#nol negotiator

[elkieselkiewrites]

OC Kiss Week 25

Day 7: Caught

Ship: Renia/Nol/Bolek

WIP: The Postmaster's Apprentice

Warnings: Coitus interruptus, polyamory negotiations

~*~

It was still cold as they made their way down the mountain, but the deeper into the foothills they got, the greener things were becoming. Gone were the scree and crags, crevices filled with snow, instead there were trees and shrubs, some laden with bright spring leaves, others heavy with blossom. The road followed the river for a way and the banks were bursting with wild garlic, the smell unmistakable on the breeze.

They could all but see Thedenfast in the far distance, and spirits were high. They stopped at the place their mountain tributary met the river proper, to wash and refill their waterskins. Neer got a fire going to cook the last of the fresh provisions, while the others walked the banks to forage for whatever they could find.

Ida, Til and Luus went towards the shore, Fannan and Aarna towards the woods, while Nol and Renia made off at a leisurely pace back along the tributary's edge, picking garlic as they went.

Bolek watched them as they wandered from the sight of the campfire, his expression stony. Neer watched Bolek in turn.

"My cousin is a good Wey, Mister Bolek. You needn't worry for your wife's safety." He said.

Bolek's eyes fell to where Neer was stood. "I know that, Neer. He is kind to her, affectionate. She deserves affection."

Neer hummed as he sliced another carrot and dropped it into the pot. "As her husband are you not the one to give it to her then?"

"I squandered my chance at such things. She is happy with him in a way she never was with me. I shall not ruin that for her."

They were quiet for a moment, the sound of the water bubbling in the pot joining that of the river beside them.

"Nol is fond of you too, you know."

"I am glad of it. He is intelligent, and passionate about his profession. That is admirable."

Neer seemed to be looking at him expectantly. "He enjoys your company, and would do regardless of his feelings for your wife."

Bolek watched the fire silently.

With a sigh, Neer threw the rest of the chopped sausage into the pot, and wiped his hands on the rag in his belt. "I wouldn't ordinarily pry into other folks' business, but this concerns our Nol, so it concerns me. You are making yourself miserable, Mister Bolek. They have made their way off on their own somewhere, so perhaps you should take this opportunity to speak to them both away from prying ears. Even if the outcome is the very same one you are worrying over in your head, at least you can find some peace in certainty, hmm?"

Bolek regarded Neer carefully for a moment, before agreeing quietly and getting to his feet. "You are so often acting the clown, Neer, that I forget you have some wisdom between those tufted ears of yours."

Neer's face lit up, the aforementioned ears twitching. "It'd serve you well to remember that, Mister Bolek."

A small smile tugged at Bolek's lips, and he made his way along the riverbank towards where his wife and her beau had gone.

It didn't take long for the undergrowth to thicken, and the path made by two sets of feet to become clearer through the garlic and sedge. He followed the trail for a while as it wound through the spindly trees and into the thicket. Soon, between the rush of water and intermittent birdsong, Bolek could hear laughter.

He slowed as the voices grew nearer, and stopped beside a large birch tree when he finally caught sight of them. What he saw made his pulse jump.

In a small clearing dappled by the afternoon sun, were two familiar figures. Nol was sat astride Renia's lap and had loosened her long hair from its confines, running his hands through her curls. Her hands sat atop his hips and she was kissing him with fervour. Their kisses were peppered with words that Bolek could not hear, but Renia's smile was wide, and Nol's soft, and it made Bolek's heart ache.

Nol deepened the kiss, and Renia's hands drifted down to undo the laces that kept his hose together, sliding beneath the fabric to cup him there. Nol broke the kiss with a gasp, his hands falling from Renia's hair to undo the lacing in the front of her dress, then the bodies underneath until Renia's breasts could be freed from her shift.

Bolek realised with a flush of shame that he was voyeur to his own wife's affair. He was a cuckold, and yet the hot, tight feeling under his skin seemed to suggest he was not as upset at that prospect as he ought to be. He took a step, to make his way to the riverbank once more, when a branch beneath his feet snapped audibly.

He turned to see the two scrabbling to re-fasten their clothes as hurriedly as they could, and Bolek heard his name being called, though he could not tell in that moment which of them had said it.

Nol was the one to catch up to him first. "Bolek, could you wait a moment, please."

Dutifully Bolek slowed.

"I'm sorry you happened upon us like that. We hadn't intended to sneak off to do anything clandestine, I promise."

"You needn't apologise, Nol. I told Renia that she should have the opportunity to choose, and it appears she has made her choice."

Nol huffed, his tail flicking from side to side. "Bolek, do you love your wife?"

Bolek frowned. "I hadn't expected to, but yes, for what it's worth."

"For what it's worth?" Nol parrotted. "It's worth a lot! Do you think Renia indifferent to you? She allowed you a second chance, and you have given it up before you even had chance to try."

"She is clearly in love with you, Nol, and I do not blame her. Nor do I begrudge you her favour. You are a better man than I, and you both deserve what happiness this life can afford you."

Nol's gaze was heavy as he considered the man in front of him.

"I love Renia. I have never met another soul who fits mine so well. Were she free to marry I might have already asked her. But she is not, because of you. I thought I would resent you for that, but I do not." Nol sighed. "Against my better judgement, Bolek, I have grown fond of you too."

"I do not need your pity, Favalan." Bolek snapped.

Nol reached out towards Bolek's hand, touching his palm tentatively. "Do you not feel you deserved a second chance?"

"I squandered my first, caused pain and misfortune. She deserves to be happy."

Nol smiled. "So do you."

Their hands intertwined then and Bolek's gaze met Nol's, searching and uncertain.

"I had no reason to like you, Bolek, but I do. You are a good man under that Gorian chill. If you were to give up on us now, I would miss you very much."

"You would?"

"Renia would also, I suspect, but I cannot speak for her."

"I don't know what you are asking of me." Bolek said, breathlessly.

Nol beckoned him down to his eye level, and Bolek went. He was surprised at how flushed he felt with his face so close to Nol's.

"I'm asking for you to let yourself be happy, Bolek." Nol replied, running a thumb along his sharp cheekbone. "You make me happy, perhaps you'd give me the chance to make you happy too?"

Bolek swallowed thickly, eyes flitting between Nol's eyes and lips. Slow as cold honey he pressed his lips against Nol's, and Nol sighed into it.

"I see you two have had a conversation I was not party to." Came a voice from behind them.

Bolek tore himself away from the Favalan to see Renia, flushed and tousled, watching the two men with a fond smile. She walked towards Nol, kissing him softly on the lips, before turning to Bolek and kissing him in turn.

"You are not unwanted, Bolek." She whispered. "Perhaps next time you happen upon us in such a situation, you might join us instead?"

Feeling slightly overwhelmed, Bolek kissed his wife again, almost frantically, and she laughed against it. "Come, I think I smell too much of garlic now to continue here."

"We had better take some back with us, lest anyone think we aren't pulling our weight with this foraging lark." Nol said with a sly glance to Bolek.

Joy began to bubble up from within Bolek's chest and he laughed brightly, taking Nol's hand in his own once more. "Well, we wouldn't want them thinking that."

[nolanel-corbeaux]

Smash or Pass - Nolanel Corbeaux

Quick Facts

height: 6’11’’

age: 35

gender: cis male

pronouns: he/him

sexuality: pansexual

Pros

Super nerd who loves to read to you

Always looking to learn and to explore

An adventurer at heart!

A kindhearted soul always wanting to leave the world better than when he found it

Loves to cuddle and whisper affirmations

Has a pet skink named Bookmark c:

Cons

A bad habit of being arrogant in his field of study

Low tolerance for spicy foods

Likes Archon’s Loaf (it’s a fine food for studying, damn it)

Can overshare on a subject he likes

More heart than skill when it comes to fighting

Details

Grew up in Sharlayan which led to becoming an academic in the (then unknown/unnamed) field of Dynamis (emotional aether as he called it at the time). Defending his study on it earned him his Archon mark which he proudly displays on his right cheek.

He even forged his own Paladin stone based on his research of Dynamis and Light/Holy aether. This led to him leaving his home to explore Eorzea in search of free Paladins to learn from.

Nol can be extremely and unabashedly flirtatious to those he holds feelings for.

His skink, Bookmark, goes with Nol everywhere. This is non-negotiable.

Owing to an incident in which he accidentally absorbed too much light-aspected aether into his Paladin stone, his body is now a magnet for the same loose elements in the environment. This has given him the need to periodically burn off excess Light aether, generally through physical exertion.

Sexually: Switch depending on the preferences of his partner. Usually a dom, but is happy to sub, too. Top or bottom in deference to his partner(s).

Romantically: Loves wholly and completely. Has a lot of love to give, being polyamorous as well. He will only sleep with those he is committed to, however.

THERE YOU GO.

Nolanel is my boy and I love him very much. I hope others can see him as I do as well. :)

Thank you @hazelkjt, @this-is-ris, and @iron-sparrow for tagging me in this game! It was fun to write up :)

As for who I want to tag...YOU! I want to see ALL the Smash/Pass!

[diskaywrites]

Nothing Lasts Forever or So I'm Told

𝐒𝐨𝐧𝐠: 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐚 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐕𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠: 𝐄𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐏𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐱 𝐍𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐞 𝐀𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐞 (𝐨𝐜) 𝐌𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐎𝐟: 𝐍𝐨𝐚𝐡 𝐀𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐞 (𝐨𝐜), 𝐌𝐜𝐊𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐚 𝐅𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 (𝐨𝐜), 𝐊𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐲 𝐎𝐦𝐞𝐠𝐚, 𝐋𝐮𝐤𝐞 𝐆𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐬, 𝐊𝐚𝐫𝐥 𝐀𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧, 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐌𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭: 𝟏, 𝟑𝟐𝟔

The last few weeks had been both some of the best in Nolee Angle's life and the worst in Nolee Angle's life. For the first time in her Impact Wrestling career she had been doing so, so well. Gone were the days of losing matches against talent that she knew deep down she was just as good as, women like her sister-in-law McKenna Fleming or her biggest rival Deonna Purrazzo. Her quick rise to fame had even drew in the attention of the newly minted World Champion Kenny Omega and his Elite. Everything in her personal career felt like she was on top of the world.

But the career of the team comprised of her brother Noah and her best friend Ethan Page? The career of The North could not be going any worse. It had started when the duo had lost the Impact Tag Team Championships to the Good Brothers, Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson, after only twenty-one days. Everything since then had began to fall in around the team, no matter how hard Nolee tried to keep them together. Noah would blame Ethan for losses the longer that the losses happened. Ethan, in return, had began to withdraw from group activities more and more. In fact, the last time that Nolee could recall seeing the two interact was at Noah's Christmas party.

A Christmas party that held the memory of Nolee's first real kiss, Ethan pressed close to her, even if it was under the guise of working on their IPWF characters together.

The memory still lingered at the back of her mind, especially considering the fact that the duo hadn't talked about it since. The conversations were growing lesser and lesser. The trips to little coffee shops and to get lunch together had grown more and more sporadic. Nolee felt as if she had done something wrong, remembering at how the same Christmas party, she had seen Ethan kiss Scarlett from across the room, right before she had been ready to admit just how much she loved him. Her heart felt like it was slowly being pulled from her chest, bit by bit and piece by piece.

The locker room even seemed to have lost the shine that had echoed through its halls as Nolee sat her bag on the bench McKenna always reserved for her on show days, but Nolee was glad to be back to work. Impact was one of the only companies that gave their locker room a break for the holiday season, which left Nolee with no work until the schedule picked back up in January. The joy seemed to be teetering on nonexistent since the arrival of The Elite, but Nolee could feel an electric feeling bubbling underneath.

"She just got in…" McKenna mumbled into her cell as Nolee started to change into her ring gear, only briefly meeting her gaze, "I gotta go. I'll…I'll call you later if…yeah…love you."

Nolee was just pulling on her red, white, and blue lycra pants when McKenna turned to look at her, "Noah doing okay? Don't tell me he's still stuck in his feud with Meyers?"

"Nols…honey…we gotta talk," McKenna's voice sounded sad, almost as if she wasn't sure how to approach the coming topic. The larger frame of the other woman sat on the wooden bench next to Nolee, her brow wrinkled in thought. "You…um…Nah had a meeting today with Scott."

"Did it go good? It didn't sound like it went well," Nolee gave a nervous chuckle, pressing her hands into her hips as she watched her sister-in-law, "Contract negotiations?"

"Not…not for him," McKenna licked her lips nervously, and for the first time, Nolee noticed how quiet the locker room was. The room was usually filled with the excited sounds of her niece Daisy and nephew Everett, especially after a small break like this. If Noah had a business meeting, where were the kids?

"Ethan looking out for the kiddos while he's in the meeting?" Nolee questioned out loud as she slipped into the bralette she wore to the ring. She barely caught the look of pain in McKenna's eyes as she adjusted how the top fit. "Kenna?"

"Nolee…" McKenna's normally powerful voice, one that matched her fiery spirit, was soft and almost whispered, "Noah has the kids, but Nolee…shit…you're gonna wanna sit down…"

"That's weird. Like, I know Ethan and Noah are fighting, but if Noah had a business meeting, Ethan wouldn't punish the kids like that."

"𝐸𝑡𝘩𝑎𝑛 𝑙𝑒𝑓𝑡, 𝑁𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑒. 𝐻𝑒'𝑠 𝑑𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑤𝑖𝑡𝘩 𝐼𝑚𝑝𝑎𝑐𝑡."

It felt as if Nolee had ran chest first into one of McKenna's clotheslines. There was no sound in the room for a moment, save for the ticking of the clock that hung above the door. 𝐿𝑒𝑓𝑡.ᐣ How could Ethan have just 𝑙𝑒𝑓𝑡.ᐣ

"You…you're 𝑙𝑦𝑖𝑛𝑔. 𝑌𝑜𝑢'𝑟𝑒 𝑙𝑦𝑖𝑛𝑔. He's…he's got a match at Hard to Kill!" Nolee protested, shaking her head adamantly.

"A pre-tape. Scott told Noah that Ethan's got a pre-tape segment tonight and a pre-tape match at Hard to Kill, both against Karate Man," Mckenna's voice was even, not reacting to the fact that Nolee had chosen to yell at her.

𝐾𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑀𝑎𝑛. The phrase left a bitter taste in Nolee's mouth, as if she had been force-fed a fistful of poison. The last moment the trio of The North had shared in the ring before the holiday break had been marred by the odd showing from Ethan. Noah had been facing off against Brian Meyers, Nolee cheering him on from ringside. Brian had slipped from the ring to yell at her, getting into Nolee's face. In the blink of an eye, Ethan had ran out to ringside to separate the two, taking a spin kick that was meant for her. When Ethan had gone down, Nolee had watched him disappear underneath the ring. She had known something was wrong the longer it took him to emerge from underneath the apron.

When he had emerged with the red bandana around his head, the demeanor to the arena had changed.

Ethan had cost Noah the match, using skills developed from the very real training in karate to get his revenge on Biran with a few hard strikes. Noah had been confused, at first, when Ethan had turned on him in that same pre-attack position. That confusion had turned to anger, removing his mouthguard and his head gear as Nolee got in between the two men. She had tried to explain that Ethan hadn't meant it, but Noah had still yelled that Ethan was sick and needed help before storming out. It was then that Nolee had turned to Ethan, whose position had not changed. It looked as if at any time he would strike, even as she had placed a hand on his arm.

None of the three had talked about it in the weeks before now, but it wasn't a reason for Ethan to have left without saying goodbye.

𝐻𝑒 𝑙𝑒𝑓𝑡 𝑤𝑖𝑡𝘩𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑠𝑎𝑦𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑔𝑜𝑜𝑑𝑏𝑦𝑒. It was that realization that finally broke the dam inside of Nolee, eliciting a loud half-sob/half-scream from her lips as she collapsed to her knees. Fat, hot tears slipped down her cheeks and it wasn't long until McKenna was kneeling in the floor with her, strong arms cradling Nolee to her chest. McKenna was the only person Nolee had admitted her true feelings to. McKenna knew that Nolee loved Ethan.

"Shh, shh," McKenna's hand rubbed small circles into Nolee's back, pressing a kiss to the top of her blonde hair, "I know."

"He didn't say goodbye," Nolee sobbed, trying to get a handle on her emotions, but failing. She had known that the end of the North was coming, that had never been an issue. Nolee had prepared for the three to go their separate ways as long as they could all stay in the same company. See you later's were common in the industry, but this was a wordless goodbye.

And that was the worst thing Nolee could imagine.

[saadhabeeb7]

Living Expenses in Dubai in 2025: What Expats Need to Know

How Much Does It Really Cost to Live in Dubai in 2025?

As always, Dubai remains the favorite among expatriates, entrepreneurs, and dreamers. With the rapid development in the city, you may wonder: Is the live in Dubai cost still attainable for new entrants?

Here is a guide to demystifying living expenses in Dubai, providing realistic figures, and sharing smart tips for expats.

Breaking Down the Costs: Living Expenses in Dubai for Expats

Dubai offers a lifestyle ranging from luxuries to ones which are modest. Here are the main essential living expenses in Dubai:

1. Housing Costs

Renting an apartment:

A studio apartment costs between AED 25,000-40,000 per year on areas such as Deira or International City. These figures increase when you decide to rent luxury apartments in Downtown Dubai - costing more than AED 100,000.

Most young expatriates share accommodation to save costs.

2. Utility Bills

As per usage, electricity, waters, and cooling (DEWA) bills depict a variegated profile within the range of AED 300-1,000 per month.

Always factor in service charges when renting.

3. Groceries

A couple spends around AED 800-1,500 in a month on grocery shopping.

Hypermarkets like Carrefour or Lulu would ensure great savings for expats in Dubai.

4. Transport

Metro buses have starting charges of AED 300 monthly.

The cost of ownership includes operating costs for fuel (cheap as compared to global rates) plus insurance.

5. Medical and Health Insurance

Health insurance is compulsory. A basic health plan costs around AED 500-1,500 per annum.

Expats must go for the comprehensive ones, so there are no surprises after spending from their pockets above the bills.

Factors that Determine the Live in Dubai Cost for Expats

Not every expat will have the same lifestyle as the other.

Tips for Expats in Dubai to Cut Down on Living Expenses

You can live quite smartly and save a lot on your expenses in Dubai:

Negotiate rental prices with landlords, as most are open to negotiate the rentals if rent is paid three months in advance.

Use Nol cards: Save money on metro, tram, bus rides.

Rather than going to expensive restaurants, find local foundries: those cheap gems.

Group healthcare plans: Check whether your employer provides it so that you can save on the much better healthcare offered.

Utilities management: Install energy efficient devices in households to cream down DEWA bills.

Areas for Cheap Living for Expatriates in Dubai

Live in these places to make living in Dubai cost-effective:

International City: Cheap studios starting AED 20,000 a year and above.

Dubai Silicon Oasis: Good rents for families.

Jumeirah Village Circle (JVC): An area where young professionals found popularity.

Al Nahda: An area very close to the Dubai-Sharjah border known for the very affordable rates.

Living in Dubai comes with both luxurious and affordable options. If you're considering family-friendly communities, make sure to check out our guide on Best Family Communities to Invest in Dubai in 2025

Common Budgeting Mistakes That Expats Do in Dubai

These are the mistakes that most expatriates in Dubai tend to make on their early days:

Ignoring hidden costs such as service fees and municipality taxes.

Underestimating school fees while relocating with kids.

Misusing credit cards for lustful acquisitions.

Failing to compare healthcare adequately.

Overspending on unnecessary luxuries early in the stay.

Of course, like much above, avoid these mistakes, and life on a budget becomes that much easier to attain in Dubai!

Final Thoughts : Will Dubai Be Cost Effective for the Expats in the Year 2025?

Indeed, situating Dubai in the year 2025 is found still affordable to some extent; it really depends more on the choices someone would make in terms of lifestyle.

Well-planned affluent expats will control spending and choose the right area to enjoy everything Dubai has to offer without going bankrupt.

Whether it's shining a light on your career aspirations or simply starting a brand-new life, expats in-between luxury and affordability can still find the balance in Dubai.

Are you ready to get moving into Dubai?

N&M Real Estate specializes in tailoring the services to the needs of home-seeking expats in identifying homes that can fit their lifestyles and budget.

From budget apartments to luxury villas, we have it all.

Get in touch today to get personalized property recommendations for your new Dubai adventure!

🔗 Check out our New Projects in Dubai Now!

For more Dubai insights check out Blog pages

Private Consultations Book: contact us

checkout my website for Real Estate  services and buy you first property

[the-blackbird-roleplays]

Nolan groaned softly as he was settled back on the bed, hand to his head as his headache only got worse.

"Yeah... Nol... Nolan. Nolan Bouchard... I'm... I'm a pro gamer and streamer and... And..."

...

His eyes suddenly shot open and he launched himself out of the bed, pushing Takemi's hand away from his neck as he glared at her.

"Where's Ann. Ann and the others. Where are they!? I need to get back to them! Now!!"

Unfortunately for Nolan... A man standing bare naked has little negotiating power... But a man filled with rage and righteous anger... That offset his current state of undress...

DedSpec Phantom Saga Chapter 6

Doctors Visit

Closed with @the-blackbird-roleplays

Darkness. Nothing but darkness.

...

And then, there was some light

"Hey, hey, wake up. That's it, nearly there." A soft, supportive voice spoke to Nolan

Standing over the awakening Nolan was a gothic/punk themed woman in a lab coat. The woman, with short dark blue hair, hummed as she put a pen light back into her coats pocket, a light that not too long ago had been shinning into Nolan's eyes

"Welcome back to the land of the living." she commented as she took a few steps back, sitting on a chair and crossing her long legs. The two within a small looking doctors office, the lights being rather... dull. "I am Doctor Tae Takemi, how are you feeling Nolan?" she asked while picking up a clipboard and writing some notes

[traveltourguide]

Essential Travel Information for Visiting the Dubai in 2023

Before embarking on your journey to this vibrant city, it’s essential to gather some valuable information that will enhance your experience and ensure a smooth visit. This guide aims to provide you with the necessary knowledge about Dubai’s culture, visa requirements, local customs, weather, transportation, attractions, and safety tips. By familiarizing yourself with these aspects, you’ll be better prepared to make the most of your time in Dubai.

I. Culture and Etiquette :

Islamic culture: Dubai follows Islamic traditions and customs, and it’s crucial to respect local traditions and sensitivities.

Dress code: Modest clothing is expected in public places, especially when visiting religious sites or government buildings. Beachwear is acceptable at beaches and pools.

Ramadan: If your visit coincides with the holy month of Ramadan, be aware of the cultural practices and the impact it may have on dining, entertainment, and dress code.

Greetings and gestures: Handshakes are common, but it’s polite to greet people of the opposite sex with a nod or a slight bow. Public displays of affection should be avoided.

Religious sites: When visiting mosques or other religious sites, dress modestly and follow the guidelines provided by the place of worship.

II. Visa Requirements :

Visa types: Check the visa requirements based on your nationality and the purpose and duration of your visit. Common types include tourist visas, transit visas, and employment visas.

Visa application: Apply for a visa well in advance through the appropriate channels, such as the UAE embassy or an authorized visa processing center.

Visa validity: Ensure that your visa covers the entire duration of your stay in Dubai. Overstaying can result in fines or other legal issues.

Passport validity: Your passport should have a minimum validity of six months from the date of entry into Dubai.

III. Weather and Best Time to Visit :

Climate: Dubai has a desert climate with scorching summers and mild winters. Summers can be extremely hot, with temperatures often exceeding 40°C (104°F).

Best time to visit: The ideal time to visit Dubai is during the cooler months between November and April when temperatures are more pleasant for outdoor activities.

Peak tourist season: Dubai experiences a surge in tourism during the winter months, particularly around December and January. Book accommodation and attractions in advance during this period.

Ramadan considerations: Visiting during Ramadan can provide a unique cultural experience, but it’s essential to be mindful of the altered schedules and restrictions on dining and entertainment.

IV. Transportation and Getting Around :

Dubai International Airport: Dubai’s main airport is one of the busiest in the world and offers excellent connectivity to various destinations. Familiarize yourself with the airport facilities and transportation options.

Public transportation: Dubai has an extensive public transportation network, including the Dubai Metro, buses, and water taxis (abras). The Nol card is a convenient payment option for using public transport.

Taxis and ride-hailing services: Taxis are readily available in Dubai and can be hailed on the street or booked through ride-hailing apps like Uber and Careem. Ensure the meter is used or negotiate a fare in advance.

Renting a car: Renting a car is a popular option for exploring Dubai and the surrounding areas. Familiarize yourself with local driving laws, obtain the necessary permits, and consider parking availability.

Traffic and peak hours: Dubai experiences heavy traffic, especially during peak hours. Plan your journeys accordingly and allow extra time for travel.

Dubai Metro: The Dubai Metro is a reliable and efficient way to get around the city. Familiarize yourself with the metro routes, timings, and fare structure.

V. Popular Attractions and Activities :

Burj Khalifa: The tallest building in the world, offering stunning views of Dubai from its observation decks.

Palm Jumeirah: An iconic man-made island featuring luxurious resorts, restaurants, and entertainment options.

Dubai Mall: One of the largest malls globally, housing numerous retail outlets, entertainment attractions, and the famous Dubai Aquarium.

Jumeirah Mosque: A beautiful mosque that offers guided tours to non-Muslim visitors, providing insights into Islamic culture.

Desert safari: Experience the thrill of dune bashing, camel riding, and traditional Arabian entertainment in the desert.

Dubai Marina: A vibrant waterfront area with stunning architecture, fine dining, and leisure activities.

Souks: Visit the traditional markets, such as the Gold Souk and Spice Souk, to immerse yourself in the local shopping culture.

Dubai Creek: Explore the historic heart of Dubai through a traditional boat ride (abra) along the creek.

Dubai Museum: Located in the Al Fahidi Fort, the museum showcases Dubai’s heritage and history.

Theme parks: Dubai is home to various theme parks, including IMG Worlds of Adventure, Dubai Parks and Resorts, and Aquaventure Waterpark.

VI. Safety and General Tips

Local laws and regulations: Familiarize yourself with the laws of Dubai and ensure you adhere to them, especially regarding public behavior, alcohol consumption, and photography.

Health and safety: Ensure you have adequate travel insurance and take necessary precautions, such as staying hydrated, using sunscreen, and following hygiene practices.

Currency and payment: The local currency is the UAE Dirham (AED). Credit cards are widely accepted, but it’s advisable to carry cash for smaller establishments and street vendors.

Language: Arabic is the official language, but English is widely spoken, particularly in tourist areas.

Photography: Respect people’s privacy and avoid taking photographs of government buildings, military installations, and locals without their permission.

Respect for the UAE flag: Treat the UAE flag with respect, as any form of disrespect is considered an offense.

Respect for Ramadan: During Ramadan, avoid eating, drinking, or smoking in public during daylight hours out of respect for those who are fasting.

Emergency contacts: Save important contact numbers, including your embassy or consulate, local police, and emergency services, in case of any unforeseen circumstances.

Conclusion : Dubai offers a captivating blend of tradition and modernity, and by equipping yourself with knowledge about the local culture, visa requirements, transportation options, attractions, and safety tips, you can make the most of your visit. Respect for local customs, adherence to laws and regulations, and a spirit of curiosity and adventure will ensure an unforgettable experience in this vibrant city. Prepare well, embrace the unique experiences Dubai offers, and enjoy your time exploring the wonders of this cosmopolitan destination.

[nol-an]

when our stars aligned || n. patrick

hello everyone! i’m super excited to finally be posting this slow burn, friends-to-lovers fic that has been in the works for almost a month now!

grab a drink and some snacks, this one’s 12.5k words (and not proofread oops)! as always, feedback is appreciated <3 enjoy!

__________

+ her

Your sweater-clad figure collapsed into your plush mattress as soon as you finished your last assignment for the day. After a hell week of university, you couldn’t wait to spend the rest of your night de-stressing and indulging in the bottle of wine that had been calling your name since the beginning of the week. You wanted nothing more than to catch up on the Bachelorette —because who doesn’t love trash TV— and to coil yourself in blankets for the rest of the night. 

On the other hand, your best-friend-slash-roommate, Maya, had different plans. She was fully convinced that the only proper remedy to your school-induced slump was a night out on the town. However, you knew that Maya’s plans for you would really just result in you third-wheeling her and her boyfriend, Joel. You don’t even need to ask your friend to know that Joel would be coming along too because the two were a package deal. Although you don’t mind Joel and think he’s a wonderful match for your long-time friend, the last thing you need is to be awkwardly tagging along with the sometimes overly-affectionate couple.

After a back-and-forth negotiation that seemed to last hours, you finally agreed to Maya’s proposition after she offered to wash the dishes and take out the trash for the next two weeks. You still expressed that you wouldn’t be happy if you came across any Bachelorette spoilers while you were out with Maya and Joel, but eventually, your mind became occupied by thoughts of what to wear. Deciding not to think too much into your outfit, you settled for a Pittsburgh Penguins pullover and your comfiest pair of black jeans. You sprayed yourself with perfume and glanced in your mirror one last time before leaving your room with the hopes of returning to your tempting bed soon.

As Joel’s car pulled into the parking lot of your and Maya’s apartment complex, you soon noticed a figure in the passenger seat. Squinting to see if you recognized the man, all you could deduce was that he had long hair and florid cheeks. Turning to Maya in confusion, your best friend looked unbothered as a grin spread across her face at the sight of her boyfriend. You trailed behind her as she jogged towards Joel’s car. She promptly gave him a peck on his cheek before giving the stranger in the passenger seat a hug. Huh, so maybe he wasn’t a stranger after all.

It only took you a few seconds afterwards to realize what was going on.

You were going to kill Maya.

As if she read your mind, your best friend waved you over to the car. Deciding to play nice for the sake of Maya and her excitement, you plastered on your best I-don’t-want-to-be-here-but-you-don’t-know-that smile, and greeted the two guys.

“Y/N, this is Nolan, one of Joel’s friends,” Maya explained. “I know you said you didn’t wanna third wheel, so Joel and I, being the wonderful friends we are, took what you said to heart,” she laughed as she watched your smile twitch a little.

It always took you a while to warm up to strangers and being your best friend of three years, Maya knew you were going to give her an earful after the night was over. So, she figured she’d at least have some fun while she was at it. Your eyes sent daggers in her direction before you waved at Joel and stuck your hand out to greet Nolan.

Other than his small smile that you would’ve missed if you weren’t as observant, Nolan didn’t give much indication that he wanted to be here, either. Great. You couldn’t read his expressions, but you hoped to god that this night wouldn’t be as awkward as you think it’s going to be.

Shortly after the introductions, you and Nolan are squeezed into the back of Joel’s car as him and Maya bicker over who should get the aux. Rolling your eyes, you turn to Nolan, who looks quite amused at the couple’s antics. Figuring it wouldn’t hurt to break the ice, you attempted to start a conversation with Nolan.

“I’m guessing this isn’t the first time you’ve been stuck in the same space as Joel and Maya, either?” you joked.

He chuckled and angled his body a little closer towards you. “Unfortunately it’s not. If I’m being honest, this is not how I envisioned my Friday night going.”

Immediately processing his own words, a blush formed across his cheeks. “I- that’s not what I meant. I mean, I’m sure you’re a wonderful person, but Joel told me that we were getting food with Maya. I didn’t know this,” he used his right hand to gesture around the car, “was his actual plan,” he explained.

You couldn’t stop the giggle that escaped your lips, your eyes glinting with amusement. “I’m in the same boat. No one mentioned that you were coming, but honestly, I’m glad I’m not third-wheeling because I wanna puke every time they get too lovey-dovey.”

Nolan nodded in agreement, “You know what, Y/N? I think we’re gonna get along just fine.”

Relieved that Nolan was a lot less intimidating than you initially thought, you agreed with his comment and thanked the gods that this night was starting to look up.

“But there is one issue,” Nolan spoke up.

Your raised eyebrows cued him to speak again.

“I don’t know how I feel about that Pens sweatshirt of yours.”

+ him

“Dude, what the fuck are you doing?” an amused Kevin Hayes emerged from his room. He’d been living with Nolan for quite some time now, but the last thing he expected was to wake up to the sight of his roommate organizing their apartment, dust swiffer and all. There was even a vase of fresh flowers that Kevin sure as hell didn’t buy or remember seeing last night.

“Isn’t it fucking obvious, Hayesy? I’m cleaning the place,” Nolan deadpanned.

“Ok firstly, no shit. I was hoping you’d explain why you’re cleaning. I didn’t even know we had this much cleaning supplies,” Kevin quipped back, glancing over at the array of window and wood cleaner that was haphazardly strewn across the kitchen counter.

“Y/N is coming over,” Nolan curtly responded. He didn’t need to turn his focus away from scrubbing away the stove top’s stains to know that his roommate had a shit-eating grin on his face.

“I thought you said the two of you were just friends?”

“Can’t friends hang out?” Nolan retaliated.

“Sure, they can. But why are you disinfecting this whole place? Teeks comes over all the time and you never do this for him,” Kevin pointed out. He knew Nolan enough to know that you weren’t “just a friend.” Nolan talked about you way too much for that to be the case.

“It’s the first time she’s coming over. I just don’t want her thinking we live in a pigsty,” Nolan started, “which is gonna be a little difficult considering you leave your shit all around the place. Plus, don’t act like you’ve never cleaned the place up when you’ve had someone over.”

Kevin was having a little too much fun messing with Nolan. “Okay, first of all, that was one time. And it was for a girl I liked,” Kevin enunciated his last word.

Nolan knew Kevin had a point, but he’d be damned if he let Hayesy know that. Nevertheless, Nolan’s silence gave it away, and that was all Kevin needed to rest his case.

“Deny your feelings all you want, but I know you like her — even if you don’t even know it yourself. Don’t be surprised when I say ‘I-told-you-so,’” Kevin laughed as he headed towards the front door. “m’Gonna head out, but text me if you need anything. Maybe confess your feelings for Y/N while you’re at it.”

Nolan flipped off his roommate. Sometimes he was sure that Kevin was a middle-schooler trapped in a grown man’s body. Why couldn’t you and him be friends without feelings being involved? Nolan was sure you only saw him in a platonic light and he was perfectly fine with that. If anything, he was glad to have met you — in the few months you’ve been in his life, you’ve become a breath of fresh air from his circle of Flyers friends. Sure, he didn’t think the two of you would talk again after the little number that Maya and Joel pulled, but he was glad that his friendship with you bloomed. Not only was he glad to know someone else to tolerate Maya and Joel’s shenanigans with, but he enjoyed how you made him feel like he didn’t have to maintain any facade. Your welcoming aura appreciated Nolan as the goofy, indie music-obsessed Winnipeg native — not a Flyers centerman who was more often than not, under the microscope of Philly and NHL media. He was perfectly content with the friendship and appreciated the soothing presence you offered. Wasn’t that enough of an indication that the two of you were just friends?

Within the next twenty minutes, three knocks on the door vibrated through the apartment, and Nolan rushed to the door to greet you. A smile gleamed on your face and you greeted Nolan with a hug. Although it was your first time hanging out at Nolan’s place — the two of you usually stuck to more public locations — nothing about the exchange was awkward and for that, Nolan was extremely thankful. He knew his quiet demeanor could sometimes scare people away, but you didn’t seem to mind it. Instead, you were patient with him and understood that the two of you would become more comfortable around each other as time wore on.

After setting your bag down on the key table, you casually dove into a story about how you nearly couldn’t make it to Nolan’s apartment because you were convinced you lost your keys.

It was nice, nothing felt stiff and Nolan was relieved that the two of you were able to skip the formalities that usually occur when someone visits for the first time.

Once you wrapped up your story, you finally took the chance to look around Nolan’s home. From the look on your face, Nolan knew you were expecting the place to look different. Whether or not that look was a good thing, however, he wasn’t sure.

“Nols, if I’m gonna be honest here, I was not expecting you and Kevin to have such an organized place,” you laughed, your light-hearted tone indicating that you meant it in the nicest way possible.

Releasing the breath he was holding, Nolan chuckled a bit. “Well, don’t get used to it. It’s only this clean like once a month,” he laughed while scratching the back of his neck. He almost contemplated telling you all the trouble he went through to make sure the apartment was clean for you, but a nagging voice in the back of his head told him not to. Probably a good call. “Can I get you anything to drink?”

“Yea, water would be great,” you sat on one of the kitchen’s bar stools and watched Nolan pad over to the fridge. You couldn’t stop yourself from laughing as you peered into the relatively empty fridge.

The hockey player rolled a chilled water bottle over to you, perplexed by your reaction. “If you have something to say, say it to my face,” Nolan attempted to intimidatingly say. His cheery voice and sheepish smile gave away his tough-guy act, though.

“Just wondering how you have like three things in your fridge. What are you supposed to make with two carrots and eggs?” you chuckled.

Nolan feigned offense. “I’ll have you know that my ultra-busy schedule doesn’t let me go grocery shopping much. You should be honored that I was able to fit you into my agenda.” It wasn’t a lie that time didn’t permit Nolan to go shopping for food often, but he knew that if you wanted to hang, he would’ve found a way to make it work. But that’s normal, right? Friends can be excited to hang out with friends, right?

“So I’m guessing your pantry is just as bad?” you inquired.

“Ever the detective, Y/N,” Nolan confirmed. He opened the pantry door, gesturing to the several empty shelves.

Seconds later, the two of you got into a conversation about your favorite snacks. Nolan wasn’t sure how he found so much entertainment from talking about cookies and chips, but he wasn’t complaining. The discussion eventually moved over to the living space of the apartment, where you and Nolan settled on watching “How to Get Away With Murder” before promptly resuming your increasingly-heated debate on the best snacks.

“I don’t think we can be friends anymore, Nols. How could you possibly like goldfish more than cheez-its?” you seriously questioned.

“They’re the superior snack, can’t do anything about that. That’s like asking me to choose between indie and country music, no competition,” Nolan shrugged.

Promising Nolan that you’d one day convince him otherwise, you let the conversation slowly fade out as the show started. The next few hours passed by in a blur. There were some side-conversations here, and there, but the two of you were mainly focused on the show and enjoying each other’s presence.

You’re not sure when it happened, but you and Nolan started sharing the same blanket. Minutes later, you were curled into his side, your head resting lightly on his right shoulder. You were so close to him that you could feel his body rumble with laughter every time you made a witty comment. Despite the position the two of you were in, things didn’t go further than that. You didn’t think much of it and based on Nolan’s concentration on the show, it didn’t seem like he gave it much thought, either.

It was nice. More than nice, really. You became so comfortable that you had to keep yourself from dozing off. Every once in a while, Nolan’s hand would play with your hair, his gentle movements nearly lulling you to sleep.

Eventually, you two found a good stopping point and you told Nolan that you should start heading home, not wanting to overstay your visit. Although Nolan protested, you insisted that you would definitely find another time to see him soon and that he should hang out with Kevin, who had gotten home just a few minutes ago.

“Text me when you get home, alright?”

“Yea, of course. Don’t watch any episodes without me, okay?” you said, sticking out your pinky to make Nolan promise.

“Only if you bring over some of your homemade chocolate-chip cookies that you talked about earlier,” he bargained.

“Deal,” you waved goodbye to Nolan one last time before slipping out the door. “Tell Hayesy I said hi,” you hollered from down the hall.

Speaking of the devil himself, Kevin walked over to Nolan once he shut the door. Before Kevin could even wipe the smirk off his face, Nolan stopped him.

“Just friends, Hayesy,” Nolan reaffirmed.

+ him

Another few months passed on, and everything proceeded as normal. You and Nolan’s bond inevitably grew, and he could confidently call you one of his best friends. You two made an effort to hang out at least every other week, and your plans ranged from short weekend getaways to study sessions where Nolan attempted to help you cram for tests. Nolan loved every second he spent with you, and he was more than grateful that Maya and Joel had introduced you to him. Eventually, the hang-out regimen that you and Nolan had developed started wavering as the universe had different plans for you two. You had totally forgotten about a major ten page paper you had to do and with the season starting soon, Nolan was back to practices and workout sessions nearly every day.

You two texted and FaceTimed, though, so not all was a lost cause. Especially for Nolan, it felt as if he was spending every minute of his free time talking to or texting you — not that he minded it, anyway. The text conversations were always light-hearted and mostly consisted of funny tweets and song recommendations. Even when you and Nolan called, your minds that were typically flooded with thoughts of school or hockey became more relaxed upon hearing the other’s voice.

After wrapping up a morning skate with Travis, Nolan checked his phones for any notifications.

Hayesy: Y/N is here. Not sure why but she was looking for you.

With panicked eyes, Nolan tried to think of all of the reasons why you’d be at his apartment. The blood nearly drained out of his face at the thought of making plans with you and accidentally forgetting, but he reassured himself that there was no way that was the case.

Is she okay???? Nolan quickly texted before running into the showers.

Nolan had never showered and changed that quickly, and he was almost positive that he put his shirt on backwards as he ran to his car. He mentally cursed Kevin, who for some reason thought it was acceptable to send him a cryptic text about you without any follow-up. You were usually good about texting Nolan about any updates to your life, so Nolan couldn’t help when his mind started conjuring worst-case scenarios.

Once Nolan got to his apartment complex, he sprinted up dozens of flights of stairs thinking that they’d be faster than the elevator. However, coupled with his growing soreness from his earlier workout, each step on the stairs sent rays of pain through his legs and a regret for thinking the stairs would be a good idea.

After it felt like he had run a marathon, the hockey player finally reached his door. He frustratingly searched for his keys, hoping to god you were okay.

Nolan swung the door open with so much force that he was almost sure he’d have to tighten the screws on its hinges. “Y/N?” Nolan called. His frantic eyes searched for your figure, but he was instead met with the sight of his roommate.

“You just missed her,” Kevin replied from the kitchen. In his hand was what looked like a cookie, and behind him was at least three grocery bags. “I told her to stay because I figured you’d be home soon, but she seemed like she was in a rush. Something about a paper she had,” Kevin elaborated, his mouth full of the cookies. “Did you run here from the rink or something? You look like shit,” Hayesy jokingly noted.

Nolan rolled his eyes at his roommate and sighed, genuinely relieved to know that you were alright. As soon as any of the fears of you being hurt left his system, Nolan started thinking about how he would’ve been able to see you had Travis not persuaded him to run extra drills. It had felt like centuries since he last saw you, and seeing you even just for a second would have undoubtedly made his day better. Dammit, Travis.

Deciding he didn’t want to endure any of Kevin’s teasing, Nolan suppressed his disappointment and tried to subtly get more details out of his roommate.

“She didn’t text me about coming over. What did she need?”

“Well, after making fun of us for our empty fridge and pantry, she said gave me all of these bags,” Kevin gestured to the bags behind him. “Said she visited a grocery store nearby and figured she could get some stuff for us, too,” he continued.

A smile graced Nolan’s face as he recalled the conversation you and he shared about his grocery shopping (or lack thereof) habits.

“She also brought over these cookies she made, but I think I’m gonna have to take these for myself,” Kevin grinned, reaching for another cookie from the tupperware container. “Why do my ‘just-friends’ never bake me cookies?” he nearly moaned at the taste of the treats.

“Maybe because you have no restraint and eat cookies that are meant for your roommate, you jerk,” Nolan remarked.

“Hey, I was being nice by telling you she brought these cookies over. If I really wanted to, I could’ve hid these. You can have a bite, though,” he stuck out his already half-eaten cookie in front of Nolan’s face.

Flipping Kevin off, Nolan walked over to the counter with the bags. Pulling out their contents, he slowly started placing everything in the pantry and fridge. In the second bag, he found a box of cheez-its with a small piece of paper tacked on the top.

Doing you a favor by buying you these, no need to thank me. Miss ya lots <3

Under the message, your name was messily etched onto the lined paper along with a smiley face. Nolan could almost hear your feigned-snarkiness through your note.

Once all of the groceries were put away, Nolan returned to his room. He immediately plugged in his phone before pressing your name under his FaceTime contacts. It only took a couple of rings before you picked up. Your hair was in a loose ponytail, large glasses covering your face. You looked exhausted from the stress you were undoubtedly experiencing because of your soon-to-be-due paper, but your positive personality radiated through Nolan’s phone screen nonetheless.

“Should I feel guilty that my snack collection was so pathetic that a busy college student felt compelled to take time out of their day to buy me food?” Nolan joked.

“I felt guilty that we had been friends for months before I found out that your pantry was that pathetic,” you laughed. “But seriously, don’t worry about it. I was in the area and I know you’ve been super busy recently so I figured I could help you out. The cheez-its were the first thing I saw in the store and I thought of you and that conversation we had when I came to your place for the first time,” you sheepishly responded.

Every few seconds, your eyes would dart back to your laptop, where you were taking notes. Nolan knew that you would never want him to think that he was calling you at a bad time, but the laptop’s reflections on your glasses gave away your act. Of course he felt bad, but he was momentarily distracted by the warm feeling that overcame him. It was such a sweet gesture, and he would be lying if he said he didn’t get butterflies at the sound of your confession.

“Y/N you didn’t have to do this, but I really appreciate it. Thanks for the cookies, too. Pretty sure Hayesy destroyed half of the container before I even got home,” Nolan laughed.

“Oh, gosh,” you started, “in hindsight I probably should’ve texted you to let you know I was coming over, but I wanted to surprise you.”

Upon hearing you words, Nolan’s beaming smile grew impossibly wider. And to his dismay, the butterflies came back for a second time.

“Hey, I gotta go but I promise I’ll text you soon. My prof is out for blood with this assignment,” you groaned. “Maybe we can do dinner at your place now that you have more than two things in your fridge.”

Nolan laughed off your banter and nodded in agreement. He felt like a giddy school girl. “Yea, yea of course. We can pick up on ‘How to Get Away With Murder’ while we’re at it.”

“It’s a date,” you flashed him a thumbs up. “Oh, and I think your shirt’s on backwards,” you giggled and tugged at the collar of your own sweater to emphasize your point. Luckily for Nolan, you hung up before you could see his embarrassed expression.

Had it not been for the fact that you called your upcoming plans with Nolan a “date,” he would have cared more about his shirt issue. But, here he was laying in his bed and already counting down the days until he’d get to see you again.

He knew you meant it as a friend date, but could you blame him for envisioning what it’d be like to go on a romantic date with you? He wanted to bake homemade cookies with you, run his fingers through your hair when you were stressed from school, and become consumed in pointless conversations about anything and everything with you. Hell, he even wanted to help you proofread your school papers, even if he’d have no idea what the fuck the Pygmalion Effect is. He adored so many things about you and was more than willing to jump through hoops and hurdles if it meant he could be your source of happiness and support.

And that’s when Nolan knew he was in trouble. He had never let his mind drift this far, and he usually had enough self-restraint to stop himself from envisioning you as his girlfriend. He knew he needed to stop before he dug a hole for himself that he wouldn’t be able to get out of. But if he was being honest, Nolan quite liked the warm feeling he had from the thought of calling you his.

Oh god.

Nolan was so far gone for you. Kevin knew it, his teammates probably knew it from the dozens of times he managed to bring you up in conversations, and now he certainly knew it for himself. What he didn’t know, however, was if you felt the same feeling of anticipation in the pit of your stomach at the thought of being more than just friends.

+ her

After your FaceTime call with Nolan, you finally gathered enough motivation to finish your paper. You weren’t sure if it was because of your excitement to see Nolan or because you were sick of staring at your screen, but you were nonetheless relieved when you sent off the finalized version of your work.

The two of you eventually settled on meeting at his place on Saturday night, which was only a couple of days away.

If you were being frank with yourself, you knew that you were catching feelings for Nolan, but how could you not? He has immaculate music taste, is a great listener, and always knows the best ways to make your off-days better. Not long after you met him for the first time, you had a feeling that it wouldn’t take long for you to want a more-than-friends relationship with him. In fact, it was frightening to acknowledge how much better your life has been now that Nolan is involved. You were a little embarrassed that he was able to sweep you off your feet as quickly as he did, but you couldn’t control how you felt. Well, that’s at least what you kept telling yourself.

You weren’t entirely sure how to deal with your feelings for Nolan. You relied on familiarity and stability in your life, and if Nolan didn’t reciprocate your feelings towards him, there was no doubt all hell would break loose — at least for you. Per every rom-com you’ve ever watched, you were fully aware that unrequited feelings, in most cases, was a one-way ticket to a doomed and awkward friendship. If confessing your feelings towards an indifferent Nolan meant that your friendship with him would be jeopardized, you would gladly keep your thoughts to yourself.

It was hard, though. Sometimes he treated you like you were the only person in the room, and other times, it felt pretty clear that he only saw you in an extremely platonic light. Of course none of your friends could tell the difference between your interactions with the centerman because they always teased the two of you about needing to finally date each other. However, his mixed-signals convinced you that you had a chance with him on some nights and that you were overthinking everything the next.

As much as you wanted to tell Maya about your dilemma, you knew that she was terrible at keeping secrets. In any other circumstance, you would’ve told her that you liked someone the minute you found out. However, considering how her boyfriend’s a teammate of Nolan, it would have been game over if Joel knew. As much as he prided himself on having a tighter seal on secrets than Maya, he wasn’t much of an improvement from your best friend. You considered telling your other friends because you desperately needed someone to vent-out your feelings to, but you didn’t have the energy to explain how you ended up being wrapped around the fingers of a Philadelphia Flyers player.

So, here you were, in bed and confused. You were counting down the days until you’d get to see Nolan again, but you also wish you had more time to figure out what to do about your feelings. Part of you told you that you could handle pushing away your emotions for the few hours you would be with Nolan. The other (and more obnoxious) part of your brain, though, sent blaring red sirens through your body at the thought of your Plan A. It warned you that internalizing your feelings was a terrible idea and that no matter how tempting it would be to pretend like you weren’t falling for Nolan, maybe it’d be better to just rip off the bandaid and tell him.

You went back and forth between your two plans and were sure that if anyone could take a look into your brain, they would be faced with thoughts that were racing around at a million miles per hour. (And they’d probably  have pity on you.)

As if someone was witnessing your inner turmoil fetter within you in real time, it seemed like your prayers for more time were answered when you fell ill with a cold Saturday morning.

Sure, it wasn’t ideal. You sure as hell were not enjoying your congestion and occasional chills, but at least you had plenty of time to sort things out. It was disappointing to know that you wouldn’t get to see Nolan, but he was extremely understanding of your issue. He reassured you that you shouldn’t feel guilty for bailing, especially since you were sick. He even made you promise that you would get plenty of rest and that you wouldn’t apologize for something you couldn’t control.

With those words from Nolan, you took your promise to heart and slipped into a much-needed slumber.

+ him

“So, Patty, care to explain to Teeks what you were planning to use these candles for?” Hayesy teased as he plucked a tealight candle from its spot on the kitchen table.

Kevin knew you and Nolan had made plans for dinner, and he also happened to know that Nolan finally came to terms with his feelings for you. As much as he chirped the younger hockey player, he was glad that Nolan wasn’t beating around the bush anymore. Kevin adored you and had no doubt that you were a perfect match for his friend.

Travis, on the other hand, looked extremely confused. With furrowed eyebrows, he shifted his focus from the television to Nolan, who was sending death glares at his roommate.

“Well, I, um-” Nolan was cut off by Kevin.

“Patty here was gonna have a super-romantic, candle-lit dinner with the girl he’s been pining over for ages,” Kevin excitedly cut to the chase. If a bystander didn’t know any better, they’d think that Kevin was more ecstatic about the dinner than Nolan.

Those words definitely caught Travis’ attention. He got up from his spot from the couch and joined his two friends in the kitchen. “Wow, Pats,” he playfully shoved his friend's shoulder, “took you long enough. Was fully convinced I was gonna have to do something about your weak game.”

Nolan’s eyes widened upon hearing TK’s comments. Was he really that obvious?

He could barely comprehend his feelings for you just a couple of days ago, and he definitely didn’t tell Travis about these newly-discovered feelings yet. He didn’t even plan to tell Kevin about it. He fully intended to have you be the first to know, but Kevin managed to get Nolan to crack.

“Ok, fuck off,” Nolan mumbled. Sure, he was a little slow at realizing his feelings, but better late than never. “Y/N was supposed to come over for dinner tonight, but she’s sick,” Nolan explained. He purposefully left out the fact that he was toying with the idea of confessing his feelings for you after the now-cancelled dinner.

“Oh shit,” Travis was the first to speak up.

“Does that mean you’ll be cooking for us instead?” Kevin added, wiggling his eyebrows towards Nolan and fist-bumping Travis.

“No, I don’t know what it means, but I can tell you right now that there is no way in hell I’m cooking for you two slobs.” Nolan replied. “I was thinking of bringing soup over to her place as a surprise or something.”

At that, both Travis and Kevin’s faces told Nolan that they needed him to elaborate.

“What? She told me that she was craving soup, and Maya is on that road trip with Joel so I figured…” Nolan’s voice gradually decreased in volume.

Travis was the first to interject, “I, for one, think that’s a great idea. Gotta roll with the punches, you know?”

Of course, no conversation between the three guys would be completed without Kevin’s incessant teasing. “We can barely tolerate you when we’re fully healthy — what makes you think Y/N is gonna want to see you while she’s sick?” he chuckled.

“You’re such a pain in the ass,” Nolan groaned.

“You know you love me,” Hayesey playfully blew a kiss in Nolan’s direction. “Here, let TK and me help you with the soup. We gotta make sure it doesn’t make Y/N feel worse than she already does,” he suggested.

+ him & her

Staying true to his words, Kevin made sure Nolan’s attempt at making homemade soup went smoothly. After getting a thumbs-up from both of his teammates, Nolan filled some soup containers up and headed over to your place. He opted out from texting you about his arrival just in case you were sleeping and banked on the possibility that you still had a spare key under the small flower pot in front of your door.

Although Nolan nagged you for the key placement and insisted that it was a terrible hiding place for a key, he was grateful that it was still there when he arrived to your apartment’s door. Quietly letting himself in, he set the soup on the kitchen island before softly calling your name.

He quietly treaded to your room, which he’d only been in twice out of the dozens of times he had come over. Once he poked his head into your bedroom, he couldn’t stop his heart from overflowing with adoration for you. You were swaddled in a mountain of pillows and blankets. Your soft snores flowed through the room, and your messy hair partially covered your content face. You looked like you were at peace, and Nolan was glad to see that you were resting up.

The sight of you filled him with joy and he silently thanked his past-self for not calling and waking you up. Snapping himself out of his trance, Nolan had to remind himself that he was probably being extremely creepy. You probably wouldn’t let him live it down if you caught him, and he knew he wouldn’t have any excuse for his compromising position. Well, other than the fact that he was hopelessly falling for you and that everything you did made his feelings for you increasingly clear.

With it being close to dinnertime, Nolan figured that it wouldn’t be much longer until you woke up. He returned back into the living space of your apartment and found a comfortable place on the suede couch as he waited.

Sure enough, 15 minutes later, you emerged from your bedroom. “Nolan?” you softly murmured. The two syllables were coated in drowsiness, and Nolan swore he would’ve done anything to hear you utter his name like that again.

He looked up from his phone and suddenly had to remind himself how to breathe.

You were wrapped in a wool blanket, but a sliver of your sweater peaked out from the part where your blanket couldn’t fully cover. He’d recognize the black and orange pattern anywhere, but what stuck out to him was the “19” that was spread across the corner of your sweatshirt. Well, it was actually his sweatshirt if he wanted to get technical. His heart was beating out of his chest at the sight of you wearing his clothes and if he wasn’t sure if he was falling in love with you before, he was definitely sure now.

“I-, hi, Y/N. M’sorry for coming over like this, but I knew you said you wanted soup, and my mom has the really great chicken noodle soup recipe, and Teeks and Hayesy even helped me even though I’m not really sure if that was the best idea because Teeks almost mistook cinnamon for cayenne but-” Nolan started to ramble. He wasn’t sure why he was so flustered. It was the first time he’d gone out of his way this much for a girl and he was subconsciously stalling just in case you might’ve perceived his act of kindness as something that was way too creepy and something that supposed just-friends don’t do.

“Nols,” you started, “that’s so sweet of you, but you didn’t have to do that! I could’ve just sent for an UberEats so you wouldn’t have had to go through all of that trouble for me.”

Nolan wanted to stop you and let you know that he’d swim across the Atlantic Ocean for you. However, he settled for something a little less revealing. “Don’t worry, Y/N, I promise I wanted to do this. Plus if I didn’t, how would I have gotten to see you wearing my number?” he smirked.

Your gaze slowly descended to your body, where you were in fact wearing Nolan’s sweater. He forgot to take it home the last time he was over at your place, and you couldn’t help that it looked extremely comfy. A rush of blood and warmth flooded through your face. “I started wearing it because I missed you and it smells like your cologne,” you cringed for including that last detail, “but it’s actually so soft and I don’t think I’ll be returning this,” you tightened the blanket around you to emphasize your point.

Were you trying to kill Nolan? His brain was overloaded with emotions and this was probably the nail in the coffin. This was it for him. In the few seconds following your explanation, he knew he’d do everything in his power to get to see you like this for the rest of his life. He was sure a younger version of himself would’ve laughed at him for being so dramatic, but he also knew that his younger-self hadn’t met you yet.

“You pull off the sweater better than I do, so you can keep it,” he cheekily smiled. His eyes couldn’t decide if they���d rather look at your sleep-pampered face or his sweatshirt that engulfed you.

“What rom-com movie did you pull that line from?” you chuckled.

He dramatically gasped, “I’m truly offended.” He also took note of how you’ve been standing in the same place for minutes, “Also, why are you standing so far away? Promise I don’t bite,” Nolan joked while he reached out in your direction with grabby hands.

“I don’t wanna get you sick. Don’t know how your coach would feel if you caught the cold with the season so close,” you reasoned with a playful tone.

“That’s a later problem. Please c’mere, I missed you too much,” his eyes pleaded with yours. How could you say no when he had that look on his face?

You hesitatingly approached Nolan, still trying to keep your distance from him. You genuinely didn’t want to get him sick, but you were also still deciding about whether or not you wanted to bury away your feelings for him or let him know what was on your mind. You weren’t expecting Nolan to come over, and you were now wishing that you spent some of your snooze time on sorting out your Nolan dilemma.

Taking a few strides forward, you reached the coffee table that was only a meter or so away from Nolan. Apparently that distance was still too far for Nolan, though, because he grabbed for your hand and tugged you into his body. His scent instantly overcame your senses and you promptly relaxed into his hold. Your body was awkwardly positioned over his but his tight grip on you, which shifted down to your hips, gave no sign that Nolan wanted you to get off of him. With this signal, you repositioned yourself so each of your legs found a home on either side of his lap. His arms wrapped around your body, and your chest was pressed against his as you nuzzled your head between the junction of his neck and shoulder.

For a while, neither of you said anything. It was a serene moment and truthfully, neither of you needed to exchange words to express how much you both cared for one another. There was no better way to make up for lost time than to fully appreciate the other’s presence, and neither of you were in a rush to get out of the situation that you two were in.

Occasionally, Nolan would pepper kisses along your hairline and twirl your hair along his fingers. Praying that you couldn’t feel how fast his heart was beating, he tried his best to calm the thoughts that were incessantly running through his mind. Nolan never wanted this delicate moment to end for multiple reasons. Perhaps the biggest reason, though, was because he was trying to formulate the right way to tell you how he felt about you. He wasn’t sure if he’d find a more perfect time than this one, and he wanted to make sure that everything he was going to say to you would properly express how much he cared for you and wanted you in his life as a more-than-friend.

Another few moments passed before he finally mustered up the courage to break the silence.

“I love you,” he breathed out.

He waited for your response, but was only met with a deafening silence. Unfortunately for Nolan, he never got to see your reaction to his confession because your drowsy state seemed to pull you into another sleeping trance just as quickly as Nolan spoke the three words.

+ her

Following the night that Nolan had come over to bring you soup, the two of you became a lot more physically affectionate. Whether it was cuddles on your couch or hugs that lingered for a little too long, you knew you were chartering into dangerous territory. You didn’t treat any of your guy friends in the same way you did Nolan, and somewhere along the road, you knew this shift in dynamic was precariously dancing between the line of platonic and romantic.

Maya and Joel picked up on it, too. Nearly every chance they got, the two attempted to get you or Nolan to finally confess that things had changed. They were never successful, however. Nolan would always brush off Joel’s inquiries and play off the situation. As for yourself, you ultimately decided to keep your feelings to yourself, too scared to lose the special connection you had with Nolan.

You had done a decent job of keeping your feelings locked away in the depths of your heart until the season opener for the Flyers.

Nolan had asked you to go, and as much as you would love nothing more than to root on your best friend, you were called into work at the last minute. You tried your best to see if any of your other co-workers could pick up the shift, but you were stuck watching the game from your phone as you begrudgingly got through your shift. You couldn’t forget the way Nolan’s excited expression fell after you told him you couldn’t make it and even though your shift was scheduled to end during the game’s third period, there was no way you would have made it to the Wells Fargo Center in time.

After your shift, you took out your phone and swiped through your friend’s SnapChat stories. Since Maya went to the game to support Joel, you had the apartment to yourself. Clicking on your best friend’s name on the app, you smiled as you watched the video that she’d put on her story. The Flyers clinched their first win for the season, and based on Maya’s story, it looked like everyone had gone to a nearby bar to celebrate. Despite the fact that her story was a video of Joel, that’s not what caught your attention.

Instead, it was the sight of a man in the background, his arms draped around a girl who was cozily perched upon his lap. His chin was resting on her shoulder, and you knew from the unmistakable rosy cheeks that the man was Nolan. Although the image lasted no more than a few seconds as the frame of Maya’s camera moved, you suddenly felt yourself become nauseous. Your fingers moved by themselves, torturing you as you watched the video over and over again to make sure you weren’t playing mind games on yourself.

You weren’t sure how to react. A mix of hurt and jealousy swarmed your body, sending shivers of confusion through it. You knew you had no right to be so upset. After all, Nolan and you never had a conversation about where you two stood. You two were still just friends — even though you’ve known for a while that your interactions with Nolan have meant much more to you than you’d let on. For all you knew, you could have been mistaking Nolan’s physical affection for something more. For all you knew, the physical affection never made Nolan’s heart beat race in the same way it did with yours.

Nolan wasn’t yours, but you so badly wish he were. You became increasingly frustrated at yourself for letting your heart believe that there was something more between you and Nolan. You knew you were playing a risky game — a game that you had just lost, because it became painfully apparent that Nolan only ever saw you as a friend. The video continued to play, though your clouded vision and mind drowned out its volume. A teardrop slipped down your heated cheeks and pattered onto your phone screen. You berated yourself with what-ifs, wondering if you could have done anything different to be able to call Nolan yours. Maybe it was never meant to be, but that didn’t mean that you didn’t beat yourself up over the situation.

Ditching your plans to immediately sleep after getting home from work, you made a beeline to the kitchen’s wine cabinet. You now let your tears run freely and let yourself drown in affliction. You didn’t even flinch when Maya and Joel entered the apartment, who both rushed to you with concern after they noticed your tear-splotched shirt and face that was swollen and red from crying.

Not used to seeing their typically calm and collected friend in such a state of disarray, the couple wasn’t quite sure how to approach the issue. For what felt like the first time in forever, you decided to be transparent with your thoughts. You had spent so long compartmentalizing your feelings that the need to let them out and the countless glasses of wine had you admitting your feelings for Nolan to the two. You didn’t want their pity, and you were thankful that they let you speak without interruption. Your words, though slurred, clearly explained how you felt foolish for falling for Nolan in the first place. You explained how your friendship with Nolan had evolved into something much more for you and how you couldn’t pretend like you didn’t love him as more than just a friend anymore.

At the end of your spiel, Maya and Joel shared a knowing look with each other. Maya looked like she was fuming, though she tried her best to maintain composure as she pulled you into a hug. You almost missed the way Joel cursed under his breath, calling Nolan an idiot. They were so sure Nolan had felt something towards you, and weren’t sure how to respond when you drunkenly asked what you did wrong for Nolan to be oblivious to the way that you only had eyes for him.

As much as they loved Nolan, they adored you just as much and felt terrible for the pain that you were going through.

Apparently not terrible enough to postpone movie nights, however. Some time down the road, you, Nolan, Maya, Joel, Travis, and Kevin made a habit of gathering for a few hours each week to watch movies and hang out. You almost forgot about it in your moping state until Maya brought up a few days later that it was your and Maya’s turn to host. The blood drained out of your face when she reminded you, and your first instinct was to come up with an excuse to miss the night at all costs. You didn’t want to ruin the budding tradition, but you weren’t ready to see Nolan either.

As much as it hurt to still be in contact with Nolan, the thought of cutting him off hurt just as much. So, you subjected yourself to the heartache of talking to someone as if you weren’t enamored with. After the night of your break down, Nolan tried texting and calling you as usual. Although you weren’t ignoring him, you kept your texts brief and the phone calls even shorter. You felt bad for creating a wall between you and Nolan, especially since he wasn’t sure what was going on with you. He often asked what was on your mind, but you typically brushed it off and churned out a half-true excuse about being busy with school before cutting your conversations with him short.

Maya understood your discomfort with the situation, and offered to call off the movie night. You quickly objected, not wanting to ruin the night for the others just because you were battling your own demons. You told her that the movie night could go on at your shared apartment, and that you would find something to keep you out of the house for a while.

Your escape from the apartment came in the form of Austin, a boy from your psych class. Although you two didn’t speak to one another much, his kind eyes and bashful smile always led you to gladly agree whenever he’d asked to sit in the open spot next to you in the lecture hall.

One day, after you offered your notes to him for a day he missed, he offered to take you out for dinner in return. Although you were hesitant at first, you couldn’t think of any cons that would weigh out the opportunity for a free meal and spending a few hours with the charming boy. Plus, he had mentioned that he was a transfer student from out of state, and you knew how much you would have appreciated a few friends from school when you first moved to the city. Ultimately agreeing to his proposition, you gave him your number and scheduled the dinner for the same night and time as the movie night.

When the night of your plans with Austin came around, you made sure to leave your apartment before the guys were coming over. Because you felt guilty for skipping on the movie night, you attempted to help Maya set up the snack. However, Maya insisted that you shouldn’t keep Austin waiting and that she could handle the food herself. When you told her about Austin, she was ecstatic for you. She knew how difficult the past week has been for you and nearly screeched with excitement when you told her that you had actual plans for the weekend.

She gave you a hug and reminded you to call her if you were in an emergency before practically pushing you out of the door.

+ her

The night with Austin went better than planned, and you genuinely enjoyed yourself. Not wanting to give Austin any false impressions, you made sure that the night was strictly platonic. Luckily for you, Austin was incredibly understanding. Although you didn’t miss the look of slight disappointment on his face when you told him that you weren’t interested in being anything more than friends, he respected your decision and upheld his offer for dinner.

Quickly, you found out that you two had a similar sense of humor. Austin was easy to talk to and eventually, you opened up to him about Nolan. You nearly apologized for doing so — you weren’t planning to drop your baggage on a boy that you barely knew. However, Austin was surprisingly good at giving advice and even recounted some of his own stories about unreturned feelings. It was nice to be able to talk to someone that could relate to you.

Knowing that Nolan was at your apartment, Austin suggested that you two get dessert and explore the city to make sure that the hockey player would be gone before you got home. At first, you turned down his idea, jokingly arguing that he didn’t have to spend his whole Saturday night with you out of pity. In spite of your protests, Austin promised that he wanted to continue spending time with you and didn’t mind the idea of getting ice cream.

You didn’t return home until it was nearly midnight. You were sure that the boys would have already headed home, since they had a morning skate the next day.

Opening the door, you were shocked to see that everyone was still in the apartment, eyes occupied on the Marvel movie on the television. Your eyes immediately landed on Nolan’s figure, and you contemplated your next actions.

Settling on trying to go unnoticed by the group, you tried your best to discreetly enter your home and head to your room. With everyone's backs turned away from you, you almost made it to your room safely.

You were so close until your keys loudly fell onto the floor as you tried to remove them from the lock. Instantly, everyone’s heads turned to the front door. Someone turned on the living room’s lights, and you became uncomfortably aware of everyone’s attention on you.

You flashed them a smile, and Maya was the first to speak.

“How was your date?” she slyly questioned, making sure that everyone in the room heard her.

You raised an eyebrow at her question. Maya knew that the night with Austin wasn’t a date. However, the way she glanced at Nolan reminded you that he and the other guys, for that matter, didn’t know that. Not wanting to entertain whatever plan she was brewing in her mind, you tried not to acknowledge her question, flashing her a nervous smile.

“You ditched us for a date?” Travis gasped incredulously, clenching his hand above his heart for the added dramatic effect.

“Is that why the cookies were weird? I knew something was wrong with them when I nearly broke a tooth trying to eat one,” Hayesy laughed as an embarrassed Maya threw a pillow in his direction. You chuckled along with the joke, knowing that you should’ve stuck around to help her bake them. You made sure to promise not to miss the next movie night and even reassured Kevin that you would make a fresh batch of cookies just for him next time.

As Joel chimed in with the others about your “date,” Nolan remained oddly quiet.

His body language was stiff, and his eyes were mostly glued to his lap. He was playing with his fingers and refused to look you in the eyes. He almost looked uncomfortable, his smile forced whenever someone made another funny remark. Although everyone seemed oblivious to it, you couldn’t help but notice the way Nolan was biting the inside of his cheek. It was a habit that you noticed before, but you usually only ever saw him do it when he was in deep concentration or thought. You wouldn’t lie and say that it didn’t hurt to see that Nolan didn’t even acknowledge your presence. Of course he didn’t owe you anything, but your heart didn’t necessarily know that.

You didn’t want to overanalyze anything, though. So, after chuckling at their comments, you headed to your room to remove your makeup and change into the oversized tee shirt and lounge shorts that you had been looking forward to changing into ever since you left the apartment.

“Calling it a night already?”

Upon hearing the question, you nearly had to do a double take. It was the first time you had heard Nolan’s voice all night. The lack of inflection in his voice transformed the previously light-hearted atmosphere thick with tension.

“Um, yea. It’s been a long night and I don’t know how much longer I can keep my eyes open,” you curtly responded with the first excuse that you could come up with, continuing en route to your room without sparing Nolan another glance. You gave everyone in the living space a small wave before you slipped into your room.

Although your reasoning was partially true, you didn’t know if you could handle being so close to Nolan at the moment. The two of you had gotten used to snuggling up together during movie nights and with your current emotional disarray, you didn’t want to put yourself in the position where you had to pretend like you weren’t still hurt at the thought of Nolan not seeing you in the same light that you saw him. And, regardless of how idiotic Nolan’s teammates could act at times, you knew they were pretty observant — especially when it came to you and Nolan’s complex friendship. If you decided to join in on the movie night but sit in any seat that wasn’t next to Nolan, they'd undoubtedly pick up on it.

Even though you thought your excuse was enough to get by your attentive friends, everyone in the room —bar Nolan— exchanged knowing looks with each other after once they heard the lock of your doorknob click into place. They knew how much you loved movie nights and how you were usually a night owl, regardless of how busy your day was. In fact, it was usually you that begged for an extra movie to be played when everyone was ready to call it a night.

More importantly, they knew you had a soft spot for Nolan. They weren’t ignorant to the way you’d sprint through hoops and hurdles to spend time with Nolan, mostly because they noticed how Nolan would go great lengths to see you, too. It had been a while since you last saw Nolan, and they figured that you would jump on the chance to be in your best friend’s presence again. Of course Maya had to play along, pretending as if she didn’t know why you were avoiding Nolan.

Even though Nolan was a little more subtle with his actions and words, it was no secret that Nolan missed you. His question from earlier was his way of asking you if everything was alright and if you wanted to spend time with him, and your deflection to his implied questions told everyone what they needed to know.

They weren’t quite sure what was going on between you and Nolan, but they knew things weren’t the same as they used to be.

Noting the way Nolan’s shoulders sunk after you disappeared into your bedroom, Maya was the first to rise from her seat. The mood of the night quickly became awkward after Nolan’s short-lived interaction with you, and Maya had no intention of having to sit through another hour of the movie if it were going to be this uncomfortable. She also hoped to talk to you before you actually went to sleep.

“Well, I think I’m gonna head to bed, too. I have to pick up an early shift tomorrow,” she explained as she gathered her blankets from the couch. “You’re staying the night, right?” she asked Joel.

Painfully aware of the newfound tension, her boyfriend silently nodded and helped Maya bring the rest of the throw pillows and blankets.

“You all can finish the rest of the movie,” Maya nodded towards Nolan, Travis, and Kevin. “Just lock up on your way out once it’s over. There should be a spare key under the flower pot outside.” Waving to the guys in the living room, Maya tugged Joel into her room and shut the door.

And then there were three.

+ him

Nolan’s jaw was beginning to ache from how hard he was clenching his teeth together. He didn’t know how to take in the rollercoaster of emotions that he had been feeling for the past few days. He wasn’t oblivious to the barrier that seemed to build up between you and him, but he didn’t know how that wall formed in the first place, let alone how to get over it.

He thought the past few days had been rocky, but he was certainly not prepared for his heartstrings to be pulled into so many directions tonight.

Nolan was looking forward to seeing you in person and was more than disheartened to hear that you were out for the night after he awkwardly asked Maya about your whereabouts. Your roommate didn’t go into the specifics of why you were missing out on the movie night, so he was left to his own devices to figure out where you were.

Of course he could’ve texted you, but given your erratic reply rates as of late, he resorted to refreshing his SnapChat and Instagram apps every once in a while to see if you were posting about where you were spending your weekend night.

Nolan wanted to understand why there was a strain in the relationship and more than anything, he needed your reassurance to know that everything was alright. He partly thought you were distancing yourself from him because he had made his feelings for you too obvious and you didn’t see him in that same way. The theory wasn’t even farfetched. His friends always made fun of him for being so whipped for you, and Nolan knew that you hated letting others down. Throughout his friendship with you, he had quickly learned that you would much rather deal with the brunt of someone else’s problems than to let them down. The thought of you distancing yourself from Nolan just because you only saw him as just a friend hurt Nolan, and he needed to let you know that he’d much rather deal with his feelings being unreciprocated than to have you fade away from his life.

Nolan also thought that he said something wrong and made you upset. However, after replaying all of the conversations he had with you leading up to your new treatment towards him, he didn’t know what he would have said that would have made you this indifferent to him.

Your social media gave no hints as to what you were doing, so Nolan let his imagination run wild with all of the reasons why you would’ve skipped movie night, especially when you were usually so excited about them.

When you entered the apartment a few hours after his arrival, Nolan felt his heartbeat begin to thrum as loud as a kick drum. All of the hypothetical situations that were previously occupying his mind were now invaded with thoughts about how good you looked. Nolan recognized the denim jacket you were wearing as the one that you had gotten a few months ago. He had just finished an afternoon practice when you FaceTimed him and couldn’t contain your excitement about finding the “most perfect article of clothing” you’ve ever owned. Although Nolan chirped you for driving so far away just for a jacket, the ecstatic expression on your face that day was one he’d never forget. It was also one that he so desperately craved to see for the rest of his life.

Just as quickly as he was brought out of his slump from seeing you, he was rudely pulled back down to reality after Maya asked you about your date. Needless to say, the warmth that filled his heart left as quickly as it had entered. Jealousy consumed Nolan, and he was momentarily blinded by a pain that he couldn’t quite describe.

As his friends joke around with you, Nolan struggled comprehending the thought of you with another guy. He had no right to be upset, really. Not when he couldn’t muster up the courage to tell you how he felt and especially not when your eyes were twinkling with so much elation.

Throughout the friendship Nolan had developed with you, you never mentioned that you were going on dates or seeking relationships. The hopeless romantic in him let him believe that maybe, just maybe, you were saving your heart for the right person. For him.

However, the breathy chuckle you released after Maya’s question shattered any amount of hope that Nolan had built up. Now, instead of butterflies, Nolan’s stomach was filled with a piercing ache. As if he wanted to punish himself more for not being more vocal about his feelings for you, Nolan attempted to ask you to join the movie night. Sure, maybe he wasn’t exactly direct with his words, but he was hoping you’d pick up on his hint. Nolan shouldn’t have been so surprised when you decided to go to your room instead of joining him and the others, but the already-tense coil in his stomach continued to tighten.

After you went to your room, followed by Maya and Joel, Nolan looked at the remaining people in the room.

“We’re sorry, Pat,” Travis was the first to speak. His words were laced with sympathy, knowing how much his friend was head over heels for you.

Moving from his seat to stand over his younger teammate, Kevin rose from the couch and rubbed Nolan’s shoulder. “Let’s head home, yea?” Kevin attempted to dance around the topic of you.

“I’ll meet you two in the car. Just need to clear my head for a bit,” Nolan muttered to his understanding friends.

Quietly, Travis and Kevin left the apartment, making sure to shut the door carefully as to not disturb their teammate.

+ him & her

Thinking you were in the clear after hearing the front door close, you left your room in hopes of making a mug of tea.

You felt bad for avoiding Nolan, but you didn’t know how else to deal with the thousands of thoughts that cycled through your brain.

To say you were unprepared to see Nolan in your living would be an understatement. His arms were propped on his knees and his face was cradled by his hands. His shoulders were slouched and his tousled hair looked as if he had run his hands through it multiple times.

You weren’t sure if you should’ve just turned back around and locked yourself in your room, but your instincts beckoned you to come closer to Nolan. No matter how hurt you were, he was your best friend first and foremost. If there was anything you could do to bring him out of his clear distress, you would do it without a second thought.

“Nolan?” you meekly called out his name.

Nolan slowly moved his head just enough so he could hear the source of the sound. Unintentionally mimicking your facial expression, he looked just as stunned to see you. “Sorry, I thought you would’ve already been asleep. I was uh- I was just about to head out,” he timidly said.

“Stay as long as you need. I’ve been trying to sleep but didn’t have much luck, so I’m hoping tea will help. Haven’t been able to get a good sleep for a while now,” you explained while opening a kitchen cupboard for a mug.

“Me neither. Things haven’t felt right recently,” he sighed. After his statement, the apartment was eerily quiet. Neither of you wanted to say anything else, scared of stepping over any boundaries or maybe the situation even more awkward.

You’re not sure what gears clicked into place, but you felt compelled to finally tell Nolan what was on your mind. The guilt of ignoring him was eating away at you, and you felt like you at least owed your best friend an explanation as to why you needed space from him. After you dropped the tea bag into your mug, you walked back towards the living space to where Nolan was still sitting.

“Look, I’m sorry,” you started.

Nolan didn’t say anything, his eyes pleading with you to continue with what you were saying.

“I’m just gonna lay everything out because I know I’m not gonna be brave enough to do this on any other occasion,” you prefaced, making sure Nolan was paying attention to what you were saying. You were already embarrassed that you had managed to think that Nolan could ever like you, and you did not want to have to verbally explain your emotional affliction more than one.

“I don’t really know when, but I caught feelings for you. At first I wasn’t sure what to do about it, because everyone always warns about falling for your best friend and I didn’t want to make things awkward between us if you didn’t feel the same,” you continued with your explanation, eventually getting to the part where you saw Nolan and the girl on Maya’s story.

“It just sucked, y’know? I thought I was doing a good job of suppressing my feelings and then I saw that. Obviously it’s not like we were dating or anything and I never told you how I felt at the time, but having that confirmation that there wasn’t actually anything between us was like a kick to the gut.”

“I feel terrible for letting my feelings get in the way of our friendship and reading all of the signs wrong. I don’t wanna lose you because of this, and I’m really trying to get over my silly feelings becau-” you were cut off by Nolan.

“What if I don’t want you to get over those feelings?” he said while approaching the spot you were standing in.

Your heart dropped to the pit of your stomach. You weren’t sure if you were hearing things right or if you were so sleep deprived that you were starting to make things up. “I-I’m not following,” you silently begged Nolan to continue.

“I liked you, too,” he confessed. “Well, I still like you. If I’m being honest, I think I’m in love with you,” he admitted all in one breath. “I thought it would be easier to try to get over you instead of dealing with the possibility of ruining our friendship just because I caught feelings,” he elaborated.

“Obviously it didn’t work, though. And I ended up messing up things between us anyway, so it really didn’t work,” he sighed with a hint of resignation in his tone. He wasn’t sure if he was referring to ruining the friendship, his chance of getting to call you his, or both. Upon that thought, Nolan became even more dejected after he was reminded about how you were just on a date a few hours ago.

Your head was spinning with each word. Every fiber in your body was consumed by joy, and you were now wide awake. Nolan was now only standing a few feet away from you. You still hadn’t replied to his confession, and you could tell that he was becoming increasingly nervous as he awaited your reaction. With that realization, you were drawn out of your thoughts. Your heart was lodged in your throat, and you knew that no words could articulate the words you wanted to tell Nolan, anyway.

With that, you closed the distance between the two of you. Your hands grabbed his and although he flinched a little bit, he welcomed your gesture and interlaced your fingers with him.

Going on your tiptoes to come a little closer to your face, you become hyper-aware of Nolan’s burning gaze. His face is painted with a light blush, and he’s biting the inside of his cheeks again.

“I hope this is okay,” is the last thing you whisper before you connect your lips to his.

Instinctively, Nolan’s hands pulled away from yours to find a home on your hips. He pulled you closer, attempting to deepen the kiss. The kiss was soft, reassuring, and everything in between. Nolan couldn’t stop the smile that was tugging on his lips, and had to pull away to make sure that this was actually happening.

He was met with your confused face, your eyebrows scrunched in the cutest way. His smile promptly turned into a smirk as you tried to pull him into a kiss, your shorter height causing you to barely graze the corner of his lips.

When Nolan released a chuckle, you started to become impatient. “What?” you questioned while narrowing your eyes towards the rosy-cheeked boy in front of you.

“Does this mean I’m forgiven?” he cheekily asked.

“Only if I get a second kiss,” you said with gleaming eyes, fingertips grazing along his jawline. With those words, Nolan wasted no time fulfilling your wish and peppering your neck with dozens of chaste kisses.

The two of you were so consumed with the high of finally getting to hear the other admit their feelings that neither of you heard the sound of the front door violently swinging open.

“Patty, where the fuck are yo-” Travis called, immediately realizing the moment he was intruding on. “You know what, I think I’m just gonna head out. Have a good night!” he awkwardly chuckled, undoubtedly embarrassed. He sent the two of you a thumbs up before quickly shutting the door as if he never interrupted.

“Oh my god,” Nolan said, his head falling into your shoulder and arms wrapping around your body. “I forgot that TK and Hayesy were waiting for me to come down. It’s probably been like half an hour at this point,” his laugh rumbled through your bones.

“Stay the night?” you offered. “Maybe I can finally get more than four hours of sleep,” you laughed.

“Mm, sounds like a plan,” Nolan peppered kisses along your neck before scooping you into his arms and heading to your bedroom.

Although both of you knew that there would be a lot to talk about the following morning, neither of you wanted to disrupt the current state of bliss that both of you were in. You and Nolan’s hearts were finally intertwined, and for now, that was enough to engulf you in ease.

[alastar505]

research - cambodian civil war (events leading up to the genocide)

Eight years before the genocide began, Cambodia was engaged in a bloody civil war. The war pitted the Cambodian monarchy, and later the Cambodian Republic, and its allies, including the United States, against the Cambodian communists. The communists received support from the neighboring Vietcong.

The Cambodian Civil War was an armed conflict that involved the Khmer Rouge, Viet Cong, and North Vietnam, against the Kingdom of Cambodia and South Vietnam, with the support of the United States. The Khmer Rouge were members of the Communist Party of Kampuchea. The war began on March 11, 1967, and ended on April 17, 1975. It was responsible for the death of 240,000–800,000 people.

The conflict was sparked by a disagreement between King Sihanouk's neutral administration and the serving Prime Minister Lon Nol. Political unrest and economic instability in Phnom Penh, Cambodia's capital, increased the burden on rural communist villages. Lon Nol decided to increase rice taxes, prompting landowners in Battambang to launch an insurgency that quickly turned into a revolution against the government. In just a few months, 11 of Cambodia's 18 provinces revolted against the government under the banner of communism.

After Sihanouk was overthrown, Pol Pot took the responsibility of dethroning the government of Lon Nol. He allied himself with the ousted king and China. China supplied weaponry while Pol Pot generated revenue from rubber and rice plantations. The communist course grew immensely powerful that it was recognized by sixty-three countries as the official Cambodian government. In 1975 a new government took over the control of Cambodia and began the process of negotiating the surrender of the Khmer Rouge. 

The Lon Nol government fell apart in April 1975. Communist forces stormed Phnom Penh and forced the city's residents to flee to the countryside. In less than a week, Phnom Penh and other cities and towns around Cambodia were depopulated. Thousands of city people died during the forced marches, and conditions worsened in the years afterwards.

______

What did the Khmer Rouge do with the Angkor Wat?

One of the most famous Cambodian examples is Angkor Wat, a Hindu temple built in the 12th century in honor of the god, Vishnu (Glancey 2017). During the Khmer Rouge regime and collapse, heritage sites like Angkor Wat became places of destruction caused by war in the latter half of the 20th century. Protection, maintenance, and access to Angkor Wat was limited because of the Rouge’s presence in the surrounding area (Glancey 2017). Even if the fighting wasn’t going on at the site itself, surrounding fights made the area dangerous and abandoned by tourists, locals, and site caretakers (Reap 1997). This hurt the influential tourist trade, meaning less money to fund the upkeep and protection of the site (Reap 1997).

The Khmer Rouge looted heritage sites and temples, but also prevented the protection and continued study of temples like Angkor Wat.

https://pages.vassar.edu/realarchaeology/2017/10/26/the-role-of-conflict-in-the-looting-and-destruction-of-cambodian-temples-in-the-late-20th-century/

Directly from

https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/what-caused-the-cambodian-civil-war.html

https://www.britannica.com/place/Cambodia/Civil-war

https://cla.umn.edu/chgs/holocaust-genocide-education/resource-guides/cambodia#:~:text=Cambodia%20before%20the%20Genocide,States%2C%20against%20the%20Cambodian%20communists.

https://pages.vassar.edu/realarchaeology/2017/10/26/the-role-of-conflict-in-the-looting-and-destruction-of-cambodian-temples-in-the-late-20th-century/

[adozentothedawn]

Vela's adoption! Iwanna hear about that one >:3

Ask is here.

Vela's adoption is actully one of my oldest wips and was begun before I even made Favaen.

It's based on my very first Pillars fic just called Vela, which is a short one shot from her perspective about growing up with my Watcher Francesca as her mother. That one is written in short meaningful episodes in her life, which Vela's adoption is meant to expand on, beginning with her adoption. Francesca actually didn't steal her (mostly because I didn't realize you could and then just built on that) but instead spent a year pining before finally getting off her ass and negotiating to adopt Vela under the pretense of diplomacy.

The Watcher was ready. She had spent the last months preparing for what she was about to do, had secured the Castle and had spent such an extensive amount of time on research, that even Aloth would be proud. (If he hadn't decided to be a bastard and left in the middle of the night, without even a letter left behind.)

And yet, standing here in front of The Passage of the Six she didn't feel prepared at all. She leaned on the wall trying to breath evenly. Lupa clearly felt her tension and was pacing in front of entrance watching for enemies. She sighed and kneeled down to coddle her a bit. It wouldn't do to have her start growling in the middle of the ceremony, just because she couldn't properly control her jitters. Besides, it was undeniably therapeutic to sit on the ground, hugging a giant fuzzy animal.

Lliras came to her, only slightly surprised to see her sitting in the dirt, wearing an expression of doubt. The Watcher only glanced at him and continued petting her wolf.

“Are you certain this is a good idea?” She did not look up to him again, fearing that her face would betray own doubts. Her voice did not waver though.

“Lliras, we’ve talked about this. She’s not safe here. She will be with me. I promise, I’ll give her a good home.”

She’d always been better at convincing others than herself. She only hoped, that still remained true. He did not seem entirely convinced but sighed defeatedly.

“I know you did a lot for our people, for me and her specifically. Nonetheless I find it difficult to give her up to a stranger.” She raised an eyebrow and glanced in his direction.

“You had no problem asking a stranger to kill your father.” He frowned at her.

“You know that is not the same. Besides, you have an excellent reputation as a killer, but certainly not as a caretaker.”

Now that was just insulting. The Watcher turned sharply and stared at him much harder than before. Lupa yapped slightly when her grip suddenly grew tighter.

“I will have you know that I am not actually in the business of assassinating people.” Lliras was not impressed by that. He’d spent enough time negotiating with her in the last year to recognize when there was no bite behind the bark.

“I believe there is a battalion of mercenaries that would beg to differ. And a few white elves. And few Ethik Nol druids. And, if rumors can be believed, a dragon. I'm sure there are quite a few more of that sort. Not that it matters. Reality is rarely the same as a reputation.” Her face grew tighter and tighter and for a second Lliras was afraid he'd gone too far. But then she relaxed again and went back to spoiling the wolf.

“Sometimes you surprise me still, ri fath.” Not an accurate title anymore, but he’d have to live with that.

Mind you, all of that is still pretty unedited even if I've had it for a while.^^° I also really think I've gotten a little better since then. I do still like it though and refuse to just abandon the idea.

[johnandrasjaqobis]

I’ve got a lot of feelings about my boy Viccy G (and I hate all of you for making that one of the default ways I refer to him now) with this entire freaking Uthodurn arc

because lord this is an entire character arc for him and it’s wild, so much has happened in such a short time and he is barely processed any of it

but realizing just how much of this is coming back to the fact that Viconis is just. not entirely used to being taken care of?

like by his parents, sure, that’s where he learned to be the protector and the whole concept of “if you’re bigger and stronger it’s probably your responsibility to help those who aren’t”

and he’s embraced that and he’s the one protecting people, it’s his entire fighting style and it was his job when he was with the Watch and he’s good at it and that’s always going to be what he does

but he’s so used to it that he’s very much not used to others stepping up to protect him.

Except ever since Nol brought him up to tell him about that fancy new Contact Other Planes spell she learned, that’s all they’ve been doing.

Nol risked leaving herself vulnerable all night to ask about something that had no immediate impact on her but was clearly very important to Vic. The party all helped fight off the assassins that showed up that night and kept Vic from being dimension door’d away. Anthe just straight up interrogated the corpse of one of said assassins to try getting answers about the attack. Ziggy spent a frankly ridiculous amount of gold on an amulet to keep Vic from being scryed on. The holy girls took him out for fancy tea when he was Very Literally Exhausted and had a good long talk. They all practically jumped him when he attempted to just turn himself in (and roasted the boy relentlessly, he needed it).

and now. NOW. facing down this whole situation where it very much looks like the only options are to turn himself in and face the consequences OR fight and probably kill the people sent after him (which would only lead to more)

Nol steps up with her strategist mind and finds a third option. Nol offers to give the Dynasty guns. Anthe offers the alliance of the most powerful priest from the Court of Beasts (which. by technicality. is her right now). And somehow it uncovers a third option and one that doesn’t really seem that bad all things considered

and Vic just sat there through most of this negotiations, partly because he knows he is not the best one to be negotiating especially now, and partly because he doesn’t know how to handle these people just,,, putting so much thought and effort and loyalty into protecting him.

He’s the one with the magic arrow-catching shield but suddenly he’s got these three ladies stubbornly standing between him and the entire freaking Kryn Dynasty just daring someone to try and take him

and he doesn’t know how to handle it (but boy if there were any way to Increase the amount he would die for this party)

and I’ve got a lot of feelings about it

[javid-shamash]

11, 24, 28, and 30 for nol ~~

11. What are your character’s coping mechanisms? nol cannot cope unless she is in control of a situation. she needs to have control and influence or she freaks out. when kir came back, nol had no idea what to do, and fell apart. when the spider guy came there, she was able to control the flow of information 24. What is your character’s most important possession? Why? a letter from Fvyyr. she can reread it all the time and know that he cares about her and doesn't hate her, and that she’s in his and the other’s thoughts as they are in hers. 

28. What is your character’s greatest strength? nol knows how to analyze someone’s strengths and play against them. she literally does to battles the reverse of what we do- math to imagination, reality to math. its why she was able to figure out what she could propose to turn the negotiations in their favor- it wasn't just fighting to keep vic’s echo, it was seeing what the kryn dynasty lacked that the empire had, and how to balance that equation. 30. What makes them feel safe or secure? What makes them feel insecure or unsafe? nol feels safe when everyone is paying attention to her and her strategies, and refusing the gods. she feels safe when she is in control of a situation. she feels secure when someone knows about her past, but continues to want to fight for her.  she feels insecure when she can’t leverage what people want. she feels insecure when someone else can reveal her history before she can. she feels insecure when she isn't acknowledged. and now, she feels unsafe around unique magical weapons. 

[elkieselkiewrites]

Postmaster ships as AO3 tags!

Renia/Nol - Meet Ugly, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Nerdiness, Mathematics, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Light Angst, Identity Reveal, Pining, Found Family, Interspecies Romance, Relationship of Equals

Renia/Bolek - Arranged Marriage, Age Difference, Misunderstandings, Fluff and Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Breaking-up & Making-up, Touch-Starved, Eventual Smut, Topping from the Bottom, Body Worship

Nol/Bolek - Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Jealousy, Denial of Feelings, Flirting, Bickering, Non-Sexual Intimacy, Polyamory Negotiations, Slow Romance, Developing Relationship, Self-Discovery, Mutual Pining

Luus/Til - Opposites Attract, Established Relationship, Flirting, Protectiveness, Codependency, Public Display of Affection, Everything is Beautiful and Nothing Hurts, Luus "My Wife" Haak, Long-Suffering Til Haak

Fannan/Aarna - Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Cultural Differences, Denial of Feelings, Bickering, Misunderstandings, Sparring as Flirting, Requited Unrequited Love, Mutual Pining, Hurt/Comfort, Affectionate Insults, Angst with a Happy Ending

[furymint]

Elliot Cadieux

in that long character trait meme thing that’s going around and which i stole from @aethernoise. if u guys are interested in doing it, ill tag @norhimorovine @endangered-liaison @mostdangerouspotato @therealmtraversed @painted-foothills @the-wardens-torch  

Pronunciation:  Ehl-ee-iht Cah-djew

Nicknames: Anything That Starts With ‘C’ (by Wyda), Ellie (by Sasamu), Lord Cadieux (by Xan, to his annoyance)

Height: 6’5″

Age: 21

Zodiac: Leo (August 12)

Languages: Eorzean common, Old Ishgardian

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS.

Hair:  Sandy blonde, parted whichever way, and just past ear length

Eyes: Amber, almost almond shaped

Skin tone: A fair, even tan

Body type: Agile and skinny, to the point of being lanky. A little below average height or so.

Accent: Ishgardian

Dominant hand: Right

Posture: Tall and open, but he can often shuffle, tap, or cross his feet. He likes to tap his fingers against his thumb or leg, as if playing the piano. Rarely, he’ll put his hands behind his back like his dad.

Scars: None

Tattoos: None

Most noticeable features: Easily his impeccable and flashy outfits--Elliot doesn’t shy away from color or fashion. Otherwise, he’s extremely expressive with his face and hands.

CHILDHOOD.

Place of birth: Ishgard

Hometown:  Ishgard

Manner of birth: Unknown--he was plucked from the Brume before he could remember it to be adopted by his father, Josseloux.

First words: “Bye” 

Siblings: None

Parents: Josseloux Cadieux, directionless third son turned entitled soldier, affair-ridden student, then perceptive priest. He more or less lets Elliot do what he wants bc he’s got receipts on half the nobility n they cant hurt him lmao

Parental involvement: Jos is a better man than a priest, and a better priest than a father, but he doesn’t slack in any category. He always treated Elliot like an adult, which resulted in Elliot only being able to conduct himself as one--at the cost of having a ‘real’ childhood, and never being able to confront or live out his innate immaturity, which often shows.

ADULT LIFE

Occupation: Negotiator for the Bellworks, pianist for St. Reys’s (bc he says so even tho he’s been away, and would raise absolute hell if he got permanently replaced)

Current residence: His office-room at the Ul’dahn Bellworks office

Close friends: All The Bellworks Are His Best Friends except xan, max, n haru im so sorry also he likes Nolanel and Ephemie

Relationship status: PINING he’s dating nol but still

Financial status:  Rich Bitch

Driver’s license: please dont make him ride a chocobo by himself its just gonna be him constantly worrying until he gets himself stuck in the stirrup in his bid for freedom at the end

Criminal record: bats eyelashes forgery, propagandist, bribery

Vices: Vanity, holier-than-thou-ness, splurging, self-serving selflessness

SEX & ROMANCE.

Sexual orientation: Homosexual

Romantic orientation: Homoromantic

Preferred emotional role:  submissive | dominant | switch (I’m not rly sure what this all entails but if we’re talking stuff like kissing then yeah, but if its talking out feelings then def dominant)

Preferred sexual role:  submissive |  dominant  |  switch |  sex repulsed 

Turn ons: ??????????????? as far as im concerned or know, he’s always willing to make out. otherwise he likes being carried. idk. i’ll say certain clothes like loose shirts or just like showing skin or smth

Turn offs: Crudeness, irreverence/irreligious, cruelty, arrogance, selfishness, lying, sex over or without romance, and he doesn’t like his legs being touched

Love language: Doting to the point of lauding, poetry, touching (hand on shoulder, locking arms) / Likes to be thanked/appreciated, listen to him, joke and go places w him

Relationship tendencies: Rather pushy, touchy-feely, can be teasing, doesn’t want to be alone, always checks in, is patient, understanding, and forgiving, would do anything for u p much

MISCELLANEOUS.

Hobbies to pass the time:  Playing piano, singing, reading, writing poetry, talking w others, walking around, putting outfits together

Mental illnesses: None

Physical illnesses:  None

Fears: Friends getting hurt, friends dying, friends dying far away from him, rejection, dragons, anything remotely heretical, breaking his hands/carpal tunnel

Self confidence level: Much lower than one would expect--he hides a bit behind his clothes and puts on a p good bravado but he’s v self-critical

Vulnerabilities: Physical threats, certain criticisms of his appearance or nature, morality appeals / Can’t throw a good punch, ignorant abt most practical things, patriotic to a fault

[gyls22vac]

17 September 1969

“We fear that if the USA begins pulling troops out of Vietnam, the South will be left vulnerable to Northern attacks.” 

-Anonymous villager in South Vietnam

“Is the South going to start conscripting us to replace the American troops? I don’t want to fight in the war, is there really no way of negotiating with the Americans?” -Anonymous hospital worker in South Vietnam

“Maybe Laos and Cambodia could support the South instead? Especially given General Lon Nol’s inevitable takeover of Cambodia.” 

-Anonymous farmer in South Vietnam

[nwolcdas]

[CHALLENGE DAY 7 : FAVOURITE MOVIE]

"Dari film, saya menemui manusia yang belum pernah saya temui, datang ke tempat yang belum pernah saya datangi, dan menggali perspektif yang belum pernah saya gali."

Kalau ditanya, apa film favorit, saya jelas bingung. Terlalu banyak yang bagus. Saya awalnya berniat mencatutkan nama film garapan pak Cristopher Nolan yang judulnya "Interstellar", apalagi sekarang mau ada season 2 nya. Tapitapi..... saya urung mencatutkan Interstellar dan beralih ke.... Code Geass.

Bisa dibilang Code Geass bukan movie, tapi series. Anime pula. Oke, saya memang penyuka jejepangan. Murni karena saya suka skill menggambar yang dipadukan dengan perumusan storyline--Anime adalah tempat terbaik untuk mengamati perpaduan tersebut.

Sebenarnya, apa yang membuat saya menjadikan Code Geass sebagai film favorit saya?

Yeah, sebenernya ya... indikatornya sederhana saja : Plot twist.

Nggak sekedar plot twist biasa, tapi plot twist yang cukup emosional-menyentil-dan dalam. Sialnya, Jun Fukuyama dkk meramu plot twist tersebut di ending, bukan di pertengahan cerita atau di awal cerita. Bisa saya jamin, saat kamu nonton ending Code Geass di season 2, kamu akan jadi satu sekte dengan saya. Sekte yang meyakini bahwa sampai saat ini, Code Geass merupakan anime dengan ending paling epik. Bahkan lebih epik dari anime legend besutan Makoto Shinkai yang judulnya Kimi No Nawa.

Kalau boleh jujur, saya belum pernah mendapatkan film-anime-atau media hiburan apapun yang sensasi emosionalnya sedalam saat saya menonton series Code Geass.

Siapapun setuju ending Code Geass itu tragis, tapi siapapun juga akan setuju bahwa : tragically, that's absolutely beautiful.

Salah satu quotes favorit saya di Code Geass :

"All the hatred in the world is gathered on me, as promised. So, all you have to do is to erase my existence and put an end to this chain of hatred. The black knights will have the legend of zero left behind for them. Schneizel will work for zero. And now the world can be unified at one table, not through military force, but through negotiation and talk. Mankind can finally embrace the future.”

Yang kalo di Indonesiakan pake bahasa gaul kurang lebih artinya :

"Semua kebencian di dunia ini mengarah ke gw, macem apa yg gw janjikan. Jadi, tugas lo semua setelah ini adalah ngehapus eksistensi gw dan mengakhiri rantai kebencian ini. Black Knight (nama pasukan kerajaan di Code Geass) bakal punya Zero yang melegenda itu disamping mereka (Zero juga nama tokoh di Code Geass). Schneizel (nama tokoh di kode Geass) bakal kerja dari nol. Dan seluruh dunia bisa disatukan dalam satu meja, gapake perang (militer), tapi pake negosiasi dan diskusi. Dengan kayak gitu, umat manusia bisa punya masa depan."

WHATTT. KURANG UWU APALAGI LELOUCH. :(

Lelouch Lamperouge who quotes that statement above is the most adorable character I've ever seen. Maybe kalian pernah tau tentang Itachi Uchiha di serial manga/anime Naruto yang mati berkorban demi adiknya dan seluruh desa. BUT LELOUCH IS MOREEEEE POWERFULL YET SOFTIE FEELEY TOUCHY INSIDE.

Kalian nggak bisa bilang Lelouch itu sebaik Itachi. He is evil, penuh makar, intrik, dan too much brainy. Dia otak dibalik strategi perang yang out of the box, scene genosida yang ga berperikemanusiaan, dan mungkin ada juga segelintir orang yang nganggep bahwa Lelouch adalah protagonis ter evil sepanjang masa.

But hey. His heart is really fluffy, his brain is really awesome, and his insight is really gorgeous. Saya jatuh cinta sama tokoh ini sejak pertama kemunculannya yang dengan badass bilang "kalau raja nggak bergerak, anak buahnya nggak akan ada yang gerak." --- who the hell manusia yang main catur milih buat pakai raja di tahap awal movement bidak caturnya?! That is Lelouch. Kalau saya mah lebih milih korbanin anak buah atau mindahin kuda. Karena... raja itu gerakannya paling terbatas dan absolutely bidak catur paling miskin skill yang bisanya gerak satu langkah doang. Hehe. Hehe.

But lelouch prove to audience that something useless could be usefull if the mastermind behind that things is skilled af.

Oke. Cukup sampai disini perkenalan sama film favorit saya. Maybe kalau belum nonton, coba deh nonton. Terus ayo debat (re : diskusi) terkait endingnya yang cantik tapi nggantung itu. 💙💙💙

[interested-in-history]

War in Vietnam (to 1975) contributed to genocide in Cambodia.

The Vietnam War began as two factions wanting a united country but with two different routes to take; the communist Democratic Republic of Vietnam under Ho Chi Minh and the other, a more western-favouring State of Vietnam under Bao Dai. Fighting between these two politically led blocs in Vietnam escalated to the point of in 1954 international concern had led to the Geneva Conference where the country was split at the 17th parallel in order to cease all hostilities from either side. 

The following year a new leader of what was now South Vietnam, Ngo Dinh Diem emerged with US president Eisenhower’s support providing training and equipment from the American military. 

Diem wanted to removed any Vietnamese in the South who were sympathisers of the North’s communist aims and so set his people out to roundup any leading to estimates of 12,000 killed and 40,000 imprisoned. This stirred tensions once more and in 1957 the Viet Cong and other opponents of Diem fought back, in the following two years later the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong had engaged the South Vietnamese army in firefights. The coup of Diem in 1963 led to political instability within the country and the need for an increase in US support both militarily and economically. This increased US involvement only intensified the tensions between the two sides and escalated the violence. After the Gulf of Tonkin incident in 1964 whereby a US naval ship [USS Maddox] was fired upon by torpedo boats along North Vietnam’s coast, and then a second ship [USS Turner Joy] had another attack in the same area two days later; the US government issued the go-ahead of bombing North Vietnam as a retaliation named ‘Operation Rolling Thunder’. This was intended to force the North to cease its support for the Viet Cong by destroy air defences and infrastructure as well as bolstering moral of the South. After this first half of the Vietnam War Cambodia had been drawn into the war; once Sihanouk cut his ties with the American support and his neutralist government of Cambodia was overthrown in a coup, Cambodia’s involvement within the Vietnam War changed dramatically. Between the years 1965 and 1975 the expansion of the Vietnam War into Cambodia aggravated and radicalised internal political rivalries, which in turn led to a civil war and extreme left wing influences among the populace. There are other reasons that could have lead to the genocide but without the war it wouldn’t have come about so quickly or with such ferocity stemming from the hatred created during the years of the Vietnam War.

In 1962 Sihanouk, after taking the head of state position two years earlier, called upon the United States to stop supporting the Khmer Serei. This was an anti-communist and anti-monarchist force that was accumulating number and becoming a formidable force. The primary objective was to destabilise the existing powers held by the neutralist government and to try and overthrow Sihanouk, hence the reason for wanting to stop support for this group in order to solidify his position in Cambodia. Sihanouk also threatened to cut off US air and sea support that Cambodia was receiving if this group continued being supported, and in the year of 1963 Sihanouk kept his word. This shows the prince’s grip over Cambodia had further weakened and was looking for an outward show of strength towards the West. To further this show of strength after Kennedy was killed in the same year, Sihanouk rejoiced as previously had accused the President of attempting to destabilise Cambodia through the movements placing the troops further towards the ‘neutral’ Cambodian border. In order to show his complete distrust in the ‘West’ Sihanouk negotiated a secret agreement with the Viet Cong and North Vietnam where a ‘Sihanouk Trail’ could be created along the Cambodia border to funnel Chinese military aid into the needing forces on the border. Sanctuaries held North Vietnamese soldiers and supplies as well as Cambodian communists and the  army. The Cambodian army got paid for delivering food supplies and was able to skim 10% off the top of military supplies delivered also. The United States learned about this trail for the North Vietnamese and supporting communists, and the response was to bomb the land involved. This only increased antiwar sentiment following the events in Cambodia and pushed the populace away. The Sihanouk trail became a battlefield and in some reports, General Lon Nol gave permission for secret bombing by the American army. To the rest of the world, politically, America bombing the Cambodian border was a violation of international law. Diplomatic relations broke down and this only worsened relations with all involved, including Cambodia’s relations with South Vietnam which only had worsened putting the country in a difficult position especially if they were still to be ‘neutral’. This bombing increased in 1969 with the B-52 carpet bombing operative following the slow pull out of American troops. The bombers targeted mobile headquarters of the Viet Cong and the North Vietnamese in the Cambodian Jungle. By the beginning of 1970, Cambodia’s neutrality was clearly at an end and Sihanouk had a shaky position with a country balancing between peace and war. This became a large turning point in the country’s history and the involvement within the war. 

In 1970 a coup was launched against Prince Sihanouk with a new government being set up with Lon Nol as Head of State. This coup made a drastic change in the politics within Cambodia, switching who the Head of State supported and opposed. Sihanouk supported the North Vietnamese and opposed the South Vietnamese backed by the Americans. When Lon Nol came in, who he supported and opposed was vice-versa. By exposing there were North Vietnamese hiding in Cambodia, there was a joint US-AVRN invasion into Cambodia to find the communists and secure the borders in order to ensure the South Vietnamese government isn’t under threat. This offensive, named Operation Menu began what Nixon called a secret bombing on Cambodia attacking sanctuaries of the PAVN. The Vietnamese Communists widened and intensified their actions in Cambodia, working alongside Cambodian communists where fighting escalated. As the Cambodian communists helped their Vietnamese counterparts, Nixon order the Secretary of State to ignore previous restrictions limiting air attacks from the US military within 30 miles of the Vietnam-Cambodia border. This lead to an increase in bombings by B-52 aircraft across wider areas into Cambodia named Operation Freedom Deal. This extensive attack dropped explosives onto the land and pushed an enraged populace into the arms of an insurgency that had little support before this point. Numbers of the amount of ammunition that fell vary from 430,000 tons to 2,756,941 tons. These citizens led by communist forces fought against the Lon Nol government and in the process fought US and South Vietnamese forces. By 1971 the Lon Nol government was secure only in smaller towns, in larger areas the Communist Party of Cambodia known as the CPK attempted to win over the Khmer soldiers who would be fighting for the same cause, and often ended in fighting between loosely-termed allies. As the bombing increased until 1973 the reasoning behind it was to drop bombs where the Khmer Rouge was steadily gaining ground and this surrounded Phnom Penh, capital of Cambodia. This heavy bombing became focused in areas surrounding populated areas near Phnom Penh, and affected the whole country and its innocent people. This war effort by the Americans and South Vietnamese turned more of the population against the government and into the hands of the communists leading the charge. As 1973 came to an end so did the American bombing of Cambodia sparking a civil war where Communists were gaining ground, dispute in-house fighting. Khmer Rouse and Lon Nol supporting armies fought until 1975 when Phnom Penh fell to the Khmer Rouge - the extreme communists that were appealing to many of the Cambodians and the group was making significant gains in all areas of the country. In April of 1975, the Khmer Rouge and leader Pol Pot declared Day Zero in Phnom Penh ousting Lon Nol ending civil war deaths but the beginning of a perceived purge of communist ‘enemies’. Pol Pot himself had a deep seated hatred of the Vietnamese and wanted to expel all as well as any western influences and ideas that may impact upon the Cambodians. This end was only the beginning of a horrific period to come with the strengthening of the Khmer Rouge.

There are other reasons that could have played an influence and lead to the genocide in Cambodia, however these are small and would have had less of an impact without the Vietnam War. Firstly, Cambodia’s neutrality was strong and involved in an international conference to restore order and its neutrality as well as being held up by Sihanouk for most of the Vietnam War. At some point the prince became too weak and his position followed suit, if he had kept strong on the neutrality and kept foreign troops from both sides out of the country then Cambodia’s history may have been a lot different. With Sihanouk’s fall, the Vietnam War fell on his helpless country like a collapsing brick wall and all he could do was try to limit the damage done to his people. The prince, according to some historians, was seen as a scapegoat for the rage of the people stemming from the war. Without a strong political head of state the country ended up in turmoil and such instability meant that a new power had to emerged. General Lon Nol was the exact opposite of Sihanouk and many Cambodians did to see eye to eye with him meaning they had to turn to another left wing supporter, this was where the Khmer Rouge and its extreme leader Pol Pot.  Cambodians chose to direct anger towards the prince and see his pitfalls, once the Khmer Rouge was gaining ground many Cambodians who drew away from the prince turned to the extreme communists. Those who were loyalists and those who weren’t entered into interethnic violence only to settle their conflicting views, this culminated in a civil war which the North Vietnamese armed. Ultimately Cambodia had been drawn into the war, through decisions made by conflicting sides and the war spilled openly and uncontainably into Cambodia. Some say it was inevitable, however the war alone would not have led to the atrocities committed against the Cambodian people if it were not for the change in the population’s views towards who should be in charge leading the country to, what many believed, a better future out of the war.

To conclude, the war ultimately did lead to the genocide in Cambodia but without other influences within the country it may not have taken the dark route it did. The war and choices made by those involved, especially from American decisions, meant that the war spilled over into the country with a prince that was powerless to prevent the Vietnam War from swallowing up his country. The beginning of Cambodia within this war began as a neutral party but slowly it was added to the surrounding countries that were being used and sucked into the conflict until fighting escalated and the neutral banner of the country could be used no more. Vietnam and the US pushed into Cambodia and changed the balance of peace within the country as well as toppling the only man that fought the war entering his country. The Vietnam War changed the outlook of Cambodia drastically by the events that unfolded, by staging a coup and the country being led by a pro-American general, by choosing to bomb the country turning the populace against the so-called help and choosing to invade which pushed communists further into the Cambodian interior, where they invigorated the Khmer Rouge and spreading the ideas of communism gathering supporters in order to fight back. Cambodia was at the mercy of the Vietnam war and was weak in all areas in responding to the threat, however the war pushed Cambodians to find support in the Khmer Rouge which in turn favoured a sadistic dictator who started Year Zero and began the horrible events that still shock the nation and the world today. The genocide could not have happened if the war hadn’t pushed those into the extreme communist ideals of Pol Pot. 

Bibliography

Chandler, David P, The tragedy of Cambodian History Politics, War and Revolution since 1945 (Binghampton, Vail-Ballou Press, 1991)

Isaacs, Arnold R, Without Honor defeat in Vietnam and Cambodia (The John Hopkins University Press; Baltimore, 1999)

Jamieson, Neil L, Understanding Vietnam (California, University of California Press, 1993)

Lawrence, Mark Atwood, The Vietnam War: A Concise International History (Oxford University Press Inc; New York, 2010)

Lien, Vu Hong and Sharrock, Peter D, Descending Dragon, Rising Tiger: A History of Vietnam (Reaktion Books Ltd; London, 2014)

Nguyen, Lien-Hang T, Hanoi’s War: An International History of the War for Peace in Vietnam (University of North Carolina Press; United States of America, 2012)

Ruane, Kevin, War and revolution in Vietnam, 1930-75 (London, UCL Press, 1998)

Schlund-Vials, Cathy J, ‘Re-seeing Cambodia and Recollecting The ‘Nam A vertiginous critique of the military sublime’ in Looking Back on the Vietnam War Twenty-First Century Perspectives ed by Brenda M Boyle and Jeehyun Lim (New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press, 2016)

Short, Philip, Pol Pot The History of a Nightmare (John Murray Publishers; United Kingdom, 2004)

Vickery, Michael, Cambodia 1975-1982 (Thailand, Silkworm books, 1999)

Weist, Andrew, The Vietnam War 1956-1975 (Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 2002)

Windrow, Martin, The Last Valley Dien Bien Phu and the French Defeat in Vietnam (Orion Books Ltd; London, 2005)