#/ two mermaid ladies. we swoon. | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

berry-hwa · 4 months

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As per my suggestion...!!

heres the promised mermaid au fic!!! I might not ever finish it because theres a lot of worldbuilding and writing stuff that i dont have time for😔i havent looked over this in a while and it isnt beta read either so ignore any mistakes!! All that aside now, pls enjoy!!

Well, here I am.

Looking up, her expression hardly wavered at the luxurious and magnificent hotel she stood in front of.

Here it is. Tres Spades.

Her glance shifted low to the dark blue dress she wore specifically for the famous I.V.C held at the hotel. Her pearl necklace reflected the huge amount of light from both the inside and outside and her silk, white gloves held onto a matching white clutch. She wasn't gonna look like anyone present at the party, but she was fine with that. The party wasn't what was on her mind anyway, it didn't matter if she stood out or not.

All she had to do was get to the penthouse.

Walking through crowds and crowds of people, her white heels clicked with every step she took on the recently cleaned floor. As she reached the room the I.V.C was held at, she was suddenly startled by someone talking behind her.

"Woah! I've never seen you around here. Is this your first time attending the I.V.C perhaps?"

She spun around to find two men looking at her, their eyes not leaving hers. She recognized one of the two almost instantly.

"Oh! Why yes, this is my first time here. I was looking for Mr. Ichinomiya? He was supposed to escort me to the party." She flashed a radiant smile, hoping to catch the two off-guard. As she stared at them, she realized the identity of the second man who strangely wore a fedora hat.

"Oh! We're his accomplices, and I haven't heard anything about you from Mr. Ichinomiya...would you give us your name?" The blonde smiled, crossing his arms and waiting for an answer. Her heart slowly began beating faster as she thought of a made-up name.

"Misaki. My name is Misaki." She extended her hand out for a handshake, which the brunette took and gave the back of it a gentle kiss. Her heartbeat slowly went back to normal and her smile slightly fell.

"A beautiful name for a beautiful lady. My name is Mitsunari Baba, but you can call me Micchy or Mitsu for short. And you probably already know who my friend is." Baba glanced back and forth between the blonde and the woman.

"Of course, Kisaki Ota. I'd be ashamed if I didn't know who you were." She bowed and internally cringed, her patience slowly running low. She wasn't here to chat up some men...but, if they managed to get her up to the penthouse, at least the lying would be worth it.

"You flatter me Miss Misaki! Now, what was that about Mr. Ichinomiya escorting you to the I.V.C?"

"Ah, right. We talked over the phone weeks prior to the I.V.C, but he must have forgotten. He's a busy man after all, and so am I." Lying in situations as such was her specialty, but for some reason she felt as if she was being read easily. Can they tell?

"Boss is a very busy man. If you'd like, we could escort you around the I.V.C ourselves?" Baba gave her a handsome smile that would swoon women in her place, but she was barely phased. It wasn't her job to begin flirting with a thief.

She tried to shake off the unusual feeling she felt when she realized Ota's smile had also fallen a bit as he stared at her. Not at her, but her necklace specifically. The only explanation that sat right with her was that he'd been looking at it from an artist's point of view. She didn't know if he realized the necklace was made out of real pearls, however.

"I would appreciate it very much, Mitsunari." She smiled again for the sake of being polite.

From nearly getting lost in the sea of people to stumbling upon a mysterious looking hallway and being sold at a black market auction held in the basement of the hotel, she was only a few steps away from her goal. It didn't matter who bought her, she would escape them either way. Her eyes were set on finding one man and that man only. Her surprise when she heard she was sold to seat #100 came as a shock even to her. She fell right into the hands of the man she had her eyes on.

The cage she sat in had been carried all the way up to the penthouse, her heart racing as she realized how close she was to her target. Even if they didn't speak and wore masks, she knew exactly who the two men that carried her up there were as well.

And when she was brought in, she found herself face to face with him. Eisuke Ichinomiya.

"Who are you?"

"Boss, this is the lady that we-"

"If you let me out of this cage, I will tell you exactly who I am and what I'm doing here."

She stared at the five men who stared back at her. Her smile from earlier was replaced with a fierce gaze at Eisuke, who was staring at her cautiously.

"And how do we know you don't have any ulterior motives?" A strong looking man stood up which she quickly identified as Soryu, Eisuke's childhood friend and a mobster.

"If your security is good at checking whether or not people have weapons on them, then you don't have to be afraid Mr. Oh." She held her chin high and smiled internally at his slightly bewildered face.

"...You know who we are?" Eisuke spoke, eyebrows narrowing as he stared at her through his eyelashes. She could sense he was conflicted and a little confused.

"I know you all. And we'd be able to talk like normal people if you let me out of this cage," She crossed her arms, gaze not faltering as she stared back at Eisuke, "But we probably already know the phrase "normal people" doesn't suit you at all, right Ichinomiya?"

She saw his eyebrow twitch. As she guessed earlier, Baba and Ota took their masks off, their gazes switching back and forth between the woman and Eisuke.

"Is your definition of a succesful individual 'abnormal'?" Eisuke crossed his arms and took a sip of his wine, placing it on the table in front of him afterwards.

"I think we both know what I mean here." Her gaze went to the wine glass in front of him. Lowering her open palm, she aimed it directly at the glass before knocking it over, the wine spilling on Eisuke's leg.

All the men's eyes widened and Eisuke swiftly stood up, panic evident on his features.

"Eisuke, go!" Soryu suddenly yelled at him. Realizing he had to move as fast as he could, he dashed towards the staircase with a curse, managing to make it up before anyone could see anything.

When they made sure he was out of sight, everyone shot a glare at the woman. Only Ota seemed to stand still, still comprehending what had just happened.

"What the hell was that?" Soryu approached the cage, gun in hand now. The woman only grinned as the realization that she'd indeed found the man she was looking for began setting in.

"I think you know exactly what it was." Her fingers tapped at the golden cage as the mobster stared her down. She felt confident knowing she wouldn't be killed in that moment after what she did. They needed answers and she was aware of that. There was also no way they'd let her go unless they heard the full story, unless they didn't let her go at all. She was bought by them after all.

"I...don't get it. How did you knock over that glass?" Baba stared, still a little stunned. She rolled her eyes and glanced at the thief who was looking at her for an answer.

"I'm pretty sure you know that as well." Before looking away, she caught a glimpse of Ota looking almost...solemn, as he stared off into the distance.

"Come on now, you can't all play dumb. I'm here for one reason and one reason only."

"And that is?"

"Eisuke."

Soryu stared at her once more with a stern look on his face. Was he gonna let her out? She made it clear she'd explain everything if she was out of the cage...but how could he trust her like that? Especially when he didn't even know her name?

"Open the cage Mitsunari." A deep voice from the back spoke, the woman recognizing it as Mamoru's. At least he's not entirely stupid, as much as he is lazy.

Baba hesitantly reached into his pocket to take out a key, Soryu stepping away to make space. Opening the cage, the woman stepped out, arms crossed over one another. The men continued to stare at her for a moment before they heard footsteps coming from the staircase.

Her eyes immediately locked with Eisuke's as she looked up. He looked both furious and confused as he walked down each step.

"I'm gonna ask this one last time. Who are you and what are you doing here?" Making his way towards her, he stood in-between Baba and Soryu, eyes staring daggers into the woman. He only recieved a grin in return.

"I heard a siren call from miles away, and it lead me here in your hotel."

The CEO stared in pure confusion. He almost wanted to laugh at how ridiculous she sounded. A siren call. Is she for real?

Sure, it might not have sounded...that ridiculous, given the situation he was suddenly thrust into in less than twenty seconds. His eyes traveled to her neck adorned by the pearl necklace. He could feel his throat going dry even as he swallowed.

Those are real pearls.

And, sure, seeing real pearls hung on a string as an accessory wasn't the most unusual thing Eisuke had seen. But the way this woman was dressed bewildered him.

He estimated the cost of both her dress and heels were most probably around 200 dollars. Her gloves were made of silk, therefore they had to have been a little expensive. The pearls were what threw him off. A single, real white pearl was already expensive, but her necklace consisted of at least thirty pearls that varied in colors and shapes. He even recognized one of the rarest blue pearls hung onto the string, and he could feel the nervousness bubbling to the surface the more he stared.

"You've...gotta be kidding right?" The thief asked, gaze shifting to Eisuke who tried so hard to keep his expression as neutral as possible. Both him and Soryu were begining to catch onto the situation.

"I'm very serious. I came here specifically to talk to Eisuke, on behalf of my people."

"Your...people?" Puzzled, Soryu raised an eyebrow at her, his eyes now also shifting to look at Eisuke.

"I know what you are Eisuke. And we need your help." The woman's tone slowly morphed into one of pleading, as did her expression. Eisuke stared for what seemed like hours before sighing and turning his back to her.

"You have five minutes to explain."

"Five?!"

"Yes, only five."

She stared at his back as he walked over to the couch and sat down, Soryu and Baba following. She was glad she got the opportunity to talk...but five minutes? Really?!

"Alright I...just, do you mind bringing a glass of water?" Her gaze went to the artist who seemed to think about her question a little longer than he had to before nervously answering.

"Sure..." He put on a smile and strode over to the kitchen in the penthouse. Taking a deep breath before exhaling, her gaze returned to Eisuke who now sat on the couch, waiting for his explanation.

"First of all, I'd like to apologize for barging in all of a sudden and spilling wine on you. You were probably all confused and angry, especially you, Ichinomiya." Her heels clicked as she walked over to the four men, Eisuke's eyebrows forming into a frown as he recalled what happened.

"Apologize another time, get to your story." He swiftly crossed his legs and rest his chin in his palm as he waited for her to begin, as if he were a teacher about to listen to a student's excuse for a missed assignment.

By the time she stopped staring Eisuke down, Ota had come back with a glass of water as she'd asked. Funny how she has barely been here for five minutes and is ordering people around as if she owns the penthouse.

Thanking the artist, she set the glass down on the coffee table and waited for Ota to grab a seat, only for him to stand next to the couch Baba, Soryu and Eisuke sat on.

"As I said...I know what you are, Eisuke. Even if you might not know exactly what you are, we desperately need your help." She began, voice brave despite her slowly plummetting spirit.

"Who is this "we" you've been throwing around?" Baba exclaimed before getting interrupted by the woman.

"I'll get there. Let me explain."

"You fell into a pool when you were young in London...right?" She raised an eyebrow and looked at Eisuke for his reaction. He definitely didn't disappoint. His eyes went wide and he was now listening to her more cautiously, the nervous feeling on the verge of overflowing.

"You became a mermaid. Or...a merman. Otherwise known as a siren." She explained like she was some lunatic, but Eisuke knew better than to assume that when she was right. Except he had no idea what she meant by the siren part of it.

"How do you know any of this. Only my manager and some acquaintances are aware of what happened. How did you manage to find out what happened a decade ago?"

"That's not important. What is important is that I'm a real mermaid born at sea, and my people have and I have been threatened by the human race for years," She looked down, remembering the last moments with her family before they were taken from her, "They sacrificed themselves so I would stay alive and get help."

"It took you this long to find me?" Eisuke interrupted, his thoughts now racing. Had she been stalking him? Did she somehow bribe someone to tell her about him? What kind of help did she need exactly?

"I've known about you ever since you fell into that pool. You see, I'm from Britain myself, and all of us have known about you ever since that day." She explained briefly, not leaving any room for questions as she continued quickly afterwards.

"You're the first merman to have ever fallen in the pool in that cave in nearly sixty years. It just so happened that you became a siren on the day the last merman transformed 43 years before you did." She briefly caught a glimpse at Ota looking down at the floor as if he was holding something back. Did he wanna ask a question?

She decided to ignore it, passing it as just him being lost in his thoughts.

"This is...too much information," Eisuke rubbed his temple, her words barely registering. He was finally used to being this weird form of a human after so long, and suddenly there's so much information shoved into him it's almost too overwhelming.

"You think? You gave me five minutes to explain, I'm using that time wisely." She may have been aware of the conflicted situation he was in at that moment as he slowly took in what she was saying. Still though, she figured she might as well drop the bomb as quickly as she could, even if it confused Eisuke at first.

"We've been looking for a siren for years now due to our problems with the human race. And that just so happened to be you..."

Her frightless demeanor began to wear off, quickly replaced by someone in genuine need of help. Eisuke stared at her, her words still registering. So he was a siren. Was it good that he finally knew his identity after so many years? He certainly didn't feel any better knowing, that's for sure. What if she was lying?

"Can you prove to me in any way that you're telling the truth?"

The woman stared at him. Of course, Eisuke Ichinomiya of all people would never believe some girl suddenly showing up at his penthouse, telling him he was a damn siren and that there were real mer-people living in the sea with no proof. The whole story seemed like a sick joke. Even if she knew things many others hadn't known, even if she held information that Eisuke had never revealed publicly...he had to know.

"If you'll allow me to," She raised her open palm once more and focused her energy on the glass of water in front of her. Soon enough, they saw what looked like a bubble rise out of the glass. Eisuke knew she wasn't lying the moment he saw the "bubble" rise higher and higher, but still wanted to see what she would do. As the water reached her head, her hand suddenly dropped to her side, as did the bubble. The CEO's eyes widened as it splashed over her head and he was already begining to count down the seconds it took for her to transform. No sooner than that did Baba get up and rushed over to her, holding her up by her arms as her legs disappeared and were replaced by a sparkling blue tail.

"Is that enough proof for you, Ichinomiya?"

#voltage inc #love 365: find your story #love 365 #kbtbb #kissed by the baddest bidder #kbtbb soryu #kbtbb eisuke #kbtbb baba #kbtbb ota #kbtbb mamoru #eisuke ichinomiya #soryu oh #baba mitsunari #ota kisaki #mamoru kishi #sooo how are yall doingggg....its been a little whileee....#i hope whoever read this enjoyed it!! enjoyed having u around here soldier #and now i will disappear for another few months. goodbai #kbtbb fanfic

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lovewillthaw-j · 3 years

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Tribute to A Perfect Night by Mari Mancusi

A Perfect Night is the new short story by Dangerous Secrets author, @marimancusi . Just like DS, I loved reading APN so much! The writing was so warm and intimate and so real! And this story focuses on happy times with Agnarr, Iduna, Elsa and Anna! Mmm...warm fuzzy feeling. Little Elsa is so pure in heart and has good intentions. And Mari captured litte Anna EXACTLY as we know her from both movie prologues!

Also, Mari is truly a Frozen fan first, author second! She effortlessly weaves in soooo many little references to the rest of Frozen-verse, just like she did for DS! And just as I wrote two mega posts on the references in DS, here is my tribute post to APN! Long post filled with screencaps and gifs.

Spoilers, obviously. And go read the short story here if you haven’t!

===

I groaned as Gerda cheerfully pulled open the bedroom curtains, sending blinding rays of light into the room. I was about to pull the covers over my head to hide from them when suddenly I remembered why I’d asked her to wake me up.

The ladies of the royal family certainly love their beauty sleep!

It was our anniversary day! I shot up in bed.

I’d been planning the day for weeks, carefully orchestrating the most perfect night for Agnarr and me.

APN has SO much Frozen Fever vibes, if you picture Iduna as Elsa and Agnarr as Anna. Both Iduna and Elsa plan extensively for a special event for Agnarr and Anna (her birthday). And later on, the celebration goes awry, but Agnarr and Anna reassure them with their love that what they want most is to be with them.

I smiled. Little Anna had convinced her big sister to use her magic again. Elsa could never deny her request.

And then there was my dress. I’d managed to purchase some luxurious silk from overseas and had spent weeks sewing a new gown. It had a silver sash, and the dusty-blue skirt drifted to the floor like a cloud. All that was left to do was sew some tiny pearls onto the bodice to make it sparkle in the candlelight.

I recently came across this comic/Fanart by Ponzu and it depicts the headcanon that Iduna had a dress that Elsa modelled her F1 transformation dress on. I like that headcanon, and I would like it if the APN dress was THIS dress.

There were mountains of snow, an ice-skating rink, and, of course, dozens of snowmen of various sizes. (Was that my mother’s scarf wrapped around the crooked one’s neck?)

A little edit I made and previously posted!

The sisters exchanged looks. “Chocolate!” they breathed in perfect unison. I laughed. Like mother, like daughters. And father, too.

I wish I had the skills to animate the little ones saying Chocolate! in unison. Well, the next best thing I can do is find this and pretend they said Chocolate then!

“So romantic!” Elsa swooned. “Sooo womanticked,” Anna agreed, attempting her own swoon that almost landed her on her bottom again. Her big blue eyes locked on me.

Awww Mari! Getting Anna to cutely mispronounce her words! Just gets me everytime. And big blue eyes! Here I have a screencap of Anna swooning in F2. You know what I’d really like to see? A picture of little Elsa swooning!

“Ooh!” Anna clapped her hands.

I bit my lower lip. (occurs twice in the story)

The girls certainly take after their mama! There are lots more times that Anna and Elsa bit their lower lip, I didn’t capture them all but others have!

“I’ll take care of it, Mama,” Elsa said. Then she peered at me closer. “Are you all right?” she added, her brows drawn in concern as she caught my face.

“Poor Mama!” Elsa said, putting a hand to my cheek, as if I was the daughter and she was the mother.

Awwwwwww!!! I love that little Elsa is so mature and so affectionate. And caressing Mama’s cheek!!! Mmmmmppphhhh!!!

..a florist fussing about the nearby lutefisk stand smelling up her shop

Lutefisk.

..a kindly old man greatly concerned about the growing homeless-cat population, demanding the crown provide food and little sweaters.

Sweaters for little kittens? Provided!

“But it still tastes really good!” Anna chimed in, patting a section [of Iduna’s souffle] that had clearly been nibbled on.

Here we have the first of two times that Anna was like Olaf in FF, making a mess of things!

My eyes flew open. “My dress . . .” “We fixed that, too, Mama!” Anna said excitedly. “Wait till you see it.” I watched, filled with dread, as she ran to the wardrobe and threw open its doors. There, on a peg, was my once beautiful dress—the one that had taken me weeks to sew. Now it was covered in messily glued-on pearls—and a few chocolate handprints for good measure.

This scene just reminds me of Olaf messing up the letters in FF! Out of good intentions.

“Isn’t it just the beautifulest?” Anna declared, sighing dreamily.

Beautifuller, Beautifulest!

As I stepped through the doors, I drew in a breath. The room was gorgeous. Gerda had clearly worked overtime to set up the fancy silverware and china plates and goblets filled with wine. There were fresh roses spilling out from baskets. Candles flickered in the dim light.

Good old Gerda!!

And then I burst into tears. Agnarr was beside me in a second, pulling me into his arms. “What’s wrong, sweetheart?” he asked. “Why are you crying?”

Agduna hug! Ohhhh so touching!!

“Oh, sweetheart,” Agnarr whispered into my ear. He took my hands in his own, squeezing them tight. “This night is already special. Because I get to spend it with you.”

Anna/Agnarr taking Elsa/Iduna’s hands into their own

You didn’t screw up! I LOVE YOU!!

His lips pressed against mine, and his hands found my hips. Then he quickly yanked them away, realizing they were covered in chocolate. I blushed hard, but he started to laugh, bringing his fingers to his lips. Maybe tonight could still be romantic after all. . . .

That’s a steamy excerpt from Dangerous Secrets. An overtly sexual scene!!! Iduna is weak with arousal...Wink Wink...chocolate covered fingers really turns them on!! Ahem...forkanna cakefic anyone?

I gasped as my eyes fell on a spectacular sight in the center of the courtyard: our special tree, now covered in crystals of ice, sparkling brilliantly under the full moon. “Do you like it?” Elsa asked. “I did it myself!” “It’s . . . beautiful,” I whispered, so in awe I could barely speak.

Oh Mari! So beautiful that you referenced the make-out tree, now lit up with crystals of ice! Now I wonder if Elsa was the one who lit it for F2 in the scene above!

I raised my eyebrows at Agnarr. We both knew chocolate was a big deal to our youngest daughter. The fact that she was willing to give hers away . . .

Om nom nom!!

Elsa smiled proudly. “Of course, I might have changed it around a little. Gave it a happy ending.” “She gets married!” Anna burst in. “She marries the prince!” Elsa groaned. “Also, she gets to keep her legs and has the freedom to do what she wants in life

A little nod at WDAS’ version of the Little Mermaid! XD

“It sounds perfect, sweetheart,” Agnarr said, picking her up and twirling her around. “Happy endings are my favorites.” He pulled her into his arms, hugging her close. Elsa beamed.

Awww I wish I could see an animation of Agnarr hugging little Elsa like this!!

Then I walked her to Elsa and Agnarr so we could have a family hug. “I’m crying because I’m happy.” “Thank you, girls,” I said, nuzzling my face against Anna’s auburn hair before setting her down. “You did good.”

Family hug! I’m so sorry I do not know who created this edit, I saved it ages ago. I love this! And Mari I loved the description of Iduna nuzzling her face against Anna’s auburn hair. Awwwww my heart!! It’s SO REAL!!!

“But someday is a long way away!” Anna sulked, still not moving. “You know I don’t have that kind of—”

You know I don’t have that kind of patience!

“Hey, Anna,” Elsa broke in. “Do you want to build a snowman?”

Elsa asked Anna!!! Elsa asked Anna!!! AAaaahhhhhhh!!!

I watched as she ran toward the door at full Anna speed.

Anna Speed! Oh Mari even in the last few lines you throw in a reference! In Frozen Fever (again) we can see Anna Speed in action! When Elsa gives her her birthday dress, Anna RUNS from the bed to the changing area SO fast that she hits the wall with a BANG! And behind the screen we hear a loud GRUNT from her as she rips off her nightgown rapidly!! I can’t add a video to this mega long post but I did post it here previously! Turn on your sound!!

THANKS SO MUCH MARI MANCUSI!!

And thanks if you read till the end of this mega post!

#elsa #anna #iduna #agnarr #a perfect night #frozen #frozen 2 #disney frozen #disney #dangerous secrets #mari mancusi

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writingsfromhome · 4 years

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Seaside Surprise

A/N: trying a fluffy fic, Y/N and Harry attend a cousin's wedding and you wonder when it's going to be your turn.

"Ms. Y/L/N?" My assistant pokes her head into my office. She has on the type of grin on her face that I know what she's going to say. "Your boyfriend's here."

"Of course he is," I decide I wasn't going to finish this report tonight after all. I asked Harry to wait in the car but of course he came up and charmed his way to my department. Not that my department minded, they were always bursting to see him. "Tell him I'll be a moment."

I slide my laptop into its case and do a quick touch up before heading out. "Hey," I give him a loving smile but my eyes are warning him.

"Hello love," he purposely ignores my warning and gives me a peck. "You've got a lovely staff."

I can practically hear the swooning so I just grab his jacket and haul him off the chair. "They're all very lovely. Let's go before we're late. Happy weekend everyone!"

"Bye ladies," Harry stays behind and rushes to catch up. He puts his hand on the small of my back as he reaches me. "Jealous?"

"No, I just don't know why you lead them on whenever you come up here."

"Well they know their boss is my girlfriend," Harry tugs me to him and kisses the top of my head. "It's nice getting to know the people you work with."

"If that's what you want to call it," I give up on the argument. "Do you think we'll get there by 6?"

"Traffic's not as bad if we hurry, rehearsal dinner's at 7 so that's the latest."

As we step into the lift and go down to the parking garage, I think about the destination ahead. A cousin of mine was getting married, they'd rented out this old castle where a lot of the guests were staying. It sounded magical--getting married in a castle.

I look at Harry, who's backing out and starting the two hour journey there. We met a few years ago and aside from some uncertainty at the beginning, we've been going strong for four years. We talked about kids and our dream weddings but I never fully knew whether he wanted to get married. Or if he was one of the don't fix what isn't broke type. I've always secretly wanted the big wedding so I never asked Harry in case he didn't want that. It would be crushing.

"What are you so quiet about?" Harry glances over.

"Oh just thinking, about the wedding tomorrow. Dinner tonight. I'm going to see a bunch of my family, that stuff."

"Hm," he hums. To avoid further conversation I turn on the radio and settle in for the drive.

***

With traffic we barely make it for 7, having just enough time to look decent before heading to the dining hall. I'm excited seeing all my family and I tear up as we all gather around and catch up over dinner. We're given reminders for tomorrow and the timeline even though we all had the schedule sent to our phones.

"Are you crying again?" Harry leans in. All night he stayed by my side, his arm around me or his hand on my knee. It was comforting having him by my side.

"I'm trying not to," I dab at my eyes with the napkin. "I'm just so happy for everyone."

Harry squeezes my thigh, "You're such a romanticist as much as you deny it."

I look up at him, my heart skips a beat like we were young lovers. I felt incredibly lucky to have him and I want to tell him so I kiss him. "I am. And I'm glad you're here."

"Get a room!" One of my cousins shouts as Harry's about to respond. We break apart laughing and they tease us until we're visibly flustered. What was family for after all.

Later that night as I pin up my wet hair to sleep in, Harry sits up in bed and watches. "Is that for tomorrow?"

"Yeah, so I have nice curls in the morning. The ones you like."

"Hmm, you'll look beautiful tomorrow whatever way you do your hair." Harry says. "Even if you cut off all your hair. I would still love the way you look."

By then I was done so I get into bed beside Harry. "Is that what you want me to do? For me to cut off all my hair?"

Harry cups my face and presses a gentle kiss on my lips. He leans back and I watch his eyes on me. His thumb strokes the side of my face, when it was just the two of us like this. Quiet and alone, with Harry's undivided attention on me, I couldn't help but feel shy. So I grab his hand off my face and thread my fingers through his to have something to do. He finally responds, "I want you to do what you want."

"Well...what do I want..." I think.

"What do you want?" Harry asks back. And I have a feeling we weren't talking about hairstyles anymore. I look away, could he sense the lead up go the wedding has me thinking about him and I. Where we were headed?

"A nice holiday from work, away from the city. A cute puppy, maybe three. Hm what else...world peace, a nicer boyf-"

Harry cuts me off before I could get to the joke. He kisses me so hard I forget anything else I was going to say.

***

The next morning is blurry chaos and I hardly believe I'm standing at the front watching my cousin walk down the aisle in her beautiful ivory dress. I can't help it, I tear up as my heart overflows when she reaches the front and I scan the crowd for my own love. Harry also has tears in his eyes and he's beaming at me. I smile through the tears and focus my attention to the front.

As soon as the newly married couple walk down the aisle the bridesmaids burst into tears. We hug each other, we were all so happy. I find Harry in the crowd and both of our mushy romantics feelings are just heightened by everyone else. Being in love never felt so good than at a wedding surrounded by everyone you do love.

I tell Harry I'll catch up later, heading off with the bridesmaids to help the bride change for the reception.

"So when is Harry going to pop the question?" My cousin asks as I hold her dress in my hands. "How long have you two been dating?"

"Four years," I say self consciously. My cousin dated her husband for two years before he proposed.

"Do you want to get married?" One of the bridesmaid asks.

"Duh," my cousin answers for me. "Y/N remember when we were kids and we made flower crowns and pretended to have fairy weddings?"

"Oh my god," The memory rushes forward. "I forgot about that."

"That's what adulthood does," someone else says. "Makes you forget all your dreams."

"Well it's not like we haven't talked about it," I feel like I have to defend Harry. "It just hasn't been the right time."

"After three years, any time is the right time." Someone else says. I try to brush off but the comments stay with me. Was there something wrong with us, with me, that Harry wasn't proposing?

Halfway through the reception, I catch Harry talking to the groom and I wait around but he doesn't notice so I interrupt them. They both look guilty.

"Hey, congrats, welcome to the family!" I hug the groom but eye them both. "Why do you two seem suspicious?"

"We do?" Harry asks. "You need to let loose, let's dance."

I keep an eye on him but he acts normal, pulling me onto the sparse dancefloor. He tries to make me laugh with his dancing and eventually I give in.

"What's wrong?" He asks later, as the songs slow down. I rest my head on his shoulder, so he doesn't see my face. He always knew when I was lying.

"Nothing," I lie.

"Something's been bothering you since we drove here yesterday. What is it?" Harry asks again.

I sigh. "It's nothing! Just leave it."

Harry doesn't say anything, he just holds me closer. I feel selfish and ungrateful. I had a man who loved me holding me close but I wanted more. Just because everyone couldn't stop commenting on our love life.

Harry tries to cheer me up and I try my best but my mood from the morning shines through only so much. Harry doesn't push it though, even when I crawl into bed while he showers and pretend to fall asleep when he gets out. He just leaves me with a kiss on my cheek and falls asleep beside me.

***

"Morning," Harry says as I wake up groggy and tired from all the dancing in heels I did last night. Harry is up, and ready.

"When did you get up?" I sit up.

"Not too long ago."

"You're dressed," I point out.

"And starving! Get dressed we can get breakfast. We have to be out of here by noon."

I move like a snail, trying to work up the energy for the day. It's sad to say goodbye to everyone, it was rare for everyone to be in the same place at the same time and I was going to miss it. We get back on the road by 11. The breeze whips my hair around but I close my eyes and embrace the beautiful weather.

"Having fun?" Harry asks but I can barely hear him in the roar of the wind.

"Country air really is superior," I sit back inside. I notice we were still on back roads. "Are you sure we're going in the right direction?"

"Yes, I've got the maps pulled up."

"I think we're lost," I lean towards the phone but it shows we're on the mapped path. "Harry pull over we should look at this again."

"Y/N, we're not lost."

"Because you know this area so well? We're supposed to be on main roads by now!"

"We'll get there," Harry says calmly and it frustrates me how calm he was. I just knew we weren't heading right.

"Just pull over, at least we can know for sure."

"Just trust me, we're not lost."

"Oh my god," I look around us. "You're being really bloody stubborn Harry! I know this town and we're not driving through it like we should."

Harry doesn't respond. Like I was an annoying fly buzzing about. I cross my arms and look out the window. "If we get lost, don't ask me for help." I say my final piece and decide to ignore him back. He had the audacity to chuckle at me. I want to take my seatbelt off and strangle him with it!

As we drive further and further in the wrong direction, a cooler breeze filters into the windows.

"I think we're by the water," I sit up, my fight forgotten.

"How do you know?" Harry asks.

"Because I'm part mermaid and I know we're going in the wrong bloody direction!"

"You're so impatient," Harry mutters just as he takes a turn and a parking space comes into view. Were we headed here the whole time?

I look at Harry who has a secret smile on his face. As soon as he parks I take off his sunglasses to read him better.

"Where are we?" I can't hide the excitement. Did he plan a surprise getaway?

"You'll see," Harry walks out and opens my door for me. He holds my hand as we make our way in his direction.

"I've never been here before, when did you plan this?" I continue asking as we walk further.

"I have to cover your eyes," he says. He pulls out his tie from the wedding and I close my eyes. When I open them, it's completely dark except for a small sliver of light on the top. I listen out for Harry's distinct voice.

"Just keep walking," he instructs. "Hold my hand, you'll probably fall if you don't."

"I probably will," I laugh. "You should've told me about this, I would've packed a picnic."

"Then it wouldn't be a surprise," Harry squeezes my hand. "Okay stand here and don't take it off until I say so." His sentence fades out as he moves behind me. My heart was racing on our walk here but now it's beating out of my chest, this was why I sort of hated surprises. It made my palms slick and heart race like I was on a roller coaster.

I strain to hear Harry, the sea laps gently to the right and I can't stop my foot from tapping away in anticipation.

"Take it off," Harry says. I push it off and my breath catches.

A picnic is laid out with two baskets and a bottle on ice. But it's the chalkboard propped up in the sand that catches me by surprise. I read it, twice: marry me?

I gasp and turn around, Harry kneels on one knee and in his hands is a small velvet box, a gorgeous diamond nestled in the cloth.

"Y/N, I don't know why it took me so long to finally ask you. But will you make me the luckiest man alive and marry me?"

My voice gets stuck in my thoat as my eyes water. I just nod, that's all I could do. I drop down in front of him and pull him in, the burst of tears following suite. As he wraps his arms around me. I finally find my voice, "Yes! Of course a million yesses! I though you...I never thought you'd ask. When did you plan all this?!"

I can feel Harry's laugh. He pulls me apart, I didn't even care I probably had snot and tears on my face because the man I love takes my hand and slips the ring on my finger. I was his to-be forever. He wanted to marry me! And all my fretting over the weekend was for no reason!

"I've been planning this for weeks. I found this place and your family helped set it up this morning that's why I was up so early." He points to the distance and two people stand there waving with their cameras.

"Oh my god Harry, this is the happiest day of my life," I kiss him with everything in me. He made me so happy. I can't believe I doubted us.

"Mine too," he slowly leans me back onto the picnic blanket but I remember my family and push him off. He laughs at my embarassment. "I'll tell them to leave. Then we can have our fun?"

"Hurry back," I watch him run in their direction. They end up walking back worh him. to drop off his camera and to say congrats. As soon as they disappear into the horizon I climb onto Harry's lap and just hold his face. "You make me the happiest girl in the world. The entire universe. I love you so so so much." I kiss him with ever "so".

"Just me and you against the world forever," Harry whispers.

"Sounds perfect." I whisper back.

Harry's eyes are shining. We could hardly contain our feelings for each other, how happy we were. I lean back and form my hands into a rectangle frame. I pretend to capture it which makes Harry laugh and pull me back to him, "Just come here so I can kiss my fiancée."

My heart soars just hearing the word.

#Harry Styles #harry styles fic #harry styles fanfic #harry styles imagine #harry styles fluff #harry styles x reader #fic #one shot

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queennicoleinboots · 3 years

Text

And the Earth then Became Hell

The volcano on the Island of La Palma burst out hot, red lava a mile into the sky. A rain of fire shot down on the island and burned the houses. Many people transformed into molten lava creatures who roamed the island. Lava already hit the Mediterranean Sea and started going into the Atlantic Ocean, which caused a white toxic gas to emanate in the air. Tiny glass shards, about the same size as tiny classified ads, were floating in the air. Everyone except the molten lava creatures had to wear space helmets to not breathe in the noxious gases.

The seas were set on fire from volcanoes erupting under the oceans. Geysers were exploding everywhere, which caused merfolk to fly in the air before they swam around and started eating ships carrying cargo. The fish were beginning to mutate into fire-breathing dragons.

Earthquakes were shattering the lands and causing islands to break off into the seas. Tsunamis were crashing on coastlines and drowning buildings and little beach shops. Ariel the Little Mermaid and her sisters were swimming along the Aegean Sea and talking to molten lava realtors about having vacation homes there.

Ursula the Sea Witch from the depths of the Atlantic Ocean sang about unfortunate souls as she, too, washed up on the Lalaria Beach, which is on the Northeast coast of Greece. The cave leading to it was ginormous and lined with blazing molten rock. The water was clear and showed all of the rainbow colored fish inside. Some even put their heads out of the water and sang with her.

Ursula then sat under the arch and started to sing to Ariel about her vacation home, "The only way to get what you want is to get a wellness passport. Can you do that?"

"Sure! Are you able to hook me up with one?" Ariel asked.

Ursula answered in song, "My dear, sweet child. That's what I do. It's what I live for.

To help unfortunate merfolk like yourself.

Poor souls with no one else to turn to."

"Great! It's wonderful to help people get vacation homes when the world is blowing up. It's a great cause to help us get some relief ya know," Ariel said with a smile.

"It is. It's a good cause," Ursula said before she sang again. "I admit that in the past I've been a nasty... They weren't kidding when they called me, well, a bitch.

But you'll find that nowadays

I've mended all my ways

Repented, seen the light, and made a switch

To this

True? Yes.

And I fortunately know a little magic

It's a talent that I always have possessed

And dear lady, please don't laugh

I use it on behalf

Of the miserable, the lonely, and depressed (pathetic).

Poor unfortunate souls

In pain, in need

This one longing to be richer

That one wants to get the girls

And do I help them?

Yes, indeed

Those poor unfortunate souls

So sad, so true

They come flocking to my cauldron

Crying, "Spells, Ursula, please!"

And I help them!

Yes I do

Now it's happened once or twice

Someone couldn't pay the price

And I'm afraid I had to rake 'em 'cross the coals

Yes I've had the odd complaint

But on the whole I've been a saint

To those poor unfortunate souls

Have we got a deal?"

"What will happen to me once I get my wellness pass? Will I become human? Will I have to quarantine for two weeks again?" Ariel asked with concern.

"But you'll have your home, heh heh. Life's full of tough choices, isn't it? Yep yep.

Oh, and there is one more thing.

We haven't discussed the subject of payment," Ursula said.

"But I don't have-" Ariel said quickly.

"I'm not asking much, just a token really, a trifle!

What I want from you is - your voice," Ursula sang.

"But without my voice, how can I-?" Ariel started to ask.

"You'll have your looks, your pretty face.

And don't underestimate the importance of your finances, ha!" Ursula said before she continued to sing. "The men around here don't like a lot of blabber.

They think a girl who gossips is a bore!

Yet on land it's much prefered for ladies not to say a word.

And after all dear, what is idle babble for?

Come on, they're not all that impressed with conversation.

True gentlemen avoid it when they can

But they dote and swoon and fawn

On a lady who's withdrawn

It's she who holds her tongue who get's a man.

Come on you poor unfortunate soul

Go ahead!

Make your choice!

I'm a very busy woman and I haven't got all day

It won't cost much

Just your voice!

You poor unfortunate soul

It's sad but true

If you want to cross the bridge, my sweet

You've got the pay the toll

Take a gulp and take a breath

And go ahead and sign the scroll

Flotsam, Jetsam, now I've got her, boys

The boss is on a roll

This poor unfortunate soul

Beluga sevruga

Come winds of the Caspian Sea

Larengix glaucitis

Et max laryngitis

La voce to me

Now, sing!"

Ariel then sang opera, and her soul was being dragged out of her body. Flotsam and Jetsam were mutated sea horses who were produced wellness passes for more unfortunate souls.

"Keep singing!" Ursula shouted.

Ariel sang and then everything around them began to burn.

Then I, Persephone, the Greek Goddess of agriculture and vegetation and Queen of the Underworld, was summoned.

Out of the ash came a new world.

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searchingwardrobes · 4 years

Text

The Convenient Groom: 2/12

@spartanguard, here we have chapter two of your gift - the wedding! Some of you asked what sort of advice Emma would give as a relationship counselor, and this chapter gets into a little bit of that. More about it will be revealed as the story develops.I also realize there are a lot of logistical questions involved in the whole "switching grooms" thing, and while I get into some of it here, the rest will be explained in chapter three. I'm just trying to avoid long exposition or info dumps, so hang with me!

Summary: (Is one even necessary? Haha!) Killian Jones just happens to be there when Emma Swan gets the phone call that changes everything: her fiance is leaving her at the altar. The thing is, it also could mean the end of her career. Convenient that Killian has nothing better to do that day. Convenient that he’s secretly in love with her. Not that Emma has to know that.

Rating: M

Words: 4,000 and some change in this chapter

Also on Ao3

Tagging: @snowbellewells @whimsicallyenchantedrose @kmomof4 @xhookswenchx @kday426 @ohmakemeahercules@superchocovian @teamhook @bethacaciakay @distant-rose @welllpthisishappening @optomisticgirl @winterbaby89 @delirious-latenight-laughs @tiganasummertree @resident-of-storybrooke @vvbooklady1256 @stahlop @shireness-says @thislassishooked @hollyethecurious @branlovestowrite @nikkiemms @jennjenn615 @ekr032-blog-blog @snidgetsafan @scientificapricot @let-it-raines @carpedzem @profdanglaisstuff @wellhellotragic

Not all brides handle the stress of their big day the same way. Some get emotional, some get stressed, some freeze. However, most brides don’t stomp around the room in their bare feet fuming. Of course, Emma Swan isn’t most brides, and this isn’t most weddings.

“Emma, seriously, you’re going to wear a hole in the carpet.”

“The carpet is the least of my worries, Rubes.”

At least Emma’s dress was simple. No voluminous skirt or long train to trip over. Nor was it one of those mermaid styles that forced the bride to shuffle around like a Barbie doll. The simple chiffon skirt swirled around her ankles, and the long slit up her left leg allowed her to move freely. The top of the dress was off the shoulder with a plunging neckline. Emma realized how sexy it was, but that hadn’t seemed to matter when it was going to be Walsh waiting for her at the end of the aisle. Now it was going to be Killian Jones waiting for her. Killian Jones. Her carpenter. Surely this was all a bad dream. That had to be it. Surely she’d wake up any minute now and laugh at the ridiculous scenarios conjured up by her nervous brain.

“This can’t be happening,” she muttered as she continued to stomp around the room.

“You mean Walsh cheating, Walsh jilting you at the altar, or you marrying a random acquaintance?”

Emma wanted to snap at her assistant, but instead she collapsed onto a nearby chair and put her head in her hands. “All of the above,” she groaned.

Ruby sank to her knees in front of Emma and took both of her hands. Ruby hadn’t made the move to Storybrooke with Emma; she’d been too much of a city girl. She normally handled Emma’s schedule from New York - the wonders of the internet - but she had made the trip for the wedding. Emma was relieved to have her here. She wasn’t only Emma’s assistant, she was also her closest friend. Those were admittedly rare in Emma’s life.

“Walsh is an absolute jerk,” Ruby fumed. “I’d like to rip his throat out!”

The door to the bridal suite flew open and Regina, Emma’s agent, came striding in, her heels beating out a staccato rhythm. She stopped right in front of Emma and propped her hands on her hips.

“What is this? You’re falling apart over that bastard? That’s not the Emma Swan I know. The one who tells thousands of women every day to push back and refuse to let a man tell you who you ought to be.”

Emma scowled. “Well excuse me for being heartbroken when I get dumped on my fucking wedding day!” Regina’s no-nonsense approach to . . . well, everything, made her a great agent. It didn’t, however, make her a very good shoulder to cry on.

“I get that, and I’m sorry, really I am.”

Really, Regina? I’m not so sure about that.

“But we’ve got media here, Emma, and I can’t have you a sobbing mess on what’s supposed to be the happiest day of your life.” She let out a huff, then shoved a stack of papers at Emma. “He signed everything with no argument.”

“Seriously?” Emma took the stack from Regina and flipped through it, though the legal jargon made her already aching head spin.

“It’s a standard gag agreement. I also had a friend of mine write up a quick pre-nup. There’s literally nothing in this for him. It’s strange, honestly.”

“Maybe he’s in love with you,” Ruby teased, giving Emma a little shove and a grin.

Emma rolled her eyes. “Hardly. We bicker like . . . like . . . “

“An old married couple?” Ruby supplied with an arched brow.

“Ruby!” she groaned. “This isn’t the time -”

“Sorry, sorry,” Ruby quickly apologized as she rose to her feet.

“And the wedding license?” Emma asked.

“Taken care of,” Regina assured her. She turned to Ruby. “I need you to run over to the groom’s suite and get Mr. Jones set up with a cordless mic.”

Ruby nodded. “Sure thing.”

Emma rose from the chair as her assistant scurried from the room. She wandered aimlessly to the window that overlooked the strip of beach where the ceremony would take place. She sensed Regina coming up behind her, but the woman didn’t attempt to touch her. That just wasn’t Regina’s way.

“Look, Emma,” she told her sincerely, “I know this isn’t the day you’d dreamed of. But your career is hot right now, and this second book might make even more money than your first. You’d be set for life.”

Emma felt a sudden chill and hugged herself, rubbing her hands up and down her arms to dispel the goosebumps. Being set for life sounded nice, especially after all the years of hunger and homelessness in her past. Like it so often did, her mind also sped back in time to when she was sixteen, abandoned and alone with a baby on the way. She shuddered. What did she even know about this man, Killian Jones? Was Regina right? Would it be simply putting up with a roommate for six months to a year in exchange for the career she’d worked so hard for?

“I know that in my head, Regina. Just give my heart a minute to catch up, okay?”

“Unfortunately, we don’t have a minute,” Regina briskly replied as she glanced at her watch. “Speaking of which, let’s freshen up that hair and makeup.”

Emma let out a long sigh as she sat at the vanity. Regina rushed out of the room to get Ruby, since fussing over a friend’s hair and makeup wasn’t really her thing. Emma watched Ruby’s reflection in the mirror when she came back in and fake-swooned against the door.

“If you ask me, Emma, you traded up. That man is some serious man-candy, especially in a tux.”

Emma bit her lip to keep from smiling in response, though she felt the traitorous blush stain her cheeks. Killian’s good looks weren’t lost on her - she wasn’t blind.

“Help me with these smudges, will you?” she deflected, leaning forward and frowning at where she had smeared her mascara.

Ruby rushed up to join her, swiveling Emma’s stool so she was facing her. She went to work on Emma’s eye makeup with confident precision.

“If you do decide to go through with this annulment thing, I’ll gladly take him off your hands.”

Ruby winked at her, and Emma laughed. “If?”

Ruby shrugged as she turned Emma back to face the mirror. “You could find worse to grow old with, that’s all I’m saying.”

Emma’s hair, which she was wearing loose and flowing around her shoulders, didn’t need much help from Ruby, thank goodness. No surprise, considering the entire can of hairspray Ruby had shellacked it with. Even so, Emma frowned at her reflection as the title of the very first chapter of her book flashed before her mind.

Seriously Ladies, I Don’t Care How Hot He Is!

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

Truth be told, Emma Swan’s staff had planned the wedding, not her. Stressing over calla lilies versus roses, satin versus silk, band versus DJ wasn’t really her thing. The only thing she’d gotten personally invested in besides her dress was that damn arbor. She’d seen the rocking chair Killian had done for the Nolan’s with its intricate carvings and beautiful, smooth stain, and for some reason she wanted that for her wedding. Something uniquely her - something real.

Something real - what a joke that was now.

A string quartet played the opening strands of Canon in D, and Emma stepped out onto the satin runner that led from the back of the mansion to the beach below. It felt like the longest walk of her life with all of the guests standing and staring at her - she didn’t even recognize half of them. Cameras clicked all around her, reminding her once again that this was all on display for public consumption.

Emma saw Killian up ahead, beneath the awning, but only through a haze. In a way it felt like an out of body experience. She didn’t really get a good look at his face until she was right in front of him. To her surprise, his smile was wide and bright, his eyes crinkling at the corners - as if he was actually thrilled to be pledging his life to her. She caught a glance at Regina over his shoulder, and the woman tipped her head surreptitiously, her eyes glaring at Emma. The message was clear - at least pretend you want to be here, for God’s sake! Emma bit her lower lip, then looked into Killian’s eyes and forced a smile upon her face. It wasn’t as if gazing into his eyes was a chore - far from it. She’d never seen eyes so blue. She had noticed it that very first day they met, despite her irritation over his loud music. But here beside the sea, his eyes were even more striking.

Like the sea after a storm. Emma bit the inside of her cheek as the line from The Princess Bride came to her suddenly. On its heels came the title of chapter three of her book.

Seriously Ladies, This Life’s No Fairy Tale!

The vows were over before Emma even knew she’d spoken them. Once, Killian even had to squeeze her hands and nod to prompt her. The guests merely chuckled good-naturedly, obviously chalking it up to normal wedding jitters.

“I now pronounce you man and wife,” the officiant announced. “You may now kiss the bride.”

Kiss the bride! Oh shit, Emma hadn’t even considered this part. They should have discussed it, or . . . practiced maybe? Yet Killian didn’t hesitate, nor did he seem the least bit flustered. He cupped her face in his hands and tenderly bent to press his lips to hers. It was soft, yet deep, his tongue swiping gently against her lips. Emma found herself opening for him and melting into the kiss. Another movie quote flitted through her brain: church tongue. When he pulled away, her eyes stayed closed in bliss for a moment.

Damn, Killian Jones could kiss.

Emma bit the inside of her cheek again as they faced the cheering guests. Now she was thinking of the title of chapter five.

Seriously Ladies, When it Comes to Kissing, Make Sure He’s the One Who Can’t Handle It

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

If the wedding was a blur, the reception was even more so. Emma had heard stories of the crazy things people do when they’re suffering from shock. Walking miles on a broken leg, yanking things out of a gaping wound, dashing through fire, and yet not feeling a thing. She could relate, it was how she made it through her wedding day.

Regina was doing facial gymnastics to get her to go through the motions. She hoped she smiled and faked a laugh enough to sell it. Killian certainly did. Honestly, the way he looked at her sometimes was enough to make her swoon like Ruby. Regina must have given him a hell of an acting lesson.

Chapter Two: Seriously Ladies, All Men are Actors

Killian’s most Oscar-worthy performance came during their first dance. She wasn’t quite able to hide her reaction when the first bars of Extreme’s “More Than Words” played. Killian frowned down at her, his hand at her waist tightening slightly.

“Are you okay, love?”

Emma sighed, “It’s nothing, it’s just . . . this was our song.”

Killian’s eyes widened at that. “Oh, I see. I’m sorry, love. None of this can be easy for you.”

“It’s seems easy for you,” she muttered.

He chuckled at that and pulled her closer so he could whisper in her ear. “Well, I’ve got an incredibly beautiful woman in my arms. What’s so difficult about that?”

A shiver ran down her spine and an embarrassing giggle escaped her lips. She heard cameras clicking, and saw Regina give her a satisfied smile and a nod. Killian leaned back and arched a brow at her before spinning her out. When he pulled her back against his chest, he began to sing.

“More than words is all you have to do to make it real. Then you wouldn’t have to say you love me cause I’d already know.”

His voice was . . . amazing, actually, but he accompanied the words with ridiculous facial expressions and wild spins across the dance floor, and it all made Emma throw her head back with genuine laughter. He ended the entire performance by dipping her, followed by a chaste kiss. The crowd cheered and the cameras clicked. When he righted her, he pressed his forehead to hers and lowered his voice so only she could hear.

“No offense to your ex, but this song is basically a guy asking for sex as proof of love.”

Emma’s eyes widened. She should have been pissed at the observation, but . . . well, Walsh obviously hadn’t kept it in his pants, so . . .

“Seriously Ladies, Sex Doesn’t Equal Love.”

Killian blinked. “Pardon?”

Emma laughed again. Cameras clicked. They probably assumed they were having some tender moment. “Chapter eight. Of my book. That’s chapter eight of my book.”

Killian laughed and lifted his right hand to scratch behind his ear. “I, um, must confess . . . I haven’t read it.”

“Well, I’m glad of that,” she teased, wrapping her arms around his neck.

“You are?”

“If you were reading books on how to have a relationship with a man, then this marriage would really be doomed.”

He laughed again, and his eyes did that crinkling thing, and she noticed for the first time that he had dimples. The cameras clicked again. The media loved him already.

Too bad the bride barely knew him.

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

Emma’s agent had told Killian he needed to act like a man in love, had lectured him on it for about ten minutes, actually. As if he needed it. Truth be told, he was having a hard time reining himself in. The wedding kiss, for example, was probably pushing it. But bloody hell, when he’d seen her walking down the aisle towards him, his heart had almost flown from his chest. She was so beautiful, she took his breath away, with her hair in those soft curls and that dress . . . God, that dress! The way her shapely legs peeked out of the slit as she walked, that plunging neckline that not only hinted at the swell of her breasts but also showed off her creamy skin - it was enough to make a man lose his mind.

Emma hadn’t seemed to be bothered by the kiss though, and had actually kissed him back. Then again, she had to keep up the charade. It would certainly arouse suspicion if she seemed uncomfortable with his lips on hers.

And his tongue tangling with hers. Shit, he probably shouldn’t have gone that far. He couldn’t stop touching her either, finding excuses throughout the reception to press his hand to the small of her back, take her hand, or tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. He was in heaven.

He was a cad. Because this also had to be one of the worst days of Emma Swan’s life.

Or was it Emma Jones now? They had never discussed that small detail, though he assumed with her career, she would keep Swan. Not that it bothered him either way. Even in a world of his most wonderful, wildest dreams where Emma Swan decided to stay when the year was up, he wouldn’t care what name she chose.

He had made her laugh during their first dance, and he counted that a huge victory. He loved that he could make her smile after all she had been through with her horrible ex. Why the man would cheat on her, much less leave her high and dry on their wedding day was something Killian couldn’t comprehend.

“Killian!”

His back stiffened at the familiar voice. He had seen David at the ceremony, but he’d managed to avoid him so far. Killian’s arm tightened around Emma’s waist as he turned to face his friend. His wife Mary Margaret was at his side, and she was practically beaming.

“Oh, I am so happy for you two!” she gushed. “How in the world did you manage to keep this from us?”

“Yeah,” David agreed, his eyes cutting from Emma to Killian and back again, “how long has this been going on?”

“Oh David,” Mary Margaret admonished with a playful slap to her husband’s chest, “obviously he’s why Emma moved here.”

“Well, it does explain all those appointments to design that wedding arbor,” David laughed.

Killian scratched behind his ear and forced a laugh. “You caught us!”

“So how did you meet?” Mary Margaret, ever the romantic, asked in a sing-song voice.

“Um, well, I DM-ed her on Instagram.”

David narrowed his eyes. “You’re on Instagram?”

“Of course he is, sweetie,” Mary Margaret laughed, as if her husband was way behind the times, “I follow him. Gorgeous pictures of all his work . . . anyways, so Emma, you broke chapter twelve of your book?”

Killian felt like his bow tie was choking him. “Chapter Twelve?”

“You know sweetie,” Emma said, elbowing him a little too sharply, “the chapter warning women against internet dating.”

“Oh . . . that, well,” his face turned red as she shot daggers at him from his eyes.

“What Killian means,” Emma said smoothly, turning to Mary Margaret, “is that he DM-ed me for relationship advice, not trying to flirt with me. A friendship grew from there, and then love.”

“Relationship advice?” David was crossing his arms over his chest now - not a good sign.

“Aye, mate. Being a widower is no picnic you know.”

David’s posture deflated, and he gave Killian a friendly slap on the back. “It’s good to see you happy again.”

Killian put his arm around Emma, pulled her close, and brushed a kiss to her temple. “Never been happier, truly.”

“I didn’t see your family here, Killian,” Mary Margaret said, concern creasing her brow.

Emma jumped in before Killian could even get his thoughts in order. “We’ll be doing a small, private ceremony for them. We just couldn’t risk the media figuring out Killian’s identity.”

Killian blinked as he looked down at her. She smiled at him in an adoring way and squeezed his bicep gently. She was quite the actress - impressive.

“So they don’t even know you got married?” Mary Margaret asked incredulously.

This was getting more and more complicated by the minute. “I didn’t want to ask them to keep such a huge secret,” Killian explained, “but don’t worry, I’ll be calling them soon.”

“Good,” Mary Margaret said on a sigh. She reached out to pat his hand. “I know they will be thrilled after all the pain they’ve watched you go through.”

Mercifully, the DJ announced that the bride and groom would be leaving for their honeymoon. Mary Margaret and David hugged them both and said their goodbyes, then Emma and Killian were whisked outside by Ruby and the wedding planner to a waiting limo.

Once inside, Emma collapsed against the seat, and her face fell. It was obvious now that her smiles, her gentle touches, all of it, had been a facade. She turned away from him as the limo drove away, taking them to Cape Cod. Uncomfortable silence fell between them, and the inches separating them on the bench seat felt like miles.

“Are you okay?” Killian finally ventured.

If she had snapped at him, he would have understood, but instead she looked at him wearily. “I woke up this morning planning to marry my fiance, and now I’m married to someone I barely know instead. How do you think I feel?”

He winced. “Fair enough. I just want you to know I’m here if you want to talk.”

She ignored him, slumping further and resting her head against the window. He couldn’t help watching her, his heart aching that he could do nothing to ease her pain.

He was surprised when she spoke again, though she didn’t look at him. “I didn’t know you were married before.”

“I’m sorry, Swan, I should have mentioned that.”

“No,” she said, turning her gaze on him once again, “it isn’t that. I’m just . . . I’m sorry for your loss.”

“Thank you,” he whispered.

They fell silent once again, and the stress of the day started to get to Killian. He struggled to keep his eyes open, but finally lost the battle and succumbed to sleep. It felt like only moments later when the limo driver tapped on the window. Killian’s eyes blinked open, and he was surprised to find Emma’s head against his shoulder. He shook her gently to wake her.

“We’re here, love.”

“Oh,” Emma said, voice still thick with sleep as she sat up, blinking. When she met his gaze, a blush stained her cheeks. “Sorry about that.”

“No need to apologize, I feel asleep too.”

She nodded, weary, and climbed out of the limo. The resort was a throwback to the heydey of Cape Cod with quaint shutters and bright red awnings. The staff fussed over them, which wasn’t surprising since they were both still dressed like figures on the top of a wedding cake. The bellboy got their bags and led them to the honeymoon suite. There was a small sitting room that led out to a balcony with an ocean view. Off the sitting room was a large master bedroom with a king size bed and an ensuite bath. Housekeeping had strewn rose petals across the bed, and a bottle of champagne on ice sat on the nightstand.

“Enjoy,” the bellboy said with a wiggle of his eyebrows as he slipped out the door.

The silence after he left was palpable. Emma shivered as she stared through the open door into the bedroom, but then she quickly squared her shoulders and spun on him.

“Look, I hope you didn’t get any ideas because we’re technically married.”

Killian’s eyebrows shot to his hairline, and he lifted both hands in defense. “I would never in a million years expect anything of the sort from you, Emma. Clearly, I’ll be taking the couch.”

Emma cocked her head at him, her eyes narrow slits. “Oh, so you’re a gentleman?’

He couldn’t help winking at her. “Of course. I’m always a gentleman.”

Emma snorted and rolled her eyes. “We’ll see.”

It was late, and it had been a long and emotional day, so Killian wasn’t surprised when Emma grumbled that she was going to bed, shut the bedroom door behind her rather forcefully, and snapped at him not to bother her. He let out a long sigh as he toed off his shoes and started to remove his tie. He thought about calling Liam, but he just wasn’t emotionally ready for that conversation. Besides, it wouldn’t hurt for he and Emma to get the details of their story straight before that happened.

There was a TV in front of the couch, and he flicked it on as he stripped down to his boxer briefs. He found blankets and a pillow on the top shelf of a closet and settled down with remote in hand. He flipped through the channels, but there wasn’t anything that captured his interest, so he shut it off and turned off the light. He lay there, his arms behind his head, staring up at the ceiling. He was exhausted, but sleep was elusive.

Then a sound caught his ear. Killian tilted his head and listened closely. It was Emma, and she was crying.

#cs ff #captain swan ff #cs modern au #marriage of convenience #slow burn #some angst #humor

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booksbardsbway · 4 years

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I got tagged by @sagesiren! Thanks so much and sorry this is so late! Also, this ended up way longer than expected because I’m in quarantine and I have way too much time on my hands.

Rules: tag 9 people you want to know more about

Top 3 ships (+1 because I couldn’t decide):

1: Steve/Peggy. These two... Yeah. I’m a sucker for any relationship built on both a.) a deep sense of mutual respect where both characters would die for the other, but also know when to get the hell out of the other’s way, and b.) a deep sense of mutual snark, where both characters are sassy as hell, but in a dry, witty sort of way. Add in a tragic backstory, some longing looks, and a few lines about dancing, and I’m a puddle, every time.

2: Outlaw Queen. One thing that I actually really love about Once Upon a Time is how crazy you sound when you try to explain it to someone who’s never seen it. I mean, Robin Hood and the Evil Queen? What? But actually Robin and Regina are seriously the cutest. They’re both each other’s second chance at a soulmate, after an almost meeting when they were much younger, and they’re both parents who would do anything to protect their children, Plus, Regina’s super fighty and angry in an “I-ripped-your-heart-out-once-and-I’ll-do-it-again” kind of way, and it’s fun to see her reaction to Robin when he not only matches her snark one for one (I’m sensing a pattern here), but also shows her that she can be vulnerable with people again. Boom. True Love. (Oh, and that thing at the end of season 5? We don’t talk about that. Never happened.)

Side note: I picked one ship per universe, but Swanfire (also Once Upon a Time) is pretty high up there, too.

3. The Doctor/Rose. The thing about Rose Tyler is that she’s got such an amazing personal growth story. When we first meet Rose, she’s pretty much the audience stand in, as was necessary for the reboot. She has a basic retail job, she lives with her mom, and her life looks almost exactly the same day to day. She meets the Doctor, starts adventuring with him, and calls him on his shit once in a while, but once again, as was needed for the first bit of a reboot, it’s often the Doctor that has to come in, rescue Rose, and save the day. The awesome thing is that, over time, we see Rose grow, and when everything comes to a head, she ends up saving herself in her own right. I’m down to see Rose with any of the New Who Doctors, but I REALLY want to see what her and 13 would look like. Their energies would bounce off of each other in a nice way, and I would love to see how the Doctor would handle someone who knew her before. Plus, space lesbians! (And kind of off topic, but am I the only one who feels like Rose and Graham would get along swimmingly?)

4. Buffy/Angel. A slayer in love with an ensouled vampire? A comically broody hero who fights for good to atone for crimes of his past? They literally can’t be together because, one way or another, it will destroy the world? It’s classic, eye-roll inducing star crossed lovers crap, and I LOVE IT. No matter what, in my eyes, Buffy and Angel will always come back to each other. They draw comfort from one another, have each other’s backs, and have a shared tenderness and understanding of each other that only grows as the seasons go on, despite and maybe even because of, their separate growth on their own shows. I Will Remember You is probably my favorite episode of Angel or Buffy of all time, and the fight scene from the Buffy finale pretty much makes me swoon. It goes like this: Angel literally gets a punch-the-big-bad-in-the-face hero moment, and big bad goes down. When the big bad starts to get back up again, Angel moves to engage, and Buffy puts a hand out. Angel: “Oh, so one of those things you have to finish yourself.” Buffy: “Really kinda is.” Angel steps back to the background, crosses his arms and leans against a pillar. Big bad approaches. Angel to big bad: “You are so gonna lose.”

Lipstick or chapstick: Chapstick, 100%. Lipstick is fun, but I always get worried about smearing it or staining things.

Last song: Tug of War by Carly Rae Jepsen. It’s very hair twirly 2008 pop, and that’s kind of what I’ve been needing in the repressed craziness that is 2020.

Last Movie: The Little Mermaid? Maybe? I watched that one with my family a while ago, but honestly I haven’t seen a movie in a while. I’ve been watching a lot of Community and Critical Role, though.

Reading: Tempests and Slaughter by Tamora Pierce. I read the Immortals quartet (and all other books by Tamora Pierce) repeatedly growing up, and I’m loving the window into Numair’s backstory!

3 random things that make me happy:

1: I played D&D for the first time the other day, and it was a blast! I’m a half elf bard named Amara.

2: Even though all my classes are online and therefore kind of hard for someone who does better with in person stuff, I’m really thankful that they keep me on some kind of schedule. Plus, thanks to this poetry class I’m taking, I’m getting back into writing poetry, which I haven’t done in a while!

3: I went on a little 3 mile walk to this neighborhood pond/park, and it was lovely just to see all the flowers blooming. Magnolias, cherry blossoms, tulips, bluebells, even the little daisies. The world may be a lot right now, but at least we have Spring.

—

I tag: @screwyouiamtheavatar @emthrys @appleinducedsleep @nostalgic-idiott @katie-my-lady @magicandstarstuff @angelatwell @thesokovianaccords @roboticonography @indiefic

#this was way too much #but hey it was fun #no pressure if I tagged you #I never really interact on here #but this seemed like a nice place to start #feel free to send me a message too

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chromium-siren · 4 years

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Oh, I had these two amazing dreams last night...

I was at a fancy pool party and there was this lady wearing a fabulous mermaid swim get-up (the whole nine yards- shell bra and tail). Lo and behold, it was the Divine Miss Gwendoline Christie! I was like “Come to me, Ariel!” and we became friends apparently. Then we (me, Gwen, and my family) were invited to this royal palace where the British royals were holding court. Then this massive parade of dogs happened and I got to play with one of the royal corgis.

I was at a really nice hotel (maybe in Pittsburgh) with my family, and it turns out that there was going to be this massive Star Wars trailer launch for a remastered original trilogy deal. Somehow I managed to have the perfect Phasma cosplay (and there were themed drinks which my parents placed orders for) and JOHN BOYEGA AND OSCAR ISAAC were there!!! I got to yell “I love you, John!” to John and he thanked me, and I took a picture with Oscar. We did an awkward 80s prom pose and one where I swooned into his arms like a fan girl.

TL; DR: I had awesome dreams involving the SW cast.

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zpetra · 5 years

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GP Helsinki Journal - Day 4 & 5

So, I am finally getting to this as well, it has been a while now but sorting through my pictures took me longer than I wanted and life didn’t exactly stop after Helsinki XD Please excuse.

After an incredible and tiring Saturday, I woke up after a few hours of sleep. While I had a generous window between arrival at stay and leaving the next day the excitement didn’t let me sleep. I woke up at 7 a.m, got ready, grabbed some left over sandwiches for breakfast and left to the arena shortly after 8 a.m. Since the first men’s group took the ice at 9 a.m and Keiji was in the group I had to make sure I was there on time. Luckily the line (at least when I joined) in front of the Ice Hall was fairly okay. Grabbed some water once inside and took my seat, greeting all the Japanese ladies once they arrived.

DAY 4 - Sunday

Group 1 practice - Keiji Tanaka

While I am sad he was not in the top to be in Group 2, I was also happy because now I could concentrate on him, without any further distractions (Mr. Hanyu).

I really like this costume on Keiji, he looked like a fairy-tale prince and while his practice did look wobbly here and there, especially his 3A, I was worried for him but I was rooting for him because he is a good skater and deserves good scores. I filmed his run-through and took more photos of him, he is really handsome, I have to say, also the ladies next to me said the same. So there is that. XD

Group 2 - when the TCC family walks in

Nothing can describe the sound of shutters of cameras going off when Yuzuru walks in but today he did walk in with Jun and boy.... I had an existential crisis who to film or take pictures from. I DIDN’T SIGN UP FOR THIS AMOUNT OF STRESS OKAY? I was so happy when I had both of them in frame XD

It was also incredible to watch how they navigate with the coaches, rarely did you see them standing by the boards or simply replaced each other once the other left and Brian and Ghislain had their attention on the current skater, not loosing a beat. Also I saw so much respect from Jun and Yuzu towards each other, making sure both get time to consult with their coaches, give them room on the ice. It reminded me of how Javi and Yuzu used to navigate around in the past. I had feels!!

At one point during the practice Jun choked on his water or spilled it and it ran down his chin, resulting in a giggle fest in our block, while my picture is blurry I can’t forget how embarrassed he looked and quickly made a run for it, I caught a glimpse of Brian holding back his own laughter. Jun is adorable, officially obsessed with him. Not like I wasn’t slightly biased towards him before but now, I am sold. SUPPORT THE BABE HE IS GOOD AND ADORABLE TOO!

I have to admit me filming Jun run-through was a disaster... I tried to film but also watch Yuzu and I may have lost Jun a few times, I don’t dare to re-watch the footage because WOW, I failed XD but I got a few nice shots of his jumps and I was overall happy with it, he looked good with a few mistakes and some butt-slides. I have pictures of some ice flakes on his booty, which he is trying to brush off. I APOLOGIZE.

And than there is Yuzuru Hanyu. Just like the other days I was impressed, amazed and kept swooning. My view still couldn’t be quite beaten and god... I could write an essay of everything, it was overwhelming.

THE WAIST - that’s the comment, that is all I will say. It is ridiculous and every guy who sees it has to admit he looked good.

Filmed his free run-through again and it is scary how nearly identical it is to his actual program.

Watching Yuzu do his cool-down exercise is mesmerizing. Wow. I swear there is so much to see when he is on ice, he is so expressive both when he is disappointed with a jump, the ice conditions, really everything.

Men’s Free Skate Competition

Group 1

Oh boy, it was kind of heart-breaking as the guys were falling apart. Keiji fought hard but unfortunately... it didn’t look all too good for him to podium and my worry for Jun and Yuzu grew even more. Watching Keiji in the Kiss & Cry was so sad, I tried to be loud for him as much as possible because he FOUGHT. He did well!

Group 2

I never thought I would say this but it is INCREDIBLE AWKWARD TO WATCH HIS DEMONIC LIP SYNCING... Wow. I had second hand embarrassment but I am also a person who mouths along to music on public transportation so I could also relate. It was a weird feeling. Also Jun was so chill about it, he is probably over it, used to it. I was laughing so hard.

Mr. Hanyu came for murder while Jun looked like an adorable puppy and I was dying on the inside and outside.

BABY JUN DID SO WELL, HE DID SO WELL. I WAS SO PROUD OF HIM AND GIVEN HIS HIGHS SCORE I KNEW HE WOULD PODIUM; WHICH IN SO INCREDIBLE FOR SOMEONE WHO HAS BACK-TO-BACK GP ASSIGNMENTS ON DIFFERENT CONTINENTS!!! And it turned out he was having a cold and my respect and admiration flew out of the window! I regret not having had a plush for him, next time I will do better!

And soon it was going to be this guys turn... Origin hair *drools* I am sorry but living for it.

ORIGIN COSTUME IS LIFE! I swear to God, the pictures do not do it justice, they don’t but I am happy I got a fairly good costume reveal camera roll for myself - I posted it here - BLING CITY

AND THAN MR. FUCKING HANYU SLAYED US ALL. I swear I was deaf for a moment, nor did I have voice afterwards. My fitness tracker yet again thought I was running, nope I was just that excited. I broke out in a sweat and was ready to take off my jacket because that Free was....

190.43 POINTS A NEW WORLD RECORD 297.12 COMBINED TOTAL ALSO A NEW WORLD RECORD

You do witness such incredible performances any day let alone in person. I was so damn happy I was close to tears. Followed by laughter because Yuzuru shook Pooh-san so hard in the K&C I thought he would lose his head. XD

I threw my pooh and managed to fling it into the general direction of the K&C and I hope I didn’t clonk the waiting coaches, have not seen footage so I guess I did alright? XD

I was ecstatic and so was everyone around me, the arena was shaking or at least it felt like so. Yuzuru Hanyu is incredible.

I felt a bid bad for Michal for skating after him because I felt the attention was not utterly on him but hey I was so happy I screamed for him like a madman, also he was AMAZING TOO. Group 2 slayed... aside from Boyang and Kolyada, those two had a bad day :(

THE VICTORY CEREMONY WAS SO CUTE! There is so much footage out there but it was adorable. Jun and Yuzu full on hug? Axel-ing onto the podium? Podium selfie? Michal switching to Japan because he had no flag but than got one from a fan and the crowd was so happy for him! GHISLAIN DROP THE SELFIE. The fact Jun kept his SCI flag? The way Yuzu happily shook his shoulders before his name was called.

YUZURU HANYU MAKING THE SUN JEALOUS WITH HIS SMILE. FIRST TIME HE WON HIS FIRST GP ASSIGNMENT SINCE HE GOT TO SENIORS WITH 3 WR ON TOP. BOY!!!

My cheeks were hurting and just... I have to repeat but it was incredible. Truly.

I was high on adrenaline and the Gala was meant to follow.

WTF WAS THAT GALA? I WAS DYING. IT WAS SO GOOD. The performances, naked Italians, Gaming performance feat the Russian male skaters? KEIJI!

FUCKING KEIJI TURNING UP THE CHARM AND MAKING EVERYONE SWOON. I am happy he did his smirk on the other side of the Kiss & Cry because I felt it from the distance and looking at the footage, HIS SMIRK AFTER!. He knew what he was doing that little shit. If I hear that song now all I see his Keiji charming everyone. Wow.

Helsinki gala was the best I have seen this season and I am not saying it because I was there!

It all came down to Haru Yo Koi....

I am usually not an emotional person who cries but 3 tunes in and I couldn’t see shit. Even now as I am recalling, it is such an incredible program, the softness, the elegance the meaning behind it all, his soft smiles. I didn’t intend to film but ended up taking my phone out and while miss like 20 seconds from the beginning I think I did a pretty good recording of it, for myself to enjoy. I was fighting the tears and some did fall, me not being the only one. HYK is just...beauty. It’s pure beauty.

And than during the Finale...>.> He does a LGC slide in the a fairy costume, runs his hand through his hair turning up the charm like Keiji did... wow, I felt attacked. XD I guess we also can’t have now a finale where this sunshine doesn’t get lifted. BUT HE WASN’T JUST LIFTED BY ONE BUT TWO IN A FREAKING MERMAID POSITION! OMG. HE WAS LIVING THE BEST TIME OF HIS LIFE AND I WAS LIVING FOR THAT!

After the Gala I was hurrying away, somehow catching the first tram because it was late and I had to wake a few hours later to catch my plane back home. I ended up being so high on the excitement, I barely managed to catch like 2,5 hours of sleep. T.T It was worth it and I would do it again.

DAY 5 - Monday

Queue me dragging my ass out of bed after like 2,5 hours of sleep to finish packing, double checking I didn’t leave anything behind and leave to the train station. First train to the Airport leaving at 4:18am. I was so happy I ended up taking the day free because fuck I was done. Bought myself water and coffee , ignoring the horrendous price I had to pay for it... and off I went.

Security check-in was chill which I appreciated a lot, got a few souvenirs, had expensive breakfast and more coffee. Boarding started 10min before scheduled departure... guess which plane didn’t leave on time? ON ANOTHER NOTE: Nobuaki Tanaka the sport photographer who shoots at FAOI (is responsible for a gorgeous Yuzu x Javi picture) was on my plane! I tried not to stare too much LOL. Full plane, landing late somewhere in the middle of no-where. Rolling around for ages, followed by a long bus ride... train waiting time taking ages... It was like 11am I was home and I was dead. I wouldn’t have been able to go to work afterwards.

Conclusion - Final thoughts:

IT WAS THE BEST WEEKEND OF MY ENTIRE LIFE AND BARELY ANYTHING WILL BE ABLE TO TOP THIS!!!!

I knew I will have an amazing time because I will see Yuzuru in person but I didn’t expect it all go down the way it did. Meeting so many lovely fans, the Japanese ladies giving International fans so many things, me too. Practicing my Japanese and happy it is actually any good. Watching Yuzu win his first GP assignment in a season, let alone 2 WR winning programs. Finding so many new amazing skaters I like now and want to support. It was truly amazing. Wort every single penny, lack of sleep, overflow of emotions. Best time.

Thank you to those who made it special, the members of our fangroup and people I have met in general. They all added to the experience. I know for sure that I will try to go to more events next season.

I guess all there is left to say... Until Europeans 2019 in Minsk. If anyone is going let me know! I am going to support Javi for his very last competition.

#gp helsinki 2018 #𝓅: your thoughts are your reality #yuzuru hanyu #junhwan cha #keiji tanaka

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toxickimi · 3 years

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Fallout 4 AU Ch1 Pathetic

This is the first of many chapters of an AU(alternate universe) of Fallout 4. It is purely out of fun and weebness. Please don't come at me saying it doesn't make sense for Fallout 4, it's not suppose to. I welcome feedback! Please check out my other works!

The morning was bright, with birds chirping. Azumiral had woken up long before dawn just as all servants did. She dressed herself then gathered her books heading to her sisters' rooms. She walked into the first room waking Kigra up. "It's time to wake, princess." Azumiral drew the curtains back, allowing the sun to enter the room. This caused Kigra to let out a hiss, before pulling the covers over her face. "Must you wake me in such a fashion!?" Azumiral sighed, placing paper work down. "Just because I renounced my title doesn't make me any less of your older sister and doesn't give you the right to talk to me as such. Now, get up." Azumiral waved her hand towards Kigra's bed causing a gust of wind to blow the covers off. "Fine! Send in the maids." Kigra sat up, grumbling in anger. Azumiral had nodded and left, going to Kimikyo's room next. Kimikyo was already awake, sitting at her bay window, staring out the window. "Good morning, Kimikyo." Kimikyo looked over at Azumiral before looking back out the window. "Another restless night?" "Yes." Azumiral walked over to Kimikyo's desk placing papers and books down. "The nightmares?" Kimikyo remained silent before she got up. "I'll send in your maids to get you ready." "No thank you...I'd rather them not see me today."

Azumiral titled her head at Kimikyo before nodding. "Very well. We have studies in thirty minutes. Don't be late."Azumiral left the room, leaving Kimikyo alone in her room. Kimikyo walked over to her closet, pulling out a clean dress. She put it on then put on a circlet that had diamonds and emeralds. She walked out of the room, carrying her shoes in her hand. As she walked, the servants bowed to her and greeting her to which she bowed and greeted back. She walked into the kitchen that was bustling with cooks moving around quickly. "Good morning little princess." "Good morning." "Are you not joining your mother, the queen, this morning?" Kimikyo shook her head. "No...not today. May I have some tea and cookies?" "I'll have them sent to the study room. Azumiral already stopped by and urged us to make sure you arrive on time today." Kimikyo groaned before nodding. The cook tossed an apple to Kimikyo, who caught it. "Fret not, little princess, she means well. They all do." "I suppose." Kimikyo left the kitchen, walking down the long halls towards the study room. Azumiral and Kigra were already there, discussing some papers. Kimikyo took her seat, waiting for the two to be finished. Azumiral began the lesson she had for the two, transformation. Azumiral led the two to a court yard where she instructed the two to transform. Kigra went first, transforming into a silvered unicorn. "Very good, Kigra." Kigra lifted her head up in a gloating manner. "Let's see yours Kimikyo." Kigra sneared, as she turned back into a human. "Kigra. Enough...Kimikyo do you think you can try today?" Kimikyo looked at her two sisters before looking away. She walked over to the small pond. She sighed and transformed into a koi fish, causing Kigra to laugh. Kimikyo turned back into her human form, but stayed in the pond. "A pathetic fish! That's the best you can do?" Azumiral sighed, walking away to allow the two sisters to argue as usual. "It's better then a unicorn with a fat butt!" Kigra gasped. "You take that back!" "No way! That flank of yours can take out an army the second you turn around." "Well at least I'm not some washed up princess who can only become a fish. I mean really? You're royalty at least become a mermaid or something use full." "Yea..well..I never wanted to be some princess anyways!" Kimikyo took her circlet off, tossing it to the ground. "What are you saying? You'd rather be a peasant?" Kimikyo stepped out of the pond, her gown heavy with water.

The two began to argue more aggressively then normal this causing Azumiral to step in. "Enough." The two ignored her, Kigra forming a ball of Earthly energy in her hand to toss at Kimikyo. Kimikyo also formed a ball of magic but it had swirls of purple in it. The two hurled the magic at each other but in an attempt to stop Kimikyo's Azumiral through up a shield causing a the magics to split, sending a shock wave to know the three down. Kimikyo was the first to get up, she was rubbing her head. She looked over to see a portal had opened. She walked over to it, placing her hand through it then pulling it out. "Interesting..." She looked back to see Kigra, sitting up. "What the...? Kimikyo get away from that." "Or what? You'll have my head?" Kimikyo looked back at it as Kigra walked up. "This...could lead to a new land...a faster way to travel." "Then we'll have the captain of the guard look. Let's get Azumiral and go." "Kigra don't you see? This is my chance, I could prove to mama that I'm just as capable as the captain and-" "This again? You're a princess! Not a soldier! Just let this go Kimikyo." "No way. I'm going in!" Kimikyo took a deep breath before walking through the portal. The world around her was much different from her own. The air stung her lungs and burned her eyes. She squinted, seeing soldiers in armor staring back at her. She stumbled back, tripping on a rock. "Halt. Who are you?" "Where did you come from." She didn't open her mouth, she simply walked up to the examining them before leaving through the portal.

Aiko was stood on the other side, along with a small army behind her. "Kimikyo!" Aiko wrapped her arms around her daughter. "Mama..?" "Kigra explained that this portal opened and you were dragged inside. You had us so worried." Aiko sent the troops through the portal as Azumiral and Aiko led Kimikyo to the bathing quarters. The maids had helped her cleaned her of the radiation that collected on her skin. "Kimikyo?" "Kigra..?" Kimikyo looked over, seeing Kigra standing by the door. "Oh thank the divines. You were gone in that horrid place for so long." "Long...it was only a couple minutes." Kimikyo looked at the maids who were uneasy. "Kimikyo..your were gone for over an hour..." Kimikyo was dried off then dressed in new clothing. "Strange. Have the troops returned?" Kigra shook her head, walking with Kimikyo to wander the castle. "No. Mother sent them to gather intel and their leader if possible. That portal isn't apart of this world. Hell not even this universe. Mother's pretty pissed that it opened and is having that whole courtyard locked down." "Typical." "Typical..? Kimikyo you're naïve, I get it. Your the youngest of us all and you act all grown up but you don't get it. There were high amounts of radiation and who else knows what. You could have died." Kimikyo rolled her eyes walking the opposite way. "Kimikyo. Another thing. The Prince of Windhelm is here...mother wants you to greet him in the dining hall." Kimikyo sighed before turning back around to follow her sister. The two walked in silence with Kimikyo sighing before the two walked into the dining hall. "Ah daughters, so glad you could grace us." Kigra bowed to Aiko, taking her place next to her. Kimikyo bowed as well but didn't move from her spot. "Kimikyo I'd like you to meet-" "No. I decline this union." Kimikyo looked at the prince who had women swooning around him. "Kimikyo." "He's going to cheat on me anyways." She did not look away once from the man. "Yet you can't take your eyes off me dear princess." "Don't take it as flattery. You are argent and vain. Tell me, how many woman enter your chambers at night?" "Plenty." Kimikyo turned away from him, looking at Aiko who was composed but Kimikyo could tell she's furious. Kimikyo left the dining hall, hearing Aiko talking to the prince's dad who could only chuckle. "Quite a princess isn't she?" "I do apologize my lord. She's not taken to any men since her brother left." "Oh think nothing of it. My son is very much a ladies man. He's had more lovers then I can count." "I still give you my deepest apologies."

Kimikyo had lingered by the door before walking back towards the courtyard. There stood two unknown men. He looked human but had holes in his skin showing machinery. Soon another man walked through he too looked human but his skin was wrinkled and was missing his nose and ears, but had curly golden hair. "Whoa, Nicky just where are we?" "No clue, but my guess we're not in Kansas." Kimikyo stood and stared at them before they noticed her. "You live here kid?" Kimikyo looked terrified but nodded to them. "I'm...I'm princess Kimikyo." "Princess! Well allow me to dust off my manners." The curly haired man chuckled taking his hat off and bowing to her. "Name's Hancock and this is Nick." Kimikyo could hear knights walking down the hall before she looked back at the men. "You mustn't be here. They will imprison you." "Nonsense. We're harmless." Before the two could speak any further the knights captured the two. "Hancock you really need to learn to listen to other people." The two were taken to the dungeon. The night soon fell and Aiko had requested Kimikyo to the throne room. "Just when do plan on growing up? You've denied or ran off any prince or duke that I bring here." Kimikyo stared at the ground, listening to Aiko. "Do you want to bring dishonor to our kingdom? Do you think I like arranging these meetings? Kimikyo are you listening?" "Yes, mama." "Then why do you keep doing this?" Kimikyo looked up at Aiko, seeing Kigra standing behind her. "Why does it matter? You have Kigra to be queen after you, why does my life concern you?" "Excuse me? Just because Kigra is being groomed as queen, doesn't mean I don't care about your future. You are princess of this kingdom and as such I will not have you running around doing whatever." "What if...what if I --?" "This again?" Aiko turned, glaring down at Kimikyo. "You are a lady. Being a knight is no place for you. You will act as a princess and be next in line after Kigra, should something happen. Please Kimikyo, this kingdom has already lost one heir...don't allow it to loose another." Kimikyo went to go speak before bowing and leaving. Aiko sat on her throne sighing. "Give her time mother. She'll come around." "Will she though Kigra? Ever since Kai went missing she's been distant." Kigra looked over at the empty throne next to her mother's. "In her defense on the marriage part...you've ruled for years without a husband. I'll be married soon enough and I don't plan on dying so...why not ease up on finding her a husband?" Aiko looked at Kigra before nodding. "Very well...promise you'll help her if I die before she takes a husband." "I promise mother. Now about those two intruders."

Kimikyo had looked around before going to the dungeon where only the two from before were. "Pretty empty joint huh?" "Shut up, Hancock." "What? I'm just saying an empty jail is a good sign." Kimikyo listened to the two before making her self known. "Jesus! Has anyone thought of getting you a bell?" "It's been discussed before. Are you two mythicals?" Nick and Hancock looked at each other before back at the girl. "Are we what?" "You know...mythical creatures? Like dragons, unicorns, in your case a golem?" Kimikyo pointed at Nick. "I'm a synth and he's a ghoul." "Do those things live here?! I've never seen a unicorn ever!" Kimikyo looked at Hancock before back at Nick. "You're not from this world?" "Sorry toots we're not even sure where we are. We just saw this white light and walked into it." "Which was something stupid to do even for you Hancock.." The two went back and forth before looking at Kimikyo. "Can you help us get back to our place?" Kimikyo looked around before handing Nick the cell key. "You can't leave yet. Mama will want to talk to you. Are you hungry, thirsty?" "We don't really need to eat like normal humans." Kimikyo nodded before leaving. Soon enough the two were escorted to Aiko. They were questioned extensively for hours before they were sent back to the cell. Waiting in the cell was a tray of food and drink along with a note. "I know you said you didn't eat but one of you looks like he needs food or at least water. Also there's a map on the back." Nick turned over the note, seeing a crudely drawn map. The two quickly left the dungeon, taking the note with them.

Hancock stopped before they got to the portal. "Wait, don't you think we should thank the girl?" Nick rolled his eyes before sighing. "We don't even know where or who she is." "Then let's look!" Hancock dragged the unwilling Nick around the castle, until they made it outside near the animal wing of the castle. "Whoa! I must have hit some really good jet earlier." "Hancock this isn't one of your drugged induced trips! This is actually happening." Just as Nick finished speaking a basilisk cobra coiled around the two, lightly squeezing them. It let out a roaring hiss, alerting Kimikyo who was luckily in the feed pins. "Iza!" She rushed over to her pet, inspecting what had him angered. "Iza, it's okay...put them down." At her command the basilisk released them before going over to Kimikyo, staying behind her. "I thought I told you to leave. Do you know how dangerous this place is?" Kimikyo was glaring at Hancock who was grinning. "Look, lady this is all just one big trip." Nick facepalmed as Kimikyo's eye twitched. "I'll wake up and be back at Good Neighbor in no time." Kimikyo looked over at Nick, waiting an explanation. "I was trying to get out but this knuckle head think this is a drug induce dream." "Well convince him it is not! You need to leave before my mother finds you two." "Look, if I could I would have already." Kimikyo looked around before huffing. "I hope you two aren't afraid of spiders." She dragged the two to the feeding pen where a husky sized black window was enjoying a meal. Instead of an hour glass symbol there was a obvious rose. "Rose..." Kimikyo slowly walked over to the spider, patting her head. "Can you wrap that one in your web?" She pointed over to Hancock. The spider threw it's front two legs up in excitement. "That's quite a lively pet." While Rose chased a terrified Hancock around Kimikyo and Nick watched. "I've raised her since she hatched, she's only a baby." Rose had finally caught Hancock, wrapping him in her web. "Rose, leave his head uncovered. No killing." After about fifteen minutes, Rose finished wrapping Hancock up, leaving a long enough piece of web for Nick to drag him back. "Now you guys need to leave." Kimikyo handed the web over to Nick. "Thanks. Maybe we'll meet up again." "Perhaps. Now go." Nick dragged Hancock back through the portal as Kimikyo stayed by her pets. Rose returned to her meal as Kimikyo finished feeding the other animals.

As the night continued Aiko had already sent troops through the portal to bring back any willing king, prince, or leader. She then wrote and sent letters to the mages of the court requesting their assistance to relocate the portal. Aiko had stayed awake through the night with a locate builder to began a strong hold to be built for the portal. It was to have an alarm system should anyone walk through it as well as fortified walls and an area for guards to be posted. The building of the string hold and moving of the portal would take a weeks time. Before Aiko could receive any type of sleep one of the knights sent a note through the portal informing her of four people who will be coming through the portal. She sighed and sent additional knights to guard the portal before increasing the patrol to ensure the safety of everyone in the castle.

#fo4 #fanfic #hancock #nick valentine #alternate universe #magic

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romancereadingdiva · 4 years

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Bossy Bride by JA Huss

Say I do to this book! 👑👑👑👑

You have to read Bossy Brothers: Jesse as this is the wedding of Jesse and Emma. Jesse and Emma go on an adventure filled with shenanigans when Emma’s bossy mom tries to take over planning her wedding, and Emma decided to foil her mom by secretly eloping to Vegas on Christmas Eve Day! This book was hilarious, and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it! Jesse was actually swoon-worthy in this book, and he loves Emma and her family so much. Emma was just as bossy as ever in this book, and she was delightfully unhinged in the best way in this book! Their wedding experience in Vegas was so over-the-top hilarious and entertaining but emotional at certain points, and I loved it all like this book!

*Read through Kindle Unlimited*

Blurb:

Bossy Bride features Jesse and Emma getting almost-hitched on a roller coaster, tricked into being the stars of a pirate show, jumping out of an airplane, and saying their vows in front of two huge Italian families who don’t speak English. It’s a rompy, whirlwind trip down a rabbit hole of “Fantasy” Vegas weddings planned by a man called “Fingers” and just when you think nothing else could go wrong—a mermaid descends from the ceiling.

Jesse Boston is the man of my dreams. He’s super sexy, super rich, and super funny. He gets all my jokes, he treats me like a princess, and our love life is smokin’ hot.

So I’m gonna marry him. I’m not real picky about how that happens and if my mother wants to have her say, fine. That’s fine. She gave birth to three boys and just one girl. So I get it. She NEEDS a wedding.

But when she invites my childhood nemesis, KAREN, to plan our wedding AND be one of my bride’s maids? Uh---no. It’s not happening. Karen Krakken-Channing will not plan my wedding, will not be at my wedding, and she’s certainly not going to be IN my wedding.

Luckily, my jet-butler, Miles, and my almost-husband get this great idea!

We’re going to elope to Vegas on Christmas Eve eve, get hitched in the most ridiculous way possible, and then fly home in time for Christmas Eve dinner.

We’ve got it all figured out.

Nothing can go wrong.

We will have one simple wedding in like… a drive-through chapel, and call it good.

Take that, KAREN!

Buy links:

Amazon: https://books2read.com/u/brV58E?store=amazon

Free in Kindle Unlimited!

Add to your Goodreads TBR: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48203654-bossy-bride

Need to read Bossy Brothers: Jesse? Here you go! It is free right now, so grab it!

Blurb:

Thirteen years before Emma Dumas bought me in a bachelor auction to teach me a lesson she stole my heart down on Key West. I fell so hard for this girl I made all the promises. Only with Emma, I really meant them.

And then I disappeared.

But it wasn’t my fault. Let’s just call my reason “Family Business”. I’d tell you what that business is, but then I’d have to kill you. Just kidding. I can’t tell you what my family business is because it’s so secret, even I don’t know.

My point is… I didn’t ghost. It was a weird twist of circumstances. And OK, yes. I did hook up with pretty much every girl on the island that week. But after I met Emma, I was ruined. She’s the only one I wanted.

It’s been thirteen years. I’m a changed man. I STILL want her. I have ALWAYS wanted her.

But it’s kind of hard to tell her that with a gag in my mouth and a hood over my head.

Bossy Brothers: Jesse features a bachelor auction gone wrong, four smart ladies who botch a crazy revenge kidnapping, a fancy power dream date with fast cars, private jets, and expensive yachts, lots of ex-sex, and a happily ever after that proves… sometimes the best man for the job is a woman.

Buy links:

US: http://1click.bz/BBJesseAMZNUS

UK: http://1click.bz/BBJesseAMZNUK

CA: http://1click.bz/BBJesseAMZNCA

AU: http://1click.bz/BBJesseAMZNAU

Free in Kindle Unlimited!

Add to your Goodreads TBR: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/46030492-bossy-brothers

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dragonydreams · 7 years

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Aruba: Best. Vacation. Ever. - Captain Canary & Foxfire

Title: Aruba: Best. Vacation. Ever. Fandom: DC's Legends of Tomorrow Rating: Explicit Pairings/Characters: Sara Lance/Leonard Snart, Mick Rory/Amaya Jiwe Summary: When Mick drags Leonard to Aruba for a well-earned vacation, he doesn't expect to enjoy it quite so much. Timeline: AU Word Count: 4,767 Disclaimer: I claim no ownership over these characters. I am merely borrowing them from Berlanti Productions, DC Entertainment, and Warner Bros. Television. Betas: Thank you to angelskuuipo and shanachie_quill for looking this over for me. Author's Note 1: Prompt from @laweizhu: Captain Canary: scuba instructor / vacation type deal? Author's Note 2: Happy Birthday @newyorkcitydreaming!

"This is the life," Mick Rory said, lifting a sweating beer bottle to his lips as he settled more comfortably on his lounge chair.

Leonard Snart frowned from his own lounger a few feet away, under the shade of a beach umbrella. He looked over at his best friend since childhood as Mick stretched out, enjoying the heat of the sun beating down on his mostly exposed flesh.

"If you say so," Leonard drawled, pulling at the collar of his long sleeved shirt.

While Mick was lying out in only a pair of board shorts, Leonard wasn't so comfortable exposing himself to total strangers. So, despite the heat, he wore the lightest weight long sleeved shirt he could find with his board shorts (his one concession to the heat).

"You didn't have to come," Mick reminded him.

"I said you could choose our destination after our last big score, and I'm a man of my word," Leonard said. "I knew the risks of making that kind of a promise."

Mick shifted onto his elbow and grinned up at him, lifting his aviators to meet Leonard's eyes. "It's not like I haven't been dropping hints about Aruba for a while now." He winked, then lay back down. "But I meant that you could have stayed inside the nice air conditioned cabin."

Leonard grunted his agreement. He'd thought about doing just that, but in the end had decided that he'd rather sweat to death in the shade out here than stay by himself while remaining comfortable.

Besides, he thought to himself as he looked out over the clear blue water, the view was much more enticing out here. He could admit that there was something to be said for the sound of the ocean waves crashing against the shore.

Leonard found himself looking at the hypnotic motion of the surf more than the book he held open in his hands.

He had just taken a sip of his beer when he thought he saw something that made him choke and blink his eyes. If he were a fanciful man, he'd think that he had just seen a mermaid, for he could have sworn he had just seen a beautiful woman pop out of the water before disappearing again.

"You okay, man?" Mick asked, not moving from his position.

"Yeah," Leonard croaked. "Beer just went down wrong."

"Hate when that happens," Mick said.

Leonard sat up straighter, looking out over the water at the spot where he'd seen her. A minute later, a woman rose from the water, closer to shore than she'd been before. She removed a snorkel mask as she walked out of the water. Her long blonde hair clung to her shoulders and back, drawing Leonard's eyes down her turquoise blue bikini-clad body.

As if she could feel his gaze on her, she locked eyes with Leonard, smirking knowingly at him as she walked up the beach, passing to his left as she made her way towards the resort, probably in search of a towel.

As she passed him, she asked, "Enjoying the view?"

"Very much so," Leonard admitted, turning to watch her go.

She looked back at him over her shoulder and gave him a wink before she reached one of the chairs near the pool and retrieved her towel, wrapping it around her body.

Leonard turned back around and took another sip of his beer. Suddenly, this trip didn't seem like such a bad idea.

~~*~~

When Sara returned to her small employee's apartment, she went straight to her roommate Amaya's room and swooned dramatically onto her bed. Amaya, who was sitting at the head of her bed on her laptop, looked up at her friend's antics.

"Good swim?" she asked.

Sara rolled onto her stomach. "I think I'm in lust," she admitted.

"Again?" Amaya asked. "What's his or her name?"

"I have no idea," Sara said, dreamily. "But he has the most amazing blue eyes that I have ever seen.

"Aside from a mirror?" Amaya teased.

"He's got a friend, too," Sara sing-songed. "Big, muscly guy that was working on an impressive tan."

"I do like them with muscles," Amaya acknowledged, setting aside her laptop. "They're guests?"

"Yep," Sara said. "They had that 'I desperately need to relax' vibe going on."

"And you want to be the one to help Mr. Blue Eyes relax," Amaya said knowingly.

"Well, we are supposed to help make the guests' stays more pleasurable," Sara said, laughing.

"You're terrible," Amaya said, giggling.

"Just wait until you see his friend," Sara said. "You'll soon be singing my tune."

"We'll see," Amaya said, blushing faintly. She wasn't as quick to seduce the guests as her friend, but she had been known to have a fling or two.

Sara rolled off the bed. "I'm gonna go shower and then we should try to find them at dinner so I can point them out to you; maybe even join them. After being out on the beach all afternoon, I predict they'll be hitting the buffet tonight."

"Count me in," Amaya said.

~~*~~

That evening, Leonard and a deeply tanned Mick decided to dine at the resort's buffet. Leonard was wearing khakis and a light blue button down shirt, open at the collar, while Mick wore a bright Hawaiian shirt, opened several buttons, over jeans.

They had just settled across from each other at a table, plates piled high with food, when a couple of shadows fell across their table.

Leonard looked up, snarky comment at the ready, when he saw the blonde from the beach grinning down at him, along with a beautiful black woman beside her. Both were wearing brightly colored flirty dresses.

"Hi," the blonde said, "mind if we join you?"

"Sure," Mick quickly agreed, his eyes hungrily taking in both women; eventually lingering on the silent friend.

"Of course," Leonard agreed.

"I'm Sara, and this is my friend, Amaya," Sara said as they set their plates on the table before sitting.

"Leonard. This is Mick," Leonard said, handling their introductions.

"You guys just arrive?" Sara asked. "I would have remembered seeing you around."

"Yeah, we just got here yesterday," Mick answered. "Love this place."

"Does that mean that you've been here a while, to know if we're new or not?" Leonard questioned.

"I suppose you could say that," Sara admitted.

"We work here," Amaya added.

"Should you be fraternizing with the guests?" Leonard asked, suddenly disappointed.

"Probably not," Sara said with a shrug, then grinned wickedly at Leonard, "but that's never stopped me before."

"You do this often, then?" Leonard asked, leaning towards her.

"Only with the special guests," Sara said.

"How d'you know we're special?" Leonard returned.

"Oh, I've just got a feeling," Sara said, hungrily running her eyes over Leonard before tucking into her food.

"So, uh, what do you ladies do here?" Mick asked into the silence.

"I lead nature hikes," Amaya said, "and Sara here is a scuba and snorkel instructor."

"That's great," Mick said. "I love nature, and Leonard loves to swim."

"You ever been diving?" Sara asked Leonard.

"No, I'm more of a pool guy," Leonard admitted.

"Well, then," Sara said, meeting his eyes as her foot brushed against his leg under the table, "I think we'll need to schedule a private lesson or two."

Leonard raised an eyebrow at her blatant flirtation and smirked. "I do believe that we should."

The flirtatious conversation continued through dinner, and once they'd all had their fill - Mick returning to the buffet at least once - the girls led the men to the front desk, to get them signed up for their activities the next day.

"Does this mean you need to call it a night?" Leonard asked, not wanting the evening to end.

"Only if you want it to," Sara said. "But I was thinking we might have a drink on the beach."

"I like the way you think," Mick said, slinging an arm around Amaya's shoulders.

"So do I," Leonard said, offering his elbow to Sara. She took it and guided them to the poolside bar so that they could procure drinks before heading down to the beach.

As soon as they hit the sand, the couples split up by silent consent, Sara and Leonard slowing their steps to allow Mick and Amaya some privacy ahead of them.

"Hang on," she said, halting Leonard with a hand on his arm. She balanced against him as she pulled off her platform sandals.

Leonard grinned down at her as she lost about three inches of height beside him. "I didn't notice how short you were before."

"Shut up," Sara said, lightly, slipping her arm through his as they began to walk down the beach. "This is much better for walking on sand."

"So, how long have you worked here?" Leonard asked.

"Full time, about a year now. I started working here during summer breaks from college, then after I graduated, I didn't really know what to do with myself, so I asked if they needed full time help and they said yes."

"You didn't want to use your degree?" Leonard asked.

"Not really much opportunity with a photography degree," Sara said.

"You're a photographer?" Leonard asked, not really surprised.

"Just as a hobby for now," Sara admitted.

"Lots of inspiration here, I'm sure," Leonard said.

She met his eyes and heat flared between them. "Oh, yes, there is."

Slowly, Leonard dipped his head, when their lips were centimeters from touching; a loud peal of laughter startled them apart, breaking the moment.

Sara slid a piece of loose hair behind her hair as she glanced up the beach to where Amaya was still laughing at something Mick had said before she glanced back up at Leonard.

"So, uh, what brought you guys to this resort?" Sara asked as they began walking again.

"Mick and I are business partners and I told him that he could pick where we went on vacation after our last big job," Leonard said.

"You vacation with your business partner?" Sara asked, confused.

"He's like my brother. We've known each other since we were kids," Leonard found himself admitting.

"And what is it that you do?" she asked.

"People hire us to acquire items that they want," Leonard answered.

"You're thieves," Sara guessed, sounding intrigued.

"We prefer to use the term 'retrieval specialist'," Leonard said. "That's not a problem, is it?"

"Since my dad's a cop, I should probably say yes, but it's not a problem for me," Sara said.

Leonard instantly relaxed again, having stiffened when she said her dad was a cop. "I'm glad to hear that."

"I thought you might be," Sara said, grinning. "That a lucrative business?"

"We do alright for ourselves," Leonard admitted with a smirk. "And the hours are much better than working in an office."

"I get that," Sara said. "My schedule here may vary depending on how many people are interested in diving or snorkeling, but is it really work when you love what you do?"

"And your office really is rather appealing," Leonard added, gesturing to the ocean beside them.

"Really can't complain about that," Sara agreed, grinning up at him.

Leonard found himself smiling back at Sara.

"Hey, Boss," Mick said in greeting, drawing Leonard's attention away from Sara.

Leonard turned to glare at Mick as he and Amaya approached, Mick's arm wrapped around Amaya's shoulders and her arm around Mick's waist. "Heading back in already?" Leonard asked.

"Yeah, uh, about that," Mick hesitated, then met Amaya's eyes and rushed to say, "Gonna be needing the room tonight."

Leonard raised an eyebrow at that, taking in just how close Mick and Amaya were standing.

"You two are sharing a bed?" Sara asked, teasingly.

"We're renting one of the bungalows," Leonard explained. "There are two beds, but they're in the same room."

"What's wrong with your room in our apartment?" Sara asked her roommate.

"I should think you'd appreciate us not hooking up one thin wall away from you," Amaya said, blushing. "The bungalows are isolated…"

"Stop, I beg you," Leonard said, cutting her off. "I don't want to hear any more."

"That is rather the point," Amaya said.

"Fine," Leonard grumbled. "I'll find somewhere else to sleep tonight."

"Thanks, Boss," Mick said, beaming at Leonard. Leonard just waved them off. "See you tomorrow."

"Yeah, yeah," Leonard acknowledged. "Have fun."

"Oh, we will," Mick said, swinging Amaya up over his shoulder in a fireman's carry and hurrying off towards their bungalow.

"So, I guess I better go see if the hotel has any rooms available for the night," Leonard said, staring after his friend.

"Don't be silly," Sara said. "You can crash at my place." At Leonard's raised eyebrow, she added, "We have a very comfortable sofa."

Leonard groaned. "Sofa surfing is not something I imagined myself doing on this vacation."

Sara laughed. "Were you planning on doing any other kind of surfing?"

"No, but I also didn't expect to get kicked out of my room," Leonard admitted.

"I'm happy for them," Sara said. "Amaya needs a good lay. She's usually so shy around the guests."

"Bet you didn't think she'd be the one getting lucky tonight instead of you?" Leonard said.

"Who said I'm not?" Sara countered, running her eyes hungrily over Leonard's body.

"But you said…" Leonard started, looking confused.

"You didn't really think I was going to make you sleep on the sofa after how hard I've been flirting with you all night, did you?" Sara asked, laughing.

"I didn't want to presume…" Leonard said. "I hoped, but I wasn't gonna rush you."

Sara closed the short distance that was between them, sliding her arms up his chest and around his neck. "I'm all about living in the moment," she purred.

That was all the encouragement Leonard needed. He groaned as he got the first taste of her lips, his arms wrapping around her waist to pull her closer to his body.

Kissing Sara was like stepping into a cool lake on a hot summer day; like coming alive. Like coming home.

Her tongue flicked against his lips and he eagerly opened to her, echoing her moan as their tongues met and danced.

His hands dropped to her ass, giving a teasing squeeze and Sara lifted one leg to wrap around his hip, pressing them even closer together.

"Get a room," someone hollered, causing them to end their kiss and press their foreheads together as they struggled to catch their breath.

Sara pressed her hips against Leonard's growing hardness before lowering the leg she had around him. "That is an excellent idea."

She bent to pick up her sandals and empty beer bottle, which had dropped at some point during their kiss. She almost shyly took Leonard's hand and began to walk back towards the resort.

~~*~~

The next morning, Leonard awoke to the sensation of lips and a tongue exploring his shoulders and a warm hand stroking his morning wood.

He groaned and rolled onto his back, moaning with pleasure as he opened his eyes to see Sara grinning down at him, her loose blonde hair falling around her shoulders, still gloriously disheveled from the previous night.

"Mornin'," she greeted him, giving him an extra squeeze.

"Good morning," Leonard panted as he thrust up into her hand.

Sara leaned down to kiss him, moaning as Leonard skirted a hand up her thigh, over her hip to take a breast in his hand.

Sara shifted until she was straddling Leonard and was about to sink down onto him when he broke the kiss to croak, "Condom."

"Already on," she informed him before smoothly welcoming him into her body.

"Fuck," Leonard hissed, his fingers grasping her hips, holding her still for a moment.

"Too much, old man?" Sara teased, lowering herself to lie on top of him as she slowly rotated her hips.

She squealed in delight as Leonard rolled them so that he was above her and her ankles locked around him. "Who are you calling old?" he asked, pulling back and thrusting back into her quickly.

"No one," Sara gasped, digging her nails into his back. She dragged her fingers down his back to grasp his ass, encouraging his movements.

Leonard shifted until his weight was on one arm, freeing one hand to slide across her body until he could reach her clit.

Sara cried out her encouragement at the first touch to that sensitive flesh. She pulled his mouth to hers, kissing him desperately as he pushed her closer and closer to the edge. She whimpered and bit his bottom lip as her orgasm ripped through her. As her body tightened around him, Leonard let himself go, following her over the edge into bliss.

He collapsed on top of her, breathing harshly for several minutes before he finally managed to pull out and collapse next to Sara.

"Now that's what I call a wakeup call," Leonard said, pressing a kiss to Sara's shoulder.

Sara leaned up to kiss him. "Mmm, yeah it was. We also need to get going if we're going to grab breakfast before your snorkel lesson."

"You mean that was for real?" Leonard groaned.

"Of course," Sara said, rolling out of bed. "I can't wait to show you my ocean."

Leonard saw the eagerness on her face and realized he was going to have to go through with snorkeling if he wanted to keep seeing Sara. At least he would be with her while doing so.

"Okay," he said, standing. "May I use your shower?"

"Yeah, it's the next door to the right," Sara said.

"Join me?" Leonard asked.

"Maybe next time," Sara said. "I'll go make some coffee."

Once she heard the shower start, Sara pulled on a robe and went out to make the coffee, as promised. She was startled to see Mick sitting in the living room.

"Mick, what are you doing here?" she asked, tugging the robe tighter around herself.

"Waiting for Amaya to change for our hike," he answered. "Sounded like you and the boss have been having fun." Mick waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"We were," Sara agreed with a grin. "Hey, why do you call him 'boss'? He said you were partners."

Mick shrugged. "He likes to say that, but we both know that he's the brains of the operation and I'm the brawn. I know my place and I'm cool with it."

"I'm sure you're more than just the muscle," Sara said, filling the coffee maker with coffee grounds and water.

Mick shrugged again. "Maybe, but he's definitely the one with all the plans."

"Except for this vacation," Sara pointed out.

"Yeah," Mick agreed, smiling. "Best choice I've made in a long time."

"I'd have to agree with you there," Sara said.

"Okay, I'm ready to go," Amaya said as she entered the room. Upon spotting Sara, she added, "Oh, hey, Sara."

"Mornin', roomie," Sara said.

Amaya lifted her backpack from near the door and grabbed her water bottle out of it. She went into the kitchen to fill it with ice and water.

"Have fun last night?" Sara quietly asked, knowingly.

"As much as you did this morning," Amaya grinned, winking as she walked back out to her bag.

"Enjoy your hike," Sara called as Mick went to Amaya.

"Enjoy your swim," Amaya returned as she and Mick left.

"Later, Sara," Mick said.

"Later, Mick," Sara returned.

Leonard emerged from the bathroom a minute later, a towel wrapped around his waist.

"You missed Mick and Amaya," Sara said.

"What were they doing here?" Leonard asked, wondering how long they'd been there, and what they'd heard.

"Amaya needed to change for their hike," Sara answered.

"Did they--?" Leonard started to ask, but Sara cut him off with a "Yep."

"So much for being in separate spaces," he commented.

"Go ahead and get dressed," Sara said. "I'm gonna rinse off and then we can go grab breakfast. There's coffee in the kitchen. I wasn't sure how you took it, so I left out milk, sugar and a mug. Help yourself."

"Thanks," Leonard said, stealing a kiss, before disappearing back into Sara's bedroom as she closed the door to the bathroom and jumped in the shower.

She didn't bother to wash her hair since she was going to be in the ocean today anyway and was soon dressing in a one-piece swimsuit and slipping a maxi dress on over it. She pulled her hair up into a ponytail and was ready to go.

When she joined Leonard in the kitchen, he commented, "That is the fastest I have ever seen a woman get ready for the day."

Sara laughed. "Well, it does go faster when you don't have to do your hair and makeup. Pretty silly to do those things if I'm just going to be in the salty ocean all day."

"I suppose you have a point," Leonard conceded. "You look beautiful without those things anyway."

"Thanks," Sara chirped. "C'mon, let's go."

~~*~~

"Isn't there some kind of rule about not swimming for an hour after eating?" Leonard grumbled as Sara led him to the shed where the snorkeling gear was kept. They had stopped by his bungalow so that he could change into swim trunks before grabbing a quick breakfast in the dining room.

Sara laughed. "That's just an old wives tale," she said. "Besides, by the time we get in the water it'll have been an hour since we ate."

"We're not just going in the water here?" Leonard asked, surprised. He’d seen Sara snorkeling close to the resort the day before so he’d assumed that’s where they’d be going now.

"No way," Sara said. "We'll take one of the boats down the coast a bit where there are some amazing reefs. Trust me, you'll thank me."

"You are the expert," Leonard conceded. He watched as Sara selected snorkel masks, fins, and small machines that look kind of like fans. She had him try on the mask and fins to make sure they fit correctly.

"This is sanitized, right?" he hesitantly asked, eyeing the mouthpiece as he pulled the mask over his head.

"Of course," Sara said, laughing. "We sanitize the masks and fins after every use."

"Just making sure," Leonard said.

Sara checked the mask and was pleased to see that it fit him perfectly. "It's a match," she announced.

"You have a good eye," he said, removing the fins and mask.

"I've had lots of practice," she said with a shrug. "Okay, I think we're all set."

"Can I get one of those?" Leonard requested, pointing to the wet suits hanging along one wall.

"Don't really need one. The water is warm," Sara said.

"I'd really prefer to wear one," Leonard said, wrapping his arms around his body. Sara may have seen all of his scars last night, but that didn't mean he wanted to show them to the rest of the world.

Finally twigging to the real reason behind his request, Sara's expression softened and she selected one of the black skin tight suits from the rack.

"This one should fit you," she said, handing it to him.

Leonard met her eyes, his unspoken relief showing through. "Thank you," he whispered.

Sara gathered up the other items they'd need and headed out of the shed to give Leonard some privacy while donning the wetsuit. When he stepped out a minute later, covered from neck to ankle, Sara couldn't help but admit to herself that he still looked damn sexy in the tight material.

"How's it feel?" she asked.

"Tight," Leonard admitted.

"Good," she said. "Then it fits right. Having second thoughts about wearing it?"

"No." Leonard shook his head. "Still better to be wearing it than risking… anything."

"In that case, let's go!" Sara handed him the fan-like things and led him towards a small marina he hadn't realized was there. She signed out one of the speedboats, Waverider, and soon they were out on the water.

Leonard sat back and admired the way Sara commanded the small boat, confidently steering them away from the resort.

Half an hour later, Sara cut the engine and dropped anchor.

"I take it we're here?" Leonard asked. The ocean looked the same here as it had on the ride over.

"Yes, we are," Sara confirmed, slipping off her dress. She grabbed the fins and handed one set to Leonard. "Put these on like this," she instructed, then pulled on her own fins. Leonard did as she showed.

Next she handed him the snorkeling mask, which Leonard pulled on without instruction, then lifted up at Sara's gesture.

"Okay, when we get in the water, I want you to practice breathing through the mask before you put your face in the water. Once you've taken a few breaths, I want you to float with your face in the water and just breathe for a minute to get used to the sensation. Ready?"

"As I'll ever be," Leonard confirmed.

Sara set the fan-things on the bench before sitting on the edge of the boat and swung her legs over the side. "See you in the water," she said with a grin before hopping over the side.

Leonard took a deep breath before following her. His feet felt heavy from the fins, but he soon got used to paddling with them. Sara swam over, her mask already in place, and pulled his down, making sure it was secure. Leonard put the mouthpiece between his lips and tried to remember how to breathe as he looked at how natural Sara was in the water.

After several breaths, Sara encouraged him to float on his stomach, his face just beneath the water. Staring at her powerful, bare legs moving beneath the water did nothing to ease his breathing, but Leonard did his best to do as she'd instructed and before he knew it, he was breathing fairly normally.

Sara tapped his shoulder, encouraging him to rise out of the water. "How'd that feel?" she asked.

Leonard removed the mouthpiece and said, "Pretty good, actually."

"Excellent." She reached over the side of the boat and grabbed one of the fans and handed it to him before grabbing the other one for herself. "These are going to help pull us through the water. When you're ready, turn it on here." She pointed to the On button. "Then just follow me."

"We're not going to be going underwater, are we?" Leonard asked, hating how nervous he sounded.

Sara shook her head. "Not on your first time out. We'll keep to the surface of the water. You'll still get to see some pretty cool fish from here."

"Lead the way," Leonard said, sliding his mouthpiece back into place. Sara grinned at him before doing the same.

She faced away from the boat, turned on her fan, and began moving forward. Leonard followed her.

They traveled for ten minutes or so when he began to see them. Bright yellows and blues darted in and out of his field of vision. A small school of zebra striped fish swam under him, one bumping into him, as if upset that he was in its way.

Sara tapped his arm to get his attention, pointing to her left.

It was like a city under the water. Reefs full of coral and plant life with fish moving over and around it.

He grinned around his mouthpiece, wishing he could communicate his excitement better. He gave her a thumbs up, the best he could manage. Sara nodded her understanding.

They moved closer, watching the fish and the way plants swayed in the water.

A sea turtle detached itself from one of the reefs and swam away from them. Leonard did his best to follow it, but it evaded him, knowing these waters better than the gangly human.

They swam around the reef for over an hour before Sara led them back to where the boat was anchored. Once they'd maneuvered themselves back onto the boat and removed their gear, Sara asked, "So?"

Leonard pulled her into his arms and kissed her soundly.

"That was amazing," he beamed. "I never really thought about what life was like under water before. I get why you love working here. When can we go again?"

Sara laughed, delighted that he enjoyed it so much. "How does tomorrow sound?"

"Like too long to wait," Leonard pouted.

"I'm sure we can think of something to do to pass the time," Sara said, smirking as she ran a hand down his back and over his ass.

"Best vacation ever," Leonard stated, claiming her lips again.

The End

#captain canary fic #captain canary #foxfire #sara lance/leonard snart #amaya jiwe/mick rory #legends of tomorrow fic #prompt response #newyorkcitydreaming #laweizhu

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travelonlinetips-blog · 5 years

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New Post has been published on https://travelonlinetips.com/13-of-the-best-gold-coast-restaurants-you-dont-want-to-miss/

13 of the best Gold Coast restaurants you don't want to miss

It’s been a long time since The Pink Poodle was the height of culinary sophistication on the Gold Coast (if you can even remember that far back).

Metamorphosing from dining wasteland to a gourmand’s playground, the Gold Coast has award-winning fine dining options in spades. But there are also a bunch of down-to-earth, rustic and homely restaurants, cafés and diners that should definitely make the list next time you hit the GC.

Make a reservation at one (or all) of these Gold Coast restaurants for your next visit.

RICK SHORES, Burleigh Heads

Award-winning dining? Tick. Waterfront views? Tick. Great food? A given, considering the guys behind the aprons hail from some of the country’s top South-East Asian restaurants.

Ask any local about Rick Shores in Burleigh Heads and you’re guaranteed to cop an earful. Close enough to feel the salt spray, you won’t know what’s more impressive – the prime location or the flavour sensations blowing your mind, from bar snacks like the silken tofu with Sichuan eggplant sauce and crisp lettuce through to the finger-licking main roasted pork shoulder with apple teriyaki and red miso.

Labart, Burleigh Heads

Sink into the Parisian-style seating, order yourself a cocktail or something from the natural-leaning wine list and find yourself humming along to the playlist while you peruse tonight’s menu. This is the neighbourhood local you wish you had at home.

Opening in 2018, Labart quickly shot into ‘best’ restaurant lists across the country and after one round of the Set Menu here, you’ll understand why. Don’t fill up on that Burleigh Baker sourdough with caramelised butter, as insanely good as it is.

The Tropic, Burleigh Heads

You’d be hard pressed to find a hotter address on the Gold Coast right now than Burleigh Pavilion and on the ‘formal’ restaurant side, you’ll find a tight protein-led menu served with box-office views.

Start with crunchy fried school prawns and a bowl of burrata topped with persimmons and chorizo oil then go large with the house speciality dry aged rib eye on the bone (800g) to share.

Hyde Paradiso, Surfers Paradise

LA comes to the Gold Coast with the opening of HYDE Paradiso atop Peppers Soul Surfers Paradise offering panoramic ocean views and swoon-worthy interiors.

Predominantly a glamorous drinking hole – hello, Bottomless Brunch on Sundays! – the tapas-style menu fuses Greek, Turkish, Moroccan, Lebanese and Italian cuisines. But if you’ve really worked up a hunger there are some heartier choices, like Portuguese chicken with chickpea salad, or whole baked reef fish baked with roasted fennel.

Iku Yakitori, Burleigh Heads

Look for the sign with a fish fighting a chicken and you’ll know you’re in the right spot. Push through the doors and come face-to-face with the coolest yakitori bar this side of Tokyo.

The little brother of Mermaid Beach’s Etsu Izakaya, expect casual bites high on flavour and an impressive whisky bar that could easily turn an early dinner into an all-night journey.

THE FISH HOUSE, Burleigh Heads

Burleigh Headland and seafood go together like peas and carrots; like roast lamb and mint sauce; like meat pies and sauce (okay, you get the drift). Not unexpectedly, fish is the hero here.

At The Fish House, the onus is on the highest quality catches, prepared simply so you can still taste the ocean. Oh, and an A-Class wine list.

Book for lunch, order a bottle of crisp white wine and say yes to the chef’s menu.

SOCIAL EATING HOUSE, Broadbeach

This suave culinary hot spot garnered John Cusack’s Hollywood tick of approval, but to be honest we knew it was a winner well before then. The actor opted to dine at Social not one or two, but five nights running while filming on the Gold Coast. And it’s not hard to see why he was so smitten.

Impeccable service, a classy fit out, quality charcuterie and cheeses, and inventive Spanish-inspired share plates make Social Eating House a stand out in Broadbeach’s Oracle complex.

Hot Tip: Eat at the bar overlooking the buzzing kitchen for a slice of Manhattan living on the Gold Coast.

The Collective, Palm Beach

There are times when your crew just won’t be able to decide what they feel like eating. This is when you head for The Collective in the old Palm Beach post office and open yourself up to one big menu covering five individual kitchens with table service to boot.

With Italian, Mexican, Pan-Asian, Modern Australian and good ol’ down-and-dirty burgers in the mix, you can work your way around the world in one sitting.

HELLENIKA, Nobby Beach

Lamb shoulder. That’s all you need to know to add Hellenika to your list of must-try Gold Coast restaurants.

This Greek restaurant and rooftop bar in Nobby Beach not only has some of the best atmosphere and décor along the coast, it also has the juiciest, falling-off-the-bone lamb shoulder to be eaten. Ever.

Hellenika is on the side of one of the busiest highways in Australia, however, the unlikely setting makes the cosy and welcoming atmosphere inside even more surprising. It’s also one of the best spots for a long Sunday lunch, just be prepared to leave full!

BONITA BONITA, Mermaid Beach

Thank goodness Aus-Mex has gone as stale as a two-year-old Old El Paso shell and been removed from our dining repertoire. In its place, a funky-as-hell soundtrack, moody Day of the Dead decor and a killer menu from the ladies behind Bonita Bonita in Mermaid Beach.

Think scallops with hazelnut mole and chorizo crumb, piquillo poppers filled with melted Meredith goats cheese and slow-cooked lamb tacos followed up with sweet pumpkin empanadas with salted caramel. We’d say arrriba, but then we’d had to slap ourselves for being so cliché.

Neighbouring BonBon bar is the perfect spot for pre or post-dinner drinks.

KIYOMI, Broadbeach

Itadakimasu! World-class, fresh and inventive-as-Einstein Japanese is found in the form of Kiyomi on the lobby level of The Star Gold Coast in Broadbeach.

Chase Kojima of Nobu and Sokyo (The Star, Sydney) is the master of the menu here, with a lengthy selection of small bites, tempura, grill traditional sushi and sashimi taking you from tuna tataki with asparagus, enoki and tosazu leek sauce to cloud-like snapper tempura with coriander, chilli, black pepper amazu.

Then, if the sake selection isn’t hitting the right spot, dessert will smack you around the sweet tooth with the insanely good Goma Street signature stack (it involves sesame ice-cream and yes, you need to order it).

JUSTIN LANE, Burleigh Heads

Nestled down a lane in the surfing mecca of Burleigh Heads, Justin Lane suits the cool vibe of this area to a T. The bohemian set congregates here in big numbers on a Friday and Saturday night (expect to queue) for some of the best pizzas around.

There’s a rooftop bar and a cocktail list that keeps you going back for more. Don’t expect to linger though as this place is so popular a bill will be on your table by the time you finish your last slice.

MARKETTA STREET FOOD, Miami

Okay, so it’s not technically a restaurant, but if you’re looking to eat out on the GC (and especially if you can’t decide on a cuisine that will keep your horde happy), take a stroll down a laneway in Miami and get in on the buzz that is Marketta.

Every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday evening, the markets serve up everything from Spanish, Italian, Thai and French cuisine – as well as boutique local beer and wine, a dessert hall, Gin Parlour and live music.

You could be gobbling down dumplings for starters, filling up on fresh ravioli for your main and taking home a sinfully sweet French pastry for dessert (or let’s face it, eating it all in the one sitting because you only live once).

Still hungry?

What’s your favourite Gold Coast restaurant? Share with us below.

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jennycalendar · 7 years

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mermaid magic (4/6)

“wait a minute.” buffy looked between them. “giles, are you courting a mermaid now?”

jenny turned pink and ducked under the water. giles started stammering somewhat incoherently about unfounded accusations.

(featuring faith and buffy as smitten adventurers, willow and tara as smitten witches, and ethan as giles’s broody pirate ex-boyfriend)

this chapter: jenny discovers spoons & meets willow. problems show up

Jenny was asleep in the water when a lifeboat bumped against her. “What gives?” she demanded irritably, then, “Oh. Hi.”

“Oh, goodness, Jenny, I’m so sorry,” said Rupert nervously. Goddess Almighty, he was adorable. “I—I realize this is early, I just—my crew seems to think it rather ridiculous that I’m making such a production of—did I hurt you?”

“No, I’m good,” said Jenny, amused, and swum over to the side of the lifeboat so that she was facing him. “What’s up?”

“One of my crew members, Willow, is a fairly skilled witch and researcher,” Rupert explained. “She, er, she was wondering if it might be possible that you would discuss your culture and society with her, and if you were interested in learning a bit more about human culture and society in return.”

Jenny’s smile flickered. “Oh.”

“Of course, if you’re not comfortable—”

“No, it’s not that.” Jenny tugged uncomfortably at the sleeve of her shirt. “I wasn’t raised by mermaids,” she said finally. “I’ve never met another mermaid in my life. I was born around the same time mermaid hunting was getting popular, and from what I can guess, my parents hid me in a remote corner of the ocean and never got the chance to come back.”

“I’m sorry,” said Rupert. It wasn’t the same kind of reflexive, anxious apology he’d given when he’d knocked her with the lifeboat.

Jenny shook her head. “It’s okay,” she said. “I definitely had an interesting childhood, but that’s a story for another time. I just don’t think I’d have a lot to offer to your Willow.”

“Oh, she’s not my Willow,” said Rupert suddenly, turning pink. “No one’s my anything.” He hesitated, then, “That’s—not really the point I’m trying to make. I would like to get to know you, Jenny.”

Jenny felt strange and fluttery about that. She’d never once had anyone say that to her, not even the sirens. “Yeah?”

Rupert smiled slightly and nodded.

His hand was resting on the edge of the lifeboat. On impulse, Jenny reached up, placing her wet hand over his dry one. Rupert looked down, startled, and then smiled shyly, turning his hand over and quietly entwining their fingers.

Jenny hadn’t felt like this before. Or—she had, when she’d first met him all those years ago, but she hadn’t expected it to last. She’d thought it might have fizzled, that she might have romanticized him too much, but—

“GILES I CANNOT BELIEVE THIS IT IS FIVE IN THE MORNING AND YOU’RE HOLDING HANDS WITH YOUR MERMAID,” came a loud voice, and Jenny noticed for the first time that the ship was close enough for them to be clearly visible.

“Not now, Buffy,” Rupert called back, very clearly blushing.

“Yes, now!” Buffy leaned over the side of the ship. “Didn’t you say you were talking to her about Willow?”

“Cute kid,” said Jenny, amused.

“She grows on you,” said Rupert exhaustedly. He still hadn’t let go of her hand. “I suppose I had better go get breakfast.”

“Ooh, breakfast?” said Jenny with interest.

Rupert paused, frowning. “What do you eat?” he inquired.

“Fish,” said Jenny. “Mostly.”

Rupert glanced up at the ship, looked down at Jenny, looked at their joined hands, and said finally, “Would you like me to bring you down some breakfast?”

“What?” Jenny blinked. “I’ve—okay. I don’t know if I’ll like your kind of food, though. I hope that’s not—” It occurred to her how little she knew about human customs. She’d forgotten all about that, what with the way Rupert looked at her; it made her feel like nothing she possibly did could be wrong in his eyes. “I hope that’s okay,” she finished.

“It’s fine,” Rupert replied easily, letting go of Jenny’s hand. She found herself missing the warmth. “I’ll have Buffy let me back up. Do you suppose you can wait a few minutes while I get food from my crew?”

“I think I should be able to,” Jenny agreed. “I’ll be here.”

Rupert hesitated. Then, to Jenny’s complete surprise, he took her hand again, quietly kissing the back of her hand before he let it drop. “I’ll see you anon, then,” he said with a small smile, and began to row the lifeboat back towards the ship.

“Oh, no,” Jenny whispered, and tried to stop smiling.

It took Giles a good few minutes to realize what he had done, and a good few minutes after that to stop being utterly mortified.

“Calm down,” said Buffy, who looked very much like she was trying not to laugh. “She’s not going to hate you just because you kissed the back of her hand, okay? Just pick up some porridge and have breakfast with Jenny.”

“I’ll see you anon,” Giles repeated. “Why would I say that?”

“I don’t know, that sounds pretty smooth.” Gunn took a spoonful of his sister’s porridge. “A girl said something like that to me, I’d be swooning.”

“I might have said something like that to a lady I attempted to woo once,” began Wesley thoughtfully.

“Oh, no,” said Xander. “No, no, no. Don’t tell Giles about your failed romances when he’s trying to get with a mermaid.”

“I am not trying to get with—” Giles began indignantly.

“So you just kissed the back of her hand in a platonic way, then,” said Tara casually, taking a sip of her tea.

“Where’s the cinnamon?” Giles inquired nervously. “I need the cinnamon.”

Alonna gave him an amused smile and handed the cinnamon over. “I think you’ll do okay, Giles,” she said brightly, taking her porridge bowl back from Gunn. “I’ve read a lot about mermaids, and they usually don’t mind a little bit of friendly flirting.”

“Neither do I,” Faith added, and leered at Buffy, who kissed her nose and said something about Faith being an “awful, awful distraction.”

“Right,” said Giles, awkwardly picking up the two bowls. “I—shall go have porridge with Jenny in a lifeboat.”

“Careful you don’t spill it on your way down,” commented Lady Cordelia. “That’s going to ruin how smooth you were when you kissed her hand.”

“Smooth?” Giles repeated.

“Definitely,” said Buffy. “Girls love that kind of thing.”

“I don’t love that kind of thing,” said Faith. “It’s gross when guys grab my hand for no reason and slobber all over it just because they want to look romantic.”

Buffy gave her a very pointed look.

“Uh, I mean, way to go, Giles,” said Faith. “Super smooth.”

Giles sighed and exited the galley.

Jenny was swimming in idle circles by the time he reached her in the lifeboat, but this time she noticed him without him accidentally hitting her with the boat. “Oh!” she said. “Hi! So, what’s the people breakfast that you’ve brought me?”

“Porridge, brown sugar, and cinnamon,” Giles replied with a shy smile, sprinkling some extra cinnamon onto Jenny’s bowl before handing it over to her.

“Hmm,” said Jenny thoughtfully, taking it. “Looks gloppy.”

“To each their own,” Giles replied. “I wouldn’t recommend getting it wet. It’s quite nice dry.”

Jenny nodded, then stopped, looking down at the spoon. “Is that—do I eat that too?” she inquired with a small frown. “Do people eat metal?”

“What?” Giles blinked, then bit back a laugh. It wouldn’t do to make Jenny feel self-conscious. “No, it’s a spoon,” he explained, taking a spoonful of porridge for emphasis. “See?”

“That seems kind of unnecessary,” said Jenny thoughtfully. “Why not just use your hands?”

“Minimizing cleanup,” Giles replied. “We don’t all live in the water.”

“Hmm.” Jenny took a spoonful. Her eyes widened. “Mmm! Wow, that’s a lot better than fish.”

“Humanity does have its perks,” Giles quipped.

“Hey!” Willow stuck her head over the side of the ship. “Are you guys still having breakfast? Can Tara and I come down?”

“We come bearing bread and jam,” Tara added.

“Well,” began Giles, who was rather enjoying spending time with Jenny and Jenny alone.

“What’s bread-and-jam?” said Jenny with interest.

“Your motivation to make Giles let us come down,” Willow replied cheerfully, holding up a jar of preserves.

“Can they come down?” Jenny asked hopefully. “I’m really liking this whole not-fish theme of food you all have going. Is all your food this sweet?”

“I like your tail,” Tara said shyly. “It’s very pretty.”

“Thank you,” said Jenny proudly. “I take good care of it.”

“Fine,” said Giles. “Come down.”

Willow picked Tara up bridal-style (Tara giggled, holding onto her bundle of food) and floated neatly down to the boat, landing next to Giles.

“Is that a people thing?” said Jenny, impressed. “I don’t generally see a lot of them doing that.”

“Willow’s magic,” said Tara proudly.

“Really,” said Jenny with interest.

“I’ve heard legends about mermaids having some affinity with magic themselves,” said Willow to Jenny as Tara climbed off her lap. Giles was feeling a bit left out all of a sudden. “Do you know how to levitate or anything?”

Jenny shook her head. “Sometimes I can make things come true if I say them with enough meaning,” she said, “but that’s about the extent of my magical abilities.”

“Ooh, not a lot of humans can do that, either!” Willow buttered a slice of bread, handing it to Jenny. “I don’t know if it’ll taste as good soggy.”

“Do you not use a spoon for this?” Jenny sounded baffled. “Rupert said you use spoons to minimize cleanup.”

“Not for everything,” Willow explained, giving Giles a gently reproving look. Giles was quite irritated by this and took a resentful spoonful of porridge. “We use forks and knives for some things, spoons for other things, and our hands for a few things. Bread’s a finger food for us.”

“Okay,” said Jenny. “Wow.” She glanced a little shyly at Willow’s blouse. “Are those—flowers?”

“Tara embroidered them,” said Willow with an adoring glance at her lover. “She’s very talented.”

“Embroidered,” Jenny repeated, frowning slightly.

“It’s like—” Willow fumbled for words. “You use thread to—”

“Thread?”

Willow seemed very ready to fully explain the concept of thread, but just as she was opening her mouth, Buffy shouted, “Ship ahoy, Giles!”

“What?” Giles looked up, eyes wide. “We’re in the middle of the ocean.”

Buffy gave Giles a very exasperated look. “Right,” she said. “Because ships generally turn up on street corners.”

“Oh,” said Tara tensely.

“What?” Willow squinted against the sun.

“They don’t look friendly,” said Tara.

Without thinking, Giles reached for Jenny’s hand, holding it tightly. “Pirates,” he said.

“Is that bad?” said Jenny hesitantly.

“No, we should be fine,” Giles replied. “We don’t have any—”

“Oh my god!” shrieked Lady Cordelia. “Why is every ship I’m always on attacked by pirates?”

“Wow, and you choose to mention this to us now?” said Xander irritably.

“—valuables,” Giles finished, and groaned. “Lady Cordelia.”

“Lady who?” Jenny glanced up at Lady Cordelia, who was wearing one of her usual fashionable ensembles and expensive necklaces. “Ohhh boy.”

“We’d best get back on board,” Giles said nervously. “This could be dangerous. Jenny, I think it’s best for you to stay back.”

“I think you don’t know me well enough to tell me what to do,” said Jenny indignantly. “I’m not just going to sit by and watch when there are pirates around.”

“That may be,” said Giles quietly, “but the pirates won’t see you as a threat. To them, you’re just as valuable as Lady Cordelia.”

Jenny hesitated, then placed a hand on his cheek, turning his face towards her.

Infuse your words with meaning, and the magic will stick.

“You’ll be all right,” said Jenny. “You and your crew will survive, and the pirates won’t take your ship.” Carefully, she pressed a kiss to his cheek, sealing the spell. “Just—do what you can,” she said finally. “It’ll be enough.”

Rupert looked at her with wide, slightly dazed eyes. “Right,” he said, raising his fingers to his cheek. “Yes. Quite.”

“Listen, Giles, I hate to burst your bubble, but there’s a bunch of angry pirates heading our way and that ship needs its captain up there,” said Willow.

Rupert jumped, knocking the boat. “Certainly,” he agreed, letting go of Jenny’s hands. “Jenny—I know I don’t have any control over what you choose to do, but please at least try and think about what I’m saying, all right?”

“Sure,” agreed Jenny, who still had no intention of sitting idly by under any circumstances but knew that saying she would consider it would get Rupert to head back up onto the ship. “Stay safe,” she added.

Rupert smiled nervously. “We’ll try,” he replied, and began to row the boat back towards the ship.

“Giles,” said Buffy as soon as he was back, hugging him quickly. “We’ve got about fifteen minutes before the pirates are close enough to board. Standard operation?”

Giles nodded. “Get them off the ship, try not to kill too many,” he agreed.

“Or any,” Buffy reminded him. “We’re not on the high seas for killing.”

“Let’s chop off some heads!” shouted Faith from the other side of the deck.

“Excuse me,” said Buffy with a rueful smile. “I need to go re-explain the concept of nonviolence to my girlfriend.”

Giles turned, facing the oncoming ship. Near the ship, he saw Jenny swimming closer.

“No,” he hissed, trying to mime disappearing under the water.

Jenny gave him an amused smile, swimming closer to the ship. “You’re really cute, you know that?” she inquired, as casually as if there weren’t pirates up ahead.

“Go away,” Giles said as firmly as he could. “I’m the captain, and I order—”

“You aren’t captain of this mermaid,” said Jenny, crossing her arms over her chest and giving him a pointed look. “If I want to stay, I’ll stay.”

Giles was about to continue arguing with Jenny, but then he noticed something unusual. “I know that ship,” he said. “Why do I know that ship?” Jenny’s annoyed look faded. “Oh, what are the odds?” she said with worry.

Giles looked closer at the ship. “Bugger all,” he muttered. Painted on the hull was S.S. Eyghon.

#fic #mermaid magic #calendiles day #calendiles #fuffy #tillow #committed to job meets commitment issues #mermaid jenny au

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norafinds · 7 years

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ATWWV - Laila Shalimar

Third post of the Around The World With Vintage and I cannot be more excited for you to read this. Today I would like to introduce you to the Australian-Pakistani pin up Midcentury Mermaid aka Laila Shalimar. I was really excited when I discovered Laila as she is definitely the perfect person to feature on this series. I started this series because I wanted to talk to vintage wearers about culture, nationalities, and identities. Laila has the most fascinating stories growing up in Pakistan and moving to Australia at 16. I thought it would great for me (and you) to learn about Pakistan and its history. I asked her about the Westernised Pakistan that I've seen in vintage photographs as well as her views on being a Desi woman and a pin up girl.

Hi Laila, tell us a little bit about you!

My name is Laila Shalimar. I am a twenty something tattooed pinup of colour from Western Australia. When I am not working one of my two reception jobs, you can find me in the library of Edith Cowan University where I am a student of Criminology and Counter Terrorism. I am passionate about writing and the art of storytelling. Being able to speak 2 languages other than English, linguistics have always been a source of comfort for me. The written word has been a source of solace during some of the most isolating and vulnerable moments of my life and I am grateful to be able to share my experiences with others through the power of writing. I have had some of my pieces published by magazines such as Adore Pinup Magazine, Retro Vintage Review, Damsel Magazine, Dircksey and I hope to continue writing for as long as my mind will let me tell stories.

What is your racial and cultural background?

Because I don’t have an Anglo Australian accent, I often get people asking me where I am “really from”. This is usually after a long and embarrassing guessing game where every country but Pakistan is thrown in as a possibility. I dread these kind of interactions because it makes me feel like my accent, name and appearance prevents me from being considered “Aussie” and also because I never know how people will react to my “identity story”. For one thing, I never know whether they are asking about my ethnicity/race or where I have lived before I moved to Australia. First and foremost, I consider myself a Desi Australian. I was born in Peshawar, Pakistan to a Muslim Pashtun father and a mother of mixed Indo European ancestry. I grew up between Karachi, Islamabad, and Peshawar. I have also lived in the UK and briefly in some parts of Europe. Because I went to an English Grammar school for most my life and was practically raised on American cable, I have a very American sounding accent. I moved to Australia with my family in 2013 and have lived here ever since. Because I was sixteen at the time, I never managed to pick up an Australian accent.

People make the mistake of assuming that “Pakistani” is a racial or ethnic identity when it is merely a nationality. Pakistan is a small country that only came into existence in 1947. Prior to that it was part of the Indian subcontinent and fell under the British Raj. My father’s generation was the first generation to be born in Pakistan. My grandparents were born in British India as it was called. Pakistan hosts a multitude of races and ethnicities much like Australia does and many of us refer to ourselves as Desi or “of the motherland/subcontinent”. I like to think of myself as a Desi Australian because I have a very mixed ethnic background, most of which can be traced to the Indian subcontinent. I value all these beautiful aspects of my ethnicity and often wonder what stories lie hidden in my genes. In my appearance I see a kaleidoscope- as time progresses and my features change, I cannot help but wonder about the ancestors in the obscured and missing branches of my family tree.

First prime minister and first lady of Pakistan during their US visit. The two have been credited for the Pakistan Movement that gained the country its independence. Photo by unknown, provided by US Department of State as part of the album "Visit of his Excellency Liaquat Ali Khan, Prime Minister of Pakistan, to the United States of America, May 3 to May 26, 1950." (Missouri Digital Heritage) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Tell us about your family and your childhood

My mother was 25 when she had me. She had only been married to my father for a year and they lived in a teeny tiny little studio apartment in Peshawar in a “not so desirable” part of town. My mother said she spent a lot of her pregnancy reading and eating tropical fruits. The day I made my entry into the world, she had been reading Valley of the Dolls and eating pomegranates and rock melon. It was a scorching 39 degrees and they had no air conditioning in their apartment. I was born on the 12th of June 1987, in the middle of a heatwave, in a small maternity home at 3pm in the afternoon. My parents did not know they were expecting a daughter and in a society that valued a male heir so strongly, my birth went largely unnoticed outside my immediate family. I was given an old Persian name that I wish I could share with your readership because it has the most delicate sound when pronounced correctly. I was raised in a household full of books, laughter, kitchen table science experiments and the concept of a Ubiquitous but loving God who didn’t care whether I prayed to him in the customary Arabic or my mother tongue of Pashto. I was raised to ask questions and my parent’s ensured they always answered truthfully and to the best of their knowledge.

I was soon joined by two siblings, a brother and a sister and we lived a pretty happy and carefree life amidst the political turmoil of Pakistan’s 90s. I grew up worshipping The Spice Girls, swooning over Nick Carter from the Backstreet Boys, having slumber parties with my schoolmates where we watched movies like Clueless and Never been kissed over and over while painting our toenails bright blue. Summer vacations were spent finding inventive ways to stay cool during ”load-shedding” (where an entire suburb loses power for a week at a time), trips to the British Council Library in Islamabad to borrow books like Matilda and the BFG, eating gola ghanda (local shaved ices) with the other neighbourhood kids and going on long road trips to see our grandparents in Peshawar. And in the background of my childhood and early teens governments were sworn in, governments were kicked out. Each party made promises it would not or could not keep before being replaced in some kind of political ousting. Sometimes there would be Union strikes that would result in school being called off for a few days and we would grow bored and restless indoors waiting to get back to our schoolyard and our friends. Pakistan in the 90s was the best bits of the west and the east tossed together like Chaat Masala on fries, coca cola with Naan Kebab, and Friday prayers after the Power Puff Girls marathon. Had I known what was to follow in the years to come, I would have committed more to memory.

I feel like my life can neatly be divided into two parts: pre and post 9/11. The collapse of the Twin Towers on September 11th and the so called “War on Terror” that followed had a major impact on the world I lived in. While Pakistan has by no means known peace and tranquility in its short existence thanks to our politicians, our military and our religious right, this time the instability was coming from politicians in an office more than 12,000 KM away from us. In war, they say, it is children that become the first casualties of damage physical and spiritual. The thing that will haunt me for the rest of my life are the tired eyes of small Afghan children attempting to sleep in strange doorsteps on freezing winter mornings. It was October when they first started piling into Peshawar, children no older than 5 or 6 unaccompanied by parents in the back of trucks huddling together like chickens roosting. The local hospitals were full of children with injuries from shellings, shrapnel embedded in limbs that often needed amputation, sometimes with very little anaesthetic. Often times the littlest ones would perish due to chest infections left unattended. Our country did not have the finances nor the infrastructure to take on the sheer volume of refugees that were making their way across the Khyber Pass once more. Aid arrived from the UN at a snail’s pace and the US happily wrote off these people as “collateral damage” forgetting that they were the children and family of the men and women who fought the Russians for them in the 80s.

My mother and grandmothers helped where they could by organising “khairaat” (charity food) but there was never enough food to stave off hunger just as there would never be enough comfort for children displaced in the middle of the night. I remember hearing a doctor ask an Afghan boy of maybe six what he wanted to be when he grew up in an attempt to distract him from the tetanus shot he was about to receive. The boy with big fat tears rolling down his cheek replied that he wanted to be “a grown up” and look after his mother who was still “back home”. Things like these hurt to think about even a decade later. I was 15 then but when I look back I feel as if I was watching the world with old eyes. I feel younger now than I did then somehow. Perhaps it is because I am now watching the same things happen from far away, on a television set that I have the luxury to switch off. Some nights I think about that boy and his mother, and other children I saw on my way to my grandmother’s house or our in Baara Market. I can switch off the Tv but the human mind refuses to co operate in the same way.

How did your family decide to move to Australia? How was the experience like for all of you?

Shortly after my 15th birthday I fell into a deep and unshakeable depression. It manifested itself in very violent and angry behaviour. I got into numerous physical fights, refused to hand in assignments and spent most of my time in the school library reading instead of attending classes. I remember thinking of the futility of education when it was likely that we would all end up dead at the flick of a button. What was the point of calculus, social studies and human biology in the event of an all out World War like they kept talking about on TV when I went home every evening sulking, writing terribly morose journal entries in my diary and crying myself to sleep. I could not eat because of constant anxiety and made several attempts to end my own life when it got out of hand. My parent’s sensed that the environment I was in was causing me great distress. They were also extremely worried about the political circumstances in Pakistan and what it meant for my father’s job and our futures. My parents had applied for American, Canadian, Dutch and Australian visas. The interview processes were often followed by months of silence and then rejection letters. In January 2003, I was 6 months shy of my 16th birthday, due to sit my O level exams and had completely stopped attending school altogether. My parents were frantic. What future was there for a woman in Pakistan especially if she didn’t even have a basic high school graduation? They tried over and over to talk to me about my poor performance at school and my lacklustre behaviour at home but to no avail. I was not living, merely surviving day to day, waiting for something to drop on my house or hurt someone I loved. It was an awful time for me.

On the 11th of March 2004 at 2pm in the afternoon, I was at home with my father who was reading a newspaper in the living room. I remember every detail of this day because that was the day the mailman brought the one envelope that changed the rest of my life. I cannot remember if it was from the Australian Embassy or whether it was from my father’s colleague who had ties to the embassy but I remember him opening the envelope, reading its contents several times before looking like he was going to throw up. “As of tomorrow” he said “I want you to start considering options for your future. Australia is a very competitive country with very intelligent people and you’re going to need to be on top of your class to go to their Universities”. That was it. We were moving to Australia. My family had been granted a 5 year multiple visa and with it came the option of residency and citizenship. The only catch was that we had to be in Australia by the 5th of May. We had little under 2 months to move across continents and start a new life.

With a suitcase and a backpack each, we said our final goodbyes to family and relatives at Peshawar Airport. One of my father’s work colleagues accompanied us to the terminal gates. They had been friends since college. I heard from my mother several years later that he had been assassinated. Rumour was that someone from a rival political party had decided to take a hit out on him to ensure a district election win. The more I think about things like this, the more I take comfort in the workings of Australia’s political and legal system. It is by no means perfect but the safety it offers those of us who are lucky enough to yield it is comforting.

Does your love of vintage stem from your cultural background?

There is a Pashtun saying that our home comes alive in our stories. That is to say our histories and therefore our cultural identity provides us with a sense of belonging or home and this really resonates with me. My family moved to Australia on such short notice, with such little time on our hands that there was never any closure. We barely brought anything with us to the new country to remember it by. I never got to say goodbye properly to my life, my family or friends. I was under the impression that our move was temporary and that I would one day return to my life as I left it. Nearly 14 years have passed and I have not visited “home”. I have lost grandparents, schoolmates, and relatives. Shops, restaurants and parks I went to as a child have been reduced to rubble or ruin. People have moved on. The Pakistan I felt safe in, the Pakistan I grew up in is like a little figurine in a snow globe, a place frozen in time, in a little bubble of reminiscence. There is no reclaiming it nor will I be able to return to those carefree and happy times.

We have seen numerous articles about how Westernised Pakistan was before the 1980s. Is there a lot of vintage now in Pakistan? Do people hold on to those memorabilia or were they destroyed?

One of my favourite pieces of furniture back home was a chest of drawers that my mother had as a teenager in the 1970s. The drawers were part of an old deco set that my maternal grandparents were given as a wedding gift. In the topmost drawer, underneath some very “groovy” 60s lining paper was a little peace symbol, “Janis Joplin forever” and my mother’s initials. When I inherited the bedroom set at 13, my mother showed me this little bit of graffiti and said “When I was a teenager, i wrote this in the drawer to piss your grandmother off”. I was equal parts mesmerised and weirded out. My mother was once a teenager who liked scribbling on furniture to make her mother angry. When I recounted this story in my year 12 drama class, my classmates attempted to discredit me. In their minds it was impossible to believe that a teenager that lived in 1970s Pakistan had ever heard of Janis Joplin. The Pakistan they had heard of in pre social media 2003 was the one overrun by the Taliban and women in blue burqas. It was hard for them to comprehend the Pakistan my parents grew up in.

My father fondly recounts stories of his American Hippie friends whom he met in Peshawar restaurants en route to Kabul. They had been traveling from India and wanted to visit the Bamiyan Buddha statues in Afghanistan. Pakistan was an important destination on what was called the "hippie trail" – an overland route taken by young western backpackers between 1967 and 1979 that ran from Turkey, across Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India, usually ending in Nepal. Numerous low-budget hotels and a thriving tourist industry sprang up (in Peshawar, Lahore and Karachi) to accommodate these travellers. The hippie trail began eroding after the 1977 military coup in Pakistan, the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran and the beginning of the Afghan civil war (in 1979).

My father delighted in telling me stories of discos and cinemas in Kabul and how he and his cousins would go on weekend trips to buy the latest in American style fashion from the markets there. I have seen photos of my mum in smart embroidered Kaftans wearing ridiculously wide bell bottom trousers topped off with big round sunnies. Like many teenage Pakistani girls of her time, my mother’s fashion choices were influenced by the 1974 box-office hit Miss Hippie. A cautionary tale of sorts, the film depicted the "effect hippie lifestyle and fashion were having on Pakistani youth" but ironically this movie seemed to draw more and more youngsters into the hippie fashion scene. When my parents and my relatives talk on skype its not long before the conversation turns to “the good ol days in Pakistan” and if I had not seen the photos with my own eyes I too would have thought they were lying to me. Live music, great food, lots of booze and dancing were the hallmarks of the scene in cities like Karachi and Lahore. Sadly, a lot of the amazing venues and attractions they spoke so lovingly about were closed down by Military Dictator Zia Ul Haq’s government in April 1977.

[Hippie trail into Aghanistan] - By Karte: NordNordWest, Lizenz: Creative Commons by-sa-3.0 de, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, Link

Is there any Pakistani vintage piece that you covet?

There are 3 pieces that I hold very dear to me that I managed to bring with me from Pakistan. The first is a pair of gold earrings my grandmother wore at one of her wedding events in the 50s. My mother wore the very same earrings to her engagement party in 1985 and I wore them as part of my day wear for Miss Pinup Australia 2016. The second is a pair of italian leather shoes my grandmother pestered my grandfather to buy her from Bata Shoes in the late 60s. The number of times they have been cobbled and resoled is incredible! I still wear them in photo shoots from time to time. The last and most important piece to me is my grandmothers rosary. My grandfather had bought her the rosary when he went to Mecca to pay pilgrimage in the early 60s. They are made of a strange kind of early plastic that glows in the dark. My grandmother would constantly be clicking the beads of the rosary, passing each through her nimble calloused fingers, reading short passages from the Quraan. She was hardly ever seen without them. The last time I saw her, she was sitting in front of an old gas heater all misty eyed with her rosary in her hand. When I sat next to her tying my shoelaces, she looked at me and said “i want you to borrow this rosary from me for now but remember to bring it back with you from Australia”. My grandmother passed away two years ago. The rosary has been on my night stand for 14 years, i never got a chance to return it to her.

Are there many Desi women in the vintage scene?

I think there have always been a number of us interested in vintage in some form of the other but the problem has always been exposure to our history and one another. With the advent of social media platforms such as instagram and facebook, we have started becoming more visible. It has become easy to find treasure troves of images, articles and videos from the bygone days showcasing our unique cultures. I know of several vintage loving Desi women that I met on autonomous Women of Colour spaces but wouldn’t have otherwise met because they are self conscious of how they look in vintage. The fact that the presentation of vintage culture and pin up culture is so euro and anglocentric makes a lot of pinups of colour, particularly darker skinned and more ethnic looking pinups feel too self conscious to put themselves out on social media. They often feel like they are “doing it wrong”. Our features and even our vintage ethnic fashion don’t readily fall into the already pre ordained and celebrated vintage or pinup look. An example of this is how coveted pale and almost snowy white skin is in the vintage community. Darker skinned Desi women are already maligned in their own communities for their complexions, and yet are indirectly made to feel unwanted and unattractive in their beloved subculture as well. It is harder for Desi pinups to gain visibility and popularity on social media because history has never placed us in a position to be thought about or considered desirable or conventionally attractive.

Do you find it difficult to be a Desi woman in the pin up industry? Do you think people are surprised that Desi women can and want to be sexy?

I remember when I raised the issue of the lack of diversity in Pinup and vintage publications in Adore Pinup Magazine last year. There was a slough of accusations thrown at myself and the magazine. I was labelled everything from a “reverse racist”, to “a toxic negative nancy”, to a “jealous and ungrateful pinup” all for that one article that discussed the need for change in the Australian vintage scene and the global pinup industry. Apparently, if you are a Desi woman, or a woman of colour, you are expected to be grateful for the one or two token pinups of colour a magazine publishes a year. God forbid you raise hell over the lack of diversity you see in the vintage scene or if you attempt to claim an autonomous online space to celebrate women like yourself. I was lucky that the editor of Adore Pinup Magazine, Brianna Blackheart, addressed the issues I discussed in the article publicly on all of Adore’s social media platforms and backed me up in my arguments. I don’t think I would have continued writing about these issues without her support so early on in my writing.

As far as creating Desi and PoC representation in vintage and pinup goes, the conservative desis in the community feel that I am too racy, too vocal and too sexual to “appropriately” represent Desi femininity while the conservative non PoC feel that I am trying to create a “racial divide” by working on projects such as Pinups of Colour that exclusively celebrates racially and ethnically diverse pinup communities. There is no winning! I feel like people want women like myself to pick a very narrow and carefully constructed box and sit in it very quietly. Every now and then a nice whitewashed hand will come in and either grab my ethnic outfits to be appropriated and if I am VERY good and quiet I will be paraded around like a ventriloquist's dummy parroting phrases that implying (non existent) diversity in the scene. I am sorry but I cannot do that. I refuse to shrink myself to make other people feel comfortable by helping to maintain a status quo and it is just as well as I find it impossible to follow guidelines in order to fit into these boxes anyway!

Staff and students of St Patrick's Teachers' Training College, Karachi, 1956. You can see that for some time during the 1950s-1970s Pakistan strongly adopted Western fashion and culture - Source - Wikimedia Commons.

How did you start wearing vintage? Have you been back since? How do you think you will be accepted there with your tattoos and your look?

I will be honest, I spent my teenage years riddled with insecurity and self doubt because I was one of the few ethnic Desi girls in my predominantly white high school. I stuck out like a sore thumb and at a time where there was a growing mistrust of people from Muslim countries, I was either isolated by my peers or ostracised by them. Vintage clothing gave me a way to feel comfortable with a body that at times felt like a battlefield. As a new migrant whose parents didn’t have much of an income, op-shopping was equal parts necessity and thrill! Much like vintage fashion, tattoos have helped me embrace my body. I wouldn’t say all my tattoos have stories behind them but a vast majority of them were inspired by moments in my life where I felt something move me to my core. I view my body as a passport and see each tattoo as a little stamp for moments in my journey, from my darkest moments to the happier ones.

Tattooing in the Indian subcontinent is not unheard of but it isn’t as common as it is in Australia. This is partly due to conservative culture in countries with little separation between church and state. Tribal facial tattoos were common among the early pagan Pashtuns, however, my ethnic group gave up these customs upon the advent of Arab Islam in the 12th century. While some tribal women in Pakistan’s far north still practise stick and poke facial tattooing, a manual method involving charcoal pigment being inserted into the skin using hand fashioned bone needles, tattooing as a Pashtun art form is almost non existent these days. When our tattooing history is brought up in conversations nowadays, our people refer to that period in our history as the “dark ages” and dismiss the practise as uncivilised. As I haven’t visited Pakistan since starting my body modification journey, I really don’t know how people would react to my body art or style of dressing. I suppose it would be no different to how tattooed ladies got treated in the 20s and 30s in America or Australia!

What is the one thing you want people to know about you?

I am one of those people who is passionate about social justice issues, particularly issues pertaining to the representation and rights of people of colour. Sometimes this passion is severely misread as spiteful. I am angry. Of course! How can you not be angry in this day and age when women, especially women of colour, receive the short end of the stick? My anger derives from hurt, from isolation and from the yearning to have my identity recognised as valid. It is frustrating to be denied representation in the subcultures I love. It is disappointing to be overlooked on the basis of appearance. It is heartbreaking to be denied a space in my own ethnic and cultural group because I defy convention. I am angry but I am not doing it to be spiteful. I am doing it because nice women seldom make history. There are some people who have the luxury to stand by idly and watch the world plummet into darkness. I do not have this luxury. It’s not in my nature nor is it in my favour to do so. Besides, I would much rather be a cactus than a wallflower any day.

#norafinds #around the world with vintage #atwwv #interview #series #blog #pakistan #pakistani #australian #australia #pin up #midcentury mermaid #laila shalimar

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