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rotomgender-moved · 3 years

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Under the cut is the first part/chapter of it

Title: Runs in our Family

Word Count: roughly 1.5-2k I'd say

TWs: Near panic attacks, mild dehumanization of self, general ask to tag

Part One

The constant click of timers and bubbling of boiling water is what grounded them, eyes flickering about the room to watch over everything he had to. The rhythmic sound of a knife cutting through vegetables was like music to his ears, a hum rumbling through their chest added to the harmony of the kitchen. It made him feel in control, because he was. Guided merely by his memory of the recipe. Even then, he can tweek and test and try new things. It allowed them to have control over its life. It allowed it to feel safe, even when working with fire and knives and pots and pans searing red with heat.

"N, my golden friend," His Zoroark companion began from their resting position. "The noodles, you need to put them in the water." N froze for a moment, startled by the sudden reminder.

"Ah! Yes, you're right. What could I do without you, Illusion." It chuckled as its own forgetfulness, scooping the fresh noodles in careful hands and putting them into the water carefully. Setting the egg timer for a minute and a half before continuing the final preparations on the vegetables. Picking them in his hands and putting them into the sauce in a few scoops.

"You are becoming a good chef, my golden friend, but you mustn't lose yourself in your head while working with fire."

"Yes, Illusion, I am very aware. I'm working on it, I promise."

"I pray to Arceus you learn before you lose a paw."

"Hand, before I lose a hand."

"You get the picture."

Truly, N thought as he nodded to Zoroark. What could I do without you.

N let out a breath of air, turning off the fire in the stone as the timer goes off. Waiting quietly for the sauce to finish cooking. Reminding himself to take a few tablespoons of sugar and sprinkle it into the sauce, making it just that much sweeter. Waiting just for a few more moments, they have to. Reward cannot be reaped without patience, he thought, he must have patience.

To fill his time, he spread his hands up in the air in a Y shape, spinning around and humming. Fully content before he felt a sharp pain in his hand, followed by the loud BANG of the hanging pans hitting each other. N flinched, covering his ears and letting out a whine. A shiver rocked his body, but just before they could feel any tears begin to brim. A hand was placed onto his back, or a paw, moreso.

"It is alright," The voice of his pokemon cooed. "It is only cooking utensils, nothing more. Now, why don't you plate your dinner and watch some of your shows?"

They continued to nod a little, thanking the illusionist with a scratch on the chin. Which, from the aura of joy it received from Zoroark, was greatly appreciated. N turned on their heel and scooped the noodles onto a plate he already had set aside before pouring a ladle or two of sauce onto it. N had promised Mallow a few days before that he would save some extra sauce for her to use in one of her dishes. Whatever concoction she may come up with, and however much it made the trio of chefs-turned-gym-leaders angry, he was excited to see it.

As he settled down at his little table in his little kitchen, he smiled a tad. It had taken well a while for him to grow accustomed, or even willing, to live in a home. His first actions at coming to this strange new region had been to find an escape in the woods with his pokemon companions and live off nature for a month and a half. Which apparently, from what they deciphered from the angry ranting of a disgruntled Hugh and the chaotic explanation of a worried Alder. Had left his fellow Unovans with a wild goose chase to find him, having only been discovered by an odd group of children with accents he didn't quite recognize mistaking him for a new wild pokemon, thusly getting hit with a thunder wave that left him in the Pokemon Centers human unit for a little longer then N would prefer to admit.

Once they had been captured and as Nate and Rosa dubbed it, "Secured, Contained and Protected", they were subjected to an explanation that pulling an out-of-pocket disappearing act after the multiple both he, Hilbert and Hilda pulled off, wasn't the best idea. Which he understood! But it wasn't out-of-pocket. They should have expected it to run off into the woods and allowed it to. Or at least explained to those paralysis-happy children to watch out for an uncanny woodland dweller with a Zororak.

Even then, once they were captured, it was surely difficult for them to adjust. They were a pokemon, weren't they? A beast, that's what he'd always been told. No human would be able to speak with creatures that aren't fellow humans. But isn't it the same with Pokemon? So are these pokemon more human than beast, or is he more beast than human? Was it the years of isolation that made it hard to settle in an actual home all by itself, or was it the longing to run free with beasts like him?

N didn't like sitting in that question, so as it always did, it shoved it back into a deep corner of their mind and locked it in a little box with all those other heavy questions. All of the concerns and the old ideologies he forcibly shoves away and represses. It was all he could do, if he wasn't a beast or human. Then who could he be helped by?

Well, it didn't matter. It hadn't even noticed it had finished its plate of early dinner during his lamenting. Having been lazily twirling the fork in nothing for a good few moments to minutes.

"N, my golden child," Zororak began. "Why don't you tuck me away and go speak to other people. You haven't left this little ranch-house in a few days; it will do you some good." They commented, nudging N's back. The soft clacks of things such as potions, a tube for those "PokeBlocks" that a pair of twins had been gifting to everyone on the island, and pokeballs.

"That… Does sound like a good idea." N agreed quietly, fully coming out of their thoughts. "Yeah." They got up off their seat and washed the plate and other utensils he had used swiftly, before shrugging their jacket back on and stringing their hair into a ponytatail once more. If Zororak thought it was a good idea, then N might as well be convinced. This pokemon had single-paw-dedly helped raise him from infancy to now. Always having found its way back to him. N thought of it as a mother and as they say. Mother knows best.

As he exited his home and was met by warm sunshine, he suddenly remembered why they had been so intrigued by the woods and all its inhabitants for oh-so-long. Or well, the week they had been there before they were hospitalized by four sneaky, pokemon hunting children. They couldn't be mad, though. They were apparently uncanny looking, Hilbert having described him as "a bit to long and a little too fluffy, with speech so fast he might as well just be making noises."

But N didn't mind, it simply thought itself as far more built for the wild than the others. But… Thinking about it, that could be the reason why everyone though that of him. As N walked, staring down at the grass in thought. He felt his shoulder bump someone running by.

"Watch it, tall-ass!" A quite foulmouthed voice sounded, making N's eyes flicker to the redhead who was already making a getaway.

"Language!" They simply called back, rolling their eyes, hearing a distant "shut up!" as they made distance with the redhead. "Rude child." He decided, looking up to glance around the circle of homes that they had all settled in during this odd meet up. In a region that nobody seemed to have heard of, at that. It felt weird, it was weird. Why did any of them trust it?

Well, it should speak for itself. It went along, even if dragged on by his group of siblings-by-spirit. Chattering away that if they were all going, he was coming along. That they had already packed everything for him, and that if he refused they'd just sleep powder him and take him along anyway-

Why did I not run off? They thought, realizing the slight horror of that situation. Those kids were needlessly pushy in trying to get N to talk to new people. Dragging him about the cruiser they were in with all the other guests. Introducing him to some of the other kids that Nate and Hugh had already dragged into their mischief.

What were those kids names? Barry and Sapphire, he believes. Sapphire was that young lady who's brother had given him the tube of pokemon candies, if he remembers. Barry was a talkative young boy who seemed to immediately jump ship to play along with Nate and Hugh's pranks. He also remembers a handful of other faces, a married couple he vaugly remembers seeing on a few news casts back in Unova, Red and Green were their names. Along with another lady he didn't recognize, who took quickly to chatting along with Hilbert and Hilda. Rosa had been coaxing a green haired boy out of his shell with who he thinks was Sapphire's brother.

He remembers a few other faces. A circle of kids all taking part in pokemon trading under Lance's watch. Bianca and Cheren, listening to a young boy, chitter away about his brother. Two boys nearly tearing at eachother, and not in a pokemon battle, while their supposed companions either encouraged it or tried to seperate them. One of them was that redhead who had swore at them, he thinks.

But most importantly, he met Mallow and Guzma on that ship. The only two he confidently remembers the names and faces of. Mallow was a sweet woman, a trial captain. She had seen his shivery, nervous nature and pulled him aside from the crowd. He had listened to her talk about cooking and asked a few questions himself. Which is where that interest began. Guzma was… well he can only say he was Guzma. Rough around the edges yet smooth in the soul type, who had introduced him to N's first new species of pokemon in a while. A very, very polite and well mannered Gollisapod. He could sense even before listening to the pokemon that it was well cared for.

It further made their heart pull, obviously the pokemon was battle-scarred. One or two chips on its shell that were healing overtime. But still so… Happy. Pokemon Battles weren't that bad, he knew that. But the confirmation that it was all okay was still nice.

"Hey, you!" A voice snapped him from his thoughts, making him turn. "Yeah, you! Take a few steps back. You almost walked yourself off a cliff."

"Oh- why thank you! I didn't even notice."

"Obviously you didn't," He snorted a little. "You're that N guy that Rosa was telling me about! I'm Ruby, I was out trying to see some new pokemon. But all I caught was you almost about to take a trip off a cliff." Ruby rolled his eyes.

"Well, I was lost in thought. Thank you again for catching me, Ruby. Though I'm sure I would've survived a fall into some sand." N shrugged, examining Ruby as the boy nodded over his shoulder.

"Well… Maybe as a thank you, you could come to the community house where all of us trainers are. Rosa said you had some pretty cool Pokemon that you never let anyone touch the PokeBalls of. It's gotten the group talking." Ruby smiled, eyes crinkling. N paused in thought, feeling the pokeball in his hand he recognized as Zororaks. It wanted them to talk to other people… So they might as well. Even if the idea of presenting their pokemon to people they didn't know made their stomach twist.

"... Okay, alright. I will. Lead the way, Ruby."

#ranger writes #pkmn posting #runs in our family fanfiction #hi :]#feel free to ask questions about it lolz

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bleach-your-panties · 4 years

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Sincember❄️ is officially under way! Enjoy my lovelies! (Note, this is an old post!)

“Are you sure that you’re getting the right thing, dumbass?” Katsuki stood to the side of you, hands shoved into the pockets of his baggy sweatpants. The two of you were currently standing in the baking aisle at the supermarket.

It’s currently Sunday afternoon and the first day of December; in what other way would you rather spend the last day of the weekend and first day of your favorite month than baking holiday-themed cookies with your hotheaded boyfriend? The boyfriend, who in question, was getting impatient with you as you went back and forth between two packets of instant cookie mix.

“Just choose one already! Goddamn..” The ash blonde huffed, tired of standing there while you took your sweet time making up your mind. It was just some fucking cookies, it shouldn’t be this hard.

You puffed out your cheeks, sending him a glare.

“Oh hush, Katsu. I’m just trying to make sure that I get the best one. Now, gingerbread or the holiday sugar cookie?” You asked enthusiastically, holding out each package to him.

He scowled down at the packages, really not caring, but if it'd get him out of here faster-

"The fucking sugar cookies. Now let's go."

Back at the dorms, you and Bakugou stood alone in the kitchen while you read the instructions on the pack.

"It shouldn't be that hard to figure out, it's just that instant shit." He growled and crossed his arms over his muscular pectorals that were making themselves known in the tight black tank top he was wearing.

Rolling your eyes, you grabbed everything you will need and poured the mix into the bowl, adding in butter and one egg.

Bakugou's red eyes followed you around the kitchen as you moved, watching your ass in the short red shorts you were wearing. Your breasts strained against the tight white tank top that sported a heart-shaped candy cane in the middle of it.

His cock grew hard in his sweatpants: who knew that watching you try to bake would turn him on so much.

You were stirring the mixture in the bowl, having already prepped your cookie sheet when you felt hands wrap around your waist, push up your shirt and rub over your stomach.

"What are you doing, Katsuki?"

His hands slipped into your shorts, two fingers rubbing your clit against the lace thong you had on.

"Just be quiet and bake your fucking shitty ass cookies."

You could do nothing but obey because Bakugou pressed your front against the counter, trapping you between it and his hard body.

He pressed his erection into your ass, still rubbing circles into your clit, eliciting soft moans from your lips.

"Better keep quiet, babe. You don't want anyone to hear and come barging in here to see our naughty little cooking show do you?"

Managing to shake your head no, you obeyed his demands and used a big plastic spoon to spread the cookie mix onto the counter where you'd poured some flour. You had to reach down into one of the cabinets to grab the rolling pin, so you pushed your ass flush against Bakugou's crotch to bend down and get it.

"Don't get yourself in trouble now.." He whispered in your ear when you straightened back up.

You bit your lip, starting to play along now.

You began to flatten the cookie dough with the rolling pin, each time rocking yourself back against Bakugou.

He let out a low growl, gripping one of your plump cheeks in his hand, thrusting his crotch forward and letting you feel his hardness through your thin shorts.

Now that the dough was ready, you took out your holiday-themed cookie cutters and pressed them into the sugary dough, making cute little shapes like snowmen and Christmas trees.

Bakugou now had one hand up your tank top, squeezing at your clothed nipple while the other squeezed your hip. You could tell that he was becoming impatient, so you hurriedly finished the shapes and put the cookies into the pre-heated oven.

The timer was set for 20 minutes, and once it was, he was pulling you out of the kitchen towards the direction of the stairs.

"Wait, Katsuki, the cookies-"

The look he gave you immediately made you shut up.

"I won't let them burn, dumbass. Now get up here and let me frost your cookie."

#katsuki bakugou #bakugou smut #mhascenarios #mha imagines #mha bakugou #bnha bakugou #bakugou x reader #bnha bakugou x reader #mha bakugou x reader #⋰❄︎gotta sin to win❄︎⋱#sincember #happyhornydays #💗💗🍡°mha masterlist #💗💗🍡°my fics #byp🌹holiday event #byp🌹2023 events

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paintingwithdarkness · 4 years

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Cookies & BluePulse please 😊😊😊

“Cariño, stop eating all the frosting or we’re not gonna have any for the cookies!” Jaime lightly chastised his boyfriend, watching as he squirted yet another glob of heavily dyed icing into his mouth.

Bart’s tongue was already stained green, and the tube, which had been brand new when they’d started was already half gone. Jaime snatched it from him and set it down on the counter.

“Aww,” Bart complained, “but the cookies are taking forever!”

Jaime glanced over to the little oven where a sheet of cookies was baking. He and Bart had decided to go with a homemade sugar cookie dough and had already made quite a mess of the kitchen, without Bart adding frosting to the mix. Both of them were covered in flour, and Jaime’s hands were still coated in a thin layer of grease from kneading the butter into their dough. Even with soap, he hadn’t been able to get all of the residue off. Not to mention the eggs Bart had cracked a little too hard against the counter. Jaime could see the runny yolks they’d failed to clean up trying to drip down onto the floor. The dough-covered Christmas themed cookie cutters they’d used were piled up in the sink.

Jaime watched as Bart reached for the tube of red icing and quickly grabbed him by the wrist before he could pick it up.

Bart whined again. “I’m hungry, Babe!”

“Then eat some of the left over M&Ms,” Jaime sighed. “The colors all taste the same.”

Bart scowled and mumbled something under his breath Jaime couldn’t quite catch, but snatched up the bag of leftover M&Ms and began snacking. He and Jaime had sorted out all of the M&Ms by color and decided that certain ones they probably wouldn’t end up using. An array of candy sat on the counter, all sorted out into bowls lined up next to the tubes of frosting.

Jaime kept a close eye on his boyfriend, making sure he didn’t steal anymore candy or icing he wasn’t supposed to. He knew how fast Bart could be (he was a speedster after all) and knew that even a second’s glance away could mean another tube of icing would go missing. There would be no point to even waiting for the cookies to finish baking if Bart ate up all of the decorations first.

Jaime spared a quick look at the oven timer. The cookies still had three minutes left, and then they needed time to cool. Surely he could keep his boyfriend in line for that much longer...

“Bart!” Jaime exclaimed, turning back around and catching the speedster with the tube of red frosting in hand. He snatched it away with a pointed look.

Bart tossed his head and groaned. “The cookies are taking forever and there’s nothing else to eat!”

Just then, an idea popped into Jaime’s head. He smirked. “Are you sure?” He stepped around the kitchen island to grab Bart by the hips, pressing the speedster’s lower back into the cool edge of the countertop. It wasn’t too often that Jaime was the one to initiate intimacy in their relationship, but he figured if he could keep Bart occupied while waiting for the cookies, and get a little pleasure out of it himself, then why not?

Jaime connected their lips, scrunching his nose up at the taste of pure sugar. Bart had eaten nothing but half a tube of frosting and candy for the past hour and it was all Jaime could taste. He loved Bart, and he especially loved kissing Bart, but the sweetness overload was too much. He pulled away and wiped at his mouth.

Bart gave him a confused look.

“Sorry, Cariño,” Jaime apologized. “But you taste like pure sugar.”

Bart laughed a little, draping an arm around Jaime’s shoulders. “Maybe if you had some of the frosting too it wouldn’t be so bad?” He reached behind him with the arm that wasn’t around Jaime’s neck, grabbing a tube of icing and twisted the cap off with his thumb.

Jaime removed a hand from his boyfriend’s waist and leaned forward to grab the tube. The move pressed them chest to chest. “Don’t even think about it,” Jaime growled at him playfully. He leaned up to press a kiss to the side of Bart’s neck. Bart tipped his head, accommodating him.

Jaime lightly trailed kisses down Bart’s neck to the collar of his shirt, and then sucked lightly at the hollow of his throat, dragging a pleased hum from the speedster’s chest. He traced up the other side of Bart’s pale neck and then across his jawline, ending with a teasing peck to the corner of his mouth. Bart whined in response and threaded his fingers through Jaime’s short-cropped hair, dragging him in for a real kiss.

This time, Jaime was prepared for the sickening sweetness. He closed his eyes as his lips moved with Bart’s, slowly getting used to the flavor. Vanilla, masked by the bitter taste of artificial dyes, chocolate, sugar plum and peppermint all danced over Jaime’s tongue as Bart coaxed his mouth open, deepening the kiss. Pretty soon, Jaime couldn’t differentiate between the taste of Bart’s mouth and his own.

As they kissed, Jaime’s hands slowly wandered across his boyfriend’s muscular, yet trim torso, appreciating the faint outlines of Bart’s developing six-pack, his powerful hips, strong thighs, and taut ass. Bart’s own seemed content to trace over the broad lines of Jaime’s back and shoulders, fingertips teasing at the protrusion of the Scarab’s shell beneath his shirt.

[Jaime Reyes] He tried to block out the disembodied voice in his head. Khaji Da always seemed to butt in at the worst times. Jaime was more than content to continue making out with his boyfriend without the distraction.

[Jaime Reyes, the Christmas confections are burning.]

He whined into Bart’s mouth as the speedster’s hands trailed under the front of his shirt, thumbs teasing down his David lines until hooking in the waistband of his jeans. Reluctantly, he broke away from Bart with a gasp for breath.

“Later,” Jaime panted. “We gotta decorate the cookies first.”

“Is that a promise?” Bart asked with a leer.

Jaime grined back at him as he slipped a pair of oven mitts on. “Depends on whether you want a Silent Night or want to jingle some bells?” He raised a suggestive eyebrow.

Bart shook his head at the innuendo. Jaime was witty and sarcastic, and his favorite type of flirting tended to include plays on words. Exchanging dirty puns with Bart was just a natural part of their relationship.

Jaime set the tray of cookies down on the counter. Khaji Da had warned him, and the batch had come out a little browner than Jaime would have liked, but the frosting and candy would do a good enough job masking the taste, so he wasn’t too concerned. He grabbed two plates from the cupboard and placed them on the counter, one in front of himself and one in front of his boyfriend.

For the next hour, they decorated the cookies, spreading green icing on Christmas trees and wreaths and dotting gingerbread men with varying colored M&M eyes. While they worked, Jaime played Christmas music on his phone in the background, quietly enough that he could still talk to his boyfriend.

“Which one are you going to leave for Santa?” Jaime asked as he put the final touches on his last cookie. He’d already picked out a reindeer shaped treat he’d decorated to leave for the big man in red.

“Santa?” Bart scoffed. “There’s no way a dude in a sleigh loaded down with tons of presents and relying on the power of magic reindeer can make it around the world in a single night.”

“You can literally run at the speed of light,” Jaime pointed out.

Bart crossed his arms. “You mean to tell me that Grandpa Barry has been Santa this whole time?”

Jaime chuckled. “He does wear a red suit. Plus, it explains why he can eat the millions of Christmas cookies and leave only crumbs at each child’s house.”

Bart shook his head.

Jaime laughed and gave him a kiss to placate him. “Don’t ruin the magic for me, Cariño.”

Bart slumped down in his chair, but set aside a cookie nonetheless. “The only people qualified for magic are Dr. Fate and Zatanna. I don’t think an old, fat man who breaks into houses should be granted those same privledges.”

Jaime slugged Bart in the bicep playfully. “You’re such a Scrooge!” He complained laughingly.

“Us speedsters are men of science,” Bart defended with a shrug. He got up and took the plate with his and Jaime’s cookies for Santa over to set on the mantle above their fireplace. He took a second to admire the tree he and Jaime had decorated on the first of December and then returned to the kitchen to begin cleaning up the mess. As he passed by the counter, Jaime tugged him down into his lap with an insistent kiss.

Jaime smiled when he felt his boyfriend kiss back and adjusted his position so that Bart could properly straddle his lap.

“I think the Christmas packages arrived early,” Bart whispered into Jaime’s ear suggestively, as he ground down against him.

Jaime placed a kiss to the sensitive spot behind Bart’s ear before replying back, “Maybe we should take them to the bedroom to unwrap?”

Bart turned his head to give Jaime a quick kiss on the lips. “Sounds like a Merry Christmas to me.”

Jaime kissed his boyfriend one more time before standing up from his chair to carry Bart down the hallway to their bedroom. The mess in the kitchen could wait. Right now, all he wanted was to be a ho ho ho for the love of his life.

Merry Christmas @lifewhyyoudothisquestionmark! Hope you enjoy this 🎄🎁

I think you’re rubbing off on me with all of these jokes. My writing never used to be like this. Oh well. I’ll blame you and my terrible sleep schedule for this monstrosity 😂

#young justice #bart allen #jaime reyes #blue beetle #kid flash #yj #christmas #merry christmas #i’m so sorry for all of the dirty christmas puns #i’m tired #and they just happened #i dont even think the main point of this drabble was to decorate the cookies #all jaime wanted for christmas was bart #i’ll stop now #bluepulse

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whatta-babe · 7 years

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Sweet Cake Sweeter Kisses| Sam Holland

A/N: So I just finished writing a one-shot. Pretty shit. Haha, yeah. I decided to move out of my comfort zone and write an actual one-shot instead of a headcanon. I was inspired by Sam’s Instagram story that he posted yesterday of a Spider-Man cake and the fact that the Holland brothers are very competitive against each other. I hope you enjoy!

Warnings: Light swearing

It is February 13, and you are mentally preparing yourself for what may or may not be a traumatizing experience. You see, every year your boyfriend, Sam, and his twin, Harry, have a competition on their birthday. Who has made the better birthday cake for their brother? It is a vicious and yearly battle between the 2 boys, and as of right now, Harry is in the lead by 1 point.

The entire Holland family (including Harrison because he is an honorary Holland) decided that Harry’s cake was better than Sam’s camera design. So yes, Sam is super bitter. You had not been able to cast in a vote because you are incredibly biased towards your boyfriend of 3 years. And no one better tell Sam this, but you are kind of glad that you were not allowed to because you would have chosen Harry’s as well. Shhh!

But this year Sam decided to bring out the big guns- you. With your super-mega-awesome baking skills (Sam said it, not you) and your literally-oh-so- amazingly-amazing artistic talent (you can quote Sam on that too), you were going to help Sam win this thing.

It had taken a lot of groveling on his part before you finally crumbled. Honestly what really sealed the deal was when he was pressing gentle kisses up and down your neck. He should not be allowed to do that because he knows how that turns your brain to mush! The nerve…

But here you are now, tying an apron over one of Sam’s shirts that you had stolen some time ago. You really hoped that you could help him win this year. The reason that you had been so reluctant to agree in aiding Sam was because you didn’t want him to be disappointed in you if you couldn’t help him succeed. Of course logically you knew that he would never be because Sam is the most loving boyfriend of all time but still.

As Sam strides into the kitchen with his long-ass legs, he dons his own apron. It was going to get messy in there. “Harry is at Tom’s flat right now making my cake so he won’t be bothering us for the rest of the day (mind you it is currently 9:35 am).

“Great!” You swiftly pull Sam down by his neck to kiss him square on the mouth. When you pull away just as quickly, Sam whines slightly as his lips chase your retreating ones. “Nuh uh, mon ange. We need to start baking.”

With a small pout, Sam’s freckled face settles into a concentrated one. He is skimming the old recipe book that is laying on the counter top. Your partner had asked you to bring it because you would be making the chocolate ganache cake that you had once made for Sam when he was having a series of bad days. He had been instantly enamored with it, and he was sure that it would score some major points with the Holland judges.

“While you start baking the cake, I prepare the icing, fondant, the piece that we had backed yesterday, and the tools we need to decorate this,” Sam informs you authorially. You roll your eyes because even though your babe is a total sweetheart, he practically becomes a different person when it comes to making these cakes. His competitiveness with his brother is extreme.

After 30 minutes of combining ingredients and getting every measurement just right, you finally place the 10x12 pan in the oven to bake. You sigh as you lean against the counter to rest for a second. Sam had been very no-nonsense for the last half an hour, and it was quite tiring. You knew that he just wanted to beat his younger twin, but you had been kind of hoping that this could be a fun coupley activity. But then again, you had also been expecting to be traumatized.

Speak of the Devil, and it shall appear. Sam seems to materialize out of thin air, and you jump a bit as he comes behind you and wraps his long arms around your waist. He places a smooch onto your shoulder blade before resting his head on yours. “I’m so sorry, love.”

You frown in confusion. “What are you talking about, darling?”

“I know that you aren’t having a lot of fun, and I also am aware that I’m being a bit of an ass.”

You quickly turn in his arms and bury your face into his chest. “It’s ok,” you mumble.

“No it’s not, sweetheart.” He takes ahold of your chin to tilt your head up. “I’ll chill out.” He then proceeds to press kisses all over your face. Cheeks, nose, eyelids, chin, forehead, lips. No part of your face goes un-kissed as he smothers you.

You giggle in delight and smush his face against your hand as you push him away. The oven timer then goes off. Perfect timing! Quickly grabbing the oven mitts, you bend over to collect the freshly baked cake. From behind you, you hear your lover groan.

“If you weren’t bending over a hot oven, I would totally smack that ass.”

“Sam Anthony Holland, you get your ass to the table so we can decorate this cake! What a little shit…” you finish mumbling.

You carefully walk over to the table where Sam had set up everything you need to decorate the cake while you had been making it. As you two chatter quietly to yourselves, you cut the cake into different shapes and attach them together with icing while looking at the reference picture as your boyfriend starts almost water coloring the fondant that covers the base of the cake. You two had made that piece yesterday, as it would have been impossible to complete the entire cake in one day.

When you finish constructing the object, you begin to carefully write the dainty words onto it…

5 hours, 1 flour, and 3 ½ icing wars later, you have completed your masterpiece. Good God you are exhausted! You better freaking win because if not, you are going to take this beautiful piece of art and shove it in everyone’s’ faces.

You lean on Sam heavily as he drapes his arm around your shoulder. He’s kind of hanging onto you because he is just as tired. Who knew decorating a cake could wear you so much? You situate the cake in the middle of the platter that the Holland family had gotten the boys a long time ago specifically for these cakes. With the help of Sammy boy you cover it with the lid. Tomorrow you will find out the results.

***

You are startled awake when Paddy jumps on you and Sam. Both you and your boyfriend groan in pain.

“It’s time! It’s time! We are going to vote now,” Paddy rushes to speak before sprinting out of the room. A few seconds later you both hear his footsteps scampering back, “Oh, and happy birthday, Sam!”

You just look at each other in amusement and start to shuffle out of bed. “Happy birthday, mon ange,” you whisper to him as you kiss him sweetly. You then proceed to bend down to grab the oddly shaped present that you had hidden under the bed.

Sam stares in aw, but refuses to take it. “No, love. You already helped me make Harry’s cake. Plus, just being with you is present enough.”

You wrinkle your nose at him and grin. “As sweet as that is, babe, just accept it.”

He sighs in defeat. “Fineee,” he says dramatically before quickly tearing it open. He gasps in excitement. “It’s us! In a book!” he cutely exclaims.

“Haha, yes my love. It’s a photo album.”

Sam takes you by surprise when he lunges at you. You two fall onto the bed because of the momentum. As he starts kissing you, Paddy arrives again.

“Ew, guys! I told you to come on already,” he whines before leaving once more.

Both of you giggle together as Sam aides you in standing back up. “Let’s get this show on the road then,” you egg Sam on as you walk together down the hallway into the dining room.

In said room, every Holland is looking a little bit fatigued but very excited nonetheless. It looks like Christmas day all over again.

In the center of the table lies both cakes covered with their dish covers to not ruin the surprise. You don’t know about Harry’s cake, but you sure are glad that the Holland parents had gotten these boys such ginormous platters because damn, the one that Sam and you had made was extremely large.

Paddy is practically buzzing with excitement as he waits for Sam and Harry to stand behind the cake that the other twin made for them.

The moment the cakes are unveiled, it seems like all of the air in the room is sucked out. Everyone except for you and Sam had gasped in amazement as they gazed at your cake.

Their eyes are glued to the realistic looking camera and suitcase. Attached to the beige bag is a blue passport, and there are special printed edible pictures adhered onto it with frosting. And perching on top of the case was the camera that you had baked the day before. It is quite the sight if you may say so.

Paddy breaks the unnerving silence. “Welp I choose Sam’s. Harry’s is cute and all with that La La Land themed, but it’s got nothing on Sam’s! How did you even do that?”

Everyone murmurs in agreement. “Y/N helped me,” your boyfriend boasts. “Try it! It’ll be the best you’ve ever tasted,” he continues to brag while you try to shut him up.

You’re blushing when you say, “It’s just an old recipe that I have. It’s really nothing.”

Tom, who had come home for a small break in his hectic filming schedule, starts moaning then. “Dis is da befst frukn thig eber,” he states. When your boyfriend’s family all agree, you blush.

“Okay everyone! I think it’s time to vote,” Sam rushes.

In one minute all the votes are cast, and Paddy finally makes the announcement. “We, the Holland family, have pronounce that the winner of this year’s Sam/Harry Twin Cake Duel-Off is… Sammy “Mon Ange” (at least according to Y/N. I still don’t know that it means) Holland with a 4 to 1 vote! Just saying, Harry, it was mum, and I’m pretty sure that she only did it out of pity.”

You all laugh at the end, and the whole lot congratulates Sam and you. Sam simply won’t shut up about you! The bragging is never ending with that boy, is it?

You turn to observe Harry and notice that he looks slightly glum. When you walk over you say, “Aw, Harry. Don’t feel bad about losing! It’s beautiful.”

Harry nods. “Yeah. I’m honestly not really mad or disappointed about it. Yours is really amazing. Thank you for the cake. I hope Dad took a picture before it was cut into.” Harry gives you a sweet hug

“Of course, dude! You’re like my brother! I’m glad you liked it. And I’m pretty sure he did. If not, Sam and I took quite a lot yesterday.”

Sam strides over to you and leans some of his weight on your side as he slips his arms around you. “Let’s try some of that scrumptious cake that you made.”

You snicker at him. “Scrumptious? Who says that? But yes, let’s. I’m also definitely trying Harry’s though too.”

Your partner nods his slightly red head. “Yeah! Thanks for the cake, man. It looks really nice.” His arm leaves your body when he wraps his arms around his twin. Sigh. How cute!

When they untangle from each other, Sam seizes your hand to pull you to the two baked goods. While he cuts a piece of the cake that you had baked together you collect a slice of Harry’s. It really is pretty.

You and your lover proceed to sit down at the table with the rest of the loving Hollands, but you too are in your own little world. God. You love him so damn much. And helping him out wasn’t so bad. You too had such a pleasurable time doing it together in the end.

In the enchanting bubble you and Sam had made with the love and affection for each other you and your loving boyfriend feed one another pieces of delectable cake. Sam blushes and giggles as you try to wipe the frosting that he had accidentally smeared on you. When you can’t seem to find it, Sam leans in and kisses the frosting away (that was apparently on the corner of your mouth) before moving to your lips. It is sweeter than any cake you have ever eaten and decide right then and there that there is nothing lovelier than the tender kiss of your soul mate.

@tomhollandhollaatme @peachyyvibes @samhollandsfreckles @webslingerholland

#sam holland #sam holland x reader #sam-holland-x-reader #baking #kisses #fluff #oneshot #first one #cute #sam is the best holland #harry holland #tom holland #harrison osterfield

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itsworn · 5 years

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Take 5 With Brock Yates Jr., The One Lap of America, Driving Dynamics Driving Instructor, Cannonball

With a resume that includes Cannonball, One Lap of America, Driving Instructor, and as the son of one of the greatest automotive journalists of the last 40 years, Brock Yates, Jr. has experienced and forgotten more about cars than most of us will ever know. From his time charging across the country in a Chevy van at age fourteen, to organizing one of the best automotive events currently in existence, Brock Yates Jr. sets aside time to talk cars, Cannonball and what goes into making great drivers.

HRM: Describe the first time an automobile made an impression you?

BY: From the very beginning I was surrounded by cars. I still remember standing next to my father’s Taraschi, a 900cc open-wheel car that is still raced in Formula Juniors. It’s a fabulous looking egg-shaped car that Brock was racing at the time and the one he said was responsible for his hearing loss due to the trumpet exhaust that was next to his right ear.

We had cars all over the place. Bruce McCall, formerly of Playboy, Advertising, Car & Driver and a bunch of other stuff, once came over and said, “Look! It’s Brock and Sal’s (Brock’s Mother) museum of auto memories.” There was a ’64 tri-power GTO, not to mention the stuff that was scattered around the yard, anything from a Challenger, Ferrari, Morris Minor, a 1927 Plymouth, and a ’33 Bentley, and the manufacturers wouldn’t take back. We just kept floating cars in and out.

No singular car ever really made an impression on me so much as they were just always there. It was the golden age. This was when cars were cars. Every one of them was different. Every one of them was art – well… not every one, some were pieces of sh*t, but that was back in the day when new cars would come out and people actually cared. That’s not the case any more. Now it’s more utilitarian, more function. They’re more washing machine now then they are cars.

HRM: I can only assume Brock taught you to drive – what was that like?

BY: It was more like I watched Brock. When I was a kid, I used to stand on the back of the transmission tunnel, and I’d watch in amazement at my fathers heel-and-toe. That really impressed me. It made sense to me, and I figured I could do it, and I spent hours practicing on a Morris Minor that didn’t run my entire life. My father did take me out in a field in a Meyers Manx dune buggy once that later burned up at Sam Posey’s house, but when it came time to drive, it wasn’t a great mystery.

When driving, he’d talk to me about what to do and what not to do, which is what I’m currently doing with my daughter. I’m building up her knowledge base, just like my Dad did for me.

HRM: What do you do for a living?

BY: I teach for a corporate driving school – DrivingDynamics.com – and according to some of our clients, they’ve seen a 93% reduction in avoidable accidents. I’ve been doing that for about eighteen years now. I also organize, run, and oversee The One Lap Of America.

HRM: Your father, Brock Yates, Sr., created the Cannonball. What was that like to experience as a young adult?

BY: He traveled a lot, so anytime I got to spend time with my father- it was a good thing. One year he asked me if I wanted to go, to which I said, “Sure, why not!” And that was as a fourteen year old prepubescent kid who didn’t like anybody. It was a great lark, and I had no idea what we were doing. All I knew is that we were driving across country in a Dodge van with three of my favorite people. There was Jimmy Williams, who went on to be the Art Director of Car & Driver, Steve Smith, who was a crazy man and the ex-editor of Car & Driver– very droll, very bright, and a really interesting guy- and of course, Brock.

We set off, left New York City, and I remember looking over the seat because I wasn’t allowed in the front. I was either in the far back or on the bench seat, and I recall watching the telephone poles go by. We just went, and went, and went. Now when I drive across the country, I notice things that I saw nearly fifty years ago, and I’m amazed at how much things have changed.

Driving across the desert was panicky back then, as there was nothing out there. You’d see little lights off on the horizon, and you would hope it was gas or people, and that you’d simply make it that far. There were no all-night gas stations, and it was a crapshoot to find open fuel. Hell, Albuquerque at that time couldn’t have been more than a thousand people. Now it’s a sea of people, but my memory of it is that you’d crest a hill and see this tiny dot of light in the valley, and that was it. There was nothing out there, and I was amazed that people would actually live there.

The country now is much, much smaller. Every intersection and interchange looks exactly the same. There’s a McDonalds, a Shell, a Conoco, a Hampton Inn, and you can’t tell where in the country you are when you get off. I remember stopping for gas somewhere on Route 40 in the desert, and there was a lady with rattlesnakes on display who also sold handmade beef jerky. It was more a country store than a gas station, but there it was, right on the side of the road. Nowadays if you don’t have a convenience store attached to it, how do you make money?

The Cannonball changed when Brock was down in Florida for Amelia Island one year as there was a guy who came up to him and said, “I want you to come see my car.” It was a Lamborghini with built-in Escort radar detectors and other equipment. And Brock, who was a very bright guy and who was able to see into the future, basically thought, “This is getting out of hand. People are going stupid fast, and every lesson that was ever achieved in the Cannonball was in jeopardy: that good drivers could traverse the country at high speeds safely. It became this American myth, and it was a great event that really captured the imagination of so many people.

Once he saw that, though (the decked out Lamborghini), he basically put a bullet in the Cannonball because he knew that some a****le was going to take out a busload of nuns. It was just a matter of time. If that happened, instead of being just outlaws, they would have become dangerous, speed freak, killer outlaws, and all of the goodwill and that American myth around the event would disappear.

HRM: The Cannonball led to the creation of The One Lap of America. How and why did that come about?

BY: Before Brock ended the Cannonball, I remember on our dining room table was a map of the United States. Around the perimeter, he had marked all the roads with the title being “The Ten Grand Lap of America.” and I think the original point was to have a Cannonball to the four points of country. After he killed Cannonball in 1979, he resurrected that concept for a rally thinking it would be a bit more socially acceptable. In retrospect it turned out to be a thinly disguised four-leg Cannonball. And truth be told, we had way too much fun on this. Over time, however, the distances became shorter, and he started to incorporate events that the SCCA would allow us to run and which the entrants seemed to enjoy.

HRM: What was The One Lap Of America like in the early days compared to now?

BY: In the early days, One Lap was much more of a party with the mileage being unheard of by todays standards – we’re talking 8,800 miles in 8-days with one stop. It was basically non-stop driving, but the long runs stopped in 1990.

In 1989 Brock conspired with Anatoly “Toly” Arutunoff who built Hallet Raceway in Oklahoma – he was a great personality in gentlemen racing. At that point, the SCCA was sanctioning events and we were only running slaloms down the front straight or regularity runs at a 45-mph max speed. You’d go out and run a lap, and then an hour later you’d go back out and run the same lap, with the difference in your time being your penalty. We did auto-x and hill climbs such as Pikes Peak and Chimney Rock, but it was basically low-key, low-speed stuff.

1989 saw Brock and Toly calling the SCCA and telling them that we were going to run slalom around Hallet Raceway, which was a new track at the time. Now, there should have been cones every 75 feet or so around the 1.4-mile track, but when we got there it turned out to be an SCCA time trial. We would leave start/finish, drive a lap, and then get off, but the lap was timed- run as fast as you could go. Since nobody died (laughs), they decided to incorporate tracks into the event.

In 1990, we did IRP (Indianapolis Raceway Park), Pocono, and others, then with 1991 seeing Charlotte, Watkins Glenn, and Pocono again. At Pocono that day, there was mild dew on the track, and because of it, the SCCA cancelled the event. We were pissed. To this day I have no idea what Brock said to them, but all I know is that now, the SVRA (Sports Car Vintage Racing Association) became the sanctioning body.

We went from running a single lap, to multiples, and then started spending more time at racetracks, which resulted in less time driving. When I took over the event in 2009, in the depths of the recession, Matt Edmonds at Tire Rack (event sponsor) and I decided that due to financial concerns, gas prices, and vehicle reliability, that a maximum of 3,500 miles should be the cap.

HRM: Do you think first timers are ever prepared for the rigors of the event, and what advice would you give them?

BY: It’s a daunting event from the outside, but once you’ve done it a few times, it’s really not so bad. First timers generally look in their garage, panic, and put every tool and spare part in a box, and then stuff it in the ass end of their car. The first thing I tell them is to figure out what your consumables are and bring those along with the tools you know how to use. If you can’t change a caliper, don’t bring one. You’re not going to do a valve job on the side of the road. Have we had that happen? Yes, but keep in mind the amount of times you have to pack and unpack your cars everyday and try to make that experience as easy as possible.

Also, when you’re driving, trust is a commodity you can’t get back. Remember, everyone in the car wants to drive, that’s why they’re there. Most people think they’re rock stars and try to drive three, four or five gas stops. But after your second one, you’re exhausted and your passengers are getting nervous that you’re going to crash. So basically, don’t be an ass. Get into a nice rhythm, and it becomes and incredibly easy event. You can bring a fast vehicle, but One Lap generally surprises people at just how good the competition is. It’s better to come with a competitive, durable, and more importantly, a fun car, to figure out what the event is before you try and win anything. Our regulars- their cars are good, they’re prepared, and they know the racetracks.

HRM: Your life has revolved around automobiles? Have you ever wanted to do anything else, or do you think you were genetically predisposed to love cars?

BY: I was in the food and beverage industry for twenty-five years running bars and restaurants. In fact, I was the bartender at the Portofino Inn for eight years, before becoming the food and beverage manager. After that, I moved across the harbor to the King Harbor Yacht Club were I stayed for ten years. I lived in Southern California for way too long and had way too much fun.

I had a contact who used to control all the press cars for Southern California, and one year, I drove for him in all manner of Porsche, BMW, and Honda, etc. all around the country. It was a marvelous time, so I never really left cars. Plus, the Portofino was the number one car bar in the country. My customers were Rick Mears, Mario Andretti, all the people from Toyota, Honda, and Volvo. It was just fun. And when the One Lap stopped there, I would’ve either been in the bar or part of the event. It was just an amazing place at an amazing time.

HRM: Has the technology (traction control, torque vectoring, lane keep assist) that’s now put into automobiles helped develop better drivers, or made them worse?

BY: I’m absolutely convinced that we’re creating a generation who can just steer. Most drivers today couldn’t tell which tire was skidding if a gun was to their head. If a little yellow light flashes on the dash, all they know is that something’s going on, but they have no idea what. Fact is, modern cars don’t tell you much, I mean they do, but people have no idea what the dash lights mean anymore and what smells are what. You’re completely insulated as to what’s going on with the car; at least that’s how I feel. The cars now are brilliant, there’s no question about it. Today, people consider “old-school” driving to be using three pedals at the same time, actually steering the car, and knowing what to do if the back end comes around. Driving is still all about throttle control, knowing where to look, and things like braking zones.

HRM: You’ve been a driving instructor for a long time. How are new drivers different from those from say, 30 years ago?

BY: Thirty years ago kids wanted to drive. They looked forward to it and you would watch your parents, what they did behind the wheel, and there was a pride in driving. There are just so many cars on the road nowadays that there’s no opportunity to really play with them, and to many, driving has become a chore. With that comes a loss of skill and pride. When I teach, I talk about things that could happen beforehand. We talk about real life scenarios and create responses so that folks are prepared if something should occur. This way, you’ll have something to do as opposed to just closing your eyes and screaming.

Who’s teaching these kids now? Too me, it seems like people who hate driving. I talk to parents, and tell them that they’re terrified if they turn the car and it hits 0.3g’s which is 1/3 the capability of the car. If you think that’s the limit, then that limits your opportunity to avoid stuff because you just won’t turn the steering wheel. Kids need to be allowed to explore the limits of the car so they know how to steer, where to point their eyes, and how to use the throttle and brakes. Therefore, if someone who is terrified teaches a new driver, the only thing they’re going to end up with is a driver who is not only terrified, but also useless behind the wheel.

The other issue, is how do you teach around electronic nannies? How can you learn when the car is doing everything for you? If there’s a catastrophic failure with something, you still need to know what to do. I’m thoroughly convinced that everyone should go out, get a Miata, put a bullet in the ABS system, and learn how to drive a car properly.

HRM: What do you think about the current crop of performance cars, and do you think the majority of folks who purchase them will ever be able to use them to their full potential?

BY: The fact is, dead is dead. Folks who purchase todays performance cars will never, ever be able to use them to their full potential. To be fair though, the numbers aren’t any worse today then they were for the folks who bought Turbo Carreras in the late ‘70s and ‘80s.

I recently taught a school where folks brought out their Chargers and Challengers, and it happened to be raining. When we were out driving, I kept telling people to go a little faster and folks kept saying, “No I can’t!” To which I replied, “Oh yes you can.” After a while, people wanted to quit and go home until I made them ride with me first. They bitched and moaned and said they’d be terrified until I explained to them that driving in the rain is the same as driving in the dry with the only difference being a little less friction. In the rain, the car talks to you, but most people are just too afraid to step out of their comfort zone to realize that. Now granted, there will always be that adult twelve-year-old, who gets into their car and drives it off a cliff, but those guys have been doing that for a thousand years (laughs), and it’ll never stop.

HRM: Having been exposed to just about everything automotive, what’s the best-kept secret in the automotive world?

BY: I have a 2002 Mini Cooper S because it’s fun everyday. Am I frustrated that I can’t drive 100-mph on a daily basis? No, because I’m having fun in this little thing, and most people never get that opportunity. I do a charity drag race every year for the Ronald McDonald House, and somehow I’ve convinced them I’m still an amateur. Not that I’m a pro or anything, but I’ve done it more than most. I’ve shown up in my father’s old dually, I’ve run my Mini, my Subaru, and my wife has even showed up with the Big Horn truck that we have. The reason for this is to show people that, regardless of what you have, driving is fun. It’s you, the light, the people, camaraderie, and the experience. I don’t know how fast I went, and I don’t care. I just remember the fun I had with the cars.

HRM: We live in a world that’s much smaller now thanks to social media. Do you fear that the joy of driving is going to get lost on those who are so entrenched in it?

BY: Do I fear that people are going to lose their enjoyment of driving? I feel they already have. Twenty percent of the country already wants self-driving cars. I had a student the other day who, when I asked, her to rank her driving skill on a scale of 1 to 10, she said, “I’m a ten!” I said, “Ma’am, I grew up around cars, and I know a lot about driving. I’m a six. I know what the good drivers can do, and it’s way beyond what I can do.” I wasn’t trying to be rude, but everyone has these inflated egos and thinks that they’re above average, when in reality, most people suck and would rather stare at their phones.

In the whole scheme of things, it would be a helluva lot cheaper to just teach people how to properly drive then to laden up a car with 4,000-pounds of sensors. Want proof? Take away the drivers side airbag and replace it with a sharpened spike. People would change their driving habits overnight. I remember one time during a class; I threw a cone in front of a girl who was driving. She thru up her arms, covered her eyes, and screamed.

This is what we’re dealing with. We’re doomed.

HRM: What is it about driving that you love?

BY: At the heart of it is the personal freedom. Go where you want, when you want, and wait for no one. It’s controlling my own destiny, and it’s still fun. I’m still going around corners faster than I’m supposed to. I’m still downshifting at every corner, and I’m still practicing my eyes and shifting without a clutch just in case I have to. I’m always playing with the car to make sure I’m getting it right. Every corner to me is still exciting and different. Driving is a full-time job and I enjoy doing it everyday.

I’m just a 12-year old with a car, it’s just when I look in the mirror I’m an old 12-year old.

HRM: You’ve crossed this country dozens of times. What’s your best get-out-of-jail story?

BY: In 1988, I was delivering press cars around the country, and the Porsche 944 Turbo was my favorite car on the entire planet. I was delivering it from L.A. to Phoenix, and at the time, I had a little kit that I’d carry with me. I had a CB, radar detector, extra batteries and a prototype cell phone. Out on the other side of Desert Center, coming into Blythe, there was nobody out there- not one freaking car in a thousand miles. So I ran the car up to a buck and a quarter, hardly stretching the car, and not endangering a soul. All of a sudden CHP goes by me the other way. On his CB he says, “You got by me this time, a**hole.” That’s a direct quote, by the way.

I slowed down to a more prudent speed, but within a matter of minutes, I had a shadow over the hood of the car from the wingtip of a CHP spotter plane. I had a car in the rearview mirror, a car on the frontage road, a car on the overpass, and the most wonderful escort all the way to the Arizona State line because I had a manufacturers plate on the car. If not I would’ve probably been in jail.

HRM: What advice would you give to those looking for a career in the automotive industry?

BY: In this era of 24/24/24 – twenty-four hours a day, twenty-four thousand dollars a year and twenty-four years old – boy, you’ve got to earn it. First, really know how to drive and actually talk about cars from an educated perspective. You need to have a history of automobiles and educate yourself on every aspect of them. Learn about what cars were important in a time period and why. There’s so much history that goes into what cars were, rather than what cars are. There are so many “journalists” who do an incredible disservice to the industry because they’re more concerned about controversy, click bait and being a**holes instead of actually creating something that people want to read or see. And my God, please learn how to write. Create an excitement about what you’re writing about, and put passion into it, because honestly, you’re selling yourself.

The post Take 5 With Brock Yates Jr., The One Lap of America, Driving Dynamics Driving Instructor, Cannonball appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

from Hot Rod Network https://www.hotrod.com/articles/take-5-brock-yates-jr-one-lap-america-driving-dynamics-instructor-cannonball/ via IFTTT

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worldtravelerhd-blog · 7 years

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What's in our Tech Bag: Full RTW Tech Packing Checklist

When you’re planning long term travel, it means that inevitably, you’re going to be bringing a gadget or two alone with you. At bare minimum, it’s probably going to be your cell phone. However, depending what your goals are while abroad, you might plan on a lot more.

We knew we wanted to film our entire trip, so we basically took a studio with us. Think “more tech, less t shirts”.

So without further ado, this is all the tech we brought along on our year long trip along along with why. (And yes, this is way too many electronics. It’s nonsense, and a lot of things were sent home along the way.)

Winner of the Cheap, Simple, and Best Gadget if You're Going to Buy Anything on This Page award...

Kikkerland Universal Electric Travel Adapter- We lucked out and chose the best electric socket adapters. Sounds like a really simple thing to shop for but the crazy amount of options makes it super convoluted and overly complicated. Here is what's great about these travel adapters-modern electronics have chargers that help regulate the power they are getting. In the past, you needed an actual voltage converter so you didn't ruin your gadgets. Now, most (if not at all) charging cords have that feature built into them. That meant we were able to charge our drone, laptops, iPhones, and cameras everywhere from New Zealand to Vietnam to Cyprus using only these VERY simple adapters. Buy It Here.

GoPro & GoPro Accessories

GoPro Hero4 Black- Bought on the road because our GoPro Hero3 started acting wonky. We chose the Hero 4 Black because the recording specs (resolution and frame rate) are higher than that of the Silver. The Silver however has a LCD screen so you can more easily see what you're recording. It really comes down to preference. As this was written in 2017, the Hero 5 is now available, but we're still very happy with the performance and improved battery life of the Hero4. Buy It Here

GoPro Hero3- We've had this camera since it was released. While it still occasionally acts up in the heat, we can't complain about the longevity of the camera. We used it daily and beat the piss out of it for a couple years and now its our “stunt” camera. That means that the if we need to do any shot where there is a decent chance of losing the camera forever or damaging it, we'll pull out the good old Hero3. Buy It Here

GoPro Chesty- I fought bringing this the whole time. It’s bulky. You look stupid wearing it. It's hot. However, if you can suck it up, it makes for great POV shots on a motorcycle/scooter as well as when you’re hiking. Downside? You have to be that guy wearing a chesty. Buy It Here.

Feiyu Tech G4-QD 3-Axis Gimbal - One piece of tech we wish we had from the beginning of the trip. Read more about it here. Watch our video review here. If you don't buy this specific gimbal, do yourself a huge favor, and at least get a gimbal. A complete gamechanger and surefire way to better footage. Buy It Here.

Movo External Microphone for GoPro- Exactly what it sounds like- a small microphone that attaches to GoPro via mini USB. The sound is EONS better than the standard internal mic on the GoPro. We also picked up some fuzzy windscreens to eliminate wind noise. Buy It Here.

GoPro 3 Way Mount- A bit of a dilemma here... the GoPro branded three way mount is WAY too expensive at $60. Plus, if you lost a screw for it, they give you a hell of a time to just order a new one. (We managed to lose two screws). On the plus side, the mount is built tough and stood up to plenty of abuse. On the plus PLUS side, there is a great knockoff version for less than $20. Buy the way overpriced version here. Buy the cheap version by searching for "generic gopro 3 way mount" on eBay.

GoPro Dive Housing Case- An absolute must have. The waterproof case made it an easy decision to bring the Hero3 or Hero4 with us everywhere. A waterproof case is necessary, especially if your travels take you to South East Asia where if its not raining, you're likely playing in water in the jungle, at the beach or in a pool. Buy It Here.

GoPro Orange Floaty- If you’re using a GoPro in its waterproof case, you might as well have the orange floaty attached so that when you inevitably drop it, its not gone forever. For example, if you were on a sailboat island hopping trip in Thailand and your name was Allison, you could very well mistakenly drop a GoPro without a floaty in 25 feet of water and just hope your husband is a skilled enough free diver to retrieve it. Buy It Here.

Drone & Drone Accessories

Drone Carrying Bag- I've written about this bag at length. It's ugly as hell. I hate looking at it. It also did a tremendously great job of protecting our drone during its 10 months on the road. It wasn't amazing comfortable to hike all day in, but then again, what drone bag is. Read more about it here. Buy this stupid bag here. Or don't-it's stupid.

Phantom 3 Professional- Back in my day, when you wanted to travel the world with a drone, you took this huge ass one with you because ya didn't really have a choice. These days there are more choices than ever. However, at the time of writing, GoPro has recalled all their Karma drones because they kept falling out of the sky and Kickstarter projects like Lilly have been canceled. If I had $1k burning a hole in my pocket I'd probably go pick up a DJI Mavic. However, I still love our Phantom 3 Pro and they can be picked up for less than half of what I originally paid. Buy It Here.

PolarPro DJI Phantom 3 Lens Filter- When it comes to shooting pretty video, we're about as knowledgeable as a couple monkeys smashing rocks together. Really. If you've ever seen anything pretty on our site or videos, its completely by mistake. Even a blind squirrel finds a nut now and then. We quickly discovered that filming with the drone without a lens filter on it led to consistently over exposed footage. We also learned that if we shot in AUTO mode that our footage would end up changing color as we moved about. The only solution was to buy a set of filters for new light conditions and then shoot in MANUAL mode. If you're buying a drone, buy some filters. There is no real way around it. We like the screw on filters as we lost the slip on ones before during a flight. Buy It Here.

Tools for Phantom 3- I brought along assorted electronics screwdrivers that fit my Phantom. You might want to do a bit of research to find out what size and shape of driver head you will need if you need to do repairs in the field.

iPad Mini 2: We had a friend deliver this to us while abroad because it was just too difficult to fly the drone using the tiny screen on our phones. iPhone 5 doesn’t work with the Phantom 3, and even the iPhone 6 was incredibly difficult to use. An upgrade to an iPad Mini 2 let me more easily see any sort of obstacles that could cause mid air disasters, including wires and angry seagulls. I’d say it paid for itself ten times over by helping me avoid what would have been some amazing crashes. Buy it Here. Watch my drone fall out of the sky here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBRdHF1s0Go

Other Cameras & Camera Equipment

Samsung NX2000 Mirrorless Camera- We wanted a still camera that was better than what our phones were packing. This was more compact than a DSLR, was easy enough for us camera newbies to operate well, and shot decent video for us. Would recommend an alternative option though, as despite having an accessory shoe, Samsung no longer sells a compatible external mic for this camera. Buy It Here.

Canon Vixia HF G10 Camcorder- While obviously higher quality footage than shooting video on an iphone we were a bit more concerned with how it would stand up to a daily beating of hiking, surprise rain storms, and driving down rough roads. That, mixed with zero space left in the day bag We mailed this home 2 months into the trip and now just use it for shooting videos inside. Buy It Here.

Telephoto Lens- (compatible with Samsung NX2000) We brought this with us, only to quickly determine that we didn’t need it. This lens takes beautiful pictures, but we found ourselves constantly conflicted on whether it was worth throwing in our day bag.. We needed the shorter lens to film most of the time, and between the Samsung still camera, a GoPro, a drone, and an external battery pack, the telephoto lens just seldom seemed like it was worth carrying along. We could see how anyone who was really into still photography wouldn’t leave home without it though. Don't buy one.

Tripod: A $20 impulse purchase at an electronic store in Vietnam was carried with us for the rest of the trip. Mostly used so that we could shoot product review videos during our motorbike trip. The other thing that it ended up being used for was time lapse photos with the Time Lapse accessory attached (below).

Timelapse/Panoramic Camera Mount- Basically a glorified egg timer that you mount your camera, GoPro, or iPhone on. You can then shoot a timelapse while you get a smooth rotation of the camera. Allison found hers on Amazon for less than $20. Initially skeptical on bringing such a single purchase gadget, I think the shots that we ended up getting with it made it well worth it. Buy It Here.

iPhone 6- Allison's phone (but really an additional camera). High quality video and the ability to do slow-mo. Also, used to fly the drone for the first half of the trip. Amazingly, it never had a battery above 50% the entire trip but that might have been (definitely was) user-error. Due to an American Telephone contract this phone could not be unlocked, leaving us with only Tim's phone (below) to add a SIM card to. You already own one of these.

Iphone external Mic- Used with a deadcat so that we could record audio that didn’t sound like steaming garbage. You can only film so much before you get fed up with wind noise over your interesting banter. Buy It Here.

Other Tech Items

Iphone 5- Tims iPhone. Old enough to be out of contract so it was unlocked. That meant we could pick up cheap SIM cards overseas. You don’t get any magic points for making travel hard on yourself, and the ability to at least use the internet let alone make a call while you’re out doing daily activities is even more valuable when abroad than at home. You already own one of these.

Otterbox for Iphone 5- Tim loves to drop his phone. Loves it! But at least he can admit it. Though an otterbox can be clunky, it offers great fall protection and makes it at least a little water resistant for that unplanned rainstorm you’ll get caught in. Buy It Here.

Lenovo Yoga Pro- Bought on ebay used. These things were easily one of the best choices we made for our trip. Inexpensive enough that it wouldn’t be devastating if one was lost or destroyed. Really lightweight, compact, and powerful enough to edit video. Also, as someone who thought touch screen laptops were stupid...the touch screens turned out awesome. This is what we edit all of our video on. They are also awesome on the airplane/bus/train/ferry because they rotate around for different tablet-style screen use. Check out our full laptop article if you're looking for more info.

Earbuds- You can listen to stuff, or use them to not pretend you’re somewhere else. Don’t bring your $100 Beats earbuds. Bring cheap ones-you can pick up a new pair almost anywhere. You already own these.

Headphone-splitter- A must if you’re traveling with someone else. Also a great way to make friends on planes and trains. In our specific case, Allison hates to charge her phone and computer, so she was always VERY interested in whatever movie I might be watching during our longer flights. Buy It Here.

Small USB Battery Pack- You know you’re gonna need some power because someone always forgets to charge the cameras. Buy It Here.

Big-ass USB Battery Pack- You’ll probably need even more power because someone always forgets to charge the cameras. Or their phone. Or the GoPro. Just don't forget to charge THIS. Buy It Here.

Shitty day bag- Lumping this in here with electronics- Don’t carry your things around in brand new, electronic manufacturer branded bags. You aren't doing yourself favors by letting everyone know you have a Canon DSLR in a Canon speciality backpack. Bring a cheap day bag or buy a crap looking knockoff while abroad. Try your best to not advertise how much money is sitting in your backpack. Also, two straps, so that any would be thiefs can’t simply yank it off a shoulder. Go look in a dumpster.

Bestek Power Inverter- Yes. Tim lugged this stupid thing around the world for almost a year, just so we could have it to use for a two week road trip in Europe and then 6 weeks in New Zealand. He stands by his decision. We were able to charge a laptop, a drone battery, and two USB devices at the same time. This thing was built to withstand abuse and we’re still using it in our car back home to run crock pots at football tailgates. Buy It Here.

Travel curling iron- Seemed like a great idea, but never ended up using it. Allison mailed it home after 5 months and never touched it once. Don't Buy One. Seriously.

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