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karahalloway · 2 years

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(Less Than) Noble Intentions - Bonus Chapter: Extraction (Part 2)

Fandom: TRR

Pairing: Drake Walker x F!OC (Harper Gale)

Series Synopsis: The social season may be over, but Harper Gale’s problems are just beginning. With everyone at court a potential suspect, can she and Drake survive the engagement tour and get to the bottom of the plot against her and clear her name? An AU take of TRR2 featuring my OTP - Harper & Drake.

Masterlist: Extraction

Chapter Summary: Drake gets a lot more than he bargained for when he arrives in Montana

Word Count: 7,300 (Hey! Don’t look at me! It’ ain’t my fault people can’t shut up! 🙃)

Rating/Warnings: M (swearing, angst, cringe, too much unwanted PDA - basically, the Gales being the Gales 🤣)

Chapter theme song:

A/N1: Chronologically, this chapter takes place between Chapter 7 - Independence Day and Chapter 8 - Into The Lion’s Den and is written from Drake’s POV. Part I covered events in New York; this Part II covers Drake’s escapades in Bozeman, MT (subsequent part(s) will cover the plane journey down to Texas, and the arrival at the ranch, with maybe a tiny bit about Drake’s flight back to Cordonia).

A/N2: If anyone wants a reminder of what Harper’s family look like, click here.

Bonus Chapter - Extraction (Part 2)

"Good evening, Mr Walker," greets a suited valet as I step off the plane. "Pleasant flight?"

"As pleasant as it could've been, given the circumstances."

"Well," says the guy, handing me a set of keys, "I hope that your onward journey goes smoothly, at least."

"I doubt it," I mutter, exchanging the keys for a hefty tip. "But thanks for the sentiment."

"You are most welcome, sir. Have a good evening." Turning on his heel, he jumps into the other car that’s waiting on the tarmac.

Pocketing the keys, I step up to the blacked-out Escalade and open the driver's side door. Settling myself in the seat, I quickly adjust everything and set my destination on the sat nav.

Ten-minute drive.

Pressing the pedal down, I navigate off the runway and onto a service road that loops around the back of the airport.

Getting here — despite the three hours I spent pacing at Teterboro while waiting for authorisation for the last-minute flight plan, not to mention the literal king's ransom I paid to charter a direct flight to Bozeman, and have a rental car meet me on the runway — had been relatively painless.

But now I have to somehow sneak Gale's family (plus luggage) out of their house and back to the airport without the paps realising that a personalised version of The Great Escape was taking place under their noses.

And that’s gonna be a logistical challenge.

Not just because I’m going to have to improvise on the fly — given that I've never been here before, and don’t know the lay of the land — but also because I’m going to have to coordinate half-a-dozen rambunctious civilians with zero tactical training or awareness.

Christ, what the hell was I thinking?

An exfil of this scale is normally a six-man job that requires days, if not weeks of prep.

I’m just one guy winging it on a hope and a prayer.

At least it’s coming up on 10pm Mountain now, so that means that I'll have the cover of darkness to work under. I don’t know if the neighbourhood has streetlights, but even if it doesn’t, the porch lights from the nearby houses are going to provide some illumination that I will need to work around.

I add that note to my already lengthy mental list of known unknowns.

And God only knows what crazy cocktail mix of unknown unknowns I'll also have to contend with...

Turning off the main bypass, I drive under the I-90 to merge onto the unlit two-lane that’ll take me to the small community on the outskirts of Bozeman that the Gales call home... and I feel my hands start to sweat as they grip the steering wheel.

There are a million and one things that can go wrong tonight.

We could get spotted. Someone could trip in the dark and get injured. We could get a puncture... or hit a deer (Montana’s know for its abundant wildlife, after all). We could run into a summer thunderstorm on the way south.

But despite the multitude of variables that I have to make provisions for, there is one thing that’s weighing on my mind more than anything else.

I’m meeting Harper's family for the first time.

Sure, I've seen them all on video about a month ago. So, it ain’t like we’re complete strangers to each other.

But this is different.

This’ll be an in-person face-to-face. A critical milestone in most relationships — sometimes even a make-or-break one.

Because this is when your girlfriend's parents decide whether or not your sorry ass is good enough for their daughter.

And even if that isn’t enough tacit pressure to deal with under normal circumstances, I’m in the doubly unenviable position of not only doing something like this for the very first time — given that I've never been in a relationship that had progressed to this stage before — but I’m also going to be flying solo.

Not that that’s my even biggest worry.

Yes, it would've been nice to have Harper with me when I met her folks properly for the first time. For convention's sake, if nothing else. But external events have conspired to rob us of that opportunity, and as much as that grates on me, I’m a big boy, and I can handle spending a few hours with her family by myself.

No. It’s the fact that here I am, about to turn up at the Gales' home in the middle of the night after a 4-hour flight, wearing rumpled, sweat-stained clothes, hair greasy and tangled from all the times I've raked my hand through it in frustration today, not to mention badly in need of a shower and shave, to bark orders like a drill sergeant at the people who could very well become my future in-laws.

Good first impression, that ain't...

I chew the inside of my cheek restlessly.

...especially when I have so much riding on this.

Being apart from Gale for this length of time has confronted me with the inescapable fact that I want — no, need — her more than the air I breathe.

And I have no clue how I'd managed to subsist before she blew into my life like a warm summer breeze, knocking down my walls, tearing up all my rules, and wreaking general havoc on my heart and mind.

Not that I care about any of that now... the things I thought were important enough to warrant pushing her away for. All I know is that I was a monumental idiot for even trying in the first place.

Her eyes saw through me, her smile lit me up, and her touch... Christ, just one touch from her was enough to make me want to shove her up against the wall and rip the clothes from her body.

In short, I've never felt like this with anyone before.

And a girl like her is only gonna come 'round once.

Hell, the fact that she showed up in my miserable life at all is nothing short of a goddamn miracle!

And given how close she is with her family, I know that if I want to spend the rest of my life with her, her parents and brothers will become a permanent fixture in my existence as well. So, I really want to start off on the right foot with them. Because I know that it’s going to be important for Harper that we get along...

...even if they’re the polar opposite of my family in every sense of the word, and Aunt Lee’s gonna get the shock of her life when we roll up at the ranch.

I shake my head wryly.

Christ... Married.

I honestly never thought I'd be making plans to get hitched. I hadn't even been looking for anything serious, let alone permanent. But after nearly losing her at the end of the social season, and then being forced to be apart for nearly a month, I’ve realised that life's too short to piss about, wasting time trying to deny how I feel and what I want.

And what I want is her. Full stop.

Not that I’m planning on rushing anything.

She has enough shit to deal with right now without me springing a surprise proposal onto her. So, I’m content to bide my time until the tour wraps up, her name is cleared, and her life returns to a semblance of normalcy.

And if that means waiting weeks, months, or even years for the stars to align, then that's what I’m going to do.

Because she’s worth the wait.

"The destination is on your right."

The nasally voice of the sat nav jars me from my thoughts.

Glancing in the indicated direction, I spot the Gales' craftsman-style house...

...and the veritable barricade of news vans camped in front of it.

"Sweet fuckin' Jesus..."

There’s no way in in hell that we’re gonna get past that without someone noticing.

"You have reached your destination."

Ignoring the navigation system, I roll slowly past the row of vehicles that lined both sides of the street, circling the block until I reach a spot on the parallel road directly behind the property.

Pulling up next to the curb, I turn the engine off and hop out.

The street is quiet and unlit. Several porch lights are on, and there's light peeking out from behind a few drawn blinds, but the spacing between the buildings is quite wide and unobstructed by gates.

So, generally positive...

Except for the fact that I’m still dressed in the clothes that I threw on this morning, and my white button-down glows like a fuckin' signal flare in the dark.

I briefly contemplate ditching it.

But considering that I left my suitcase back on the plane, not to mention how many pages I've torn out of the 'Meet the 'Rents' playbook already, the last thing I want to do was knock on the Gales' door looking like I’ve just fallen off the proverbial turnip truck.

I’m going to have to do this quick.

Taking a breath, I stride purposefully up the grass between the two houses that I parked in front of.

I really hope that no one’s logging my blatant trespassing through their window. But if they are, then I may as well make it seem like I’m supposed to be here, instead of making a big show of sneaking around like a literal thief in the night, as that would only increase my odds of getting reported to the cops.

Veering off to the right, I skirt the ranch-style fence that divides the backyards of the two properties until I arrive at the line that abutted the Gale's yard...

...and see that even though the fence is easy to hop, the rose bushes that have been planted along it on the other side aren’t.

"Fuck..."

I could retrace my steps, and find a way in via a different yard, but that risks me drawing even more attention to myself.

I’m going to have to commit. Hard.

After testing the fence rails to make sure that none of them have rotted through, I back up a few yards. Heaving a few deep breaths to pump myself up — and push down the voice in the back of my head telling me that this is a seriously bad idea — I break into a sprint.

I'm almost upon the fence when I use what momentum I've gained to leap upwards. My boot connects with the top rail, and pushing off of it, I sail into the air.

I feel my right foot drag over the top of the roses as I pass over the bushes, but luck is my side, and I don't get tangled in the thorns.

My foot hits the ground and I let my knees collapse as I throw myself forward to counteract the force of the impact. Rolling across the grass — which I realise mid-rotation is cold and wet from having recently been watered — I come to a stop on one knee, panting, with my shirt sticking to me...

...and the barrel of a Benelli M2 pointed between my eyes.

"Thought you were real smart, huh? Sneaking 'round the back..."

I raise my hands more out of instinct than anything else. "Sir, I'm—"

"Just here for a story?" The cold metal of the muzzle presses into my forehead. "So you and your sorry excuse of a paper can profit off of my daughter's misfortune? Well, you can take your story and—"

"I'm not a pap!"

A dry scoff reverberates through the darkness. "Sure, son. Keep on tellin' yourself that if it helps you sleep at night. But I sure as hell won't—"

"It's me!" I shout. "Drake Walker! Harper's—"

Rob's eyes widen in the gloom. "Jesus Christ...!"

The barrel swings away from my head and I let out an explosive breath that I hadn't realised I've been holding as I feel my blood flow restart.

I hadn't been expecting a red-carpet welcome, but sweet fuckin' Jesus!

But I guess I should've known better. The Gales were in high alert, and I hadn't exactly given them a heads-up about my arrival.

"The heck were you thinking, son?" Harper's dad demands, offering me a hand to help me up. "I could've—"

"What's going on, honey?" asks Leigh, appearing behind her husband with a flashlight. "Did you—?" Her eyes — and blindingly bright beam — land on me. "Oh! Drake!"

I lift a hand to block the light. "Evenin', Mrs—"

The wind is knocked from my lungs as Harper's mom launches herself at me like a homing missile, nearly sending me ass-first into the damp grass again.

"We're so sorry, sweetie! Are you alright?"

"Yeah," I grunt, trying to regain my balance with the additional 140-or-so pounds on me. "I'm—"

"What are you doing in the yard?" she deplores, squeezing the literal bejesus out of me.

"The front door was out, so I had to use the back," I gasp, trying to draw breath — and failing.

Fuck me! This woman could give professional judo wrestlers a run for their money...!

"Probably not the welcome you were expecting, huh?" she observes, squeezing even tighter, if such a thing is possible. "But with all the unexpected visitors out front, Rob said we needed to take precautions."

"Hey. No harm, no foul. And I—"

"You could've given us a heads-up, son," grumbles Rob.

"Sorry, sir," I wheeze. "But—"

Leigh pulls away from me suspiciously. "Why are you all wet? The sprinklers weren't going off by themselves again, were they?"

I draw a relieved breath, my ribs groaning as they settle back into their intended positions. "No, I—"

"Everything okay here?" queries Brody, making an appearance with a stainless steel Dan Wesson 1911.

I make a mental note never to try and sneak onto the Gales' property again. Especially in the dark.

Leigh turns to regard her eldest son with a wry look. "Apart from your trigger-happy father almost shooting the first boyfriend Harper's introduced to us since that what's-his-face football player that took her to prom, we're peachy!"

Rob shoulders the single-barrel grouchily. "I'm allowed to defend my home, Leigh... And had I known—"

"You mean Dean?"

Glancing behind Brody, I spot Tyler and Justin ambling up as well, Henry lever-action and AR-15 sporting rifle in hand, respectively.

My eyes widen.

Sweet Jesus! These people are packing enough heat to inaugurate their own private militia...

...which begs the question of why — if her family are such ardent supporters of the Second Amendment — had Harper said she'd never shot a gun before.

But that’s an investigation for another time...

"Was that his name?" muses Leigh. "I honestly can't remember... I didn't like him." She gives me a conspiratorial wink.

"You mean Mr Hot-Shot Halfback who got that free ride scholarship to the University of Denver?" offers Justin. "And wouldn't shut up about it?"

"Yeah. Him," affirms Tyler. "Heard he got into a bar fight and got kicked off the team."

"Wasn't he called Don?" asks Brody.

"No!" scoffs Justin dismissively. "It was Dave. Or... Dale. Possibly Drew. But not Dean. Dean was that guy she dated during the summer after her sophomore year. Who had that quad bike? Remember?"

"Oh, yeah!" exclaims Tyler. "He kept getting it stuck in the mud after all the thunderstorms we'd had that year."

"And Harp kept calling me up to pull it out for him..." mutters Brody begrudgingly.

I quirk a brow. Jocks and quad bikes, huh? And she had the sass to give me stick for taking her to the range...

"Alright, you three," chides Leigh. "Cut it out. I'm sure Drake's not interested in hearing about Harper's past love interests. Not to mention, we can't have him stood out here in the yard, waiting to catch a cold..."

"Honestly, I'm—"

But I'm not given a chance to get a word in edgeways because Leigh has already grabbed hold of my arm and is hauling me across the lawn.

"I'm so happy that we finally get to meet you, honey," she preens, leaning into me affectionately. "Harper's told us so much about you. Feels like you're practically part of the family already!"

I feel the heat rise up my neck at the sincereness of her remark. "Th-thank you, ma'am. It's great to—"

"Oh, sweetie!" she admonishes with a lighthearted smack on my arm as she pulls me up the deck steps. "There's no need for all that! I know you Southerners like to pride yourselves on your manners, but up here — and especially in this family — we're quite a bit more laid back. Just Leigh is fine."

"I'll keep that in mind," I concede, stepping into the kitchen.

It smells of garlic, onions, and beef, and I suddenly realise that I haven’t eaten since breakfast. But food’s gonna have to wait because—

"We need to get you out of that shirt, mister."

My eyes snap down onto Harper's mom, before dropping to my chest. "Err..."

"We can't have you running around in wet clothes after you came all this way to help us."

I feel my shoulders relax as my brain finally catches up with the context.

Christ, it's been a long day...

"I'll be fine. It's just a little da—"

But she's not listening. "Brody! Get Drake a shirt, while I dry his, will you? The two of you are about the same size."

"Mom..." groans Brody, pulling the back door closed. "This isn't the time to start doing laundry..."

"Popping one shirt into the dryer isn't doing laundry," she counters. "It'll take twenty minutes at most."

"Do as your mother says," announces Rob. "It's the least we can do for Drake after all the trouble he's gone to for us."

Brody meets his father's eye before nodding and heading towards the stairs.

"Thank you, ma— Leigh," I say sincerely. "You really didn't have to."

She waves her hand in front of her face dismissively. "Oh, it's no trouble. Now, hand me that wet shirt."

I stare at her outstretched hand. She isn’t seriously expecting me to strip in front of her... Is she?

"Shouldn't we wait until—?"

Before I know what's happening, Leigh's grabbed a hold of the front panels of my shirt and was making short work of the buttons. "There's no need to stand on ceremony, honey."

The heat explodes over my face. Am I seriously getting undressed by Harper's mom right now...? In front of the whole family?

I try to push Leigh's fingers away, but her hands are like gophers — small and impossibly fast. "You don't need t—"

"It won't take but a minute," she assures me.

"How did it get wet anyway?" interjects Tyler, completely unfazed by the impromptu disrobing. "We haven't had rain for weeks."

"He came in through the backyard, didn't he?" says Justin. "Sprinklers must've been on."

"No, I turned them off," Rob tells him, in the process of putting the Benelli back into its case. "Just before Drake showed up."

"Then how—?"

Leigh tugs the bottom of the shirt out of my pants to get at the last few buttons.

I stare at the ceiling, biting my tongue.

Christ this is awkward!

"He jumped the back fence," states Rob matter-of-factly as he strides past, gun case in hand. "Had to break his landing."

"You jum—?" Tyler demands disbelievingly, whirling back to face me. "But those rose bushes are nearly six feet tall!"

"I gave myself a running start," I croak, trying to focus on the conversation that I’m the subject of, instead of on how close Leigh's hands are to my junk.

Sweet Jesus... Of all the things that I made plans for tonight, this sure as hell had not been on the list!

Tyler's eyeballing me incredulously. "What are you... Superman, or something?"

"No, just—"

Leigh uses my momentary distraction to try and pull the shirt off me.

I grab the front panels together instinctively. "I was gonna wait for the new shirt before—"

"Oh, honey!" she laughs. "I've raised three boys, so I've seen it all. A little skin isn't going to phase me."

"That's kind of you to say, but—"

"Give her the shirt, man!" prompts Justin. "Because she'll just take it off you anyway if you don't."

"Yeah, it's much easier if you give in and humour her," agrees Tyler. "Unless you're trying to hide something..."

"No, but I can just get changed when—"

"Nonsense!" Leigh chides, stepping behind me and grabbing my collar.

I try to keep a hold on the shirt, but the woman's faster'n greased lightning and the next thing I know, she's whipped the damn thing off me.

"Whoa..."

Glancing up, I see Justin and Tyler staring at me with mouths agape, like a pair of stupefied goats seeing Astro-Turf for the first time.

"There," Leigh declares proudly, tugging the sleeves off my wrists. "Much better to be out of these wet—" She trails off as her eyes land on my torso as well.

I pray for the ground to open up and swallow me.

How the hell did I end up standing shirtless in the middle of the Gale's kitchen?

Tyler's the first to recover his powers of speech. "Holy shit, dude! How much do you bench press?"

"At least 290lbs by the look of him," offers Justin before I can open my gob. "You auditioning for a 300 reboot we don't know about?"

"No, I just—"

"Try'na compensate for something...?" suggests Tyler with a shit-eating grin as he waggles his little finger meaningfully.

I groan inwardly. Can this night go any more sideways...? And where the fuck is Brody with that shirt!

"Should probably give Harp the heads-up," muses Justin, stroking his chin contemplatively. "Before she experiences major disappointment."

"What can Harper possibly be disappointed about?" breathes Leigh, eyes glued to my abs as she walks past towards the laundry area.

"The size of his— Ow!"

"Shut up, T," admonishes Brody, flinging me a plaid shirt.

I snatch it gratefully out of the air.

Tyler's rubbing the back of his head ruefully. "The hell was that for, man?"

"Dissing the guy to his face."

"Hey! I'm not wrong! It's statistically true that—"

"Guys with insecurities will call everyone else's assets into question?" I quip, pulling the shirt on.

There's a moment of stunned silence as the brothers stare at me.

Justin's the first to recover. "Hah!" he guffaws, slapping his younger sibling on the shoulder. "He called you out, T!"

Tyler reddens. "No! That's not what I—"

"Should've kept your big, fat mouth shut then, huh, baby bro?" grins Brody, giving me a covert thumbs-up from beneath his crossed arms.

"I'm twenty-fuckin'-five!"

"And yet you still act like a 12-year old," laughs Justin, pulling him in for a noogie.

"Fuck off, J!" shouts Tyler, giving his brother a shove. "You're just as— Ow! What th—!"

"Language..." admonishes Rob with a steely look as he strides back into the kitchen.

Tyler mutters something under his breath.

"What was that, T?"

"Nothing," he grumbles, shooting a death glare at Justin, who's fighting a grin, knowing he managed to get away Scot-free.

"Didn't think so," affirms Rob. Turning to me, he asks, "So, what's the plan now, son?"

"We should make a move before it gets any later," I advise. "This all of you?"

"Yup," affirms Justin. "Nana said she'll hold down the fort while we're gone. Plus, she doesn't like leaving her spider plants."

"Fair enough," I concede. "The rest of y'all packed and everything?"

There's nods all around.

"Great. Who's your favourite neighbour?"

Rob's brows furrow. "What's that got to do with anything?"

"We can't go out the front without getting spotted by the paps," I explain. "So we'll need to engineer an escape via one of the adjoining yards."

"Oh, that's easy," declares Leigh, reappearing from the laundry area. "We'll just use Nancy's yard. She won't mind."

"Yeah," mutters Brody. "But her yard's right next to ours. The news crews will still catch sight of us — especially when they hear six people dragging suitcases down the drive in the middle of the night. They're not dumb."

"Does she have a garage?" I ask. "I can back the car in and—"

"No can do," declares Justin. "It's filled to the brim with gardening crap—"

"Language!"

"Sorry, Dad!"

He ducks just in time to avoid Tyler's back-handed swipe at his head.

"Dammit...!" hisses Tyler under his breath.

"—and parts for that rusty, old bike that her husband never finished repairing before he died," finishes Justin without skipping a beat as he straightens back up.

Brody scowls at his brother. "That 'rusty, old bike' is a 1929 Brough Superior SS100 Alpine Grand Sport, you moron. And it's worth about ten of your ragtop Jeep's."

My brows shoot upwards. "You're joking..."

"Nope," affirms Brody sagely. "A restored model can go for close to half a mil."

"I know," I breathe. "There are less than a hundred of those bikes left. And each one is unique... and beautifully elegant."

Brody regards me contemplatively. "You into bikes, then?"

I nod. "Got an Indian Scout back home."

"Sweet! Which model?"

"Modified Bobber."

He's nodding enthusiastically. "What year?"

"It's a—"

"Can we park the bike drool-fest until after we get to Texas?" interrupts Tyler. "Otherwise we'll be stood here for hours..."

"Right. Yeah," nods Brody. Leaning towards me, he adds in a low voice, "To be resumed."

"You got it, buddy," I grin. Turning back to the topic at hand, I ask, "Right, so it seems like Nancy's yard isn't an option. Is there—"

"Actually, I think she said that her neighbours at the back were going away on some Caribbean cruise for a month," interrupts Leigh. "So, we can just hop over to Nancy's and then out the back into the other yard. Let me just call her and check."

"You realise that's trespassing, Mom..." Brody reminds her.

"Pfft," she counters, picking her phone up from the kitchen counter. "What they don't know won't hurt them."

Brody groans wearily. "That's not how it works... And anyway. It's the middle of the night. She won't be—"

"Oh, she'll still be up watching NCIS reruns on that old TV of hers," Leigh assures him, scanning unconcernedly through her contacts for the number she needed. "She's an all-out night owl."

"Here," I say, quickly pulling out and unlocking my phone. "Use this."

She regards me confusedly. "But Nancy's number is saved in here..."

"I know. But with the level of media attention you've been getting, we can't rule out the possibility that your phones have been illegally tapped. And if the paps are listening in, then any kind of escape plan will be screwed from the get-go."

Leigh looks at her eldest son questioningly.

Brody nods. "Drake's right. If you've got the technical know-how, it's stupidly easy to tap or track someone's phone."

"It's why I didn't call Brody back," I add as Leigh takes my phone and starts tapping Nancy's number in. "I know — from personal experience — that these people will go to any means to get a story. So, I didn't want to risk it. Even though I said I'd call once I had the details."

"No sweat, man," acknowledges Brody, clapping me on the shoulder. "We honestly didn't expect anyone — least of all you — to show up until tomorrow at the earliest anyway."

"Yeah, well, I was still on this side of the Pond, so I figured I'd make a detour on the way back to Europe."

"Okay, but how do you know that your phone's good?" asks Tyler.

"Because it has military-grade encryption software installed on it. And it gets regularly swept for bugs."

Justin looks impressed. "Any chance we can get our hands on that kind of tech?"

"Not without going back to Cordonia to fill out an insane amount of paperwork that requires four different sets of signatures," I reply dryly. "So you should switch your phones off and leave them here."

"Leave our phones!" cries Tyler. "But how are we supposed to—"

"I'll get y'all burner phones once we get to Texas."

"But—"

"You're very welcome to stay here under forced lockdown for the next however-many-weeks until the news crews get bored," cuts in Brody. "See how fast you go stir crazy."

Tyler drops his head dejectedly. "This sucks major balls..."

For once, Rob lets the cussing slide with a huff of understanding as he lays a reassuring hand on his son's shoulder. "No one said it was gonna be easy, T. This isn't a vacation."

"Trust me, I know," I say. "None of you should ever've had to deal with this kinda shit. But the aristos at court have a nasty habit of riding roughshod over anyone and everyone in order to gain even the tiniest bit kind of advantage for themselves. So, until we find the plotters and bring 'em to heel, this is the new forced reality."

"Just remember that it's nowhere near as bad as what Harp's got to deal with..." adds Brody.

"Yeah," agrees Justin. "At least the papers aren't spewing crap about us like they are about her... Some of the stuff they've come up with... Jesus Christ..."

"Best to just ignore it," I advise.

"Ignore it?" demands Tyler incredulously. "We're her family! Who's going to defend her from those trolls if not us?"

"I know you're just trying to look out for her," I say. "But engaging with all that BS is just gonna give the bastards further ammunition, and you sleepless nights. And you ain't gonna win an online shouting match. At least not until we've got the proof we need to set the story straight."

"And how long's that going to take?" asks Justin.

"Honestly?" I sigh. "No clue. But we're tackling it from every possible angle so we can, so hopefully sooner rather than later. For everyone's sake."

"Nancy said we can come on over," announces Leigh with a bright smile, stepping back into the impromptu semi-circle that we'd fallen into as we'd talked. "And she'll give us a ladder to get into the Millers' yard."

"Let's move out, then," I advise.

"...and hope nobody calls the cops on us," grumbles Brody.

"Lucky we have an in with the force, then, huh?" winks Justin, elbowing his older brother in the ribs.

"Just 'cause I'm a PI doesn't mean I won't get arrested for breaking the law," he counters dryly. "If anything, I need to be more careful."

"Oh, lighten up, Knight Rider," snorts Tyler, picking up two of the bags that were stacked by the stairs and heading towards the back door. "As long as you don't get your fat ass stuck on the fence, you'll be golden!"

"Says the person who got tangled up in that roll of barbed wire at the Harrolds' place!" laughs Justin, following suit.

"Because some idiot just left it in the middle of the field!" hits back Tyler. "Lucky the cows were on the other side of the pasture, or Old Man Harrold would've tanned your hide!"

"Those three will never grow up," grumbles Rob, as the three brothers exit the house, ribbing each other as they went.

"Nope," I agree. "But when things go south, they've got each other's back's... and Harper's. And that's what counts."

"Sounds like you speak from experience," he concedes, moving towards the remaining bags. "You got brothers as well, then?"

"Just a sister," I reply, following suit. "But Chris and I, we grew up together, so he's basically like a brother to me."

"This sister of yours, she is in Cordonia as well, or down in Texas?" he asks, hefting a back-pack onto his shoulder.

I heave a breath. "Neither. She upped sticks almost two years ago. Haven't heard from her since."

"Sorry to hear that, son..." he acknowledges, bending down again. "Hope she's doing okay."

I grab a heavy-looking, overstuffed suitcase before he can reach it. "Me too."

"Oh, don't trouble yourself with that," he admonishes. "Leigh's packed everything but the kitchen sink into that damn bag..."

"It's no trouble," I assure him, adjusting my hold on the handle. It’s heavy, but I can manage... just. "You're being forced to move out on short notice. It's gonna be hard to know what to take and what to leave. Especially since you don't how long you'll be gone for."

He gives me an appreciative nod as he grabs the last bag, before muttering, "I honestly never thought I'd live to see something like this... Life sure knows how to throw a nasty curveball when you least expect it..."

"True. But, we're batting back."

"All thanks to you, son," he says heartfeltly, leading the way out to the backyard again. "You went out of your way for us when you didn't have to, and we won't forget that."

"As I said, it's not a problem," I assure him. "Plus, both Harper and I'll feel better, knowing that y'all are somewhere safe until this blows over."

"How... How she holding up?" he asks, his voice wavering ever so slightly with worry as he glances over at me.

"Pretty good," I admit. "All things considered. She's tougher'n an old pair of boots."

He scoffs in agreement. "She gets that from her Nana. But, it's good to know she has someone like you in her corner. Especially as we can't be there for her..."

"Like I said, sir," I say. "I made a promise to look out for her. And I'm plannin' on keeping it, come hell or high-water. Because no one deserves to be taken advantage of like this. Especially her."

"Let's just hope you and that Chris catch the sons of bitches responsible..."

"We're not gonna rest 'til we do, sir," I declare determinedly. "Because they've got a lot to answer for."

Reaching the fence line, I can see that Harper's brothers have already made it into Nancy's yard. Tyler’s stood by the back door, talking to someone inside. Justin is stacking the first round of bags by the back fence, while Brody is waiting to help us with our load.

"Hand that over, Dad," he instructs, reaching back over the waist-high fence.

"I got it," he responds, lifting the backpack up with a low grunt.

"What you've got, is a date with the ER if you slip a disk again," replies Brody sardonically, grabbing the bottom. "Not to mention, Nancy's gonna bite your ear off if you end up putting a dent in her new fence. Even accidentally."

"Not if she wants me to help fix it for her!" comes the deadpan response.

Brody shakes his head wearily, and I can't help but grin at the easy interplay between father and son...

...even as I feel a pang of regret slice through my gut at the subtle reminder of how my own time with Dad had been cut brutally short.

"Drake?"

I snap my head up. "Yeah?"

"Wanna pass that deadweight over?" asks Brody, indicating the heavy bag at my feet.

"Oh. Sure."

Picking the suitcase up, I'm in the process of hefting it over the fence, when I feel the weight lighten.

"Don't need you putting your back out, either, son," winks Rob, as he grabs the other end.

"Thanks," I say gratefully, meeting his eye with a nod.

Despite the night's ups-and-downs, it seems like the first official meeting is going well. Somehow…

"Jesus Christ!" exclaims Brody. "The hell is in this thing?"

"Ask your mother," advises Rob dryly.

"Ask me what?" inquires Leigh, appearing with a plastic bag in her hand, and a purse slung over her shoulder.

"What you packed in that damned suitcase that makes it weigh more than a prize heifer," replies Rob.

"Just clothes. And shoes. And some books. And sunscreen. And bug repellent. And the photo albums."

Brody's eyes widen. "What? All of them?"

"No, silly!" laughs Leigh. "Just the ones that have pictures of Harper."

"That's still half-a-dozen albums!" cries Brody.

"Look, Leigh," sighs Rob. "I know you miss her, but—"

"Pfft!" scoffs Leigh. "It's got nothing to do with that! It's so I can show the pictures to Drake's mom and auntie. As a way to introduce Harper to them, since she's not with us to meet his family for the first time."

"I'm sure Drake's already told them all about her..."

"But they haven't met her yet..." she counters. Glancing questioningly at me, she adds, "Have they?"

"No," I confirm, handing another bag over to Brody. "We haven't had a—"

"Exactly!" she declares. "So, it's my job, as her mother, to represent her! And the best way to do that, is with pictures!"

"Couldn't you just have picked out a few random photos?" deplores Brody. "Or better yet, just show them what you've got on your camera roll? They don't need a whole presentation with multiple exhibits."

I step in to back Brody up. Despite her mom's enthusiasm, I doubt Harper would be happy knowing that her gap-toothed kiddie pictures are going to be paraded around without her knowledge or consent. "That's very thoughtful of you, Leigh. But—"

"Oh, don't worry, dear! I'll let you have first peek." She beams up at me excitedly. "I know you're interested in finding out what Harper got up to in her former years as well! Especially since you haven't known each other for that long..."

I scoff abashedly, picking up the last bag. "That's really not—"

"...and I'm sure your mom has some adorable pictures of you stashed away somewhere too..."

I nearly drop the suitcase on my foot. "Wait. Wha—?"

"You lot comin'?" calls Tyler, striding past with a ladder under his arm. "Or you are you waiting for an invitation?"

"I already gave 'em an invitation," declares the squat, elderly woman following along behind him. She’s sporting a long, silver braid of hair down the back of her Native American-inspired poncho, and has a large, box-shaped thing in her hands. "Or did you misplace it already?"

"It was a verbal—" starts Brody.

"Of course not!" interjects Leigh, climbing over the fence to wrap her neighbour in one of those bone-crushing hugs of hers. "We treasure everything you give us, Nancy!"

"Except the unbearably itchy hats and scarves she insists on knitting for us each Christmas," grumbles Rob under his breath as he too clambers over the rails. "Those go straight to Goodwill."

Suppressing a snort, I hop into the yard as well.

Nancy sounded like a typical old lady, living out her grandmotherly persuasions vicariously through her acquaintances.

Nancy's eyes land on me. "Have you made another addition to your brood recently?"

"Sort of," Leigh admits with a smile, beckoning me over. "Nancy, this is Harper's boyfriend, Drake."

"Pleasure to meet you, ma'am," I greet, stepping up to extend a hand.

Nancy gives me a critical once-over without taking me up on the offer of the handshake. "Boyfriend, eh...?"

I pull my outstretched arm back with a raised brow, trying to figure out what the issue is. "If you want to put a label on it..."

She narrows her eyes at me. "And how long has this been going on for?"

I open my mouth, only to promptly shut it, suddenly realising that that's a surprisingly hard question to give a straight answer to.

Do I count from the morning I showed up at her hotel room in Paris to stake my claim on her? Or the night before, when I realised that I was in love with her? Or should I go back to when we stuck our tongues down each other's throats at the beach party, even though she was still officially a suitor? Or even further back still to Lythikos, when I invited her to come off-piste with me, for what could technically be termed as our first date?

I decide to hedge my bets.

"’Bout a month or so...?"

That answer’s vague enough to cover all the bases, while being specific enough to (a) make it sound like I’ve actually keeping track, and (b) put off any incursive follow-up questions.

"A month, huh?"

"Give or take," I affirm, focusing on keeping cool as Nancy continues to scan me like a Terminator.

Her face suddenly cracks into a grin. "You're doing better than that last guy, then! He only lasted... What? Two weeks?"

"If that," agrees Leigh with a heavy sigh. "She didn't even introduce us..."

"But you're here meeting the family!" Nancy continues, punching me enthusiastically in the arm. "In person!"

I jerk at the unexpected — and surprisingly forceful — impact.

PDA should really come with a health warning 'round here...

"You've made it further than most," she confides with a wink. "She must really like you."

"Yes, we're all rooting for Drake," confirms Leigh, leaning into me with a cat-that-got-the-cream grin.

I feel the heat rise up my face again. "That's kind of you to say..."

"So polite," smirks Leigh, patting my cheek.

"And thin around the jowls," observers Nancy ornerily. "Do they not feed you at home?"

"I—"

"Best take this, then," she declares.

She thrusts the cooler into my sternum, knocking the breath out of me.

"It was meant to be for those Gale boys to tide them over 'til you got down to Texas. They're always hungry," she explains. "But by the look of you, you need it more than them."

I quickly wrap my arms around the box so it doesn't fall to the ground as she lets go. "Thank you, ma'am. But there's gonna be food on—"

"On the way?" She snorts derisively. "Gas station grub is expensive and gives you heartburn."

"Actually we're—"

"And you've got a long trek, so you'll be needing the fuel," she continues. "So, I packed you Swiss and baloney sandwiches and my secret recipe chocolate and peanut butter cookies to keep you going."

"Ooh! The boys will be happy with those!" enthuses Leigh.

"Thank you," I acknowledge. "That's really—"

"Mom!" hollers Tyler from the top of the ladder. "Quit shooting the breeze and— Ow!"

"And you quit trying to wake the whole neighbourhood!" hisses Brody.

Leigh turns back to Nancy apologetically. "Sorry. Being summoned..."

"Go. Go," she urges, making shooing motions with her hands. "I'll make sure no one follows you."

"How?" I ask, very much doubting — despite her mean right hook — that Nancy could tackle a pap to the ground if one decided to pursue us.

She fixes me with a level look. "I'll introduce them to the business end of my hose pipe."

A snort of amusement jumps out of me. "Fair enough."

"You kids take care," she says by way of good-bye, slapping me roundly on the back. "And keep me posted."

"You know we will!" Leigh assures her, giving her another quick hug and a kiss in the cheek. "See you soon, Nancy!"

“Pleasure to meet you, ma’am,” I add with a nod.

“You too, Drake,” responds Nancy with a wink. “I’m rooting for you too.”

Turning away, Leigh and I troop across the lawn to the back fence where the ladder had been left waiting for us.

"After you, Leigh," I urge.

"You are such a gentleman," she preens, stepping up to the ladder and making short work of scaling it.

"Swing your legs over and jump down," prompts Brody from the other side. "I'll catch you."

"I can manage," she responds unconcernedly. "I used to climb human pyramids taller than this."

"That was over thirty years ago..."

She hops nimbly down. "Still got the reflexes, though!"

I climb up and over as well, landing with a low thud in the Miller's barked flowerbed. Straightening up, I see that the bags have also already made it.

The Gales look at me expectantly.

"Right," I say, grabbing a suitcase at random. "Next stop, Bozeman Yellowstone International."

Drake’s escapdes continue in Extraction - Part 3 (Coming Soon!)

Some notes for your FYI:

Flight to Montana — if you've read Sleepless in New York, you will be familiar with Teterboro airport — a smaller airport located in New Jersey that is used as a hub for private and charter flights in and out of New York. The timings I state above (re wait time for flight authorisation and flight time from New York to Bozeman) are accurate — unlike in the movies, you can't just hop on a private jet whenever you feel like it and go. That said, the speed with which Drake is able to charter a flight on short notice may be a bit unrealistic — normally you need to book in advance to ensure that the charter company does have planes/crew available, but for the purposes of the story, I assumed that (i) the Palace would have some kind of VIP charter account set up with a company already (which Drake was able to take advantage of), and (ii) on the day in question, they did have availability. And while I don't specifically mention how much Drake paid for the flight (which varies depending on which charter company he went with, the size of plane, distance travelled, etc.) a ballpark starting figure would be approx. $25,000 just for the Teterboro-Bozeman leg (and, no, I didn't accidentally add too many zeros because regardless of the number of passengers, you need to basically book out the whole plane) whereas the entire trip (Teterboro-Bozeman-Dallas) would be anywhere between $67,000-$100,000. In relation to the rental car, I don't know if Bozeman (which is a relatively small airport and which receives both commercial and charter/private flights) would allow a car to drive onto the runway (though I know that some private airports do allow this), but for the purposes of the plot and pacing, I decided that they do 🙃

Guns — Huge shout-out to hubby for serving as my impromptu gun expert, and giving me suggestions on what type of gun each person in the chapter should carry! I know zilch about guns, but I have learnt the following as a result of writing this chapter: (i) being quite rural and agrarian, most people in Montana would be packin’ (hunting is also a popular pass-time in this state); (ii) Montana is a state that subscribes to the Castle Doctrine (also known as the stand-your-ground law), that allows people to use reasonable force (including deadly force) to protect themselves against an intruder in their home. This is what Rob refers to when he says that he has the ‘right’ to defend his home; and (iii) the guns that have been chosen are some of the best / most popular sidearms for the purposes that each character would use them for. Rob’s Benelli is a solid and versatile shotgun that can be used for the purposes of home defence, hunting and skeet shooting. Brody (being a PI) would have a handgun, so we went with the Dan Wesson. Justin and Tyler have hunting/sporting rifles. This note is by no way an advocation of gun ownership; I’m just providing some background as to why guns are included in this scene, and why each character has the ones that they do.

Picture credits available here.

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bgn846 · 4 years

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Regression FFXV Promptio Fic

Summary: Gladio gets hits with a status effect and becomes 17 again. This would be somewhat bearable if it weren't for Prompto's terrible crush on the guy.

Hands roughly shoved him, sending Prompto sailing off to the side. Landing in the dirt he covered his head instinctively to avoid getting clocked by the monster they were fighting. Gladio was already sprinting after it, yelling like a madman and swinging his great sword at the thing. Of course, it had to be Gladio that had rescued him this time. Getting up quickly he ran after his friend to try and help.

Stupid, big, loud, annoyingly handsome Gladio had saved him. One of these days he was gonna repay the favor. Taking aim with his pistol, Prompto fired off a few shots. The monster slowed somewhat allowing Ignis and Noct to attack next. This day needed to be over, he was tired and not looking forward to the teasing he’d get later for needing help. Maybe he had gotten distracted, Gladio’s fighting style was hard to ignore after all. The guy was a wall of muscle and even sweaty he looked good.

Six, he needed to clear his head; this wasn’t the way to think during the heat of battle. Running closer Prompto took another shot and hollered in glee when the monster fell over. They were finally getting the upper hand, or so he thought. Sure, the big ugly monster thing had tipped sideways; the only issue now was the plume of yellow-colored gas coming out of its mouth.

Ignis’ voice rang through air ordering them all to take cover. He clearly didn’t like the look of the stuff either. Noct came out of nowhere and tackled him, sending them both behind a rock. Holding his breath and watching the air around them, Prompto waited for the yellowish tint to disappear.

“Is everyone alright?” Ignis asked from somewhere nearby.

“Good here!” Noct replied as he stood and hauled Prompto up with him.

Emerging from their makeshift hiding spot Prompto realized they’d not heard from Gladio yet. “What about the big guy?” he asked trying not to seem too concerned. Noct knew about his crush but he didn’t really want to have that rubbed in his face at the moment.

“Shit, you’re right,” Noct supplied nervously as he ran towards Ignis. “Any sign of Gladio?” he checked with worry.

“No, the last I saw him he was over here.” Ignis offered as they ran around the monster.

The weird yellow stuff had literally been his last dying breath. Prompto never wanted to see another one of those things again; it was aggressive and hard to kill. Ignis’ gasp of surprise when they’d reached the other side of the battleground made Prompto panic slightly. Running up beside him to get a better view he was left dumbstruck.

A dude was standing there looking around like he was lost. Once he spotted Ignis he huffed out a breath and ran over. Prompto felt as though his chest might explode as he watched the guy. He looked like Gladio in a way, but there were some major differences. Height wise he’d shrunk and his clothes were baggy, plus his hair was short! What had happened?

“Iggy, thank the six, what the hell is going on?” This, Gladio look-alike, asked with an air of frustration in a voice that wasn’t the normal deep baritone Prompto was accustomed to. He was scanning the rest of their little group and when he landed on Noct his eyes lit up. “Shit, Noct’s here too. Who’s the scrawny kid?” Gladio asked with a nod directed at him.

Prompto chose to sulk as they picked their way back to the car. It appeared Gladio had been affected by some weird-ass status effect. He had been de-aged, to the wonderful age of seventeen.

How charming, in the most terrible way possible.

Dealing with his feelings for twenty-four-year-old Gladio was hard enough, now he had the pubescent teen version to contend with. One that kept questioning his skills since they’d never fought together before. This stupid status effect needed to be over, like yesterday.

“So you don’t remember anything that’s happened so far?” Noct asked for the third time as they drove along to the next outpost.

“Seriously, I just remember training like usual along with all the other stuff, like school and then boom there was that gross monster dead in front of me.”

“Huh, that’s strange.”

“Yeah, tell me about it, how do you think I feel? All of this is new and I’m so confused. I’m supposed to be twenty-four, right?”

“Yep,” Noct offered without batting an eyelash. The prince was clearly not bothered by Gladio version 2.0 or was it version 1.0, this was so messed up!

“Damn, never thought you’d be able to look me in the eye princess, it’s weird.”

Noct laughed and leaned back in his seat. “You’ll need to be careful though, you’ve not had the real-world experience your older self has gained. Stick close and don’t do anything brash kay?”

“Me?” Gladio scoffed, “Never!”

The day was definitely terrible, it had to be cursed or something because not ten minutes later the stupid empire attacked them. Two dropships full of those irritating tin cans fell from the sky. With no other choice than to engage them, they all piled out of the car and prepared for battle.

Teenage Gladio was freaked, it was obvious, but the second one of those things went for Noct, the shield in training sprang into action. His moves weren’t as polished, but he held his own for the most part. That is until he got overwhelmed. Training one on one was good and all but when four MT’s came stomping towards you that was a special kind of hell.

This time Prompto was ready, he didn’t need rescuing he was going to be the one helping. However, he had to figure out how not to hit Gladio. The guy wasn’t exactly staying in the clear, that kind of fighting style had been fine-tuned since they’d all left Insomnia.

Running faster to get closer Prompto almost had a heart attack when one of the MT’s took a swing at Gladio. Thankfully, he ducked and fell to the ground. Without thinking, Prompto rushed over and fired a shot point-blank into the enemy. It sputtered and sparked falling in a heap nearby. Hovering over Gladio’s body Prompto fired his gun at the remaining MT’s. Each shot rang out loudly as he hit his targets with deadly accuracy. Maybe Gladio wouldn’t be so unsure of his skills now!

Jumping up in celebration when the last MT fell, Prompto turned his attentions back to Gladio. The not so big guy was staring up at him in awe. Oops, perhaps he’d overstepped his place when he’d helped out. Noct and Ignis hadn’t been that far away, they could have easily stepped in to lend a hand.

Slipping into silence he backed away and smiled sheepishly. “Sorry didn’t mean to freak you out there, figured you could use some backup.”

Gladio was pushing himself up off the pavement, that odd look still plastered on his face. “Nice shot, where’d you learn to shoot so well?”

“Crownsguard training, same as you went through.”

“Nah, I don’t remember anyone being that accurate in the range. Seriously where’d you learn?” He asked walking closer with a raised eyebrow. “That was amazing!”

Taken aback by the compliment Prompto suddenly felt his face heat up. Great, he was blushing in front of teenage Gladio. Someone needed to shoot him to put him out of his misery. Laughing nervously he waved him off, “its just practice I guess.”

“You’ve got skill that was impressive. Thanks for saving my butt.” Gladio offered with a wink as he sauntered past and got back into the car.

“I’ll remind you Prompto that he is technically underage, don’t do something you’ll regret later,” Ignis added coolly as he walked past a moment later.

“You told him!” Prompto bellowed as he turned and ran after the person he thought was his friend. Noct, the tricky bastard, warped away and got back to the car without having to answer for his crimes. Grumbling at the injustice of it all Prompto slumped in his seat and scowled at the scenery going by.

Ignis had cited the concern of getting attacked again for the choice to stay in a hotel for the night. He didn’t want to risk anything with Gladio, not at his peak performance level. Praying that Ignis would book two rooms so he could hide in one, Prompto almost yelled when Ignis arrived with one room key once they’d checked in. This day sucked so bad!

Taking a deep breath he followed his friends to the room. He could do this; the status effect would only last a couple of days at most. If they were lucky Gladio would wake up taller and less cocky tomorrow morning. Dinner went without incident; he supposed fighting all day had made them hungry. You can’t talk much when you’re shoveling food in your mouth.

Once the dishes were cleaned and put in the drying rack of the small kitchen, Gladio began asking questions. He wanted to know everything that had happened to them. Why were the niffs around? What had happened to everyone? That wasn’t a pleasant conversation to have at any time. Ignis took the reins on that one and carefully retold the events they’d all suffered through.

He only explained enough to give Gladio an understanding of why the enemy was out and attacking them. They didn’t want Noct to marry Luna. Ignis left out the part about Insomnia falling and everyone’s fates. Gladio didn’t ask for more specifics so Ignis didn’t technically lie, he merely omitted certain facts. There was no need to let Gladio relive that moment again that would have been cruel.

Teenage Gladio shook his head in disbelief at the enemy being brazen enough to attack in broad daylight but didn’t comment further. Standing up he began pacing the room. “So what’s next, where are we going?”

“We’ve been en route to meet up with Lady Lunafreya.” Ignis offered.

“Cool, so we’re just waiting here till this funky effect wears off?”

“We can’t risk you getting injured, that wouldn’t be fair as you’ve not trained with us all.”

Sighing Gladio nodded but didn’t look too happy about the idea. “I guess that makes sense, I just don’t like waitin’ around for stuff to happen. We gotta get out there and show the niffs we mean business.”

“Yes, well, all in due time I’m afraid. Enjoy the break while we have it, we’ll be on the move again soon.”

Humming in acknowledgment Gladio paused when he passed the mirror above the dresser. “So older me is pretty buff huh?”

Prompto quickly looked away when Gladio began flexing and had to bite his lips to stifle a moan when Gladio took off his jacket. Dear six, his back was bare. No tattoo, no scars, nothing. Just smooth skin and muscles. Apparently even at seventeen Gladio still looked like a freaking supermodel. Unable to look any longer Prompto bolted up from where he’d been sitting at the table and jogged to the door. “I’m gonna go grab a soda or something. Berightback!” he blurted before throwing himself out into the hallway.

Taking off like a flash Prompto ran all the way to the vending machines. He had to clear his head, this wasn’t good. Crushing on regular Gladio was bad enough, this was downright painful. Ducking his head he sighed heavily and began digging for money in his pockets.

“Need some change sugar?” An unfamiliar voice announced, causing Prompto to whip his head up. Standing a few feet away was another hunter. The guy looked drunk and had his hand extended holding up some gil. “Come on sweet thing you can take it, I won’t ask for much in return.”

Prompto backed away from the machine like it was on fire. This guy was super creepy and he wasn’t planning on sticking around much longer. “I’m good, thanks,” he managed.

“Don’t get all bent about it, I’m just offering you a good time.”

“I don’t think he wants any kinda time with you buddy.”

Turning around Prompto saw Gladio stalking over like he was on a mission. Despite the situation, Prompto nearly had another heart attack. Gladio was wearing a t-shirt now instead of his usual jacket. The only thing was the shirt was one his. There, dangerously stretched out over his still developing muscles was Prompto’s moogle t-shirt.

Prompto didn’t have time to react when Gladio stood in front of him and stared down the drunken hunter. He was prepared to fight this guy.

“I suggest you shove off buddy, he’s with me,” Gladio growled, not at all sounding as young as he was.

“What are you gonna do about it? I saw him first.”

The thing Gladio ended up doing was breaking the guy’s nose. One minute the dude was mouthing off, and the next he was stumbling backward holding his face. He’d gotten the message this time, and shuffled off swearing about how kids didn’t respect their elders these days. There was nothing to respect, that guy was a douche.

“You okay?” Gladio asked once it was quiet again.

“Sure, just dandy!” he quipped shakily. “We should get back to the room.”

“Not without our soda! We had to survive that asshole, we deserve a reward.”

“Fair enough,” Prompto mused as he took out his cash.

“So, uh, do you wanna do something later?” Gladio asked casually as he stepped closer.

“We could play some kings knight if you want, that mi--.”

Gladio laughed and grinned, “No, I mean like hang out somewhere later, ya know when Iggy and Noct are asleep.”

“And do what?” Prompto squeaked as he was starting to grasp what Gladio really meant.

“I dunno, stuff, we can take it slow,” Gladio smirked with a devilish grin. “I’m young but I still know how to have a good time.”

This wasn’t happening; Gladio wasn’t hitting on him and suggesting they go do ‘things’ to each other in the middle of the night. That couldn’t be possible. However, everything seemed to indicate that was the younger man’s intentions. Gladio was attempting to unleash his un-honed skills of seduction on him. “I can’t!” Prompto yelped, “You’re only seventeen!”

“Aww come on, you know you want to, besides I’m really twenty-four.”

“I can’t, I just can’t. Ignis told me I couldn’t, earlier. We can’t make Ignis angry. That would be very bad.” Prompto sputtered as he backed away and bumped into the vending machine.

Gladio pouted but there was a twinkle to his eyes. He wasn’t upset about how this was going. The jerk was having fun. Thinking fast Prompto threw out the only idea he could think of that might save him. “Why don’t we wait until you’re older again, and then you can ask me out? That way we won’t make Ignis angry and we’ll go have some fun, uh later.”

“So you’ll go out with me?” Gladio checked seriously. “I just have to wait until I’m back to normal.”

Nodding so fast he gave himself a head rush Prompto agreed. “Yeah for sure, just ask me first and I’m all over that like cheese on pizza.”

Gladio barked out a laugh and reached out to punch Prompto in the arm. “You got it sunshine, let’s buy these drinks and head back. I’m gonna ask you out tomorrow and you better be ready.”

Smiling at the statement Prompto got the sodas and the rest of the evening was filled with gaming and talk. Though he knew nothing would happen in the morning. Gladio would go back to normal and forget any of this ever happened. He would never ask him out and Prompto would go back to pining from a distance.

Ignis saved the night so to speak when he announced the sleeping arrangements. Noct and Gladio would be sharing one bed and he and Ignis the other. At least he didn’t have to worry about Gladio making a move in the middle of the night.

Sleep didn’t come easily once they’d all turned in. Prompto kept thinking about what Gladio had said. Maybe if they’d met under different circumstances things could have worked out. Gladio was Noct’s shield and he had a duty to uphold. He wasn’t about to go chasing after him. That shit didn’t happen in real life. Finally pushing the thought from his head Prompto fell into a fitful slumber.

Morning came eventually and Prompto had all but forgotten the previous night’s escapades until he opened his eyes. Flinching in shock he almost fell off the bed. There lying next to him was older Gladio, watching his every move.

“Easy there sunshine,” he hummed slowly.

“What –what are you doing? Where are the others?”

“They are out getting breakfast. Ignis said you didn’t sleep well last night so I figured you could use a little extra shut-eye.”

“I can sleep fine without you watching me!”

“Sure, but maybe I wanted to be alone with you, didja ever think of that?”

Prompto couldn’t get a handle on what Gladio was thinking. Was the man teasing him or being serious? “Okay we’re alone, so now what?” he spit out helplessly.

“I was thinking we could do something later if you’re up for it.”

Letting out a breath, Prompto groaned. He didn’t want to train with Gladio later that was the worst idea ever. Figures the big guy turns back to normal and his first thought is training. “I don’t wanna train with you later okay. I’m not re—ompffff.” Prompto’s brain short-circuited. Gladio was kissing him, morning breath and all. Gladio had his hand securely in place at the base of Prompto’s head, keeping him from moving away. When the need to breathe became greater than the desire to continue kissing, Prompto tapped out and Gladio released his hold.

“I never said anything about training,” he offered with a salacious grin. “I thought I was told to ask you out once the status effect had worn off? Did I misunderstand that request?” Gladio’s teasing tone of voice and smirk wasn’t helping Prompto make sense of what was happening.

“You remembered?!” he whispered, hardly daring to believe it.

“Sure I remember, sunshine,” he chuckled. “I think the next step is for you to say yes.”

“Om em gee, yes!” Laughing like an idiot Prompto leaned forward again and kissed Gladio a second time. So maybe de-aged Gladio hadn’t been such a terrible thing to endure; now he just had to figure out what they could do later!

#ffxv #fanfic #promptio #Gladio #Prompto

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blackenedwhite97 · 5 years

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Present Mic x Reader x Aizawa How We Became Friends Part:2

This post includes: drinking, mild sexual content, cursing and a prominent polyamorous romantic relationship.

Polyamory: the practice of engaging in multiple sexual relationships with the consent of all the people involved.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

- A few months into living in Musutafu City you’d end up going to a Christmas Party hosted by Mt. Lady, who did love her parties.

- You’d see Yamada across the room and beside him was the Aizawa who had his hand on Yamada’s thigh. Yamada in turn had his arm draped over the back of Aizawa chair.

- Well fuck, that’s the definition of opposites attract.

- He’d spot you and wave you over shouting over the crowd a little to loud. Aizawa wouldn’t even react, he must have been used to the shouting by now. Yamada, realizing the chandelier shook with his voice, would erupt into a scarlet blush and apologize just a loudly.

- You’d make you way over to him and he’d introduce you to Aizawa. Aizawa would eye you, a spark of something not entirely innocent in his eyes.

- Yamada would get toasted that night, dragging you down that hole with him. Aizawa would spend the first half of the night in pleasant yet generally boring conversation as was expected at a party and the second half erasing Yamada’s quirk when he’d lose control of his volume.

- Eventually he’d decided that he’d made enough of an effort at being social for the night and ask you to help wrangle Yamada. When you, also drunk but more functional, finally got his outside to the car he’d spin around before getting into the driver seat and grab your face. He’d slur something about you being beautiful and nice and plant one on you.

- You’d pull away, you stomach twisting up in horror. The first place you’d look was at Aizawa, ready to blurt out an apology. He looked tired but all together unbothered. He’d sigh and be the one to apologize on behalf of Yamada.

- Your stomach was still upset. Oh no, it was downright furious. You’d clutch your stomach, slap a hand over your mouth and run towards an alley between houses. The snow was up to your ankles and you slipped to your knees before letting loose. Halfway through a warm hand found your back and bunched your hair up behind your head, you tried apologizing to whoever it was but couldn’t get a word out.

- When you were empty and just dry heaving Aizawa would wrap his arms around you and walk you back to the car. He’d slide you into the back seat and you passed out at some point during the car ride.

- The next morning was pure humiliation when you woke up on the pairs couch with a cat snuggled into you. The only thing that made it better was that Yamada was even more of a mess than you were. He, as Aizawa informed you with a devilish grin, was a light weight. You’d try to get out of there as soon as possible but Aizawa would insist on borrowing some of Yamada’s cloths so you could wash your dress from last night and get some breakfast in you.

- It would take a few days for Yamada to text you after that, he’s felt terrible after Aizawa told him that he’d kissed you.

- When you did get a text, it’d be something like “hey y/n! If you’d like to kill me after what happened I totally get it! Should we set up appointment, I can bring coffee and other peace offerings?”

- You’d plan to meet up for coffee with the two of them at a local café where the owner had a pair of cats who enjoyed socializing with the guests. You would show up first and the cats would flock to you, one on your lap while the other sat on the table pawing at your keys. When Aizawa and Yamada walked in Aizawa gladly took the spot next to you so he could pet the cats, the one on the table election to play with his long hair from his lap.

- Yamada would begrudgingly take the seat across the table and order two coffees. He’d start trying to apologize, his ears turning red. The heat of embarrassment flushed through you and soon enough the two of you were both apologizing and ensuring each other everything was alright. Aizawa would cut everything short by laughing at the two of you. “Oh my God, there’s two of you!”

- The three of you would be there for hours, eventually figuring out when you all went to school, where you had moved to, what Aizawa did for a living and the pair had somehow convinced you that you needed a kitten ASAP. It was a long and sweet afternoon and when you eventually parted ways you felt a fuzzy warmth in your chest and you smiled the whole way home.

- The next time you ran into Aizawa on night patrol he’d ask if you wanted to patrol together, he’d say something about villain activity being up as patrolling in pairs only being logical. When the sun began to rise and you were about to head home he’d scratch his head and awkwardly ask you to hang out with him and Yamada on New Year’s. You say yes, your heart doing happy cartwheels. You’d say good-bye and turn around to hide the blooming blush across your cheeks.

-What the fuck, why do I feel like a grand schooler who just got asked by her crush to sit with him at lunch?

PART 1 is about how you met the pair

PART 3 is about you got together.

#bnha #mha #polyerasermic #erasermicxreader #aizawa x reader #aizawaxreaderxhizashi #aizawa #eraserhead #presentmic #present mic #present mic x reader x aizawa #presentmicxreader #bnha fanfiction #my hero fanfic

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thehikingviking · 3 years

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Kingston Peak via North Ridge from Tecopa Pass

We had such a great time in Las Vegas that we decided to spend one more night. Our Airbnb had availability and I had plenty of Southwest points left over, so I decided to put Asaka and Leif on the first Sunday morning flight and drive back by myself afterwards. This perfect plan allowed Leif to get home with as little stress as possible and allowed me to climb one more challenging peak. Kingston Peak is typically covered with snow this time of year, but due to limited snowfall, the mountain range was completely snow free. None of the trip reports I read were pleasant, so I wasn’t too excited for this one. Bushwhacking and ticks seemed to be the common theme, but I figured that the latter would be hard to find in January, as ticks seem to become more abundant during the spring. I dropped off Asaka and Leif at the terminal at 5am then began my drive south towards Jean, Nevada. Sunrise was at 7:22am, and with my early start, I worried that I would get to the trailhead in the dark. I left pavement at the town of Sandy Valley, then followed worsening dirt roads towards Tecopa Pass. Google Maps wasn’t very reliable here, and I worried if the road would deteriorate to the point where I could go no further, but in the end I was able to push through, albeit slowly, and eventually I made it back to pavement. This paved road seemed out of place, but the area appears to be actively mined to this day. I left Excelsior Mine Road and drove south on a rough spur road as far as I could towards Kingston Peak until the point that I could no longer proceed further. I parked at a small turnout with a fire ring and witnessed one of the best sunrises of my life.

I found a use trail leading away from the seldom used campsite, so I initially followed this. For a while I thought I had found the key to an easy hike, but then the trail started taking me in the wrong direction. I should have known it was too good to be true. I remembered a trip report stating that hiking in the wash was the easiest path, so I took this advice. I hiked through the brush until I dropped into the wash, then followed this due south.

The wash was sandy and rocky, which made my pace slow. Sure, I wasn’t in a rush, but it would be nice to be done early. I found myself slowly creeping out of the wash, first alongside the dry channels, then above and outside of the wash altogether. I found faint game trails initially, then later well defined game trails. These game trails would often split, or even vanish into the brush, but it wouldn’t be long before I found another one. I was able to significantly improve my pace by utilizing these byways.

As I approached the mouth of the canyon from which the wash descended, I became squeezed in on both sides by steep canyon walls. At this choke point in the canyon, I believe the advice to stay in the wash holds.

There was some light bushwhacking through this section, but not much compared to some of the coastal brush that I am used to dealing with. I could see how a desert hiker could become overwhelmed though. I patiently weaved my way over, around and through the tighter sections until I emerged on the other side. The brush dissipated as I gained elevation, and soon I was back to dealing with plants that were only knee high.

I picked up various use trails here that slowly took me up to the ridgeline above. Once atop the ridge, I sat down for a long rest. The thickest of the brush was over and so far I had seen no ticks.

I finally received a text back from Asaka so I gave her a call. I had great service and was able to facetime with her and Leif. They were back home already and the grandparents were visiting. I was a little jealous. After our call, I continued uphill, staying on the shaded and snow covered side of the ridge beneath some rocky bluffs. I crossed through a notch and made my way through easy terrain towards the pine trees ahead.

I hiked up to a point where two ridgelines merged, and from my vantage point I could see Kingston Peak for the first time.

From there I continued down the ridge. I had trouble finding a path along the very top of the ridge, finding brush and serrated rock sections challenging my route. It wasn't technically difficult to get through, but it was kind of a pain. Several times I had to drop down below to circumvent a big chunk of rock blocking the shortest route.

I dropped down several hundred feet before reaching the lowest point in the connecting saddle. I had expected to find some sort of a use trail but found nothing of the sort. I would simply describe what I experienced as rough terrain. I continued climbing alongside the ridge, first beneath the right side of the ridge, then over to the left side of the ridge, but neither side was smooth sailing. The terrain finally started to ease up as I approached the sub peak northeast of the true summit.

At first I tried to cut underneath the side of the peaklet, but it was not easy. Instead, I climbed over the top, and again was hit by rocky and broken sections ahead. I couldn't catch a break.

I again scrambled down and sidehilled to the final saddle at the northeast base of the peak. I was starting to feel drained. I stayed on the left side of ridge to keep my route class 2. I found some cairns which simplified route finding, and zig-zagged up the steep slopes until I reached the summit. To the southwest were the Avawatz Mountains.

To the west-northwest was Telescope Peak.

To the north-northwest were Kingston Benchmark and the Nopah Range.

To the north-northeast was Mt Charleston.

To the northeast was Potosi Mountain.

To the southeast was Clark Mountain.

To the south were the Shadow Mountains and the Mojave Regional Preserve.

It was a bit early for lunch, but I had worked up an appetite, so I ate my orange chicken right there on the summit. I facetimed Asaka and Leif again, telling them that I missed them and I would be home that night. Just like all the trip reports stated, the mileage and elevation gain are misleading. While short, this peak takes a lot out of you. Once I felt rested, I retraced my steps back across the ridge. I tried to find a better route down, but instead found a tougher time. Just when I would start to get into a groove, I would hit a clump of rocks which I had to avoid by climbing down and round. To make matters worse, I realized that my sunglasses fell off my cap at some point, and with no trail, the probability of retracing my steps and finding them were slim. I was pretty bummed out, but that is why I buy the $16.99 variety. It started to warm up quite a bit as I made my way up from the saddle. My enthusiasm to get any bonus peaks had dwindled, and instead I wanted to get to the comfort of my car. I entered the brushy section once more, finding it easier with downhill momentum than on the way up.

Once through the brushy section, I stayed out of the wash and followed game trails through the desert landscape. It seemed to go on for a while, but I finally reached the road. I didn't see one tick the whole day. Once in my car I drove west along dirt roads that led me to Tecopa. I stopped in Baker for some Mexican food then drove all the way home that night, ending my desert road trip.

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mortonyule · 3 years

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When Satin left, Jon seated himself and had another look at the maps of the lands north of the Wall.

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sunspherebook · 3 years

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Samatha Josephson’s Murder Trial

Samatha Josephson’s Murder Trial by Martha Rose Woodward

Nathanial Rowland, 27, was tried in Columbia, South Carolina for the 2019 death of Samatha Josephson, 21, a senior at the University of South Carolina in Columbia. As the details are emerging daily from the trial on YouTube modern technology has taken the center stage.

On March 23, 2017, Josephson was celebrating her upcoming graduation and full scholarship she had received to attend law school in Philadelphia. After several hours of drinking with friends, she phoned for an Uber and waited in the parking lot of a popular bar for the car. When Rowland’s 2017 black, Chevy Impala swooped in she rushed to get in the back seat, thinking this was her ride. That was the last time she was seen alive. Her dead body was discovered in rural woods within 14 hours. She had been stabbed, beaten and cut over 100 times.

Rowland claims someone else took his car while he was passed out asleep at a party, pretended to be an Uber driver, killed Josephson, and returned his car to him full of blood, her clothing, her cell phone, keys to her apartment, and the murder weapon—a Swiss-Army-like tool.

What makes this case stand out from other crimes is the sheer amount of visual videos and records from cell phones that were discovered after that night. First, there is a clear video of Rowland’s car when Josephson gets in the back seat. There is also a video of Rowland an hour before this event (clearly awake and not passed out at a party) as he is getting food at a Wendy’s in the same neighborhood. The receipt for the food for only one person is found in his car. While being filmed at Wendy’s he is shown digging around for spare change in order to pay for his order. No one else is in that car.

On the day after the murder, Rowland is filmed going into a cell phone store, wearing a beanie belonging to Josephson that was eventually tested and shown to contain her blood. He tried to sell her phone, but the clerk refused to buy it as it appeared to be stolen merchandise since it was a pink iphone that was locked and Rowland did not have the password.

More video from two branches of Josephson’s bank show Rowland walking up to the ATM wearing a hoodie pulled down around his face so that all was showing were his eyes. He tried to sign in 3 times at one location and 9 times at another, but failed to get any money. Later during the sentencing phase of the trial, Josephson's mother tells the court her daughter only had $35 in the bank.

Although prosecutors do not have to prove motive, testimony was given that Rowland had not paid his cell phone bill and also had tried to borrow money for a car payment. Did he kill Josephson for cell phone and car payment money?

The most dramatic proof of his guilt came when he was identified at those two ATM locations as he had borrowed a specific kind of black house shoes with red soles known as Adidas slides from a girlfriend. He was often seen wearing these shoes shown on the ATM videos.

Another way that modern technology was at work even though Rowland was not aware, the iphone belonging to Josephson was being tracked that night. When she got into the car, she was talking to her boyfriend 2 hours away in Mt. Pleasant, SC. She told him she was getting in a black Impala. Less than a minute after getting in that car, her phone went dead. The boyfriend tried 70 times to text and phone her that night. His phone contained an app that was hooked in with the same app on her phone so they could track each other’s locations. His phone tracked the journey she took in that car all the way out to the road where her body was dumped.

He knew something was wrong, but he did not know what. He was hoping she had gone home with a friend, but he phoned everyone he knew and no one had any answers. He reported her missing within the next few hours and the search was on. Rowland’s phone was also tracked that night. Both phones were in his car taking that route to the site in the woods where her body was found.

When law enforcement located the video of a black Chevy Impala driving away with Josephson inside, they put out a BOLO. Later that night, a police officer spotted such a car and stopped it with a blue light flashing. When he approached the car, the officer smelled a heavy odor of pot, he asked the driver for identification and was told he had none. He asked the driver to step out of the car and this is when Rowland made a run for it on foot. He was chased down several blocks away and placed in handcuffs. While he was on the ground, he yelled, “I can’t breathe,” even though he was not face down, but face up with his hands behind him.

The officers called for an ambulance with four paramedics. They asked him several times for his name and he would not answer. He said nothing except, “I can’t breathe.” They picked him up and had to carry him to the ambulance as he refused to walk. The paramedics took his blood pressure, pulse, and oxygen level; all were normal. They asked him if he wanted to go the hospital for more medical attention. He refused to speak. They waited several minutes and took his oxygen level again before transporting him to the jail.

This trial has gained a lot of attention. Although support for Rowland appears to be weak from the black community, many are saying a jury may be hesitant to find a black man guilty in today’s racially charged climate. However, in one hour and eight minutes the jury returned with guilty verdicts in all 3 charges.

Next, the judge allowed anyone who wanted to speak to address the court. Josephson's parents, sister, and boyfriend spoke about how her murder had ruined their lives. Rowland's parents spoke, but his mother was cut short by the judge when she claimed her son did not do these crimes. "I will not allow you to say he did not do this," the judge said. He told the court that he had never seen such a heinous murder and the proof was overwhelming. "You raised a good child, but he is a man now and he did these crimes," the judge said.

The judge sentenced Rowland to life in prison with no possibility of parole.

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elitelockservice · 4 years

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locksmithcharle-blog · 4 years

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Fast Locksmith Charleston

We have 8 years of extensive experience in auto locksmith services, commercial and residential locksmith service, No job is too small! If you are locked out or have a lost key near Charleston, SC. we are the emergency locksmith service for you! We are also able to make duplicate keys and transponder keys if needed.

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advancedspinecentre · 4 years

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Car Accident Treatment in Mt. Pleasant at Advanced Spine Centre

Are you suffering from whiplash injury, joint injuries, or muscle pain after a car accident? You may be going through extreme discomfort for sure. We understand the difficult times one goes through so ensuring a speedy recovery is to key to get your life back. Professional Chiropractors at Advanced Spine Centre have experience in treating muscle, nerve, or spine injuries after accidents. Contact us at 416.440.2999.

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munimjiorg · 5 years

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Find a top quality locksmith in Australia at an affordable price. Because Elite Lock Service is a very well known company in Australia which provide quality work of a locksmith. And you can get our top service of Locksmith Melville, Locksmith Myaree, Locksmith Applecross, Locksmith Booragoon, Locksmith Mt Pleasant, Locksmith Attadale, Locksmith Bicton, Car key locksmith etc. For more info visit our website today. Locksmith Bicton

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enterdavao-blog · 5 years

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Corporate Travel Booking And Its Growth in The Recent Years

Corporate Travel Booking And Its Growth in The Recent Years – – Mount Abu, which is also called the summer capital of Rajasthan, and it is an excellent destination for summer holidays and for honeymooning (Most of the wedding occur in summer time) well – It is the only hill station in the state, situated approx 1300 meters over the sea level and it is paradise for those in summers, especially local people because temperature in other parts in the state reached 45 degrees sometimes over this figure – People who would like to enjoy their summer holidays beautifully and comfortably using family, friends or any beloved one in a cool, pleasant and romantic atmosphere also to gratify adventurous sports, must visit Mt – Due to the high temperature conditions in other past of India, hill stations like Mt – Abu filled up with uncounted of tourist and traveler’s folks from various corners of the world in summer time, particularly between may and June or until July first, week, when the scorching light become intolerable Craig Millar Castle – Castle Apartments in Edinburgh – The transportation companies working at the town of Chigwell offer cheap Chigwell airport cab services from all major airports of London such as the London Heathrow airport, Gatwick airport, Stansted airport, Luton airport, London City airport and Southend airport – The local taxis in addition to private cars run all year round, one day a day – The town and parish of Chigwell was basically a rural community where farming was the most important profession of residents however today, it’s a much developed modern capital of scotland- the London city and contains been mentioned by many in the UK’s renowned writers and poets of their writings including Charles Dickens and many more – The taxis and cars are hired online in the town of Chigwell – There are amazing features of online Chigwell taxi booking and car hire services – You can manage your tour for the town with complete peace of mind and convenience in the palm of your respective hands – An online booking system not just helps in saving your precious time but is additionally very economical Enjoy The Beauty And Culture of South India – Central Market is famous for designer items and branded goods but only a suitable area for barter while other could possibly be easily rook by shopkeeper charging expensive for each and every item – Here experience of shopping is exclusive and extraordinary since several from the food stalls giving the flavour of local joy During the event Cuba’s tourist board reviewed new offers to expand tourism facilities by using Russian investment and partnerships. They also took the opportunity update their current tourist offerings with Russian tour operators and partners. In particular it turned out the Cuban chain of hotels, Gaviota, which presented its tourist offers to the Russian market. The Cuban hotelier promoted its hotels during the event, mainly those involved with the keys in the province of Villa Clara, more specially in Cayo Coco. Read Also – The Least Visited But Still Breath-Taking Places Of The World! enterdavao.com – The Marine Conservation Society Seychelles, incorporating the Shark Research Institute Seychelles, continues to be monitoring and tagging whale sharks in Seychelles waters since 1996. As a result of these conservation efforts the Government of Seychelles has declared the whale shark a protected species in Seychelles territorial waters.

#EnterDavao, #Destinations

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zipperdry57-blog · 5 years

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Three Days in Charleston

Travel

by Jenn P. | on April 3rd, 2018 |

When Vinny asked me what I wanted for Christmas last year, I replied “nothing”. Then I said, “Wait. I take that back. I want you to plan a weekend away together” because I am wise and all-knowing and pretty much always itching to get out of town if time and finances allow. On Christmas morning I opened an envelope with an itinerary he created– a few nights each in Charleston and Savannah, with print-outs of the most expensive hotels in each city because Christmas mornings are for wildest dreams and looming debt. We delayed booking until we filled our vacant apartment, but once we did, we hopped online and decided to go away for our 15th anniversary. We didn’t end up staying in the pricy, dreamy places he’d originally picked out, but that’s okay because Charleston and Savannah are pretty dreamy on their own.

WHERE WE STAYED:

The Ashley Inn: We stayed in room 5 of this cute pink bed and breakfast very conveniently located in downtown Charleston. We booked it last minute on bedandbreakfast.com, and were very pleasantly surprised by its location and the fact that it lead out to a slightly more private section of the home’s wrap-around porch.

PROS: Clutch location! Around the corner is one of Charleston’s best breakfast spots (The Hominy Grill) and just past that are two really great restaurants– Xiao Bao Biscuit (I’ll circle back to this!) and R’s Kitchen, which we wish we could have tried. The b&b is about a 10-15 minute walk to King Street, which is the main shopping/restaurant row in town. Also, I gotta give props to that four-poster bed. It’s rare that I sleep so comfortably when I’m not in my own home.

CONS: B&B purists will be none too thrilled at the check-in process. No one greeted us, and we never met an innkeeper. Rather, our keys were obtained from an envelope in a property down the street. Breakfast was also served down the street, but I never ended up going for it since Charleston is known for its food! But the biggest drawback (and it’s a big one frankly)… there was no coffee in the building! Not one sweet, sweet drop! Who could live like this? Seriously, this place needs to set up a keurig or something in the main area, because that’s just bad hosting, in my opinion. On the brighter side, the lack of in-house brew forced us to get up early and beat the crowds for breakfast:). Another thing to know before booking is that the hotel is a few blocks from the medical center and we heard emergency helicopters hovering overhead a few nights which scared the shit out of me until I realized what was going on.

NEARBY: The Hominy Grill, R’s Kitchen, Xiao Bao Biscuit, Sugar Cupcakes, Candy Shop Vintage, King Street

HOW WE GOT AROUND: By foot! If you stay downtown there’s really no need to rent a car. If we weren’t able to walk, ubers were plentiful and inexpensive and every single driver was so sweet and friendly we couldn’t get over it. Charleston is a super quick flight from NYC (I think it was less than 2 hours!) and a great weekend destination for people on the East Coast. We went in March, which was perfect timing since we’re about at the end of our ropes with winter weather.

WHAT TO DO:

Our intention in heading down to Charleston and Savannah wasn’t to “do” much, but to stroll, soak up a little spring sunshine and eat until our top buttons cried uncle. We met all these goals. We didn’t really do that much in Charleston except wander around and explore, punctuated by feedings. Downtown Charleston is super walkable, and there are a million guides on the internet to lead you toward the most popular areas to walk around in. South of Broad, Rainbow Row, the Battery, King Street, down by the water. It’s all very photogenic, clean and charming. That’s what we did the first day and a half– walked around, dipped into little stores, ate.

We also visited a plantation in nearby Mt. Pleasant, and I certainly would recommend that as well. There are a few to choose in the area; we chose the one that offered the most insights into what life was like for the slaves on the plantations. Boone Hall Plantation is the only plantation in the S.C. Low country to present a live presentation of the Gullah culture adapted by African slaves and they have eight former slave cabins you can walk through to learn more about the conditions for slaves on the plantation. (and yes… I suppose some people will choose this one over others because The Notebook was filmed here).

MOST IMPORTANTLY…WHAT WE ATE

Poogan’s Porch– Recommended!

We tried: Country Fried chicken with gravy and mashed potatoes (very much like the Chicken Fried Chicken I grew up eating in TX), Lump Crabcakes with creamed corn (super generous with the crab, but they could have punched up the flavor a bit), pimento cheese fritters with green tomato jam (the real MVP), and she-crab soup–very tasty but realllllly heavy. This soup is basically on every Charleston menu, but this was the only time we tried it so it’s hard to say whose is best. Very good food, super charming atmosphere, lovely service, a little on the pricier side. Oh yeah… great cocktails too!

Hominy Grill– Highly Recommended!

We tried: Bread Pudding French Toast with Bourbon Caramel Sauce (as good as it sounds) and their classic Shrimp and Grits with scallions, bacon and mushrooms over cheese grits (like heaven, but seriously). I just loved this place, and it was literally a five-minute walk from our inn, which was perfect to beat the morning crowds. On our second visit, I had the grits bowl topped with mushrooms and leeks (and side order of bacon I got to crumble on top:), and Vin got smothered eggs over biscuits. Fantastic and inexpensive. Get there early for breakfast because it gets totally packed, but there’s lots of good reasons why. I wish this place was in my neighborhood.

Sugar Bakeshop- Recommended (pop in if you’re already walking toward King Street)

We tried the Lemon Curd and the Raspberry. Small, light, lovely little place. Definitely worth a stop if you’re already in the area but I wouldn’t necessarily go out of the way unless you’re a total cupcake fiend (I’m not. I’m more of an ice cream gal).

Fleet Landing- Recommended, especially for atmosphere

We tried: Fried Green Tomato Stack layered with tarragon crab salad (for $8.99, this is an amazing deal and it was delicious!), Lump Crab Cake Sandwich with Red Pepper Remoulade (we’re used to paying through the nose for any dish whispering the word “crab” in NYC, so we ordered crab at almost every restaurant in Charleston!), the fish special which was served with a tomato relish, black-eyed peas and Charleston red rice (twas just ok). Great spot downtown, very popular and super nice if you’re looking to eat outside by the water. Not my favorite meal of the trip, but did the job.

Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams Highly Recommended!

I’m an ice cream gal, and this place is indeed splendid. If you’re ever in a town that has a Jeni’s shop, you must pop in to sample their excellent flavors made from premium ingredients. Top billing goes to Wildberry Lavender and Brown Butter Almond Brittle.

Xiao Bao Biscuit Very Highly Recommended!

All the in-the-know gals who travel to Charleston (thanks Victoria!) rave about this place and for good reason– it’s incredible! On the website, it’s described as “Asian Soul Food - Select dishes from China, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam prepared locally & inspired by kick-ass grandmothers everywhere. ” We tried the popular cabbage pancake topped with bacon, an octopus tail and a crazy beautiful spicy salad (the menu has already changed for the season and I can’t remember what any of the dishes are called). But trust me, when you need a quick break from heavy home cooking, this place really hits the spot! Charleston truly is a foodie’s paradise, and not just for Southern cuisine.

Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit Very Highly Recommended!

Line up early because this place is small, popular and fantastic! Vin had a breakfast sandwich on a biscuit (which was bomb) and I just tried two little guys (cheese & chive, which was really good and Black Pepper & bacon which was utterly mind-blowing). On King Street, so if you’re already shopping around, pop in! This one qualifies as an absolute “don’t miss”.

Circa 1886 - Very highly recommended (for a splurge). We went to Husk in Savannah, and I have to imagine this place beats Husk- Charleston. If you’re looking for a romantic and special meal for your trip, this is the spot! The restaurant is in the carriage house of the Wentworth Mansion (one of the fancy printouts Vin made on Christmas morning) and serves some really exceptional high-end Southern cuisine.

We tried:

Appetizers: BUTTERMILK FRIED ARTICHOKE HEART with Parsnip Puree, Tomato Marmalade, Black Truffle Pesto, Basil, Baby Spinach, Prosciutto (good, but not as awesome as it sounds)

NIMAN RANCH PORK CHEEK with Spaghetti Squash, Pickled Green Apple, Crispy Kale, Herb de Provence Glacé (very very good, very tiny)

Main Courses: COFFEE BRINED ANTELOPE with Sorghum Sweet Potato Mousseline, Braised Greens, Pineapple Relish, Shishito Peppers, Coconut Crema (Amazing!!! So many flavors– everything was covered)

BENNE CRUSTED DUCK BREAST with White Peach Grits, Broccoli, Carmelized Shallots, Sour Vanilla Tea Demi Glacé (I will dream about white peach grits for a very long time–such a subtle flavor that worked perfectly with everything else on the plate. Really fantastic!)

Dessert: CHOCOLATE BENNÉ CAKE Jivara Mascarpone, Ganache, Benné Butter, Lace Cookie

This was the best dessert I’ve ever had. The chocolate was practically unsweetened and the benne seeds (which are popular in the Carolinas, and are basically sesame seeds with a more toasted flavor) added lots of texture and crunch. My life’s mission is to recreate it. Plus, how pretty is this thing??

What we Missed: Husk, FIG, Jestine’s, R Kitchen, Leon’s Oyster Shop ( I hear the fried chicken sandwich is spectacular and I’m still sad I missed it!).

Jenn P.

30-something psychotherapist. Loves cooking, hosting parties, exploring new places. Texan by birth. New Yorker by choice. Likes to tell little stories. Pull up a chair; I'll tell you one.

Source: http://muchtomydelight.com/2018/04/three-days-in-charleston.html

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