#they really said 'excuse us a minute--actually do you have a scenic location for our intimate conversation? ty'

[maschotch]

#they did Not have to go to the roof for this conversation asjdhlfkg #they really said 'excuse us a minute--actually do you have a scenic location for our intimate conversation? ty' #5x18 #aaron hotchner #cm caps

[echoes-of-the-clockwork]

Book One: Gold (Prompto x Reader) Chapter I

A/n: This series is inspired by my oneshots, "Mythological Mayhem," (Can be found on my Wattpad) which is also why it will have the same name. You won't be able to choose your eye color in this series since they'll correspond with what gem/mineral each book represents. I hope you all enjoy! Love you all!!! •••••••••••••••••••••

"You can't keep me hidden forever, Prompto."

(Y/n)'s words rang inside Prompto's head as he stared up at the dark ceiling of the caravan. It had been only two days since he, Noctis, Gladio, and Ignis left Insomnia to head to Altissia for the prince's marriage to the Oracle. They were currently resting in Hammerhead, waiting for the Regalia to be repaired so they could head to Galdin Quay.

Lifting his arm, Prompto stared at the bracelet located on his right wrist. In the center stood a lone golden fragment that resembled a gemstone. Even in the darkness, a faint light radiated from it. With his left hand, he traced his index finger over the golden fragment as he continued to listen to (Y/n)'s words on repeat.

He couldn't sleep, wishing to see the girl he had come to cherish so deeply after the many years they'd spent together. The (h/c)-haired guardian has been with him ever since he could recall his earliest memories of his life. He could feel his strong, unwavering bond with (Y/n) and couldn't help but smile.

Prompto, to (Y/n)'s dismay, had kept her a secret their entire lives. No one except for him knew of her existence, not even his adoptive family or Noctis. Although she was residing in the gemstone whenever he left to go anywhere with his friends, he was saddened because she wasn't physically with him. He couldn't bear to be apart from her, not even for a simple stroll.

These past two days have been torture since he didn't wish to reveal the guardian to his companions. It wasn't because he didn't trust them, but he didn't want to be bombarded by tons of questions he wouldn't have the answers to or for (Y/n) to feel like an outcast.

A few minutes passed and Prompto debated whether to leave the caravan for a little while to see (Y/n). Unfortunately, he didn't realize what time it was until he saw Ignis was gone. The advisor was always the first to wake, his ebony coffee being the main reason why he was able to rise at such early hours of the morning and trudge through the day with no signs of exhaustion. He truly desires to have the stamina Ignis possessed after drinking a single cup of coffee.

Prompto lowered his arm with a sigh, nestling his head back into the pillow. He closed his eyes and tried to get a few more minutes of sleep, but his bustling mind kept him from finding peace.

With a groan, he dragged his body out of bed and grabbed his camera. He left the caravan and greeted Ignis before making up an excuse so he could get some alone time with (Y/n) without him or the others seeing her. He told the tactician how he wanted to take a few pictures of the rising sun and quickly excused himself to find a secluded location.

The moment Ignis turned his back, Prompto made a mad dash toward the garage. He headed around the side and took cover behind the garage. Looking around, the blonde made sure the coast was clear before summoning (Y/n). He whispered her name, the gold gemstone located on his bracelet pulsating with a warm glow.

Once the gemstone's radiance disappeared, a girl with (h/c) locks and gold-slitted eyes appeared in front of him. She combed a few stray locks out of her face and behind her ear with a sigh. "You know this would be easier if the others knew about me, Prom. I could also help you guys fight. And that gemstone is rather uncomfortable..."

"The guys would freak out if they saw your, y'know...real form!" Prompto argued. "I mean, I haven't even seen it yet! I've only read about the possibilities..."

(Y/n) sighed, crossing her arms. "If you're afraid of them attacking me, explain to them what I am! I'm sure they know about spirits. All humans should! We're not fictional characters in a fairytale. There's actual texts that explain who and what we are. If we continue to hide this from them, our time apart will only grow until after we return to Insomnia." She turned her back to him and stared up at the vast, colorful sky. The sun was rising and the sky was being painted with an array of shades of orange, red, and yellow. "After all the years we've spent together, I guess you've finally grown tired of me. I'm not surprised, really. To be honest, I'm not the easiest person to live with and I sometimes can be really annoying. I mean, you've-"

Two arms wrapped around her body, silencing her. She tensed up slightly when feeling her back flush against his body. A small gasp slipped from her lips when she felt Prompto nuzzle his face into the crook of her neck. His warm breath grazed her skin, causing her body to shudder. His blonde locks tickled the side of her face as his arms tightened around her. In her left ear, she heard him whisper, "I'm not tired of you, (Y/n). I could never get tired of you. You've been with me since the beginning and...and I can't believe you haven't left yet. I never thought someone like you would still wanna hang around a loser like me even now..."

(Y/n) pried his arms off her and turned around to face him. Cupping his cheeks in her palms, she stared into his cerulean eyes. "Even if I wasn't your guardian, I know we were destined to find one another. If I was human, maybe we could...never mind."

"Tell me," Prompto begged, gazing into her glistening golden eyes.

She shook her head with another sigh. "Sorry, it's nothing. I'm letting my imagination run wild again."

All of a sudden, she heard footsteps and acted quickly. Her body vanished, returning to the gemstone in Prompto's bracelet. The blonde also heard the footsteps and promptly picked up his camera, acting like he was taking pictures of the surrounding area.

Ignis walked around the corner, his emerald eyes analyzing the photographer. "Is everything all right, Prompto?"

"Uh, y-yeah!" The marksman's voice cracked, afraid his friend had overheard his conversation with (Y/n). "Just takin' some pics of the scenery!"

The strategist's eyes ventured over to the camera in the younger boy's grasp. "You are mindful of the lens cap, are you not?"

Prompto looked down at his camera and chuckled nervously as he removed the lens cap. "I-I knew it was on..."

"Of course," Ignis replied. The advisor detected the blonde's strange behavior and was able to see through his lie with ease. However, he simply spun on his heels and left his companion without questioning him.

The shutterbug sighed in relief when Ignis left. "That was too close..."

"I'll say," (Y/n) said as she reappeared beside him. "You're a terrible liar. Always have been."

"H-Hey, I tried my best."

"I know, but..." The golden-eyed girl looked around at the desert-like landscape. "You realize this isn't a scenic view, right? It's nothing but dirt, rocks, and a few plants scattered about. I'm pretty sure I saw a tumbleweed earlier, too."

"As an avid photographer, it's my job to capture everything," Prompto replied. "Even the ugly parts."

(Y/n) glanced at the boy from the corner of her eye. "A photographer captures the beauty in everything. Even the ugliest parts of this world have beauty hidden somewhere. I'm sure you can turn this desolate landscape into something beautiful. Just make sure you get some breakfast before becoming lost in your photography. Your stomach's growling."

Prompto, having been distracted, finally felt and heard his stomach grumble. A rosy hue dusted across his face, embarrassed at how obnoxious his stomach sounded. "I'll grab a bite at Takka's. What about you?"

"What about me?" (Y/n) replied with her own question.

"You haven't eaten since we left the city. You should come with me! If the guys see us, we can just pretend we're strangers who decided to share a meal together."

She smiled reassuringly at him. "I'll be fine, Prom. I can go a couple more days without eating." She bumped her hip against his, nudging him forward. "Now go get something to eat."

Prompto knew how stubborn the girl was. He didn't stand a chance against her and hung his head with a sigh. "Okay..."

<-----------<<<<<

A couple days later, the royal retinue arrived at Longwythe Rest Area after the Regalia was repaired. They delivered a package as per requested by Cindy and received a visit from Umbra. Seeing as the day was turning to night, the boys headed over to the Crow's Nest Diner to enjoy a quick dinner before checking in at the motel across the street.

Around ten o'clock, Prompto realized the others were all asleep and quietly made his way out of the room. With the spare gil he received from Ignis after their successful hunt yesterday, he headed back over to the Crow's Nest and stood outside the entrance. He summoned (Y/n), who appeared in front of him in mere seconds.

Turning her head, the spirit hummed in curiosity as she peered over her shoulder at the small diner. "The Crow's Nest? What're we doing here?"

"You're hungry, right?" Prompto asked. "It's been four days since you've ate anything so I thought this would be the perfect opportunity for you to get a bite to eat. With the guys asleep, it'll also give us some alone time."

"All right, but it's getting late. As much as I would love chatting with you for hours upon end, you'll need to get some sleep. Once I'm done eating, you're heading straight to bed."

"Deal."

Prompto and (Y/n) entered the diner, taking a seat at one of the booths. The man behind the counter walked over and took their order. The blonde asked for a simple glass of water while the girl ordered the salmon with a soda. As they waited for their order, the two chatted nonstop.

A few minutes ticked by and their order arrived. (Y/n) enjoyed every bite of her salmon, listening to Prompto as he shared what she had missed during her time slumbering in the gemstone. She clung to every word even after finishing her meal.

By the time midnight rolled around, the (h/c)-haired girl's eyes widen in shock. "I lost track of time!" She scurried out of the booth after Prompto paid. "You need to get some sleep. We'll be heading to Galdin Quay tomorrow and I wouldn't want to be the reason why you lost sleep."

"I know," Prompto sighed dejectedly. "I just...really wanted to spend some time with you."

She smiled at him. "Prom, we've been by each other's side for a very long time. Besides, I'm not going anywhere. Now go back to bed so you have enough energy for tomorrow. I'm really excited for Galdin Quay! I've always wanted to visit the ocean. I'd love to relax on the beach."

"Me too!" Prompto chanted excitedly. "I can't wait to take so many pictures!"

"All the more reason you should get some rest," she remarks.

He nodded. "Yeah. 'Night, (Y/n)."

Her smile blossomed. "Goodnight, Prom." Her body vanished, returning to the golden gemstone.

Prompto rushes back to the room and crawls into bed. He closed his eyes, delving into the world of dreams.

Almost two hours later, Prompto was startled awake by a nightmare. A cold sweat consumed his body as he flew up into a sitting position. Trailing his hand across his forehead, he wiped off the small sweat droplets before climbing out of bed and slipping his boots on. Leaving the room, he headed up to the roof to clear his head.

On the rooftop, Prompto sat down and let the cool breeze dry his body, calm his racing heart, and clear his head. He stared across the street, noticing the Crow's Nest was still open. He watched as a couple of hunters pulled into Longwythe Rest Area in a truck and parked just outside the diner. Once they entered the eatery, the blonde looked away with a heavy sigh. With his attention no longer focused on anything, the images from the nightmare filled his mind.

"Bad dream?"

Prompto turned his head and saw (Y/n) standing a few feet away. "Yeah," he replied halfheartedly.

"What was it about?" She pried.

"Noct, Gladio, Iggy, and I were facing off against a horde of daemons. I kept getting in the way and then...they abandoned me." The boy stared down at his hands as he clasped them tightly together. "Am I...worthless?"

(Y/n) clutched her hands behind her back as she focused her attention on the daemons prowling the darkness just beyond the rest area. "You're not worthless, Prom. Everyone is unique in different ways. You may not possess the strength of your friends, but you have your own special abilities that make up for their weaknesses." She hopped on to the ledge of the roof, walking down the narrow strip of concrete. "A team is like a puzzle. If one piece is missing, it's incomplete."

"H-Hey, be careful," Prompto muttered nervously as he felt his anxiety skyrocket just by watching her walk along the edge of the roof.

The guardian continued walking until she reached the end of the ledge. She stared down at the asphalt below. "You may think you're worthless, but in reality you aren't. You might not see it, but the others and I do. You've convinced yourself you are worthless and that's why you dream of such horrific scenarios." Turning around, she stared into his cerulean eyes with her golden ones. "No one is perfect. We all have our flaws. They may appear perfect in your eyes, but that's because your combined strength is able to hide them."

"But you're perfect," Prompto unconsciously said.

She smirked at him. "If I'm perfect, so are you. After all, I am a fragment of your soul."

The blonde's eyes widen at her words. Even though he's known the girl all his life, not once has he heard the real story about guardians. "What do you mean, (Y/n)?"

Hopping off the ledge, the (h/c)-haired girl walked over and sat beside him. She hung her legs off the roof, swinging them back and forth. "The fairytales about guardians are false. We're not almighty beings sent from the heavens by the Astrals to watch over the people of Eos. Guardians are spiritual beings manifested from a fragment of a person's soul. Our duty as a guardian is to protect the very soul that created us. Not everyone possesses the power to forge a guardian, though. Very few humans do, and you're one of them, Prompto. When a human does shape a guardian, we take the form of their choice. My appearance is a result of your cognition."

"So, the reason you look like this is...?"

"I've taken the form of your deepest desire. I must say," (Y/n) examined her appearance and grinned. "I look pretty good. At least you didn't make me look like a chocobo. I don't know what I'd do if I was a yellow bird."

Prompto's cheeks ignited a deep crimson and he immediately looked everywhere but at her. He couldn't remember a single time when his imagination created a strong, intelligent, beautiful person. He cleared his throat, eyes still darting around to avoid her gaze. "U-Um..." The boy's mind was blank as he tried to think of a response, but not even a single word came to mind.

(Y/n) realized this and smiled. "I know this is the first time we've really talked about spirits, but I hope I was able to explain it clearly. If not, we can always search for actual text. There are many documented existences of spirits and books that have been published."

Prompto found his voice and said, "I never really asked because, well...I kinda forgot you were a guardian."

"You treat me like a normal person," she stated. "Which I'm grateful for, even though I'm not human."

"You look like a normal girl to me," he answered honestly, finally being able to look at her.

"Yeah, well, your cognition thought of a normal girl."

"Does that mean if my deepest desire was a chocobo, you really would've been one?" He asked, eyes gleaming with excitement.

"No, I was just messing with you. A guardian's human form is based on their master's deepest desire, but it has to take the form of a human. All spirits have a human form and a true form. Alas, our master doesn't determine our true form."

"Y'know, I've never seen your true form," Prompto commented. "Is it scary?"

"Um, well..." (Y/n)'s voice trailed off. She watched the two hunters from earlier depart the Crow's Nest and drive away in their truck. "I...want to say no, but it might frighten you. But trust me, Prom, I would never hurt you or the others."

"I know," he smiled gently. "Now I'm really curious what your true form is! Is it a chocobo?"

The spirit giggled, nudging her elbow into his side. "Don't get too excited. And no, it's not. Guess you'll just have to wait."

The blonde released a dramatic groan as he hung his head. "Aw, man...!"

Next Chapter || Masterlist

#ffxv #ffxv x reader #final fantasy xv #final fantasy xv x reader #prompto x reader #prompto argentum x reader #prompto argentum

[homogrimoire-archive]

Kingfield's Fourth Anniversary - Final Day

If I Rose To Power It'd Be A Bouquet

Dwight has the wonderful idea to propose. Needless to say, David is in for a surprise.

AO3 Link

Dwight loved David with all his heart. He really did. Sometimes, it felt like he wanted to shout it out into the world for all to hear. He wasn't the kind for such public displays though. But, he was about to do something pretty close to announcing his love to the world.

He and David had been dating for years now. Everyone who they cared about knew. And just about anybody who was at least somewhat invested in pro boxing. As a pro boxer, David had a lot of eyes on him. David wasn't bothered in the slightest. He liked the attention, and had no desire to hide who he loved.

Dwight was scared of the notion, but was swayed by David. Deep down, he didn't want to hide who he was anymore. So, it had been public knowledge that they were a couple for a few years now. It wasn't all sunshine and rainbows, but being able to kiss and embrace and display their love to one another whenever they pleased far outweighed any negativity it brought to their lives.

Dwight never regretted a single moment of their time together. He imagined that David felt the same. Thus, with David’s boxing career nearing its glorious end, Dwight figured he knew how to start this new chapter of their lives.

Of course, Dwight wanted this monumental moment in their lives to be very special. So he spent many a month planning. He knew he wanted things to be private. To do such a thing in a crowd with spectators was pushing it for him. He was quick to figure out how he wanted to do it, but where was a different matter.

He considered spending a night out and doing it at their condo, but the location admittedly wasn’t so romantic. Renting a boat for a scenic night of sightseeing along a beautiful coast was considered, but was quickly ruled out when he remembered that he would probably get seasick. But, then it hit him! Ocean sunsets were beautiful and very romantic. So, after more deliberation, Dwight decided on California. A popular tourist destination, so it would be easy to kill time before the main event. Next was finding the time to do the exciting deed, which was easy since all Dwight needed to do was look at David’s schedule.

Convincing David into taking a little, much needed vacation was easy. A little bit of seduction went a long way. It would be a week-long affair of sight seeing and fun, culminating to a fanciful dinner on the fifth day. Dwight never really got used to having the finer things of life such as a dinner that cost a week’s check for a part time job, nor did he gain the taste for it like David said he would. Hell, he still liked to eat cup noodles warmed up in a microwave. But he’d accept the indulgence for such a night.

Since the restaurant was not too far from their hotel, they decided to walk. They could have called an uber or something, but it was a comfortable and clear night. Holding hands, Dwight leaned against David as they walked. He smelled vaguely of his cologne, a scent which eventually came to bring Dwight a sense of comfort.

Time seemed to move so wonderfully slow in such reposeful moments. Yet, it always seemed to end too quickly, for they were already in front of their hotel. And suddenly, Dwight was hit with a wave of anxious anticipation.

“Hey, uh, I’ll be up there soon. I’m gonna take a quick smoke.” Dwight said with a kiss to David’s cheek. He knew David didn’t like it when he smoked, for a number of good reasons. Admittedly, it was a guilty pleasure.  But Dwight wasn’t actually gonna smoke. He just needed an excuse, even if a cigarette did sound very tempting to help calm his nerves.

“Alright, but don’t keep me waitin’, luv.” David replied, and leaned in close to Dwight’s ear and whispered something real low that made Dwight’s face flush. Well, two could play that game.  Dwight pulled David down by his shirt and whispered something that made David feel rather excited, to say the least. With a reminder to not start anything without him, David made his way into the building as Dwight pulled out a box of cigarettes just for show.

After a few minutes of waiting, Dwight made his way to the receptionist’s desk to get a bouquet he had ordered and set to be delivered to the hotel. The bouquet consisted mainly of beautiful red roses, with white lilies scattered throughout. Wonderful as could be.

He took the envelope, with the letter inside he spent weeks perfecting, out of his pocket, and gently placed it in the bouquet. On the elevator ride up, he checked his pockets for what must have been the hundredth time that night for that precious box. After getting out of the elevator and reaching the end of the hall where their room was, he looked out the hall’s large window to see the beautiful beach down below as it stretched onward. It was the first time he really got a look at the beach at night. It captured him, making him decide to make a change of plans. He hurried back to the elevator and made his way back down. Once he was outside, he took out his phone.

“Hey Dwight. What is it?” David answered.

“Come outside and meet me at the beach, I’ve got a surprise for you!”

“…Really?”

“Yes, Really! You’ll love it, I promise.” Dwight assured him.

“Well, If you say so. See ya in a moment luv. Love you.”

“Alright, love you too.” he said, and they hung up.

Dwight practically skipped to the beach. He was excited for how wonderful things were gonna be. It would truly be something to remember, more memorable than a balcony anyhow, even if it was a nice balcony with a nice view. As he waited at the edge of the beach, he checked his pockets once more. He felt his heart drop when he didn’t immediately feel the box, but let out a sigh of relief once he searched his other pocket.

”Oh, David, over here!” Dwight waved as soon as he saw the other man. He was careful to keep the flowers hidden behind his back as David jogged over to him.

"So, wot does mister handsome here 'ave in store for me?" David wondered as he playfully tried to take a peek.

"Close your eyes! It's supposed to be a surprise." Dwight said, and David followed his order. He brought forth the flowers, but pocketed the envelope before letting David know he could open his eyes. He decided its contents would best be given to start the height of the night.

"Awwh…" David said as his expression softened as he gazed at the flowers. "Aren't you a sweet thing?" he added with a kiss to Dwight's cheek. "They're lovely."

"Ah, well, I'm glad you like 'em. I was gonna give them to you earlier, but I saw the beach, and thought we could take a walk. The night's still so young, and you know, why end it soon?”

“I think that's a wonderful idea, luv.” David answered while still gazing into the flowers, and then turned back to Dwight and gently slipped his hand into Dwight’s. “Any time spent with you is time well spent.”

Dwight felt his heart swell. If he was uncertain before, which he wasn’t, he knew that he loved David more than anyone, and was determined to follow through with his plan.

“You’re a sap.” Dwight lightly laughed as they began their walk.

“Only for you.” David teased, knowing very well how sappy that was. “But, I’d say you’re a pretty big sap yourself.” he said, putting some emphasis on the flowers. With the evidence present, Dwight had no choice but to concede.

“Well, only for you.” he smiled.

They continued their walkdown the beach in the sand, David holding onto his flowers with his free hand, the plastic that encased them crinkling as he walked. It mixed with the quiet crunch of the sand as they walked on it and the ocean’s gentle night sway to form the background noise to their conversation. Dwight has his free hand shoved into his pocket, clutching the box.

It was indeed a beautiful night. They were relatively far away from the hustle and bustle of civilization, letting a few stars shine with the lower amount of light pollution present. They passed a few groups having a bonfire, eventually coming reaching a stretch of beach devoid of others. The bright, full moon shone down onto them on the near starless clear night. The moon formed a shimmering, thick wave of light on the dark ocean that stretched from the horizon to the edge of where the sand met the ocean waves.

"I'm glad you thought of this." David praised. "It's relaxing. Nice."

"It is." Dwight responded. Now or never. And now was perfect as could be. "Hey, um, I got you one more thing." Dwight said, and pulled out the envelope for David to take.

w3sZAEqaq

"And you really called me a sap." David jested as he jokingly shook his head and took the envelope. It was plain, but of a sturdy, textured paper. Inside was a folded up paper also of good quality. He unfolded it and turned so the moonlight would illuminate the paper. He also had to hold it close to his face, so he could read it clearly. Thus, he began to read it aloud.

"David, we've spent many years together. A number of 'em were in hell, but you helped make my time there more bearable. I'm glad I was able to do the same for you.  I'm glad we were able to make a life together here. And through those years we've spent building a life greater than any heaven, I grew to love you more than I thought I could ever love. It happened when we got our first apartment together and you cuddled against me that night, when you kissed me on live tv when you won your first championship, and it's happened a million more times. I love you more than anything. And I know I love you as much as you love me." David was sure he was about to cry out of pure elation. He went on to read the last sentence. "So, I've one question to ask you now:"

"Will you marry me?"

Shocked, David lowered the paper to see Dwight down on one knee before him. David was most certainly crying now. Unto him, a beautiful ring was offered. The intricate piece of fine jewelry could have been made of plastic and glass for all he cared though. What mattered was what the ring represented, what was happening.

"Yes!" he proclaimed once the reality caught up to him. He let Dwight slip the ring on, and then hoisted him up, pulling him in close and laughing and spinning with joy. "Yes! Yes! Yes!"

He slowed down and let Dwight down as well, keeping him close as he expressed his own love with a deep kiss.

"Of course I'll marry ya, you angel of a man."

Dwight giggled, and pulled David in for another deep kiss. There were no words he could use to accurately describe the magnitude of the wonderful emotions he was feeling.

The blessed letter in his pocket and bouquet in hand, David walked back to their hotel with Dwight holding his other hand. Both fidgeted with the ring as they walked, whispering sweet words and recalling beloved memories.

Fiancé and fiancé, they spend their first night together as such, feeling a love they knew would never end.

#kingfield #david king #dwight fairfield #dead by deadlight #dbd #Kingfield's Fourth Anniversary #1.9k words #What a wonderful way to end this week :)

[local-idiot-heartbroken-blog]

08.02.18: Third Time’s the Charm?

So surprisingly I got a second date with Taylor. This time around we were getting dinner...accordingly I planned out the date a few days in advance. My plan was to get sushi, go to the view in Hacienda Heights and lastly dessert at Macchiato. On paper the date seemed perfect since she likes asian food, hikes/scenic views and dessert. But when do things ever go according to plan? So minutes before clocking out (around 5:25) my boss calls a meeting for the whole tax department, how convenient. He claimed it would take 10 minutes max, but this dude didn’t stop talking and it pushed almost 20 minutes. The whole time my anxiety was intensifying because I didn’t want to make her wait. As my patience was running to its end, I see her walk to her car from my boss’s window and I say “oh shit!”. He laughs and says “you can go” and within like 20 seconds I changed and packed up all my stuff. I walked up to her car eagerly and I caught a peek of her smile through the car side mirror. We headed over to Kamon Sushi (first time I went was with Barry and Tiffany) in Rowland and she spoke with excitement about how she loved sushi. I mentally patted my back for the good choice. Dinner went well, the conversation ranged from majors to music taste. Based off our conversations, she is definitely sharper than most people I have come across. After dinner I let her decide between going to the view or dessert first. She chose going to the view first and it was the better choice of the two (although I didn’t know that until after). We got to the base of the hike at about sundown. The reason I chose this location was its proximity to the dessert place and also because you can hear the buzzing from the power lines. I felt like that would make the spot more interesting and memorable. While hiking our way to the top of the overlook, she was looking around and was noticeably enthused. I knew then and there that my decision to go on this hike was a success. For once I was at a view with no boba and a GIRL (it was truly a rare occurrence). Once we were at the peak we talked about our week; she noted that it seemed like I’m always lost in thought. She then proceeded to ask what I think about and due to my inability to filter my thoughts I told her a good amount of what runs through my mind. I told her I think mostly about how I can find happiness and fulfillment in my life. She seemed to be interested in the fact that I think about those things which surprised me.  Taylor said she also thinks to herself a lot and that she even practices meditation. We spent about 30-45 minutes up there and when I sensed she was starting to get cold I suggested we go get dessert. The hike down was very steep and I actually purposely picked it for this very reason. I planned to used the steepness as an excuse for her to hold my hand, but I was too shy to offer my hand. To my surprise, (yeah I know she keeps surprising me but it’s good) she wrapped her arm around mine in order to walk down more stably. There was a cute moment while walking down, from a distance she noticed like 4 odd people dressed in black approaching us. To be honest, I didn’t notice them until she pointed it out, but I asked her if she was scared and told her to walk behind me. As they got closer, they really did seem sketch, luckily they weren't. She was clinging onto my back and it was an adorable side of her I haven’t seen until that instance. For the final part of the date we went to Macchiato (s/o to Barry for introducing me to this place). She was fascinated over the fact that they had mochi waffles (which was oddly reminiscent of my first time there). We ended up getting the mochi waffle (I didn’t tell her that I wasn’t too fond of them because she was super eager about trying them). Taylor is really cute when she’s eating because she just seems passionate about everything she eats. Every bite taken she would have some silly smile on her face talking about how good it was. Being with her I feel a bit insecure because I wonder if I am even attractive enough. Regardless of those thoughts, everything went really smoothly and we finished up our dessert. This is where one of the two (noticeable) mistakes happened throughout the whole date. She offered to pay for the dessert, but I insisted I pay and when I did she looked upset. I was so confused because I’ve been raised and taught to always pay, what was the right move in that situation?! In order to get away from her obvious irritation I just struck up another conversation and by the time we left things were okay again. I held her side while we were walking and I really didn’t know where this boldness came from. While driving her back to her car I mustered up the courage to hold her hand. It’s been awhile since I gave anyone physical affection and I felt super nervous. I dropped her off to her car and as we were saying bye I kept hugging her and letting go (it was very awkward stalling to say the least). Then I let go and leaned forward to kiss her, our lips touched, but I didn’t feel reciprocation so I quickly fell back. She said “too fast” and I was super embarrassed and flushed. I walked toward my car and said “please disregard that” and she laughed and said “see you tomorrow”. Once I was back in my own car, my embarrassment came all the way to the surface and I felt so stupid. I knew I shouldn’t have listened to my boss (who is single af), but somehow I fell for his advice because I didn’t want to be friendzoned. Besides those two hiccups the date overall was really great, dare I say 9/10. I still am unsure how this relationship will pan out, but I do want it to go further than this. Needless to say I’m very scared about this, I can already feel some emotional vulnerability and leverage being shifted into her court. If a third date happens, this timeline will continue. Let’s hope for the best. 

#journal #localidiotheartbroken #rawthoughts #love

[expeditionlife]

26/01/2017-29/01/2017

This week was long and tiring in all of the best ways.

For those of you who don’t know, I’m studying abroad, but instead of studying, I’m completing an internship with the US UK Fulbright Commission (they’re the people who give out the Fulbright scholarships). I’m really enjoying my time with them, but I especially enjoyed this week. We’re in a really busy time of year because applications are getting ready to close for a lot of the programmes, but there are also a lot of programmes that are new and in need of promotion. As an intern with them, I’ve been working on a variety of tasks, ranging from writing up articles on events, creating a social media promotion for Twitter and Facebooks (follow us @fulbrightawards on Twitter and US UK Fulbright on Facebook), measuring the success of those promotions, editing documents to be used in commission board meeting, and general communication activities. This week was a big hodgepodge of all of that because I was only working 4 days and had a lot to get done.

Friday was special because it was my first day off of work and my first trip out of the country (UK). I was really excited because we were going to Belgium 🇧🇪 and who doesn’t love chocolate and waffles? Let me just preface by saying that they did not disappoint in either of those departments and there will be a separate post dedicated solely to some of the food I consumed while there.

We left London around 6:45am and got on the coach (bus) to Bruges. It was about a 5 hour commute that involved walking, a coach, a coach on a train, normal coach mode, and more walking. It wasn’t too bad of a trek and I luckily slept through all of the boring bits.

When we arrived to Bruges it was around 12:30pm and we were all starving and on the lookout for food before we had to check into our hostel. We some how came across a very eclectic restaurant that only featured 3 menu items, it made ordering easy.

After lunch and checking in, we were all set for a walking tour of the town. While small, Bruges had so much character. Everything in it was old, gorgeous, and well preserved. I know I wasn’t in France and there are other towns like this, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t sing that one song about being a provincial town from Beauty and the Beast non stop over the weekend. After (…during) the walking tour, Madi and I stopped to get some chocolate 🍫 (when in Belgium) and exited the place with two bags of chocolate covered peanuts and two hot chocolates. They may or may not both have been finished by the end of the walking tour. Definitely worth it.

The rest of the day was spent exploring and eating as well as planning our morning for Saturday. Through the program we were going to Ypres, a town where quite a few WW1 battles were faucet, but we figured we should get some exploring time in before we left. Madi and I got up early and rented bikes to ride around town. It was a beautiful morning and a great decision. We came across a market that was most definitely not for foreigners but entered anyways (lured in by the smell of freshly baked bread). For whatever reason, people stared at us the entire time, if it was our bright green bikes or the fact that we were dressed for negative degree weather, I couldn’t tell you, either way it was worth it for the delicious pastry we left with.

When we got back we had a few minutes to recharge before it was time to head to Ypres. The bus ride there was about an hour and was full of pretty scenic green fields, but not much else. When we got there, we picked up our tour guide and began our exploration of the WW1 locations. Most of them were cemeteries but the spot I was most excited for was getting to see actual trenches from the war. In high school I had worked on a project having to do everything with the battle of Ypres and trench warfare, it was really interesting and exciting to actually see it in person and get to walk through it. I wasn’t a fan of the mud, however and definitely had flashbacks to trench foot 🤢

After the touring ended, we were given A LOT of time to explore Ypres. There wasn’t honestly much to do there, which I guess gave us a good excuse to indulge ourselves in some of the best food I’ve had so far. I won’t go into specifics, but the general theme was chocolate, waffles, chocolate, and more food.

Today was the most laid back of the days. We still got up early because we wanted to make the most of our time there, so exhausted doesn’t even begin to explain how I feel right now. We climbed the Belmont tower which is their giant clock tower in the town center. It was 366 stairs each way and the view was amazing It was 100% worth it. I’m not sure if I would go back to Bruges because I don’t know what other things I would do, but if you’re ever in the area, I recommend stopping by because it was on of the prettiest places I’ve ever been.

Pictures of the most amazing food can be found here

and a video from my bike ride through town can be found here

#belgium #bruges #brugge #ypres #ww1 #sights #chocolate #beauty and the beast