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brideofedoras · 4 years

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Cupid’s Arrow

Cupid’s Arrow

A Modern AU Cupid/OFC

Disclaimer: I do not own Cupid or Aphrodite or the images in the aesthetic I created... I only own my OCs...

Warnings: NONE! (yet...)

Word Count: 2100+

Rating: 18+ (to be on the safe side)...

*Note: This was originally supposed to be a short one but it got away with me. I’m nowhere near finished with it, I’m currently stuck but I wanted to post it for Valentine’s Day. So... Here’s part one!

Valentine’s Day is T-minus 7 days, 14 hours, 38 minutes…

Cupid snorted awake when the damned alarm sounded on his phone. He rolled over and grabbed the device to silence the alert. “Yeah, yeah, I know,” he muttered, dropping the iPhone onto the blanket before scrubbing his hands over his face. Dammit, he wanted to go back to sleep.

Unfortunately he had a job to do. And if he didn’t do it, his mother would never let him hear the end of it.

Aphrodite had been on a tear ever since she’d heard about some cute little brunette running a quaint little bookstore in the middle of Nowhere, Missouri. Rumor had it the girl was very beautiful and every red-blooded man in a hundred mile radius were flocking around her.

He screwed his eyes shut. His mother could be a very jealous woman at times, but this was ridiculous. She wanted him to go undercover, get a job somewhere in that town (preferably at the bookstore, if Aphrodite had her way), and nail some fat, ugly old man with one of his arrows and make him fall in love with the girl.

He sighed heavily as he sat up, the bedding pooling at his bare waist. One thing he hated was his own mother using him to ease her jealousy at some innocent woman’s expense.

“That’s not how I work, Mom,” he muttered to himself. He threw the covers off and stood up, shuddering at the slight chill in the room.

He preferred to bring couples together naturally without wasting his precious arrows. Occasionally someone would drag their heels and deny they were head over heels in love with the person they were meant to be with. Then he would bust out the crossbow and take aim.

But to use an arrow to force love on someone? It was immoral. He would not do something that went against his beliefs.

He would go, he would try to get hired on somewhere in Valentine Creek, Missouri, and see if there was anyone she was interested in. And if the feelings were reciprocated he would work his matchmaking skills, bring them together and hope for the best.

Cupid grabbed a pair of boxer briefs and pulled them on, formulating the plan in his head. Research the town, see if there are any job openings, apply and charm his way into a job, meet the girl, befriend the girl, and hopefully fix her up with her one true love.

He finished getting dressed and fixed himself a pot of coffee before he grabbed his laptop and settled down on his bed once more to do a Google search on the girl his mother had taken a dislike to sight unseen.

Valentine Creek, Missouri. Population 8,347. Located on the Missouri River in the middle of the state, cute little tourist town with a rich history. His hazel eyes skimmed along the list of businesses until the name of the bookstore Aphrodite had practically spat out last night caught his attention.

Adventure Awaits. Established in 1996 by Nic and Calliope Wilder on the square in historic downtown Valentine’s Creek, Adventure Awaits is a bookstore, bakery and coffee shop rolled into one. Current owner and operator is their daughter, Penelope Wilder, a 2018 graduate of Olympus University where she studied business management and creative writing. The Wilders have collaborated with area businesses during festivals to host wine walks to raise funds for restoring historic sites of interest; children’s workshops such as creative writing, art, dance, theater, and baking; pet adoption specials; back-to-school supply drives, and Christmas book drives.

He reached for his coffee and took a sip before searching to see if Adventure Awaits had a website. “Bingo,” he murmured when it pulled up. He frowned thoughtfully as he took in the simple page with a Victorian-esque background. Links to view the dessert and beverage menu, books, gifts, upcoming events lined the top of the page.

He scrolled down the main page, finding it to be a blog of sorts touting specials, sales, employment opportunities and photos from recent events.

One photo caught his attention. A blue-eyed brunette curled up on an overstuffed armchair with a book and a three-legged cat.

Meet the not-so-new owner and operator of Adventure Awaits: Penny (and Church).

Cupid double-tapped the photo to get a better look.

Long dark hair flowing in waves, bright baby blue eyes framed with long dark lashes, high cheekbones, full pink lips, flawless skin. An aura of shy innocence in that smile.

Warmth flooded through him as he studied, as he memorized Penelope Wilder’s photograph. He wondered if her hair felt as silky as it looked, if it would curl around his fingers. Would her lips feel plush and velvety soft under his? What would her kisses taste like? Would her eyes sparkle with love and adoration as she looked deep into his own hazels?

The increasing tightness in his chest snapped him out of his reverie. Cupid scrubbed his hands over his face and drew in a deep breath. “You are the God of Love, you have no time for a romance of your own, you idiot,” he berated himself. “Mom would kill you, too, for this.”

He spread his fingers to peek at the computer screen once more, to the chocolate brown tresses and the baby blue eyes and the shy smile. “I can’t do this.”

Cupid startled when his phone vibrated on the night stand. With a groan he dropped his hands and snatched it up. “Crap.” He swiped his thumb to answer. “Mom.”

“Cupid, don’t you have somewhere you need to be?” The sickly sweet tone in Aphrodite’s voice belied the irritation he picked up on.

“No, I’m not doing it,” he leaned back against the headboard.

“Yes, you are,” she growled at him. “You are going to fly your cute little ass to Missouri and make her fall in love with some fat old geezer.”

“Mother, what you are demanding of me goes against what I stand for,” he warned. “I will not force that kind of fate on an undeserving innocent.”

“I don’t care,” he rolled his eyes at her flippant tone. “You’re doing this or I’m disowning you.”

“You say that every time you want me to do your dirty work, Mom,” he reached up and raked his fingers through his golden blond hair. “You haven’t disowned me yet.”

“Just do it, Cupid,” she snapped and disconnected the call.

“No, Mom,” he dropped the phone onto the bed. “I’m not gonna ruin her life to appease your jealousy.” He leaned forward to look at the photo of the blue-eyed beauty once more.

“No, Church, you can’t have a brownie,” Penelope smiled at the three-legged cat at her feet. “You shouldn’t be back here anyway.”

Big amber eyes blinked at her from the sweet ebony face before the rescue hobbled off with his fluffy tail flicking sassily at her.

She shook her head as she finished stocking the dessert display. “Chocolate isn’t good for furbabies,” she picked up the cream cheese chocolate chip brownie she’d saved for herself and followed the cat to the window display overlooking the park across the street. It was cloudy out, snow was in the forecast for the afternoon. “Think we’ll get the four inches of snow the weatherman promised?” She scritched behind Church’s left ear.

The cat purred in response, a deep and loud rumble as he turned his head to urge her to scratch him under his jaw.

She smiled as she complied. “Not that we have to get out in it, since we live upstairs and I did the shopping last night.” Her baby blue eyes wandered to the window again. “Well, we have thirty minutes before it’s time to open, Mom will be here later to help me with today’s delivery… Is it wrong to want a shot of tequila to get me through the day?”

“Mrrrrp,” Church gave her a half meow, half purr for a response before turning and hopping up onto the vintage wingback chair in the display. He promptly curled up on the soft ivory afghan.

“It was just a hypothetical question,” she sighed as she straightened the books on the side table. “Maybe.”

She turned away from the window and walked through the small store. She switched around a few Valentine’s Day displays, rotating the books on the stands and tried not to groan as she wondered how many men she was going to have to fend off today.

Not a single one of them were interested in a relationship. They wanted to hook up, do the one night stand thing and go on their merry little way, or the friends with benefits, no-strings-attached thing.

She was shy, introverted, and hooking up for sex was something she could not do. If she was going to invest her time in someone, step out of her comfort zone and make herself vulnerable then that person better be in it for the long haul, and not just for sex. Some of her friends had a revolving door of lovers, and she understood that this day and age that was the new normal. It just was not for her. She wanted the old cliche, a whirlwind romance evolving into happily ever after.

Penny groaned. “I should just go on vacation every year around this time, Church,” she picked up a copy of one of her favorite books and carried it to the counter. “What do you think? A little bungalow on the beach somewhere? Maybe run away to New Zealand?” She chuckled when she received no response from the stray-turned-spoiled house cat. “I’m terrified of flying, that would never work anyway,” she shook her head as she propped Pride and Prejudice up next to the register. One quick glance at the clock on the wall told her she had five minutes to go before it was time to open. With another sigh she rounded the counter to start the coffee maker for the regular coffee, checked the other machines, and grabbed the keys to unlock the door.

“Church, it’s already starting to snow,” she commented as she unlocked the door leading to the enclosed foyer. Once the main door was unlocked she dipped into her bucket of rock salt and stepped out onto the sidewalk to spread it out.

“Penny, where’s your coat?”

Her head snapped up toward the shoe store to the left. “Upstairs in my apartment,” she answered with a smile. “I’ll grab it when I have a chance, Ed.”

“You be sure to do that, wouldn’t want for you to come down sick,” Ed Chambers smiled back. “If you want, I can have Josh shovel the walk for you later.”

“Thank you,” she shook her head. “I’ll take care of it.”

“The offer stands if you get busy, Penny,” he waved before ducking back into his shop.

Her smile dropped the moment she was alone. Ugh. I do not want Josh shoveling my part of the walk. He will just come into the store and flirt and get mad the moment I turn him down. She ducked back into the foyer for more rock salt. “I’m quite capable of shoveling my sidewalk, clearing off my car, and carrying my groceries,” she muttered out loud. “Don’t need some jerk coming along flexing to show off and entice me into something I want no part of.” A few more scoops of salt later she grabbed the sign her dad had made years ago and set it where it was out of the way but easily seen. Caution: Sidewalk might be slick! Please walk with care!

She stepped back into her business and flipped the sign from “Closed” to “Come on in, we’re open!”. Once she wiped her feet on the rough mat she sighed heavily. “I swear to God, Cupid better keep his damned arrows away from me.”

Penny ducked around the wall separating the counter from the kitchen to wash her hands. It would likely be a slow day for business with the snow arriving earlier than expected (never a good sign), and the main drag would be clogged later with rerouted traffic from accidents on the freeway bridge ten minutes away (happens every time it rains or snows, people think they can fly down the highway at 90 miles per hour regardless of the weather). But she had her regulars to think about. Employees from the businesses, city hall, the police and sheriff’s department and the courthouse often popped in for a cup of coffee and a fresh brownie or cookie during their breaks. The auxiliary from the local hospital enjoyed coming in to request books and novelty items to be ordered for their gift shop. She doubted they would come in.

Slow days could be both a blessing and a curse, she thought. With nothing else to do until the delivery, she settled in behind the counter for a long wait.

#cupid/ofc #modern au #fluff #valentine's day #karl urban #church the cat

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mdelpin · 5 years

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Gratsu Bingo 2019, Gratsu Week 2019 Prompt: Pet AO3 | FF.Net

A Family With You

Disclaimer: All Fairy Tail Characters Belong to Hiro Mashima

Gray walked beside Natsu as they made their way back from an unexpectedly successful mission. No town had been destroyed, Natsu had listened to their plan and for once actually followed it perfectly. They’d received the full reward for their work. As Lucy and Erza walked ahead of them, happily discussing how they were going to spend the jewels they’d earned Gray couldn’t help but worry about his boyfriend.

Natsu just hadn't been himself since Happy had passed away, and Gray had to admit there was a Happy shaped hole in his heart as well. The Exceed had been a large part of both their lives from the moment he'd hatched when they were young. He'd been a constant companion to Natsu, helping him get over such things as Lisanna's loss, and finding out that not only was he Zeref's younger brother but also the most powerful demon ever created, E.N.D.

Happy had always had a smile at the ready or a prank, and only he was capable of getting Natsu into even more trouble than Gray ever could. But he’d also been a great friend, a good listener who never judged, even though they’d all learned to suffer through his “You looooooooooooooooove him” taunts. They all missed him.

But of course, none of them had shared as strong of a bond with him as Natsu had and for someone who had already lost so much in his life this most recent loss was almost enough to send him over the edge.

Gray sidled over to his boyfriend and grabbed his hand as they walked, something he didn’t often do. Even though they’d been together for years now, and there were probably few people left in Magnolia who weren’t aware of the fact that the Salamander and the Ice Prince of Fairy Tail were an item, Gray still didn’t like to bring attention to their relationship. It was something he cherished, and he preferred to only expose that side of himself to his lover in the privacy of their home.

Natsu looked over at Gray and gave him a small smile before going back to staring straight ahead.

Not one to give up easily, Gray decided to step it up a notch.

“How about we go away somewhere when we get back, just the two of us?” Gray asked, squeezing Natsu’s hand, “We could go to Akane Beach or anywhere you want.”

He peered at Natsu's reaction, hoping to see a flicker of excitement in the otherwise distant mage. Given how destructive they both were, they rarely had extra jewels to do something as extravagant as going away on vacation.

Gray could almost picture it, the two of them frolicking on the beach during the day, and making love at night. In his daydream, they had a private bungalow of some sort where they could give voice to their passion without anyone hearing them. Who knew, if things went well he might even get his act together and finally propose like he'd been meaning to.

When Gray finally came out of his daydream, he realized Natsu was openly staring at him, a slight smile peeking at the corner of his lips.

"That might be nice," Natsu agreed, and although his enthusiasm was nowhere near what Gray had hoped for, when Natsu squeezed his hand back, Gray was satisfied. They walked hand in hand until they reached the outskirts of Magnolia.

Xxx

They'd talked about their vacation a few times, but something always seemed to come up to keep them from going. Bit by bit Natsu seemed to be getting back to normal, his appetite was returning, and his infectious grin had made an appearance a few times.

But it wasn’t until the day that Gray suggested they go for a hike in the woods that he finally saw glimpses of the old Natsu. They had, of course, turned it into a competition because anything else was boring.

They'd raced through town from their apartment, but once they'd left the more populated areas behind them, no holds barred rules applied. The use of magic was acceptable as long as the terrain was not harmed, as was tripping and anything else they could think of to give themselves an advantage.

Gray hadn’t realized the ground around them was loose and when he tripped Natsu, the fire mage wasn’t able to grab hold of anything before the ground gave way underneath him, he began sliding down a steep ravine, shouting expletives at his boyfriend the whole way down.

Gray went after him, worried Natsu might have broken something when he heard a cry that he assumed to be of pain. He found Natsu sprawled at the bottom, looking intently at something in the distance.

As soon as he saw Gray, Natsu got up excitedly and grabbed him by the hand, all thoughts of their hike forgotten as he dragged Gray with him towards the object he’d detected.

“Where are we going?” Gray asked, not being able to make out anything but leaves.

"It's just up ahead," Natsu remained cryptic, but he sped up, and Gray let himself be pulled along, happy to see Natsu taking an interest in something.

When Natsu finally stopped, it was unexpected, and Gray nearly crashed into him.

“Careful,” Natsu hissed, “You’ll break it!”

That's when Gray finally saw what had captured Natsu's attention, and his heart sank. It was an egg, a relatively large one at that. It reminded Gray a bit of the one that Natsu had found all those years ago and had cared for with Lisanna until it hatched and Happy had entered their lives.

Why did it have to be another egg?

Gray had already thought of getting Natsu a pet, a cat or a dog that Natsu could love but it wasn't a good idea to replace one pet with another, and while Happy had been much more than a pet to them the idea was still the same. Natsu had to finish grieving for Happy before considering adopting another creature. Gray could only imagine whatever was in that egg would not be a typical pet. When did Natsu do anything normal?

Gray glared at the egg like it held the key to their imminent destruction. They had no idea what was inside it. He remembered Kemokemo and his destructive tendencies and shuddered. Eggs and Natsu were not a great combination.

But…. he couldn’t deny that Natsu already looked happier than he had in months. And, oh gods no, the puppy eyes were already aimed his way. Not fair!

“Can we keep it?”

“You have no idea what’s in there, the mother might have gone to catch food or something. If we touch it she’ll never come back,” Gray tried to put on a strong front, but he knew he was beaten as soon as he saw the flash of pain cross Natsu’s face. What kind of monster was he to deny his boyfriend the one thing that might make him happy again?

Natsu considered Gray’s point briefly, his nose sniffing the air around them. “There aren’t any other smells here besides ours and the trees. If the mother left it was a long time ago, she’s not coming back.”

Once again, those pleading eyes were aimed at him, and Gray caved like they both knew he would.

"Fine," he grumbled, and Natsu leaped into his arms, a massive smile on his face. The force of his jump propelled them both to the ground, and Gray took advantage of the moment to wrap his arms around his boyfriend and hold him against him, absorbing the joy Natsu was exuding. Maybe he'd been wrong, maybe Natsu was ready to move on.

Gray chuckled as Natsu peppered his jaw with kisses before taking off his topcoat. Gray gazed at him with longing, his hands already moving to touch the well-loved body only to find them slapped away as Natsu got off him.

He walked over to the egg and knelt next to it, picking it up gently and placing it in his coat, wrapping the fabric around it before cradling it in his arms.

Gray groaned in disbelief, what the hell had he done? The thing wasn't even hatched yet, and it was already a cockblock. He remembered their planned vacation and sighed, yeah, that wasn't happening any time soon. Still, that smile, it was just too cute. Natsu was happy, and that was all that mattered to him at the moment.

Xxx

“I think it’s a dragon!” Natsu exclaimed excitedly.

“We’ve been over this, dragons are extinct, the last ones lived inside you,” Gray reminded him. They had this conversation every day.

"Yeah, but Levy found a book, and it said that dragon eggs could go into stasis for a long time!"

“If it makes you happy to think so go ahead, I just don’t want you to be disappointed when it turns out to be a skunk or something.”

Natsu laughed, “Skunks are mammals stupid, they’re born not hatched.”

Gray blushed as he realized his mistake, “Whatever, it’s not a dragon.”

Natsu had become utterly obsessed with the egg. He took it everywhere, even covered it in blankets at night. Gray had put his foot down at having it share their bed, reminding Natsu that they were both restless sleepers and might accidentally hurt it. Thankfully Natsu had seen the wisdom in his words and had been satisfied with making a little bed for it in their room instead.

The following day Gray came home to find Natsu covering the egg in his flames.

“What are you doing?! You’re going to cook it!” Gray yelled, rushing to get the egg away from his idiotic boyfriend only to have Natsu wave him off.

“No, look, it likes it,” Natsu insisted and damn if he wasn’t right. The egg seemed to respond to the heat, wobbling until it reached Natsu, making the Fire Dragon Slayer laugh and hug it against his chest gently.

Truth be told Gray was beginning to get jealous of the egg, Natsu spent all his time obsessing over it and in Gray's opinion not enough time on him. He was getting tired of it, but at the same time, he was glad to see that whatever was inside the egg was alive.

He hadn't known what he would do if it didn't hatch. He did have the presence of mind to worry about the fact that the creature was drawn to fire.

But then Natsu began to sing the egg a lullaby, one Gray had never heard before, and he couldn't help but gaze at them fondly. He felt a warmth spread across his chest, putting thoughts in his head of their future.

Now that the egg had started interacting, Gray found he was just as fascinated with it as Natsu. The dragon slayer had somehow convinced Wendy and Gajeel that the egg contained a dragon inside it and now both of them were over at their house, sitting in a circle on the floor with Natsu, all of them staring at the egg in awe.

It surprised no one when Sting and Rogue appeared out of nowhere and made themselves at home. There was almost no room for Gray to sit in his own home and he swore that if Laxus and Cobra showed up, he was just going to move in with Erza. He couldn't handle all seven dragon slayers at once. No one could.

Thankfully that didn't happen, what did happen was quite amazing though. They heard a little crack, and a small tear appeared on the surface of the egg. The creature was ready to hatch. Natsu began purring, and the other dragon slayers joined in. They were ecstatic when the creature purred in reply.

The egg began to vibrate as the little creature inside it tried to break free. Gray went to try to help it only to be stopped in his tracks as five pairs of eyes fixed on him, and the dragon slayers all growled at him as one. He stepped back quickly, startled by their response.

“What are you doing?” Natsu asked him, looking, dare he say, disappointed in him.

“I was trying to help it,” Gray replied, thinking his actions pretty obvious.

“You can’t do that Ice Princess, it’s the dragon’s first test. He has to make his way out on his own.” Natsu explained in a voice that sounded like he was speaking to a slow child. It irritated the crap out of Gray, and it sure as hell didn’t help that the other dragon slayers seemed to agree with him.

“For the last time Natsu, that’s not a dragon,” Gray replied with exasperation, rolling his eyes as five pairs of eyes once again gave him a once over and seemed to find him wanting.

“Shhhh” Was the only reply as they all turned their eyes to the miracle that was happening on their floor.

Gray managed to wedge himself in between Natsu and Wendy, grabbing Natsu's hand in his as they waited anxiously. The little guy hadn't moved in the last thirty minutes, and Gray hated to admit it, but he was worried. The dragon slayers began purring again, and the creature replied in kind. Relieved that it seemed to be okay, the other dragon slayers went to buy some food, but Natsu and Gray decided to stay and watch over their egg.

Twenty minutes after the dragon slayers had left, the egg started to shake, the movements bigger than they had been earlier.

Natsu smiled proudly, “It was taking a nap, I think it should be any moment now.”

Gray draped his arm over Natsu’s shoulders, pulling him closer to him as they both watched the little guy struggle with bated breath. Natsu continued to purr to it, sometimes switching to the lullaby and Gray knew then without a doubt this is what he wanted someday. A family with this idiot, his idiot.

Finally, they were able to begin to see parts of the creature. It was red in color, and it was covered in scales. Its eyes were closed, but it was sniffing the air, it's head moving towards the two of them. He finally climbed out of the remains of his egg. His small wings unfurling behind him.

“I told you,“ Natsu couldn’t help but gloat when he took in the disbelief on Gray’s face as he gazed wide-eyed at the creature that sat in front of them licking himself.

Holy fuck! There was a red baby dragon sitting in their living room. How in the hell had a dragon egg survived all these years? All of a sudden, he remembered how the egg had been drawn to Natsu's fire and began to panic.

"Natsu, we can't keep a dragon as a pet," Gray pointed out, trying to sound reasonable.

“Why the hell not?” The temperature in the room increased as Natsu made his anger known.

"What do you mean, why not? He's going to burn our house down!"

"He'll do no such thing, Ice Block. Besides you said we could keep him, you can't just take it back!" Natsu's voice became louder, and it was making the dragon nervous, smoke began to trickle out of its nostrils.

“That’s when I thought it was a skunk or something.” Gray tried to keep his voice down, not wanting to upset the dragon further.

“I already told you skunks are born. Ugh you always do this! Why can’t you just let go for once?”

To Gray's surprise, the dragon made his way into his lap, away from Natsu. It curled up in its wings and in a few minutes was fast asleep. Gray looked at Natsu with pleading eyes, but Natsu would only smirk at his predicament. Next thing he knew, Gray found himself petting the infant in his lap, marveling over how smooth its scales were.

“Fine, we can keep him for now, but he’s soon going to be too big for this house.”

“I know, we can think of something then,” Natsu assured him.

“He needs a name,” Gray muttered.

“Igneel Junior!” Natsu announced.

“I’m not calling him Igneel Junior,” Gray protested.

“Fine, then how about just Junior?”

Gray rolled his eyes but accepted the name. The dragon slayers returned, upset they’d missed all the excitement but fascinated by the baby dragon sleeping in Gray’s lap.

It turned out raising a dragon was about as bad as Gray had anticipated, quite often he came home to find Natsu trying to ingest enormous amounts of fire and trying to pass it off as his own. Gray had decided early on to pretend to believe him, he didn’t have the heart to remind Natsu that he was an elemental Slayer as well and knew that wasn’t possible.

Natsu had taught Junior to talk, and he would call them Papa and Dad. They would take Junior with them on jobs and not surprisingly they had an easier time of things. Being able to ride a dragon made all their transportation easier, and it had the added benefit of not making Natsu motion sick. It turned out that very few bandits or monsters wanted to go against a dragon, even a young one. And Junior was very charming, he quickly became a favorite with all the guild members but especially with all the dragon slayers who had accepted him as part of their own.

Two years had passed since Junior had come into their lives and although Gray had yet to ask Natsu to marry him or take that vacation they’d become a family in everything but name.

Xxx

After a particularly difficult mission, they had come upon a small girl on their way back to Magnolia. She looked to be about three or four years old. She was covered in dirt, and her clothes were tattered, but she didn't seem to be afraid of them.

Natsu and Gray checked her over, deciding to take her back to the guild to see Wendy before figuring out what to do with her. The little girl was fascinated by Junior, she would extend her arm to touch him and then quickly pull it back when he tried to get closer. By the time they had gotten to Magnolia, Junior had managed to get her to sit on his back as he walked beside them, while Natsu had her talking and laughing softly.

Gray left Natsu and Junior with the little girl and went to report to Laxus what had happened. From the moment Gray entered the infirmary, he could feel the combined effect of two pairs of large puppy eyes directed at him and he pretended not to hear Laxus snorting at his predicament. It was ridiculous and unfair, Natsu was bad enough, but come on, a dragon shouldn't even be capable of that!

Fuck! He tried to fight it, but one look at his boyfriend and their dragon son, who had shoved his head in through the infirmary window, and their obvious desire to have this little girl join their family, had Gray’s heart melting.

“Fiiiiiine,” Gray groused, although they all knew it was an act.

It looked like he'd finally gotten the family with Natsu he'd always wanted. It was loud and unusual, but he wouldn't want it any other way. He guessed at this rate he'd have to get around to making an honest man out of his boyfriend. Gray chuckled, wondering what new adventures their honeymoon would bring.

A/N: I'm really excited that Gratsu Week is finally here! My favorite week of the year. I loved all the episodes with Natsu and eggs so I figured I'd write something along those lines. I hope you enjoy!

#fairy tail #gratsu #gratsuweek2k19 #gratsubingo2019 #ftlgbtales #ftfanfics #natsu x gray #fluff #gray x natsu #gray fullbuster #natsu dragneel #egg #dragon slayers #family #my edits

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evanderwoodsen · 4 years

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Headcanons: app .

More will be posted as I write / come up with them, but just for convenience I’ve listed the headcanons I used in the app. tw drugs, tw suicide (attempt) / scars

* (tw: suicide, drugs) Eric’s first struggle with addiction started at the tender age of fifteen, triggered by a newspaper picture of his father with his new wife and her child. A child he hadn’t abandoned. It was tough, and he reached a low just after his seventeenth birthday when he slit his wrists because the world was just too much. Luckily, it was also a turning point, and right now the different sobriety chips displayed in the living room are the most prominent reminder (and warning) of that dark time.

* He is determined to live a different life than that of the ‘adults’ he grew up with, always stressed and always working and never taking time to stop and just be, which is a revelation he has been living for the past five years. As such,next to the unavoidable “acte de présence’s” that are required of him because he’s a van der Woodsen, Eric spends his time attending ballets and operas at the Lincoln center, as well as occasionally helping his mother out when she calls and says she needs him. He knows that he doesn’t want to be unemployed for his entire life, but since there’s no financial pressure, he’s taking things one day at a time and taking all the time he needs to figure out just what exactly he wants to do.

* Even though Eric came out as gay a few years ago, he still hasn’t actually had a boyfriend. In fact, it seems that the ease with which he could charm girls turned into a clunky awkwardness when it comes to guys, to the point where he eventually kind of gave up, hoping that this carelessness would ease his nerves a little bit. He’s had some ‘one night kisses’, as he refers to them, but that’s about where it ends.

* Eric spent three years in Hawaii following his time in college, engulfing himself in the local culture and working odd jobs at the beach whenever he felt like it. While still living what the general public would consider to be a lavish lifestyle, it was simple and sober for Eric, who had never before lived with less than two maids. An elegant two-bedroom bungalow overlooking the ocean offered all that he needed and more, but for the first time he truly felt like he was living alone, without any interference from his mother (or even his sister), and it was that knowledge that made him feel like he was on his own for the first time, getting by because of no one else but himself (and a cleaning lady who visited once a week. He was finding himself, but he still had standards). He looks back to that time happily, and would move there in a heartbeat if it didn’t mean leaving his friends and family behind (especially his sister).

* (tw: suicide, scars) Eric barely ever wears short-sleeved shirts. It’s not so much that he’s ashamed of his past, of what he went through, but it’s not exactly a ‘just met’ conversation topic, and he also doesn’t want to be reminded of it all the time, nor does he want the people he loves to be reminded of it either. It can get quite ridiculous in the New York summer heat, but when people comment on it he can usually sway the conversation with a smile and some type of white lie.

* During his time in Hawaii, Eric fell in love with yoga and surfing, which help ease his mind and body in times of stress. Surfing in New York isn’t easy, but he practices yoga regularly and escapes to the Hamptons whenever the weather allows to ‘catch some waves’. He hasn’t found a studio that he likes enough to really stick to it, instead mostly opting to practice at home, but he does feel that it has had a positive effect on his nerves, his mindfulness, and his overall ability to remain calm in stressful situations (which he tries to avoid at all costs anyway).

#you become a family because you wanna be one | headcanons

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carnalsociety-rpg · 4 years

Photo

HEY UPPER EAST SIDER, WELCOME TO CARNAL SOCIETY

Charles, you’ve been accepted as Eric van der Woodsen with Hunter Parrish as your faceclaim. Congrats! Please read through our checklist and turn in your account within 24 hours.

THIS I KNOW, THE BEST IS YET TO COME.

- - - WHO AM I - - - OOC Information.

Name/Alias: Charles Preferred pronouns: she/her Age: 25 Timezone: CET Triggers: /

- - - THAT’S ONE SECRET I’LL NEVER TELL - - - IC Information.

Name: Eric van der Woodsen Age: 29 Gender: Male Pronouns: he/him Sexuality: Gay Faceclaim: Hunter Parrish Occupation: Socialite / Patron of the Lincoln Center

Headcanons:

Associations:

a contagious smile, complicated family relationships masked by a wall of happy-looking pictures, crispy-clean white ironed shirts, a fridge stockful of colorful fruit juices, dark nights brightened by Christmas rom coms and hot chocolate year round, fidgeting with sobriety chips at dinner galas, long hikes into beautiful woods and deep breaths in the middle of wide open fields, an old and faded macrame bracelet reminiscent of a vacation long past.

Secret:

[REDACTED]

- - - YOU KNOW YOU LOVE ME - - -

I made a Pinterest board, but it’s really early stages so please don’t judge too much by that! You can find it here.

I also made a timeline of his life, which you can find here (make sure you zoom in).

#accepted

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71tenseventeen · 6 years

Text

For A Smile They Can Share The Night

Rated G

Content Warning: Some past homophobia and emotional abuse.

@sidgenophotochallenge

Sid wakes at dawn.

He doesn’t particularly want to be awake but his brain isn’t getting the memo. He tosses and turns for a few minutes before admitting defeat. He tries to rouse Sam but even she just lifts her head and wuffles at him before burrowing back under the covers until all he can see of her is her tail. With a sigh, he shuffles off to start coffee.

He glances at his phone; It’s almost eight in Cole Harbor, he could probably call Mom back. She left a message yesterday which means she’ll call again today if he doesn’t call her back but he pushes his phone away and opts to fill the dishwasher first. After that he busies himself doing laundry and sweeping the porch.

It’s not that he doesn’t want to talk to her. Of course he does, of course he misses his family. But lately any time they talk, she has so many questions. She asks about his plans, asks why he moved to Florida when Pittsburgh didn’t work out and why an island so far south? Isn’t he ready to come home yet?

He doesn’t know how to tell her that Cole Harbor was suffocating him, that even though Montreal and Minneapolis and Pittsburgh didn’t work out for him, that doesn’t mean he’s coming back. He doesn’t know what to say when she asks what he’s doing, what he’s looking for because he doesn’t know the answer to that himself. He doesn’t know how to tell her that even if this place doesn’t work out, Cole Harbor won’t be his next stop, that he might visit but he doesn’t want to live there.

He just doesn’t know how to say any of that to her so he ignores his phone and does the housework and waits for Sam to wake up.

It takes her another hour to be interested in getting up but once she does it doesn’t take any convincing to get her to come along with Sid on a morning run. They’ve only been here a few months but the route is familiar to them both. Sid was lucky enough to find a tiny bungalow on a private beach with the next house being a quarter mile away but with all the trees, it’s not visible until he’s right up on it. Not that it matters—it’s not in great condition and has sat empty the entire time Sid has been here. He likes it, likes the privacy even if sometimes he thinks it’d be nice to have a friendly neighbor.

They’ve run this route enough times that they could probably both run it in their sleep. Sam frolics around the edge of the water and catches up to Sid every couple of minutes. Occasionally he throws her favorite tennis ball as far out ahead of him as he can manage and she chases after it happily, resurfacing after just a minute or two. It’s a comfortable routine.

He winds up to throw the black and yellow ball and watches her bound off into the trees before it even has a chance to hit the ground. And that’s when he hears someone curse. “Ow! Что за черт?!”

“Shit.” Sid takes off in the direction of the voice. It only takes him a moment to find the source directly in front of the run down house, a man with dark hair and dark, amused eyes crouching next to Sam as she nudges the ball out of his hand. Sid skids to a stop and puts his hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize anyone was here.”

The man stands and brushes sand off of his basketball shorts before extending his hand. “Evgeni. I just move in.” His expression is cautious but his words are polite enough.

“Sidney. I live a quarter mile that way,” he says, throwing his thumb over his shoulder. “That’s Sam. Sorry about the ball. I hope it didn’t hurt you.”

Evgeni snorts. “Not too much. Just surprise to have ball come out of nowhere and then big dog run at me. But she good dog, very polite, not trample.”

“God no, she’s a good girl.”

Sam trots past Sid and back towards the water’s edge. “I guess that’s my cue. Listen, I’ve only been here a few months but if you need to know anything about town, let me know. I’ll try to help.”

“Thank. I think I’m good to go but will keep in mind. Nice to meet you, Sidney.”

Sid recognizes it for the dismissal that it is and gives a wave before heading back off towards Sam.

After dinner Sid cleans up and then walks with Sam to the water’s edge to throw the ball around for awhile. He smiles as he watches her jump around in the surf and chase whatever tiny fish she sees below the surface. When she tires herself out they walk out on the boat slip and sit at the end of the long dock, watching the sunset together.

Sid tries to gather his thoughts and wonders not for the first or last time what it is he’s looking for, what it is he wants. He’s no closer to figuring it out when he looks over and spots what has to be Evgeni’s silhouette walking along the water’s edge in the distance. Sid can’t make out much, can really only tell that it seems like he’s walking in the opposite direction of Sid and that his shoulders are hunched. Sid hopes having a neighbor doesn’t cramp his style but he supposes if it does it won’t matter much. He’ll move on eventually anyhow.

Contrary to cramping his style, Sid barely even sees his new neighbor and other than a quick wave here and there, usually when he’s on his morning run. He wonders if he should just bring over a housewarming gift or something but Evgeni hasn’t exactly given any indication that he’s up for visitors. Sid’s not really sure what he’d bring anyhow. By the time a few weeks have passed, he doesn’t know any more about his new neighbor than he had the day they met.

He doesn’t actually speak to Evgeni again until a month has passed. He’s out on his normal morning run and Sam is bounding around, just like she usually does. Sid can see Evgeni is out working on his back deck and he throws up a quick wave. Evgeni gives a nod in Sid’s direction and goes back to his work. Normally, Sid doesn’t even pause his run, just keeps going.

Except today there are loons.

It’s not unusual to see the birds but it is unusual to see a whole flock of them several yard ahead. So unusual that Sam loses her composure entirely and before Sid can even react she’s bounding out of the shallows.

Sid doesn’t change his course, trusting her to watch where she’s going. It’s a mistake. “Sam, no! Sam—Whoa! WhOAA!!” She hits his leg so hard it knocks him sideways and the next thing he’s aware of is the fact that he’s laying on the beach with a face full of sand.

“Ughhh,” he groans and slowly pushes himself up, trying to shake the sand out of his face and quickly discovers that there is sand everywhere. It’s all over his hands and in his hair. His whole front side must be covered but it’s hard to tell because he can’t wipe it out of his eyes. “Sam,” he starts, wanting to scold her but he has to stop and spit sand off of his lips. He swears he’s never buying her a new toy again.

Before he can figure out what to do, there’s a voice. Deep and with an unforgettable accent. “Sidney! You okay?”

“Evgeni?” Sid blinks in the direction of the voice and winces. “Ugh, I have sand in my eyes.”

A big body is next to him then. “Keep eyes closed, need to rinse out. You okay? Hurt anywhere?”

Sid takes stock. His palms and knees both feel scraped but other than that he’s pretty sure it’s just his dignity that took the biggest hit. “I don’t think so. Some scrapes maybe? Nothing major.”

“All right. I’m help you up now, want you to keep eyes closed.”

Sid does as he’s told and hopes his neighbor is trustworthy as he’s led in the direction of Evgeni’s house. “I can’t leave Sam out here.”

“She right here.” As if on cue, Sid feels her brush against his leg.

“She’s never done that before. I can’t believe she knocked me over.”

“I see whole thing. Big flock of loons. You had no hope,” he says and Sid thinks he hears a hint of laughter in his voice.

Sid does his best not to be a baby as Evgeni doctors him up. The hardest part is rinsing out his eyes at what he assumes is Evgeni’s kitchen sink. Over and over until he can finally see again and then he heads back out to the deck to finish de-sanding himself. Once all the sand is dusted off and washed away, Evgeni brings out a first aid kid and sits down across from Sid. “Give me hand?”

Sid stares for a moment at the very large hand that’s been extended to him before he offers up his own. Evgeni is gentle but efficient making sure Sid’s knees and palms are cleaned and applying ointment and band-aids to a couple of scrapes that actually drew blood. Sid watches his careful hands. “You’re good at this.”

Evgeni shrugs and turns Sid’s hand over in his to check the fingers. “Used to coach little kids hockey. Lots of little injury.”

“No way, you coached hockey?” Sid lights up. “I love hockey.”

“Yes?” Evgeni glances up at him. “You play?”

“Sure. Off and on the whole time I was growing up, when we could afford it.”

“I do same at home in Russia. Who you root for now?” Evgeni raises his eyebrow and this feels like a watershed moment.

“Pens.”

A slow smile spreads across Evgeni’s face. “Was worry for a second that I help dirty Flyers fan.”

Sid throws his head back and laughs, delighted. “That would be terrible.”

“Would have to take back band-aids. Maybe throw sand at you.” He’s grinning, tongue poking through his teeth.

“No one could blame you,” Sid says on another laugh as he holds up his hand to look at it. “So what do you think? Am I going to make it?”

Evgeni wobbles his hand back and forth but there’s a sparkle in his eye. “Was touch and go for moment but I think you recover.”

“Thank you for helping me. I’m sure I looked ridiculous.”

Evgeni grins at him. “Well, definitely was sight to see but I’m glad you okay.”

Sid feels his cheeks heating up and he should get back to his run but he kind of wants to just stay here. “So, you’ve been fixing this place up, eh? The deck is looking great.”

“Thanks. Is a lot of work but I think, is good project, keep me busy, I make it my own.”

“Definitely. Hey if you ever need help with something, I’m happy to try to help. I used to help my Dad with stuff like this when I was growing up.”

“Careful, might take you up on that.”

After that, Sid loses track of how long they sit there talking. It’s not until his stomach is growling and Sam is whining for her breakfast that he stands to go .”Thanks again, you know, for helping me out.”

“Of course. Is what good neighbor would do,” he says.

Sid says his goodbyes but as he makes his way down the beach back towards home he hears Evgeni call after him, “Watch out for loon!”

Sid laughs the rest of the way home.

After that it feels a little easier to approach Evgeni and somehow, over time they develop something of a routine. Evgeni is almost always outside when Sid runs so Sid usually waves when he runs past the first time and stops to chat on his way back. Evgeni is guarded—they talk about things like his house renovation and hockey but anytime they approach anything that seems too personal, Evgeni backs off so Sid doesn’t push.

The thing is, Sid is really starting to look forward to their daily chats. Maybe they don’t talk about anything too deep or personal but it’s nice just having someone to talk to again. And Evgeni is interesting. He’s funnier than Sid ever would have imagined and so smart. It’s nothing for him to rattle off some interesting fact about a bird flying by or one of the many plants he’s potted around his back deck.

It’s only accidentally that Sid learns he used to teach in Moscow. It slips out while he’s telling Sid all about the cordyline he planted. Sid is amazed at his knowledge and can’t help asking, “How do you remember all of this? It’s amazing.”

Evgeni grins and moves on to the next plant. “Used to be botanist, taught at University in Moscow. Plants very interesting to me, you know? Make it easier to learn about them and remember.”

“I had no idea,” Sid says, smiling. “Moscow, huh? What’s that like?”

Evgeni’s smile fades as he turns his back to Sid. “Is… difficult. Where you grow up?” And Sid knows they won’t be talking about Moscow any more today.

“Oh, um, a little town called Cole Harbor in Nova Scotia.”

Evgeni looks interested when he glances up. “Canada? I thought maybe i hear little bit accent.”

“Yeah, Canada.”

“What you do there?”

“I owned a gym, did personal training. You know—fitness, nutrition, all that.”

“Sounds interesting.”

“It is. I mean it was. I just… Back there, the types of clients I was getting were just hard to deal with after awhile.”

“So you quit?”

“Yup. Sold the business, left all that behind.”

“Is how you end up here?”

Sid doesn’t begin to know how to explain everything that happened between Cole Harbor and here so he just shrugs. “Something like that. It’s complicated.”

Evgeni nods. “Yeah. I’m understand that.” And he sounds like he really does.

A few weeks after the loon incident, Sid helps Evgeni demo some old walls and install a new support beam before resheeting the remaining walls. It takes the better part of a week and Evgeni is frustrated when Sid won’t accept any kind of payment for helping.

“Sid, come on. Was almost a whole week of work.”

Sid shrugs. “I didn’t do it for money. I did it to help you out. Besides, you bought dinner every night.” It’s true. Evgeni had ordered takeout that they ate out on the deck every night when they finished up work for the day.

“And you buy lunch every day so dinner not count.”

“You’re not paying me.”

“You stubborn,” Evgeni says, with a glare and Sid figures that’s the end of it.

It’s not.

Sid probably shouldn’t be surprised when Evgeni shows up at his door the next evening, arms weighed down with bags.

“Evgeni?”

“I make dinner and bring for thank you.” He tips his chin up defiantly and Sid laughs.

“Now who’s stubborn, hm?”

“You make me stand here all night?”

Sid sighs but he can’t hold back his smile. “Come in.”

In the kitchen Sid watches wide-eyed as Evgeni unpacks what must be at least ten tupperware dishes. “Oh my god! How much did you make?”

Evgeni shrugs. “Make you Russian feast and…” He trails off and pulls one last container, a cardboard box that has the name of a bakery in town printed on the side. Evgeni opens it with something of a flourish and a smug grin. “You say cheesecake your favorite so I get one with many flavor. In case you hate all the rest of the food,” and he looks cheeky as he says it.

“Okay first of all, I won’t hate the rest of the food. And second…” Sid pulls the cheesecake closer to himself. “You’ll be lucky to get any of this.”

Evgeni laughs. “We see. Where you keep plates?”

They eat on Sid’s back deck this time, at the little table with an umbrella that he keeps out there. There’s still enough natural light to see well but the heat of the day has passed and it’s nice, sitting in the breeze.

“This food is amazing,” Sid says, halfway through his second serving of khinkali. “Where did you learn to cook like this?”

He shrugs. “Mama teach me. Grow up learning, you know?”

“Remind me to thank her if I ever meet her.”

Something dark passes over Evgeni’s face and Sid changes the subject. “So did you live anywhere else in the states before here?” And they settle back into more comfortable conversation.

It’s long past the time the sun has set when they finally make their way back into the kitchen and start packing up the leftovers. Evgeni pauses as they work side by side and says quietly, “Should call me Zhenya.”

“Oh. That’s like a nickname, right?”

Evgeni—Zhenya looks a little surprised but pleased. “Yes. In Russia, friends call by this name. I think we friends now, yes?”

Sid catches his gaze and there’s a lot going through his mind right now but he just says softly, “I hope so.”

Zhenya holds his gaze a little longer. His smile is a little subdued but it makes Sid feel warm inside.

After a moment or two Zhenya ducks his head and goes back to packing up the leftovers. He takes it upon himself to put half of them in Sid’s fridge and he lingers there for a moment.

Sid’s not sure what changed but Zhenya gets quiet after that. Sid offers him a drink, asks if he wants to watch some hockey highlights and for a second he thinks Zhenya is considering it as he looks around Sid’s living room.

But then he takes a deep breath and his expression is guarded again, in a way it hasn’t been for weeks. “Is getting late. Need to get home.”

“Oh. Right, sure. Well, thank you, Zhenya, for dinner. It was great.”

“You’re welcome, Sidney.”

The next morning Zhenya’s outside when Sid runs past the first time and even returns his wave but when Sid comes back around, he’s gone. After that, it’s hit and miss. Sometimes Zhenya’s outside and they chat but it’s more like when they first met again, careful and cautious.

Sid’s not sure what to make of it. That night at his house had felt like a turning point, like maybe there could be something more between them and if he’s being honest with himself, that’s exactly what he was hoping for. But that’s not something he can force and if Zhenya needs to keep him at arm’s length to be comfortable, then Sid can deal with that.

Still, the whole experience has made him realize that maybe he misses hopeful thrill of being with someone who could be more than a friend.

That’s probably why he finds himself at the Blue Flamingo on a Friday night a few weeks later. He’s been here before and it’s more comfortable for him than the other gay bars in the area, a more relaxed atmosphere and less frenetic pace. Plus the drinks are good and they make a killer coconut shrimp so even if he doesn’t meet anyone, he’s got that to look forward to.

Once he’s seated and placed his drink order, he scans the crowd. It’s not too busy yet but it’s not deserted, either. It’s one of the things he likes about the place—you can breathe but there are still people around. Despite living here for months now, he hasn’t really gotten to know many people so he doesn’t expect to see anyone he knows. That’s probably why it’s so surprising when his gaze lands on a pair of dark, familiar eyes.

Zhenya.

He wonders for a moment if Zhenya will shy away like he has been but he smiles when he sees Sid, raises his glass in a hello. Sid gives a little wave and tips his head back, inviting Zhenya over. For a second he thinks Zhenya will say no but then he’s making his way to Sid’s booth with a soft smile.

“Hey Sid, not expect I see you here.”

Sid grins and motions to the seat across from him. “They have the best coconut shrimp, you know? Want to join me?”

Zhenya looks thoughtful for a moment but then he slides into the seat across from Sid. “Coconut shrimp?”

Sid grins. “It’s my favorite thing on the menu.”

“Maybe I try. Usually get lobster puff. You try it before?”

Sid shakes his head. “I don’t get out very often, I guess. Maybe I’ll try them tonight.”

“Good plan. We order lobster puff and coconut shrimp and share, yes?”

And just like that Sid finds himself having dinner with Zhenya again.

It’s nice and the conversation flows in a way it hasn’t in a few weeks. Zhenya is so funny, Sid can’t remember the last time he laughed so much. Or the last time he liked someone so much. Everything is going so well and maybe it’s that or the relaxed buzz his drink has left him with but when Zhenya smiles at him over their empty plates and says, “This fun, Sid. Glad I run into you tonight,” Sid decides to take a chance.

Smiling shyly he reaches over and rests his hand gently on Zhenya’s. “Me too. Zhenya, I— I like you.”

In an instant, Zhenya’s expression shuts down and he pulls his hand away. “Not okay with this Sid.”

Sid pulls his hand back as quickly as if he’d been burned and drops his eyes. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to— I’m really sorry.”

Zhenya sighs. “I like you too and think about you a lot but can’t do this,” he says, motioning between them and Sid feels his cheeks grow hot with the shame of rejection. “Can’t be side thing, Sid.”

Sid looks up, confused. “What?”

“Not judging you, okay? Just, for me, need to be only one.”

“I… I don’t understand.” Sid shakes his head. “Only one? You think… You think I’m with someone?” Sid is so confused.

“Very obvious you are, I see pictures of pretty girl all over your living room, on your fridge. Hard to deny, Sid.”

“Pictures… Wait. You mean Taylor?”

Zhenya shrugs. “I not want to ask her name when I realize. She know you do this, Sid?”

“Zhenya, I’m gay. I don’t have a girlfriend. Taylor is my sister.”

Zhenya opens his mouth to reply and then snaps it shut. Sid watches pink heat slowly creep up his cheeks as he drops his mouth open again to speak and nothing comes out. “Sister?” He finally croaks out.

“Yeah. My kid sister.” Sid turns on his phone and shows Zhenya the home screen. Sid and Taylor together as kids.

Zhenya stares at it, speechless for a moment before clearing his throat. “Feeling most stupid right now, Sid,” he says, avoiding Sid’s eyes and maybe Sid should be annoyed but all he feels is relief as a grin lights up his face.

“Oh my god, you thought I was dating my sister?” He giggles, then, covering his mouth with his hand.

“How I supposed to know?” Zhenya retorts, a little defensive but holding back his own smile just before they both dissolve into laughter.

Eventually their snickers die down and Zhenya smiles over at Sid. “I’m so sorry, Sid. Make big assumption.”

Sid’s smile falls away and he sits up straighter as understanding hits him. “That’s why you left that night after dinner. I didn’t know what you were looking at. You thought...Oh my god, you must have thought I was such a jerk!”

Zhenya shrugs. “Not jerk but… Also not a situation I’m interested in. Sorry now I didn’t ask.”

Sid sighs. “It’s okay. I could have probably told you but you usually seem uncomfortable when the subject of family comes up so I just kind of avoided the topic. I probably could have mentioned I had a sister.”

Zhenya gives Sid a somber smile before reaching over to gently touch his hand. “Sid, you think maybe we get out of here? Go somewhere and talk?”

Sid doesn’t even have to think about it. “Yeah,” he nods. “Let’s go.”

Forty minutes later they’re sitting shoulder to shoulder on Zhenya’s back steps, staring out at the dark ocean.

They’re both quiet at first but Sid doesn’t try to fill the silence. He has a feeling Zhenya has something to say so he waits. Sure enough, after a couple of minutes, Zhenya sighs. “I tell you before, I teach in Moscow?”

“At a university, yeah. Botany right?”

“Yes and some biology. Was in good position to get tenure.”

“So why did you leave?” Sid immediately wants to take back the question. “Sorry. You don’t have to answer that.”

Zhenya shakes his head. “Want to answer. I leave because administrator find out I’m have relationship with man and they fire me on the spot.”

“Oh my god. Zhenya, no. I’m so sorry.”

Zhenya won’t look at him. “Man I was with was assistant. I work with him many years and trust him but when they question us, he lies and say I harass him.”

Sid swallows hard and reaches out to take Zhenya’s hand, squeezing gently. “That’s...that’s horrible.”

Zhenya huffs out a humorless laugh. “Feel so stupid, you know, think maybe could love this man but he’s willing to lie. If he tell truth, we would be lucky, they just fire us both. But if he say I harass him? They tell police and I’m in big trouble. In Russia, this kind of thing mean bad punishment. I hide in my parents house for couple of days but my brother, he doesn’t like me being there. Think I’m disgusting person and threaten to call police on me if I’m not leave. What choice I’m have? I pack up and leave country.”

“Zhenya…” Sid is speechless. He’d always assumed there was something in Zhenya’s past that made him look the way he did anytime they mentioned family but this is worse than he ever suspected.

Zhenya squeezes his hand, though, and looks over at Sid with a hint of a smile. “I guess is why I kind of have hard time trust people now.”

“Of course it is.”

“I leave Moscow, come to New York, meet guys but everything there so fast, so hard to find kind of relationship I’m looking for. I start to think maybe is not meant to happen for me but then I read about the Keys. Tropical paradise where everyone accept you, not have to hide who you are. So I come here and first day I meet you. Feels like a dream, you know?”

Sid ducks his head, suddenly feeling more shy than ever but Zhenya reaches over and uses his fingers to gently tip Sid’s chin up. “Hey. Want to tell you how sorry I am for way I act, for making assumption and not giving you chance you deserve.”

“It’s okay. Anyone in your shoes would have done the same thing.”

“Like you a lot, Sid. But need you to know, I’m not kind of guy who can do one night stand or friend with benefits. I’m want more and don’t want to start something with you if that not what you want, too.”

“Zhenya, that’s all I want.”

Zhenya smiles and his expression is full of hope. “Sure?”

“Completely sure.”

Zhenya leans in close as he says softly. “Then maybe we try. Sid, would like to go out with me sometime?”

“I’d really like that,” he says with a smile and closes the gap.

#sidgeno photo challenge #Round 2 #For A Smile They Can Share The Night #my fic

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itsagoodluckkiss · 7 years

Text

Bridge Back To Your Heart

Okay, so this is my post for Jake’s Appreciation Week, Day Seven: Fanart/Fanfic and I hope you will all enjoy it. I’m gonna tag the week’s hosts, @jakeymckenzie and @jakemcspooky, thank you for an awesome week.

Words: 4,792

Warnings: Mentions of sadness, depression, PTSD, death. Sex is implied but not mentioned anywhere.

Pairing: Jake x MC

Author’s Note: (This idea came to me before the final two chapters of ES Book 2 so sorry if it is a bit all over the place. Also I’m sorry for any grammar mistakes, English is not my first language.) This is based on a song called ‘’Bridge Back To Your Heart’’ by The Beach. This is an AU where you manage to save your friends and the world so you can return to a normal, mortal life. Jake had to kill Mike because he was too far gone. Ludgren and the Arachnids survive and return so Jake is still a fugitive. Rourke is dead. Aleister is forgiven by the group and takes control of his father’s company. Jake chose to leave MC because he was afraid of her getting hurt because of him. But after a year the group found evidence of his innocence and MC goes to Costa Rica to tell him.

It had been a year since they escaped La Huerta and returned home. The group still hanged out, going to Michelle’s favorite brunch spot every Friday, supporting Sean and Craig in their games, chilling and cooking at Raj’s place. Most of them had almost returned to their normal lives. But she hadn’t. It wasn’t only the PTSD from the island or the nightmares that still haunted her. It was his absence.

He decided to cut ties with her. When they got on the plane, she thought he was going to be there, beside her. Instead, he let her go without a word. When realization hit her, they were already a hundred feet off the ground. It had been a year since he left her and still she found herself all torn up on the inside because of him. She refused to speak about him, or join the group chats the others made with him from time to time, she wouldn’t even say his name.

It was a typical Friday and the eleven of them were heading to their now usual booth in the bistro. They usually happily chatted together while drinking their mimosas and waiting for their food to come. But that day was different. There wasn’t much talking, an awkward silence filling the air, glances of nervousness between one another and glances of anxiousness toward her. She started to get sick of it.

‘’Okay guys, what is it, why are you like that today?’’

‘’MC… we gotta talk for something… but we don’t know if you’ll be okay with it.’’ , Diego said, a worried expression on his face.

She looked carefully all her friends who tried to somehow avoid her gaze. She knew they wanted to talk about him.

‘’It is about… Jake. Isn’t it?’’

His name sounded weird coming from her lips. She hadn’t said it in so long. It was weird for the group too. Most of the times they avoided mentioning him when she was around. Diego cleared his voice and continued.

‘’Yes, yes it is. Look, MC… you know we still talk with him sometimes.’’

‘’Yes, I know. I don’t mind.’’

‘’That’s not the point… we don’t just talk with him… we’re trying to bring him home.’’

She was taken aback by his reply. Why didn’t she knew that? Why did they keep it a secret from her? Yes, Jake hurt her but she still cared about him, she still loved him and wanted him to be happy. Did they actually think she wouldn’t be happy about that? Did Jake knew? Did he knew and still didn’t try to contact her?

‘’He doesn’t know that, if that’s what you’re thinking.’’, Diego said to her, knowing she would think that.

‘’We didn’t know if we could actually find anything. It took us a lot of time. But we did. Aleister and I managed to find some top secret documents of the military. And they make good evidence.’’, Grace spoke in a soft voice, pulling out two folders from her bag.

‘’Also, I hacked the Arachnids and some military systems. Took me some months but I did it. I have every conversation the bastard made. Some payments. Accounts. Everything.’’ , Zahra said with a cocky smile, ‘’The bastard is going down finally.’’

‘’We will actually visit him in Costa Rica in a few days, as a surprise. He might appreciate it, we going there to tell him the news in person.’’ , Quinn interfered, with a nervous smile on her face

‘’Okay, okay guys, wait a sec… why do I learn about this now? What did you thought? That I would be pissed that you are trying to help him? And you’re all going to Costa Rica and you just announce it now?’’

‘’We didn’t want to get your hopes up. Neither your hopes, nor his. But now, with the proof we have and the support we can give, it is actually possible.’’ Aleister fixed his gaze on her.

‘’We also didn’t know how you would take it. You are feeling blue all these months and we were worried it would just make you feel worse.’’, Michelle answered her, a worried look on her face.

They were right. She would always get upset even in the slightest mention of him. How could they have told her about this before they were sure? She took a long breath and calmed down, trying to get her head around the idea of him being back to the States. She was happy for him. She really was. But it still hurt her. She didn’t want to speak about it more.

‘’Okay guys. I’m happy for that. I’m happy you have made progress. Is that all?’’, she said, trying to sound somewhat indifferent, even if she was dying to learn more about everything.

‘’Nope. We’re not done. Look MC, we all know you still care about him, okay? Don’t hide it from us. He does the same thing all the time but you two can’t even convince yourselves you don’t love each other anymore. He isn’t looking good either, he always sounds apathetic and he’s gloomy all the time. So do yourselves a favor and go find him earlier than us. Go and make things clear with him. It will be good for both of you.’’, Diego answered her, sounding a little exasperated.

She looked into Diego’s eyes, stunned. She knew he was right. She had to stop running away from this, from him.

‘’Okay… okay I will go.’’

The plane finally landed. The flight seemed to last forever. It was afternoon, the sun almost setting. She was growing impatient. The only thing she wanted at this point was to find him. Diego had said Jake wasn’t exactly in high spirits all this time as well. She wondered how he was. If he was healthy enough. She was worried about him. That was the reason she agreed to come earlier. She wanted to check out if her pilot was okay. She didn’t know what she would say to him when she saw him again. Would she scream at him for letting her go like that? Would she be able to resist kissing him right away? How would he react? Would he want to see her? He was the one who pushed her away after all.

She started wandering the streets of Costa Rica, her traveling bag in hand. She didn’t need a lot of things anyway, she wasn’t going to stay long. Jake had told her once when they were in La Huerta where his house was, next to that one beach, a small bungalow. She asked a bit here and there as well and managed to arrive at the beach he had told her about. She saw the small house and froze for a second. Was she ready for this? So many what ifs went through her mind as she slowly walked toward, her feet burying in the soft sand. Her stomach was tied in a knot, her hands were sweating. She was going to see him after a whole year. A whole year of not even saying his name, let alone see his face. She actually missed him even if she never told that to anyone, she was too stubborn to admit to anyone else she still cared for him. Her breath caught in her throat as she knocked on the door and heard a sharp “Coming”.

Ever since returning to Costa Rica, he just gave up. It was all too much. He had to kill Mike on that damned island. He had to kill his best friend because of what he had become. And so, when their adventure ended with his old commander still alive and going, he had to leave her. He was afraid to be with her. She would always be in danger next to him. She would never accept it of course. So he had to push her away. He preferred to be in pain than see her getting hurt. But his thoughts were killing him, his sadness was slowly taking him over. He didn’t want to do things anymore, even getting out of bed was hard. He actually spent most of his days in bed. Even drinking wasn’t making him feel better. He still talked with the group from time to time but it had been a year since he had heard her voice. He learned about her through Diego but it wasn’t enough. He knew she didn’t want to speak with him, he knew he had hurt her.

If there was one thing he never expected to see that day, it was her. He heard a knock on the door and thought it would be someone randomly asking for directions. It happened quite commonly there. He got out of the couch he was lying all day and walked to the door. He didn’t expect to open and see her, his princess, standing on his porch. He looked straight into her eyes, shocked. Words didn’t seem to fall from his mouth. What could he actually say to her after what he did? After letting her believe he would go back with her and fight and then leaving her alone without a word, breaking her heart? He thought she would hate him, would never want to see him again, and he wanted that because he wanted her to have a better life. Yet there she was, standing in front of him, beautiful as always. Her hair were longer now, falling around her back, her eyes as magnetizing as ever.

His light brown hair was still a bit higher from his shoulders but he was fresh shaved. He looked like he had lost some weight and most of his tan. More faired skin than she was used to. There were dark circles under his eyes. He looked like he didn’t get out of his house a lot, he looked unhealthy and she held back a sob. He looked depressed. It was killing her to see him like this. His blue orbs moved from confusion to relief to fear when their gaze met. She missed his beautiful stupid face even if he hurt her in ways she couldn’t imagine before him. The silence between them started to get awkward and she decided to break it. She managed a few words out.

‘’Hello Jake… how are you?’’

‘’MC… what… what are you doing here?’’

‘’Wow Top Gun, forgot your manners?’’

She slightly chuckled. Seeing her smile made him relax just a bit.

‘’I’m sorry, I… Come in.’’

She walked into his house. Much to her surprise, it was tidy. But of course it would be. Carryover from the Navy. She looked at the sea, out of the big glass window from his living room. She understood why he had chose to stay beside the beach.

‘’You have a nice view here. It seems calming’’

Jake rubbed the back of his neck as he was trying to think what to say to her. It was so hard for him not to just hug her and kiss her but he knew he had lost that right some time ago.

‘’Thanks, uh… come, sit.’’

He didn’t wait for her as he sat on the couch and he rubbed his face with one hand. She took the place beside him and he looked at her.

‘’How… how are you, MC?’’

‘’I’m okay Jake… I… can’t say the same for you though, you… you look a little off…’’

‘’I look like shit, don’t I?’’, he chuckled, a hint of a smile on his face as he took her in. She was a sight for sore eyes.

She looked at him, being at a loss of words. Seeing the man she loved being like a shadow of himself caused her even more pain.

‘’Jake, why do you look like this? Do… do you even eat?!’’

He wanted to be distant, she shouldn’t see he still cared. He looked at the other side of the room. He had chosen to push her away and he had to keep it up for as long as he could. His voice came out cold, devoid of emotion.

‘’I don’t think you’re here to discuss my eating habits, princess. So why are you here?’’

“I’m here for you, Jake.”

“Why?”

“Because I need to talk to you.”

“Okay princess, you want to talk, let’s talk. Tell me why you’re here for me after everything that happened? Why do you still want to talk to me? You don’t even know if I want to talk to you.”

She felt her frustration toward him grow. How could he just speak to her so coldly? Why did he have to act so much, putting walls between them? He couldn’t hide from her, he knew that, but kept trying it anyway and she was tired of it.

“Are you seriously gonna do this, Jake? Even now?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Oh, you do. Stop acting.”

He looked at her with an angry expression in his face.

“Stop acting?! Yeah, tell me about it, really! You coming here and pretend to suddenly care really does the job for it.”

She started to disagree with Diego. Her coming here may have been a bad idea. She had started to lose her temper and he made it too hard for her to keep calm.

“Pretend to suddenly care?! I am here because I still fucking care about you even after all this time we do not talk, even after you decided to ruin everything for us and run away not only from me but from yourself, so stop this bullshit act and let me talk because you’re not fooling anyone!”

He stared blankly at her. Of course she wanted to talk to him. She had the right to confront him for leaving her in a sudden, she had the right to scream at him for never loving her and he would take any accuse she would shoot at him even if it wasn’t true because she had the right to do it.

“I would have never believed you’d just get up and leave me like that! You had agreed to come back with all of us, with me, and fight for your innocence! You left me believe and then you left me alone! You didn’t even call! And I couldn’t bring myself to contact you! If you believe there would be a better future for me without you, I am sorry you think so lowly of yourself because I don’t! I still think about you, I still care and I know you care too! But you still owe me a reason, don’t you think?!”

Angry tears run down her face as she let out the bitterness that consumed her all this time. Seeing Jake in his current situation made it really hard for her to let out all that anger but she couldn’t help it. He was on the verge of tears as well. He knew she was right but he couldn’t find the right words to explain.

“There is no reason MC… I’m a coward, I can’t fight anyone anymore. He’s still alive and going. He has already won. There was no hope for me. For us There still isn’t. Putting you and the others in danger because of me again was not an option.”

“For what it matters, there is hope for you.”

She opened her bag and slammed the papers on the coffee table. He looked at them confused. He slowly picked them up as if he was afraid they were going to bite him and started reading a bit. He turned his gaze to her as the shock of realization hit him.

“You think we forgot about you all this time? Aleister and Grace hasn’t stopped looking for proof since Aleister took charge of Rourke International. Zahra has been trying to hack military systems for months to find evidence. All the guys are rooting for you, waiting to have you back, love and care about you! They will actually come here in a couple of days, I just came here earlier because I needed to talk and make some things clear with you. Now there’s only one thing; are you willing to fight this now with us by your side?”

He buried his face in his hands to keep himself from crying. How could he be so stupid? How could he ever think these guys would leave him alone in a fight or that they wouldn’t be much of a help anyway? He knew these kids. He should have realized after all the things they had survived together that they would all stick with each other. He let out a long exhale and looked out the window. Night had fallen, the moon shining in the sky. She noticed too. For him, everything was too overwhelming that moment and she thought she had to give him some space. She stood up.

“I should go, I… I think you have to think about a lot of-”

“Stay.”

She stared at him in confusion. He looked back at her, his blue eyes gazing into her own.

“It is late. It is dangerous to walk out there now, you… you don’t have to leave. You can sleep in my bed, I’m sleeping in the couch the past few weeks anyway.”

She was surprised by her own answer.

“Okay… I will.”

They didn’t talk much after that. He asked her a couple of times if she was hungry or if she needed anything but she declined. She was confused, he tried so hard to push her away, yet he told her to spend the night. She changed into something comfortable and lied on his bed. She lied there with her eyes closed, trying to process what had happened. Even if he didn’t sleep in the bed, his smell still lingered. Oh, how much she missed that smell.

He lied in a hammock in his porch, staring at the starry night, the waves hitting the seashore, tears falling down his face. She just suddenly came into his life again, even if he did everything to push her away, even if he tried not to be a part of her own. How much of an asshole could he actually be to underestimate her feelings for him? His feelings for her? And now there was actually a chance for him. To be a free man. To be part of his loved ones’ lives. To see his family again. All of these because of the gang of little rascals. Because of her. He went inside glanced at his bedroom to see if she was asleep. She seemed so. He took his guitar from the living room, went outside and sat on the sand. He hadn’t touched his guitar in months. It reminded him how much she loved it when he sang to her. A song came to his mind and he started playing.

//People like you make people like me so fucking nervous,

But I’m calm on the surface.

What’s wrong with the world and how’d we get so cold,

Oh we don’t deserve this, we need something to worship.//

He remembered all the times they had spent on the island. All the flirting, the teasing, her tousled from the wind hair and her big smile when they went rock climbing, how she held onto him for dear life when they first kissed underwater and thought they were gonna die, her beautiful face when he first made love to her. The laughing, the jokes, the bonding with everyone else in their group.

//If our time came back around tell me, would you hear me out?

If we knew what we know now?

Like the waves roll with the moon, did we rise and fall too soon?

It’s been so long I can’t remember.

If I could walk between the stars or be given one more chance,

I know which I’d surrender just to build a bridge back to your heart.//

He knew he had no right to ask for her forgiveness. He certainly didn’t deserve her unconditional love. She was too kind, too perfect for him, still he managed to fuck up, to damage something so pure, to mess with her feelings. Even if she would ever forgive him, he would never forgive himself for giving up on her.

//Oh, drifted apart, how did we get so far?

Forgot where we came from.

You know I never meant to let you down.

Sometimes, these moments, they come and they go, the only thing that you can do

Is hope that they come back around//

She was thinking about all the time she was away from him. How much she missed him. How much she longed for his eyes, his touch, his smile. Lying there, in his bed, she felt a kind of comfort she missed all this time. His smile seemed to have been wiped off of his face. He suffered all this time as well and she knew it. She wished he was lying there beside her, wished she could kiss him so hard that all of his broken pieces would come back together. While thinking all of these, she heard guitar playing from the beach. She knew it was him. She got out of bed and went outside.

//If our time came back around I would never let you down.

‘Til my lungs can scream it out.

Like the waves roll with the moon, did we rise and fall too soon?

It’s been so long I can’t remember.

If I could walk between the stars or be given one more chance,

I know which I’d surrender just to build a bridge back to your heart.//

She listened to him from the moment he started playing. He was sitting in the sand, eyes closed, with a pained expression on his face as he poured his heart out to the song. The moonlight fell onto him, making him even more beautiful, if that was even possible. She quietly sobbed while hearing him sing, understanding his pain and wanting to hold onto him and never let him go again. She missed his voice.

//Don’t fade on me.

I’m holding on to these memories.

Wait for me

As I lay my heart out across the sea.//

He knew she was there, listening to him sing for her. Maybe that was what he wanted. He was never good with words, could never bring his mind to say the right thing. But in that moment, that song and her presence made him feel hope. Hope that he could fix it. Fix everything.

//Like the waves roll with the moon, did we rise and fall too soon?

It’s been so long I can’t remember.

If I could walk between the stars or be given one more chance,

I know which I’d surrender just to build a bridge back to your heart.

People like you make people like me so fucking nervous.

But I’m calm on the surface.//

She walked shakily, with tears in her eyes, to his direction as he finished the song and laid his guitar on the sand. She kneeled behind him and slowly wrapped her arms around him, pressing a soft kiss on the side of his neck, making him shiver slightly. He missed that feeling for so long. Tears run down his face and fell on the sand.

“I’m sorry… I’m sorry I left you alone… I’m so sorry…”

He turned to her and wrapped his arms around her. She sat on his lap, hugging him tightly. They just sobbed in each others’ company for a while, taking out all their sadness caused by the time they were apart. He wiped away some tears off her cheeks.

“I love you so much, MC. I’m sorry, I’m sorry I pushed you away and left you alone. I’m sorry you had to go through all of this. I never meant to cause you trouble, I only ever wanted the best for you but ended up destroying what we had. The thoughts of all the awful things I’ve done are killing me. The past year was a living hell for me as well. There wasn’t a single day I wouldn’t think of you or of what I did, what I had to do.”

She knew he was reffering to Mike. She knew Jake carried so much guilt and sorrow inside him. He cupped her face with both his hands, gazing into her watery eyes, their noses almost touching, a vulnerable expression on his face.

“I know you carry a heavy burden but I’m here for you and I want to help you with it. I love you so much Jake. More than you think I do. Life without you is a miserable life.”

She closed the gap between them, bringing their lips together for the first time in so long, tears still running down their faces. The kiss was soft and tender, their lips moving in perfect tandem. Her lips were velvety against his own. She parted them slightly, allowing his tongue to slip inside her mouth. She could feel the soft tickle of his breath beneath her nose, her fingers entwined with his sandy hair as they breathed each other in.

After a long moment, they broke the kiss and stared at each other in the moonlight.

“I missed you Princess.”

“I missed you too Top Gun.”

She laid her head on his shoulder and looked at the stars she had wished so many times to bring him back to her. She forgave him the moment she saw him again. She knew how much he still loved her. How hurt he was. How much he loathed himself. Loving someone who hates himself is a special kind of violence but she would make it better for him. She had to.

After a while in each others arms, she started shivering slightly because of the cold breeze.

“Should we go inside princess?”, he whispered into her ear, then kissed the spot behind it.

They went inside. Neither of them slept much that night.

Bonus: A thin beam of sunlight fell on her face from the half-closed window as she was slowly waking up. Her back touched his naked chest, his arms around her waist, holding her close to him. She felt small kisses on the side of her neck and couldn’t help but smile to herself. She turned around, with her eyes still closed, and wrapped her arms around his chest, placing a kiss on the crook of his neck.

“Good morning to you too, Jake”

He chuckled slightly, taking in her sleepy figure and then speaking in a quiet, husky voice.

“You’re up early, why?”

“Could ask you the same thing.”

“I… I just couldn’t sleep more and…”

He blushed a little and she looked at him with a playful smile on her face.

“How long have you been staring at me?”

“I don’t know.”

She giggled and kissed him softly.

“It has been a long time since I woke up this happy… Or actually got a peaceful sleep… so thank you for coming here even if I don’t deserve it.”

“I should have come here sooner. I should have tried to reach you, I knew-” “Hey, none of that now, you’re not to blame, I’m just… grateful and happy that you’re here. ”

He smiled warmly at her. He already felt better than yesterday, better than he had been the last year. They lied on the bed for a while, cuddling, nuzzling, kissing. Then a dark thought crossed his mind.

“Do you think I can actually pull this through? Win? And then… I have to tell people what I’ve done… I don’t know if I can make it. I’m afraid MC.” , he said, holding back a sob.

“Jake… do you remember what I had told you in our tend, the night before we would break into the MASADA?”

“There is nothing in this world or the next we can’t face together.”

“And I meant it. I’m here for you Jake and you will pull this throught, we will. You know I love you right?”

“ I do. I love you too.”

“Then everything will turn out okay. You will come back home with us.”

“You’re right, you’re always right.”, he nodded and smiled, “By the way, when will our friends come here?”

“Tomorrow.”

“So what do you want to do today? We could go out, I can show you around if you-”

“We have time for those.”

She climbed on top of him, straddling him, and leaned down, close to his face.

“Can I just stay inside with you all day?”

She placed a sensuous kiss on his lips, then started kissing his neck softly.

“I can’t say no to that princess, can I?”

#jakeweek #jake mckenzie #jake x mc #endless summer #jake mckenzie fanfic #endless summer fanfic #choices stories you play #choices fanfiction

158 notes · View notes

fortdevereaux · 7 years

Note

Vague Prompts, the usual ship, duh: 3: Remorse, 4: Nostalgic, 28: Laughter, 41: Rain

I knew Anna would kill me if I only wrote angst for her so I wrote both angst and fluff for the remorse prompt. (Don’t say I never did anything for you, Parrot.)

Remorse [Angst]

“Do you ever feel bad? About…anything?”

There was a pause. Luisa kept her gaze forward. She knew the answer she was going to get, and she knew that she needed to hear it - she just didn’t think she could look at her while she gave it.

“No.”

There was no hesitation in her voice.

“At all? About any of it?” she pressed, finally turning her head to look at the woman next to her.

Rose kept her gaze on the waves crashing before them.

“No,” Rose repeated.

“How can you love me and feel that way? How can you love me and not feel bad about anything you’ve done?” Luisa asked, leaving the unspoken ‘to me’ lingering in the air.

Rose sighed slightly. “Because I do.”

“Which part?”

“All of it.”

“I don’t know how that’s possible,” Luisa said, shaking her head. “I don’t understand.”

Rose turned to her, her blue eyes calculating. “I regret…” she began, but trailed off.

“What?” Luisa pushed.

“I regret that you were hurt.”

Luisa stared at her. “That’s not good enough, Rose.”

Rose crossed her arms and looked away, casting her gaze to the horizon.

“I regret that I hurt you.”

Luisa closed her eyes. She knew that was all she would ever get.

Remorse [Fluff]

“You could at least show some remorse.”

“Yeah, I don’t do that.”

“Rose!”

“Luisa!”

Luisa put her hands on her hips and stared down at the other woman who looked back at her. She was wholly unrepentant.

“Did you have to eat it all?” she asked.

“I didn’t have to, per se,” Rose said, her eyes twinkling.

Luisa snatched the bag off of the couch, and rummaged through it. It was full of empty wrappers.

“You even ate the candy corn?!” Luisa asked. “You don’t even like candy corn!”

“What can I say - it was surprisingly tasty plastic,” the other woman said with a shrug.

“Okay well you get to explain this to her,” Luisa sighed. “I’m not dealing with it.”

“Why?”

“Because she is very much your child when she thinks she’s been wronged,” she replied.

“No, I mean, ‘Why? I didn’t eat her candy,’“ Rose said with an unapologetic grin.

Nostalgia

Sometimes Luisa gets wistful. She starts into long-winded reminiscences of the good old days, before the big reveal, before the funerals and the cops, before Rose became more than the unattainable woman who’d stolen her heart, before she became the woman who killed her father.

She supposes it’s telling that the good old days just involved a little adultery.

When it happens Rose wants to tell her what the good old days were really like. She wants to remind her that there never really was a ‘before’ to her, that she spent half of her life in shadow, the other half plastering a smile to her face that was never real unless it was directed at Luisa, spreading her legs for a man to further a plan that she wasn’t sure she cared succeeded anymore.

When Emilio was alive, Rose was trapped. When he was dead, she was free. There was no way around that.

But there were some things Luisa just didn’t need to hear.

So she let her spin her tales of passion and forbidden love, let her build a grand, romantic love story where the two of them were the heroes, she let her live her fantasy - she had already taken enough, she wouldn’t take this too.

Laughter

Luisa wound her way through the crowds of people rushing across the lobby of the Marbella, scanning for a somewhat familiar head of blonde hair. She didn’t think she would ever consider Eileen truly familiar.

As she made her way into the restaurant, doing her best to avoid the employees rushing past her as they prepped for the storm headed right for them, she found her leaning against an open patio door looking out onto the sand.

Running a hand softly down the other woman’s back as she moved to stand beside her she asked, “what are you doing out here?”

“Nothing,” came the reply, but with one look at her face Luisa knew she was lying. That sparkle in her eye always gave her away.

“Rose…” she muttered and the other woman smacked her leg and raised an eyebrow.

“Fine. Eileen, what are you doing?” she asked.

With a smirk, the blonde gestured out onto the sand. It didn’t take Luisa long to find what had drawn Rose’s attention: Rafael was out on the beach attempting to help the staff dismantle one of the umbrellas - and he was doing it spectacularly badly.

She nudged Rose’s shoulder with her own. “You be nice.”

“I am being nice. I’m not out there openly mocking him, am I?” she replied.

Luisa shook her head and turned her attention back to her brother. The umbrella was now twisted at an odd angle and Rafael was bent awkwardly trying to pull it from its holster - and failing miserably. She felt Rose’s shoulders shaking slightly next to her and hissed, “Stop it.”

Rose just shook her head as she bit her lip against her laughter.

Out on the beach, the wind caught the umbrella and began to carry it down the beach; Rafael, in his haste to catch it before it hit the water, tore after it only to trip and land face first in the sand. That was too much for Rose and she burst out laughing.

Luisa covered her own mouth quickly to hide her smile.

Rafael stumbled to his feet only to immediately fall down again, and Luisa thought Rose was going to collapse she was laughing so hard. As much as she didn’t want to laugh at her brother, Rose’s laughter filled her with a thrilling warmth and she couldn’t help herself. Together they laughed until Rose had tears streaming down her face as she tried to catch her breath.

With a sigh, Luisa wrapped her arms around Rose from behind and pressed herself against her, feeling the rumble of her laughter against her cheek.

“I like it when you laugh,” she murmured. “Even if it’s at my brother’s expense.”

“I will happily laugh at him any chance I get.”

Luisa rolled her eyes.

Rain

Luisa looked up, startled as thunder crashed above her and the sky broke open, rain coming down in sheets. She smiled, dropped her book to the bed, and pushed the blankets off so she could stand and move to the door.

Their bungalow stretched out into the water so she had an uninterrupted view of the rain pounding into the surf. She pushed the sliding door to the patio open and breathed deeply. There was nothing like a beach storm, it made her feel like she was back home. Sometimes she missed Miami. She missed her brother, she missed the food, she missed knowing where every small street would take her. But…

Twisting to look at the sleeping form in the bed behind her, she smiled softly. Some things were worth it.

#awaybacktothen #rose x luisa #rose solano #luisa alver #roisa #prompts #fic #my fic #long post

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weperseverebyhonestgrins · 7 years

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Happily Ever After || Steroline

Inspiration from Vampire Breath: Caroline and Stefan in their romantic honeymoon phase, while also wondering the "what if" of their relationship.

"A honeymoon? Stefan, we don't have to-"

"I know we don't have to," he sighed, rubbing her hand with his thumb as they cuddled on the couch. So much had happened in the aftermath of the wedding. Elena woke up, then left. Bonnie almost died. Damon d- "I need to get out of this house for a while, and the calm is...unsettling." He pressed a kiss to her hair. "Anywhere you want to go, Mrs. Salvatore, let's just go."

Leaning into his space, Caroline nuzzled at his neck comfortingly. She remembered when mourning Damon meant him leaving, alone; she much preferred him wanting to bring her along. "Then take me to a beach, Mr. Salvatore."

He bought the plane tickets that night.

It was sadder than he thought, to be planning what was supposed to be the symbolic start of their marriage. Stefan figured it was because the wedding had turned so disastrous, discolored by the overwhelming grief. Still, they were married, and they deserved as much of a celebration as they were able.

He found himself touching Caroline constantly the days before they left: holding her hand as she shopped for new luggage, running her feet as made lists for packing and the girls' scheduled while they were gone, or brushing by her each time he went to grab something from the closet. Too easy to get lost in his own head, the contact helped him to stay grounded. She was real, and she was there.

Sometimes, he caught her watching him. He couldn't blame her; he didn't have the best track record with dealing constructively. Caroline was worried, he knew, that he wasn't processing his brother's death like he should.

"There are still good things in the world," he whispered across their bed, running his hand down her back. "You're my best reminder of that."

"Okay," Caroline accepted easily. She played with the ring on his left hand and listened to the quick beat of his heart. "You can talk to me when it's hard to remember, though."

He pulled her closer as they drifted off to sleep. A slight smile tugged at his lips when she burrowed into his chest. This was good, his.

But for every little moment of happiness, there was another to drag them backwards.

"Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Salvatore," the flight attendant greeted on the plane. He could tell Caroline was surprised, never having flown first class before. "A bottle of champagne has been set at your seats, please open it before we close the cabin."

"Newlyweds, how lovely," an old woman sighed from across the aisle. "Was it a lovely wedding?"

Caroline opened her mouth to answer, probably about to ramble in the hopes of concealing the dark and twisted story that essentially defined their nuptials. Instead, Stefan grasped her hand and raised it to his lips. "She looked beautiful," he responded simply.

The woman sighed longingly. "I bet you'll have the most beautiful babies, too," she declared.

Drooping, Caroline's eyes glistened with the sheen of tears. Stefan just shrugged. "We already do." He proudly picked his phone from his jeans, scrolling to find a photo of the girls. "Josie and Lizzie. They turn four this year."

"Oh," the woman cooed. "They're precious."

"Yeah." He smiled down at his phone, showing Caroline the picture of Lizzie twirling them both on the dance floor. "They are."

It wasn't until the rest of the cabin was asleep that she brought it up; he was nearly asleep himself. "You can still have beautiful babies," she whispered. "If you wanted-"

"Caroline." He brushed his nose along hers sleepily. "It's okay. I want you. Josie and Lizzie. We can even invite Ric for holidays. I'm as happy as I can possibly be at this moment, with you."

"I wish," Caroline broke off, a tear falling down her cheek. "I wish I could have been the mother of your children, too."

Stefan shrugged, kissing her nose. "You're my wife," he responded with that goofy smile of his. "Whatever happens or doesn't happen to us from here on out, I'm just glad there is an 'us.'" His hand slid from under his blanket to land on her stomach. "Besides, I remember when you were pregnant. I don't think we could afford the fries budget another time."

Snorting, Caroline nudged his hand away. "Don't be mean, I'm vulnerable."

He shook his head. "You're the strongest person I know, Caroline Forbes." Kissing her, he laid his head on her shoulder to get more comfortable in their seats. "Wake me up when we're in paradise."

And Hawaii was the paradise they were looking for. Their bungalow was right on the beach, where Caroline laid in the sand while Stefan did laps in the ocean. They tried to surf, ate pork and pineapple all day, and danced and danced and danced.

There were moments they were quiet, that echoed the calm Stefan had been desperate to escape back home.

He ran into a man with dark hair and sky blue eyes, who snarkily brushed past him in the market in an all-too-familiar tone.

After talking with the girls, Caroline could hear Ric decline to talk to her again, not wanting to talk about the amazing honeymoon she was on with her new husband.

Numerous calls or texts went unanswered by Bonnie and Matt.

So Caroline drank more, and Stefan lost himself in the beach reads she packed. He forgot what it meant just to read during a quiet afternoon. She rubbed sunscreen into his back like it was her job, muttering about how susceptible he was to skin disease now. It could get very bleak.

But it was still their honeymoon. Caroline's skin buzzed with the sensation of his lips during their dances, just as Stefan sought out every opportunity to loosen her bikini top. They played, they cried, they cuddled in comfort over the entire two weeks - just needing to have this time together before figuring out the rest of their lives.

Their life - because they were married.

He might not have been the perfect Prince Charming, and she was hardly the prim and proper princess with fangs. But they loved each other, and they were determined to enjoy their happily ever after in whatever form it came.

A/N: This is going to be the last update for Until the Bitter End. Many thanks to everyone who favorited, followed, reviewed, kudoed, and commented! I want to give particular thanks to @thecharmedburrowspn-files and @jads1000, whose constant support was absolutely necessary to this series. I have several writing projects coming up, two in particular that explore the Steroline dynamic had canon gone different. So, please keep an eye out for "The Devil Wears Curls (and Has a Heart)" and "Bloody Good Time." They should be coming sometime in the near future.

Feel free to hit me up over at honestgrins on Tumblr! Even though I mostly blog about a certain other ship over there, my blog is a safe place for everyone. Thanks for the love, fandom.

Cheers, Morgan

#steroline #steroline drabble #until the bitter end #thanks for the love #fandom love

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therealak47-blog · 7 years

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My Return

Well, that was a strange month or two there. Damn.

Since we don’t know each other, I can be open about where my life’s been at. I’ve been having serious mental health issues while also having epilepsy. It’s not fun. So in an attempt to try yet another medication to control the bipolar, my body reacted (referred to as ‘serotonin surge’ which is pretty self explanatory) as either a reaction with my epilepsy medication and/or my body’s natural chemistry responded poorly.

The point of all this is that while in the hospital, after that first sweet dose of Valium, something clicked in my mind. Maybe it was just the relief of not feeling like I was having a conscious seizure. But my brain started working well again.

And like the weirdo I am, I kept thinking of Rick Sanchez and started writing a continuation Rick/reader fanfic in my head while listening to my heart monitor.

Now I’m home and better than I’ve been in a long time. And being Canadian means not worrying about going into debt because of a medical emergency.

So after another dose of Valium, a little weed and Ambien, here’s ‘Two Lines’, a soft part three to my two previous Rick/Reader fics. Shorter, but there’s a reason. No Evil Rick this time though ;)

http://archiveofourown.org/works/9769553

(Or, read it below:)

Two Lines

Following the previous encounters with Evil Rick, you’re looking forward to a much needed reprieve with Rick C-137. You forgot life with Rick Sanchez was many things, but peaceful was not one of them. The conclusion of the soft trilogy ‘Two For One’ and ‘Interdimensional Polygamy’.

You couldn’t remember the last time things were this comfortable. This easy. You and Rick had been through your fair share of seemingly endless situations, many of them involving Rick’s interdimensional counterpart Evil Rick. The memories of what was done still managed to elicit feelings of both disgust and excitement. However, Evil Rick had not been around in some time and, for the first time since you moved in together, living with Rick Sanchez had been delightful.

You couldn’t tell exactly why Rick was so considerate and unusually patient, but you certainly weren’t complaining. You had to admit, you did miss a few things about the impulsive, egotistic Rick you fell in love with- on slow days working at the library, your thoughts sometimes would drift to the night he met you at work and seduced you in the rare books section. But realistically, if your biggest complaint was that the sex was a little more vanilla than usual, life was pretty damn good.

As you came down the stairs from your bedroom, you could smell Rick cooking breakfast. Another new side of the man you had only recently come to see. While the bacon smelled delicious, you started to feel a bit nauseous as you got closer to the kitchen.

‘Odd,’ you thought to yourself. ‘I didn’t drink last night.’ You shrugged, not to anyone in particular but as an idiosyncrasy you picked up from watching too much of The Office. Peeking your head in the entrance to the kitchen, you smiled as you saw Rick happily cooking, looking beautiful with eyes that, for one, instead of being laser focused, looked at ease. He must have heard you behind him as he turned around and put down his spatula, opening his arms for a hug, to which you happily reciprocated.

“Morning, baby,” Rick smiled, briefly turning back towards the food. “D-did you sleep well?”

You thought about his question. You couldn’t stop thinking about how great everything was going, and yet you hadn’t had a restful sleep this week.

“Slept great,” you lied, not wanting to open the conversation to questions that didn’t need to be asked.

* * * * *

Despite usually being up for an adventure, you were internally relieved when Rick suggested something more conventional- a drive to the beach. It was a beautiful day, the sun was even out which wasn’t to be taken for granted despite being July. You still weren’t fully accustomed to the Pacific Northwest climate, coming from upstate New York where the climate seemed to be either extreme cold or oppressive humidity with a couple weeks of spring and fall between them. As you got closer to Lake Washington, you took a deep breath and felt the cool fresh air relieving to both your body and mind. You looked over at Rick, who, unlike most people, looked odder driving a Mustang than a spaceship. You couldn’t help but smile at the ridiculous, insane, wonderful, inspiring man you had spent the past half-decade with. Rick glanced back and a smile crept up on his face as well.

“Can’t help b-but stare, huh?” Rick laughed, “Can’t say I blame you. I’d want to fuck me too.” You almost made a jab about the Evil Rick rendezvous but wisely decided against it.

“What can I say, I have good taste,” you smirked in reply. The smirk was quickly replace by a grimace of pain. Rick’s eyebrow furrowed in concern.

“What’s…what’s up, babe? Y-you, you’ve looked sick all morning. Should w-we call it a, a day?” Rick rarely looked this uneasy because of the pain of others. The only other person you could recall Rick demonstrating compassion towards was Morty, and maybe to a lesser extent, Beth and Summer. You started wondering if you should be worried.

“I don’t know,” you whimpered. The nausea was returning. “Maybe we should stop at the drug store before our beach day.” You forced a small smile, not wanting to put a long hiatus on the day’s plans. Rick paused in thought.

“That’s probably n-not a bad idea. But, but if you keep looking worse, n-no beach for either of us today and I’m tak-, I’m taking you straight to bed. That clear?’

“Yes, and I might add, I can’t remember you ever sounding that clear. As in actual speech. Almost no stuttering.” You flashed the sideways grin Rick knew meant you weren’t serious, and was the recipient of a playful push in return.

* * * * *

There was a small town pharmacy on the way towards the lake, which Rick pulled into.

“Want me to, to come in w-with you?” he asked.

“Nah, I’ll be fine,” forcing yet another smile. “I won’t be long.”

Walking down the aisles in search of something to settle your stomach, you started to wonder if that was in fact what you needed. You knew Rick wasn’t in a rush and, as you paused in your thoughts, seemingly coincidental events started to piece together. You weren’t sure how you felt about your suspicion, but decided to assuage your suspicions and, at the last minute, picked up a few additions to your Gravol purchase.

* * * * *

Back in the car with Rick, you didn’t know what to say. The chatter of your mind overrode any topics of conversation that you were capable of. Thankfully, he didn’t seem to see through your façade of relaxation and was excitedly talking about a new invention of his, a pill that allowed the user to experience hyper-focus and euphoria without the crash of typical stimulants.

“So, basically a mix of Adderall and coke without the side effects?” you asked sardonically, although silently admitting it was a pretty good idea.

“N-none of the addictive properties either! Well, I d-don’t think so. We’ll see, we’ll see.” As you turned to reply, the car hit an uneven part of the road, causing your stomach to lurch. You could taste the bile at the back of your throat.

“Rick, I don’t think I can do a beach day today,” you said in a small voice. You hated disappointing him. “I need to lay down.” And get some answers, you said in your head. To your relief, Rick looked unperturbed.

“Of course, babe. Let’s, let’s get you home.”

* * * * *

While your discomfort intensified on the drive back home, you couldn’t help but be apprehensive about getting home. You were strangely content in this Schrodinger’s cat of a situation you were in until then- two possibilities existed and, in this moment, both possibilities both were and weren’t. Which, for you, was the best of both worlds. However, no car ride lasts forever and you were back to your modest bungalow within the hour.

As you followed Rick inside, you wordlessly hugged him from behind, knowing things could be very different in a moment’s time.

“I love you, Rick Sanchez,” you whispered in his ear as you kissed his neck. “Be right back.”

* * * * *

With the door locked behind you, you took a deep breath and waited. 90 seconds had never seemed like such an eternity. Your eyes were closed and you had a hard time bringing yourself to open them. It feels like I’ve been in here for hours, not a minute, you thought, steadying your breath. Okay. You were ready.

You looked down. As you suspected. Two lines.

Your heart both dropped in fear as well as fluttered in excitement. You had no idea how to react. No idea what to do next.

No idea how to tell Rick.

#mental health #bipolar #epilepsy #medications #rick sanchez #reader #sexy rick sanchez #turning point #valium #white widow #ambien #yummy drugs

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charllieeldridge · 5 years

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Life Update: Travel Plans and What’s Next?

Last year, we were completely exhausted from almost a decade of moving around the world from place to place. Once we both came to the difficult realization that it was time for a base and that being “nomadic” wasn’t for us anymore, we basically just stayed put for almost an entire year!

It was as if the years of hard travel and running an online business while on the road caught up with us. We basically had no desire to pack our bags and go on a trip — which is unheard of.

That was 2018. Fast forward to this year and we’re much more eager to get back on the road — we just needed a little bit of R&R and some downtime, we’re not in our 20’s anymore!

Earlier this year, we spent 2.5 months in Ecuador and Peru, two weeks in Nova Scotia and enjoyed a few staycations here in Grenada.

Ecuador was exactly the trip we were ready for!

After being back from Nova Scotia for almost 8 weeks now, we’re feeling ready to take off again — the travel itch is full-on this year.

︎ Big Travel Announcement:

We’re travelling to Indonesia, the Philippines, and Japan!

While these won’t be new countries for us, we’re visiting islands and towns that we haven’t explored yet. It’ll be a mix of work and pleasure and we’re looking forward to sharing our beach, food, diving and cultural findings with you!

We went live on Facebook announcing this trip. Check it out here (or continue reading below):

Why Asia?

This part of the world is one of our favourites and we find ourselves returning here again and again — either to travel or to put down some temporary roots.

The interesting cultures, the tasty cuisine, and the overall beauty have stolen our hearts over the years. Most of our travels have been spent in Asia (including Central, East, South, West, and Southeast) and in fact, we have just one country left before we’ve seen all of Southeast Asia (Timor-Leste/East Timor).

There’s just something special about this part of the world that keeps us coming back.

The street food in SE Asia is some of the best anywhere!

This time around, we’re heading to the Philippines to attend our friend’s wedding. He’s American, she’s Filipina and we can’t wait to experience a traditional ceremony and celebration!

Plus, other friends of ours will be there as well — this is going to be a fun reunion. We’ve rented a villa right on the beach and will be exploring the island, partaking in wedding shenanigans, and enjoying the company of our friends.

When we were discussing the wedding itinerary and details, we simultaneously received an offer from Lotus Hotels to visit Indonesia and experience their stunning accommodations, which are all PADI 5* dive resorts.

The timing couldn’t have been more perfect and we decided to incorporate Indonesia into our Philippines travels.

A couple of weeks after accepting the offer in Indonesia, we were approached by a PR company in Japan who represents numerous tourism boards there.

She invited us to experience lesser-travelled parts of Japan and share our findings with our audience.

The company wanted us to visit in October/November, which lined up perfectly — everything seemed to fall into place. And, when that happens, we go with it.

We feel so humbled and grateful to be at a level where brands and tourism boards recognize our value and want to work with us. We started blogging for family and friends back in 2011, and since making the conscious decision that we were going to turn travel blogging into our full-time career, it has blossomed into something far bigger than we ever imagined.

And that’s all thanks to you and your support!

Us with the press trip crew in Chicago. Influencers from Mexico, Brazil, Australia and ourselves. Plus the PR reps for the hotel we stayed at.

While press trips aren’t our main income stream or blogging model, when we’re invited on campaigns that suit our ethos and travel style, we happily accept them.

This is a fun way to travel, as we’re either doing something completely unique (like plotting hiking routes in Kyrgyzstan), road tripping around and exploring on our own (like in Argentina and Nova Scotia), or scuba diving in remote locations (as Nick did with the Indonesian tourism board).

Since we take time to vet the offers and consider whether or not they fit with our interests and brand, we’ve had nothing but positive experiences in the past and I’m sure it’ll be the same for our trip with Lotus Hotels and Japan tourism.

First up, Indonesia

In 2009, we backpacked around Indonesia for 2 months, while travelling to the islands of Bali, Gili Trawangan, Lombok, Sumbawa, Java, Flores, Rinca, and Sumatra.

We slept on mattresses on the floor, endured some seriously dodgy accommodations, and actually bargained one particular room down from $3 to $2.50 / night! We took whichever transportation was the cheapest (we even rode on top of a bus), we typically ate street food, and we didn’t care about comforts — we just wanted to stay on the road for as long as possible.

The travel bug and the sense of freedom were overwhelming.

We were on an extreme budget that year abroad. In fact, we travelled Indonesia for around $35 CAD/day, for both of us.

Us in Indonesia during our first trip in 2009!

Our encounters with the people, the natural surroundings, the unique culture, the experiences we had, and the overall adventure of travelling around this part of the world made Indonesia top our list of favourite countries during that year in Asia.

We loved it so much that in 2017 we decided to return to Indonesia to live in Canggu Bali for 3 months.

Here we are, 10 years since our first trip as budget backpackers, revisiting Indonesia in a completely different way — a way that reflects our current lifestyle and 35-year-old selves. It’s very surreal to think back on how far we’ve come and how we’ve evolved since 2009.

While we’re happy we backpacked when we did, our tight budget at the time definitely limited some of the things we wanted to experience, which included scuba diving. This time around, Nick will get his diving fix!

Living in Canggu Bali

Our Upcoming Route in Indonesia

Grenada -> New York -> Taiwan -> Bali -> North Sulawesi -> Raja Ampat -> Bali -> Gili Trawangan -> Bali

After a long, 25-hour travel journey we’ll arrive in Bali — jetlagged I’m sure but ready for the adventure. We’ve booked a nice villa on Airbnb in the beach town of Sanur. Even though we’ve spent lots of time in Bali we’ve never been here, but from what I’ve heard, Sanur has been dubbed as “snore” because it’s quieter than most of South Bali — which is fine by me!

After 3 nights spent chilling out, exploring by scooter and stretching our legs after the long flight, we’ll fly to North Sulawesi to the small island of Gangga. This area is known for having spectacular scuba diving and snorkelling opportunities. We’ve never been to Sulawesi and are excited to see what Gangga Island and the surrounding Bunaken National Marine Park have to offer.

This is where we’ll be staying, Gangga Island Resort and Spa. It looks amazing! (Photo credit: Lotus Hotels)

From North Sulawesi, we move on to our next island paradise, Raja Ampat. This once-secret group of 1500 islands is becoming more popular but is still considered off-track due to the effort it takes to get here. Nothing this good comes easy!

Idyllic islands, palm-fringed shorelines, crystal clear water, and some of the best diving anywhere in the world can all be found in Raja Ampat. The underwater world is teeming with life, which Nick knows first hand because he went on a diving trip here in 2017 during our stay in Canggu. I was so envious of that trip, and now I get a chance to see it with my own eyes.

We’ll be staying at the Papua Paradise Eco Resort for 5 nights in overwater bungalows. This type of accommodation has been a dream of ours for many years, and it’s finally coming true. Watching marine life swim by, and snorkelling right offshore will be pretty incredible.

Overwater bungalows! We’re looking forward to snorkelling right offshore. (Photo Credit: Lotus Hotels)

From the far east of Indonesia, we’re returning to Bali to visit another town that we’ve yet to see, Candidasa. A trip to a nearby village, scuba diving and relaxing by the pool are all on the agenda here. After what I’m sure will be a great 3 nights in Candidasa, we’re taking a boat over to nearby Gili Trawangan.

During 2009, we spent about a week on Gili T and really enjoyed the slow pace of the island. I remember renting bicycles with a plan to ride around the circumference of the island, only to find out that just 1/4 of it was paved, and the rest was sand!

It’ll be interesting to see how Gili Trawangan has changed over the past 10 years. The plan here is to do some scuba diving and snorkelling (of course), indulge in some relaxing spa treatments and explore the island.

The dining and pool area of Villa Almarik on Gili T. (Photo credit: Lotus Hotels)

In total, we’ll be travelling around Indonesia for 20 days and can’t wait!

A Wedding in the Philippines

During our 10 years of travel, we’ve attended numerous weddings abroad. Most of those weddings were for people we didn’t actually know! When we found out our good friend was getting married, we figured it would be held in the Philippines (where he lives), and knew we had to make an effort to get there — especially considering Nick was named best man!

We’re flying into the town of Dumaguete and taking a boat over to the island of Siquijor, which is where the festivities will take place.

The last time we were in the Philippines was back in 2012 when we travelled around the islands of Luzon and Palawan. There are over 7,000 islands in the archipelago and, not surprisingly, we haven’t explored Siquijor in the past.

Known for its interesting witchcraft healers, awesome scuba diving, pristine beaches, and gorgeous waterfalls, we’re very much looking forward to experiencing this island — through the eyes of a local.

Exploring a deserted island in the Philippines back in 2012.

A Quick Trip to Japan

In 2018, we decided to fly from Bali to Tokyo and celebrate Nick’s birthday in Japan. He’s a sushi fiend. Landing in Tokyo and having sushi that day for lunch was probably the best birthday he could’ve dreamed of!

We spent around two weeks travelling to Tokyo, Kyoto, Takayama, and some surrounding villages. I think you could spend years in Japan and continuously learn about the history and culture of this unique destination.

On a walking tour in Kyoto. Tatsuya was a great guide, and friend!

This diverse country has a little something for everyone — mountains, beaches, history, lakes, cities, food, and culture. There are just so many things to do in Japan.

This time around, we’re starting off in Tokyo (sushi!) and heading to the northeast region of the country, Tohoku — which is known as being a hidden traveller’s gem. This part of Japan is filled with hot springs, mountains, villages, crater lakes, and of course, regional food specialities.

From the north, we’re heading south to the Okayama area to explore castles, museums, gardens and shrines, before making our way back to Tokyo where we’ll complete our journey by soaking in an onsen (public bath).

This whirlwind trip will give us a taste of some parts of Japan we’ve never been, and from what I’ve seen and heard, I’m pretty sure we’re going to want to return.

Tohoku region of Japan (image courtesy of Shutterstock).

Returning Home

This trip is all about the islands, and after hopping around 7+ islands in Asia for 2 months, I think we’ll be ready to return to our home base (which is also an island!).

Having a base to return to really makes our travels a lot easier. These days, we don’t have to pack up literally everything we own and bring it with us. Plus, having a home allows us to actually accumulate a few possessions and to get some work done.

Once we return home it’ll be all about catching up with work, visiting with friends, enjoying some downtime and getting ready for our next adventure…which is happening around mid-January!

Have you been to any of the destinations I mentioned in this article? If so, please give us your must-sees, eats and dos in the comments below!

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mialipsky-blog · 7 years

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Honeymoons of the Rich + Famous: Where Your Favorite Celebs Celebrate “I Do”

Stars, they’re just like us, right? Wrong. Majorly wrong, at least when it comes to their honeymoons because when celebrities honeymoon, they don’t just go to a fabulous beach resort and lie in the sun for a week, they go to several five-star resorts and lie in the sun for several weeks. Jealous? Us, too, and just wait until you read the details below!

Pippa Middleton + James Matthews According to sources, Pippa and James will spend the first leg of their honeymoon on the Pacific island of Tetiaroa, an island once owned by Marlon Brandon and now known as The Brando. With 35 thatched villas, each with their own outdoor bath and infinity pool, this eco-friendly luxury resort is basically paradise. After their romantic week on the island, the newlyweds will head back to the U.K. to the Scottish Highlands, where the groom’s family owns an estate.

Kate Middleton + Prince William To state the obvious, Kate and Will’s royal honeymoon was worthy of royalty. Following their wedding of the century, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge jetted off to the ultra exclusive North Island of the Seychelles for a 10-day honeymoon that reportedly cost $720,000. Included in that whopping price tag? A private villa, butler service, unlimited scuba diving and spa treatments — talk about the royal treatment!

Miranda Kerr + Evan Spiegel The supermodel and Snapchat CEO jetted off to Fiji to celebrate their new marriage at the Laucala Island Resort, an exclusive island resort that sits on 3,500 acres in gorgeous Fiji that averages anywhere between $12,000 – $60,00 per night. The resort is completely secluded and only accessible via private jet. Each villa offers private infinity pools, floor to ceiling windows, 360 degrees of unreal views… need I say more?

Jennifer Aniston + Justin Theroux We can credit the latest “groupmoon” trend to Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux, who jetted off to Bora Bora with a group of close friends in tow, following their surprise backyard wedding. The group allegedly holed up in the luxe Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora, an enclave of 120 bungalows and overwater villas set on a private island, accessible only by the hotel’s yacht.

Amal Alamuddin + George Clooney Mr. and Mrs. Clooney are probably in nesting mode following the birth of twins (Ella and Alexander — so stinkin’ cute), but these new parents are quite the globetrotters! The details on their honeymoon are a little iffy, but sources report the two relaxed on the Seychelles’ secluded North Island or traveled to their English estate following their romantic Venice nuptials. Either way, we wouldn’t say no to a romantic two weeks with George Clooney!

Carrie Underwood + Mike Fisher For their July 2010 honeymoon, Carrie Underwood and Mike Fisher headed to the islands of Tahiti for a romantic vacation in paradise. The two stayed at Le Taha’a Resort, where they went swimming, snorkeling with sharks and on a helicopter tour of the island.

Whitney Port + Tim Rosenman After their Palm Springs nuptials, Whitney Port and Tim Rosenman headed to Fiji’s Royal Davui Island Resort, a remote paradise on a 10-acre island in the South Seas. The resort features 16 thatched villas with endless views of white sand and crystal clear water.

Victoria Beckham + David Beckham For their 10th anniversary, Posh and Becks escaped to the Seychelles for an intimate getaway in the tropical paradise. Private, pristine beaches and an exclusive eco-friendly spa were just some of the luxuries the two enjoyed on their anniversarymoon.

Jessica Biel + Justin Timberlake Following their super-secret and oh-so-romantic Italian wedding, Jessica Biel and Justin Timberlake embarked on an adventure to Tanzania, Africa for one wild honeymoon. The newlyweds stayed at the luxurious Singita Faru Faru Lodge in Grumeti, where they enjoyed the private reserve, hot air ballooning and four-by-four rides.

Blake Lively + Ryan Reynolds After saying “I do” at a hush-hush wedding at South Carolina’s Boone Hall Plantation, Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds flew to Africa for what they thought would be a romantic safari honeymoon. Unfortunately, the honeymoon was cut short when the couple had to fly to Canada so he could film his project, “The Captive.” But, to make up for their honeymoon that wasn’t, the duo celebrated their first anniversary in the Maldives.

Gabrielle Union + Dwayne Wade Not one. Not two. But three dreamy destinations were on the itinerary for Gabrielle Union and Dwayne Wade’s epic honeymoon. First up, the newlyweds hit the idyllic beaches of the Maldives, frolicking in the crystal clear water. Then, they headed to the Serengeti Desert in Tanzania for an exotic safari before finally heading to the Seychelles for some serious R&R (romance and relaxation)!

Fergie + Josh Duhamel Like some of the others on this list, one honeymoon destination wasn’t enough for Fergie and Josh. The newlyweds rented a private villa at the One & Only Reethi Rah resort in the Maldives, which features lush tropical lagoons and endless white sand beaches. The newlyweds finished their honeymoon festivities with a post-wedding trip in the Bahamas.

Katie Holmes + Tom Cruise Though they’re no longer together, TomKat had a honeymoon as over-the-top as their romance (couch, anyone?). The couple spent part of their honeymoon sailing around the Maldives on a private yacht and allegedly dined at an underwater restaurant during their stay. Casual, right?

Nicole Kidman + Keith Urban For $15,000 per night, you too can honeymoon like Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban. The native Australians celebrated newlywed bliss at the positively breathtaking St. Regis Bora Bora. Their private villa featured a massive over-water suite, fully equipped with butler service and a private swimming pool.

Lauren Conrad + William Tell After a super romantic wedding in her native Southern California, the former reality star and her new husband jetted off to Italy where the newlyweds ate their way through the country. “We did a tour of pizza, it was like pizza every night,” she told E! News.

Reese Witherspoon + Jim Toth When you’re a celebrity, taking two honeymoons is no big deal, which is why Reese Witherspoon and her hubs, Jim Toth, did just that, planning a family-friendly honeymoon in Belize with her two children followed up with a romantic adults-only escape to Le Sirenuse on Italy’s Amalfi Coast.

Chrissy Tiegen + John Legend Everyone’s favorite couple had pretty much everyone’s dream wedding: saying “I do” in Italy’s picturesque Lake Como. The dream with a honeymoon spent in the majestic town of Portofino on Italy’s Amalfi Coast, where Chrissy tweeted she and John spent part of their honeymoon playing video games!

Leighton Meester + Adam Brody The super-secretive couple kept details of their wedding on the down-low, but the couple reportedly spent four heavenly days at the St. Regis Punta Mita Resort in Mexico.

Nikki Reed + Ian Somerholder When one beach paradise isn’t enough, why not visit three? That seems to be what was going through Nikki Reed and Ian Somerholder’s minds when they planned their sun-soaked honeymoon to Mexico, Costa Rica and Brazil.

Jenna Dewan-Tatum + Channing Tatum Though Jenna Dewan-Tatum and Channing Tatum’s honeymoon in Bali sounds like a trip to paradise, food poisoning kept the couple from enjoying all of the incredible activities the island has to offer. But they were still able to get matching tattoos that read “side by side.”

Beyoncé + Jay Z Bey and Jay’s honeymoon may come as a surprise to you. Instead of jetting off to some tropical paradise, the king and queen of music headed West to the Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain for some R&R. The Arizona resort boasts a four-star, award-winning spa and luxe guests rooms with sweeping mountain views.

Mila Kunis + Ashton Kutcher Following a relationship that spanned decades, the former That 70’s Show costars enjoyed a no-frills close-to-home honeymoon at Yosemite National Park with their sweet daughter in tow. Their low-key honeymoon is proof you don’t have to break the bank for a romantic getaway!

Kim Kardashian + Kanye West How do you top an extravagant rehearsal dinner at Versailles followed by an absolute dream wedding at a Tuscan villa? With a honeymoon in Ireland, of course! The notoriously over-the-top couple relaxed at the Castlemartyr Resort, filling their days touring the Ballyhoura Mountains, picnicking and going to the movies. Yes, you read that right, the movies, where they saw X-Men: Days of Future Past.

Sofia Vergara + Joe Manganiello Sofia Vergara and Joe Manganiello said “I do” in a destination worthy of a honeymoon, Palm Beach’s The Breakers, but that didn’t stop them from heading to Parrot Cay in Turks and Caicos for their ultra-romantic honeymoon at the luxury private-island resort.

Megan Fox + Brian Austin No passports were required for Megan Fox and Brian Austin’s romantic honeymoon at the Four Seasons Hualalai on Hawaii’s exclusive Kona Coast. According to E! News, the newlyweds spent a good part of their trip pampering themselves with the Romance Escape Package, that features soothing baths in a hinoki tub, aromatherapy wraps and 80-minute massages.

Jennifer Garner + Ben Affleck Instead of jetting off to a new destination, Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck decided to honeymoon at Parrot Cay, Turks and Caicos,where they said “I do.” The low-key honeymoon was just what the couple needed, since Jennifer was four months pregnant at the time.

Eniko Parrish + Kevin Hart Happily ever after started with a lavish Santa Barbara wedding and continued with the #HARTSinSTBARTHS for Eniko Parrish and Kevin Hart. The newlyweds checked in the Eden Rock Hotel & Villas, a luxury Caribbean resort surrounded by pristine white beaches.

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Honeymoons of the Rich + Famous: Where Your Favorite Celebs Celebrate “I Do” published first on their blog to my feed

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amygriffissourkitty · 7 years

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Honeymoons of the Rich + Famous: Where Your Favorite Celebs Celebrate “I Do”

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Honeymoons of the Rich + Famous: Where Your Favorite Celebs Celebrate “I Do”

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