#thomas hassler
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One day late with last week's entry for the off-season winter sports fandom challenge. 😫
The subject was: winter sports summer camp - everyone’s bunking together 🛏☀️🎉
I've been trying all week but didn't have time to tie it up over the weekend, and now I'm kinda glad because the first version did not have a happy ending, and I only had the idea for an epilogue today. It's another take on Dave Ryding's wedding (Nina will probably go to school when I stop beating that horse), also I saw the new pictures of the Swiss-Ski coaches and I just could not let Hannes get away with it like that. (in hindsight his beard is probably not much worse than in Bending Gates, it's just the terrible light, but who cares)
As a Team
rating: T
pairing: Daniel Yule/Justin Murisier
characters: Justin Murisier, Marco Odermatt, Gino Caviezel, Semyel Bissig, Loïc Meillard, Thomas Tumler, Hannes Hassler, Renzo Valsecchi, Daniel Yule, Ramon Zenhäusern, Sandro Simonet, Luca Aerni, Noel v. Grünigen, Tanguy Nef
length: 3'800 words
A grey sky covered the valley from end to end, flooding it with the dim yet promising light of a new summer day. The air was cool though it already carried the heat that would suffocate the valley come afternoon but for the people assembled on the big parking lot at the entrance of the park it was of no importance; they would be high in the mountains by then. Another car left the road, and crawled over the gravel until it came to a halt near the group.
"Remind me again why I'm here?" Gino yawned as he stepped out of the car, and stretched his limbs. Marco and Semyel emerged from the other side of the car, and with barely-open eyes shuffled to the trunk.
"It's compulsory," Hannes said, and turned away from the gigantic map picturing the entirety of the valley.
Gino's answer got lost in a snort as his eyes fell on Hannes. "Did you lose a bet?"
Renzo, still staring up at the map, coughed. Hannes glared at Gino. "Good morning to you, too."
"No," Semyel grumbled though it drowned of the noise of another car approaching.
"Bonjour!" Loïc beamed, and almost skipped over the ground as he made the round to greet everyone.
"Finally!" Hannes sighed, and again glared at the rest of the group. "Finally someone who is happy to be here."
"How couldn't I be?" Loïc laughed. "Look at that light! Imagine how it will look when the sun climbs over the mountains. I will need to take so many pictures! Also cool moustache." He pulled his backpack out of the trunk, and slung it over his shoulders.
Justin stepped to him, far less enthused than Loïc, and grabbed the other backpack from the car.
"Why couldn't we do this like in other years?" Gino asked. "What's so bad about a nice hotel with a pool and a restaurant?"
"We spend most of our time together in hotels," Hannes said curtly. "I just thought we might do something new for once."
"He took a course in team-building," Renzo explained, followed by loud groans.
"Are you serious?" Marco exclaimed.
"So you think walking around for hours and sleeping on an old army blanket in one room will do what?" Semyel added. "Bring us closer together?"
"You know you're a coach for an individual sport, right?" Gino asked.
Hannes glared at Renzo who was not in the least bothered by his withering look. Before he could say anything though, another car appeared, fast and with almost screeching brakes.
"Sorry sorry!" Thomi said as he jumped out. "But in fairness it's too fucking early."
"You live the closest," Gino reminded him unhelpfully. "How do you manage to always be last?"
"Well, you see," Thomi answered, "I really didn't want to come." He turned to Hannes, and startled. "What happened to your face?"
"Thanks for coming!" Hannes yelled, and beckoned them all to come closer. "It's time for our yearly pre-training-camp-camp, and for this year we thought we could do things a bit differently."
"Where are Krugi and Kurti?" Marco threw in.
"They have other commitments but they wish us well," Hannes answered.
"They said 'not it' faster," Renzo muttered.
"This year, instead of the usual boring golf course or pool, we'll do something totally new," Hannes continued unperturbed. "We'll hike to the SAC-hut up there, some few kilometres behind that mountain. On our way…"
"How many?" Gino interrupted.
Hannes hesitated. "Twenty…twenty-two if we take the scenic route," he said, and new groaning erupted.
"You won't regret it!" Hannes insisted. "And also, we will not just walk. I will give you two tasks today. For the first task, you’ll have time from here to our lunch break. I want you to think about your expectations for the next season. What will you need from your environment so that in the end you can say that you were able to give it your everything?” Hannes looked them in the eyes one after the other though the meaningful silence was cut short by Thomi.
“Personally, I feel happiest when I don’t have to be afraid that one of my coaches has the mange.”
Laughter followed their first steps as they started their trek though it all died down fast once the ascend began. The path was narrow and steep, following the mountainside that rose almost vertically into the sky. The night had left a treacherous sheen of moisture on the rocks and stones, forcing them to be careful with every step. Hannes was at the front, setting a brisk pace, with the rest following behind, the only things audible being their heavy breathing and the shutter of Loïc’s camera snapping ever so often. Slowly, in the opposite direction they were going, the sunshine crawled down into the valley, and when they had conquered the first mountain, they could see their cars as blinking dots far below.
"Okay, I've thought about what I want next season," Semyel panted as they looked out over the plateau spreading out far and wide in front of them. "Can we go back now?"
"Nice try," Hannes said, and marched on. "Think some more!"
With sighs and moans, most of the rest followed in his step. Loïc snapped one last picture of the valley they had come from, and hurried after them. After a few steps he stopped, and turned around again.
"Are you coming too?" he asked.
Justin startled, and shoved his phone back into the side-pocket of his backpack. "Yeah," he said absent-mindedly, and followed him. A gap had opened between them and the rest of the group, though Loïc was quickly closing in.
"There's no reception here," Justin remarked as they trotted along the rocky path.
"That was to be expected," Loïc said.
----
The path seemed almost flat compared to before, though the overwhelming magnitude of the mountains rising all around them, coupled with the sprawling plateau in front of them, gave the appearance as if they made no progress at all. The end of the valley seemed as far away as at the beginning when Hannes stopped near a big boulder, and announced the break. The sun was getting stronger, and Marco climbed on top of the warm stone, and laid down flat on his stomach. "I only have one wish for next season," he said with his cheek on the stone. "I just want to bunk with someone who doesn't snore."
"Be realistic," Thomi said, and opened one of the tupperware boxes he was lugging along. "You're staying with me."
"But what about me?" Seymel asked. "What if I want to bunk with Marco?"
Thomi chomped down on an apple, and ripped a big bite out of it. "Not my fault you missed the last season. You can sleep with the skis for all I care," he said with his mouth full.
"I want more glove-dryers for next season," Gino threw in. "There's never enough for everyone, and the tips always stay ice cold when I put them over the radiator."
"I wasn't thinking about that kind of needs," Hannes said as he peeled a banana. "More like things the group can do for you, you know?"
"The group can stop snoring at night," Marco said, and accepted a sandwich from Semyel.
"The group can stop hogging the glove-dryers," Gino added.
Hannes pinched the bridge of his nose with his free hand for a moment. "You don't have to announce your thoughts just yet," he eventually said. "We'll discuss it tonight, in the cabin."
"I need more Brändi Dog," Loïc said unperturbed, and poured a cup of tea from his thermos. "Last season we played more Jass but I like Brändi Dog better, and I think my needs were not met adequately."
Hannes took a deep breath. Renzo, who had watched them with great amusement, finally took a little bit of pity, and tried to cheer him up. "What's the second task?"
Hannes glared at him, missing Renzo's good intentions entirely. "The second question is what you will do to make life in our group better next season but I'm not sure whether I still want to know it."
"What I will do?" Gino exclaimed. "I am already a delight for this group! God knows what you'd do without me."
"Same," Thomi said. "I am a peach to have. You're welcome. Hey!" He ducked as Marco and Semyel covered him with the remains of their bananas and sandwiches.
They finished their lunch, and prepared for the second stretch of their hike. The cabin was still hidden behind a slope at the other end of the plateau.
"How long do we still have to go?" Semyel asked as he waited for the rest to get ready. He wistfully stared at his useless phone before putting it back in his pocket.
"About two and a half hours," Hannes said. "The first stretch was the hardest, it'll be easy from now on."
"I can't wait for the lukewarm beer waiting at the end," Marco muttered, and walked away.
They fell into an easy trot, with Hannes at the front again, while a soft wind from the peaks cooled down the scorching heat. A little stream followed them with every step, meandering its way through the coarse tufts of grass, the only thing still growing at this height. Sometime in the mid-afternoon, the path rose again. They had reached the end of the plateau, and looked back once more before beginning their second ascent. This time, the rocks were not fused with the ground, slipping away underneath their feet if they put their weight down wrong. Loïc put his expensive camera in his backpack, away from possible harm, and Renzo revealed a pair of hiking poles from his baggage that he used to help on his way. Slowly, with many curses, they climbed over the rubble, up a narrow ravine, and around the flank of the nearest mountain, until the ground got even again, and the cabin appeared in the distance.
"Finally," Thomi panted, and held out his hand to Semyel for the last jump over the scree.
"I just realised another need," Gino said as he stumbled over the ever-rolling rubble. "I need us to take another way down tomorrow."
The terrace of the cabin was almost empty when they arrived as the sun began to sink behind the highest mountains, only a group of climbers sat in one corner. They slipped into the large felt slippers that lay ready at the door, sternly observed by the warden of the cabin, and walked through the house to the dormitory they would share that night.
"Oh yes," Thomi groaned as he laid down on the mattress closest to the door. "I can feel the floor underneath. Just the way I like it."
"There's a tooth between my mattress and the wall," Loïc announced from the other end of the room. "Oh, wait, never mind. It's just a tic tac."
"What's for dinner?" Gino asked, and pulled a fresh shirt out of his backpack.
-----
They ate on the patio, looking out over the barren landscape. The beer was indeed lukewarm but that did not stop them from ordering again.
"It is kinda nice, I have to admit," Thomi said and scraped the rest of his spaghetti sauce together. "Though a hotel with a pool would have been nice too, but you know…"
Justin had left the table, and hung over the banister where, according to the warden, there sometimes was cell reception. Loïc was walking across the patio, around the tables where other groups sat together, and took pictures again. Marco followed him with his eyes, lost in his thoughts, while Renzo collected the empty plates, and carried them inside.
"So, what's the correct answer?" he asked Hannes when the warden came out with coffee.
Hannes frowned. "To what?"
"To your questions from today."
"There is no right answer," Hannes said. "I really want to know what we could do better for next season."
"Glove dryer," Gino piped up.
"Single rooms," Marco threw in.
"Breakfast in bed," Semyel added.
Hannes rolled his eyes, and poured a packet of sugar into his coffee.
"No, seriously," Thomi eventually said. "I thought it wasn't too bad last season. We're getting along reasonably well…can't it just stay that way?"
Hannes shrugged, and looked out over the mountains that slowly turned red. "There's always something to make things better."
"Your coffee is getting cold!" Gino shouted across the patio to Justin who was still trying to make his phone work.
"I'm coming," he said without budging.
"You know, you haven't said anything all day," Thomi added. "What are your needs?"
Justin typed away on the screen, and gave no answer.
Marco grinned. "How about conjugal visits?"
"A chopper on stand-by for when we're far away from the slalom-team," Thomi added, and waggled his eyebrows.
"Maybe try to stay within the budget," Renzo laughed.
"That's not coming from our budget, of course," Gino shrugged him off. "It's not Justin who loses his nerves unless his beloved tells him to get his ass into gear."
"How is he, by the way?" Semyel shouted over the patio. "Also, send him our regards."
"What are you even doing?" Thomi added. "Are you trying to download a picture he's sent?"
"Don't you know by know what he looks like?" Marco asked.
"Well, maybe it's not about his face but about what he's wearing," Gino said.
"Or not," Loïc added.
They laughed, talking about what the picture might entail, and yelling new things for Justin to send his boyfriend. No one of them realised the change in Justin until it was too late.
"Why can't you leave me the fuck alone?" he hollered, and with one swift movement threw his phone as hard as he could. Silence fell over the patio as they all watched it sail through the air, and disappear among the grey rocks somewhere in the dusk. Justin whirled around, and stomped over. "You don't care about anything but yourselves and you sure as fuck won't change so why do we have to do this stupid fucking pretend-game over and over again?" His face was red with fury, his fists balled tight as he screamed at them. "The only thing I need is for you to leave me alone, and to keep your nose out of things that don't concern you!"
-----
The door creaked softly as it opened. The sun had disappeared entirely, and darkness was coming fast now. Their room was at the back of the house, and the light from the small window was just enough to show Justin as a misshapen shadow leaning against the wall at the head-end of his bed. Semyel was the last to enter, and winced with every squeak of the hinges as he closed the door again. Loïc dug through his backpack before he joined the rest of them on the row of mattresses next to Justin's, and tried to hand him a tissue but Justin did not move. He had his legs pulled up against his chest, and his face half hidden behind his knees, yet even in the twilight, they could see the tears shimmering in his eyes.
"Is something with Daniel?" Gino asked when the silence became too heavy.
Justin blinked, and the shimmer disappeared from his eyes. He pulled up his nose. "We were at Dave's wedding," he said after a while, his voice only a coarse whisper. They waited for him to continue. "And he's been really strange ever since we came back. I asked him what's wrong and he insisted that everything is fine. But I know him, and it was…not. Something was different."
The rest of the guests staying the night in the cabin had resumed their conversations, and the indistinguishable murmur of their voices wafted through the closed window.
"And now he told you?" Marco asked.
"Last week…" Justin rasped. "He…he asked if I wanted to marry him."
Nothing had prepared them for that answer, and they all watched helplessly as Justin's shoulders bobbed up and down.
"And you said yes of course and now you're sad because you don't know what to wear?" Thomi asked, and coughed when Gino and Semyel elbowed him from both sides.
Justin rubbed his face against his knees, and pulled his nose up once more. "I said I don't know."
Loïc hissed as if a heavy stone had landed on his toe.
"Oh no…" Semyel whispered.
Justin laughed, despite everything, and without joy. "Yeah." Finally he took the tissue from Loïc, and blew his nose before wiping the tears from his cheeks.
"I really don't know!" he erupted, smashing the wet tissue down into the old mattress. "We've never talked about this, not in all the years. I've never thought about it...I thought that's just something others do…" He wrapped his arms around his knees again. "I thought we don't need anyone's permission," he added softly.
"He always was a sap," Thomi mused, and caught another set of elbows.
Justin chuckled. "He is."
They waited for more but Justin was lost in his thoughts.
"So, you're…," Marco eventually dared to ask, though is voice fell into a whisper as he choked on the last word. "…over?"
Justin shrugged. This time, his eyes remained dry. "He's been at his parents' ever since," he said. "He didn't answer the phone all week but of course this morning I had a missed call from him. I didn't see it because I was driving, and when I tried to call him before we left he didn't pick up once more…" He sighed, and stretched out his legs while leaning against the wall. Loïc shimmied over the mattress, and after a few moments the flashlight of his phone illuminated the now completely dark room. Justin did not blink as the light hit his eyes like the others did, he was somewhere else again, and with hanging shoulders stared into nothingness.
"That's why I didn't want to answer Hannes' questions," he said flatly. "I don't want to think about next season. I don't even want to think about tomorrow."
Silence fell again as they all tried to come up with something to say, and all failing. It was Justin who spoke again. "Do you think I broke him?"
They laughed softly.
"If anything, it was a group-effort," Loïc said.
"We probably could have taken him a bit more seriously," Gino admitted, and, after a few moments of consideration added: "I could have…"
"Also we should probably stop mocking his beard," Thomi added. "Not least of all because most of us do not have the high ground in that matter."
"Why are you looking at me?" Marco asked.
Justin grinned, and kicked him with his foot. "Where is Hannes, anyway?" he asked, and shuffled towards the foot-end of the bed.
"Renzo is trying to cheer him up. Also they borrowed the big flashlight from the warden, the one they need to find lost climbers at night, and they're looking for your phone."
"Should probably help them, then," Justin said, and tied his shoes. He waited in the door while the others clambered over the mattresses.
"You know, the warden has a phone that works," Gino piped up.
Epilogue:
Ramon frowned as he tried to read the numbers on the screen upside down. "Begins 081…" he said.
"That's Grison!" Sandro exclaimed, and shoved the phone across the table. "He's with Gino! Answer it!"
"Gino doesn't have a landline," Daniel brushed him off over the incessantly ringing phone. "It's not him."
"Then he's at Thomi's!" Tanguy insisted. "Stop trying to find excuses and pick up!"
"Let me help you," Luca said, shoved two of the many bottles littering the table aside, and pushed down on the green button.
"Are you out of your…" Daniel shouted, and jumped up from his chair. He grabbed the phone, and fled from the hollering crowd into the living room, shutting the glass door behind himself. He glared at them with pure fury though his attention soon shifted as he started to talk to the person at the other end.
"Fucking finally!" Noel groaned, and dropped his head over the back of the chair, staring out into the peaceful night in La Fouly. The crickets chirped in the tall grass, the mosquitoes swarmed around the lamp above their table, and nothing but the stars in the sky knew about the effort that had taken place here tonight.
"We deserve a met…meyta…" Tanguy said, stumbling over the word.
"Medal?" Sandro tried.
"The one!" Tanguy nodded, and wagged his finger. "For saving true love."
"Two idiots, more likely," Luca muttered.
"Two idiots and true love," Tanguy insisted.
"We don't know that yet," Ramon reminded them, and was showered with corks and boos in response.
They watched through the window as Daniel paced through the living room, sometimes nodding, sometimes talking. They did not know how much time had passed but they all watched with bated breath when he hung up, and remained with his back to their table.
"Please say you're still together," Noel muttered over and over again. Slowly, Daniel turned around, and with a sombre look on his face returned to the table on the patio.
"And?" Tanguy asked when he could not bear the suspense any longer.
Daniel shrugged. Then, a smile washed over his face, and new cheers erupted around the table. Daniel's smile vanished just as fast as it had come, and he futilely tried to shush them. "Shut up!" he hissed. "You can't see them but we do have neighbours, you know?"
"True love is saved!" Tanguy yelled into the night before Daniel could slap a hand over his mouth.
"I'll drink to that!" Luca said, and looked over the table. "Wait…"
"Someone needs to fetch some more wine," Noel said. "Can't be me, because I can't stand up anymore. But someone should."
"The bar is closed," Daniel deadpanned, and sat down in his chair. "You managed to drink every last bottle we've had."
He snorted as Luca and Tanguy high-fived over the table.
"And?" Sandro asked, and looked at him expectantly.
Daniel's smile turned inwards again, and he shrugged. "He called from a SAC-cabin in Grison," he began.
Luca snorted. "What a drama queen."
"It's an excursion with the entire team," Daniel explained.
"So not a tantrum then," Ramon said.
"He didn't throw a tantrum!" Daniel hissed.
"Eh…" Noel said, and the rest nodded.
"Did you tell him he's an idiot?" Sandro continued the interrogation.
Daniel shrugged, and bit back a smile. "I'll tell him in person."
"But you have to! Promise us!" Tanguy insisted, and wagged his finger again, this time in front of Daniel's face. "Otherwise he'll never learn. That's the thing about giant-slaloms…slalomers. They're fast on legs but slow in the head."
"Justin used to be in the slalom-group too," Daniel reminded him.
"And then he switched," Tanguy shot back. "I always knew he wasn't a good fit for us. We have standards here."
"Hey! That's my boyfriend you're talking about."
This time it was Luca who put his hand over Tanguy's mouth.
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On this day in Wikipedia: Sunday, 20th August
Welcome, Benvenuta, שלום, Willkommen 🤗
What does @Wikipedia say about 20th August through the years 🏛️📜🗓️?
20th August 2021 🗓️ : Death - Igor Vovkovinskiy
Igor Vovkovinskiy, Ukrainian-American law student and actor, American tallest person (b. 1982)
"Igor Vovkovinskiy (Ukrainian: Ігор Вовковинський, romanized: Ihor Vovkovynskyj; September 18, 1982 – August 20, 2021), also known as Igor Ladan, was a Ukrainian-American law student, actor and tallest living person in the United States, at 7 feet 8+1⁄3 inches (234.5 cm), briefly taking the record..."
Image licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0? by Pkantz
20th August 2018 🗓️ : Death - Jennifer Ramírez Rivero
Jennifer Ramírez Rivero, Venezuelan model (b. 1978)
"Jennifer Ramírez Rivero (31 August 1978 – 20 August 2018) was a Venezuelan model and owner of the clothing and accessories brands Mac River and Jen River. She was murdered in 2018 in Cúcuta, Colombia...."
20th August 2013 🗓️ : Death - Don Hassler
Don Hassler, American saxophonist and composer (b. 1929)
"Don Hassler (June 6, 1929 – August 20, 2013) was an American composer, musician, and A&R representative. He is known for his membership and performances in jazz bands and symphonic orchestras, in which he played the saxophone and bassoon. He also served in military bands for seventeen years,..."
Image licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0? by Paula Hassler, photographer
20th August 1973 🗓️ : Birth - Todd Helton
Todd Helton, American baseball player
"Todd Lynn Helton (born August 20, 1973) is an American former professional baseball first baseman who played his entire 17-year career for the Colorado Rockies of Major League Baseball (MLB). A five-time All-Star, four-time Silver Slugger, and three-time Gold Glove Award winner, Helton holds the..."
Image licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0? by Keith Allison on Flickr (Original version)
UCinternational (Crop)
20th August 1923 🗓️ : Birth - Jim Reeves
Jim Reeves, American singer-songwriter (d. 1964)
"James Travis Reeves (August 20, 1923 – July 31, 1964) was an American country and popular music singer and songwriter. With records charting from the 1950s to the 1980s, he became well known as a practitioner of the Nashville Sound. Known as "Gentleman Jim", his songs continued to chart for years..."
Image by RCA Records
20th August 1823 🗓️ : Death - Pope Pius VII
Pope Pius VII (b. 1740)
"Pope Pius VII (Italian: Pio VII; born Barnaba Niccolò Maria Luigi Chiaramonti; 14 August 1742 – 20 August 1823) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 14 March 1800 to his death in August 1823. Chiaramonti was also a monk of the Order of Saint Benedict in addition to..."
Image by Thomas Lawrence
20th August 🗓️ : Holiday - World Mosquito Day
"World Mosquito Day, observed annually on 20 August, is a commemoration of British doctor Sir Ronald Ross's discovery in 1897 that female anopheline mosquitoes transmit malaria between humans. Prior to the discovery of the transmitting organism, vector, there were few means for controlling the spread..."
Image by Unknown authorUnknown author
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Photo Illustration by Thomas Levinson/The Daily Beast/GettyROME—Money may not buy happiness, but it does by property, and Bill Gates, who was recently rebuffed in his bid to buy the historic Danieli hotel in Venice has now settled on one of the best addresses in Rome to build the city’s first six-star hotel, according to purchase records filed with Rome’s City Hall.The Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts group that Gates controls through Cascade Investment LLC, along with billionaire Saudi investor Al Waleed bin Talal Al Saud, have put down a $21 million down payment of the $170 million price tag on the Palazzo Marini. This is a 17th-century palazzo comprising four separate blocks that takes up the entire side of Piazza San Silvestro in central Rome. It is just a few blocks from the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain and the Via Condotti, the home of Made in Italy luxury designer stores including Gucci, Tods Shoes and Prada. The hotel will also serve as a wakeup call to the area’s staple historic-center celebrity haunts like the Hassler and Hotel de Russie, which have to do little to keep a certain level of clientele coming back given the lack of competition. New luxury digs will surely liven up the high-end tourism market.The palazzo is a genuine fixer-upper. A few years ago, the street-level floor was converted into a pop-up Ikea shop selling mostly cheap kitchenware to urban dwellers who can’t get to the bigger stores in the suburbs. Its upper floors host the canteen for the lawmakers of Italy’s lower house of parliament, which is across a few cobbled streets. The contract has been the subject of heated debate over rental charges, which leaders of Italy’s Radical and Communist parties insist are more than 12 times the going rate for the area.Read more at The Daily Beast.Source: Bill Gates, Spurned by Venice, Seeks to Conquer Rome
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Beatport Top 100 Techno (Raw / Deep / Hypnotic) + Bonus Tracks 2022-06-26
DOWNLOAD: https://thedjmusic.com/music/beatport_top_100_techno_raw_deep_hypnotic_bonus_tracks_2022_06_260
DATA CREATED: 2022-06-26 TOTAL: 240 GENRE: Techno (Raw / Deep / Hypnotic)
A.V.D. (GER) - Genuine (Original Mix)
Absis - Flying Over Me (Original Mix)
Ackermann - Custom Made
Adoo - Hypno Dance
Alan Fitzpatrick & Reset Robot - Feel The Rhythm (Original Mix)
Alarico - Spit
Albert Zhirnov - Old Malt (Original Mix)
Albert Zhirnov - Shooter
Alessandro Grops - Connect
Alessandro Grops - Enemy (Original Mix)
Alessandro Grops - Enemy
Alessandro Grops - Sharp
Alessandro Grops - Toolbox
Allan Feytor - M31 (Original Mix)
Allan Feytor - M31
Allan Feytor - Stellar Nature (Original Mix)
Altinbas, Cirkle - Uhlanga
Angelo Stasi, Noloc - Far Voices (Original Mix)
Arjun Vagale - Skeptic
Arthur Robert - Mastermind
Arthur Robert - Traveller
Asquith - Our Love Will Never Fade (Sunrise Mix)
Audio Units - Autonomous Sun (Original Mix)
Audio Units - Core Meltdown (Original Mix)
Audio Units - Microcopy (Original Mix)
Audio Units - Toxin Refinery (Original Mix)
Audio Units - Vostok Space Program (Original Mix)
Augusto Taito - Peoplear (Original Mix)
Axel Karakasis - Airborne Dust
Axel Karakasis - Breeze Of Flame (Original Mix)
Axel Karakasis - Cover Angering (Original Mix)
Axel Karakasis - Grey Shores (Original Mix)
Axel Karakasis - Outspread
Axel Karakasis - That Fusion (Electric Rescue Remix)
Axel Karakasis - That Fusion (Original Mix)
Axel Karakasis - Throb
B. Riley - Within Dreams (The Persuader Remix)
BLACK GIRL : WHITE GIRL - Alpha Wave
BLK_BETTY - Buggin Loco
BLK_BETTY - Get Back
Ben Klock & Fadi Mohem - Gateway
Ben Klock & Fadi Mohem - Hydrocarbon
Ben Klock & Fadi Mohem - Prefix
Ben Klock & Fadi Mohem - Prism
Brosso - Amon Ra (Original Mix)
CRAVO - Funana
CRAVO - Ghouse
CRAVO - Papabinghi
CRAVO - Preach
Cari Lekebusch - Transform
Chris Liebing - Sup
Chris Liebing - Time
Christian Smith - Turn The Lights (Alessandro Grops Remix)
Christian Smith - Turn The Lights
Confidential Recipe - 1212
Confidential Recipe - BLP1
Confidential Recipe - La Danza
DJ Dextro - Here We Go Again
DJ Dextro - Interlink (01AM Mix)
DJ Dextro - Stripe 82 (Original Mix)
Dan Ruffle - Abbysal
Dani Sbert - Words Unsaid
Deas - Abroad
Deas - Function 7
Deas - Isolation
Deas - System Theory
Decka - Fractured
Declod - Makumba (Original Mix)
Deniro - MPC Tracks A1
Dennis Siemion - Rave in Paradise
Diego Oroquieta - Beetween 4 Walls (Original Mix)
Drumcell, Thomas Hoffknecht - Arrp (Tool Edit)
Drunken Kong - Ichi (Original Mix)
Drunken Kong - Spark (Original Mix)
Dustmite - Filaments & Jaws
Emily Jeanne - Red River Delta
Exos - No To Time
Exos - Time Of Time
FJAAK - District 8
Ferhat Albayrak, Kuvoka - Aksak (Original Mix)
Ferhat Albayrak, Kuvoka - Brude Force
Filipe Barbosa - Look Ahead
Flug - The Punisher
Frank Biazzi - Take Control (Uncertain Remix)
Gaetano Parisio - Themis
Gaetano Parisio - Thetis
Gareth Wild - Tronic State (Oscar Mulero Deconstruct Remix)
Giacomo Renzi - Follow (Original Mix)
Glaskin - Querschläger (feat. Malwina) (Planetary Assault Systems Remix)
Glaskin - Querschläger (feat. Malwina)
Glaskin feat. Malwina - Querschläger (Planetary Assault Systems Remix)
Glass Code - Descent
Habgud - Lights Go Low
Harvey McKay - Pull Up (Original Mix)
Hassler - Bread And Circuses (Original Mix)
Hedström & Pflug - Ganz Nah
Hedström & Pflug, Egotot - Em's
Hertz Collision, Gene Richards Jr - Must Do It (Truncate Remix)
I Hate Models - Two Steps from Heaven
INSOLATE - Wonderful Life (Truncate Remix)
Ignez - Aura
Ignez - Celestial
Ignez - Nadi
Ignez - Sahasrara
Inland - Hallen
Jason Johnson (DE) - Entropy (HXTC Remix)
Joaquin Ruiz - Alternate (Original Mix)
John P - Sairen
Josh Wink - Balls Back
Joshua Calleja - Between the Heavens
Judy - Ente Lateral Ineludible (Original Mix)
KaioBarssalos - Broken Love
KaioBarssalos - Eternity
Kashpitzky - Be Mad
Kashpitzky - Forgot Your Name
Kashpitzky - I Demand
Kashpitzky - Sdom (Tensal Remix)
Kashpitzky - Sdom
Keith Carnal - Ape Shit Crazy
Kerst - Consequence
Kuroi - Tango (Original Mix)
Lars Huismann - Antimatter
Lars Huismann - Echo
Lars Huismann - Surge
Lewis Fautzi - Neurohumoral Transmission
Lewis Fautzi - Symptomatic (Rødhåd Remix)
Lidvall - Recycling (Original Mix)
Linear System - Cytosine
Luciid - Aimsir
Luciid - Haus Der Hölle
Luciid - I Don't Need Her
Luciid - Zerstörer
Luke Hess - The Way
Luke Hess - Two Prophets
Marcal - Ainozama
Marcal - Dancing Pursuit
Marcal - Intrusive
Marcal - Lambda Core
Marcal - Neuropeptide
Marcal - Never Wrote This
Marcal - Oboro (Original Mix)
Marcal - Seroto (Original Mix)
Marcal - Staircase (Original Mix)
Marcal - The Only Way is Forward
Marcal, Gabal, Invie - Same Address
Mark Broom - 100%% Juice
Mark Broom - Box Set
Mark Broom - Boxed In
Mark Broom - I Want
Mark Broom - Rainbow Bridge (Original Mix)
Mark Broom - Reverse (Original Mix)
Mark Broom - Wiggle Me This (Original Mix)
Mathys Lenne - Bug.140
Mathys Lenne - Our Future Is Underground
Mathys Lenne - Zone X
Mattias Fridell, Alexander Johansson - Enrak (Original Mix)
Mattias Fridell, Alexander Johansson - Katalast (Original Mix)
Mattias Fridell, Alexander Johansson - Trefvli (Original Mix)
Mattias Fridell, Alexander Johansson - Vedbod (Original Mix)
Milo Raad - The Hornet
Milo Raad - ZETA POTENTIAL
Myk Derill - Bad Grace (Original Mix)
Netty Hugo - Gecken Haus
Nicolas Vogler - Fourteen (Marcal Remix)
Orion - Dilong
Orion - Portable Soul
Orion - Turul
Otherside (ITA) - - Acid Soul (Original Mix)
Palma (PT) - Omega
Pangaea - Fuzzy Logic
Pariah - Caterpillar
Party Favor - Too Much
Pfirter - Expander (Original Mix)
Pfirter - Mostly 134 (Process 2)
Pfirter - Tu Mirada (Original Mix)
Planetary Assault Systems - Devotion (Truncate Remix)
Planetary Assault Systems - Eden Tide (Barker Remix)
Planetary Assault Systems - Eden Tide
Planetary Assault Systems - Rip The Cut (Luke Slater Remix 1)
Planetary Assault Systems - Rip The Cut (Luke Slater Remix 2)
Planetary Assault Systems - Rip the Cut (Dubfire Remix)
Psyk - Bite Back
Psyk - Out Of Sight (Sigha Remix)
Psyk - Out Of Sight
Pyramidal Decode - Function B (Original Mix)
Radar - Patrol (SYEP006)
Raär - One Floor (Synth Version)
Red Rooms - Exarchia
Red Rooms - Sunbeams (Original Mix)
Rene Wise - Cosmo
Rene Wise - Dogs
Rene Wise - Gummy
Rene Wise - Jungle House
Rene Wise - Screeching
Rene Wise - Tell Me
Rene Wise - Tizer
Resonances (IT) - The Cruise (Original Mix)
Risa Taniguchi - Juggler
Robert Curtis - Relentless (Extended Mix)
Rohar - Blunder
Roll Dann - Seven Notes
Roman Flügel - Jam
Rove Ranger - CS80
Rove Ranger - Fellas R Good
Rove Ranger - Soap
Ryogo Yamamori - Bell Flare
SHDW & Obscure Shape - Innocent Voices
Skapi - Show Me Now (Original Mix)
Stef Mendesidis - Profiler
Stefan Vincent - Imposter
Tehotu - Split One
Temudo - Starting Point (Mix 1)
The Lady Machine - Collide
The Subjective - Tremmer (Remastered 2022)
Truncate - First Phase (Planetary Assault Systems Remix)
Truncate - Intact
Truncate - The Drill
Truncate - User 7 (Chris Liebing Remix)
Truncate - User 7 (Drumcell Remix)
Truncate - User 7
USAW - Cure
Uncertain - Conflict
Uncertain - Conga
Uncertain - Engine
Uncertain - React
Uncertain - Renegade (Original Mix)
Under Black Helmet - Impulsive Behavior (Original Mix)
Unkle Fon, Javier Gantz - Kalima (Original Mix)
VENTUR - Valiant (Original Mix)
Vil & CRAVO - Fuck This Dub
Vinicius Honorio, Duncan Macdonald - Ashes
Vinicius Honorio, Duncan Macdonald - Stone of Jordan
Wisna - They Can't See Us (Original Mix)
Yan Cook - Grooveyard
Yant - Take The Reins
Yazzus - Vinyasa
Yohan & David - Ven Pa Ca
Zimmz - Ancient Dream (Original Mix)
_r00t_ - Myriad
Ø [Phase] - Human Error (Stef Mendesidis remix)
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Long time no see - I’ve got a new Tumblr, which is a sentence I thought I’d never write again. Anyways, check it out. It’s a collection of my recent photographic work and selections from my current portfolio and ongoing long-term projects.
@neonchrysanthemum is the handle. Go follow it.
#thomas hassler#neon chrysanthemum#photography#black and white photography#death#love#life#666#hasselblad#hasselblad 500cm#new work#wip
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Häßler - Germany
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Muscle Memories.
Close-up study of English boxer William Thomas Wells' (Bombardier Billy Wells) back muscles, undated (ca. 1910). William D. Hassler photograph collection, nyhs_PR83_U01305.
Boys on street with boxing gloves, ca. 1928-1929. Photograph by Lewis Hine. Children’s Aid Society Records, MS 111, box 983, folder 4, 87953d.
Gymnasium of the Newsboys Lodging House, n.d., Children’s Aid Society Records, MS 111, box 976, folder 7, 82706d.
Boxers Johnny Coulon and Hugh McGann spar on a beach, undated (ca. 1911-1921). William D. Hassler photograph collection, nyhs_PR83_U01648.
Boys exercising with pulleys. Boy’s Club of New York records, Series VII: Photographs, bcny_unnumbered_034.
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Love Prompt
(Thomas Hunt x oc*Amanda) with the prompts of interacting with family members as requested by @flyawayboo , flirting by Anonymous, and "Don't make me regret this." By @krsnlove
(Thomas x Amanda) taken from Another Night, Another Dream storyline
A/N Going a little ways into the future of the series for this one, LOL. Because, Lord knows I can't find a way to stay in the present 🤦🏻Plus I adore the legends of the Trevi Fountain and couldn't resist adding it to this short fic.
@lxaah11 @alleksa16 @penguininapinktuxedo @blackcoffee85 @stopforamoment @hopefulmoonobject @krsnlove @annekebbphotography @hopelessromantic1352 . @sunflowergirl05 @desireepow-1986 @greywitchyshots @lilyoffandoms @moodyvalentinestories @emceesynonymroll @my-heart-beats-for-ya @aworldoffandoms @ab1901 @lolablackwrites @flyawayboo @i-bloody-love-drake-walker . @trappedinfandoms @kate-mckenzie
Masterlist
Some Advice
"Hey."
Thomas looked up from the papers he was grading. "Rachel? This is a surprise. What are you doing here?"
His younger sister shut the door. "I was in the neighborhood and thought I would come and personally invite you and Amanda to Rome."
"Rome? As in Rome, Italy?" He set the paper he had been reviewing on his desk. At her nod, his brow furrowed. "Why?"
"My wedding anniversary is coming up." She explained. "And I thought it would be romantic to return to the city where he and I first met." She shrugged and looked away from his piercing eyes. "I planned on inviting those that were members of our wedding party."
He leaned back in his chair, silently studying her. Rachel's hands were clasped tightly together. She seemed unable to sit still. Her leg shook up and down.
"What's wrong?" He asked, tempering his gruff tone.
Her lips twisted into a frustrated frown. "Nothing."
"Rachel," he said softly. "Something--"
"Forget it." She snapped. "It was a stupid idea." She hopped to her feet and grabbed her purse. The strap snagged on the arm of the chair, causing all its contents to fall to the floor.
Thomas came around and helped her pick up her stuff. He glanced at her face and stilled.
Tears were running down her cheeks.
"Rachel?" He helped her stand.
She took a breath and walked into his arms, crying against his shoulder.
He gently put his arms around her and patted her back at intervals.
Once she was calm, he prodded some more.
"What's really going on?"
Rachel let out a deep sigh. "I think my marriage is coming to an end."
"Why?" Thomas sat down across from her.
"I don't know exactly what it is, other than this feeling I have." She replied. "Stephen has been distant."
Her brother tried to control his temper. "You believe he is having an affair?"
"No." She quickly responded. "Maybe. I don't know."
Thomas grimaced when she dropped her head into her hands. "What exactly has he done?"
"Nothing." She reached for another tissue. "He comes home everyday after work and goes through the motions of meaningless conversation, dinner, shuts himself off in his study for a couple of hours then goes to sleep."
"What did he normally do?" Thomas inquired when he still couldn't see the problem.
"I don't know how to explain it." Rachel snapped. "I'm sure when your wife is not acting like herself, yet doing everything she normally does, you can still tell that something isn't right."
Thomas nodded. "That's true."
Rachel blew her nose and finally focused on her brother. "You've been married longer than I have."
"Just by a year." He added.
"Still." Rachel leaned forward. "How do you do it?"
"I beg your pardon." Thomas muttered. "How do I do what?"
"Whatever it is that has you both smiling." She clarified. "Even when you are out at some party or something you don't want to do, you still end up smiling at Amanda like she's..." Rachel trailed off. "Like you're seeing her for the first time."
"Ah. That." Thomas stood and returned to his desk chair.
"Yes, that." His sister glared at him. "What is that?"
"It's, well, it's a game." He reluctantly admitted.
"A game?" Her eyes widened. "You don't mean some type of sexual role playing game?" She closed her eyes in disgust. "Don't make me regret asking you this, please."
"It isn't that!" He grumbled. "We are ourselves the entire time."
"Then what type of game is it?" Rachel persisted.
"A flirting game." He snapped. "We act as if we are meeting for the first time."
Rachel's jaw dropped. "You do this?!"
"Yes." He bit out.
"Wow." She breathed. "I never thought you would ever do something like that." She looked up at him. "Did Amanda create it?"
"I did." He crossed his arms and avoided her gaze.
"You did?! Why?" Rachel was beginning to see yet another aspect of how falling in love had changed her brother. She couldn't quite wrap her head around it.
Thomas glared at her. "Because I wanted to show her how special she is. How I still feel like I did the night I met her. That if I had it to do all over, I would still try to win her heart."
Rachel teared up again. She understood that depth of love. "That's really sweet."
His frown eased. "She will sometimes initiate the game, flirting with me." He focused on his sister. "Perhaps in Rome, you can try your own flirtation with Stephen."
"Perhaps." She stood up. "I need to get home." She paused. "I will call you with the travel dates." She opened the door. "I really hope you come with us."
"I'll clear my schedule." He promised.
"Thank you." She smiled at him before shutting his door.
****************
The Hassler Roma, Italy, three weeks later...
"Good evening." Amanda leaned down close to whisper.
Thomas stood up and held a chair out for her.
She slowly smiled at him. "Sir, I never sit down with men I don't know."
His lips trembled with laughter before smoothing into a slight smirk. "Allow me to rectify that." He took her hand in his. "I'm Thomas."
She watched him raise her hand to his lips. His stubble tickled her sensitive skin when he kissed the inside of her wrist.
His dark eyes traveled over her body before zeroing in on her eyes. "And you are?"
"Amanda." She replied, fighting her own grin.
"Won't you join me?" He gestured to the empty chair beside his.
"I suppose I could for a moment or two." She replied, sitting down. "So? Thomas?"
He quirked an eyebrow in silent question.
"What brings you to Rome?" Amanda thanked the waiter when he poured a glass of Sangiovese for her then returned her attention to the man next to her.
He set his arm along the back of her chair and turned toward her. His eyes dipped down to her lips. "I'm afraid you will think it silly."
She propped her chin on her hand, a flirty smile appeared on her lips. "Try me."
His lips curved even more so. "I'm here due to romance."
"Really?" Her smile deepened. She felt a thrill go down her spine when his fingers brushed along the back cutout of her dress. "It isn't your romance, is it?"
Thomas leaned closer. "No." He tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "My sister met her husband here." He trailed the back of his fingers down her cheek. "They invited me along with a few others to celebrate their wedding anniversary."
"How sweet." She murmured.
"What brought you here?" He asked.
"A man." She replied with a dramatic sigh. "He promised me a trip filled with romantic moments."
"Has he not delivered on those promises?" Thomas pressed a kiss to her neck.
She closed her eyes at the tingle she felt down to her toes. "Somewhat." She tilted her head, allowing him easier access. "He left me when I took too long to dress."
"Perhaps he left to keep your dinner reservation." Thomas pointed out. "Or to make certain you had these." He lifted a bouquet of roses off of the chair next to him.
Her smile grew as she took them. "Thomas."
He captured her lips in a tender kiss. "Forgiven?"
"I was never angry." She told him, pressing another lingering kiss to his lips. "I just wanted to tease you."
He chuckled and asked their waiter to have her flowers sent up to the penthouse.
Amanda slipped her hand with his. "Are Rachel and Stephen joining us?"
"No." His pleasant expression dimmed. "She sent a message saying that Stephen is too tired."
"Oh." Amanda felt slightly guilty being so happy with her own husband while her sister-in-law was suffering from doubt and worry. "I wish he..." She trailed off with a resigned sigh. "I wish he would put forth an effort for Rachel's sake."
Thomas squeezed her hand. "Do you think I should confront him?"
His wife quickly went through the ramifications of such an act. "I think you should."
Thomas stared at her in surprise. "You do?"
"Yes." Amanda leaned closer to make certain no one could overhear her. "What if it isn't their marriage? He could be going through something that he can't share with her that he might feel more comfortable discussing with you."
Thomas slowly nodded. "I suppose that is a possibility."
"He might not even realize he has caused her to have all these doubts." She continued. "Being confronted about it might snap him out of his behavior and make him act like his old self."
"What should I do if that isn't the case?" Thomas lowered his eyes to their clasped hands. "What if he doesn't love Rachel any more? You know my temper toward those that I think have hurt someone I love."
Amanda's tender smile appeared. "I know." She gently caressed his cheek. "But you are also wise enough to know when and if you should unleash your anger."
He pressed a lingering kiss to her palm. "Then I will see about talking to him alone. Until then," he smiled at her, "we will enjoy our time together."
*****************
The next day...
"You want to go shopping? For clothes?" Rachel repeated.
Amanda nodded. "I thought it might be fun." She hoped lightning didn't strike her for that whopper of a lie. She might detest shopping but she knew Rachel loved to browse. "Who knows? You might find something gorgeous for the anniversary dinner."
Rachel sighed. "Okay." She linked her arm with Amanda's after sending Stephen a text that she would be gone for most of the morning. "Can we treat ourselves to gelato afterwards?"
"After? We are treating ourselves multiple times to gelato and any other sweet treat we find." Amanda declared.
Rachel smiled and tried to focus on the fun she knew she was about to have with her sister-in-law.
Amanda did all she could to make her sister-in-law laugh and enjoy their excursions to the various shops. She surprised her with buying a dress that she swore was made for Rachel.
"It is perfect for a special night out." She told her.
The two giggled like school girls while they shared their first impressions of the men they had married. As they sat at a small café for lunch, Rachel asked her opinion on Stephen's current behavior.
"I've been trying for weeks to rekindle that spark we had." She admitted. "Nothing seems to work or last long enough to make a difference." She covered her face. "I don't know what to do. This vacation is the last of my ideas." Rachel dropped her hands. "If this doesn't work, then I don't see anything fixing our marriage." Tears fell silently as she struggled to calm down.
Amanda hugged her tight. She softly voiced that she did not doubt that Stephen still loved her or that their marriage would endure this trial.
"I hope so." Rachel told her, wiping the stray tears. She let out a teary laugh when Amanda offered to call Olivia for some torture techniques to use on Stephen if he didn't live up to their expectation.
"I know she will be more than happy to share her knowledge." The duchess teased.
"Hold onto that thought." Rachel told her. "I might travel to Lythikos for some lessons."
****************
Back at The Hassler Roma...
Stephen came downstairs to join his brother-in-law for lunch.
Thomas noticed immediately the unkempt appearance. Stephen's hair was slightly mussed. He had thrown on a wrinkled shirt and had not bothered shaving.
He forced a cheerful smile. "Sorry, I'm late."
Thomas narrowed his eyes. "It's fine."
"What looks good?" Stephen asked, lifting the menu.
Once their orders were given and drinks were placed on their table, Thomas decided to be blunt.
"I don't know what it is, but I know something is wrong." He kept his voice even in tone. "And Rachel believes it is her fault that you are unhappy."
Stephen seemed to deflate before him. "It's not her. It never has been." He ran his hands over his face. "Is this what this trip is about? She thinks I'm tired of our marriage?"
Thomas merely nodded.
Stephen pinched the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes at the thought that Rachel would jump to such a conclusion. "Why didn't she say anything?"
"Would you if you believed she wanted out of your marriage?" Thomas didn't attempt to hide his anger over his sister worrying over, in his newly formed opinion, this pathetic excuse of a man. "She suspects that you are having an affair or wish to begin one."
"She thinks there's another woman?!" Stephen exclaimed. He searched his pockets, cursing when he couldn't find his cell phone. "I have to call her--"
"Sit down." Thomas ordered sharply. "You can't go off halfcocked. What is going on with you?" He eyed the man closely. "You aren't going to say anything except what the truth is for," he waved his hand toward Stephen's rumpled appearance, "this."
"I lost my job." Stephen admitted. "The company I had been made a junior partner at the beginning of the year has filed for bankruptcy. I was laid off with severance pay." He rubbed his forehead. "I have been trying for months to find another position."
"Why didn't you tell her?" Thomas asked.
"Because I've been the one to support her aspirations. Her dreams. Whatever she wanted, she knew she could try for without worry over finances." Stephen replied. "I wanted to remain that steadfast rock she has always had since the moment we met."
"Rachel has her career now." Thomas poured more water in his glass. "Do you doubt she will move into the role of supporter for you?"
"No." Stephen slumped in his chair. "More that she will see that she could do so much better." He lifted his eyes to Thomas. "I'm still amazed she fell for someone like me when she was introduced to everyone in your world." He snorted softly. "From movie stars to princes."
"Then that alone should reassure you of her devotion." Thomas snapped. "Rachel wanted you over some of the most talented and successful individuals of our generation."
"I know." He muttered. "I'm waiting to hear back from another architectural firm." He let out a deep sigh. "The only problem is that it is in Vancouver. It has been the most promising of my interviews." Stephen looked up at Thomas. "How can I ask her to leave her dream job to move for me to have a job?"
Thomas sipped his coffee. "Is this your dream job? The one in Vancouver?"
"No." Stephen admitted. "But it is a job that pays well."
"I would suggest discussing this with Rachel." He advised. "If you continue like you are, keeping all this hidden, you will end up driving a wedge between the two of you." His tone remained firm. "One that might cause irreparable damage."
Stephen slowly nodded. "You're right. I know you are." He picked at his Cacio e pepe. "I don't want to ruin her time in Italy. I'll tell her when we get--"
"Now!" Thomas snapped. "You will tell her now. Her trip is already ruined with you moping around. Tell her and make the most of your time here."
He handed Stephen his phone. "Call her. She's with Amanda who already knows the situation."
Stephen swallowed nervously as he pressed the call button. "Hey Rach. Are you busy? We need to talk."
**************
30 minutes later, the elevator of The Hassles...
"I can't do this." Rachel exclaimed. "This is it. This is the end of my marriage."
"You don’t know that." Amanda replied.
"My love life began and ended in Rome." Rachel added, her voice quivering. "I shouldn't have come back." She slumped against the wall. "I can't face him."
"I really think everything will be fine." Amanda continued. "You said he sounded more anxious than angry."
"Yes, but what if he is anxious to end our marriage?!" Rachel covered her face as tears pricked her eyes. "I can't believe I let this happen." She dropped her head back. "I've orchestrated my own sad ending."
The doors opened on her floor.
Amanda waited for her to move. "Rachel?"
"Can I meet him in your room?" Rachel asked.
"Mine?" She repeated. "But, wouldn't you rather have some privacy?"
"No." Rachel sniffed. "You and Thomas know everything anyway." She lifted pleading eyes to her sister-in-law. "I can't do this on my own."
Amanda was no match for her sorrow and quickly pressed the button to the penthouse. "Call him and tell him to meet you there."
Rachel swiftly hugged her and made the necessary call.
***************
"Here?" Thomas was dumbfounded. "You wish to have what should be a private discussion here?"
Amanda tried to shush him. "Thomas, she--"
"Yes." Rachel sank down on their couch. "I need support."
Thomas shook his head. "Rachel, it isn't what you think. Stephen--"
"You don't know that." She interrupted. "He--"
"See!" Amanda exclaimed with a smile. "Stephen must have--"
"I had lunch with him earlier." He interrupted. "We had a talk and--"
"What?!" Rachel jumped to her feet. "You talked to him about me?!"
"Yes." Thomas snapped at her irritated tone. If anyone should be irritated, it should be him. "And he--"
"You're the reason he wants to talk to me?" She huffed and turned her back on her brother. "That's the last time I confide in you."
"Oh no." Amanda mumbled, backing away from the two. "Rachel, Thomas was only trying to--"
"I was trying to help!" Thomas spat. "You--"
Amanda hurried to open the door for Stephen as the siblings bickered.
"Rachel?" Stephen called out in the middle of her tirade.
She stilled and slowly turned around.
Thomas cleared his throat. "We'll give you two some privacy." He looked down in surprise when his sister grabbed his hand.
"Stay." She pleaded, her voice hoarse with emotion. "Please."
Stephen rubbed the back of his neck. "You do know everything." His cheeks darkened. "Might as well see what happens next.
Thomas softly groaned as he sat down. The last thing he wanted to do was play spectator/mediator for them. He patted the spot next to him for Amanda.
She eased around the nervous couple as they avoided eye contact.
The two sat quietly as Rachel and Stephen finally revealed to one another their worries.
**************
The Trevi Fountain, a few days later...
"I was standing right here." Rachel twirled around. "I was about to throw my coins in the fountain when Stephen approached.
She motioned for her husband to reenact the moment.
He grinned and walked over. "I think my next words were, hi."
His wife rolled her eyes. "And?" She prodded.
"I see that the need to direct is genetic." Amanda whispered to Thomas.
He stood behind her with his arms around her waist. He squeezed Amanda tight in retaliation, causing her to laugh.
The couple received a glare from Rachel for not paying close attention to what had been a reenactment of a life changing moment.
"Ahem," she tapped her foot while waiting.
"Sorry." Amanda mumbled.
"I'm not." Thomas muttered, causing his wife to laugh once more. He pressed a kiss to her cheek then put his sunglasses on when he noticed photographers walking around. "Can we wrap this up, Rachel?"
Stephen ignored him. He took his wife's hand that held the coins. "Let's see. I believe I said, how many coins are you going to toss?"
"And I said, two." She added. "Because I thought it would be romantic to fall in love in Rome."
"I told her," he turned to his brother and sister-in-law, "that it would be a shame to chance such without throwing three coins in." He wrapped his arms around Rachel. "If you fall in love here, then you should marry the one that lost his heart to you."
"And you gave me an extra coin while keeping three for yourself." She added. "We then threw the coins in at the same moment."
"Naturally I asked her to have dinner with me." Stephen smiled down at her. "For the rest of her nights here. Then I knew I needed every single night of her life."
They shared a tender kiss as they both thought back to that moment of realizing they had met the one.
"Aww!" Amanda sighed. She leaned back against Thomas. "Looks like your talk combined with their finally discussing the issue worked."
He snorted softly. "It better have. I refuse to step into the role of mediator in their marriage again."
"And yet you did the job perfectly." She teased, turning in his arms to face him. Her arms looped around his neck. "I only offered to call Olivia for ways to hurt Stephen if he didn't act right."
Thomas smiled at the thought. "One of the many things I love about you is your ability to focus on what is needed in the moment. Torture is something I would have fully supported if Stephen had remained stubborn."
"Hey!" Stephen called out, interrupting them. "Stop gazing into each other's eyes for a moment." He cocked his head to the side. "There's something we have to do before we leave."
He took Rachel's hand and made certain Thomas and Amanda were following them as he walked toward a deserted area of the fountain.
A small fountain with water flowing in a nondescript basin was off to the right side of the Trevi Fountain.
"What's this?" Rachel asked.
"The Fountain of Lovers." Stephen explained. "Legend has it that any couple who drinks from this will be together forever." He reached in his backpack and pulled out two plastic cups, handing one to Thomas.
Rachel watched closely as her husband filled the cup in his hand and offered it to her. She smiled and took a sip. He kept her hands wrapped around it as he lifted it to his own lips. After a sip, he let the cup fall to the ground and stomped on it. "Glasses were broken to signify that nothing could tear the couple apart. Time, distance, idiotic thoughts," he winked at Rachel. "Nothing could happen except that in the end, they would be together."
She threw her arms around him for a passionate kiss. She then turned to her brother. "Are you going to ignore tradition?"
"You mean superstition." He grunted when Amanda elbowed him. "Do I want forever with your elbows?"
She tried to glare but failed miserably when her laughter slipped out. "I suppose I can find someone here who doesn't mind the thought of forever with me." She stood on tiptoes to look over his shoulder.
Thomas yanked her over to the fountain, grumbling about vows and their importance.
He filled the cup and handed it to her. His frown eased when he gazed upon her face. Her eyes met his when she lifted the cup to her lips. She winked at him while taking a drink.
Amanda offered Thomas the cup, smiling when he followed Stephen's example by cupping his hands around hers. He let it drop after he took a sip and stomped on it.
Thomas glanced over his shoulder and noticed that Rachel and Stephen had left arm in arm, giving him this moment alone with his wife.
Amanda stepped into his embrace and tenderly kissed him. Her eyes twinkled when she looked up at him. "Now you're stuck with me."
"That has been my intention from the moment I saw you." He told her, keeping her tucked against his side as they left the fountain. "This was merely an added declaration to my love being yours and yours alone."
"What a coincidence." She pressed her lips to his once more. "My love happens to belong to no one but you."
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Disk 1
00:00:00 Giovanni Pierluigi Da Palestrina: Stabat Mater
00:11:19 Gregorio Allegri: Miserere
00:24:03 Robert Ramsey: How are the mighty fallen
00:31:43 Thomas Weelkes: When David heard
00:36:10 Thomas Tallis: Lamentations
00:43:37 Tomás Luis De Victoria: O vos omnes
00:46:05 Josquin Des Prez: Déploration sur la mort d’Ockeghem
00:50:40 Carlo Gesualdo Da Venosa: O vos omnes
00:53:35 Giovanni Pierluigi Da Palestrina: Super flumina Babylonis
00:57:24 Josquin Des Prez: Absalon fili mi
01:01:15 William Byrd: Civitas sancti tui
01:05:34 Thomas Tomkins: When David heard
01:10:12 George Kirbye: Vox in Rama
Disk 2
01:14:40 Henry Purcell: Anthems: Te Deum
01:26:15 Henry Purcell: Anthems: Jubilate Deo
01:33:35 Henry Purcell: Anthems: My Beloved Spake
01:43:05 Henry Purcell: Anthems: O God, Thou art my God
01:46:29 Henry Purcell: Anthems: Lord, how long wilt Thou be angry?
01:49:47 Henry Purcell: Anthems: Remember not, Lord, our offences
01:52:43 Henry Purcell: Anthems: Hear my prayer, O Lord
01:54:46 Henry Purcell: Funeral Music for Queen Mary: Funeral March
01:56:53 Henry Purcell: Funeral Music for Queen Mary: Man that is born of a woman
01:59:14 Henry Purcell: Funeral Music for Queen Mary: In the midst of life
02:02:55 Henry Purcell: Funeral Music for Queen Mary: Canzona
02:05:18 Henry Purcell: Funeral Music for Queen Mary: Thou knowest, Lord
02:08:10 Henry Purcell: Funeral Music for Queen Mary: Funeral March
Disk 3
02:09:28 Anonymous: Vespers for the Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary: Organ Prelude: Toccata (Anon)
02:10:58 Anonymous: Vespers for the Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary: Deus in adjutorium
02:11:45 Anonymous: Vespers for the Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary: Antiphon: Dum esset Rex
02:12:15 Anonymous: Vespers for the Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary: Psalm: Dixit Dominus
02:15:39 Anonymous: Vespers for the Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary: Antiphon: Laeva ejus
02:16:03 Anonymous: Vespers for the Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary: Psalm: Laudate pueri
02:19:18 Anonymous: Vespers for the Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary: Antiphon: Nigra sum
02:19:48 Anonymous: Vespers for the Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary: Psalm: Laetatus sum
02:23:27 Anonymous: Vespers for the Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary: Antiphon: Iam hiems transit
02:23:54 Anonymous: Vespers for the Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary: Psalm: Nisi Dominus
02:26:51 Hans Leo Hassler: Vespers for the Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary: Hymn: Ave Maris Stella
02:32:34 Hans Leo Hassler: Vespers for the Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary: Antiphon: Beatam me dicent
02:33:05 Sebastián De Vivanco: Vespers for the Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary: Magnificat octavi toni
02:45:16 Francesco Cavalli: Vespers for the Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary: Antiphon: Salve Regina
02:51:36 Francesco Cavalli: Vespers for the Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary: Benedicamus
02:52:15 Philip Radcliffe: Evensong for Advent: Preces and responses
02:53:31 Thomas Attwood: Evensong for Advent: Psalm 50
03:00:12 George Dyson: Evensong for Advent: Magnificat In D
03:04:41 George Dyson: Evensong for Advent: Nunc Dimittis In D
03:07:26 Philip Radcliffe: Evensong for Advent: Responses
03:13:43 Edward C. Bairstow: Evensong for Advent: Lord, Thou hast been
03:21:33 Edward C. Bairstow: Evensong for Advent: Hymn: Hark! A Herald voice is calling
03:23:54 Edward C. Bairstow: Evensong for Advent: Dismissal
03:24:30 Herbert Norman Howells: Evensong for Advent: Organ Voluntary
Disk 4
03:27:25 Franz Joseph Haydn: Sacred Choral Favorites: Insanae et vanae curae
03:34:08 Gabriel Fauré: Sacred Choral Favorites: Cantique de Jean Racine
03:39:29 Samuel Sebastian Wesley: Sacred Choral Favorites: Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace
03:43:23 Johannes Brahms: Sacred Choral Favorites: How lovely are Thy dwellings (A German Requiem)
03:48:48 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Sacred Choral Favorites: Ave verum corpus
03:52:19 Malcolm C. Boyle: Sacred Choral Favorites: Thou, O God, art praised
03:58:23 Edward Elgar: Sacred Choral Favorites: Ave verum corpus
04:01:02 Anton Bruckner: Sacred Choral Favorites: Locus iste
04:03:34 William Henry Harris: Sacred Choral Favorites: Bring us, O Lord
04:07:22 Sergei Rachmaninoff: Sacred Choral Favorites: Hymn of the Cherubim (Liturgy of St John Chrysostom)
04:10:40 William Byrd: Sacred Choral Favorites: Ave verum corpus
04:14:51 Gioacchino Rossini: Sacred Choral Favorites: O salutaris hostia (Petite Messe solennelle)
04:18:13 Edvard Hagerup Grieg: Sacred Choral Favorites: Ave maris stella
04:21:01 Antonio Lotti: Sacred Choral Favorites: Crucifixus
04:24:20 Felix Mendelssohn: Sacred Choral Favorites: Denn er hat seinen
04:27:17 Robert Parsons: Sacred Choral Favorites: Ave Maria
04:31:56 César Auguste Franck: Sacred Choral Favorites: Panis angelicus
04:35:22 Charles Stanford: Sacred Choral Favorites: O for a closer walk with God
04:38:55 Maurice Duruflé: Sacred Choral Favorites: Pie Jesu (Requiem)
Disk 5
04:42:13 John Rutter: Gloria: Gloria in excelsis Deo (Allegro vivace)
04:47:28 John Rutter: Sacred Choral Favorites: Domine Deus, Rex coelestis (Andante)
04:54:43 John Rutter: Sacred Choral Favorites: Quoniam tu solus Sanctus (Vivace e ritmico)
05:00:10 Leonard Bernstein: Chichester Psalms: 4 Psalm 108, v.2; Psalm 100 (Maestoso ma energico)
05:04:15 Leonard Bernstein: Chichester Psalms: Psalm 2, vv.1–4; Psalm 23 vv.1–6 (Andante con moto, ma tranquillo)
05:09:15 Leonard Bernstein: Chichester Psalms: Psalm 131; Psalm 133, v.1 (Prelude – Peacefully flowing)
05:17:38 Francis Poulenc: Quatre Petites Prières de St François d’Assise: Salut, Dame sainte
05:20:04 Francis Poulenc: Quatre Petites Prières de St François d’Assise: Tout puissant, très saint
05:21:31 Francis Poulenc: Quatre Petites Prières de St François d’Assise: Seigneur, je vous en prie
05:22:49 Francis Poulenc: Quatre Petites Prières de St François d’Assise: O mes très chers frères
05:24:54 Francis Poulenc: Quatre Petites Prières de St François d’Assise: Litanies à la Vierge Noire
05:34:07 Francis Poulenc: Quatre Petites Prières de St François d’Assise: Exultate Deo
05:37:09 Francis Poulenc: Quatre Petites Prières de St François d’Assise: Salve Regina
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Fifth week of the off-season wintersports fandom challenge, thanks to holidays and the absolutely delicious prompt it did not take long this time:
Old but gold: there’s only one bed 🛏
Strictly speaking there are three beds in my story but I hope it'll count nonetheless.
The inspiration for my story was this article about Justin, and the rest just came on its own.
One Night
rating: T
pairing: Gino Caviezel/Marco Odermatt, Loïc Meillard/Zoé Chastan
characters: Marco Odermatt, Gino Caviezel, Loïc Meillard, Justin Murisier, Thomas Tumler, Zoé Chastan, Chris Lödler, Hannes Hassler, Renzo Valsecchi
length: 2'800 words
Usually, check-in did not take that long. Usually, Zoé did not have to use her manager-voice either, but here they were.
"This is not acceptable!" she said in that tone that made all of them except Loïc reflexively dive for cover. They all watched from the safety of the lounge near the entrance as the receptionist squirmed under her furious gaze and answered her in a hushed voice. Chris stood next to her, getting the keys to his room from another receptionist. His grin as he strolled over with his suitcase was another sign that something was very wrong.
"Well, have a good night, boys," he said, and Marco could have sworn he almost giggled.
"What's going on?" he asked.
Chris did not answer because in that moment, Zoé returned. Gino was the first to recognise the problem.
"Why do you only have three keycards?"
Zoé sighed, and looked at them apologetically. "There was a big fuck-up with the reservations…they've overbooked half of the hotel."
"Oh no," Thomi said, aptly summarising the growing dread seizing their group.
"I'm so sorry," Zoé continued. "But we'll have to bunk up."
"But…" Justin sputtered, too enraged to talk coherently. "That's…no!"
"But why us?" Gino asked. "Didn't you tell them we're here for the race?"
"Of course I did," Zoé said, "but the other rooms are already occupied, they can't throw the people in them out on the street. It's just for one night. Tomorrow we'll get another room."
"Does that mean…?" Hannes began but did not finish. Zoé nodded.
Renzo cursed.
Zoé sighed again. "Okay. Who wants to be together?"
Justin was still not accepting the inevitable. "Why does he have a room for himself?" he asked, pointing at Chris and the keycard he was flaunting in his hand.
"He is paid by Stöckli," Chris answered, and this time his laughter was unmistakable. "See you tomorrow at breakfast." He waved at them, and skipped over to the elevators.
They looked after him for a moment, too stunned by the turn of events. Renzo was the first to move.
"Well, Hannes and I sure as hell will have nobody else with us," he declared, and snatched one of the cards from Zoé. "See you tomorrow."
"And why is that?" Loïc asked.
"Because we'll get up long before you sorry lot to prepare the slope for your training," Hannes explained. "And if I ever have to bunk with someone who can stay in bed while I have to go out at the ass crack of dawn it will be on sight."
"Exactly," Renzo added.
Nobody held them back as they disappeared with their baggage.
"Well," Zoé said, and turned back to the remaining group, looking at Gino and Odi. "Who takes Justin and who takes Thomi?"
"Excuse me?" Justin asked, his voice getting gradually louder.
"Dibs on Justin!" Marco yelled in the same moment, raising his hand high above his head.
"Excuse me?" Thomi echoed.
Marco smiled apologetically. "It's nothing personal. It's just that you snore."
Thomi looked as if he had bitten on a piece of lemon.
"Great," Loïc sighed.
"Hold the fuck on!" Justin exclaimed, and turned to Zoé. "Why did you ask Gino and Odi and not us?"
"Do you suggest that the couples should split up?" Gino asked.
Justin shrugged, still outraged about the injustice of it all. "Why not? I don't want to get waken up in the middle of the night because you two bounce around on the other side of the room."
"Believe me, there will be no bouncing around with you there in that room," Gino deadpanned.
Justin grumbled something inaudible and crossed his arms in front of his chest but all his petulance did not help and in the end he had to accept the unacceptable. The ride in the elevator was quiet. They had almost reached their floor, when Zoé spoke up again. She sounded strangely reluctant.
"There's something I haven't mentioned yet…"
Before she could continue, the door slid open, revealing the figure of an outraged Hannes. He had his hands on his hips, and steam seemed to come out of his red ears.
"Are you fucking serious?" he yelled.
-----
"Come on, let it be."
Thomi shook his head, furiously typing away on his phone. "No! No way! I will find another hotel, and if it is the last thing I'll ever do."
Loïc sighed, handing Zoé another stack of clothes from the suitcase.
"Do you think I haven't tried?" Zoé asked, and put the clothes into the wardrobe. "Every hotel and Air B'n'B between Grand Junction and Breckenridge is booked up until after the races."
"Then I'll go further," Thomi insisted. "Surely there must be a free bed in Denver."
"Denver is two hours away!" Zoé threw in, and distributed the contents of her toiletry bag in the bathroom. "You can't go there."
Loïc shoved the empty suitcase on the top shelf of the wardrobe before sitting down at the table next to Thomi. "It's just for one night," he smiled, and pried the phone out of Thomi's hand. "We've survived worse."
Thomi sighed, and looked at the king-size bed that occupied most of the space of the claustrophobically small room.
"And we don't bite," Zoé's voice sounded from the bathroom.
Thomi chuckled, though he still did not seem overjoyed. "The things we do for our job."
"Exactly," Loïc said. "Now, who's up for a round of Brändi Dog?"
-----
"Don't be stupid. You can't spend the entire night there."
"The hell I can," Justin growled from the musty carpet, and kicked the spare blanket he had found deep in the wardrobe until it reached over his feet. It had no cover but an unnerving, faded stain around one of the corners. Marco threw up his hands and down on the properly covered blanket on the big bed, throwing Gino a reproachful look. Gino shrugged, and gave it right back, though he walked around the bed, and stopped in front of Justin.
"Marco's right," he said. "Your back will be a mess tomorrow."
"Don't care," Justin said, and pulled the blanket up to his chin, revealing his naked feet again, and causing him to curse up a storm. "Fucking Swiss fucking Ski, can't even organise a fucking hotel! Bloody fucking amateurs. That is all on them!"
"Yes, it is. But do you think they care if you fuck up your back?" Marco asked, and managed to shut Justin up.
"Also you have to be fit for the training tomorrow," Gino added. "You know coach Stauffer will decide who can start in the downhill-race from the results."
Justin continued cursing for a little while longer but eventually he had to give in. He stuffed the blanket back into the wardrobe, and joined Marco and Gino, laying down on the very edge of the bed. Marco threw a part of the blanket over him while Gino turned off the light on the nightstand. For a while only the groaning of the mattress and the rustling of the duvet could be heard as they tried to find a comfortable position.
"This is weird," Justin muttered.
-----
A cracking snore tore through the room, followed by a fist smashing into a pillow.
"I take it all back!" Loïc hissed in the darkness. "This is the worst thing ever, and I will not survive it!"
"Huh?" Zoé's voice sounded husky through the darkness.
"Can't you hear it?"
"Hear what?"
For a few blessed seconds it was peacefully quiet in the room. Then Thomi inhaled again, sending a new snore towards the heavens.
"This!" Loïc whispered.
Zoé shushed him. "Quiet, you'll wake him up!"
"I should hope so!" he hissed. "He's woken me up after all."
"And you have woken me," Zoé answered. "So we're all even. Now close your eyes and be quiet. In a few minutes you won't register it anymore."
Loïc sighed, and did as he was told. To his left, Zoé's breathing immediately turned soft and regular again while to his right, Thomi's larynx finally seemed to take pity. Just as he felt sleep return to his agitated brain, a new snore whipped around his ears.
"Nope!" he said flatly, and dove over Zoé to reach the bedside lamp. "Can't do it! Impossible!"
"What are you doing?" Zoé groaned, and pulled her third of the blanket over her eyes.
"I! Cannot! Sleep!" Loïc hissed. "I don't know how Odi used to do it but I can't go on like that any longer! This is torture!"
A new snore escaped Thomi's mouth. Nothing disturbed his peaceful slumber.
Zoé's eyes had accustomed to the light. "You are such a whiner," she said, sat up, and pushed Loïc down into the pillow again. "Here, let me do it!" She leant over her boyfriend, resting her weight on his chest, and waited a few seconds. Loïc wheezed in protest but she shushed him. Just as Thomi's mouth flew open for another snore, she tapped him on the shoulder. The snore faltered, Thomi smacked his lips, and turned around until he was on his side. Loïc watched in amazement as Thomi's breathing, though still in no way soundless, became wonderfully quiet.
"See?" Zoé asked triumphantly, and crawled back onto her side of the bed. "It doesn't just work with you." She gave him a kiss on the cheek, and turned the light off. Loïc had still not moved.
"I don't snore!" he eventually whispered.
"Of course you do," Zoé breathed, and snuggled closer to his side. "Now be quiet!"
Silence fell over the pitch-black room. Loïc's eyes were wide-open, staring into nothingness, until he could not bear it any longer. He dove under the big cover, and crawled towards the foot end of the bed. Even though he was trying to move as softly as possible, Thomi was pulled on his back again, and a new concert of snores started. The light turned on again, just in time for Loïc to climb-fall off the bed, and stumble towards the bathroom under Zoé's hard stare. She checked the time on her phone, and quietly cursed under her breath before following Loïc. She found him under the harsh, fluorescent light of the bathroom, hunched down on the closed toilet.
"What's wrong?" she asked softly.
Loïc looked up at her. His hair stood in every direction, and the fabric of the pillow had left a pattern on his cheek. "I do not snore!" he insisted. "Not like that!"
Zoé sighed, and leant against the door frame. "What are you talking about? Of course you do."
"No, but…" Loïc stammered. "Why did you never tell me?"
Zoé shrugged. "I don't mind it. It's nice, in a way. Not Thomi's snore, of course. But yours is."
"It's not nice, it's torture!" Loïc exclaimed. "I can't believe you have to sleep like that!. We have to…I have to do something!"
Zoé huffed in exasperation, and took a step into the cubicle-sized room. "Stand up!" she ordered, and, when Loïc did as told, pulled him into a hug.
"Stop worrying about it," she said with her face pressed against his chest. "You've been my little Snore-Bear from day one, and I wouldn't want it any other way."
"Really?" Loïc asked, his voice full of doubt.
"My little Snore-Bear with built-in footwarmer," Zoé assured. "There's nothing about you that needs changing."
Loïc sighed, and wrapped his arms around Zoé. For a moment they stayed like that, listening to Thomi's snoring in peaceful harmony.
"I love you," Loïc said.
"And I love you," Zoé answered. "But if you wake me up one more time this night, I cannot guarantee for anything."
-----
The bed shook wildly. Gino's eyes flew open, and he realised that it was not the bed but his body, and that it was Marco's hand doing the shaking.
"Gino!" he whispered urgently. "Wake up!"
"Wha…?" Gino groaned. The dim light of the lamp next to the bed was too bright for his eyes, and he had to blink away the tears.
"Justin's gone!" Marco said.
Gino shot up. "What?" he said in his normal voice, which at this time of the night was akin to shouting.
"Justin!" Marco repeated. "He's gone!"
Gino looked to the other side of the bed. It was abandoned, and only the rumpled bedsheet showed that somebody had once lain there.
"Why? Where?"
Marco shrugged helplessly. "I don't know. I just woke up and it was like that."
"Damn it!" Gino cursed, and threw the blanket back. He looked over to the door, and paused. "It's open!"
Without wasting further time, they both scrambled out of bed, and hurried through the room. The hallway was noticeably colder, and a draft seemed to come from somewhere. Cool light illuminated the shuffling person at the other end of the corridor.
"Justin, what the hell are you doing!" Marco scolded, and hurried towards him. He stopped abruptly when he reached one of the two undefinable piles on the floor. "Are these yours?" he asked, and picked up the sweatpants.
"Marco!" Gino said warningly.
"Why would you take off your clothes?"
"Marco, stop!" Gino ordered, and finally Marco turned around.
"What?"
"I think he's sleepwalking."
Marco's mouth turned into a circle, and he waited until Gino had caught up with him.
"What are we supposed to do?" he whispered.
Gino shrugged. "No idea. But I've heard one must never wake up a sleepwalker, or they might fall into shock."
They looked at Justin staring motionlessly at the wall in nothing but his boxer briefs.
"And did he also sleep-strip?" Marco asked, and picked up the shirt Justin must have pulled off.
"I guess so," Gino said. "He usually sleeps like that. It probably didn't feel comfortable."
Carefully, they made their way over to Justin.
"How do we get him back?" Marco whispered.
Gino had no time to answer as Justin spoke first. "Où est l'ascenseur?"
Both Gino and Marco jumped a foot in the air.
"What?" Marco asked when he had found his voice again while Gino clasped his chest, trying to get his beating heart under control.
"J'attends l'ascenseur", Justin said. "Je dois le trouver." His mouth was the only thing moving, giving him the air of a creepy doll right out of a horror film.
Gino and Marco looked at each other. "Trouver quoi?" Gino asked.
"Le trésor. Je dois le garder mais il est disparu."
"He's definitely dreaming," Marco said.
Gino nodded, and thought for a second before he addressed Justin again. "Le trésor est sous le lit."
"Où?"
"Sous le lit. Voilà je te le montre. Viens avec moi!"
Slowly, slowly, Justin turned around, and started shuffling down the hallway again.
"It's working!" Marco hissed excitedly, and followed a few steps behind Gino and Justin. After what felt like hours they finally reached the bed again.
"Maintenant, garde-le ici!" Gino ordered, and pulled the blanket over Justin again. He did not get an answer anymore as he had fallen asleep again.
Marco breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank god."
They both joined Justin in the bed , trying to find the comfortable position from before.
"He'll never believe us when we tell him that," Marco chuckled as Gino turned off the light.
"Definitely not," Gino answered, and scooted closer in the darkness until he could kiss him. "Sleep well."
Marco snuggled close to him, and it did not take long until they were all sleeping again.
The calm did not last.
This time it was Gino who woke up just in time to hear the door open again.
"God fucking damn it!" he cursed, and jumped out of the bed. He had a lot less reservations about Justin's state of mind the second time around, and simply shoved him back inside.
"Do you have a rope or something to tie him down?" he grumbled as he tried to lie Justin down again.
"We can't tie him down!" Marco hissed indignantly, and scrambled out of the bed. "Just…put him in the middle."
Gino stared at his boyfriend. "What?"
"We'll take him between us, then he can't climb out anymore without waking one of us up."
"Où est le trésor?" Justin asked, and tried to shuffle away again.
Gino sighed.
The room lay in darkness again, and Justin was softly snoring, when Marco spoke up once more.
"Gino?"
"Yeah?"
"What are we going to tell Justin when he asks why he's lying half-naked between the two of us?"
Gino did not answer for a long time. "Let's think about this in the morning."
-----
Chris was the last to join them at their table in the breakfast hall. His grin shone so bright it illuminated the entire valley.
"And how did you sleep?" he asked, and picked up the cup of coffee from his tray.
"Surprisingly well," Thomi answered between two bites of scrambled eggs. "I mean, I wouldn't want to repeat it, but I thought it would be worse."
He did not see Zoé bite down hard on her lower lip, or her fingernails that dug deep into Loïc's thigh.
Chris chuckled good-naturedly, and turned to the other side of the table.
"What does the other room say?" he asked.
Marco shrugged. Gino was too occupied with the contents of his plate to even do that.
"We'll never talk about this again," Justin snarled.
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South Africa 66-7 Canada: Springboks seal Rugby World Cup quarter-final place
New Post has been published on https://thebiafrastar.com/south-africa-66-7-canada-springboks-seal-rugby-world-cup-quarter-final-place/
South Africa 66-7 Canada: Springboks seal Rugby World Cup quarter-final place
Cobus Reinach took just 11 minutes to complete a hat-trick of tries
Rugby World Cup Pool B South Africa:(47) 66 Tries:Reinach 3, De Allende, Nkosi, Gelant, Steyn, Brits, Willemse, Malherbe Cons:Jantjies 8 Canada:(0) 7 Try:HeatonCon:Nelson Red card:Larsen
South Africa produced a dazzling first-half display as they confirmed their place in the World Cup quarter-finals with a big win over 14-man Canada.
The Springboks ran in seven tries in the first half, with scrum-half Cobus Reinach notching the earliest hat-trick in a World Cup game after 20 minutes.
Canada had Josh Larsen sent off for a charging into a ruck before half-time.
The minnows scored first in the second half through Matt Heaton but South Africa ran in three more tries.
Schalk Brits, Damian Willemse and Frans Malherbe all went over following tries from Reinach, Damian de Allende, S’busiso Nkosi, Warrick Gelant and Frans Steyn in the opening 40 minutes.
Rassie Erasmus’s side go top of Pool B but defending champions New Zealand – who beat the Springboks earlier in the tournament – are expected to defeat Italy on Saturday to win the group.
Canada, ranked 22nd in the world, will seek to end their World Cup with victory over Namibia on Sunday.
Reaction to South Africa v Canada
Reinach hat-trick as Springboks blitz Canada
South Africa, fielding 13 changes from the side that beat Italy on Friday, got off to the perfect start with tries in the first six minutes from centre De Allende and wing Nkosi.
But it was Reinach who made the biggest impression with his 11-minute hat-trick completed by the 20th minute of the game.
The previous record for the earliest World Cup hat-trick held by Australia’s Chris Latham, who managed the feat after 25 minutes against Namibia in 2003.
Reinach’s first try was arguably the best of the match. The Northampton Saints scrum-half sliced through the defence, chipped the full-back and caught the ball on the bounce before accelerating away to score.
He secured his team’s bonus point after just 17 minutes, diving over the line after his forwards had smashed their way through.
Reinach’s third arrived three minutes later, the scrum-half running through after the Springboks once again cut the Canadian defence wide open.
Warrick Gelant scored in the corner as the one-way traffic continued and things got worse for Canada when replacement forward Larsen was sent off for flying into a ruck leading with his shoulder, hitting Thomas du Toit neck high and leaving referee Luke Pearce with no option but to produce the red card.
Phil Mack’s sloppy pass was then intercepted by Steyn, who touched down for the seventh first-half try.
Elton Jantjies kicked his sixth conversion to make it 47 unanswered points in a thoroughly miserable 40 minutes for Canada.
Consolation try for Canada
Matt Heaton bundled over the line for Canada at the start of the second half after Jeff Hassler found a rare gap in the Springbok defence as the 14 men rallied against the odds.
But the Springboks eventually broke through again when former Saracens forward Brits, back at hooker after playing a game at number eight in Japan, side-stepped his way to his side’s eighth try before limping off.
Willemse, who has been on a short-term deal at Saracens and only arrived in Japan five days ago as a replacement for Jesse Kriel, went over unopposed for his first international try and the final score came from replacement Malherbe after intense pressure wore down Canada’s exhausted defence one last time.
What they said
South Africa head coach Rassie Erasmus:“We had a short turnaround and it was scrappy at stages but I can’t moan about the tempo. The red card made it a little bit easier.
“In this humidity sometimes you can over-exaggerate, but we kept it fairly simple which was a good thing.”
On reaching the quarter-finals:“The big thing is we have to see who we are going to play – we’ll give the guys two days off and on Friday get back on the horse again.
“We have a good chance like everyone else but there are so many good teams in this tournament. Japan are a class act, Ireland and Scotland class acts – there’s some tough opposition in the next few weeks.”
Stats
Reinach rounded off his hat-trick 10 minutes and 25 seconds after scoring his first try of the match, only Australia’s Adam Ashley-Cooper has taken less time between the first and third tries of a hat-trick at the Rugby World Cup (9m 16s v USA in 2011).
Larsen’s sending off was Canada’s fourth red card in Rugby World Cup history, more than any other side.
South Africa’s 59-point win was their fourth biggest ever at the Rugby World Cup while their points tally of 66 was their third highest in a game at the tournament and highest since scoring 87 against Namibia in 2011.
South Africa have won 47 out of 47 line-outs so far at the 2019 Rugby World Cup, including all eight against Canada, the only side yet to misplace a line-out throw at this edition of the tournament.
South Africa’s Brits crossed for a try against Canada aged 38 years and 145 days to become the second oldest player to score a try at the Rugby World Cup after Diego Ormaechea (40y 13d)
LINE-UPS
South Africa:Willemse; Gelant, De Allende, Steyn, Nkosi; Jantjies, Reinach; T Du Toit, Brits, Koch, Snyman, Mostert, Kolisi (capt), Smith, Louw.
Replacements:Marx, Kitshoff, Malherbe, Ebtzebeth, P Du Toit, Jantjies, Pollard, Le Roux.
Canada:Coe; Hassler, Trainor, Hearn, Van der Merwe; Nelson, Mack; Buydens, Quattrin, Ilnicki, Olmstead, Baillie, Rumball, Heaton, Ardron (capt).
Replacements:Piffero, Sears-Duru, Tierney, Larsen, Sheppard, Mackenzie, O’Leary, Du Toit
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What and Who are the NOAA Corps?
What and Who are the NOAA Corps?
NOAA and the NOAA Corps can trace their lineage to 1807 when President Thomas Jefferson, among the most scientific of our Presidents, signed a bill for the “Survey of the Coast.”
Ferdinand Rudolph Hassler
The first Superintendent of the Coast Survey was Ferdinand Rudolph Hassler, a Swiss immigrant whose scientific skill, strength of character, and indomitable nature guided this first…
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McPherson-Rice County partial results
As of this time we don't have complete numbers on Board of Education races in Little River-Windom USD 444 and only limited numbers on McPherson County races. This is what we have as of 10:40 PM
MCPHERSON COUNTY RESULTS
USD 418 BOARD OF EDUCATION (TOP 4 WIN)
ANN PARKINS 1318
EMILY GREER 1235
DALE PATRICK 1032
JEFF JOHNSON 1007
LARA VANDERHOOF 900
ROBIN WERTH 890
BRIAN MEEK 770
JEFFREY BUTLER 666
ALAN BURGHART 624
MCPHERSON CITY COMMISSIONER-PUBLIC WORKS
LARRY WIENS 1125
ANNE HASSLER HEIDEL 646
RICHARD KEIM 478
MCPHERSON CITY COMMISSIONER-PUBLIC FACILITIES
GARY MEHL 1698
MICHAEL YATES 572
RICE COUNTY
STERLING USD 376 AT LARGE (TOP FOUR WIN, NUMBERS INCLUDE RENO COUNTY RESULTS)
WILLIAM KILGORE 430
TED CARDER 399
LARRY BROWNLEE 387
JESSICA DOBSON 235
JOSHUA SANT 226
KENT ANTHONY 225
DAVID LOCKHART 209
MELINDA THOMAS 195
LITTLE RIVER-WINDOM USD 444 (RICE COUNTY ONLY)
POSITION 1
ANDREW DEAN PORTER 197
FLETCHER RALEIGH 138
POSITION 2
WADE WRIGHT 192
JACKIE SCHAFER 145
POSITION 3
JACKIE RIBORDY 167
ZANE ZAHRADNIK 159
POSITION 7
DERRICK HERZOG 182
CORY DIEBALL 155
USD 444 BOND QUESTION (RICE COUNTY ONLY)
YES 189
NO 152
STERLING PACKAGE LIQUOR QUESTION
YES 279
NO 195
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Maurizio Sarri’s Juventus revolution bears similarities to Maifredi’s disastrous overhaul in 1991
It started with the new halved shirts. There will be something very different about Juventus for 2019-20. But more than just their set. The Italian champions undergo extensive re-modeling, the kind that has not been observed since a fateful venture in & # 39; champagne football & # 39; three decades ago.
Juve struggled halfway through 1989-90. Their former captain and goalkeeper Dino Zoff was in charge, but did not seem to catch up with the remaining champion Napoli, Arrigo Sacchi Milan or Giovanni Trapattoni & # 39; s powerful Inter. To make matters worse, Milan won praise and new followers around the world with their positive non-Italian total football. Juve felt like dinosaurs.
Despite the fact that he led the team to the UEFA Cup and Italian Cup double, Zoff was relocated in the summer of 1990 and replaced by Luigi Maifredi. He had built a good reputation with Bologna and the Bianconeri eyed their own revolution.
Luigi Maifredi was the last Juventus boss who & # 39; champagne football & # 39; tried, but it ended in disaster
Maifredi worked for bubbling Veuve Clicquot manufacturers before starting full-time football, and the media were delighted to see Juve taking back their series with his & # 39 champagne calcio & # 39 ;.
Not everyone was convinced. Striker Toto Schillaci did not cut his words in his biography & # 39; Il Gol and & # 39; Tutto & # 39; and said: & # 39; Maifredi arrived like a bull in a porcelain cupboard in the dressing room. He was so arrogant. I felt trapped by his tactical requirements. & # 39;
The & # 39; new Juventus & suffered a nightmare for the season and lost 5-1 to Napoli in the Supercup (the equivalent of the Community Shield). The Brazilian striker Bald had never been given so much space and freedom through a Juventus defense. When the competition started, the Bianconeri still adapted to Maifredi's requirements and won only twice in the first six rounds.
Diego Maradona raises the Italian supercup on after Napoli & 5-1 victory over Juventus in 1990
Then it improved and a 5-0 crushing Rome in November was the highlight. Maifredi assigned the result to his master plan, others thought it was only the genius of World Cup & # 39; 90 heroes Roberto Baggio and Thomas Hassler with a confused team. The 1991 unfolded after the Christmas holidays, even Baggio and Hassler could not save the team with their precious magic.
Maifredi's tactical and control errors were cruelly revealed. & # 39; A donkey may pose as a horse, but sooner or later it will roar and reveal its identity, & # 39; said Schillaci.
Between February 17 and March 17, they earned only two points from five games. The title dream slipped away. Defeat at home in the derby against Turin and 0-0 at Cagliari were poorly received.
The entire team was against the manager. Probably only Roberto Baggio chose Maifredi's side, because the controversial chief made his No. 10 miss the odd training session so he could go hunting.
Captain and goalkeeper Stefano Tacconi, never a shy man, had a great line with the boss about Baggio's preferential treatment. Team morale was shattered.
Italy and Juventus attacker Schillaci compared Maifredi & # 39; s man management with that donkey
A team with the attacking wealth of Baggio, Schillaci and Hassler, plus young stars Paolo Di Canio and Pierluigi Casiraghi, ended an amazing seventh.
For the first time in 28 years, they were out of European competition. Maifredi and his complicated strategies were started and became a curious, short chapter in the history of Bianconeri.
The current revision is from a position of superiority on the home front. The arrival of Maurizio Sarri indicates a departure from the pragmatic but safety-first Massimiliano Allegri.
The mandate of former Chelsea chief Sarri is to give the team a more attractive approach. Juve & # 39; s directors crave the slick, property-based football that made his Napoli special.
President Andrea Agnelli is an ambitious leader and understands that the way to expand the international fan base (and then make money) is also through arrogant football the number of trophies.
The plan is to bring young supporters from Tokyo to Miami to London with the free-flowing features of & # 39; Sarism & # 39; to chase.
Juventus manager Maurizio Sarri is a revolution of a new slick football brand
Arrigo Sacchi, who in the late 1980s transformed under-performing Milan into proactive world beaters, told SportMediaset.com : & Don't call this a small revolution. This is a real revolution, demanded by a brave president with a strong personality.
& # 39; This is a rejection of the old Italian approach to football. I hope everyone in Calcio finally realizes that a win without playing well is worthless. & # 39;
Sarri needs the right men to carry out his philosophy. It is unknown whether he will bet the 4-3-3 of his Napoli spell and the winning Europa League campaign with Chelsea, or the 4-3-1-2 who clicked on Empoli.
Sarri said: & # 39; In the first 70 meters of the field, I want them to do what I have shown them. Then on the last 30 meters I want them to do what they think is right. & # 39;
Recruits of the caliber of Adrien Rabiot and Aaron Ramsey are certainly welcome.
Add the award-winning signature of the penalty specialist Mauro Icardi and the Juventus team is in line with the star-studded group that won the 1996 Intercontinental Cup. But the purchase of Matthijs van Ligt to enlarge an already tight water defense has really created headlines.
Aaron Ramsey is a welcome addition and is someone who Can implement Sarri & # 39; s playing style
Matthijs of the arrival of Ligt is against the Juventus convention to spend defenders
The Bianconeri do not usually import their central defenders. They have been an Italian defense ministry for years.
Van Ligt, who signed for £ 67.5 million this summer, will learn to work so much more with Juve & # 39; s coaches and new teammates Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci.
At his unveiling, the star said: & # 39; Italy is the home of defenders & # 39 ;. His potential combined with Juve & # 39; s know-how is a frightening prospect.
Sarri developed Napoli & Senegalese center daughter Kalidou Koulibaly from a Series A star to one of the most coveted players in the world. He will be intriguing to see how much responsibility and game-filling tasks he gives to Ligt.
& # 39; In the Netherlands much is built from behind and defended high on the field. Italy is more about zonal marking and defending together, I think Juve can help me and I can help them & # 39 ;, says From Ligt.
The former miracle of Ajax takes the No. 4 shirt. Paolo Montero, one of Juventus & # 39; last major foreign defenders, wore that sweater with pride. The agreements end there. The Uruguayan was an uncomplicated butcher, From Ligt is a sophisticated surgeon.
Sarri hopes to create a philosophy similar to what made his Napoli team so special
Some players will have to give way to Mario Mandzukic one die likely to be sacrificed
The influx of the sale of new blood needs. Sami Khedira and Mario Mandzukic are expected to follow Joao Cancelo through the exit door.
Goalkeeper Mattia Perin, who has been relegated to third choice with the return of Gigi Buffon, passes through the exit. World Cup winner Blaise Matuidi 2018 may also be wearing a new shirt with August.
Since the signing of Cristiano Ronaldo last summer, it is clear that Juventus is aiming high. They want to add to their total of two Champions Leagues, the last one in 1996, against the old Ajax team from From Ligt in Rome.
Under the guidance of Allegri, the Turin reached two finals and lost both in 2015 and 2017.
The disastrous renovation of 1990 was after a domestic dip. Juve are nowadays the undisputed kings of the Serie A. Continental glory is now on the agenda.
Maifredi & # 39; s & # 39; champagne-calcio & # 39; went just after Christmas. Sarri, De Ligt and CR7 hope to be able to use the good stuff at the end of the season.
Cristiano Ronaldo (photo) will hope to have this end of the season will celebrate the season
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