

St. Michael’s Church

Marienplatz

St. Peter’s Church

Deutsches Museum

Residenz Royal Palace

Old Picture Gallery

Augustiner-Keller

Bayerische Staatsoper Opera House

Nymphenburg Palace Museum

Modern Picture Gallery

When is it amazing to visit Munich?

March to May is best, though the weather may get a bit chilly. Things are happening in the summertime, but there are lots of crowds too.

Check for accommodation in Munich and all the tours & passes

Summary of Affordable European Destinations

As you see, there are lots and lots of places to visit. This list will expand more in the following days, so make sure you subscribe to it!

Traveling is fun, and budget or/and affordable traveling is preferred by many.

Have fun!

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#IFTTT #Cheapr Travels

[theculturedmarxist]

A black and white portrait of Che Guevara casts a watchful eye over a room adorned with socialist memorabilia from all over the world. A sculpture of two giant marble fists bound by a broken metal chain inscribed with the name “Marinaleda” has pride of place on a grand wooden desk. Behind it sits a small, bearded man wearing a Palestinian keffiyeh scarf and a multicoloured shirt. His name is Juan Manuel Sánchez Gordillo, mayor of the last communist town in Spain.

“Capitalism is like King Midas,” he tells me, “everything it touches turns to gold, commodity, trade and death. I think the capitalist system is necrophilous.”

The 70-year-old has run Marinaleda, near Seville, for almost 40 years, having spent decades fighting the system to create his “utopian” village. Many are starting to question whether this “paradise” will last much longer, after the Socialist PSOE failed to gain an absolute majority in Andalusia’s regional elections in December – for the first time in history. For four decades, Marinaleda has been granted free rein under the Socialists but that would not be guaranteed under a right-wing coalition, which could soon be formed between the Partido Popular, Ciudadanos and far-right party Vox.

Perhaps surprisingly, some 44 people in the town voted for the extreme right party, which won its first ever seats in parliament. But it will probably take more than Vox’s 12 seats to topple Europe’s last communist outpost, which has been a unique success story for decades.

As unemployment stands at 22.9 per cent in Andalusia, only 4 per cent of Marinaleda’s 3,000 citizens are out of work and that is mostly “their choice”. Every civilian is offered a job with the same salary and a house with a mortgage of just €15 (£13.50) a month, while the total cost is deducted if the occupant helps towards building and upkeep.

The town’s success lies in a cooperative where villagers work in the fields or factory to earn €47 for a six-and-a-half-hour working day, bringing in €1,200 a month. Even the unemployed receive €400 from Andalusia’s regional government each month. Although large companies and chains are not permitted, the mayor insists he does not stand in the way of small businesses.

As well as 352 hectares of olive groves, Marinaleda also cultivates broccoli, artichokes, broad beans and peppers, which are jarred at the factory and distributed across the country, creating a year-round harvest.

“The more vegetables we cultivate, the more work we create,” says Sánchez Gordillo. “The money from sales is reinvested into the town to improve the community. It is never for anyone’s personal profit. The land is for anyone who wants it.“

Marinaleda’s journey to utopia began after years of deep repression under General Franco’s harsh fascist regime, when Sánchez Gordillo saw “hunger reach the stomachs of many labourer families” with an unemployment rate of 80 per cent.

Four decades later, El Sindicato de Obreros del Campo (The Union of Farm Workers) was born, leading to the first democratic elections held in Spain – in 1979 – since the collapse of the Republican government. The workers’ collective CUT (Colectivo de Unidad de los Trabajadores) gained an absolute majority in Marinaleda and at the age of 30, Sánchez Gordillo was elected mayor – a position he has upheld ever since. 

But “La Lucha” (the fight) would plague the town for another decade as the CUT attempted to take political control over Marinaleda, by staging a 700-strong “hunger strike against hunger”. For more than 90 days Marinaleda villagers occupied the Cortijo de los Humosos, a farmhouse owned by a wealthy duke who left its vast fields uncultivated while families starved. Daily, the Guardia Civil violently expelled them, and daily they returned.

Finally, seven years later, the Andalusian government granted them the land and Marinaleda has never looked back. Now the rustic farmhouse bears the proud words: “This land belongs to all the unemployed labourers of Marinaleda.”

“After all this, we know there is nothing you can’t achieve. Even your wildest dream can become a reality,” says Sánchez Gordillo as we gaze up at a decaying wall painting reading “Tierra Utopia”.

And it is not just local Andalusians who have looked for paradise in this small corner of Spain. Christopher Burke is one of the six British residents living in Marinaleda. The 70-year-old Liverpudlian moved to the town eight years ago with his wife after falling in love with the community spirit during a holiday.

“This place grabs your heart, people are so kind and it’s not about money here,” he says. “It’s great to be part of something that has a different outlook on society and see whether this system is actually achievable. I would say it definitely is.”

He smiles as he tells me how locals regularly pop over with freshly baked bread and recounts stories of the town’s festivals, where even the mayor waits on tables. If it were not for Brexit, Burke says he would never go back to the UK. “If we lose healthcare in Spain I’m absolutely done for because I have glaucoma. It’s a big problem,” he says.

And it seems the town’s folk are also content. As the sweltering sun beats down on us in the lush green fields, young farmer, Alba Martin tells me she has no plans to leave after experiencing life in the outside world.

“The work here is fairer than in other places in Spain,” says the 24-year-old Marinaleda native, speaking from bad experience in Mallorca where she was crippled by her €600-a-month income. “Life is relaxing here, you live well, you’re paid well and above all, things are cheap. The workers are really looked after here.”

Picking broad beans beside her is 42-year-old Antonio Casares, who returned to his native town six years ago after working in construction in Barcelona, Ibiza and others parts of Andalusia. He too worked for a “miserable” salary of €600.

“You can’t live on that,” says Casares, whose wife and teenage daughter work alongside him in the fields. “I had to come back at the beginning of the economic crisis when everything became so expensive. The working days are a lot shorter and life is better here, you feel protected.”

Casares believes in Marinaleda’s model as it has provided almost everyone with a job and he says it’s all thanks to the mayor, who is voted in with an overwhelming majority every year. “If it weren’t for him, we would not have this,” he says gesturing towards Sánchez Gordillo, who is quietly eating freshly picked beans across the field.

It is clear the town’s folk greatly respect the mayor, who was allegedly the subject of multiple assassination attempts by the Guardia Civil for his political protests. He makes time for everyone he bumps into on the street, as they gossip and ask for advice like a close friend. Time, it seems, is not an issue in Marinaleda.

A history teacher until four years ago, Sánchez Gordillo lives on a modest street of small terraced houses. It is well known he has never taken a mayor’s salary and earns the same as everyone else.

“I don’t think anyone is more important than others,” he tells me after asking to be called by his first name as he finds it more “comfortable”.

During the throws of the recession, the revolutionary made international headlines after leading his union to raid supermarkets to provide food for the hungry. Many called him a “Robin Hood”, others a robbing troublemaker.

“The true thief is capitalism,” he insists. “It is a thief of human rights. Europe is the biggest food importer in the world, yet it is throwing its farmers and labourers into bankruptcy.”

And what would he say to people who call him a rebel? “Well I am a rebel,” he responds with a mischievous smile. “Rules are made to be broken.”

Yet when rules are broken in police-free Marinaleda, civilians face nothing more than a stern word from the mayor. “We do not punish anyone. Education is better than repression,” he insists.

However, Burke is concerned some take advantage of the lenient laws of the village.

“Sometimes there’s too much licence for people to do whatever they please,” he says. “Because it has a reputation of having no police, it can attract people buying and selling drugs from other places – like a mini drug market.” 

Although Marinaleda is dubbed communist, the mayor describes it as a melting pot of ideologies – socialism, communism and humanism. He draws inspiration from the likes of Gandhi, Lenin, Marx and, of course, Che Guevara. Unlike strict communist models, he believes this watered-down version can work anywhere in the modern world.

“The main objective should be to conserve public property, such as land, housing and energy,” he explains. “There needs to be a direct exchange between the producer and the consumer, with no private business in the middle. If we continue to be ruled by money and by the selfishness and criminality of the global market, we will be on our way to the Third World War.

“The global system right now is just a new type of fascism,” he adds, while admitting that his “utopian” model is difficult to achieve as many don’t like sharing their wealth or possessions.

As the threat of the right looms like a dark cloud over Marinaleda and with elderly Sánchez Gordillo facing recent severe health problems, there is one question many do not want to confront: what will happen when he is no longer there?

“It’s the $64,000 question,” says Burke. “People want it to carry on but he is the central pillar. There’s no obvious successor.”

And it is too early to know if the mayor’s only son, aged seven, will continue his legacy.

Only Sánchez Gordillo is not worried.

“This is a collective effort,” he says simply. “I’m not sure what will happen but I would like the project to be continued for a future of solidarity. And I have faith it will.”

#long reads #marinaleda #spain #communism #anarchism #capitalist realism #fascism #reaction #reactionaries

[luciana-galvez]

rockstars & runaways | part 7

Nikki and Kat go way back, but with his issues and her family history, finding their way back together is a long and rocky road. And with the rockstar life, what’s the hurry anyway?

Fandom: the dirt

Words: 4k

Pairing: nikki sixx x oc

Warnings: implied abuse, maybe a little blood

Note: welcome to angst central™: we are just getting started

1981

Being Nikki Sixx was a complicated thing. He’s had the name for less than six months, but already it meant more to him than being Frank Ferrana Jr ever had. It meant he was his own person. It meant his choices were his, and his mistakes were his as well. He no longer had to live up to expectations that came from carrying the passed down name of a man who had meant so much to him growing up yet who was never there.

Currently, being Nikki Sixx meant playing music he loved with a band he hated, being broke, living in a shabby apartment, and sleeping with a girl that was more volatile than cheap gasoline.

“Why are we only ever doing this at my place?” he turned around in the bed to look at Kat as she put on her pants. Her top half was already dressed, but then again, she never took her shirt off anyway, so that didn’t come as a big surprise. “Just how fancy is it, that you never deem my place worthy enough to stay over?”

He knew that, whatever her place was, it wasn’t fancy, but it was his way of bringing it up. He bet it was either something Kat was ashamed of or it came with people she didn’t want him to meet. He couldn’t yet figure out which one it was, but he would get there eventually, too. Nikki was a patient guy when it came to things like that, at least when something sparked his curiosity as much as Kat did.  

“Your place is just so conveniently close by,” Kat deflected with a raised eyebrow, and Nikki couldn’t help but grin. She was almost as stubborn as he was.  

He didn’t remember how they got to where they were. He remembered the first night she had told him she wanted him to take her home, and then somewhere along the line it had become a habit, and even if there has never been any suggestion of it, he had also stopped taking other girls home, which seemed distinctly unlike him.

Kat left — of course she did, and Nikki turned back around and went to sleep. His days passed in a blur, as they had for months. It was just working, getting drunk or high, Kat, and playing with the band. He didn’t even regularly show up for rehearsals anymore, because when he didn’t feel like it, he simply didn’t manage to give enough shits to make an effort anymore.

They had been drawing a crowd, and that was the part that interested him. Playing on stage with a full crowed that went crazy to their songs, that’s what he cared about, not being stuck in a shabby garage arguing with the others over their stupid ideas of where they would take their next songs. They didn’t have the same vision, but what they did worked, so he didn’t see why to stop either.

He eventually got up at 6pm, considered taking a shower but decided against it, and went straight to the fridge to get himself a beer. The fridge was empty apart from half a crate of beer, three bottles of vodka, and a half-eaten ham sandwich. He really couldn’t deny his priorities.

The first people for the party would show up in a couple of hours. At this point, he didn’t even have to announce it anymore, people just naturally showed up, knowing his place was always open for everyone who wanted to get wasted, get high, or get laid. Or all of the above.

Nikki was sitting on his couch, smoking a cigarette and half-heartedly playing a few chords on his bass, when Kat showed up again just after 7pm. He didn’t bother locking the door when he was home, so most people just came and went as they pleased.

She raised an eyebrow as she saw him on the couch, and he assumed it was directed at the fact that he hadn’t bothered to put on more than just underwear.

“So you’ve had a productive day,” she mentioned, but there was nothing left of her cheekiness from earlier.

Volatile, Nikki though again. He had experienced her mood swings enough times to not get irritated by them anymore. He put his bass to the side and watched as she made her way straight to the fridge, got a beer for herself, and chugged half of it in one go.

“For someone who doesn’t drink you sure like my beer,” he grinned.

She put her beer down long enough to tell him where he could stick it, and then she took another sip again.

“Bad day, huh?” Nikki asked, still amused. Instead of replying, Kat leaned against the fridge and drank her beer in silence, and then turned and headed down the hallway. Nikki heard the bathroom door fall shut and the lock click into place, and a few minutes later the shower turned on. He shook his head, put out his cigarette and lit another, and picked up his bass again.

By the time Kat came out of the bathroom, Nikki had dressed and was finishing his ham sandwich. It tasted almost worse than it looked, but he wasn’t picky when it came to food, so he watched Kat sit down on the couch in the same clothes she had been wearing when she came in, drying her hair in a dirty towel.

Her expression was still stern and she seemed to be a million miles away.

“Hey,” Nikki started, more serious than earlier, and she snapped back to reality and looked at him. “I’ve only had one beer. If you want to party tonight and let off some steam, I can stay sober,” he said in a forced-casual manner, and then added, “and make sure you don’t say or do anything stupid.”

Kat narrowed her eyes at him, but it wasn’t an offended gesture. It didn’t take a detective to realize Kat didn’t party like all of the people they hung out with because she was terrified of slipping up, so Nikki though the least he could do was offer, even if he knew she wouldn’t take him up on it.  

It took a long time before she answered. “You’re serious, aren’t you?” Kat asked, and the hostility had disappeared from her voice.

“Of course,” Nikki shrugged.

Kat studied him for another moment before shaking her head. “I’m good.” There was another beat where she seemed to debate whether or not to say something else, and then she got up and headed to the door. “Come on,” she simply said as she disappeared out of the door.

Nikki raised an eyebrow in confusion but gulped down the last of his sandwich while following her outside.

Kat was already down the stairs and started walking down the street, and Nikki casually jogged to catch up with her. “So, where is it we’re going?” he asked.

“I want to show you something,” Kat told him but didn’t explain, so he followed her in silence.

She eventually stopped a block down from his place, in an empty side-street next to a car that looked like it was about to fall apart. She turned to Nikki and chewed her lip for a moment, and then she motioned to the car with her head. “This is where I live.”

Nikki narrowed his eyes and looked from the car to Kat and then back to the car. It was an old Ford that had seen better days, and he could see a sweatshirt and a blanket on the backseat.

He couldn’t stop the small snort of laughter as it came. Of course she was living in her car. He looked back to Kat as he tried to suppress a grin. “Are you sleeping with me because you want to use my shower?”

Whatever response Kat had been expecting, this clearly hasn’t been it, but her confused expression was quickly replaced by her signature eyeroll, and the short tension that had been there while she had been waiting for him to react was gone.

“You’re a mess,” Nikki said and turned around to go back to the apartment.

“Hey, you were the one that wanted to see my place,” Kat retorted, catching up.

“Yeah, I’m definitely not staying over.”

They exchanged a playful look but remained silent, and when they got back to his place Nikki took the stairs two at a time and went straight for the messy drawer in his kitchen. Kat followed him inside and closed the door behind her while he was rummaging around in it until he found what he was looking for.

He held it up for a second to inspect it and then casually threw it over to where Kat was still standing near the door.

Kat didn’t manage to catch it and picked it up from the floor, and when she realized what she was holding, she held it in front of her as if it was moldy food. “What is this?”

“It’s a key,” Nikki told her. “To my place.”

“I’m not moving in with you,” Kat told him, and he couldn’t miss the defensive tone of her voice.

“Relax,” Nikki rolled his eyes. “I’m not asking you to move in. I’m telling you you have a place to sleep if you need one, because living in your car is pathetic.”

Kat was silent for a moment. “I’m not fucking moving in with you,” she snapped again.

“Follow me,” Nikki simply replied and started walking down the hallway. When he turned back and saw that she wasn’t following, he sighed. “Jesus, stop being difficult for one second and come here.”

Kat reluctantly followed him and he led her into the bedroom. “The spare bedroom doesn’t really lock,” he told her as he closed the door behind them, “but this one does.”

Nikki demonstrated by turning the lock and then grabbing the handle and rattling the door. “See? I can stay on the couch and if you lock the door, you can be sure no one can get in.”

He turned his gaze back up and was surprised to find that Kat looked like he had slapped her across the face. Her skin was ashen and her eyes were still trained on where he was holding the door handle. “Hey,” he said right away, more gently than before, “you’ve been running out on me for over a month. It’s not that hard to put two and two together.”

Kat finally managed to inhale sharply, and when she did, her eyes shot up to meet his. “What the fuck, Nikki?” she managed to say eventually, but she didn’t do a great job at hiding her agitation, and then repeated, “I’m not fucking moving in with you!”

“I’m not asking you to move in with me!”

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” she asked him with wide eyes, but before he could reply, she reached for the door, unlocked it with a shaking hand, and then started storming out.

“What the fuck, Kat?” Nikki asked as he followed her into the hallway and back into the living room.

“I need you to stop thinking you know every fucking thing about me!” Kat spat.

“What?” Nikki narrowed his eyes, genuinely confused by her outburst. “That’s not—”

“You don’t know shit!”

“Will you calm down?”

She looked at him with furious eyes for another moment before grabbing her sweatshirt from the couch and heading to the door. “I knew this was a stupid idea.”

“Kat..,” he started, but he didn’t know how to finish the sentence, so he didn’t.

And without taking another look back, Kat disappeared out of the door and slammed it behind her.

Nikki got so wasted that night that he didn’t remember anything past 10pm, but when he woke up in the morning he had a headache that threatened to split his skull and a naked blonde in bed next to him that wouldn’t stop trying to wrap her arms around him.

Kat wasn’t there when he got into work that afternoon, and when she did show up again three days later, she didn’t so much as spare a glance in his direction.

Nikki didn’t care. Well, he willed himself not to care. He hadn’t done anything but try to do the decent thing, so he’d be damned if he was the one to come crawling back. Her issues weren’t his problem, so he didn’t see why he should care if she clearly didn’t want him to.

And so he filled his days with the usual, and with what he had done before he had met Kat: He drank, he did drugs, he played music, and he slept with everything that threw himself at him.

London had started selling out weekends at the Starwood, and every time he showed up for the gigs, he was a little more hungover than the time before, and it took three weeks until the rest of the band became so pissed with him that he almost got into a fight with their lead singer Nigel in the dressing room before the show.

Dane and Lizzie managed to deescalate the situate by pulling the two of them apart, but the tension was still higher than usual as they went on stage, and Nikki was so on edge that he was wired for a fight. And it didn’t take long until he got his wish.

“Okay,” Nigel roared into the mic, “the next song is Season of Fame!”

“No, it’s not,” Nikki spat at him, raising an eyebrow in irritation.

Nigel turned back to him with an expression that was pure anger and covered the mic with his hand. “Yes, it is,” he spat back. “And if you wouldn’t be so fucked up all the time, you’d know that we changed the setlist.”

“That’s bullshit!”

“You know what I think is bullshit?” Nigel raised an eyebrow. “Your fucking attitude!”

Nikki threw back his head and laughed, and then he slowly took off his bass and put it to the side. “You wanna know what I think is bullshit?” he eventually told Nigel as he looked back at him, not caring if the people in the front could hear him or not. “Your fucking sense for music.”

“Pull yourself together,” Nigel hissed, and when that didn’t seem to have an impact on Nikki, he added, “pull yourself together or you’re out of the fucking band!”

At that, Nikki perked up. “Are you seriously trying to throw me out of my own fucking band?”

“Nikki—” Nigel hissed, but Nikki didn’t let him finish. Instead, he took a deep breath, pulled back his arm, and punched him in the face hard enough for him to topple over.

Before Nigel could get up again, Nikki was on him, punching him again, ignoring the shouts from the crowd or the other people from the band trying to get him off. Eventually, Dane pulled at his arm hard enough that Nikki had to give way, and Nigel used the opportunity to move up and land a solid punch to Nikki’s nose.

Nikki simply laughed and fought Dane off, trying to get at Nigel again, but this time Lizzie was there as well, and the security was there as well, and together they eventually managed to restrain Nikki and pull him off stage.

When the bouncer pushed him to the exit, Nikki’s arms behind his back in a hold so tight that it would probably hurt if he wouldn’t be full to the brim with adrenaline, Nikki managed a glance at the bar and saw Kat looking at him, really looking at him for the first time in three weeks, and he could have sworn there was a small grin on her face.

But then he was outside and the bouncer gave him a big push and then the second bouncer threw his jacket at him that he, nicely enough, had brought from the stage, and they told him he could come pick up his bass tomorrow when he had calmed down.

Nikki couldn’t help but laugh as he watched them disappear back into the Starwood, and he was surprised how good it felt to finally be done with that band. With a small grin, he turned around and started walking to his favorite diner, picking up a newspaper on the way, determined that the next band he’d be in would be it, and he wouldn’t settle for any talentless idiots this time.

When he got to the diner, he used his napkin to soak up the blood from his nose, finished the food Dottie the waitress had brought him without him having to order it, and started scanning the ads for musicians that wouldn’t suck.

He was so immersed that he didn’t pay attention to anyone else around him, but when he was eventually tapped on the shoulder, he looked up to find a tall, skinny guy in ridiculously tight leopard pants standing next to his booth.

“Hey, that was badass dude!” the guy told him and then clarified, “The show, not the nose. But that was pretty badass too!”

“The singer’s an asshole,” Nikki simply shrugged.

“I know! Hey—” the guy started with new-found enthusiasm. “Fuck him though! He deserved it!”

Nikki didn’t reply but instead went back to looking at the ads, but the skinny dude didn’t seem to be put off by that. “I got your poster on my bedroom wall,” he added before seeming to realize what he was saying, and when he did, he flinched. “I can’t believe I just said that.”

“Take the fucking poster down man,” Nikki told him. “London’s over.”

It was that moment that Dottie showed up again and asked if she could get them anything else, and when Nikki asked for a Jack and Coke — something they didn’t ordinarily serve but Dottie usually made an exception for him — the guy in the leather jacket seemed to take it as an invitation to sit down and order blueberry pancakes for himself.

“My new band is going to be something nobody has ever seen before,” Nikki told him eventually, deciding the guy didn’t seem likely to be leaving any time soon so he might as well let off some steam.

He looked back down to the newspaper and circled an ad he liked, and before he knew it the guy across the booth from him proceeded to pull a drumstick out of nowhere and used it to point at another ad. “That dude looks pretty cool!”

Nikki looked up in surprise, and his eyes darted from the drumstick back to the kid’s face. “Do you carry those with you everywhere?”

“Yeah!” he told him happily while easily spinning the drumstick with his fingers. Nikki studied him for a moment, and then, much to his own surprise, he broke into a big grin. This night seemed to be getting better and better.

He and the kid, whose name turned out to be Tommy, ended up sitting in the diner for three hours, and it quickly turned out that they were very much on the same page when it came to music. Tommy was a drummer, and they agreed to get together the next day to see what they could come up with.

Nikki was still buzzing with adrenaline when he walked back to his apartment, and he stopped in his tracks when he got there and found Kat sitting on the stairs. She had her hood up but he could still see her face, and her expression was defensive but not hostile, and a duffel bag was sitting on the stairs next to her.

Nikki remained put for a few moments, and then he started up the stairs, past her and to the door. He unlocked it and he went inside, and then he finally turned around and held the door open for her. She had watched him apprehensively, but when he gestured for her to come inside, a vague smile played on her lips and she picked up her duffel and followed him.

Nikki closed the door behind them, and then he went into his bedroom, picked up a few things, and came back into the living room to retire to the couch. Kat was still awkwardly standing by the door, but when he pointed his head at the bedroom in a gesture that told her all yours, she nodded and disappeared into the hallway.

He heard the door close and lock not long after, and he proceeded to take off his shirt and shake out the dirty blanket that he kept on the couch but that was never used. He was just about to take of his pants when he heard his bedroom door unlock again and Kat came back into the living room.

Her expression was torn as she awkwardly came to a halt in the middle of the room, and she chewed on her lip and avoided eye contact.

“What?” Nikki asked eventually when she didn’t say anything.

Kat remained silent for another moment, and when she finally looked up again, he could see in her eyes that she was struggling with whatever she wanted to say.

She took in a deep breath before finally uttering, “You can’t ask me about them.”

Nikki furrowed his eyebrows. “What?”

“There’s—” Kat started but stopped, and then eventually settled on, “I’m not talking about them, so you can’t ask me. Okay?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Okay?” Kat emphasized, and Nikki was taken aback by the urgency in her voice.

“Okay,” Nikki agreed, even though he had no idea what he was agreeing too.

Kat didn’t move for another minute, and Nikki didn’t push. He simply stood in front of the couch, watching her make up her mind.

Eventually, she took in a shaky breath and started unzipping her sweater. She took it off and threw it to the floor beside her, and then — to Nikki’s surprise — Kat didn’t hesitate before grabbing the hem of her shirt and pulling it over her head as well.

And then Nikki understood what she had meant by ‘them.’

“Jesus,” he muttered before he could stop himself, and he couldn’t miss the way Kat flinched.

Scars.

She had talked about scars. Most of them were small and white, haphazardly thrown over her torso, but there were three big ones on her side that were deep and red and violent. And then there were a few that he distinctively recognized as burn marks, and he felt a cold shudder going down his spine.

Nikki didn’t want to know what had caused them, and at the same time it took everything he had not to burst out with a hundred questions. But Kat had said she wouldn’t talk about them, and he had promised he wouldn’t ask, and the way she wasn’t able to meet his eyes told him to keep his mouth shut.

So instead, he forcefully had to tear his gaze away from the mess that was her skin and look up at her face. He swallowed before trusting himself to speak. “Thank you,” he eventually said, his voice barely louder than a whisper.

Kat managed to drag her gaze up to meet his for a moment, and in a perfect world the expression in her eyes would have made him go up to her and put his arms around her and tell her everything would be okay and that she was save.

But they weren’t in a perfect world. Nikki knew he wasn’t the type of person for comforting things like that, and he knew Kat wasn’t the person to accept it even if he would be, so he remained where he was and watched as she grabbed her sweater from the floor and stiffly walked back to his bedroom and heard the door lock shut behind her.

Nikki, however, didn’t manage to move for a long time. He remained standing in front of the couch and stared at the spot where Kat had just stood, allowing herself to be truly vulnerable with him for the first time, and he wondered how two people as messed up as them had managed to find their way together.

When he eventually did lie down, he couldn’t help but think that maybe dysfunctional people were like magnets, pushing away everything healthy and pulling in everything that would hurt them or everything that had experienced hurt like them.

And when he dreamt, he dreamt about scars.

tags: @supernaturalvikingwhore @miserablecunt @sighsophiia  @fandomshit6000  @flizaa  @hi-my-name-is-riley  @electradestiny  @starlalove @kingbouji3  @sweetshutter  @baiabouk  @swoopygorl @calspixie

#the dirt #the dirt imagine #the dirt fanfiction #nikki sixx #nikki sixx imagine #nikki sixx x reader

[xmagicxshopx]

Girl Meets Evil - Prologue

Genre: Action Adventure, Romance, Comedy, Angst  Rating: PG-13 - M Warnings: violence, immoral and unethical behavior, smut (eventually), mild language Pairing: Jungkook x reader, Jimin x oc, Taehyung x oc Notes: mafia!bts / gang!bts au. Not idol!bts. Same goes for VIXX. Single quote marks ‘ ‘ are for thoughts and double “ “ are for talking. Additional Notes: It’s not required, but you might want to read my post about meeting the gangs and their job descriptions. You can find it under the tag “s;girlmeetsevil”

Tagging: @justbangtanandjams @och-ako @jiminnies-baby @lizardsocial

Summary: How could something so bad taste so sweet? All you wanted was an iced white chocolate mocha no whip extra ice on a hot summer’s day.

SERIES MASTERLIST

It was so freaking hot out today. Perhaps you should have packed your lunch instead and just ate in the cool, air conditioned space of the company break room. Granted, all you had to do was pick a place to eat and you’d be in just as much air conditioning. But it was the whole idea of having to sweat your butt off to get there. It was then that one of your coworkers, nicknamed Sunshine, chirped up and suggested,

“How about Cafe Fantasia? I hear the employees there are super hot.”

You glanced over at your other coworker, who liked to go by the alias Raven. It was because of her raven black hair but you personally preferred her real name. With Raven giving a casual shrug as it was really no big deal to her, you nodded back at Sunshine and said with a bit of pep in your step,

“Sure! Let’s go there. I’m due for an iced coffee. It’s freaking smoldering hot out here.”

Thankfully the ritzy cafe wasn’t too far down the street from where they worked. Speaking of, thank goodness for good paying jobs since it seemed to be such a rarity anymore. Otherwise you weren’t sure you were going to be able to afford the lunch here.

Being the last one to step inside and hearing the little bell rattle against the door, you took a moment to soak everything in. The place was elegant to say the least. Wow. It was more than obvious that this place was meant to draw in a particular crowd. The place was practically filled with monkey suits. Briefcases on the tables everywhere. This was like big business central right here.

“The sign says to take a seat anywhere we’d like. Let’s get the one by the window.”

Following Sunshine, you took notice how a lot of the businessmen were eyeing you and your coworkers up and down. Ugh. Disgusting. It made you want to tug down on your pencil skirt so that it��d hide more of your legs. Lucky for you, you had chosen to wear a blouse that had frills and buttoned all the way up to your neck.

“Hello, ladies. My name is Hongbin and I’ll be your server today. Can I start you off with something to drink? We have Coke products, iced and hot teas, coffee.”

‘Wow. He is definitely hot.’

It was Sunshine who went first. Mostly because you were too busy drooling over the handsome server and public places already made Raven nervous enough without having extra attention drawn to her. The longer she could put off speaking, the better.

“I’ll take an iced tea, extra sweet. No lemon.”

It was then that he turned his eyes to you and you couldn’t help but blush. Wow. He had a really handsome smile. You took notice that he was a lefty. Not many people were. Why did you even care??? Clearing your throat and trying not to blush any more than you already were, you smiled a little sheepishly and said,

“I’ll have your guys’ iced white chocolate mocha, no whip, extra ice. In the largest size you have.”

He chuckled a bit while he wrote down the last part of your order; nodding with a wide smile of amusement. It was now Raven’s turn and you felt your heart clench for her.

You discovered that both your coworkers had been individually, at different times, been diagnosed with social anxiety and therefore found it hard to go out and about. So you took it upon yourself to try and help them face their fears by occasionally taking them out to lunch.

“I um.....I’ll just take a water.”

“Sure thing, dear. Any lemon or sweetener?”

“N-No thanks.”

“No problem. So I have an iced sweet tea, extra sweet with no lemon. An iced white chocolate mocha, no whip, extra ice in the largest cup I can find. And an ice water.”

When he got the nods of approval, he flashed that charming smile one last time before he handed the three of you each a menu and added smoothly,

“Great! I’ll get these drinks in. You ladies take a moment to look over the menu and I’ll be right back.”

As soon as their handsome waiter was out of earshot, it was Sunshine that immediately spoke up as she leaned against the table with both hands.

“Oh my god! Did you see that smile!? Raven you’re so lucky. He called you dear! I almost winked at him but I chickened out at the very last second.”

You couldn’t help but snort in amusement at your coworker. Well.....honestly.....these two were more like your friends. At least you wanted them to be your friends. The three of you got along pretty well and you did lots of things together outside of work hours. So yeah......perhaps you three were friends. Gal pals.

“Don’t laugh, girl. I saw the way you were looking at him all rosy cheeks and crap.”

Since the three of you only got an hour for lunch, you decided quickly on what to eat. It wasn’t too long after that Hongbin came back with your drink orders. You watched the muscles in his arms flex thanks to the semi see-through white dress shirt he was wearing as part of his uniform. After he had carefully set down all three drinks and placed three straws on the table, he whipped out his paper and pen once more; poised at the ready.

“And what will you fine ladies be having today?”

“I’m going to take your guys’ lunch special for the day.”

“Yeah me too.”

“Might as well make it three of those.”

Laughing softly, he shook his head in amusement while writing down the order. After putting the pin in his apron pocket, he smirked at the three of you and said with another shake of his head,

“You girls are just too easy. I’ll be back with those shortly.”

Once again, it was Sunshine who spoke as she dramatically sighed and fell back in her chair; her hands moving over her heart. Speaking in a tone to match the dramatic actions, she said,

“A guy just called me easy. Wow. I want a boyfriend. Do you think I could get his number?”

You had been in the middle of a long drag from your iced coffee when she said it and the next thing you know, you’re choking and the caffeinated drink almost came shooting out your nose. Quickly picking up your fancy napkin, you held it to the lower half of your face to help cover yourself in case any liquid did in fact come dribbling out of your nose. You looked up to see Raven smiling around her straw but otherwise she remained silent.

“Sunshine, so help me god, I will not hesitate to dump that iced tea over your head.”

Shortly after the playful bickering died down, the three of you moved on to talking about weekend plans. Raven had a family reunion to go to while Sunshine had errands to run and an apartment to clean. Honestly, you should probably think about cleaning your own apartment too. But, eh, it could wait another weekend......for the third week in a row.

“Whoa who’s that? He’s hot too.”

You had been shoving around the ice in your now empty cup when you looked up to see who your coworker was talking about. Wow. Dang. He took your breath away. Unknowingly letting your mouth hang open, you watched the handsome young male walk through the crowd of tables. Looks like he was heading for the back of the cafe.

He was decked out in all black. He had a graphic black t-shirt that had a bit of color to it but that was it. His leather jacket fit him in all the right places as did his black ripped jeans. His boots as shiny as his ear piercings. Which you took notice he had quite a few. His whole image screamed bad boy but you couldn’t care less. He was definitely easy on the eyes.

“Hmm. Weird. Looks like he went straight for the bathroom. Maybe he just couldn’t hold it any longer and walked into the first place he came to.”

“I’m packing your lunch tomorrow.”

The two laughed softly at your determined declaration to eat in tomorrow. Either that or you were going to have to start taking the girls back to cheap, lame fast food places. Maybe the mall food court, even. No----The mall would hold even more potentially hot guys. The mall was a bad idea. Yeah. You’d stick with packed lunches from here.

Just as your food was being set out on the table, you had asked the waiter Hongbin for a refill. After taking the empty glass from you, it was then that you felt a sudden pressure in your lower abdomen and stood up which only seemed to make it worse.

“I’m gonna use the restroom. I’ll be right back.”

“The men’s is on the left.”

You just playfully shoved Sunshine’s shoulder a bit before smiling and shaking your head. However, that didn’t mean you hadn’t turned paranoid and triple checked to make sure you were, in fact, walking into the women’s before going to do your business.

After washing your hands thoroughly, you dried them off with a couple towelettes and made sure your blouse was all tucked back into your skirt nice and neat before heading out of the bathroom. But as luck would have it, just as you were exiting the women’s, someone was exiting the men’s.

“Ouff!”

“Oh my gosh!----I’m so sorry! Are you okay?”

But all you were met with was soft chuckles and you looked up to see that it was the hot, bad boy looking male from earlier. Involuntarily gulping, you took notice of his more finer facial features.

He had a bit of acne but what young man didn’t? You could tell despite the small and few blemishes that he took great care of his skin. It looked soft to the touch. And his nose. Gosh he had a cute nose. Like a bunny rabbit’s. You had to resist the urge to boop him right where you stood. Those eyes, though. His eyes was what wrapped your attention the most. They were almond shaped and doe-like. But there was something there swirling in his cocoa colored orbs.

“I’m really sorry, sir. I wasn’t looking where I was going.”

“Aigoo. Please. Sir is my father. You can call me Jungkook.”

You watched nimble looking fingers dig into the pocket of his leather jacket and he pulled out a card. Holding it out for you to take, you could see it was a business card. Was this guy even old enough to have a business? He looked young but something told you age wasn’t a factor for this guy. Despite his jacket, you could tell this guy was fit. He had the physique of a young man verses a boy.

“Jeon Jungkook. Here’s my card. Don’t be afraid to call me........for anything.”

You had looked up just in time to see him flashing you a sly wink. Heat immediately rose to your face and you could feel it radiating off your cheeks. Without another word, he was sauntering off towards the exit of the cafe like he was never even there. Looking back down at the card, you read softly out loud to yourself,

“Jeon Jungkook. Professional tech support and repair services. Interesting. Never pegged a guy like him to be a geek.”

As soon as you walked back to your table and sat down, you were shoved almost clean off of it by none other than Sunshine herself. Mildly glaring at your coworker and assumed friend, you huffed and whispered in a scolding tone,

“What the hell was that for?!”

“I’m the one who’s trying to get phone numbers here!”

“You wouldn’t want him. He’s a geek.”

You managed to pull your arm back as the petite girl tried to snatch the mystery boy’s business card from your hand. It wasn’t till the two of you had settled down when you started getting less than pleasant looks from some of the customers around you that Raven spoke up. She gave you a small smile while saying in a soft, shy, but teasing tone,

“Looks like we know what you’ll be doing this weekend. Need your laptop looked at?”

#bts #vixx #bts fanfiction #bts fanfic #jungkook x reader #jungkook bts #jungkook fanfiction #jungkook fanfic #jimin x oc #taehyung x oc #mafia!bts #gang!bts #vixx fanfic #vixx fanfiction #mafia!vixx #gang!vixx #kpop fanfiction #kpop fanfic #kpop scenarios #kpop scenario #jungkook scenario #jungkook scenarios #bts scenarios #bts scenario #vixx scenario #vixx scenarios #mafia!jungkook #mafia!jimin #mafia!taehyung #s;girlmeetsevil

[dlamp-dictator]

Allen Rambles About Fighting Games

I... honestly don’t know where to begin with this Rambling. I’ve been trying to think of a decent intro for over a week now and I just can’t be bothered to write a hook.

I guess I should start with myself.

Hello folks, I am Allen X. I do opinion pieces on the internet that I call Ramblings, write silly fanfictions about cute girls punching things, attempt to write original fictions about cute girls punching things, and very occasionally write fan lyrics to video game OSTs. And today’s Rambling is about fighting games and my current thoughts on them as of late. 

I’m a huge fan of fighting games, been playing them since Tekken 3 and Soul Calibur 3, the latter being one of my favorite 3D fighting games period. After that I got into Blazblue around the time Continuum Shift came out, and I’ve played every game in that series since, becoming a massive fan of Air-Dashing fighting games. 

I’m not a huge fan of ranked listings, but here’s a quick list of my 5 favorite fighting games just so you all understand where I’m coming from. So in no particular order:

Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown

Blazblue Chronophantasma

Soul Calibur 3

Dead or Alive 5

Under Night In-Birth Exe Latest

So with that list I hope you understand I’ve played a lot of fighting games in my time. That list is just a fraction of the games I’ve played over these last ten years.

And folks, I don’t know how to feel about modern fighting games at the moment. 

I think the current games out are fine, but as a fan of fighting games since the early 2000s they just don’t scratch a certain itch. I couldn’t tell you what it was, but nowadays fighting games just feel very bare-bones. Most of them only have an online mode, a training, maybe a combo/mission mode to help learn combos, and then maybe an arcade/story, with that story mode being bare in some way, shape, or form. It’s just feels empty nowadays.

But... I think I should give an example before going further. And I think the best game that shows my... conflicting feelings is Blazblue Cross Tag Battle. 

And where to begin with Cross Tag? This was a game that literally came out of my dreams and into reality. An actual pipe dream that I and many other fans of Arc System Works games jokingly wished for. Under Knight In-Birth, Persona 4 Arena, Blazblue, all in one game. It sounded like the wildest of wild dreams.

And then this trailer dropped. And I lost my shit. I think everyone lost their shit. 

I screamed.

I jumped out of my chair.

I nearly broke my damn tablet in shock seeing this trailer. 

And Ruby Rose was being added? Something that Mori and Ishiwatari had only teased about in passing? 

I... I needed some air after watching that trailer.

I needed a drink and some food. 

I’m pretty sure I lost three pounds from that trailer, and I’m barely 115 pounds, I need to keep all the weight I can put on. I was so excited to play that game after that. A crossover of three of the best 2D fighters in the 2010s and one of the most popular niche IPs of the 2010s, all together in one game, with unique character interactions. And an English Dub. Finally, a chance to hear Patrick Seitz, Cristina Vee, David Vincent, and more back where they should had been in Central Fiction. It was just... a magical time to be a fighting game fan.

And then I actually played the game... and boy did I have opinions on it.

I did a Rambling about this game last year after playing a bit of the beta. My overall thoughts, aside from my gloating, were that I felt it was lacking in complexity, but had potential to maintain my attention if they could meet a few of my expectations. And not much of my opinion has changed since then. If anything, I honestly wish I got off my butt and wrote more about this game while it was still fresh in my mind. 

But, back to my original point, this game is a good starting point in a lot of my conflicting feelings about fighting games nowadays, and I think I should start by discussing...

My Expectations

Last year I had three main expectations for Cross Tag. Those being a story mode that was more entertaining than insightful, free DLC of some kind, and a fulfilling single player experience. These are the three main things I want in most fighting games, as I’m not into the competitive seen outside from online get-togethers nor do I have a positive opinion of the competitive side of the FGC to begin with. So, how did Cross Tag stack up?

Well, I can happily say that at least two out of three isn’t bad. 

But I should probably break this down a little, as again, these three points are what I look for in most fighting games.

The Story Mode

Much like I hoped, the story modes were relatively simple and didn’t get too deep into everyone’s lore and backstory, which is honestly for the best. I’m a fan of Blazblue’s story, I really am, but I wouldn’t wish for that encyclopedia of lore known as the Blazblue world-building and the mini encyclopedia of lore that is Under Night and RWBY world-building mashed together. A fan of all these series I am, but that would had been much.

That said, the story modes were great. I was cackling at almost every interaction. Ragna squaring up to Kanji and Wald, Ruby being an absolute weeaboo when she confuses Yosuke and Yukiko for a ninja and geisha respectively, Ragna being surrounded by all the robo-girls save for Labrys, Hyde just... dealing with everything in his story mode, Weiss and Orie teaming up to take down Ragna in the name of justice. The list goes on, but the point remains. I loved a lot of this mode, my only real wish being that it was a little longer and didn’t focus solely on the main character of each series. I was also hoping for something a little more... grounded. Well, not something so ridiculous as some weird AI/Goddess controlling everything behind the scenes and forcing everyone to fight anyway. I know with the Cross Tag 2.0 update coming there’ll be a new story mode, and I hope it’s a little more inclusive than this one. I’m also hoping for a bit more replayability too. This story mode was fine, but I’d like to see something I could come back to and want to come back to. 

To give an example, I think Continuum Shift Extend had the best story mode of any fighting on pure replay value. There are at least 20 didn’t character perspectives in that mode with alternate endings and gag endings included. Each character has a decent arc and narrative, they occasionally run into other named characters and have their timelines mix, and there’s even a retelling of the previous game with some added bits thrown in. I know I said Chronophantasma was my favorite of the Blazblue series, but Continuum Shift had the most love put into it. I’m not expecting something of that extent in Cross Tag 2.0, but something at least trying to reach that would be great.

Ah, but moving on.

Free DLC

This one’s a real technicality and I’m tempted to not count it, but for the degenerates like me that bought the original season pass, we also got to enjoy Seth, Heart, Teddie, and Naoto K. for free. That’s... not exactly what I was hoping for in my old post, but we did get something out of it. In the future I hope that Cross Tag will follow something a little closer to how Samurai Shodown handled their season passes, letting early adopters download it for free on the first day or week before charging as a reward for those giving it a chance... or at least running the the store page quick enough. 

In all seriousness, I do hope for something to the effect of the reason of Season 2′s characters being either cheap or free for the first few days before charging whatever retail price they set it to. It’d just give some incentive to stay up to date on the game and encourage people to actively play it.

But sadly, two out of three meant I didn’t get the main thing I wanted, which was...

A Good Single Player Experience 

I had mentioned I wanted something akin to Chronophantasma’s Abyss Mode or Persona 4 Arena Ultimax’s Golden Arena Mode. Something with a leveling system or that had some replay value to it for the single player folks. Sadly, I didn’t get that. Like many current fighting games, Cross Tag is rather bare-bones with the content. There’s not even a basic arcade mode, a staple in every ASW fighting game. I’m... disappointed by that. And this isn’t the only game either. I believe it took Street Fighter V an entire season to get an arcade mode. Tekken 7, a series known for its wild mini games, barely had anything beyond a story mode, a very bare bones arcade mode, and a treasure mode that... just didn’t feel fun to play. This is from a series where the last numbered series had an expansive 3D-esque brawler mode for it’s story mode with special items and costumes that gave some really wild effects. Soul Calibur 3 had a mini Fire Emblem-esque strategy game with Swords and Soul Mode where you got to create a character with a pretty original moveset all things considered, several movesets in fact. But sadly... a lot of that is starting to go away.

I just feel like with the push toward competitive play a lot of fighting games aren’t bothering to keep in mind casual players, and that saddens me. I don’t play too many fighting games for the sake of getting better, but that’s where we’re going. I want to say that’s bad for business, but Street Fighter is pushing out season 4 and EVO is still one of the biggest and most marketable events in the FGC. Maybe I’m just being an old man yelling at those darned kids and their bare-bones gaming content. I’m willing to accept my 25-years-old mindset is a bit old fashioned in the year of 2019 where time and technology is blitzing by and those in our mid-to-late twenties who have been playing games since the 90s are seen as the old men in the gaming community, but I just had to get my thoughts out. ...

...

...

God, I miss the line breaks Tumblr use to have, makes these closing statements a lot easier.

Anyway folks, with all that said I think I’m going to call it here. For those expecting the Weekly Update it’s been a real slow week, so not much to report. Consider this Rambling my update. I’ve finally gotten through the first chapter of Arifureta and honestly that’s all I need to read to get an idea on the Rambling I want to do for that series. I bought 6 volumes of Tokyo Ghoul:re against my better judgement, so expect me to talk about that next week. And slowly but sure I’m getting some notes together for the Taboo Tattoo Rambling. So look forward to all that and I’ll see you all later.

#blazblue #your dictator is speaking

[the-archetype-of-civilization]

I saw a Kingdom Hearts concert today.  It’s funny, because I wasn’t expecting to go to it at all.  My friends had asked me many months back if I could, but I didn’t have money at the time because I was low in funds and I refused to let them buy it for me so I could pay them back later (which wasn’t foreseeable to me).  Apparently my friend’s brother couldn’t make it, so he asked me last minute today if I wanted to see it.  I did.  And so I went into the city and watched it with my good friends.

It was breathtaking.  Yoko never ceases to amaze me with her beautiful music and KH is truly her tour de force.  I was spoiled on KH3, but I didn’t have enough investment to really care all that much anymore.  The series burned me out a long time ago when they refused to make the third game for all of these damn spin-offs that you HAVE to play.  Either way, I enjoyed it and loved the whole symphony.

I hated when it was over.  Because then I returned to the real world.  My reality.  My awful and garbage rock bottom that I’ve found myself in these past few months.  Actually, that’s not true.  I’ve felt worse now than I have months before.  I’m just...there.  I feel so hollow and emotionless now.  I’m like a zombie.  The concert was enough to make me feel again, but after that I just flat-lined.

My friend asked me what I’ve been up to, since I haven’t been in contact with them all that much and haven’t seen them in a while.  He’s really one of the few friends that actually cares and asks if people are all right.  He truly is my best friend and I wouldn’t change him for anything else.  I don’t talk to them because I didn’t want them knowing about my situations these past few months.  Although, I did tell them that my relationship is gone now and they were (more or less) supportive...marginally (understandably so considering how I treated her, though).  I did tell him that these last few months were pretty shit, especially after the break-up.  He said that if I needed to talk to him, I could.  His Uber, as if right on time after he said that, came by and picked him up.  We parted ways and I walked to the subway.

Waiting for the A train was hell...three trains came by going uptown, the exact opposite of where I needed to go.  I think I waited about 15-20 minutes for my downtown train to come, listening to some Led Zeppelin on the way with my Turtle Beach headphones because I need something to drown out my inner thoughts and think about anything else but her and how awful I was to her.

Needless to say, it didn’t help.

After a long train ride, I made it to Times Square hoping that the shuttles were still active.  They weren’t.  So, I walked out to Times Square and decided to walk back to Grand Central.  I walked out and saw a family doing the Orange Justice dance.  A part of me felt disgusted (I hate Fortnite), but my hollow nature simply acknowledged it and walked off.  I saw a bunch of posters for the show “Euphoria” starring Zendaya.  I remember seeing a bunch of commercials for it and it looked depressing but real as hell.  Considering that the posters showed Zendaya looking off in the distance, with a purple hue over her face, and a sparkled trail of a tear going down the side of her cheek, I assumed it was about wanting to feel something, to be loved.  I couldn’t help but understand that all too well, considering the present circumstances.

The tag line?  “Feel something.”

On my way down to Grand Central, blasting “I Want To Break Free” by Queen, I saw a huge group of girls (I mean like school field trip huge, like two whole classrooms worth) walking down the street cheering at anything and everything.  High school age, most of them appeared to be.  I couldn’t tell because I was behind the band of them, and I didn’t care.  I figured that since I had time to kill, I decided to stop by McDonald’s and have some food.

I didn’t get to eat anything for most of the day leading from the time I left the house and to where I was now (about 7 hours).  Two homeless men were standing outside the McDonald’s, one on each side of the double doors.  One of them opened the door for me.  I was feeling depressed and I thought that maybe by trying to make myself feel better or less of a shitty person, I gave some loose change that was in my pocket to the man that opened the door for me.  It was a bunch of pennies and a dime, I think.  After I went in, though, I felt bad for the other guy that was standing opposite to him (though I wasn’t sure if maybe he was talking to the guy as a normal person or he really was homeless, but looking at his Dunkin’ Donuts cup, he most likely was to me at that point).  I looked back at him and pointed at my wallet and then at him.  He nods.  I go back outside and give him the rest of my loose change.  I gave him a few pennies and several quarters.  It was imbalanced charity and I felt worse that I gave one guy more money than the other, the one that was nice enough to hold the door open for me.  But, I didn’t care anymore.  The damage was done.

As I was standing on the line, mistakenly blasting “Lovers Rock” by Sade and trying so hard not to think, I saw a group of people being drunk as shit talking and laughing loudly with each other.  That’s what the headphones were for, as far as I’m concerned.  Besides, I had my own problems going on.  They took a while to get their orders in, but I managed to get mine and waited as the drunk people left and it was just the other people that were quietly waiting on line or at the food pickup like me, and my music.  I picked up my food and walked back to Grand Central.

Once I got inside, I was walking through to the center (where the giant star map is on the roof) and saw a few people calling to a guy named “Francisco” and (most likely) wanted him to come with them to get tickets at the ticket machine.  He turns and looks at them, having glasses, long black hair, and I believe a Filipino look to him (I’m not good with physical looks by nationality) and points up to the star map.  Didn’t even say a word and they said “Oh, okay.”  I guess he liked looking at the star map?  I don’t know.  I walked past the information booth smack dab in the center of the terminal, a group of black women asking for information on their tickets I assumed.  I walked past a couple of MTA workers hanging outside the entrances to the Metro North platforms, one of them saying to the other “keep that shit out of” something.  I assumed the work place, I wasn’t sure.

After taking my seat, I thought about writing this.  I thought why I should, what the point of it was.  Was it supposed to have some great meaning to it?  Was it trying to paint myself as this tortured soul that couldn’t find emotion or “feel something?”  Was I just people watching and realizing just how kooky this city can be?  I wasn’t sure, but I felt like writing it anyway because I felt like it.  Maybe it was all of it.  

As I started to eat my McDonald’s, two men (who I had assumed were a bit drunk or at least were mildly obnoxious like my friends are) took a few seats nearby and were chatting.  One of them said “[blank], welcome to the Metro North.” First time going on, surprisingly.  He asked the other what he should text to his friend, whom I assumed was trying to check in on them.  The other said “I ain’t no bitch walking,” his friend repeating the line and sending it on his phone.

The man that sent the text pulls something out of his bag, looking like a bagel or something (I wasn’t spying, I just caught them doing stuff every time that I looked up).  He said that he was afraid that the bagel or baked thing was “upselled” to him, like he was cheated with a cheap piece of food.  It did look cheap, honestly.  He takes a bite and it takes him a moment and he says it “tastes exactly like what he ordered.”

After I finished eating, I pulled out my Switch and started playing Smash to avoid wasting battery life on my phone.  I played until I got off the train.  The two men were pretty passed out, but one of them woke up as I made my way down the car and to the train door.  He asked if I dropped some sunglasses, where I turned and looked to see a pair of sunglasses on the floor near where I was sitting.  I didn’t bring any, so I said “No.  Thanks.”  I got off, drove home, and ended up here.

I don’t know why I wrote this.  I’m not trying to put meaning behind this.  Maybe I’m writing it to show how empty I felt the whole time, how emotionless I’ve become.  Maybe I’m writing it because, in some ways, I do love this city.  It can be crazy and with its quirks, but it’s enjoyable.  And I might not see it again if I land a job in California.  Or, like I said, maybe it’s both.  Maybe I just enjoy writing and describing the lives of others, lives that seem much more interesting and worth while than mine.

I don’t know.

I don’t know anymore.

#ooc #out of continuum #this post is long #if you want to read what my night's been like then go ahead #it's kinda depressing and stupid so read at your own risk

[lavenderhyrdrangea]

Game plan

Wally barely had his foot in the hero bizz, but he knew getting an official suit was the equivalent of getting a license or at least a permit. Like a license or permit, the suit would come after a test. With the way Uncle B trained him, he figured he’d might as well start thinking of a code name.  After all, Speedy was already taken.

“Sorry about the early rising, Kid. Especially on the weekend but I rather you get used to it now—Heroing is an around the clock gig with no pay,” His uncle said, soft rays of sunlight slowly chasing away the shadows on the side of his face.

“Is that part of the test? The rest will be pretty easy then!”

Uncle B laughed, “You wish.” His hands on his lips, he surveyed the landscape.

It was the most cliche cityscape Wally had ever seen. Yeah, there were nice, long roads, windy roads, and bumpy ones(thanks to pot holes and the city taking its sweet time to get around to them.) There were side walks, street lamps, and apartment complexes and businesses that just seemed too close to one another. This definitely was a normal city until the hill street thing they were standing on came into play. The high standing street took a sharp dip within a few footsteps or an inch of car. It wasn’t European stair steep but whoever designed it had to be related to Evel Knievel somehow. The adrenaline junkie wasn’t done either. Once you rode the flat street surface, it would climb up again. It was mostly smooth sailing after that but God, everyone hated this little stretch of road. They even called it, DMV Street in spite of it being part of Pearson Avenue. You go in mildly ticked then it was just down hill from there.

Heh.

Downhill.

Wally supposed you be would rewarded with the sight of Central River once you made it to the bridge but with ferries offering cheap prices for a ride it didn’t seem worth it. Plus, the river was never as pristine as one would hope. Wait a while and you’d see and hear the trash skimmer boat going by.

“I brought you here to test out your coordination in a real life environment. Anybody can train in a lab or on a treadmill but out in the field?  That’s the hard part.”

“Coordination?” Wally looked down at the street and couldn’t help but think of all it’s imminent frustrations.

“Yeah. I was thinking I could make it a little more fun by making it a race. With how early it is there’s shouldn’t be that many people up and out. But there’s just enough people for it to be challenge. Plus, we’re near Star Labs so if anything makes it to the news most people will suspect it’s them.”

“Race!?”

“A little nervous?”

“You wish.”

Uncle B tried to ruffle his hair but was met with the ugly black cowl of his training suit. “Gotta get use to that.”

“I hope not,” Wally whined.

“We’re running all the way to Grocer street. You make it there and you won’t ever have to wear that thing again.”

“Simple enough.” Wally gained resolve. “I’m so getting that suit.”

“Excitement. That’s what I like to see. I put a tracker in that suit. If you run into any problems—literally or otherwise—I’ve got Jay near by with a tracking device. He’ll zip right to you.”

“You might as well tell Jay to put his feet up. I’ll clear this test on the first try.”

They decided they would each have a part in counting down to the race. They chose the ready-set one. It sounded better off the tongue and got him pumped more.

As always, he and Uncle B started off slow which he hated, it felt like he was running through quick sand but as he picked up speed he glided. Obviously, he couldn't glide as fast as his Uncle. Wally at least thought he could stay neck and neck until the next hump but there he was staring at his blurry back, trying to will his feet to take him faster.

They zoomed through the next hump with ease(aka without Wally tripping due to him having to adjust his speed to the incline.) Uncle B was still ahead of him.  How could he be a blur? He trained with him so why wasn’t he that fast?

Dang it, Uncle B. Run into something.

And of course as he thought that he narrowly missed running someone’s car door off of it’s hinges. He felt someone’s arm wrap around his shoulders then a subsequent yank and a rush, whooshing him backwards.

“You got to be a little more careful than that, Kid.” Jay said, smiling as they stood back at the very top of the first hump.

“I know. I know,” Was all he could offer.

He spent the next few weeks of the test bombing it. So much for it being easy. On his second run, Uncle B manged to get so far ahead that he’d gotten lost. The questions about that one were the worst. Explaining how he got lost even though he knew where the race was supposed to end was a whole new level of embarrassing.  He just got so deep into the whole catching up thing, that he couldn't pull himself out of it long enough to really grasp his surroundings.

His third run was just dumb. Who delivered oranges that early in the morning? Er, well, aside from produce truck drivers. Alright, who would drop oranges so they could roll on the ground? Well, he would if he were a produce truck driver. It was probably Uncle B’s gush of wind that knocked the oranges over in the first place. Either way it didn’t help him at all. Maneuvering around the oranges was like trying to learn how to roller skate all over again. The very next week, he ran into this fruit frenzy yet again. This time around he bolted ahead to try to catch the fruit before it fell but maybe his grip was weak or he got a little ahead himself with all the excitement because he ended up tripping himself up. They were just in his arms and he fumbled them. He was also pretty sure the fruit produce man thought one of his orange crates vanished into thin air.

His fifth run was the closest he got to ever finishing the test. He’d made it all the way to the bridge with Central river flowing underneath. The problem this time around was the opposite of the problem he had during his second run.  He stayed focused on his surroundings and his own footwork. Too focused.  Now, he really didn’t know how it happened but Uncle B was gone. Again. Did he expect him to run on water? Cool as it was they hadn’t gone over that and it had been ages since he practiced his backstroke.

Later on in the evening, his mom made a dinner of chicken Alfredo with peanut butter cookies for dessert and invited Uncle B and Aunt Iris over. His father was eager to talk with Uncle B about the test. Wally’s speed had been just as much a bonding experience for these two as it had been for him, his uncle and his aunt. Before then they had little in common. It wasn’t on purpose, both tried, but ended up being awkward elephants. One thing that they did have in common was that they were both fairly hands on people in their respective fields.

“So,” his mom lifted a forkful of rolled up noodles to her mouth,” did things go better today, Wally?”

It was well meaning but he wished she didn’t ask right in the middle of dinner.

All eyes were on him.

He leaned back from his plate. “Uh, it was alright.”

“Alright?” She pressed.

“Okay, slight correction. The first half was alright. The second half...” He trailed off and thought of how he could talk about the whole thing without making his parents freak out on Uncle B. It didn’t matter that neither one of them were speedsters and thus couldn’t honestly give their two cents on the finer details of his training. They were going to do it anyway. And with their input Uncle B would be babying him in no time.

“With how you talk about your powers, I thought you’d take to this like a fish to water,” His father said.

Being the awesome hero that he was, Uncle B dashed in, “It took me a while to figure out coordination when I first started out. I was running on nerves and awkwardness.

“Awkwardness? You?”

Aunt Iris almost choked on her food, she laughed so hard. “Honey, I’m so sorry,” she said to Uncle B who was narrowing his eyes by then, “but you’ve told me stories about how odd you were before everything. I’d still love you but you weren’t always Mr. Hotshot.”

“I’d argue he’s still odd now,” His mom added.

“So you’re tag teaming me now?”

His father slid in “Well...”

“Et tu, Brute?” He looked at Wally. “Looks like it’s just me and you, Kid.”

Dinner ended on a lighter note, and with his mom insisting that Uncle B and Aunt Iris take a boat load of leftovers home. His mom got use to the appetite of two speedsters like it was nothing. It wouldn’t have surprise him if it turned she enjoyed it as some sort of hobby.

His dad told him to help them carry the trays to the car. Powers or not he still had to have manners.

He was putting the last tray in the trunk when Aunt Iris tried to drop some knowledge. “I think what your Uncle was trying to say earlier is that even with meta powers there’s still a trial and error phase when trying to get better at something. And don’t forget the main focus of a test shouldn’t just be the grade. Every X you see there is to help you. If they weren’t there you wouldn’t know what you need to work on.”

“Yeah, and what if I flunk the whole paper?”

“Still helpful,” She singsonged.

“Great. I’ll tell that to my English teacher the next time time I get an F on my essay.”

Aunt Iris glazed over his quip in exchange for one last word of advice.   “And, remember don’t compare your work to others’ too much. It’s good when you want to better yourself but sometimes it’s bad for the esteem when done obsessively.  I can’ tell you how many times I’ve beat myself up over the fact that another reporter released a story quicker than me only to realize my work was suffering because of my fixation with their work.”

Uncle B suggested a break from the test for just a little while. No doubt a result of Aunt Iris doing her news reporter read on him the last few seconds before they left. She probably made him look pathetic to Uncle B. Like he needed anymore of that.

His father didn’t really like all the extra time he had since he was soft benched, so he thought it was best he got his blood going. His dad suggested that they play baseball. He was little of iffy about that. His dad was really obsessive when it came to baseball. The thought of his past little league seasons made him cringe. But he suggested gathering up the neighborhood kids and playing football instead and Wally wasn’t doing to do that. So they settled on playing catch with the baseball.

“That’s a shame,” His fathered lamented. “Football’s a great game. I’m supposed to be teaching you everything I know. Taking you to games. Cheering you on from the bleachers.  I feel like I’ve missed out you know?”

“It’s just that I don’t like to be tackled.” Or dealing his father’s weird sports lust.

“You’re going to get tackled chasing after the Flash aren’t you?”

Wally stayed quiet.

“I know people don’t think it’s something that requires a lot of brain work but anyone who says that never looked beyond the news articles they find on the internet talking about rowdy fans trashing their home towns after their team lost. It’s a game of wits. You need a game plan if you plan on winning, “Zeal overtook him. “What’s the quickest way to advance down the field? Which defensive player is the one you should keep an eye on? What tactic or strategy is better suited for all the players on your team? What plays into their strengths? It’s much more than tossing a ball back and forth. Take you for instance. You’re fast now, right? You’d make a mean running back—A tail back to be precise. You’d be able to rush the ball to the end zone no problem.”

“I can’t use my powers like that, dad. That’s cheating.”

“Oh, fine. Steal all my fun. Focus on the strategy, boy.”

“Alright, alright. You said that you start off with a plan. What if it seems like the plan isn’t working?”

“What you’re talking about is a quarterback. Possibly one of the most important members of the team. They reiterate all the coaches plays to the team in a way they all understand and they have to have quick thinking too. They can change a play at the scrimmage line if it looks like the play they’re going with won’t work out well.”

“And how do they know a play won’t work?”

“Something’s usually off with the defensive line. Look at it this way. Strategy or the game play is all about understanding yourself, your team and your opponents.”

“Mind games.”

“Yup.” His dad said proudly.

The cogs in Wally’s head whirred. “Do you think that that works on things outside of football?”

“I don’t see why not.”

He told his father to hold off on the catch and that he needed to study. The man was miserable. He probably planned to spend the whole day with him.

“Uh, dad?”

“Yes?”

“Thanks. Remind me that I owe you a game one of these days.”

With that, Wally went to craft a game play of his own. Instead of begging Uncle B to start that test again, he asked Jay to take him to DMV Street and to watch him run. With every problem he ran into, he and Jay would take note of them and analyze why they thought he was having such a problem with it. Jay was much better at it than he was because he could go beyond just a practical understanding of his problems. He didn’t only focus on implementing more jumps to avoid danger but he zeroed in on why Wally was so hesitant when it came to jumping. They found out that it was, duh, because he was nervous. There was a layer underneath that as well that for once Jay couldn't get to since he claimed Wally wouldn’t budge. Whatever that meant. It was starting to seem like his problems had problems.

Eventually he felt ready enough for the test again. Like the last few times, Uncle B took them to DMV Street early in the morning.

“Sure you’re ready?” He asked.

“Born ready.”

“Alright. Why don’t you start off the countdown?”

“Ready,” Wally said.

“Set,” Uncle B supplied.

“Go!” They said in unison.

The test started the same way it had since the beginning—slow and steady then fast. He kept close to his Uncle’s heels for a few seconds. He even ribbed him.

“That suit is mine.”

After the second hump he ended up falling back. This freaked him out at first but he knew he had to stay on it. He had to think and be aware of everything yet not to the point of hyper focusing.

He could tell how long it had been since his Uncle passed by the way his surroundings reacted. A skirt that billowed too harshly was a good marker. A crate of oranges spilling over was an even better one. The oranges rolled all over the street and adrenaline made his heart pound as he vaulted over them. He weaved in and out of the way of the people and things that threw themselves onto his path: The blockheads who must’ve wanted to live the rest of their lives without a car door and the plastic bags and pamphlets that use to smack him in the face and temporarily blind him. Man! At times he had to deal with his own two feet.

He tried to suppress the overwhelming relief that resonated in all parts of his body when he made it to Central bridge.

Something in the back mind chanted, “thisisitthisisitthisisitthisisit!”

Again, Uncle B was just gone. He steeled himself. His uncle unlike, most teachers, wouldn’t test him on things they’ve never gone over before.

The horn of the trash skimmer boat blared.

Yes.

He waited until it made its way from under the bridge to the other side. Determined, he leaped over the railing and into the boat’s dustcart.

Uncle B was waiting there on top of a pile of trash with his arms behind his head and a grin.

“Wait til they dock then it’s back to hitting the pavement to Grocer street for us.”

“Yeah.” He agreed, a little dazed.

Uncle B ruffled his hair—or better yet the cowl of his ugly training suit—and said, “You’re pretty cool, Kid.”

He grew dizzy with joy.

A/n: I really liked working on this one! Writing Wally was actually a lot of fun. His parents were slightly difficult to grasp since I had to teeter between the lines of...good and bad I guess? In the comics, Wally’s parents are depicted as no good but they’re never depicted as out and out abusive. They loved their boy. It was just at times they ended up screwing other people over in process of loving him. His mother was always depicted as the lesser of the two “evils”.

#My writing #My writing. #DC comics #Wally West #Barry Allen #Storge #Philautia #Yeah I used a Sonic level to come up with DMV Street #What of it?

[flightlessangelwings]

Lost Souls, Kindred Spirits: Chapter 2

Bucky x Reader

Chapter summary: A friendly lunch date where Bucky and reader get to know each other.

“How’s your burger?” you asked Bucky.

“It’s good,” he replied.

You threw him a sympathetic smile, “I know it’s not the greatest place, but I’ve been coming here for awhile so it’s comforting. Plus, it’s cheap.”

He softened his expression, trying to not be offensive, “No really, it’s fine. Thank you again for this.”

“No problem! I guess it doesn’t totally make us even, but it’s the least I can do.”

You both continued to pick at the plates of food in front of you in silence for a few minutes. Normally you hate sitting in silence around someone new, but this felt comfortable for some reason. It was later in the afternoon, so past the lunch rush, which meant the diner was a little quieter than usual.

“So,” you started, “What brings you to New York?”

Bucky dropped his gaze down to the table as he tried to think of an answer. “I…” he started in a whispered voice, “I grew up here.”

“Oh, so you’re from here? Coming back home, yeah?” You weren’t sure why, but you had a feeling like this man across from you had quite a story to tell, and curiosity started to get a hold of you.

“Something like that,” Bucky looked back up at you.

“Well, if you need directions or anything, I can try and help you out. I’m not from here but I’ve been around the city since I was a teenager. What neighborhood you looking for?”

He paused for a minute. He knew there was a word that stuck out in his mind, he just needed to remember what it was…. “Brooklyn.”

“I’m not as familiar with that area, but I can do my best,” you said with a smile.

“Oh no, no you don’t have to do that. I’ve put you out enough already,” Bucky objected.

“You haven’t put me out at all,” you retorted, “Buying you one meal won’t break my bank account.” You took a sip of you water before adding, “Besides, it’s nice to have someone to talk to.”

Bucky looked surprised at that. “You on your own?”

You sighed, “Yep. Both my parents are gone, and living in this city ain’t cheap, so I spend a lot of time at work just to survive. I don’t really spend much social time outside of the girls I work with. Besides, I’m usually really beat after work, I don’t have the energy to go out a lot.”

At your confession, Bucky found himself just as curious about you as you were about him. How could someone so beautiful be all alone? “What happened? With your parents I mean?” The question came out before he even thought about it.

It was your turn to look down, and Bucky could see the pain in your eyes.

“I’m sorry,” he raised his hands up in a surrendering motion, “I didn’t mean…”

“It’s ok,” You looked back at him, “I don’t mind talking about it. It’s been years.”

Bucky shot you a sympathetic look. He never meant to cause you any pain, even in the smallest amount.

“Really,” you reassured him as you reached across the table to put you hand on top of his, “That’s how conversations work, right? You share something, then I share something, and we go ‘round and ‘round.”

A thought popped into his head as he met your eyes: were you two becoming friends? He knew it was dangerous to let anyone in; there were things he could remember and none of it was good. But at the same time, he had to admit to himself that a friend in this world was a very nice thought. He said nothing to that, only nodded to let you continue.

“My parents came to this country in search of a better life. I was just a little kid when we came over. We ended up in Florida, but my dad always talked about how much he wanted to see New York. I know its super cliché, but he truly thought that this was the place where dreams came true. Where you’re supposed to live your best life, or something like that,” you smiled to yourself as you thought about your father. You continued, “He got a job in a factory. He worked his ass off trying to save enough money to move. But…” You trailed off.

Bucky watched you tell your story with a sympathetic gaze. Instinctively, he reached his right hand out to you much like how you did for him. You raised your eyes to meet his and took in a deep breath before you continued.

“There was an accident one day and…” you didn’t have it in you to finish the sentence out loud.

“I’m sorry,” Bucky whispered as he stroked his thumb across the top of your hand to soothe you.

“It was a long time ago,” you sighed as you wiped away a tear with your free hand. The memory never really healed, but it became easier to handle over time. You weren’t sure why you were getting so emotional about it again. Maybe you felt safe enough in front of this man to let your feelings flow freely.

Bucky could tell that you were putting up a strong front, only to hide a lot of pain. It was a feeling he knew all too well. “So, you came here to honor your father then?” He hoped his assumption wouldn’t upset you more.

But you understood the meaning behind what Bucky said to you. In his way, he was sympathizing and trying to connect with you. “Yeah,” you exhaled, “Mom moved us here and found work where she could. Once I was old enough, I worked odd jobs too.”

Bucky leaned in as he listened to your story.

“Mom and I weren’t as close, but she was still family. She was all I had when we moved here,” your voice trailed off as you lost yourself in thought.

“Was?” Bucky asked, his voice low.

You sighed heavily, “Yeah,” you looked down at the table, tracing imaginary shapes in your mind to try and keep yourself calm, “I lost her too. She was in the wrong place at the wrong time late at night and…”

“I’m so sorry,” the look in Bucky’s face was genuine as he squeezed your hand tighter.

You looked up to meet his eyes and instantly felt comforted by the sincerity you found there, “It’s New York, what can you say?” You tried to brush it off so you wouldn’t linger on the thought, “I was 17 then. I’ve been on my own since. I made my own way, been able to get by in the city on my own.”

Your story sounded almost familiar: alone in New York, both parents gone, making your own way at a young age. Then it clicked in his head. You reminded him of Steven Rogers so much. Maybe that is what draw him to you, at least partly. Figures in this huge city he’d run into a person who reminded him of his best friend back in the day. The familiarity felt nice to Bucky.

“I’m sorry,” Bucky repeated, “I didn’t mean to make you talk about something like that. I know it must be hard for you.”

You wiped another tear from your eye and took a deep breath, “It’s fine. It actually kind of felt good to talk about again, oddly enough,” you chucked at the thought, “It’s been awhile since I talked about my parents or my past, it’s like I’m keeping them alive through memory by talking about them again. That sounds weird doesn’t it?”

“I’ve heard weirder,” Bucky smiled. And what a beautiful smile it was. This was the first time you saw a true smile from him, and once you saw it, you wanted to see it more.

“Indulge me then?” you set your elbow on the table and rested your head in your hand, ready to listen to this beautiful, mysterious man talk about absolutely anything.

Bucky did not want to get your involved in his mess, but he couldn’t deny your request. He chose his next words carefully, “I… I lost most of my memories,” he confessed.

Your expression changed, “What?”

“I don’t remember much,” he replied shyly, unsure how you would react.

“So that’s why you came to New York,” you put the pieces together, “You came home, back to what you know to try and jog your memory.”

Your unjudgmental understand took him off guard. He wasn’t used to any form of kindness, let alone from a beautiful woman like you. “Yeah,” he breathed out.

“Well,” you straightened your posture, “You need my help more than I needed yours then!” you said enthusiastically.

He shot you a quizzical look.

“Oh, come on, how would I not help you now?” you rubbed your hands together like you were getting ready for something to happen, “Besides you need someone who knows how the streets of New York are now. I don’t know how long you’ve been gone, but this city changed a lot lately. Come on, let me help you,” you pleaded.

Bucky was taken aback by your unquestioning urge to help him. But one look at your eyes told him you weren’t taking no for an answer, not that he could say no to you at this point anyway. He leveled his expression as he exhaled sharply, “Ok.”

You two spent the next few hours talking about trivial things. You caught him up on pop culture and news from the past few years, not knowing how far back his amnesia went. You told him about your favorite trends, important events, new music, pretty much anything you could think of. He listened to you with all his attention, taking in everything you were telling him. If he was honest with himself, he couldn’t care less about your words, he just wanted to hear you talk with that brightness in your eyes. He studied your features and picked up on your facial cues as you continued to talk. He took the time to memorize every feature and detail of your faces, from the subtle dimples in your cheek to the way you fiddle with your fingers when you get nervous.

Time seemed to fly by, and the sun started to go down as you continued to talk in your diner booth. You glanced over at the time with a scowl.

“Dammit, I gotta go. Work,” you said as you started to gather yourself.

Bucky frowned. He found himself not wanting to let you go.

You grabbed some cash from your bag and set it on the table, leaving an extra tip for the waitress for staying so long. You scoot your way to the end of the booth, your legs sore from sitting still for so long. As you stood, you turned to Bucky who was also getting up. “You free tomorrow around noon? There’s a great place in central park with a little pond and lots of hills. I go there when I need some quiet time away from the noise of the city. I can bring my laptop and help you figure things out.”

Bucky stood up and smiled down at you, “Sounds great.”

You extended your hand and he took it. “It’s a deal then,” you said with a smile. “See you tomorrow!”

Bucky watched you leave and eagerly looked forward to seeing you again.

Notes: Thanks everyone for reading so far! I’m gonna try to update every Friday evening. And I’ll work on a masterlist this week too.

#bucky x reader #bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes #bucky barnes imagine #bucky barnes fic #bucky barnes fanficion #marvel #marvel fanfiction #marvel imagine #avengers #avengers fanfiction #avengers imagine