#how far is the walk to machu picchu

[jsbsam]

One step beyond!

The fact that you're reading this means that MM and I made it back to Cusco safely. But how did we get on? Did we manage to scale the mountain and achieve MM's long held ambition?

The day started well. Despite MM waking me up at 2.00am to get ready for our pick up at 3.50am our "breakfast box" was ready and our driver turned up bang on time and the guide, Vincenti, was with him. Result! No chance of being left stranded at Km104. We set off to pick up the other members of our group, Sandra, a very fit 49 year old German CFO working out of Singapore and Alexa a very fit 33 year old HR German senior management training executive. They had all the best trekking gear and really looked the part. I suddenly felt my age and slightly intimidated. All 3 women, including MM, walked and trekked regularly as their chosen passtime, I had done an 8 mile practice walk 4 weeks ago. This could only end badly.

After 1.5hrs we reached Ollantaytambo train station and boarded the train to Km104 where we got off at 7.45am and the train pulled off and left us. The point of no return. We crossed the tracks and from that point it was climb, climb, climb! The big mistake I had made was that it's not walking practice you need for this trek it's stepping practice. As I walk 5-6 miles 3-4 times a week playing golf (it would be less if I could hit the ball straight!) I thought that my fitness levels would be okay. The walk would be tough but achievable. I kid you not after 30m I was sweating like a pig and had already removed my fleece and shirt. I was breathing really hard. It was either the altitude or my fitness or both. I knew then that I was in for a battle and a challenge and might have to dig deep.

The difficulty is that much of the climb is steps, not just normal steps but steps of 12-15 inches. There are some non-step phases where you can catch your breath but they are few and far between. Also with the 2 young, fit German women striding on it was difficult to go at your own pace. They were very good, but pride kicks in doesn't it, even when you're older and should know better.

Those of you that know me pretty well know that I sweat like a Barron ie it pours off me without me exerting much effort. Needless to say I was dripping from the start to the end of the day. The 2 women and Vincenti must have thought I was a goner!

After 4hrs of almost non-stop climbing we reached Winaywayna, an Inca ruin, where we stopped for lunch. I was so grateful. I thought, thank God, I can have a half hour break, the worst is done and the next bit should be more manageable with the final bit being downhill. To be fair, it was more manageable, but there were still some tough bursts of climbing culminating in the "monkey climb" up to the Sun Gate. I got to the top before MM, who, until that point had been coping better than me, but didn't go through the gate until she caught up and we could go through together. It's spectacular. It's the first sighting of Machu Picchu and suddenly all the pain and discomfort disappears as you drink in the view. Furthermore, you realise that the final hour will be downhill with no climbs!

Hmmm, wrong again. It is downhill, but there are still uphill sections and the downhill steps are still 12-15 inches deep so not so easy. Plus, we had a shower during the descent which made the stones very slippy indeed. Most people seemed to manage okay by taking it easy but I managed to slip onto my backside on about 4 occasions despite using walking poles (I would recommend) - somewhat embarrassing but also very dangerous. For most of the walk you are walking on a track/steps of maybe 4 to 5 feet wide with a precipitous drop into the abyss to the right hand side. As you know, I suffer from vertigo and don't like heights at all so I concentrated on looking at the ground to place my feet and out into the distance for views. Amazingly, after a while it didn't bother me too much as I was concentrating on catching my breath! If I'd fallen the wrong way on a couple of those slips it could have been very nasty.

At 3.15pm we reached Machu Picchu. We were absolutely knackered but delighted to have made it, particularly as the guide said it was a pretty good time. The view is spectacular as you'll see in the photos.

We took the bus down the mountain to our hotel in Aguas Calientes where we showered before going out for a group meal. I went out like a light that night and slept like a log - it was great.

This morning we woke up with no aches or pains and went back up the mountain to tour the actual site and learn some of the history of the Inca's and Machu Picchu in particular. It was fascinating. The construction methods, the relationship with the Spanish and how Machu Picchu was found and developed by an American academic, Mr Bingham, in 1911. Everything was going well until MM upset the Llama's that are used as lawnmowers to keep the grass short and they attacked her by trying to eat her hat!

It has been an amazing adventure and MM has realised her dream of climbing up to Machu Picchu. I have to admit that my original view that "it's just a load of old stones at the top of a steep hill" may well have slightly undersold this Unesco World Heritage site. If you're in the area it's worth a visit, but I would suggest doing it whilst you're still pretty fit and to practice by walking up and down stairs (2 at a time preferably). Think very carefully and fully understand the difficulty of the 4 day walk instead of the one day walk before being tempted. Overall though, I'd recommend it, a great sense of achievement and some incredible views.

So was it One Step Beyond (Madness)? - Nearly!

[delacruzgallagher21]

Not known Details About inca trail to machu picchu

I would've liked a person, but some Airways won't enable you to fly with them When you have a souvenir stamp on the passport. Some international locations could refuse you entry for possessing a ‘defaced’ or ‘altered’ passport also. Keeping your cellular phone on airplane method during the trail may also assistance preserve battery. I felt a tiny bit apprehensive about not having more than enough battery demand for The complete 4 times, as I exploit my camera cellular phone lots for shots and videos. Then we continue alongside a stone path, the original Inca trail, until finally we reach a series of incredibly steep stairs Positioned within the foot from the Solar Gate or Inti Punku. To help you us better tailor your publication content material to you, please fill from the cruise-similar customization possibilities underneath (you can Look at as numerous packing containers as preferred). Being an inveterate adventurer (as a consequence of his childhood expeditions with his father) and an enthusiastic college student of Latin American historical past, Bingham got down to retrace Spanish trade routes throughout South The united states. As being a professor of record at Yale College, he organized a gaggle of scholars to established out in quest of the “missing metropolis”. It is usually vital that you note that you are necessary to have all reliable waste outside the house, as You aren't allowed to depart human waste alongside or throughout the Inca Trail. As a result, it is strongly suggested to use the camp toilets for normal defecation! It is alleged that each morning, in advance of dawn, a superior priest would head to Machu Picchu with a small team to sign the arrival of The brand new working day. This is especially the situation throughout the dry year (May possibly – October), which is the most popular time to do it. At times it’s doable to locate a last second place for the duration of very low period (November – April), but If you're established on dates, it’s not truly worth risking it. Along how, you'll find on your own surrounded by several different bouquets and wildlife, which include orchids, begonias, ferns and exquisite hummingbirds, even though experiencing the Remarkable watch of the citadel of Machu Picchu, the Urubamba River flowing down below, and each of the sacred mountains bordering Machu Picchu. This trek involves a combination of climbing, biking, and optional pursuits like ziplining and warm springs, rendering it a novel and fascinating experience for adventurous tourists. Truth be told, Within the Inca citadel there are numerous llamas and alpacas which can be walking and grazing, They are really very welcoming, For those who have the choice you can take images with one of them, They may be no cost so there is absolutely no added Expense to generally be taken. It's Probably the most attractive samples of the spectacular stonework for which the Incas are famed. The title in the Temple from the Condor is a result of the normal formation of your rock on which it is situated, which resembles an Andean condor in flight. Trekking poles present an incredible quantity of assistance on these and various tough stretches, and their use can occasionally make your hike easier and, thus, far more pleasant. When classic inca trail tour have modified your passport, It will be smart to provide the two your outdated and new passport to Peru. You will find many allow checks along the trail, along with the agents are extensive.

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[musea-reviews]

Waterliniemuseum

(Dutch Water Defense Lines Museum) ‘’Where UNESCO World Heritage Sites cross’’

Location: Bunnik, Utrecht, The Netherlands Price: 10,50 Duration: 1 - 2 hours Transport: bus from Utrecht central station, and a short walk Language: Dutch / English  (Audio probably also in German, French, Ukrainian, Italian, Turkish Spanish, Chinese, Arabic) Activities: play games, learn history, walk around in nature, play with water Date of visit: Friday 17 March 2023Website

UNESCO

A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a location or monument that is protected because it has a special cultural or physical significance. These places are all over the world, some of the more known ones are Machu Picchu in Peru, the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, Yellowstone National Park in the USA, or The Great Wall of China. There are so far 1154 monuments on the list if you want to check out which one is close to you, there is a map with every monument! In the Netherlands, we have 12 of these monuments, 2 of which cross here! One is the Lower Germanic Limes, which is the northern border of the Roman Empire and follows the river of the Rhine. This horizontal line going from the Netherlands all the way to Greece was protected by a roman soldier from the year 40 to 400 (in the Netherlands at least). This is also how my city came to be, build upon an ancient roman Castellum.

De oud Hollandse Waterlinie

The second one is The Dutch Water Lines, which is an important line of defence in Dutch history. This is a vertical line of villages and farmlands that are so below water level that it's made to be drowned in the protection of the rest of the country. Around the 1500’s the Dutch found out that enemies don't like wet feet, they would drown parts of land if enemies were approaching, these enemies back then were usually the French, Spaniards, or Germans. The Dutch would raise the water level exactly knee-high (50 cm / 20 inches) if you made it too high they would just get a boat, and if it was too low they could walk through it. The villages that would be put underwater would first get a short notice to evacuate of course. So in the Netherlands, you have 3 big rivers protecting us from the bottom, you only need to put guards on bridges, since without those you can simply not cross. But the middle of the country was open to attacks. So this line of land was made, which some higher-up paths, just like the bridges. Even if the land was underwater people could take roads, but on the other hand, it did force armies to take these small predictable roads, with forts full of armies next to em. so they usually just gave up the Old water linies have been used 2 times against the French. The first time worked well and they retreated. The second time the French had leaned and waited for winter, after flooding the lands it froze over, and they could simply walk. However, the French were not prepared that even back then the Dutch were outstanding ice skaters and simply put their army in skates. The French once again gave up. 

Our savior in WW1 Then they kept bettering the waterworks and moved in a bit to include Utrecht in the protected part. These new water lines were however never put to use again, but that doesn't mean they didn't serve us well. Let's skip some time, 1914, World War 1 started. The Netherlands wanted to stay neutral, and this worked. Not because the Germans were so polite to take everything except for us, but because of the tread that we had our water lines. From found German documents they do talk about the fact that they simply could not take our country as ‘’ one can fight in the desert or the mountains, but no one can fight in mud’’. 1939, World War 2. We said we were going to stay neutral again, But German didn't take it. Quickly we flooded our lands, but that doesn't go as quickly as you might think. The big difference now was that there was a new invention, planes. They simply flew over the water, jumped with parachutes, and absolutely bomb Rotterdam to a pile of rubble. Within 4 days, the Netherlands had given up. I mean to be honest, our military back then were some guys in bikes, we weren't prepared for planes and bombs from them. After this, the water lines were actually used one more time when the Allied forces of the English, American, Canadian, and Polish armies came to free the Netherlands. The Nazis then opened the limes to try to stop them. 

What about the museum tho

Well, after reading all of that, you would assume you probably don't even have to go to the museum anymore. But I still recommend it! It is the most fun and interactive museum I have been to yet. When I walked in, I got a little bracelet that I had to personalize with my language of choice and my postcode. Now I could turn on any videos, games and talking statues. Anything scanned will be in your preferred language. And the postcode is used to determine where you live, and to make references to protecting you (if you live left of the waterline). Usually, I love reading everything in a museum, but I was happy that in this museum all information was told to you through audio, videos, and games. There were little booklets on the wall if you really wanted more information, but that felt more optional. Whereas in most museums it's the other way around. Other things you could do at the museum were a VR flight with a sightly moving chair to make you feel like you're really flying over the Netherlands in a parachute. In the middle of the museum was an outside space where they build a replica of the waterline and different dams and doors so you or kids could play around with water while not knowing they are actually learning how it all works. This was closed now tho because it's practically still winter.

Another great thing about this museum was that not all the fun stuff was ‘’for 6 - 12’’ or something. I see a lot of museums having fun interactive learning things, or art workshops, but it's all just for children, bro I know I'm 23 but why can't I do a treasure hunt and answer silly little questions?? In this museum it was not for kids, anyone could do anything.

Very Topical

they really keep up to date, as mentioned before, with the VR and other technology. But also on politics. They had this part about the war between Russia and Ukraine. How when Russia attacked they assumed it would be easy to take Kiev quickly. But it turned out to be harder, as Ukraine did the same technique we have been learning about here, they flooded the rivers. It is not as big as here, but it was also not planned. I thought it was so cool to include information like this. 

Lastly, I also would like to say that this was once again a museum with friendly people, and that really just makes it all so much better. People that are hyped to teach you about the topics. I started with a guy showing me around the first room, asking me what had piqued my interest to come here and what I hoped to learn, so he could better personalize his story to my situation. Sadly I have no reasons, and I know nothing of this, but I do love learning!

Fort Vechten It is a pretty small museum, to be honest, but that doesn't matter, as along these water linies there are so many forts. Just like the one, this museum was a part of, the fort itself is free to walk around, and the nature there is always beautiful. This is because the waterline and the forts were the property of the military, so no one could build their businesses and other buildings near them. Now that it is protected, it will still not be possible. So all of these areas are green and full of nature. Part of the fort was closed as it was a protected place for bats to sleep the whole winter, the dark thick walls of a fort are perfect for that. 

 Would I pay the price: no not really I think 7 euros would be the max, and I'm not such a big ‘’waterlinie’’ fan that I would go over that Would I revisit it: Definitely, it was a lot of fun and a nice walk.  Who do I recommend it to: Dutch people interested in nature and history. Also, to tourists that are specifically into Dutch history or waterworks. Also very kid friendly Interactive:         5 Educational: 5 Storytelling: 5 Price: 4 memorable: 3 Total score: 4,4

[mackinnonkruse]

Not known Factual Statements About inca trail machu picchu

Pues no fue fácil, ya que primero tuvimos que sentirnos bien con la altura ya que le afecto un poco a mi Esposa, pero eso no fue un problema para que se lleve a cabo nuestros planes. Por suerte encontramos a Orange Country, una Agencia muy profesional y sobretodo responsable. Orange Country se encargó de todo para que mi viaje sea el mejor, nos ofrecieron el tour de (Cusco- Machu Picchu) de dos días. Me encantó la concept ya que no nos despatchedíamos muy bien así que el primer día visitamos el Famoso Valle Sagrado de los Incas, un Lugar muy tranquilo y lleno de tradición donde podrás contemplar la naturaleza y también hermosas vistas de los diferentes pueblos que se encuentran en el camino. Apparently, Huayruro refers to a small tree which has crimson and black seeds, colors that are generally observed on the ponchos of porters from Ollantaytambo. Because of this, porters from this place in many cases are referred to as Huayruros. Then the walk will resume until the Intipunku - Machu Picchu. That working day the tourist will not likely check out the Inca city, but will descend on to the city of Aguas Calientes to invest the night in a neighborhood accommodation. Lastly, day 2 are going to be solely destined to tour Machu Picchu. This route need to be adopted which has a tourism agency. The expense of the tour is around three hundred or four hundred US dollars per individual. We did the standard 4 working day Inca trail hike & it exceeded our now substantial anticipations. Our guide Jhony was super proficient and friendly and aided to make a bond in between our team with the very starting. The second 1 is that the climbing on Inca Trail needs to be created by way of a journey company, it is possible to not do the climbing by you.  Because of this, we advise you 3 crucial pieces of advice: Cusco, having said that, is by now at higher altitude (3,400m) so for those who traveling in from sea level it is rather most likely that you're going to working experience moderate altitude sickness indicators after you arrive. As you are able to see, It can be a smart idea to pack gentle to your hike. Even though it is genuine that porters will have almost all of the factors, Remember the fact that you are going to sweat a whole lot. Anyone will ultimately sweat, Even though you provide four pairs of garments. When renting a camping tent or renting a backpack from Orange Nation, you're renting camping equipment and backpacking. Travelling with us will usually feel like likely with friends rather than with a bunch of strangers in an structured tour. For those who’re proud of the products and services furnished, a tip – nevertheless not Obligatory – is appreciated. Whilst it might not be customary to you, it’s of fantastic importance for that people that will look after you over the trek.  It conjures up excellent company and is also an entrenched element on the tourism marketplace throughout many Orange Nation Peru Locations. With ten many years’ knowledge and over 25 Offers to Machu Picchu by itself, our team knows how to deliver An effective expedition. The final working day hides a number of the finest Inca exhibitions: Phuyupatamarka, Wiñaywayna. When leaving these ruins, a gradual descent are going to be carried out that may turn into far more intricate ultimately. Over the basic safety briefing, duffle bags are going to be obtainable at our Workplace the day prior to the trek. We could also provide them to your resort if you must Obtain your issues collectively faster. Day one begins having an early coach experience from Cusco in to the Sacred Valley also to the start line KM104 (named as a result as it is 104KM by educate from Cusco town).

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[travelwiththefallons]

Last Day - Huayna Picchu

Our last day started the same as the others, early morning breakfast followed by the promise of another hike and even more spectacular views! Our group got in line for the buses around 7 AM to try and get ahead of most of the crowds. We arrived and got to view Machu Picchu without the crowds, take several pictures and even met a llama friend! The park was home to 4 or 5 llamas that act as lawn mowers and photo ops for the eager tourists. When the llamas get tired of all the selfies, they head to their restricted area to nap or graze in peace. 

Mi llamo Llama

Raul gave us some of the history of how Machu Picchu was founded, why it was so sacred and what the various rooms and houses were. Jimmy and I were told that we would only have about an hour of the tour before we started our last hike… alone. I mentioned the day before that we had viewed from a distance our last hike. We had several conversations around whether or not we should actually attempt it. Our guide explained to us that those with acrophobia (I’m immediately raising my hand) could find themselves not only incredibly uncomfortable and even have the potential of getting “stuck.” What we ultimately decided was that we would give it a shot, if we got to a point where either of us (me) got too uncomfortable, we would call it what it was and turn around and head back. We were even given a time limit, as we had train tickets to head back to Cusco. 

We said goodbye to the group and they wished us good luck and we were off. The hike started off with us checking in with a park ranger, signing our names in, including the time we started the hike. If we weren’t already intimidated, this really increased the anxiety. The reason for the sign in/sign out, is so that the park rangers could keep track of who went up and didn’t come back down!

The hike started off with a steep decline, concerning since we knew that we had a huge mountain to climb. Once we got to the point of starting the ascent, we decided on a game plan of taking it slow and taking a break every 10 minutes. I won’t bore you with a lot of the details, but it was tough. Really, really tough. Level paths were few and far between. The majority of the path was either inclines or steep steps with wire hand holds. I think we climbed more than we walked.

As we passed hikers descending, we would get updates on how much further we had to go, encouraging words to keep going and promises of incredible views. We finally get to the final accent, which is several terraces interspersed with more incredibly steep stairs. The fear was real, as we were at the point of no return.  We had no choice but to continue to climb, otherwise we would endanger the hikers behind us. We continue to ascend, and continue to take refuge on terraces to catch our breaths and beat my almost crippling anxiety. 

Stairs lead to more stairs and sheer cliffs. We finally got to the top and man, the views were outstanding. We could see for miles and miles and got a birds eye view of Machu Picchu. The top was packed with fellow hikers getting these once in a lifetime pictures, including a few brave souls who needed the perfect jumping shot for the Gram. Jimmy got a few pictures and in an effort to crawl to the rock that you can see below, I lost my water bottle over the top and it almost hit a few hikers who were beginning the descent. It was wild. 

After a few pictures, we knew we had about an hour and a half to descend (and re-ascent the beginning of the trail) the mountain. We were warned that while going up was really tough, going down was incredibly hard on the knees. We had to crawl through a tunnel, climb down incredibly steep terraced stairs and rejoin the initial pathway we had started on. 

We finally made it back to the ranger station where we were able to sign out and confirm that we had made it back safe and sound. I was so proud of myself. I didn’t think I would have conquered my fear enough to make it to the top, but I did. JImmy encouraged me to keep going on and showed so much patience to help me get to the top and back down again. While we were hiking down, we had a good laugh about how hard these two days had been. Raul had told us the day before that the Incans had men whose sole responsibility was to deliver news throughout the Incan Empire.It was a system similar to the Pony Express or the Mongol’s Yam, but without the luxury of horses. Messages were delivered by running up and down the mountains in record time. They would have been able to do the hike up and down Huayna Picchu in less than 30 minutes, opposed to our 3 and a half hour journey. 

While waiting for the bus, we treated ourselves to two gatorades, trading our boots for sandals and getting on the first bus back down the mountain. Our feet and knees were tired, our muscles were exhausted but our hearts were full. We had two really tough hiking days, and learned so much about the Incan culture and about ourselves. This adventure was more incredible than I could ever imagine. If Machu Picchu is on your list, then do it! If you need help planning, look at the adventures that Mountain Lodges of Peru offer. The tour was beyond amazing and perfect. Raul was the single most knowledgeable guide we’ve ever had and they are doing some really amazing things for the community. 

Loved seeing these little guys every morning at breakfast

The rest of our trip included a train ride, with a traditional Incan show and a runway alpaca wool show, a van ride on some pretty questionable roads, including driving past a very recent landslide, and a final night at the Palacia del Inka. The next morning we had a late breakfast and flight back to Lima, where we stayed at a hotel in the heart of downtown Lima. We were both exhausted and spent our final night eating a surprisingly great meal in the hotel and playing several rounds of rummy! 

The final day was another early morning and a flight back home to our puppies! Until our next trip!

[vaexpeditionsperu]

Inca Trail - A Few Things to Know!

Do you love trekking and enjoying nature around you? Have you ever dreamed of visiting Machu Picchu? Then Peru Inca trail holidays are one of the best options for you! Situated around the famous South American city of Peru, the Inca trail is known as one of the best short treks in the world where you can get indulged in an incredible experience. Most of the trek is spread across the magnificent area of the Machu Picchu sanctuary, which is jam-packed with rich vegetation and wildlife along with some exotic species around. Trekkers who have been to this trail have mentioned that the entire trekking journey takes around three to four days for completion when you walk constantly at a steady pace. While trekking the Inca trail, you will get to cover three different mountain passes along the way, which further makes this trekking experience a mystical one.

So are you planning to travel the Peru Inca trail for your next trekking adventure? Then have a look at the post below to learn more about how to have an adventurous trekking experience!

Things to Know About Inca Trail

Apart from the Inca trail, there are a number of other trail options that take you to Machu Picchu. But Inca trail hike is possibly the most famous and most opted among the other trails to reach Machu Picchu. The Inca trail predominantly begins about 82 km away from the Cusco and at an altitude of around 2800 meters. The entire trail covers the same paths that the Inca used and is filled with Incan sites, that is why the name Inca trail. The trekking trip at the Inca trail takes about four days to complete. The length of the entire trail is about 45 km. At the end of the fourth day, you are expected to be at Machu Picchu by sunrise. So you can take delight in exploring the popular sites of attraction around you.

However, besides the Inca trail, there are other alternatives as well that can take you to Machu Picchu. One of them is the Salkantay Trek which will take five days for you to reach Machu Picchu. Of all the various treks to Machu Picchu, none can compete with the Salkantay Trek in terms of scenery. It’s a spectacular route, passing through jungles and mountain passes, and dotted with azure lagoons. So either you go this way or that way, you will relish the best scenic beauty during the trekking!

What is the Best Time to go for Peru Inca Trail Holidays?

As far as the best time for Peru Inca trail holidays is concerned, the dry season is highly recommended as during this season you will not face any sort of mishaps around. From mid-April to November is the best time of the year to travel the Peru Inca Trail and Machu Picchu. Due to the higher heights of the trail, you may experience sudden weather changes which are absolutely unpredictable. The cost of Peru Inca trail holidays varies from time to time. It is always suggested to make all bookings beforehand to avoid any kind of price hike issues.

Conclusion:

Book your Peru Inca trail holidays with VA Expeditions and enjoy your travel to Peru Inca Trail and Machu Picchu to the fullest. For more information visit https://www.vaexpeditions.com/destination/peru

#Peru Inca Trail Holidays #Travel Peru Inca Trail #holidays #travel

[kyunisixx]

chiaroscuro

artist!Robert Plant AU one shot.

a/n: this really started out as a song I wanted to write. But I knew I had to turn it into a longer writing!!

themes: fluff, mild implications of nsfw and tw: childhood trauma.

summary: in which Y/N becomes a muse for Robert, a landscape artist in more ways than one. (Man, that summary is so shit but let's roll with it)

pairing: artist!Robert Plant x fem!reader

chi·a·ro·scu·ro

the treatment of light and shade in drawing and painting.

an effect of contrasted light and shadow created by light falling unevenly or from a particular direction on something.

"Lean back for me a bit more, darling. That's right, relax."

As she moves, the old sofa creaks beneath her. Chilled air gusts through a partially opened window, making her shiver and sending miniscule bumps all over her bare skin. Her eyes drift over the fixtures inside the cozy cabin, illuminated by an outmoded oil lamp situated on the man's table. Several tiny moths were floating around it as the flame wavered ever so slightly from the breeze.

Scattered were all paintbrushes and smudges of paint were messily smeared all over the table. A round board was placed so close at the edge (one she heard him call before —a palette). In the middle is a rustic cup with half-empty, now cold tea. But a paint-smudged hand grasped on its handle and swiftly brought it over to a mouth. 

Then her eyes met his.

His frizzled, curly blond locks are pulled into a disheveled bun. One he pinned up so carelessly with a thin, unused paintbrush as to prevent it from obstructing his view but a few ringlets managed to escape and are now framing his face.

Ivory-colored shirt, a few buttons undone to reveal smooth skin of his collarbones which were also marked with a few shades of paint. Some scattered across his jawline to his cheek. 

Lips are pursed and eyes are pulled into deep concentration, they are set into a particular part of her. As if to capture the exact curvature of the crease on her waist.

Salient was the cleft on his chin and the sharp edge of his cheekbones by the incandescent light lent by the lamp, making him look like a contrast between sinister and elegance.

He dipped a brush and carefully made short strokes on the canvas, pausing every now and then to look at her.

The sun was setting and the sky was shaded a dull gray, providing so little of brightness which seemed to have darkened even more being situated in a lush forest.

Many months ago at this time of the day, she would have just been getting up from her sleep. Wake up and get ready for a long shift. It was a routine she had gotten so used to every day.

Take a bath. Eat. Pick out an outfit. Put on makeup. Be into the persona.

She would become a completely different person as soon as she stepped into the establishment she knew for as long as she moved into the town a few months ago.

From having to move into different cities and using different names to hide her identity. All of it to escape the filthy and haunted ghost of her past. 

Screaming. Glass breaking. Bruises. Slamming doors.  All of the things a child shouldn't have to go through. She took a risk and ran away from it.

And here is where she ended up thirteen years later.

Lacklustre eyes unmoving as they steadily stared back at her in a blurry mirror inside the changing room. All the girls' chattering seemed to have been muted and faded in the background as she gazed at her reflection. She picked up the small item in her hand, before taking the cap off and swiped the crimson lipstick across her chapped lips, creating a thick shade.

"Y/N, you ready to go?"

She turned her head back to Don, the club manager. She smiled and moved her head in a single nod.

“Sure, Don. Just give me a short moment”. She adjusted the strap of her black velvet dress and walked on the familiar, dimly lit hallway. Her stilettos clapped quietly on the floor as she padded and stopped in front of a red curtain covering the doorway from the side to the stage. 

"How's it going, folks? Alright, alright. I'd get right into it. This is the moment you've all been waiting for. The crowd favourite, slithers like a python, mistress of the night; Marilyn"

Then, she waited as the main lights switched off and took her cue to enter as smoke filled the platform. Coloured lights gleamed right through. She situated herself right in the middle then circled her hand on the pole as the first note of the song started to hum quietly. Like a distant patter of rain—calm before the storm. Her hips moved into the rhythm and fluidly sneaked around the pole as the cloud of smoke started to clear out. Gazing into the crowd of men, her blood-red lips quirk into a smirk.

It was the only time she knew she had complete power and control. And she relished it, savoring the potency. 

Her hands smoothed all over her now slightly perspired skin as men clamored and hooted for her. Bills were haphazardly thrown into the dancefloor. Something that she wasn't used to when she first started, it made her feel cheap. Dirty. But her routine carried on almost every night, she eventually got used to it and had even grown to like it.

Then she spotted him. 

Big ball of golden hair illuminated by stage lights. He was situated amongst the sea of predators, his eyes followed the fluidity of her movements. But what struck her the most was the way he was watching her. It wasn't shadowed by lust, but more of an intense wonder and curiosity. It was as if he was memorizing each part of her curves, but for another purpose.

Her gaze somewhat mirrored his. He definitely wasn't strange-looking. Hell, he might have been the most beautiful man she has ever seen. He didn't belong to a place where no good men wander around. Both his beguiling beauty and aura was completely out of place for such a place like this.

The song then came to a stop. Her number was over but her eyes remained locked with his. It was only then she came back to consciousness as Don's voice boomed into the large speakers, signalling the end of her performance. She collected the bills scattered on the floor and walked off the stage, throwing a last glance into the crowd as she took her exit.

He was gone.

He wouldn't show up for a couple of days. She was sure, of course. The moment she steps out, her eyes would already be skimming through the lounge, and would sigh in disappointment if she didn't spot any sign of him.

"Have you seen your mysterious man yet?"

One of the girls she was closest to, Hershey, asked as she counted the thick block of bills on her hand.

"He wasn't out there tonight"

"You could have been hallucinating. Anyway, you told me he was 'like an angel'"

Hershey laughed, mimicking the way she had said the last part with a breathy tone and added, "Or could have been disappointed in your dance number, ran away and swore to not step a foot into this place again"

She stopped momentarily, chuckled lightly and sighed, "You may not be far from the truth but we'll see."

Then he would be there the next night, positioned right at a table at the back. His curly locks gave his identity right away, with his elbows propped up and fingers poised against his chin, bearing the same gaze. 

Later that night, he'd be waiting right outside of the club.

"The show was spectacular."

She tilted her head to him, nodded and smiled.

"Thank you."

She wasn't sure how it ended up with her sitting on a stool inside a cozy 24-hour operating diner so late at night, chatting with her "mysterious man" late at night, who introduced himself as Robert. He was apparently a landscape artist and has traveled the world where he finds inspirations for his works.

"The best place I have ever been to? Hm. I'd say Machu Picchu, set in the high mountains of Andes in Peru, above a river called Urubamba. I had to hike all the way up, and you could see the breathtaking view when you reach the top."

"That does sound very lovely." She sighed wistfully.

"Have you ever traveled anywhere outside the country?"

"Oh no, I have not. I move to different places a lot but I've never gone out, never had the chance to."

"Ah, you should! It's wonderful."

She nodded, "Do you only do landscaping?"

"Well, no. I do a little bit of abstract art but I focus mainly on landscaping. I was thinking of expanding more, though. Maybe portrait, or nude art."

"That's a good idea. An artist has to come out of his comfort zone and be able to become great."

"Yeah…", he trailed off, as if lost in thought. "I hope this doesn't come off as strange or I as a creep. But may I ask you to be my muse? Don't worry! We'll only do portrait." He added the last sentence quickly.

She tilted her head to the side and looked at him, her brows furrowed deep in thought.

"You don't have to s—"

"I'll do it."

A few days later, she was again popped up on a stool inside his flat just a few blocks away from the club. His place was spacious, but had a very rustic feel to the interior design. A few souvenirs from different countries were neatly placed on a shelf and most of his paintings were hung stylistically on the walls (in which she stared at in complete awe for what she could tell an hour each painting until he had to drag her away to his studio)

Her fingers fiddled as she tried to stay still under his calculating gaze. She never had much problem with how she looked and never had insecurities. Perhaps she just didn't care enough to be insecure. But at that moment, she thought of how she must've appeared to him and if she was good-looking enough to be an inspiration for his art.

"Are you alright there?"

"Yes! Yes, I… Yeah I'm alright."

His hand stopped and placed the paintbrush on the table. "Are you sure? If you're not comfortable or if you need a break, we could stop for a bit."

She shook her head vigorously, "No, it's okay. Don't worry."

"If you say so."

She let her eyes travel from his bare foot, to his khaki trousers, to his satin shirt with top three buttons undone, to his face. Oh, his gorgeous face. It was pulled into a deep concentration as he stared at his work, giving her some time to study his majestic features.

His eyes flickered to hers as if sensing her stare and playfully frowned, a small smile curled on the side of his lips.

"What?"

"What?"

He laughed, "You were staring."

"I was. Is it a crime?"

"No, I wouldn't say it is." He said with a teasing edge to his voice. 

It was their arrangement which they stick to a few times a week. On her day off, after work if she wasn't feeling too exhausted. There was an obvious attraction lingering inside the room of his small studio but none of them acted upon it other than just casual flirtations thrown around. He was a perfect gentleman and had always been accommodating. A couple of times he would insist on paying her in which she would always refuse to accept. 

"The tea you make for me is enough for a payment." She had jokingly said. "Do not worry about it, Robert. Really, it's okay. I'm making enough from my job."

One night, after their sessions, they had too many drinks and bottles were littered over the table along with his paint brushes which had long dried of paint. 

"Tell me about you, Marilyn. Mistress of the night, who apparently, slithers like a python." He mused, mentioning her alias. His glossy eyes filled with mirth.

She snorted, took a long swig of beer and swiped the back of her hand across her mouth. 

"Marilyn is… Nobody. I'm nobody. I came from somewhere that in my mind, ceased to exist." She stared ahead. "I ran away from home. Who calls it a home anyway?" She laughed humorlessly.

"My parents fought a lot. They spent so much time fighting, they didn't even have time for me. Looking back at it now, I could have just preferred that. But then, they turned their anger towards me." She sniffed and quickly wiped the salty tears before they even slid down to her flushed cheeks.

"I went to my grandparents. They loved me so much and I loved them so dearly. But they were not my parents. Eventually, both of them passed away and I was left on my own. But I was eighteen. I didn't have to go back to my parents. So I went to different cities, finding places where I could feel like I could fit in. Looked for jobs, and then I ended up here. I made friends and I have my own place, but it still never felt like home."

He was quietly staring at her, and the silence was deafening. Then he lifted his free hand to her face and ran the back of his index finger to dry her cheeks. Her hand caught his and brought it to her lips and placed a soft kiss. 

"But with you, it feels… different. I like hanging out with you. I like being with you. You feel like home to me, Robert."

Her voice echoed softly as he took his time to reply. But he didn't, instead, he leaned down and sealed his lips against hers. 

He layed limply on top of her body as he shuddered from his release. Both tried to desperately catch for their breath as her hand smoothed down his back and the other combed through his damp locks. He slid out of her and dropped beside her, not too long before he enclosed his arms over her and pulled closer. He catches her lips on his in a lazy kiss and smiled.

"You feel like home to me too, Y/N."

Her heart soared and nuzzled her nose against his.

"I want to paint you like this. May I? You are so beautiful. In light and in shadow."

She blushed, "Yes, but right now? I'm tired."

"No, no. We'll do it tomorrow. I'll take you somewhere." His warm breath hit her skin as he whispered.

"Where?" She whispered back.

"Well, I'm not telling you that. But it was what I helped my Father build when I was younger. It's somewhat like a special place for me, and I want you to see it."

He gazed at her as he waited for her to respond.

"Okay."

Under the light of the lamp, she peers at him under her lashes.

"Don't look at me like that."

"Mm? I have no idea what you are talking about."

"You know what it is. Cut it out or I'll never get to finish this."

She huffs. "You're no fun"

"I can prove you otherwise in a few minutes."

He continued to do his finishing touches and leaned back to admire his work.

"That isn't too bad. But nothing compares to the real art."

"And what might that be?"

"You, my love." He stood up, walked over to where she was, placed his hand at the back of her neck and pulled her to him.

"I've been waiting for this for hours."

"I've been giving you hints and you insist on finishing your art."

He chuckled. "Of course I had to."

His fingers danced their way from her sides to her hips, rubbing along the marks littered across her skin.

"Are you ready to see it?" He murmured against her neck. She shudders as she nodded, giving their playful banter a break. 

He bit her earlobe softly, "Okay."

He walked over to his canvas and carefully turned it around to face her.

She gasps.

.

⭐ writings list ⭐

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taglist: @jonesyjonesyjonesy , @princesspagey , @ritacaroline , @jimmys-zeppelin , @rebel-without-a-zeppelin , @reincarnated70sbaby (if you wanted to be added in, let me know 🤘🏻🤗)

#robert plant x reader #robert plant #led zeppelin #fanfic #led zeppelin fanfic #led zeppelin imagines #john paul jones #john bonham #jimmy page #fluff #cabincore #rustic #artist!au

[extremelyblackandwhite]

exile

pairing: carter baizen x reader

warnings: angst & smut (18+)

a/n: this one has been in the working for a while. enjoy.

based off “exile” by taylor swift and “tightrope” from the greatest showman

I think I’ve seen this film before and i didn’t like the ending, you’re not my hometown anymore so what I’m defending now? You were my town now i’m in exile seeing you out. I think I’ve seen this film before ...

The music was softly loud in a manner that one could only describe as annoying for conversation starts. Women dressed in the newest gowns straight of the catwalk and men tied up into various shades of suits. People walked around carrying trays of expensive champagne and every corner of the room seemed to have an ice sculpture everywhere. Everything was splendid and wondrous but Carter was much more interested in the figure leaned against the marbled column. Hair pulled up and held by several golden pins, skin decorated in white ruffled fabric descending up to her knees, matching heels on her feet as a key shaped necklace hanged from her neck.  She was like a vision of time, an hallucination of a memory that was long, long gone. She was gone but near and Carter couldn’t help but feel all his pride slowly slip away from him.

If there was a woman who could say she had held his heart, it was Y/N. She was the daughter of one of his father’s friends, a partner and share owner in most of the law firms around New York, and a French socialite. She carried herself with the elegance and innocence that no Upper East Sider had and Carter had been hopelessly enamoured with her. How could he not? He could still close his eyes and see her, he could the very first time he met her, his mother surrounded by other ladies at tea laughing about new founded gossip but there she was, sat in the chair swirling the platinum spoon on the warm liquid of her tea cup. 

She always found a way to make him laugh, she could always find a way to make him feel like he wasn’t as shallow as he thought he was. Carter loved her the way he could love no other woman but he had to let her go. Her father clearly wasn’t found of having his only child, his precious daughter, dating an ex gambling addict with a bad reputation, and as such he sent her away. She had asked him to help her, she didn’t want to go somewhere alone but he didn’t. At the end of the day he knew he would eventually break her heart. He had tried writing her but every letter he wrote her came back, unopened. He wondered why she was back, out of all places she had decided to go to Columbia. She hated New York, she always hated the fake plastered smiles and the ambitions her parents had for her, she hated the noise and would much enjoy to run away to the Hamptons during Autumn and Winter. Carter still remembers driving down to the Hamptons near twilight to find her laying on top of an old blanket. It was tattooed on his brain, the serene look on her face as she pulled onto the worn out sleeves of a sweatshirt she had purposely bought oversized. Sadly, alongside with that memory was the memory of him driving away from her home, leaving before she could even notice. 

       - Carter. - he turned around at the mention of his name, an old lady stood in front of him whom he could swore was Y/N’s grandmother. Or, at least, the one she enjoyed to speak about. - I didn’t know you were in town. 

       - Sister’s getting married.

       - My congratulations to Caroline. - she smiled. - Oh, have you met my granddaughter? She should be here somewhere here. 

Carter was going to refuse meeting a granddaughter he already knew a bit too well, at least better than her father would’ve liked, but the woman had a death like grip on his tailor velvet black suit and was already walking him Y/N’s way. His throat ran dry and he felt his body fill with static like feelings as she turned around at her grandmother’s request. There, at the sight of her face beautifully and delicately preserved in time with little to no signs of time pulling on the skin, he felt like he was the old type of man, ready to drop everything at the belief that someone was made just for him. She stared at him as if she had seen a ghost, a dead being which had never left her but that she was only noticing now. 

Second, third, and hundredth chances, balancin' on breaking branches. Those eyes add insult to injury. I think I've seen this film before and I didn't like the ending. I'm not your problem anymore so who am I offending now? You were my crown now I'm in exile seein' you out. I think I've seen this film before so I'm leavin' out the side door

The parties were always the same no matter how much time had passed. The glittering chandeliers and fake smiles for seeing someone whom they hadn’t seen in ages and could barely remember the name. Lily van der Woodsen had been the one to host the party, insisting to Y/N’s mother she should attend as a way to get to know some of Columbia’s students but there was no one that Y/N didn’t already know. She had gone to Constance for a few years until her father decided she was clearly going through a dark path. A dark path named Carter Baizen.

Last she’d heard of him he was doing some humanitarian documentary work but others perceived him as more of a intense gambler rather than the portrait of humanitarian. Other than that, she’d never seen him since she was 17 going on 18 on his car listening to his favourite bands and discussing running away. After her father sent her to Connecticut for boarding school for her companies with the eldest Baizen child, she didn’t hear from him ever again. 

As she sipped on her second glass of champagne, she heard her grandmother’s voice booming which made her turn around to see the last person she’d ever expect to see. Once again, she was merely a young girl waited on the steps of her apartment, constantly checking the watch for a man that never came. Things were never clear but looking at him, looking into those eyes only added salt to a wound which had never healed and was instead covered through layers and layers of “You’ll be alright”.

      - This is my Y/N. She’s gonna be a human rights lawyer, we’re so proud of her. - her grandmother poured out love and pride in her voice, something Carter definitely didn’t use to hear from her own mother. - Y/N, this is Carter Baizen. He’s Caroline’s brother, you two went together to Constance. Do you remember?

     - We’ve met before. - there was a sort of icy softness to her voice, no longer the honeyed, happy sound she used to speak in whenever they would walk down the Upper East. No, this was cold, almost as if she had surrounded herself by walls yet soft as if she was still able to show the cracks in her armour. Heaviness settled in him, looking at her, looking at the one he would dub as the one who got away. She didn’t get away, he went away. 

    - I should go check on the other guests. - her grandmother excused herself leaving the ex almost lovers staring at each other through mirrors of past distorted memories. 

    - I didn’t know you were at Columbia. - he grabbed one of the passing glasses of champagne, not entirely sure of what to say. He never knew what to say near her but this time, this time he knew nothing he could say would made up for what he did. 

    - Brown isn’t what I had in mind so I transferred after I finished my first year. Dad thought Columbia would be a good fit. - she stood too far from him, further than he’d like. She used to always be so close, so close he could smell her vanilla and honey perfume, so close he could feel the fabric of her clothing against his hands. Close enough to consider kissing her but that was no longer the case, she was far and her heart was locked. - What about you Carter? Last I heard you were in Machu Picchu. 

   - My uncle got me an chief financial officer job at his company in London. Been spending some time with Serena but I’m mostly here for Carolines’ wedding.

   - Serena? She was at the same boarding school as me. Didn’t know you two were close. 

   - I guess you could say we are close. On and off.

Her curious facade fell as the corner of her lips almost falling into a frown. She didn’t know what to feel if anger or sadness but as a tray passed by, she set down her half full glass on the silver tray before mumbling “excuse me”. She moved through the crowds of people with her hand in front of her eyes, strangled cry in her throat.

   - Y/N, wait. - he followed her, he followed her like he should’ve done years ago. He chase her up the stairs of the van der Woodsen residence, knowing it like the palm of his hand, however she was still faster than him and rushed over to the small balcony on their guest bedroom, stomach hitting the metal railings which adorned the small outside place. - Y/N!

So step right out, there is no amount of cryin' I can do for you. All this time, we always walked a very thin line. You didn't even hear me out (you didn't even hear me out), you never gave a warning sign (I gave so many signs). All this time I never learned to read your mind (never learned to read my mind). I couldn't turn things around (you never turned things around) 'cause you never gave a warning sign (I gave so many signs) ...

    - I really don’t want to speak to you. - she let the tears flow down her face in silence, regretting how her mind seemed to show her images of the times when things were clearer. Times when they would just be kids joking around in central park or times when she would purposely let her hand wander, hoping he would grab it but he never did. The times she would look him into the eyes for longer than usual, hoping he would try to kiss her, but he never did. 

    - C’mon, dove. - he walking up to her but she moved away.

   - Don’t call me that. - she punctuated every single word as if he had offended her. 

   - Why are you upset? 

   - Why am I upset? - she lifted her head, streaks of black mascara rushing down her face. She’d been here before, she’d been disappointed before and she didn’t like it so why was she here again? Why didn’t she just ignore him and went back into the carefully constructed world she had built for herself. - You always told me you were afraid of commitments, that you didn’t want to be shackled down to anyone and I understood it. I understood it and stood by you and waited, waited for things to change and you ... you just weren’t worth it. You wasted my time only to get on a relationship with Serena out of all people. You just weren’t worth it. 

It stung, it stung worse than anything he’d ever felt before. He wasn’t worth it, he just wasn’t worth it and he knew it. What he didn’t know and was still processing as if he was living some twisted dream was her words. She waited, he knew she had waited for him but he didn’t know what else she had waited for. Suddenly all those fall nights in the beach where she would fall asleep on his shoulder, trying to pull her out of revision sessions after she started crying due to stress, her pretending to let him win whenever they played poker. She had waited and she was right he wasn’t worth it. 

   - Why Serena? - she questioned, heart heavy with emotions too ugly for her to even let unfold. 

   - I don’t know. 

   - Do you wanna know how long I waited for you on those stairs? - he wanted to say no, he didn’t want to remember it, he didn’t want to think of it. - I waited for 5 hours, I waited as long as I could until my parents shoved me on that train because of you. You didn’t write or ...

   - I wrote you everyday. - he still had those letters, stacked on top of his wardrobe in England wrapped in the red string she used to wear around her hair like a headband and had left in his drawer during a particular cold day. He thought he should’ve burn them years and years ago, let it go but something stopped him. The mere thought of her just touching the letters stopped him from discarding them, from burning the only thing which was still hers. - You sent back each and every letter. 

   - I never got any letter from you. - she wanted to scream at him for using his lines, his tricks on her. - Stop lying to me.

   - I wrote to you everyday for two years. - he grabbed her arm, impeding her from leaving this time. As if this simple act could make up the biggest mistake of his life. - I wrote to you every day and when I stopped having any words I wrote down all your favourite love letters. After two years, I thought ... I thought you probably had someone and I didn’t want to ruin that for you. 

   - You wrote to me? - she softened, almost as if she couldn’t believe his words. Her mother definitely would’ve told her not to believe him, “the Baizen’s have a way with words, no wonder they have a publicity and ad agency” and her father would send her straight to Brown if he even dared to dream his precious and only daughter was back with the man he had sent her away from. Her inhibitions fell like a castle of cards and blew away as she stared at the man whom she had loved since she was fifteen and had last seen at seventeen years old. She should know better, she was three years older, no longer innocently in love with the older boy from St. Judes. She should know better, she should know better but she didn’t and looking into his eyes and then his lips she decided to do something she shouldn’t.

Placing on herself on her tippy toes, she held his shoulders and leaned her lips against his. Carter immediately grabbed her, afraid she would slip away or that she was some fragment of his drunk imagination but no, she was here. As he held her close to his body, lips moving in such a synch it could be describe as symphony like, he could feel her, he could feel her warmth, the ruffles of her dress against his fingers. No, she was here. She was here. 

The two of them stumbled backwards into the guest bedroom, too heated in their minds to care about the fact the door was unlocked. His hands came up to the straps which held her dress to her body, ripping it off her and leaving her in a probably too expensive white lacy lingerie with a tiny jewel in the middle of her chest. He was too worried to feel her, to kiss her to even look at her racy form, ever so beautifully revealing. Her finger danced over his jacket, pushing it off him. He helped her discard of the jacket, throwing it somewhere in the room and thus interrupting the kiss. She laid against the expensive Egyptian cotton sheets, and that’s when he first took a good look at her. The lingerie looked tailor made, almost glued like a second skin, enhancing her bossom which he only wanted to lay his face on. His lips were partially open, hair broken open from its confines and sprawled all over the white sheets. Fuck, she was a vision.

He climbed atop her, eyes fully darkened with lust as he stood over her before leaning to kiss her again, hand pushing on the back her knee and caressing the skin of her thigh. His other hand came to her back, releasing the strap which held the garment in place. He was just a simple pull away from seeing it, from seeing her in what he only dreamed off in drunk nights. He didn’t want to pull it away just yet, he wanted to look at her and look he did. There was so many things he wanted to do to her but right now he just wanted to bask in her intimacy but she was not interested in that, trembling hands coming to unbutton his white shirt, pushing it down his arms. His once soft skin was now defined, no longer the 18 year old he was but someone whom she would thought to be out a men’s health magazine. Her hands moved through his chest, feeling the ridges and scars of time that had laid there before they lowered to the zipper of his trousers.

    - No, dove. - he grabbed her hands in his, putting them above her head and holding them there. - No, let me take care of you. 

He started to kiss her neck, starting at right at the end of her ear down to her collarbones and up to the start of her breast where skin meet the lace of her lingerie. Slowly, he pushed the garment off her, mouth lowering to take her nipple in between his lips. The girl let out a soft moan, hand tangling in his polished hair as changed attentions to her other breast sucking hard enough to leave marks. She wanted his marks. She wanted to bare them, to do the wrong thing. He moved from her chest down to her navel, making her moan at the lack of teasing until he got too close to her mound. He looked up to her, devilish spark in his eyes.

    - Tell me, dove. How well did they fuck you in boarding school?

   - I will if you tell me how well you fucked Serena.

   - Oh, dove ... are you jealous? - his eyes flickered with a sense of wild pride he couldn’t explain. Her moved up, licking his lips before kissing her jaw. - Don’t be jealous, my little dove. I thought of you every time I fucked her.

His fingers moved inside of her all her making her hold onto his neck, pushing him onto the space between her neck and shoulder. He smiled, biting onto the plump skin while he pressed his fingers deeper into her heat. His fingers moved in and out of her, slowly, teasingly, pushing sweet yet pornographic sounds from her as he hit that perfect spot. His thumb rubbed abstract-like figures on her hardening clit, putting her in a hypnotising-like state which made her reply to each and every move he had.

     - Fuck ... coming here to the Upper East in that little cocktail of yours. You’re all grown up aren’t you, dove? Fuck, I missed you. - he pressed his thumb harder on her climb, kissing from the spot he had just bitten to her shoulder, only to bite it too. That sure would leave a mark her daddy would love to see, oh he surely would love to. - Are you close, dove? 

     - Carter ... - she moaned in want, feeling that familiar knot only she could cause herself starting to tighten. 

     - You’re so fucking stunning. - he rose his head from her shoulder, crashing his lips against hers and his fingers keep moving in and out at a now faster pace. She breathed in and out, letting out sounds which only incentivised him to keep going, small smile on his lips as he keep kissing her, teeth grazing at her bottom lip. She could feel the knot tighten until it suddenly released, having her moan against his lips as the sound turned into pure static energy. - Aren’t you a stunner? Don’t fall asleep on me just yet, dove. 

She could barely move her head, still recovering from her orgasm as he left her lips to pull down her zipper. Looking up as well as she could, she watched him remove his formal trousers along with his underwear revealing his sizeable member. Mindlessly, she bite her lip, smirking through her daze as he pumped himself a couple of times, pre-cum gathering at the red tip of his member. 

    - You’re not a good girl at all, are you dove? - he questioned in a teasing manner before returning to top her, grabbing her hands once more and holding them tight above her head. He ran the tip of his member up and down her slit, collecting the wetness from her former orgasm. - Come on, dove. Tell me, tell me you’re mine. 

    - I ... I’m y...yours. - she spoke through the breathlessness that he seemed to naturally caused in her not expecting the harsh thrusting to begin as soon as those words exited her mouth. He held her hands thightly, thrusting into her in and out with little to no gentleness. He couldn’t do gentle and she didn’t want him to do so, relishing as he seemed to hit her g-spot which sent her eyes rolling to the back of her head. - Carter, I’m yours.

   - I fucking know, dove. I know. - he said through his teeth, growling at the way her pussy milked him in such a way he needed more self control than ever. He continued with no relent, free hand coming to rub her nub which made her lose whatever inhibitions she had left. She was putty in his hands, moaning mindlessly without a care in the world. 

   - I’m gonna cum. - she cried out, turning her head to the side as he leaned to kiss her neck, noticing how hard it was becoming to ignore how she was milking him. Few more thrusts and she came crashing from the high she had been in since the start, moaning his name out loud as he growled before collapsing to her side, not wanting to hurt her. She let out a shaky breathe, feeling him cum drip out of her and onto the sheets. This surely was no house guest etiquette but she really wasn’t in the mood to care.

He turned his head to look at her, sweat dripping from her forehead and gluing the hairs close to it to her skin as her chest went up and down trying to calm down her heart rate. She was surely a sight. He carefully threw an arm over her, pushing her flush with his body before kissing the top of her head. 

    - I’m so sorry. - he blurted out, not sure what to say, how to apologise for things that were long gone. - I’m so sorry.

    - Just stay this time. - she kissed the palm of his hand. - Just stay. 

   - I will, dove. I promise.

#sebastian stan #sebastian stan/reader #sebastian stan x reader #sebastian stan/you #sebastian stan x you #sebastian stan/y/n #sebastian stan x y/n #sebastian stan au #carter baizen #carter baizen x reader #carter baizen/reader #carter baizen x you #carter baizen/you #carter baizen x y/n #carter baizen/y/n #carter baizen smut #carter baizen imagine #sebastian stan imagine #sebastian stan smut

[suchalonelysunflower]

“Entangled” (c.h) (h.s)

Pairing: Calum Hood X Reader / Harry Styles X Reader

Requested: Yes!

Summary: You never wanted to be caught up in a love triangle, you never asked to be entangled in this situation. Now you have a choice to make. You know it has to be one of them at the end but, who would it be? And why is it so hard?

Warnings: Love Triangle! Pinning, unrequited love, language, angsty with a little fluff, mentions of alcohol and some grammatical error (English is not my first language, I’m sorry)

Word Count: 7.2 k

Author’s Note: Requested by my darling @rime-warrior a few weeks ago, I decided to turn her wonderful promt into a series. This part serves as the intro of the series! It starts with the reader in the “present” (just go with it) and then it will follow their journey with the boys since 2014. Reblogs, comments and feedback are always welcome 💕 You can read my other works for Harry and 5SOS HERE. Hope you like it and happy reading 🦋✨

@rime-warrior : Hi! I’m back lol I loved the heather imagine and I was wondering if you could do a calum/reader/Harry imagine where they’re on tour and trying to get the readers attention by being goofballs

Part 1: The beginning.

Never in a million years did you think you would end up making a decision like this. Hell, never in a million years did you think you would be here in the first place! If somebody would’ve come to you a year ago to tell you that you would’ve been in one of the biggest reunion tours of one of the biggest boy bands that's ever existed and one of the greatest pop/alt bands of the new generation you’d call them crazy and probably pepper spray them as you run away. But here you are and, surprisingly, it’s the last place you want to be at.

You are currently sitting at the stairs outside the venue, it’s the last concert on the “Here We Go Again” One Direction/5 Seconds of Summer Reunion Tour. Tapping your feet relentlessly against the cold metal and regretting not bringing a jacket with you as you can hear the fans going crazy inside the stadium, and who could blame them? They waited so long to see their favorite people again, not only that but together! After almost six years apart. You would’ve been just like them if it weren’t for the stomach ache your nerves are giving to you at this exact moment.

You knew what you had to do. It was the right thing after all, but that didn’t mean it didn’t hurt like crazy. Somehow you were going to lose someone tonight and you weren’t ready for that, you’ll never be ready for that.

How the hell did this all start in the first place? How did you become so entangled in this mess without realizing? And how would you get out of it?

So many thoughts are running through your head, yet none of them seem to stick around for more than ten seconds before rushing onto another. Head spinning at a thousand miles per hour as you clenched your fists at the side of your body, knuckles turning white as they grasped the cold and dirty metal of the staircase.

You could run… you were kinda fast and they are all inside so they wouldn’t be able to catch you. Maybe you could move to Peru, you always wanted to visit Machu Picchu and its alpacas, plus the ponchos look really good on you. The problem was that 1. You didn’t know Spanish. 2. You had exactly 9.57 dollars left on one of your pockets because you left your wallet inside and 3. You weren’t a coward.

Well, you were. That's why you let it come this far. But you were not going to do that anymore. You need to make a decision and it has to be tonight. But why was it so hard though?

***************************************************

A few years ago

“Y/N! C’mon!” You heard your best friend say “We are going to be late again!”

Lottie was impatiently pacing around the hotel room once again, she had her bags around her shoulders as she considered leaving you behind.

“You know I have to start early today! There’s gonna be four more people to style and I don’t want to do it all rushed.” She whined, sitting on one of the beds.

You came out of the bathroom soon after, cheeks a little bit flushed because it wasn’t like you to slow things down, especially when it came to work. But you wanted to look cute today, well, more cute than usual.

The tour was about to start and you were lucky enough that management let you come with Lottie to work on the stylish team with her. Her older brother, Louis, was a close friend of yours as well, so when he proposed the idea a few months back, you just couldn’t resist.

“Sorry, love” you replied sheepishly “I lost track of time”

Lottie lifted her gaze towards you and rolled her eyes playfully “Oh, shush. You and I both know that you are bluffing. I know exactly what you’re doing wearing that outfit and honestly? Can’t blame ya”

She was right, she’s always right when it comes to these kinds of stuff.

It’s not like you’ve never met the guys! I mean, you know Louis and Zyan because of Lottie, you’ve never seen the other members of the band in person, yet. But it’s not like you don’t know them either, they are everywhere! It was impossible to escape from the impact One Direction had. And now you were going to work with them as a stylist, it seemed like a dream.

Not only that, but you were also in charge of styling the opening number: An Australian band called 5 Seconds of Summer that Louis likes. You don’t know much about them other than this is the second time they’ll open for One Direction and they’ll be around for the European and American leg of the tour. You googled them to have a reference of what they’d look like so you’ll know how to work around them and, honestly, where do they get those guys? They don’t even look like eighteen year olds! And they are also talented and successful at such a young age? You promised yourself that you were going to listen to some of their songs, but still haven’t gotten around to do it just yet, but tonight will definitely change that.

You were nervous. You could feel your hands get clammy just thinking about the pressure that’s on you to make those guys look like absolute gods on stage (though that wouldn’t be a challenge, knowing the nine of them are incredibly handsome already) But that thought didn’t ease you a bit. You wanted to be good. No, scratch that. You know you are good. You want to impress them, hence the cool outfit.

“Think you know it all?” You said, already grabbing a pillow and throwing it to Lottie’s face.

“I know it all, darling” She laughed, throwing it back at you “Now, move your ass. We need to ge to the stadium as soon as possible”

You could hear the fans from a mile away before you walked through the backstage doors. The adrenaline was contagious, everyone was moving around like crazy but you could feel the excitement in the air. You already knew this was where you were meant to be, haven’t even started but you love it already. This was meant to be.

Lottie was walking fast, easily leaving you behind as you stared in awe at your surroundings, not paying any attention towards where you were going until you felt something hard crashing into you, making you lose your balance and you fell to the floor with a massive weight crushing your lungs.

All you could feel was the painful sting that shocked your body as your ass touched the ground with a big “thud” Luckily, the person that knocked you down was quick enough to put a hand behind your head so you don’t hit it too harshly as it came in contact with the cement floors. You tried to curse but the weight in your chest made it almost impossible to talk, making you only gasp in surprise.

The person lying on top of you groaned in discomfort, they must’ve hurt themselves too when you both hit the ground. “Are you okay?” The deep voice said, trying to hide the pain. You opened your eyes at the sound of his voice and were shocked to find two green orbs staring right back at you.

Harry’s face was too close to yours. Noses almost brushing as you took in all the details on his panicked expression. He was beautiful. Breathtaking in the metaphorically and literally since he was still on top of you, crushing your chest with his.

You tapped on his arm trying to push him off you. He seemed to get the hint as he quickly apologized and stood up, offering you his hand to help you do the same. You gladly took it as the air came rushing back to your lungs, a little whine escaping your throat as you felt how your muscles ached after the impact.

“Oh shit, are you hurt?” Harry asked, faced filled with worry as he looked at you up and down, trying to make sure there were no visible injuries.

“Not really, but-“ You said bringing a hand to your lower back and rubbing it gently, hissing when you felt a hint of pain when you touched a certain spot “Definitely gonna bruise in a few hours”

“I am very, very sorry. I didn’t mean to- Do you need ice? I can get you some ice if you-“

“I’m fine” You raised your palm to cut him off, smiling as you saw how worried he actually was “Really, I’m fine. It could’ve been worse if it wasn’t for your hand working as a cushion for my head” You giggled “Are you okay, though?”

Harry nodded, smiling as well “I truly am sorry, I was not paying attention to where I was going”

“Well, that makes two of us. But why were you running?”

“Oh, ’m running away from my bodyguard. You see, they really don’t like it when you do that and steal the keys to the van” He said with mischievous eyes, flashing a smile as he showed you the key dangling in his finger. Soon after, you heard someone yell ‘Harry Styles come back here!’ You couldn’t help but laugh at how ridiculous the situation was. Harry stared at you for a little while, eyes gleaming at the sound of your giggles “Gotta go! Are you sure you’re okay…?”

“Y/N” You said, nodding your head.

“Y/N…” He repeated in a low voice, eyes scanning you once again as he backed away slowly “See yeh round, love” The last thing you saw was his flirty wink before he started running again.

You felt your cheeks get warmer but you were quick to hide it. This was your job, you need to be professional. Though, you gotta admit, having Harry Styles knocking you off your feet on your first day wasn’t bad at all. Really not bad at all.

“There you are!” You heard your best friend call from the other end of the hall “C´mon, we need to set everything up before they come here” Lottie came close to you, softly grabbing you by the hand and tugging it so you could follow her. She had an understanding smile on her face “Don´t worry, I was in the same position as you when I first visited the tour. It's amazing, isn't it?”

“Kinda intimidating, actually”

Lottie laughed and linked your arms together as you walked through the enormous hall downt to a small room.

You spent the next hour or so getting everything ready for when they come, laughing and joking around each other like you always do, making you almost forget that you were here to do a job and not just hang out. That's one of the many good things about the Tomlinsons, they make you feel so comfortable that you forget all your worries.

The playlist you chose was blasting on the small speaker you had brought to entertain yourselves while waiting for the boys. You were both laughing and jumping around with brushes in your hands, pretending they were microphones and you were having your own little concert with the Spice Girls. You were in the middle of your solo, already lost in the sound of Baby Spice´s voice when the door opened at the same time you were stretching your arm in an improvised dance move, accidentally hitting the person next to you with the heavy brush.

“Ouch!” The boy said as he quickly brought his hand to his nose, trying to make sure it wasn't bleeding.

You covered your mouth immediately and threw the brush into one of the cushions “Oh my- I´m so sorry. I'm so so so so sorry” You soon apologized and went over to him, trying to assess the damages and hoping you didn't break his nose “Are you okay? I really am sorry I didn´t-”

The boy opened his eyes, locking them with yours. You have never seen such an intense stare in your life, it was intriguing, magnetic. You could feel yourself blush, but you didn't know if it was because of the embarrassing situation or because you felt intimidated by those brown eyes.

“Uh.. Yeah” He said blinking when he realized he was staring at you for a little too long “I just wasn't expecting that” He chuckled to ease the tension. He had a beautiful smile, like the kind that's just so welcoming and warm, so you couldn't help but join in his laughter.

Out of the corner of your eye, you could see Lottie trying to hold herself together so she wouldn´t burst into fits of laughter at the scenario playing in front of her. You quickly cleared your throat and asked “Are you sure you are okay? Nothing's broken?”

“Nah, that's just his face” A voice with a thick accent said.

The boy rolled his eyes as you peeked over his shoulders. Leaning into the door frame were three other people, boys of apparently the same age, taller than life and equally amused by his hurt friend. You recognized them immediately (mostly thanks to the color haired boy) They were the opening act. They were 5 Seconds of Summer. And you just hit their bassist on the nose.

“Way to make an impression, Cal” Laughed the boy with the long curly hair. Ashton? or was that Luke?

Calum flipped them off as they made their way into the little room and you felt your cheeks get warmer again. The three of them went to say hi to Lottie, having already met her at the last tour, and started a whole new conversation with her.

“Uhmm, I can go get some ice. If you want?” You asked, feeling a little self conscious now that there were more people in the room.

Calum smiled.

“I´m good, but thanks sweetheart” He winked at you “I´m Calum, by the way” He extended his hand for you to shake.

“Y/N” You said with a smile.

“Beautiful” He said, barely even a whisper before his eyes met yours again and you swore your heart just skipped a beat right there and there.

“Hey, Calum!” Lottie greeted him with a hug “We are starting with you today, okay? Go grab a seat” Calum nodded and sat in front of one of the vanities. Lottie came closer to you and whispered “Talk about a meet cute” She teased.

You rolled your eyes and muttered a “Shut up” before you walked away and started to work with one of the other boys.

This was going to be an interesting first day.

For the next hour or so, you found yourself amazed at the fact of how much you had in common with the Aussie band. You bonded over music, fashion and you laughed at the same dumb jokes, and were genuelly surprised at how grounded they all were. They were just as excited as you for the tour, knowing what big of a chance it was and how lucky they were to be here, just like you. In a matter of minutes you were acting like old friends.

From time to time you would look at Calum over the mirror, only to find that he was already staring at you, flashing you a smile every time your eyes met. He wasn’t much of a chatter like his friends, but he still engaged in every conversation, especially if you were part of it.

When their time at “your office” as Lottie calls it, ended, he was the last one to go out. But before he stepped out the door, he gave one last look at you and said “You’ll be watching our set tonight, right?”

You smiled “Wouldn't miss it”

Calum's smile grew until it almost reached his ears, he muttered a last goodbye before closing the door.

“Well, someone has a crush” You turned around and saw Lottie wiggle her eyebrows in a suggestive way, pressing her lips into a teasing fine line. You just rolled your eyes.

“What are you talking about? He was just being friendly”

“Who was being friendly?” A familiar voice said.

You looked behind you and ran towards the slim figure that just opened the door, pulling him into a hug.

“Louis!” You squealed in excitement, circling your arms around his back as he held tighter to you.

Louis was the closest thing you had to an older brother. Growing up as Lottie’s best friend made you an unofficial member of their family and you loved them all as your own. He was always the life of the party, making jokes, teasing you and sometimes reprimanding you if you messed up. You couldn’t count how many times he took you both for a late night snack or let you hang out with him and his friends when you got bored. He also gave great advice, and you trusted him more than anything (besides Lottie, of course) The day that he went away to chase his dreams was one of the most bittersweet moments of your lives, for one part you were happy for him but you would miss him like crazy.

And now, almost five years later, here you were. The three of you, together again like old times but with a more busy schedule. And you wouldn’t have it any other way.

“Y/N/N! It’s so good to see you, love”

“What? No hug for me?” Said Lottie sarcastically, cocking an eyebrow to his older brother.

“Only if you tell me who was being friendly with Y/N” He said as he let you go and her in for a tight bear hug.

“Who’s being friendly with who?” Someone called out from the door.

The three of you turned around to see Harry leaning onto the door. His brows frowned as his eyes scanned the room until they met yours. If he was surprised to see you there then he didn’t show it. After all, you didn’t get to tell him what you were doing here.

“H!” Lottie gasped in delight as she pushed her brother away and went to hug the curly haired man.

Harry hugged her with the same energy, holding her close and muttering a sweet ‘hello’, just like Louis did with you.

“Oi, mate! Have you met Y/N? The new stylist and best friend anyone could have?” Asked Louis as he put his arm around your shoulder, showing you off like a proud big brother.

Harry looked at you and smiled “Yeah, we ran into each other earlier” He shared a knowing smirk with you and you couldn't help but chuckle a little bit.

“Quite literally, I must say”

He was about to say something when the door opened again, you realized no one here bothered to knock first, apparently. Niall, Liam and Zayn entered the room, ready to get themselves ready before the show. Lottie introduced you to each one of them and immediately started working when she noticed how knotted Niall’s hair was.

The conversations started flowing with ease, all of them genuinely curious to get to know you, convinced that any friend of Louis was a friend of them. They were all very sweet and welcoming, and, just like with the members of 5SOS, you bonded rather quickly. All the nerves you once had easily faded away as you felt more comfortable in this space, more convinced than ever that this was where you were meant to be.

“Oi, what about those pretty eyes you saw earlier, Harold?” Liam’s voice filled the room “Seen them again?”

Harry instantly lifted his gaze to watch his friend through the mirror and shot him a deathly glare “Don't know wha you’re talkin ’bout” He stated.

You could’ve swore he looked your way, just for a moment his green eyes met yours through the mirror. It was quick, almost like a reflex. Maybe you were just imagining things.

“Ooh, does Harry have a crush?” Lottie teased while applying some oils to his curls. He just rolled his eyes “Wouldn’t be the first one to catch feelings in this room”

You snapped your head towards your friend, knowing and dreading what she was going to say next.

“Spill” Said Louis, living for the drama.

“Well…” She started, searching for your face in the mirror. But you quickly averted your eyes, suddenly finding Zayn’s hair very interesting “Let’s just say that one of your Australian mates already started making eyes at our Y/N”

The room filled with “oooohs” and “aaawwws” from all of the boys. All except Harry, who was just staring straight at his reflection with a rather serious look.

You laughed and shook your head “Honestly, Lottie. You are just imagining things”

Staring at the mirror one more time, your eyes quickly met Harry’s green orbs, already staring at you from his seat. You shot him a smile and he returned it as the topic of the conversation changed once again.

Time flew without any of you really noticing it. All the boys were done with their hair and make up, ready to move on to the wardrobe department. Lottie tagged along with Louis, wanting to say hi to a few friends she made last year. You wanted to go too, but a quick glance at your phone made you aware of the time and the promise you had made.

“Oh shoot” You breathed, quickly grabbing your phone from the vanity as you rushed through the door.

“What’s the hurry, love?” Asked Harry, amused at your behavior. You didn’t notice that he was the only person left in the room.

“The show’s about to start and I kinda promise someone that I wouldn’t miss it” You smiled “But, now that I think about it, I don’t even know how to get to the side of the stage!”

Harry got up from his chair, wiping his palms onto his black skinny jeans “I could take you there, but only if you promise to stay there for our set as well”

“What? Are you kidding?” You laughed “You really think I wasn’t planning on doing that already?”

His eyes gleamed with joy at your words and you swore you saw a glimpse of his pink tinted cheeks as he nudged his head and asked you to follow him.

You followed Harry though a complicated mess of halls filled with people running around, making sure that everything was already set to start. You had to admit, he really knew how to navigate, not only on stage but backstage as well, you would’ve gotten lost the moment you stepped outside the door if it weren’t for him.

Once you reached the side of the stage, making sure that you stayed way out of the fans point of view, Harry said he had to go back and change.

“‘S not Ashton, is it?” He asked, just before he turned to leave.

“What?”

“The boy who was a crush on you” He stated, eyes locked to the stage, almost like he was trying too hard not to meet yours “‘s not him, right? Cos I’ve seen him look at my sister and I don’t-“

“Nobody has a crush on me!” You laughed as you rolled your eyes, reminding yourself to kill your friend right after the show. “Lottie was just teasing. Besides, I’m here to work, not to look for a relationship”

Harry nodded, seemingly pleased with your answer, making his way back to the maze called ‘backstage’

You watched him walk away with a soft smile on your face. Harry was not like everyone in the media said he was, and you were glad. You didn’t need more drama in your life, no boyfriends nor toxic relationships. You could feel that this was going to be your safe space, and who knows? maybe when the tour finishes you’ll have a new friend to lean on.

The sound of a guitar riff caught you off guard, pulling your attention away from the black background and into the stage. You could hear the fans go absolutely bonkers as the four Australians came into view, smiling as they took their places on stage.

Sharing one understanding look among each other, Ashton banged his drumsticks together, setting the pace for their first song. The crowd goes wild as they recognize the melody immediately, singing and jumping along the words of a song about a girl friendzoning one of the guys.

They sounded incredible. It was hard to imagine that they were still teenagers like yourself, like most of the people in the crowd, actually. The way they moved on stage was erratic, always walking around and messing with each other as they sang and played their instruments like it was nothing. It was easy to tell that they’ve been friends for a long time now and they feel comfortable with each other, having the most fun up there, seizing every moment like it was their last,

You, on the other hand, found yourself enjoying their set a little too much. Since you’ve never gotten the chance to actually listen to most of their songs before tonight, you were quite surprised at how much fun and kinda edgy they were, making you want to dance and jump like the rest of the fans. So you did. You didn’t care about if people around you were watching, you just let yourself go to the rhythm and enjoyed your night. This was the beginning of your new life, what better way to celebrate it than letting all your worries go while your new favorite band played on stage, just mere meters in front of you.

You were so lost in your own little world, completely immersed in the music, that you didn’t notice the looks Calum gave to you while onstage. Everytime he had the chance, his head spinned towards you, watching with joy as you danced along to their songs. Once you caught his eyes staring at you, you smiled at him and stuck your tongue out, mocking him. He just laughed wholeheartedly, bringing one finger to the side of his nose, the same one you punched a few hours ago. You did the same without questioning it, turning that little gesture into your first inside joke.

The guys played a few more songs before their set ended. Calum came to you as soon as they finished their bows.

“Hey!” He said, still pumped with adrenaline.

He was sweaty, very sweaty. But his energy was contagious as he flashed one of his beautiful smiles to you, eyes shining from excitement.

“You came!”

“Told ya I was going to!” You exclaimed “You guys are amazing!”

“You really think so?” Calum looked like a boy on Christmas, genuinely happy that you like how they sound like “Or are you just being nice because you almost broke my nose?”

“Almost! That’s the key word there” You chuckled “But no, I’m being honest. You killed it tonight!”

Calum’s smile almost reached his eyes, making all of his little dimples pop out as he looked at you softly.

“Hey… Uhm.. I need to get back to our dressing room, Wanna come with me?” He asked, suddenly shy.

“Sure!” You said, making his eyes sparkle “Then we can come back and watch the others perform”

Calum furrowed his eyebrows “Oh, you’re staying for that?” He sounded a little bit disappointed.

“Well, yeah? How could I miss it” You chuckled, but stopped once you saw his expression change “Why? You’re not staying for the whole show?”

“Management doesn’t let us stay long after our set”

You muttered a surprised ‘oh’ That wasn’t fair at all! Why couldn’t they enjoy the show like the rest of you? Or even just stay backstage and do nothing but chill until the show was done? You could see Calum was disappointed in that fact too, it must be a bummer for them not to have the full experience.

“But..” He said smiling, bringing his eyes up to meet with yours again “There is an after party at the hotel later tonight, will I see you there as well?”

You nodded “Of course! I’ll be there”

“Yes! Can’t wait!” He jumped in excitement as he took a step forward and started walking towards the dressing rooms. Not before turning back around and saying “See ya there, Y/N” Putting his finger to the side of his nose and smiling when you did the same.

A few minutes later Lottie showed up beside you, knowing the concert was about to start.

“How did the guys do?” She asked.

“Oh, they were amazing! I don´t know why I´ve never heard of them until a few weeks ago!”

She hummed “Yes, they are pretty good. How was Calum?”

You looked at her confused. Was this going to become a thing now? Couldn't you just have a friend without getting involved in some relationship drama? It was frustrating and it will only end up making things awkward for everyone. It has happened before and you were not ready to experience that again.

She seemed to notice your discomfort and immediately changed the topic. Not wanting to upset you. Clearing her throat she said “Uhm.. the boys really like you”

You snapped your head towards her direction.

“They´ve talked about you a little bit, they all say you are really nice and all the yadah yadah I already know” She smiled “Harry was especially pleased with your work. He says could come and stay with me permanently on the team”

You blushed at his compliment, but before you could even say anything you were interrupted by his voice.

“Straight off the plane to a new hotel..”

The fans go wild. Quite feral, you might add. But you couldn't blame them, not even a little bit. The five boys walking down the runway was truly a sight to behold.

You felt the goosebumps run around your body as the energy grew into something quite impossible to understand. This was it. This was the feeling everyone's been talking about, and now it was your turn to experience it every night.

As the music flew through the stadium. All five of them took over the stage like it was their home, and in some way, it was. They practically grew up there, being in the spotlight since a very young age and stealing the hearts of millions around the world. They were as professionals as they were goofy, always finding an excuse to have fun and tease each other in the middle of the songs and with the public, creating an atmosphere of pure bliss wherever they went on that huge structure in the middle of the stadium.

With every song they sang, Lottie grabbed your arm and started dancing and jumping like it's the first time she heard their music and you did the same, getting completely lost in the feeling, so much so that you didn't even notice how much time had passed and just before you know it, the concert was getting to an end.

When the last song came through, the guys were scattered around the stage, running around as they took in everything they could from this experience. At some point, Harry stood right in front of you, just like Calum did a few hours ago, and while he sang his heart out, his eyes connected with yours. His green eyes sparkled like stars when he met your gaze, only for a second too long before he joined his brothers in the middle of the runway, ready to give one final bow and exit the stage where he came from.

“C´mon!” Said Lottie, pulling you out of your trance “They are going to shower and get ready for the after party. We should get going now, because I am not going to show up there with this outfit!”

You laughed at her and followed her to grab a cab, feeling more than excited for the afterparty.

You walked along the lobby, Lottie right by your side. Both of you clean, fresh and looking hot as hell as you made your way to the venue. To say you were nervous was an understatement, you were downright terrified. This was your first VIP party celebrating, not only your first day, but also the first day of one of the biggest tours of the year.

“Hey,” Lottie calmed you down, placing her little hand on your shoulder. “We did an amazing job today, sweetie. It’s time to celebrate”

You nodded and let out a breath you didn’t know you were holding, trying to calm the stomach ache that your nerves created and opening the door of the hotel club.

You immediately got caught up in the dark atmosphere, flashing colored lights flying around the room and reflecting themselves onto the mirrored dance floor. Out of the corner of your eyes you spotted a few people sitting on the bar stools, some were already on the dance floor and others were just sitting on dark booths pulled against the walls, chilling as they watched the party go by. You recognize some of them, but most of them were strangers, elite people that came to celebrate and wish another successful tour for the boys.

The pressure on your chest became tighter. You grabbed Lottie‘s hand and felt some kind of comfort when she squeezed it for a second, at least you weren’t alone.

“LOTTIE!” Someone called from one of the dark booths. You could recognize Zayn’s thick accent anywhere. With one reassuring look, Lottie pulled your hand and guided you through the sea of people flooding the room.

Once you reached the booth it was easier to identify its occupants. Zayn was sitting next to Louis who, at the same time, was beside Ashton and Luke. You all exchanged your hellos as you took a seat next to Lottie.

“What’d think of the show?” Asked Louis, taming a sip of his beer.

The group started rambling on and on about the different parts of the show, their favorite moments and about the craziest fans they managed to see. You spend quite a bit talking and laughing with the guys, slowly getting more comfortable being there. It’s not like you didn’t enjoy parties at all, on the contrary, you loved them. The problem was that this was new territory, pleasure mixing with your responsibilities and you didn’t want to fuck this up. The sheer thought of that possibility made you feel ill again and you wanted nothing more than to breathe a little air into your lungs before you passed out from overthinking too much.

Scanning the room you spotted a glass door that led to some sort of balcony, you cheered internally “I’ll be right back” You whispered to Lottie, who was having a nice chat with Luke about his bone structure. She looked at you, worried. You smiled at her “I’m just going to get some air, keep talking. I won’t take long”

You almost sprinted to the door, heart racing at the thought of a moment alone to gather yourself. Once the cool air of the night grazed your skin, you felt like you could finally breathe properly. You always felt more like yourself when nighttime arrived, it was complicated to explain but it seemed like the stars could understand you better than anyone. They were your comfort and your confidants, because no matter what, you knew they wouldn't ever leave you alone.

“‘S nice to know ‘m not the only one who needed a break” You heard a familiar voice say next to you.

Harry was standing next to railing, green eyes fixed on you as you took a step closer.

“You’re not having fun?” You asked, resting your elbows on the cold metal of the balcony.

“Parties are all the same after a while,” He said absentmindedly “‘m just really tired”

“Well, that’s understandable. After the night you had? If I were you I would be sleeping until I turned 40!”

Harry laughed and shook his head at your comment “How’s your bum?”

“My what now?”

“Your ass” He said pointing at your backside “From the fall?”

“Oh! It’s fine, just a little bruised up. Which is surprising since I expected a lot worse from being run over by a six foot man”

He smiled “‘m sorry, love. If it makes you feel better I got my ass handed to me by a six foot five man right after that”

“Yeah, that does make me feel better” You chuckled, looking at the sky again “Still can’t believe I’m here”

Harry came closer to you, his arm barely inches from yours. You didn’t notice as he studied your face carefully, almost like he was trying to remember every detail “‘s like a dream, isn’t it?”

“It truly is. I-“ You turned your face to him, only to find his way closer than you remember “Is everything alright, Harry?”

He hummed, distancing himself from you as he laid his back to the railing “Just thinking”

“About?”

“That I might actually enjoy the parties if you’re around”

You were about to return the compliment when you heard the glass door open with a ferocious amount of force.

“Y/N!” Lottie yelled from the insides of the party “Get your little perky arse in here! They’re playing our song!”

You knew better than to say no to that. So you laughed as you made your way back inside, but not before saying bye to Harry.

“I’ll come and find you soon” He said with a dashing smile.

“As long as you don’t throw me to the ground, then that’s okay”

You grabbed Lottie’s hand and she pulled you over to the dance floor, not wasting any time before she started moving along to the song blasting from the stereos, you joined her almost instantly.

At that moment, you didn’t care who saw. You were having the time of your life dancing with your best friend in a party celebrating your new life. Your new beginning. Yes, you were scared. But why be scared now? Why don’t just enjoy the moment? Life’s too short to be moping around hypotheticals. Right now, you wanted to dance.

And you did, for five more songs you let all your worries go down the drain. Tonight you were living the dream and you silently promised yourself to cherish every moment like it’s the last one, no time for worries nor fears. Just fun.

“Ugh! I need a wee!” Lottie called over the music.

“I’m gonna grab some water!” You said to her before each of you made your way to your own destinations.

Once you reached the bar, you tried and failed to get the bartender’s attention. Them being to worried about the other clients waiting for a line of shots at the other side of the bar.

Wanting to rest your feet for a while, you decided to sit up on one of the tall stools they had, trying to catch your breath after that intense dance workout you just had. Your eyes began to wander across the room again out of curiosity, you wanted to know what your friends were up to at the moment.

You quickly found Liam and Niall on the dance floor, trying to copy some choreography they probably saw online and failing miserably while doing so. Louis, Zayn and Ashton were still at the booth, they were laughing hard at something that Josh had said, making Louis spill his drink onto the table. You scanned the room a little bit more, pretending like you were in a game of ‘Where’s Waldo?’ Without looking for anyone in particular. That’s when your eyes met Calum’s.

He was sitting at the other end of the bar, eyes already fixed at you when you met them. When he noticed you were staring, he quickly shot you a smile and brought his finger to the side of his nose, remembering your secret greeting from earlier. You smiled back and did the same, beckoning him to come talk to you.

He was by your side in a second

“Hey you!” He said excitedly “Was wondering where you went”

“I was just dancing with Lottie a few minutes ago” You pointed out the dance floor.

“Oh I know, hard to keep the eyes from ya” He smiled “Looks like karaoke is not your only talent”

“Oh shut up!” You laughed as you playfully punched him in the arm “I could still break your nose, you know?”

“I’m completely aware, darling. Wouldn’t mind it if you did, though”

You rolled your eyes at him “Are you having fun?”

“I am now”

You laughed again and Calum swore he had never listened to such a beautiful sound before. His brown eyes met yours again, trying to communicate everything you needed to know with just one gaze, just one moment. He was never a man of many words, but he hoped that this would be enough.

“So..” You said, trying not to get lost in his stare but failing miserably as you felt how his dark eyes took you in “What’ve you been doing, if you weren’t having fun?”

Calum smiled and shook his head “Trying to get Michael and Luke out of trouble-“

“CALUM” A voice was heard from across the room, probably Luke’s

“Like I said…” He pointed behind you at the two young men on the dance floor next to Liam and Niall, trying to balance some beer bottles onto Niall’s quiff “Cal! Come here!”

Calum sighed “I better go see what they’re doing”

“Make sure they don’t hurt themselves, I certainly don’t want to deal with covering them with make up tomorrow if they end up cutting their faces off” You joked.

“I’ll take that into account” He chuckled “I’ll find you later, Y/N” Calum said, turning around to their friends.

After a while, you decided to go over the booth and hang out with Louis, not wanting to be alone on a stool bar any longer.

“I can see you’re having fun, aren’t ya, love?” He said, putting his arm around your shoulder in a brotherly kind of way.

“I am, in fact. Thank you for asking”

“Been a bit flirty from what I can see as well, haven’t ya?”

You looked at him. He had a smug smile on his face, one brow raising teasingly as he waited for your answer. What did he mean by that?

“Uhm.. what? I haven’t been flirting with anyone” You state, confused by his question.

“Yeah? Do they know that?” Louis said, pointing behind you.

You turned your head to where he was pointing and you could see Calum and Harry, both coming from different sides of the room each one with two drinks in their hands, approaching the booth. Both of their eyes were fixed on you as they walked closer and closer, until they stopped completely in front of you.

It seemed like only then did they acknowledge each other, as they comically turned their heads to their side, looked down at each other’s drinks and then lifted their gaze to meet again face to face, mirroring each other’s movements and expressions.

“Guess you got a handful there, love” Louis whispered in your ear.

Oh, boy.

Part 2

#harry styles #calum hood #one direction #5 seconds of summer #harry styles imagine #calum hood imagine #entangled series #suchalonelysunflower #5sos #5sosfam #1d #fanfic #calum fic #harry fic #harry styles fanfiction #calum hood fanfiction #calum 5sos #harry 1d #harry styles one direction #calum hood 5 seconds of summer #harry styles x reader #calum hood x reader #love triangle #requested #h.s imagine #c.h imagine #calum hood series #harry styles series #5 sos imagine #one direction imagine

[antaradimensi]

I don't travel a lot, I love to stay at home, doing my hobbies. Travel to new places brings me anxiety, feeling excited but I don't feel comfortable at the same time when it comes to traveling outside this city. Even I used to go to malls and places alone.

Anyway, to be honest, I always want to go somewhere beyond Earth, moon, or mars, but it's impossible as long as I'm in this human body. I want to go somewhere to see another civilization outside the earth. Also, I want to travel to places I know in the fiction book I read.

But yeah, it's beyond my imagination. Let's talk about 5 places I want to visit on earth:

1) Medina, UAE

I saw my mom’s and dad’s photos at Medina when they went to Umrah 10 years ago. Even it is only a photo I can feel the calming atmosphere in Medina. I saw many videos on youtube too. I don't know, Madina feels like home to me. I love to hear Prophet Muhammad’s story at Medina too.

2) Tokyo, Japan

When I was in Junior High School I like a boyband named Arashi, and almost all the movies, songs, and series I consumed are from Japan Entertainment Industry. I learn Japanese in high school and took a Japanese class in the 4th semester at college. I still have an interest in Japan in general. Not only Tokyo, the city that never sleeps, but I also want to visit a city like Karuizawa and Osaka.

3) New York, USA

I read many novels with NYC settings. Movies, series, I can't count how many of them make me want to visit New York. The library, Train, Buildings, University, Central Park, I think I want to visit all of them. I want to see how Newyorkers fight for their life every day. Working on their dream.

4) Auschwitz concentration camp, Poland

I want to visit this concentration camp after I watched XMen Movies and read The Diary of Anne Frank. I want to feel the atmosphere. How humans can do this cruel thing to each other, feeling superiority while they are still the same, the stardust in this universe. I watch many documentaries and some interviews with holocaust survivors. And it always breaks my heart how they separate and lose their family one by one.

5) Pryp'yat, Ukraine

I watch some videos on Youtube about abandoned places and since I watch Chernobyl series on HBO I found this place interesting. The radiation is still there but this city is opened for public (with limitation) since 2011. I want to go to abandoned amusement park that didn’t have a chance to opened (planned to open on May 1st but cherynobyl disaster happened on April 26th) I like to taking a walk and thinking about what happened years ago.

PS: Honestly I have 6 places I want to visit but I’m not sure about the last one. To go to Machu Picchu, people need to hiking, and I am kinda not sure if I can walk that far.

Machu Picchu, Peru

Well, I want to go to Machu Picchu because I read Supernova Series that have a setting in Peru. And I don’t know why, this place really got my attention, spiritually. I haven’t watched or searched about this place a lot but still… This place has a special place in my heart. It keeps calling me like Medina.

#30dayswritingchallenge

[immortalpramheda]

The 100 7x08 ‘Anaconda’

Clarke, Raven and Miller are still reeling from the news that Bellamy is dead. There’s no time to mourn because Anders brings the Shepherd in to see them. Clarke vaguely recognises him - Bill Cadogan, founder of the Second Dawn cult who owned the bunker that Wonkru spent six years in.

The key they keep referring to is the Flame. From only seeing a selected bunch of Octavia’s memories they believe Clarke still has it in her head. Gabriel gives her hints to play along and pretend it’s still in there.

Bill understands Trig because it was his daughter who created the language when she was a child. If the language is still around it means she must have survived to pass it on. And that transitions us into the prequel.

Pre-apocalypse Earth - right before the bombs hit. We meet Bill’s daughter, Callie, and her best friend, Lucy. They’ve just come back from protesting as part of an environmentalist group called ‘Tree Crew’. A news report says a protest against the Wallace Administration (presumably run by Dante’s father) went wrong when the riot police got violent - Callie got bruises and Lucy got a cut that required stitches.

Callie’s mother, Grace, and Bill are separated. Callie is now eighteen and has decided to drop out of MIT college and spend her time fighting for what is right. Her brother, Reese, is allied with their father and his doomsday cult.

Anaconda. The code word that means the missiles are in the air. Grace knows this isn’t a drill and they need to leave now. As Lucy isn’t a Level 12, she can’t come with them. Before Callie knows what’s happening, her mother knocks Lucy out and they head to the bunker in a helicopter as the bombs begin to hit.

Reese is leading people in and checking that they are actually Level 12. A young man named August desperately tries to get back up to his girlfriend, who isn’t a Level 12. Tristin, a young man also loyal to the cult, knocks him out.

Bill is working on the Anomaly Stone in his office. He stole it from underneath a temple in Machu Picchu and they call it the ‘space ball’. On the temple were seven symbols, and as it takes seven points to travel through space, he believes putting the correct code in will open up a portal to another world. But… nothing happens when he puts it in.

Only 92 percent of the Level 12’s Made it to the bunker in time meaning there is still room for more people. Callie wants to go and bring more people in but her father forbids it because they’re not Level 12.

She goes off anyway and finds August, who wants to get out too to get to his girlfriend. It turns out he’s a member of Tree Crew too.

Reese refuses to let anyone open the hatch. He’s trying so hard make his father proud that he’s willing to go along with these things that surely he knows are wrong. But he sticks by his father and doesn’t allow Callie to go out.

Two years later. They’re now allowed above ground with radiation suits on. Callie, Reese, Tristan and a few others are out on a mission. Just as they’re about to head back, they see a ship fall from the sky. BECCA!!! She lands and takes her mask off and says she’s here to help. Callie immediately recognises who she is.

They take her into the bunker. Tristan begins convulsing, he was exposed to radiation. Becca injects him with the nightblood serum to save him.

As they get close to Bill’s office, Becca begins hearing a high pitched sound and her nose starts bleeding. When the Stone is uncovered, she realises it’s coming from there. Harmonic mathematics, she describes it as. It tells her which symbols to press with the final one being infinity symbol. And then the bridge opens.

Becca won’t allow them to go through. They don’t know the science yet, for all they know they’ll die on the journey. She offers to give them all the blood treatment so they can all live above ground while she continues studying it, but Bill won’t allow it.

Callie gets along with Becca very well. She’s always idolised her since she was young. She asks about the scar on her neck and Becca tells her about ALIE 2.0 which she calls the ‘Flame’.

Becca discovers seven of the symbols on the Stone have no sounds. She tries pressing them and the space ball spins and then turns white and she’s sucked into it. When Bill walks in she returns and she’s frightened. She says she saw ‘Judgement Day’ and they’re not ready for that. She’s extremely traumatised by whatever she saw in there and wants to shut it down.

Bill locks Becca up because he doesn’t trust her to not to destroy what could be their salvation. Callie believes she was sent here to help them rebuild the Earth, not help them jump to another. But Bill with his god complex believes he’ll be the one to save them all, not her.

Reese has found Becca’s diary and knows about the Flame. Before she is to be executed, Callie visits her and informs her she’s given the nightblood, as August has named it, to all the kids in the bunker.

Becca refuses to give up the AI and allow Bill to get the code. ‘Goodbye for now’ in latin is the phrase to take the Flame out. The AI can only be merged with someone with the blood alteration and she wholeheartedly believes that in the right mind, it can save the world.

Becca is burned at the stake and Reese takes the Flame. Callie and her army of nightbloods confront him. She challenges her brother to a one on one duel. She has a gun and shoots him, grabs the Flame and injects him with nightblood.

Callie tells her mother they’re heading up to the ground and she helps slam the door of the airlock shut allowing her daughter and her army get to the ground.

Bill tosses his ex-wife, who doesn’t have the blood alteration, into the air lock. She’ll die of radiation soon enough. He orders Reese to find the Flame no matter what it takes.

As Callie leads her people, the first Grounders, to their new home, Bill leads his people, the Disciples, through the bridge where they end up on Bardo at some point. Callie is determined to keep the Flame safe. She is the first Flamekeeper.

Back in the present, Clarke lies and says his daughter is inside the key. But she’s not willing to just hand it over, he killed her best friend and she orders for her other friends to be brought in.

As requested, in come Octavia, Diyoza and Echo, who now look like Disciple soldiers. The final war is coming.

Soon enough they’ll find out she doesn’t have it in her head anymore so I don’t know how long she’ll be able to bluff her way along. And she only had it very briefly and didn’t retain that any of that knowledge as far as we know, but there is someone who is drawing memories that are not her own. Madi may actually be the key.

I really loved this episode! I’ve always loved the history and mythology of this world so this was everything I could have hoped for! And I always love seeing more Becca! Callie is a great lead character, and I really liked the other characters too. I don’t feel like it took away from the season at all, this is information we needed to know going into the final episodes anyway. I do hope it gets picked up for series because I’d love to see more!

#the 100 #the 100 7x08 #anaconda #the 100 season 7 #the 100 recap #the 100 review #t100recap

[nickburn]

Thoughts on the Oculus Quest and VR after One Week

Last week, I obtained an Oculus Quest, fulfilling a goal I had for this year of buying my first VR headset. I’ve been really interested in VR for years, and now feels like a great time to get into it, if you have the dough. Since I’m still fairly uncomfortable with traveling, I figured a headset would allow me to escape to faraway lands from the comfort of my studio apartment. The Quest in particular was enticing because, unlike most powered headsets, it doesn’t require a tether to an expensive PC or console. Now that I’ve had some time with it to explore the headset and some apps, I’d like to talk through my first impressions here.

The Oculus Quest

I got the 64 GB Oculus Quest through Amazon for $400, and I feel like it’s important to say that upfront. I recognize it’s a privilege just to be able to afford something like this right now, let alone have a decent job that allows for it. VR is not as cheap as it should be yet, but I think it will be within the next five years or so. 

64 GB is plenty so far, and I can’t see the size limit becoming a problem for a while. Maybe once more premium apps like Half-Life Alyx hit the Quest I’ll regret it, but for now I’m totally happy with the smaller hard drive. The controllers are super comfortable and responsive, though figuring out left from right takes some getting used to, especially with something blocking your vision. But it’s easy enough once you realize that the second trigger is on the inside of the controller, so the wrong orientation will feel awkward. The device and controllers are very portable, if awkward to transport because of their shape and fragility. I expect I’ll have to purchase a carrying case for them sooner or later, but for now a backpack has sufficed.

The headset itself is truly a wonder. The four cameras on the front can create a live black and white feed of your surroundings so you don’t bump into things if you walk with it on, and they can even track just your hands for additional control options (currently in beta). The straps allow for easy size adjustments, and they’re tough enough that I don’t feel like they’ll wear down any time soon. There’s a slider for the lenses to adjust your viewing angle if things still look blurry, and the lenses themselves blend nicely into your vision, so you truly feel like you’re in another place with the headset on and running. The built-in speakers only heighten this effect, providing a surround sound experience in a small package. There are headphone jacks on the sides of the headset as well, but I haven’t had cause to use them yet.

The hub interface experience is fairly smooth, and you can choose your background environment for it from several thematic choices. Getting around the menus is easy enough, but it can be hard to know what to look for or even where to start. There are a few free demos, but after that you’re on your own to discover what’s best for you. Since VR is still so new to most people, I would like a little more guidance there, but I’m enjoying the process of discovering things for myself too. One nice thing is every game is listed with a comfort rating, so you know which are likely to give you motion sickness and which are basically 3D movies.

Beat Saber

It’s no secret Beat Saber is one of the most successful VR games so far, and it lives up to the hype. It’s a rhythm game where you have to slash at different colored blocks with the corresponding saber, in time with the music and in the right direction. You also dodge obstacles on occasion, either by leaning or ducking. This sounds simple, but it allows for a ton of different patterns and complexity. The best levels have really satisfying sequences to perform, and it does almost feel like conducting or drumming along with the music. The main campaign is surprisingly lengthy and difficult. At one point, it starts to require you to go against your instincts and mess up songs on purpose in order to not let your combo go above a certain number or to hit a required number of misses. I’m sure they were added to give the game some more mechanical depth, but I’m not sure they’re necessary. Fortunately, there’s also a solo mode and leaderboard where you can play any song you have access to on any difficulty you like. I haven’t bought more songs yet, but I suspect I will before long. Overall, this is an easy game to recommend and a must-play for anyone with access to VR.

The Climb

I’m a novice rock climber who hasn’t been able to go to a gym since March, so this game caught my eye. It gives you the experience of free soloing (climbing tall, long routes without a harness or other people) and bouldering (climbing very short but difficult routes, which is the style I prefer in real life). So far, I’ve only tried the tutorial, and I’m still working up the courage to go back. The game gives me a lot of vertigo and kind of freaks me out, as your character screams for their life whenever you fall (which, in the tutorial at least, will happen often as you learn the controls). Falling is a very real part of climbing, but if you’re doing it right, you should never get hurt. Free soloing is only really attempted by the most expert climbers, and even many of them die in their attempts. A better way to experience it though is through the Free Solo 360 VR documentary by National Geographic, which is free on the app store and thrilling to watch, just like the regular doc. I’m sure I’ll go back to this game soon, but I’m not sure how long it’ll take me to get used to falling in VR.

National Geographic VR

This game is very cute and allows you to play the part of a National Geographic photographer in Machu Picchu and Antarctica. So far I’ve only started the Machu Picchu route, but I really like it. Your producers tasks you with getting different shots, and you have several locations to choose from in each area. Not very deep, but the views are great.

Job Simulator

In Job Simulator, you play a boring, everyday employee for sentient, floating robot TV’s in a few different roles, and it’s awesome. There’s tons of physics objects to play with, which is definitely one of my favorite parts of VR. The writing is clever, the world is cartoon-like and inviting, and it’s much better than actual work. This is another game I’d strongly recommend for VR beginners like myself.

Netflix VR

As weird as it sounds, I like Netflix in VR. The TV in the environment seems much larger than the one I own in real life, so it feels bigger even though it’s virtual. I like the cabin setting and atmosphere, and it beats staring at my apartment walls. I was able to watch several episodes of Death Note in a row pretty easily, although the headset does start to feel heavy after a while. I wouldn’t say this is the ideal way to stream TV by any means, but it’s worth a try as a fun distraction.

Other Odds and Ends

I’ve dabbled with various other apps and games so far, as one does when one acquires a new electronic toy. I started the tutorial of Vader Immortal Episode 1, and it has you deflecting lasers and slashing robots just like a Jedi, so I’m excited to start that game properly. I was able to hook up my headset to my PC in order to try Google Earth, and it’s great. I don’t think my PC will be able to handle much else, however, so I’m thinking about upgrading it relatively soon. It is nice to know, though, that all you need to make the connection now is a USB 2.0/3.0 to USB-C cable. Until May, you had to buy a special $80 cable directly from Oculus, so I’m glad they removed that barrier. I still feel weird about Superhot in VR. I’ve tried it once before, and the demo still felt awkward to me this time. You have to be so precise in Superhot that dodging bullets while attacking and moving becomes really strenuous, and I don’t think the game really accommodates that well. 

Next Steps

All that said, I’m looking forward to digging into all the games I’ve only touched the surface on as well as exploring new things. I’ll try to continue to document my thoughts here so you can all share in my journey with me. I’m coming to realize that VR time is separate from my regular gaming time, in that the experience is totally different. It’s not a replacement for the games I own already; it’s an expansion on a medium and still very new. But there’s something very freeing and magical about VR that comes with the masking of the senses and trickery that the headset provides. Very soon, within the next three to five years even, I think it’ll be much more commonplace.

Thank you for reading if you got this far! And let me know what comments or questions you have here or on Twitter. :)

#vr #oculus quest #video games #vacation ideas #beat saber #job simulator

[traveland-peru]

Traveling Through Peru

Peru is one of the most popular countries to travel around in South America for the great diversity and culture that Peru has as well as unforgettable destinations .

Travelers spend months backpacking Peru. People flock here to hike the Inca Trail and see Machu Picchu. Vacationers devour their way through the incredible food scene of Lima.

But, while those areas of the country get the most attention, the entire country is incredible and has a ton of things to see and do.

Come explore the jungles, see the Amazon, head to Lake Titicaca, or to the beaches in the north. Learn about the local indigenous culture, try the coca tea, and practice your Spanish. Eat your way through Lima!

There is a lot to do when you travel in Peru.

You can easily spend a month or more here!

Thankfully traveling around Peru is also very inexpensive. You don’t need a lot of money to visit here (even if you do the Inca trail). You get a lot of bang for your buck whether you backpack Peru or just come for a two-week trip!

Use this travel guide to plan your next trip to Peru and get the low down on what to do, my suggestions on where to stay, how to save money, and much more!

Other Things to See and Do in Peru

Hike the Inca Trail

Getting to Machu Picchu is best via the famed Inca Trail passing through different archaeological centers and the Inca quarry . This multi-day 26-mile (43 kilometers) hike allows you to see the mountains, jungles, and follow the route the Incas used to take. It is a truly spectacular hike, but it is certainly challenging and you may suffer from altitude sickness. There are two ways to do this hike: you can sign up to be part of an organized tour, or you can hire your own private guide. You cannot hike the trail independently. Tours start around 2,165 PEN ($650 USD) though you will want to spend money and invest in a reliable, reputable company. Recommended companies are listed at the end of the page.

Machu Picchu

Currently, this Inca jewel is one of the tourist centers of the country. Travelers come to Aguas Calientes to start the Inca route that Hiram Bingham, the Yale professor, popularized at the beginning of the 20th century. The Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu is considered one of the seven new wonders of the modern world and has been declared a World Heritage Site in 1983. Unmissable !!

Visit the Islas Flotantes de los Uros

The Floating Islands of the Uros may sound like an Indiana Jones title but it is actually the name of the group of handmade islands in Lake Titicaca. The Islands are home to the indigenous Uros people who have built their own houses, islands and boats from the tortora reeds which grow along the banks of the lake. This is an extremely touristy site and is a bit exploited as such, so it’s not for everyone.

Surf at Máncora Beach

Seafood, watersports, horse riding and relaxation are the order of the day at this popular beach resort. Máncora is one of the finest beaches in South America and its year-round sunshine and huge waves also make it Peru’s surfing Mecca. Prices here can be expensive December to March so it’s best to book in advance.

Step back through time at Batán Grande

Batán Grande is an archaeological site comprised of 50 pyramids and tombs, which are thought to date back to between 100-1000 AD. This site was once the Sicán capital and has had its fair share of impressive pre-Columbian artifacts recovered over the years – for example, a gold Tumi weighing almost seven pounds which was recovered from one of the royal tombs.

Discover Cuzco

This colonial city is a major tourist destination and sits on Inca-built stone foundations not far from Peru’s major attraction of Machu Picchu. The area is popular with trail walkers, history lovers, and party-goers who come to enjoy the city’s many colorful festivals. Cuzco is the undisputed archaeological capital of the Americas and an essential part of your trip to Peru. Be sure to visit Coricancha and Sacsayhuaman during your visit. For great food, head to Green Point.

Get Your Amazon Fix in Iquitos

Accessible only by boat or plane, jungle-locked Iquitos is the largest city within the Peruvian rainforest. The city sits at the mouth of the Amazon and so is the perfect destination for fans of eco-tourism. The nearby Pacaya Samiria National Reserve is Peru’s largest Reverse and at two million hectares, it is home to a huge range of nearly 1000 birds, mammals, fish, and reptiles.

Sandboard in Huacachina

This little town is a desert oasis Huacachina and a welcome relief after hiking through Machu Picchu. It’s very affordable for travelers looking to relax and are running out of funds. Hostels offer great deals for sandboarding and sandbuggies around the dunes that surround this idyllic town. Sandboarding costs about 50 PEN ($15 USD) and you don´t have to book in advance. There is also a lagoon surrounded by palm trees here too. You can rent a rowboat to go around. A half-hour trip costs around 5 PEN ($1.50) per person.

See penguins in Paracas

Paracas is in the south of Peru and is sometimes called the “Poor Man’s Galapagos” for its impressive wildlife: thousands of birds, as well as large sea lion and penguin populations, live along the water. You can visit the Paracas National Reserve via an organized boat tour. Be sure to go early (around 8 am). A full day organized tour of Paracas includes a boat trip to the Islas Ballestas and a bus trip around the national reserve in the afternoon. It cost about 115 PEN ($34 USD).

Walk through the White City

Arequipa is a beautiful city with a historical center that was constructed primarily from volcanic ash from the nearby volcanoes. Come to visit the gorgeous Santa Catalina Monastery, see a frozen Inca mummy, or just to take in the city’s architecture over a glass of wine in the main square.

Hike in Huaraz

Not to be confused with Juarez in Mexico, Peru’s Huaraz is a great (and perfectly safe) destination for adventure-seekers. The mountains here are stunning, and there are fantastic multi-day trek options for those looking for some outdoor activity.

Go to El Parque de las Aguas

This park in downtown Lima has a beautiful water fountain and is open from 3-10:30 pm, Tuesday-Sunday. There’s an amazing light show at night too! It costs 4 PEN ($1.20 USD) to get into. You’ll find a lot of events hosted here and it’s a popular place with dog owners.

Visit Chachapoyas

This region lies in the Andean mountains and is home to the Chachapoya civilization that lived there between 500 and 1432. Today, you can visit Kuelap, the fortified city at known as “The Machu Picchu of the North”. Be sure to also visit Gocta, a beautiful waterfall that is one of the highest in the world. You can get there by taking a tour from Chachapoyas.

Visit Trujillo

Head to Trujillo, the second oldest Spanish city in Peru. While here, visit the archaeological site of Chan Chan, the world’s biggest adobe city ever built. It was built by the Chimu civilization that live before the Incas from 850 and 1534. Be sure to also visit Huanchaco, a small fishing town directly on the beach.

See Rainbow Mountain

Chances are you’ve seen these colorful mountains on social media. Over the past few years, Rainbow Mountain has become a huge tourist draw. Day trips and multi-day hikes are available from Cusco, usually starting around 135 PEN per person. There is also an “Alternative” Rainbow Mountain if you want to beat the crowds!

Hike the Salkantay

If you want an alternative to the busy Inca Trail, try hiking the Salkantay. It sees a fraction of the tourists and is half the price of the Inca Trail — but just as stunning! There aren’t as many ruins but there are epic mountain views and summits of up to 5,200m!

[corinthbayrpg]

NAME. Ana Cavallero AGE & BIRTH DATE. 564 & August 9th, 1456 GENDER & PRONOUNS. Female & She / Her SPECIES. Vampire OCCUPATION. Lounge Singer at Hypnos FACE CLAIM. Nathalie Kelley

BIOGRAPHY

( tw: death, murder ) The dawn of the Inca Empire might still be considered one of the greatest historical feats of all time, let alone the early fifteenth century. Rising in the Peruvian highlands as if eternally destined for greatness, Machu Picchu had already been successfully constructed by the time a young woman bore her first child in 1456. Within what would eventually become Lima, Peru, Nayra came into existence. No surname, they simply hadn’t been concocted yet, but she was rightfully gathered by her Ayllu as a member of the larger community as a whole. They say that it takes a village to raise a child and the Incan people most certainly adhered to that sentiment.

By the time she reached her tenth year, Nayra garnered favor with the elite due to her beauty and was selected for removal from her family to become an Aclla Cuna, or Virgin of the Sun. An honor above all else, chosen as a servant to the sun god and tribute of the state. They locked her away in a temple to train and instruct, to mold their perfect chosen woman, and in that time she did not witness daylight for nearly six years as she and the other girls were placed under impossible scrutiny. Yet it was a blessing and she did not sour in these conditions, more than prepared to accept her role however the prominent leaders deemed fit: as wife to a nobleman, priestess of the empire, or a worthy human sacrifice to the gods. Perhaps all three.

Upon becoming ordained as a priestess, the state opted to marry her off into a dynastic union with a young nobleman who had proven himself exceptionally loyal to the emperor and whose first wife had passed in the year prior due to sudden illness. Despite their arranged union, Nayra and her husband were wedded rather blissfully for many years. They bore no children, which might have been grounds for their marriage to dissolve, however the pair grew quite fond of one another’s company and did not mind their misfortune. Her husband would not risk the loss of another wife and Nayra discovered that her additional time made way for further ventures into weaving and religious rituals.

Yet even the most peaceful of arrangements could not last for eternity and a disagreement between her husband and an advisor to the emperor led to the swirling of untruths, rumors spread by the offended party as he instilled a detriment to her partner’s reputation. The crimes leveled before him included an assortment of minor infractions, with the most prominent being crimes against the empire itself and even Nayra: laziness, adultery, and massive theft. The punishment for the one accused of such claims? Public execution through the lost art of cliff-tossing. Their society held a no tolerance policy for any transgressions, which set forth low criminal activity and one unjustly murdered man.

The resulting position as a widow devastated Nayra, who faithfully believed that she and her husband shared such a deeply honest connection and it now became irreparably severed. No one would assist the former wife of a supposed lawless criminal, and the state refused to sanction a second marriage due to her barren womb, leaving the priestess alone and withdrawn. Inevitably, the grief manifested into an unspeakable rage and she desired nothing more than revenge for her loss and humiliation, but was uncertain how to gain it without succumbing to the same circumstances. She prayed to her sun god for guidance, but pleas fell upon emptiness and her faith wilted alongside them. The following year she met with an ostracized healer in the capital, desperate for some variation of respite from her own fury and dreams of vengeance. Half anticipating that the other would report her animosity to those in command, she discovered herself curiously surprised when the medicine woman instructed that she wait beyond the city’s edge for the one who came at night. The enemy of the sun god, the man who only walked in darkness.

She saw him arrive after the last light fell beneath the trees–– only one, but he seemingly stalked the grounds of the capital in search of those who were wandering alone. From first glance she knew him to be wicked and predatory, yet Nayra approached without reluctance. Amused at her bravery and intrigued by the offering of her knowledge regarding what lay untouched in the temples, the unholy one who called himself Hektor agreed to a widow’s request. Taking her to unconsecrated ground, she became a vrykolakas that very night and upon waking from her untimely death, knew that the transformation could only be completed once her loosest end became tied. Nayra returned to the mystical healer and fed upon her blood, stealing one mortal life for an eternity of her own depravity… The guards and statesman who destroyed her life never anticipated the nightmare she unleashed upon them under the following moons.

From that moment onward, well over 50 years passed in a blur during which she spent most of her nights stalking the villages along the coast of Peru and stealing away unsuspecting stragglers before continuing on to the next. Devastation and bloodshed were left in her wake, chalked up to demonic entities or even animal attacks by the locals; humanity never truly changes, does it? Eventually she began to migrate north through what would become the lower half of Central America before finally arriving in Acapulco, Mexico. A trade route had been established here, enormous vessels docked from far off lands and it was one evening as she lay in wait for the emerging merchants and sailors to de-board that she saw him. Ramil.

Fully intending to steal him away and satiate a bloodlust which never quieted, instead Nayra spared the life of this strange man whose skin ran too hot and whose smile echoed with a kindness unfamiliar to her cruelty. Over time, their bond grew quite extensive and once both were fully exhausted by the shaded nature of their union under the cover of darkness and pretense, they opted to migrate north in search of a solution.

For a century, the duo meandered their way along the various villages and settlements until they reached what would inevitably become the southeast United States, but was only known in this time as New Spain. There they assisted in changing each other’s titles to something with a modern twist. Not because they found their given names to be shameful, but the pair knew this cover would assist in their deception amongst the scattered Spanish outposts. Thus they became Lucas and Ana Cavallero, donning a mutual last name despite their lack of conventional marriage. A ring was placed upon her left hand by someone who revealed himself as not quite human, but not quite something else either. Certainly as immortal as Ana, yet Lucas refused to divulge his species. She did not inquire any further, too blissfully happy to shatter their shared illusion.

A small coven of mystics gathered near to their village, those later known as witches, with whom her love bartered for a transformation of her ring. To walk in the sunlight once more had long since become a fantasy of Ana’s, yet these powerful beings made it into a reality. With the ability to exist in normalcy granted, she foolishly believed that they might stay in this life forever and ride out the impending centuries in their new world. Unfortunately, eternity preferred to remain elusive. The pair only enjoyed a bit over a century together in total when her kind, mysterious husband was destroyed as retribution for one of the countless misdeeds accumulated from Ana’s past.

At her lover’s final request, she fled the scene without a gruesome fight, choking upon the knowledge that he so willingly sacrificed himself for her unworthy life. Practically widowed again and sent spiraling into oblivion over the agony of witnessing slaughtered love for a second time, Ana never fully recovered without the closure of vindication. Her harrowing escape that evening landed the vampire along the gold coast of California where she remained for several centuries before migrating to Europe in the latter half of the 1900s. Every positive facet of her personhood lost to boundless time and apathy, she spent far too many decades wrapped in violence whilst compelling others out of money and resources to supply her own selfish desires. Now a resident of Corinth Bay for two years, Ana has built a comfortable life for herself and holds little intention of ceasing her malevolent ways.

PERSONALITY

+ versatile, charismatic, vigilant - chaotic, scheming, duplicitous

PLAYED BY MARTY. PST. She/Her.

#marty

[mackinnonkruse]

The Greatest Guide To inca trail machu picchu

Pues no fue fácil, ya que primero tuvimos que sentirnos bien con la altura ya que le afecto un poco a mi Esposa, pero eso no fue un problema para que se lleve a cabo nuestros planes. Por suerte encontramos a Orange Country, una Agencia muy profesional y sobretodo responsable. Orange Country se encargó de todo para que mi viaje sea el mejor, nos ofrecieron el tour de (Cusco- Machu Picchu) de dos días. Me encantó la concept ya que no nos despatchedíamos muy bien así que el primer día visitamos el Famoso Valle Sagrado de los Incas, un Lugar muy tranquilo y lleno de tradición donde podrás contemplar la naturaleza y también hermosas vistas de los diferentes pueblos que se encuentran en el camino. Apparently, Huayruro refers to a small tree which has crimson and black seeds, colors that are generally observed on the ponchos of porters from Ollantaytambo. Because of this, porters from this place in many cases are referred to as Huayruros. Then the walk will resume until the Intipunku - Machu Picchu. That working day the tourist will not likely check out the Inca city, but will descend on to the city of Aguas Calientes to invest the night in a neighborhood accommodation. Lastly, day 2 are going to be solely destined to tour Machu Picchu. This route need to be adopted which has a tourism agency. The expense of the tour is around three hundred or four hundred US dollars per individual. We did the standard 4 working day Inca trail hike & it exceeded our now substantial anticipations. Our guide Jhony was super proficient and friendly and aided to make a bond in between our team with the very starting. The second 1 is that the climbing on Inca Trail needs to be created by way of a journey company, it is possible to not do the climbing by you.  Because of this, we advise you 3 crucial pieces of advice: Cusco, having said that, is by now at higher altitude (3,400m) so for those who traveling in from sea level it is rather most likely that you're going to working experience moderate altitude sickness indicators after you arrive. As you are able to see, It can be a smart idea to pack gentle to your hike. Even though it is genuine that porters will have almost all of the factors, Remember the fact that you are going to sweat a whole lot. Anyone will ultimately sweat, Even though you provide four pairs of garments. When renting a camping tent or renting a backpack from Orange Nation, you're renting camping equipment and backpacking. Travelling with us will usually feel like likely with friends rather than with a bunch of strangers in an structured tour. For those who’re proud of the products and services furnished, a tip – nevertheless not Obligatory – is appreciated. Whilst it might not be customary to you, it’s of fantastic importance for that people that will look after you over the trek.  It conjures up excellent company and is also an entrenched element on the tourism marketplace throughout many Orange Nation Peru Locations. With ten many years’ knowledge and over 25 Offers to Machu Picchu by itself, our team knows how to deliver An effective expedition. The final working day hides a number of the finest Inca exhibitions: Phuyupatamarka, Wiñaywayna. When leaving these ruins, a gradual descent are going to be carried out that may turn into far more intricate ultimately. Over the basic safety briefing, duffle bags are going to be obtainable at our Workplace the day prior to the trek. We could also provide them to your resort if you must Obtain your issues collectively faster. Day one begins having an early coach experience from Cusco in to the Sacred Valley also to the start line KM104 (named as a result as it is 104KM by educate from Cusco town).

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[travelita]

Interview Izabela Faron

1. Okay, Miss Izabela, what was the specific incident that got you to this interview?

 I am very much into supporting women and I believe travel is one of the fields where we women are scared to travel (either alone, or with our kids, or in general) so when I saw an opportunity to be part of this project I had to jump at it and contribute. 

2. What has earned you the right to be an authority on this topic?

If we had to look at the numbers I have traveled to 24 countries so far, some of them I visited more than once and among my friends I am ’the traveler’ apart from that I read and watch everything travel related. For some travelers 24 countries are nothing, for others, it’s a dream number to tick off. However; I focus on the travel experience and adventure, not the number itself, and I do believe each of us has a different and unique travel need and my style of traveling may be useful to someone looking for similar experiences. 

3. What is your brand, your topic exactly about?

I am a traveler; my style of travel could be described as an affordable luxury, I like to stay in nice boutique hotels but also I am looking for a local experience. I would not be able to spend 2 weeks just on the beach. I need to explore!   

4. Why is it important?

Anyone, who wants to visit a country and take inspiration from places I had been to, will be able to find on my blog almost ready itineraries to borrow and adjust to their liking. I write my blogs in a way that they can be used as itineraries. 

5. Now that I know what it is, now that I know why it’s important and relevant, how are you implementing this on your travels? I mean like, is there a process, that you follow when traveling? 

 I always do huge amount of research before I travel (unless I travel last minute and do not have much time – although then I use time on the plane or airport to research). Therefore my travel itineraries are well planned to maximize the number of places visited in the least time possible. My trips become perfect itineraries for adventurous travelers who want to see more, experience local culture, and have fun. 

6. What if people took advantage of your tips and steps you are providing? What will happen, how will their travels change? 

First of all, they will have itinerary that will be extremely busy but you will see a lot in a day, two etc. … I focus on seeing places that are important to see, but also look into the culture; food, music, etc. For instance, in Lisbon you must eat Pasties de Belem and you can combine that with seeing Belem district – so I combine two in one history, architecture and culture. Plus I love a good fun fact so every time there’s the opportunity I include that in my blog too! 

7. Now we would like to get just some general information about you and your travels: 

(if not answered before) – When did you start traveling?

I can’t really remember the exact time, I know I was traveling with my parents to neighboring Slovakia which was at the time an international trip! I must have been as little as 4 years old. But I remember trips in a car, different currency, and the fact that people spoke different languages. Then when I was 12 I went for a children camp by Polish seaside, it was exciting to be on a night train with other kids for 12 hours it was a great adventure, I guess my travel bug was already there. Then at the age of about 14/15, I went for holidays to north Greece where I discovered culture way different to what I knew already from my neighbor country trips. The food, music and smiles of Greek people together with charming views and beautiful sea just cemented my travel addiction. I was hooked on travel. 

– Do you remember how you felt when you traveled alone for the first time?

It was scary, exciting, and that I am alone and can count only on myself. Not knowing what’s going to happen build in me resilience and self-confidence – I could only count on myself. 

– How did you, or do you deal with fears?

I try to prepare as much as I can, I look up routes, connections, have screenshot of maps (if I worry about internet connection). I also try to find anyone who has been to that country to learn some tricks and useful tips. 

– Is there a place where you have been and you would definitely not recommend it for women on their own and why?

I think this will have to be India. I was on this trip partially on my own and partially with Indian friends who joined me later. Even though I was in New Delhi I found that people were shocked that I was there as a woman on my own. Which causes some unpleasant moments. I also found people staring and almost ogling uncomfortable knowing that rape is also quite common in India. When I was with my Indian friends it was more safe, but still a lot of stares! Don’t get me wrong India is a beautiful country, but not for solo women travelers.

Another city I know it’s tough on women is Marrakesh – the hustlers have no mercy (apparently even if you are with a man too) I was there with my friend and that constant hiss and hustle as we were in souks was tiring. 

– Do you still have this excitement, when you go for a trip?

Always! 

– what are your top 5 destinations and why?

1. Peru – for Inca trails and Machu Picchu and Lake Titicaca plus wonderful Peruvian food and funny lamas

2. French Polynesia – amazing diving plus luxury overwater villas and turquoise blue waters

3. Cook Islands – beauty of the atolls and marine life

4. Japan – culture, food, scenery

5. Georgia – wine and landscape plus snowboarding in the winter

– The funniest story that happened to you when traveling?

There are many… hard to pick one perhaps that one time when I was in Thailand and it was Thai New Year (Songkran) and everything was closed so when I arrived in Chiang Mai I could not buy food anywhere. After a lot of walking and searching for an open place, I ended up in someone’s garage which looked like they serve food there. I was so hungry that I did not care anymore and just ordered a dish from a lovely old man who could not speak a word of English so he was showing me photos of the food. There was a bird in the cage above my head and my partner laughed that we will soon be eating that bird (that’s how rough this place looked) but after a while, we were served our meals which were one of the best dishes we ate in Thailand. Full of flavors and made my grandma in a garage! Now it sounds funny but at the time I was so desperate to eat and so hungry that I wanted to eat anything anywhere! It turned out to be a very good experience. As they say: Don’t judge the book by its cover! 

8. Call to action – what do you want people to do? 

 Come visit my blog for more stories about my adventures and ready itineraries to use for your travels: www.postcardfromizabelitatravels.com 

Thank you for the interview! 

Free your travels, be a Travelita! #travelita #iamatravelita

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