#gold coast kids

[funthingsfortoddlers]

A great way to get the whole family in the Christmas spirit is Christmas Carols!

And there are lots of great events right here on the Gold Coast. Find the best places to take your family to see Christmas Carols: https://bit.ly/3G8XrpS

[ratherembarrassing]

wait quick question, because i had some assumptions shattered today.

define know however you want.

[chaos-footy]

its round 0 and footy is back in less than 4 hours and I haven't even made any predictions yet so lets do them here so that at best I've recorded my oracle abilities for the annals of history OR if I fail at least only two people will see it

Sydney Swans vs Melbourne. Look. I know Melbourne has been controversial BUT Trac and Gawn are two of my favorite players in the league and I really don't love Sydney's play style. Plus, to not base this purely on vibes you've gotta take a look at the lineup - Sydney has a few outs

Brisbane Lions vs Carlton. I'M SORRY I'M BIASED. Also I'm going to this one so of course I want Brisbane to win. Carlton also has a few major players out with injury which really sucks. That being said, our round 1 record Is Not Good. Good thing this is round 0 instead!

Gold Coast Suns vs Richmond. I'm pretty 50/50 on this one. The thing is, the Suns managed to wallop us in the second half of last season. I also want the suns to go well this season so I can go back to hating literally everything to do with the Gold Coast without feeling bad and needing to stick up for an AFL team north of the Barassi line. Also Dusty is out :((((

GWS vs Collingwood. lbr if the finals were umpired like the H&A season (I'm not saying they should be - it's a different kind of game) then GWS would have made it to the grand final. But again, this is another one that could go 50/50. I don't mind if Collingwood win, but it is funny to wind up my younger magpie-supporting brother.

[aeronbracken]

I was thinking about my new ESO character Reman and played with his backstory a little bit; now he is a former Dragonguard who thinks he failed his duty against the Emperor and returns to the Gold Coast only to be tricked into the Dark Brotherhood and recruited by them.

[tgirlsaintlawrence]

Yeah I’m done getting non dispensary vapes my throat is sore

[magicteepeeevents]

Gold Coast Sleepovers: Where Dreams Meet the Beach

When it comes to dreamy destinations for your next vacation, the Gold Coast stands out as a glittering jewel along the Australian coastline. This captivating stretch of paradise is famed for its sun-kissed beaches, thrilling theme parks, and vibrant nightlife. But what truly sets it apart are the unforgettable Gold Coast sleepovers. Imagine snoozing to the soothing lullaby of waves crashing against the shore, only to wake up to a golden sunrise painting the sky. In this article, we'll take you on a virtual journey through the Gold Coast sleepovers options, unveiling the best places to rest your head for an unforgettable experience.

Where Dreams Begin: Choosing the Perfect Gold Coast Sleepover

1. Beachfront Bliss: Wake Up to the Ocean's Embrace

The Gold Coast boasts a stunning lineup of beachfront accommodations, offering you a chance to start your day with the sand between your toes. It's like having your own little slice of paradise. Here are some top picks:

i. Surfers Paradise Marriott Resort & Spa

Location: Surfers Paradise

Description: Nestled along the iconic Surfers Paradise Beach, this luxurious resort is a haven for beach lovers. Picture yourself lounging in your balcony, watching the waves, and sipping on a tropical cocktail.

Why it's Special: Direct beach access, infinity pools, and a rejuvenating spa make it a top choice.

ii. QT Gold Coast

Location: Surfers Paradise

Description: QT Gold Coast combines chic design with a laid-back atmosphere. It's where style meets the beach, and every room offers breathtaking ocean views.

Why it's Special: The Stingray Lounge serves some of the finest cocktails you'll ever taste.

iii. Meriton Suites Broadbeach

Location: Broadbeach

Description: These spacious suites are perfect for families and groups. You'll find yourself just steps away from the beach and surrounded by an array of dining options.

Why it's Special: The suites come with fully equipped kitchens, making it feel like a home away from home.

2. Rainforest Retreats: Reconnect with Nature

While the beaches are undeniably captivating, the Gold Coast hinterland offers a completely different charm. Staying in the lush rainforest provides a serene escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. Here's where you can immerse yourself in nature:

i. O'Reilly's Rainforest Retreat

Location: Lamington National Park

Description: This retreat is nestled in the heart of Lamington National Park, surrounded by pristine rainforest. Wake up to the songs of colorful birds and explore treetop walkways.

Why it's Special: The Tree Top Walk offers panoramic views of the rainforest canopy.

ii. The Mouses House Rainforest Retreat

Location: Springbrook National Park

Description: These charming chalets are tucked away in the Springbrook National Park. With private spa tubs and fireplaces, it's the epitome of romantic seclusion.

Why it's Special: The clear night skies are perfect for stargazing.

iii. Binna Burra Lodge

Location: Lamington National Park

Description: Binna Burra Lodge offers cozy lodges perched on the edge of the Lamington National Park. It's an ideal base for bushwalks and birdwatching.

Why it's Special: The views of Coomera Valley from here are simply breathtaking.

3. Glitz and Glamour: Luxury Resorts and Boutique Hotels

For those seeking a touch of luxury and sophistication, the Gold Coast boasts an impressive collection of upscale accommodations. Here are some that stand out:

i. Palazzo Versace Gold Coast

Location: Main Beach

Description: As the world's first fashion-branded hotel, Palazzo Versace oozes opulence. From the lavish décor to the private marina, it's a playground for the rich and famous.

Why it's Special: The Water Salon cabanas by the pool offer a truly lavish experience.

ii. The Darling at The Star Gold Coast

Location: Broadbeach

Description: This 5-star hotel takes luxury to new heights. With its award-winning restaurants and a rooftop bar boasting panoramic views, it's a destination in itself.

Why it's Special: The rooftop bar, Nineteen at The Star, is a stargazer's paradise.

iii. Peppers Broadbeach

Location: Broadbeach

Description: Peppers Broadbeach offers sleek and stylish apartments with stunning ocean views. It's perfect for those who want both luxury and space.

Why it's Special: The Zen garden and private cinema are delightful surprises.

The Art of a Gold Coast Sleepover

Now that you've seen some of the incredible places to lay your head, let's dive into the art of a Gold Coast sleepover. It's not just about where you stay; it's about how you make the most of your time there.

1. Sunrise and Sunset Rituals:

Imagine waking up to the soft hues of sunrise painting the sky and casting a golden glow over the ocean. Or perhaps you prefer to unwind with a cocktail in hand as the sun dips below the horizon. Here's how you can make the most of these magical moments:

Set an Early Alarm: Don't miss the sunrise! Set your alarm to catch this daily spectacle.

Beach Picnic at Sunset: Pack a picnic and head to the beach in the evening. It's the perfect setting for a romantic dinner or a family gathering.

Sunset Cruise: Consider a sunset cruise for a unique perspective of the coast.

2. Water Adventures:

The Gold Coast isn't just for lounging on the beach. It's also a playground for water sports enthusiasts. Dive into the adventure with these activities:

Surfing: Whether you're a seasoned pro or a first-timer, the Gold Coast's waves are perfect for surfing.

Jet Skiing: Feel the thrill as you zoom across the water on a jet ski.

Paddleboarding: For a more serene experience, paddleboarding along the canals is a must-try.

3. Dining by the Sea:

The Gold Coast is a culinary haven, and dining with an ocean view is an experience you shouldn't miss. Here are some recommendations:

Beachfront Cafes: Many cafes and restaurants along the coast offer stunning beachfront dining. Try some fresh seafood while gazing at the waves.

The Fish House: Located in Burleigh Heads, this seafood restaurant is known for its exquisite dishes and ocean views.

Rick Shores: This upscale Asian fusion restaurant in Burleigh Heads offers both exceptional cuisine and breathtaking ocean vistas.

4. Theme Park Escapades:

If you're traveling with family, the Gold Coast's theme parks are a must-visit. Whether it's the heart-pounding rides at Dreamworld or the enchanting marine life at Sea World, there's something for everyone.

5. Nightlife Extravaganza:

When the sun goes down, the Gold Coast comes alive with a vibrant nightlife scene. Head to Surfers Paradise for a taste of the action, with bars, clubs, and live entertainment.

Gold Coast Sleepovers: Practical Tips

Now that you're all set to embark on your Gold Coast adventure, here are some practical tips to ensure your sleepover is a seamless experience:

1. Booking in Advance:

The Gold Coast is a popular destination, especially during peak seasons. To secure your dream sleepover, it's wise to book well in advance.

2. Packing Essentials:

Don't forget to pack sunscreen, swimwear, and comfortable walking shoes. The Gold Coast offers plenty of outdoor activities, so come prepared.

3. Exploring Beyond Your Stay:

While it's tempting to stay in the lap of luxury, don't forget to explore the surrounding areas. The Gold Coast hinterland, with its rainforests and waterfalls, is just a short drive away.

4. Water Safety:

If you plan on swimming in the ocean, be mindful of the surf conditions. Always follow safety guidelines and swim in designated areas.

5. Respect Nature:

Whether you're in the rainforest or on the beach, remember to respect nature and leave no trace. Help preserve the beauty of the Gold Coast for future generations.

Conclusion: Where Dreams Meet the Beach

In the heart of the Gold Coast, where the sun-drenched beaches meet the lush rainforests, your dreams come to life in the most extraordinary way. With a myriad of sleepover options, from beachfront luxury to rainforest retreats, this coastal paradise offers an experience like no other. As you sip your morning coffee with the sound of waves in the background or dine under the starlit sky, you'll realize that the Gold Coast isn't just a destination; it's a dream come true.

So, when you're ready to embark on your next adventure, remember the Gold Coast – where dreams meet the beach, and every sleepover is a memory in the making. Pack your bags, book your stay, and get ready for an unforgettable journey along the shimmering coastline of the Gold Coast. Your dream sleepover awaits!

[sunsetkerr]

PITCHES AND FIELDS | s.kerr

summary: you are sam's biggest supporter and she is yours.. sometimes.

pairing: aflw!reader x sam kerr

notes: for my Aussies x

yourinstagram

liked by samanthakerr20, caitlinfoord and 30,391 others yourinstagram in perth watching the mrs put on a show, go tillies!

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samanthakerr20 you know I love an opportunity to show off ↳ caitlinfoord yes we know

user the crows girlies out for the night

alannakennedy loudest in the crowd ↳ yourinstagram sam sat me in general admission so I had to make sure you could hear me ↳ samanthakerr20 putting you in the nosebleeds next time ↳ yourinstagram and I'll be cheering for chinese taipei

user love this!!

user such a great game to watch too

clarewheeler I'm just glad you saw my goal ↳ yourinstagram I cheered the loudest for you x

yourinstagram

liked by samanthakerr20, maddinewman17 and 29,388 others yourinstagram roped sam into a recovery day on the boat with the team, photographer extraordinaire; @aflwcrows hire her

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user its a very good day to like women

mackenziearnold what's in that can skippa?? ↳ samanthakerr20 pre-workout ↳ yourinstagram or something like that

user sam being a lil afl wag is something so special to me ↳ user y/n needs a trade to west coast and she's set ↳ samanthakerr20 thats what I've been saying

caitlinfoord drown her while you're out, yeah? ↳ samanthakerr20 but then how would we win games?

matildas looking good mrs skip! ↳ user did.. did the matildas admin just confirm that they got married? ↳ matildas idk, did we?

samanthakerr20

liked by yourinstagram, maryfowlerrr and 893,128 others samanthakerr20 three goals today for my love, would look even better in blue and gold though 🦅🦅

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eaglesaflw can't argue with that ↳ crowsaflw we can..

yourinstagram how's that for a hat trick? ↳ samanthakerr20 my favourite one was when you were getting tackled to the ground and still kicked it ↳ yourinstagram just an elite athlete really, someone give me the ballon d'or

emilyvanegmond she's just that good ↳ samanthakerr20 stop, her ego is already so big

yourinstagram

liked by samanthakerr20, alannakennedy and 32,398 others yourinstagram had the mini me on the field today

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crowsaflw can't wait to have her wearing that guernsey when playing for us in fifteen years!

user I always forget that they have a kid???? ↳ user not just a kid that's marley kerr ↳ alannakennedy show some respect

samanthakerr20 she belongs on a football pitch ↳ yourinstagram if you actually look at the picture, you will see she is born to be on a footy field x ↳ samanthakerr20 we'll see about that ↳ yourinstagram what are you gonna do? sign her up to the sam kerr football academy??? ↳ samanthakerr20 don't have to sign her up, I know the owner

[t00thpasteface]

writing tes fic and trying to explain why martin is Like That: well he has ten different overlapping complexes and fifteen kinds of trauma from various points in his very eventful life and his sense of identity is totally fractured at this point and really it all started when he was a kid growing up on the gold coast—

trying to explain why lucien is Like That: idk he's funny and a girlboss and he kills people about it. everyone loves him!

[cheriladycl01]

Our European Yacht Holiday - Kimi Raikkonen x SpanishOlympicDiver! Reader

Plot: It's summer and Kimi finally is in his off season and you've just competed in the summer Olympics getting a gold medal, what better way to prepare for the next by going around Europe on holiday!

"Okay, are you doing this with me yes or no?" you ask Kimi whose to your left. You were currently on your husbands private yacht, in the off season of Formula one, you'd decided to sail round Europe. Right now you were currently in the seas of the coast of Monaco.

It was you, Kimi, Sebastian Vettel his wife Hannah and their three kids who you and Kimi were god parents too.

"No!" he exclaims looking over the edge of the boat. You shake your head with a laugh.

"Come on, your such a wuss!" you exclaim looking towards him. You were both currently at the roof of the boat. You'd been diving off all afternoon, practicing of course and Kimi had come up saying he wanted to jump off too.

"I am not!" he tells you.

"Come on, you drove cars at 200mph and now your saying you cant dive off the boat with me?" you ask him, you pull on your swimsuit strap to make sure it was fully up over you shoulder.

"It's so high, and it's really really deep here!" he says looking around. In actuality it wasn't that deep, you'd swam here many times and you'd also gone scuba diving and free diving as part of training to keep fit.

"Okay, well I'm going to jump!" you scream before diving into the deep water. You hold your breath just as your body goes into the water hands first soon followed by your head. The rush you felt from your body when you went diving was the whole reason you got into it in the first place.

It's the reason why most athletes love their job, that adrenaline you get when performing.

You resurface padding around by the edge of the boat.

"Y/N! Y/N! I want to jump in!" one of Seb's children says coming up to you. You smile and swim up to them.

"Yeah, is your dad okay with it?" you ask clinging onto the rope that dangled of the back of the boat while you were docked up.

"Daddy, can I jump in with Y/N?" they shout back to Seb whose laying on the upper deck on one of the sofa's with Hanna.

"Have you got your arm bands on?" he asks leaning over the edge, you wave up to him and he nods knowing you'd keep them safe.

"Yeah!"

"Then you can, but you listen to Y/N at all times okay?" he says before laying back down.

"You know, i want to be just like you!" he says, smiling at you. You grin back and wait for him to jump in but he looks a little scared.

"I'll catch you, you trust me right?" you ask and look at the little boy above you. He nods and gulps down the anxiety, he walks back a little before running and jumping into the water right into your arms.

You were an exceptionally strong swimmer due to all the diving you do so holding the little boy up while treading water was no issue.

"Did that look cool?" he asks in delight rubbing the salty water out of his eyes.

"The coolest! I'll teach you how to dive soon!" you grin, and you both swim about a little bit more. You show him how to snorkel using the little mask Hanna had brought and how he had to keep his head at a certain angle so that no water got in the tube. Eventually you hauled him up onto the back of the boat before climbing back on yourself.

Your husband was stood there holding a towel out for you knowing it was slightly cooler now the sun was setting. He placed a light kiss on the top of your head, waiting for Sebastian and Hanna to leave with their son up to the top deck.

"You are really good with kids, we should think about having one!" he says to you suddenly making your head turn to him.

"Yeah?" you ask with a little smirk on your face.

"I think you'd be able to teach them so much!" he smiles genuinely pulling you into a hug and another kiss.

"Come on, we better doc the boat, I'm starving!" you say, giving him once last kiss before running off and hoping down the stairs to shower and change into a nice evening dress.

Later that night, you all went out for a meal in one of Monaco's finest, and being such a small city you bumped into some of the other drivers who couldn't help but ask how you were.

You were sad to see Seb, Hanna and the kids leave but now you and Kimi could sail away to Greece, the next destination for your little holiday away.

y/user

Liked by kimimatiasraikkonen and others

y/user: Sailing across Europe, getting ready for Paris 2024 with the best people ever! <3

Tagged: kimimatiasraikkonen sebastianvettel hannaprater

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kimimatiasraikkonen: Are you proud i jumped in the end?

-> y/user: yes it took lots of convincing though! <3

-> landoswife: no because we need the story behind this

-> vettelredbullera: no for real, was she trying to get him to dive?

Your Instagram Story Caption:

He wouldn’t dive from the boat with me :(

Taglist:

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[tielmamon]

Your turn

He had the whole thing planned in his head. He would set up a picnic at the coast, spoiling his bard with his favorite wine and pastries. Once Jaskier was happy and full, he'd pull him close, bringing him to his chest as they watch the sunset melt into the ocean water and fish out the ring that he'd commissioned years ago. Then, after a very practiced and lengthy (for him, anyway) speech about destiny and choice and being with you will always be what pleases me, finally he will ask Jaskeir to be his husband.

That was the plan.

But as he stared at his bard through the embers of the campfire, something inside him told him he needed to tell him now. He looked so...peaceful. So beautifully content in this little camp they made in the middle of no where. Jaskier senses his eyes and looks up from his journal. He smiles at him from across the fire and suddenly, before he could comprehend it himself, Geralt was kneeling in the dirt between the bard's legs.

He almost wanted to make a joke about the suggestiveness of their positions but Jaskier only looks at him with a pout that has to him physically restrain himself from kissing and gods above, this man-

"Oh! Oh hello there, darling. Be careful, you're knee's still a bit-" And Geralt, for the first time in decades, fumbles as he digs through his pockets in such a rush that it almost slips from his fingers-

"Jaskier." Geralt says, staring up at clear blue like its the sky. The same blues lock on the ring Geralt is pinching between his fingers infront of them.

"You wi-, I mean I, um. M-Marry me." He had planned a speech to go with this question- hell, he wonders if it even came out as a question. He was so fucking nervous for it that he even wrote a whole paragraph about packs and wolves mating for life and that there are certain song birds that do the same. Really good, romantic shit that he knew Jaskier would appreciate. He had written the whole thing down in his journal somewhere, completely forgotten.

He feels his hand trembling as he holds up the ring. A thick gold band engraved with buttercups and dandelions with a wolf nestled subtly between the petals. He imagined day in and day out just how nice it would look around Jaskier's fourth finger.

Jaskier stares, silent for a moment. The seconds tick by like centuries for Geralt as he kneels patiently waiting for a reaction. Doubt just about starts to creep in when Jaskier smiles so bright and beautifully, holding up a finger.

His forefinger. That's...that's not-

"Hold that thought." Quickly, almost tripping over the log he was sitting on ,Jaskier rummages frantically through his pack. Geralt simply lays frozen, still kneeling with a hand holding up the ring. As quickly as he left, Jaskier sits back down practically vibrating.

"Ask me again, dearheart."Jaskier requests sweetly, and truly who was he to deny him?

"Jaskier. Will you marry me?" Geralt smiles, alteast glad he actually managed to phrase it as a question this time. Finally, he sighs a breath of relief and joy when Jaskier all but yanks him up to meet his lips. They meets clumsily, both soon smiling too hard to properly kiss the other back. They melt into eachother, simmering down in breathy chuckles and chasing pecks that seemingly never want to end.

"Gods yes." Jaskier whispers as they pull away, keeping his hands on his cheeks. Geralt smiles widely, slipping the ring on Jaskier's finger and drawing him in for another kiss when he's stopped.

"Hm?"

"My turn." Jaskie beams, revealing a small box from behind him. He opens it and pulls out-

"You're kidding." Geralt laughs, staring at the silver ring hanging from a chain. He spots a clear silhouette of a wolf curled around the circle's edge, chasing a small song bird along the other side.

"Geralt of Rivia." Jaskier has joined him now, kneeling on the dusty floor of their camp. One hand curled so lovingly around his waist while the other holding the ring and chain between them.

"Hm." Geralt feels his cheeks hurting from how hard he's smiling. For all the pain and ache that he's felt throughout his long life, he never thought he'd be lucky enough to have this. To feel the type of ache that is warm and kind. Ones that come after laughing too hard, smiling to long, kissing to much. The kind that only Jaskier seems to give him.

"Wil you-" And he barely lets the bard finish his words before he's pressing his lips back onto his, gripping him by his shoulders.

"Yes." Laughter echoes through their little clearing, disturbing a few birds. Geralt, still so very close leans forward to taste it but is stopped once again.

"Alteast let me finish the proposal before you answer!" Jaskier laughs, beaming like the sun and Geralt is helpless to argue. Still, he makes a show of groaning and rolling his eyes as if his heart isn't beating out of his chest at the sight of him.

"Fine. Ask." Making a show of getting ready, Jaskier coughs and straightens to meet Geralt's eye line. Another pause has the witcher impatiently squeezing Jaskier's hip, causing him to squirm.

"Alright! Geralt Roger Eric du Haute-Bellegard Rivia-" that earns him another squeeze, now closer to his waist- a spot Geralt knows is particularly ticklish for the bard.

"Will you marry me?" He manages to say between peels of laughter. It takes a minute for Geralt to respond. He's too busy staring at the man infront of him and thanking every higher power he doesn't believe in that gave him this bard. He still doesn't say anything, even as he pulls Jaskier into a hug feeling the chain slip past his fingers and settle into the crook of the bard's elbow as he hugs back. Only when he feels Jaskier's fingers weave themselves into his hair, he says.

"Yes."

[riality-check]

riiaaa!! for the 100 ways to say i love you prompts, #1 and steddie please!!

(this is also very late, but here we go!)

"Pull over, let me drive for a while."

"Steve."

"Mhm."

"Steve."

"Yeah?"

"You're gonna drive us off the road."

"I'm fine," Steve says, and Eddie watches from the passenger seat as the car moves a full two feet onto the shoulder.

And people have the nerve to criticize his driving.

"Yeah, no," Eddie says. "Pull over, let me drive for a while."

"I got it," Steve says, a mid-sentence yawn ruins his credibility.

Eddie sighs. Steve is more than just a good dude; he's become one of Eddie's closest friends over the past few months, thank you, trauma bonding. But even though Steve Harrington is a good person, he's exceptionally stubborn when he wants to be, and driving his Beemer is the most stubborn he ever gets.

Seriously, though? He needs to sleep. He's gonna get them hurt otherwise.

"Sweetheart," Eddie says, and where that came from, he's going to blame on the sleep deprivation, "please. I promise I won't scratch your car."

Steve straightens up at that. Sneaks a glance at Eddie out of the corner of his eye. Relaxes his grip on the wheel.

"Okay," he says, and he puts his blinker on, pulls onto the shoulder. "Yeah, you can drive."

Eddie breathes out a sigh of relief as they switch seats. He's lucky he and Steve are the same size, nearly; he doesn't have to adjust the seat or the mirrors.

He glances at Steve, just to make sure he's settled, before he shifts the car into gear and gets them back on the road toward Hawkins.

Move in was a success all around. First Nancy, in Boston, then Jonathan in New York, then Robin in Philadelphia. Steve and Eddie had nothing else to do, the gas money to spare, and a want to help out. Taking the Beemer seemed stupid until Eddie was reminded by everyone, less than nicely, that the van would fall apart on a drive to Indy, nevermind to three different cities on the East Coast.

They fit less boxes, but at least they made the journey without breaking down.

And now they're on their way back, at nearly midnight with four hours left to go, because it makes more sense to drive than to find an affordable hotel that's not a shithole in Philadelphia.

"This is weird," Steve mumbles.

"What is?"

"Letting someone else drive my car," he explains. "Last time, I was concussed, and Max almost drove us into a telephone pole."

"Mayfield?"

"Yeah, back in '84. Hargrove beat the shit out of me so bad I could barely think, the kids had to get somewhere, and she was the only one who knew at least a little about how to drive."

Eddie laughs and shakes his head. "Everything I learn about you is weirder and weirder."

"I didn't even tell you the worst part."

"Which is?"

"I was so out of it, I thought Mike was Nancy."

Eddie cackles, wiping the tears from his eyes as he continues to drive. Thank god no else is on the road.

"They don't even look alike," he wheezes.

"In my defense," Steve says with a smile, "I did have brain damage."

"Past tense?"

Steve punches him in the shoulder. "Asshole."

Eddie rubs over the spot with one hand and keeps driving with the other. It's nice, this time of night. No one on the road, warm enough to have the windows cracked in the pitch black. Music playing loud enough to hear but low enough to have a conversation over.

It helps that Steve's rich-boy car drives smoother than anything else Eddie's been behind the wheel of, and Eddie's been behind a lot of different wheels in his life.

"Thanks," Steve says after a little while.

"For what?"

"Driving."

"Of course," Eddie says, because he means it. Of course he'd drive when Steve can't. It's what you do for the people you-

Eddie looks over at Steve. He's kicked his shoes off and scrunched his knees to his chest on the passenger seat. He's curled up, toward Eddie, with his hair fanned out and his cheek squished against his knee, eyes closed. The streetlights, as they race by them, cast his skin in varying shades of silver and gold, highlighting the contrast of his freckles.

-love.

Eddie's doing this because it's what he does for the people he loves.

It's a quieter realization than he expected. Eddie has loved a lot of people like he loves Wayne and his friends, but he's never been in love before. He thought it would be an all-consuming, heart-racing crash, a collision bringing fire and constriction, needing the jaws of life to pull him out.

This isn't like that. This is liking being a little kid, jumping off the couch, and knowing someone is waiting at the bottom to catch him. There's the feeling of danger, sure, but he knows what's at the bottom.

He wonders how long he's known. Long enough for that love, the love he has for Steve, to be something comfortable and warm in his chest.

Steve's hand rests on the space between them, palm up, outstretched. Eddie takes it and squeezes it.

And, though Steve is surely asleep, he thinks he might squeeze back.

Prompts here.

[funthingsfortoddlers]

We’ve made a list (and checked it twice) of Christmas Activities and Events coming up on the Gold Coast.

You can check it out here => https://bit.ly/3QKqLrx

[sunlightmurdock]

The Odyssey | 0.8 | Bradley Bradshaw x Reader

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Moodboard | Recommended Listening

Synopsis: Bradley keeps a close eye on the other students, nightly dinners become a regular occurrence. Malcolm feels further away than ever. A phone call in the middle of the night causes a swift change in plans.

Warnings: enemies to lovers, power imbalance (professor / student relationship), age gap (22 / 33), will be smut, virgin reader, swearing, infidelity. 18+ minors dni

…

Bradley wakes up with the sun. All of those West Coast mornings and thin, green floral curtains in his grandmother’s house. The sun spilling through them and alerting him to the Chordettes playing downstairs on grainy vinyl. That meant his mother was cleaning. Lemon-scented disinfectant, her sitting on her knees polishing the hardwood with a rag. The effortless warmth of her voice drifting through the walls.

He exhales. Sunlight seeps through his eyelids but there’s no Chordettes album today. No lemon scent. Just a dusty room and one of his students sleeping six feet away. His eyelids flutter, blinking through the early morning light. A slow turn of his neck allows him to check the clock on the nightstand and doesn’t affront the stiffness that these cheap mattresses give him either.

It’s early. About four hours before Luke would naturally rise, anyway. Bradley hits the alarm and pushes himself upright with a soft sigh. He doesn’t have to be quiet when he’s getting out of bed, that kid could sleep through a hurricane.

They have a lot in common. Lots of similarities in the way they were raised. Bradley likes him beyond just being his professor. In different circumstances, they would be friends. But, Bradley has always kept that line in the sand clear. Until now. Until you had kissed him.

Showered and dressed, Bradley’s up before most of Verona. The soles of his shoes are quiet against the cobble. Italian leather from almost a decade ago. A gift from an old friend that have held up well. The only dress shoes he’s got.

It’s bright out. Bright enough that Bradley’s squinting through his Ray-Ban caravans already, but it’s not too hot just yet. There’s a wind that makes the loose white of his button-up billow against his tanned skin, fighting to work free from being neatly tucked into his belt.

Enzo’s out on the steps by the time Bradley gets there, which means he is late. Teaching hasn’t ever been Bradley’s passion, but it makes way for him to study and — in theory — he gets his summers off. It allows him to write.

“Good morning.” Enzo greets him with a smile. Bradley’s not much for the business side of things — he would have better luck at counting the shades of blue in the sky than he would at figuring out schmoozing. Enzo knows this, and Bradley knows that he knows this. “How’s the book coming?”

“I’m not sure,” Bradley answers with a broad shrug. He tucks the gold frames of his sunglasses into the part of his shirt. “I’m not sure I’ll have it finished by the end of summer.”

Olive-skinned and about fifteen years Bradley’s senior, Enzo looks the part of a sleazy salesman even if he’s just a curator when his lips twist up into a smile. “Something’s got you a little distracted, hm?”

The straight ahead stare, the deep, slow breaths and the unwavering tight line that his lips are pressed into; Bradley’s reaction is easily readable — and Enzo’s close enough to get hit if he keeps it up. He knows that. Towing the line is his specialty.

“Just joking. Here, let’s go in.”

Three soft-sounding steps inside and Bradley’s back where he was this morning. Ten years old and laying on his back in the twin bed in the bedroom at the front of his grandmother’s house, smelling artificial lemon.

He turns his head just a little, his eyes lingering on the mop being pushed around the tile floor, as Enzo leads him further inside.

Being published is what professors dream of. Having someone decide that their little ramblings are interesting enough to publish. Bradley’s study focuses on two things that are inherently interesting to begin with — sex, and power.

His research may be tedious every now and again but the content is always rich. His morning spins by and before he knows it, it’s time to meet you again. You’re ready for him when he gets there, tugging open the door before he has knocked.

But, you don’t look excited to see him.

Cheeks flushed, your body language suggests to him that you would have a decent future as an offensive lineman. His gaze flickers up, over your head and into your seemingly innocent hotel room. Powerless as he scans the room, you just hope he can’t figure out what it is that has you so rattled.

You had aimed to finish before he had arrived but time had gotten away from you.

“So what are we doing today?” You try.

“What are you writing?” His eyes are already on it. The open stack of lined papers, torn out of the notebook already, sitting on the vanity by the wall. Your perfume is next to it and you’ve got the stationary set that your mother got you laid out neatly next to it.

“Nothing.”

He looks down. First, at your face. Wide eyes and baited breath. Then, at your hands suddenly resting against his chest like they’ll hold him in place. His lips twitch.

“Nothing?” He repeats to you. Enjoyment seeps through his words, amusement tugs at his lips and he lifts his right foot to take one step forwards. “Mind if I take a look?”

Instantly, your fingers are curling into his shirt and you’re throwing your weight at him to keep him where he is. Bradley huffs out a sound of amusement, passing you in one swift stride as you claw at his button up to slow him down.

“Don’t, Bradley, it’s stupid — I was just messing around. I don’t want you to read it.”

His fingers brush the top page as you plead with him, tugging at his sleeve, trying to change his mind. He lifts it nonetheless and shoots you a grin, making a show of clearing his throat.

“Dear Juliet,” He pronounces, turning his attention back to the page from you.

“Bradley, please don’t.” It’s not fun anymore. You’re quiet and resigned to him doing whatever he pleases. Embarrassment teems through you.

It’s a familiar kind of crushing feeling. It’s never just feeling small, it’s never that simple. It’s being made small. Every inch that you shrink, you’re squished down further until you’re nothing.

You can see it in his face, the exact moment that he reads his initials on the paper. It had seemed too personal to use his name. Back when this had seemed like a good idea at all.

He doesn’t read on. The paper sits still in his hand as he turns his head towards you. You stare back at him, preparing yourself. Tongue poised, ready to spit whatever venom he deserves after what he says next. Eyes wide, and sad.

“I’m sorry.”

He sets the paper back down as he had found it. It’s not his to discard, it wasn’t his to read. Bradley steps forwards and wraps his hands gently around both of your biceps.

“That wasn’t cool,” He tells you quietly. Bradley knows a couple of different languages, and he’s confident that he’s speaking English now, even if you’re staring at him like he isn’t. “I didn’t realize what it was. I was just trying to mess with you. I barely read any of it.”

Silent, you blink a few times. He’s still there with his big, heavy hands anchoring around your biceps. He’s waiting for you to say something back.

Slowly, your brows draw together. Your eyes flicker over every inch of his face, looking for some fault that will give up this little act.

Suddenly, your mind is made up. This is an act. He’s not sorry, men rarely are. You straighten your back and lift your chin, if you were a cat your claws would be out and ready. “You’re such an asshole.”

The clock beside your bed, the hands don’t move, and yet it feels like you can hear something ticking. Maybe your heartbeat. He’s staring back at you, not moving, but he’s going to have to soon — it’s his turn.

“I know, honey,” Bradley’s hands open and he releases your arms, only to open his and wrap you in them. Your face presses into his chest as he rubs a hand along the small of your back. “I didn’t mean to.”

You’ve received plenty of life lessons on what it means to be a woman. Your grandmother, your mother, your aunts and cousins, teachers and friends. Not one of them prepared you for this. In your scope, apologies come in the form of jewelry or luxury vacations.

No one had ever prepared you for a man to look into your eyes and tell you that he is truly sorry.

“I just wanted to put it on paper, get it out of my head,” You mumble into his shirt, inhaling the notes of wood and warm spice in his cologne. Your hand rests against his stomach now, unclenched. Your body is soft against his. You relax out of all of that tension and let him hold you. “Make some sense of it.”

His palm hugs the base of your skull, cradling you against his shoulder. His cheek rests against the top of your head. He gives you a slow nod.

“You should finish it.” Bradley tells you.

“Yeah. Maybe later.” You hum. It’s nice, to be held by him. He strokes a hand softly over your hair.

Within this city, within the walls of the first space that you have had to yourself in three weeks, in this brown hotel room — you have let yourself be his.

Tomorrow, you’ll move on to Venice. The decision is yours, to leave him and all of this insanity right here — forever between these four walls — or to let go.

Bradley’s thumb trails the nape of your neck. He can feel you deep in thought. Just once, he would like to know what’s going on in that pretty little head of yours. “Could be our activity for today. Write it in Latin, think of it as a translation activity. I won’t check it.”

Lifting your head, you stare up at him, lips pursed in distaste. “If you don’t check it then what’s the point?”

“Confidence.” Bradley tells you. You feel his open palms trail your back until they hit your belt. Then, they skim around to rest safely on your waist. “The more you practice—“

“Yeah, yeah…” Both hands push against his chest as you wriggle out of his arms and turn. “Okay, I’m in.”

“Let’s sit outside. It’s a nice day.”

The eighth of June. The day you sat in a public garden opposite a fountain, laying on your front in the grass while Bradley sat in front of you, propped up against a tree. It turns out that when Bradley says he knows a place, it’s usually worth listening.

“What’s this place called?”

“Giusti Garden.” He tells you, working on something of his own in his lap.

“And what is it?” You ask him, trailing the end of your pencil through the dictionary. He looks up at you, his own pencil stilling for a second.

“A palace, originally.” Blinking through the lenses of his sunglasses, Bradley glances down at the page in front of him and back to your lips, pursed in concentration. “Pretty popular. Mozart, Gorthe, Ruskin— they’ve all visited this place.”

“Huh.” You hum.

This time when his gaze flickers up, you have moved. Your lips are parted, you tap the rubber at the end of your pencil against your bottom lip.

Mid-sentence and stuck, you turn your head towards him and he’s already looking at you. He read what was on that paper the first time. He reads hundreds of essays a year, he has mastered the art of clearing a page quickly.

Admittedly, he hadn’t gotten through the whole page, but he’d noticed that you had stopped halfway through a word at the bottom.

He read all about it. How confused you are. The new feelings and the difficult thoughts. Malcolm and how much he loves you. How guilty you are. How furious with yourself you are.

Selfishly, Bradley wonders if you’re writing the same thing now. All of those biting looks and harsh words — Bradley feels like he’s just starting to understand, and he likes the person behind it all.

He’s grown up enough to know that you’ve got enough people messing with your head back home. Whatever that letter helps you realize, Bradley has already decided that he isn’t going to say a word about it.

It’s still bright out by the time that your letter is signed and sealed, tucked into your bag. You straighten up, brushing off your front as Bradley collects his things behind you.

“Here.”

Lifting your head, you almost miss it. He watches your eyes land on the folded piece of paper extended towards you. Your lips quirk softly as you reach out and take it from him.

Breeze catches your hair, you comb it off of your forehead with one hand as you open up the paper with the other. Three different pencil sketches sit on the paper.

The largest is in the centre. It’s of your face and your shoulders, elbows propped up against the grass and your lips pouted slightly as you study the book before you. The lashes, the slight misshape of your polo collar, the tip of your nose. He’s got it down to a science.

The other two are just sketches. One of your face, turned to the side like it is in the drawing of you laying down. The last is of you looking at him, smiling. You don’t even remember what he had said. Neither does he. But he remembers that look.

“What’s this?”

Bradley just slips the pencil into the pocket of his jeans and starts walking, nudging his elbow into yours as he passes by. “You asked me to draw you, didn’t you?”

In truth, he assumes that it’s going to be a parting gift. Call him sentimental, but Bradley always leaves something to remember him by.

When he closes his eyes, he doesn’t remember his father’s face. He has seen it in pictures before, but never in memories. No, he remembers hugging his father’s legs, and sitting on his knee. He remembers the smell of tobacco.

The replacement dog tags. The gold chain. The shoes in the box in his mother’s wardrobe. The suit that Bradley never grew into — one day it was too big and the very next, he had already outgrown it. Those are what he has to piece together parts of his father.

When you’re old and married, maybe you’ll find the drawing and piece together the parts of Bradley that made you smile like that.

You trail behind him, white tennis shoes in the trimmed green grass. A white polo shirt tucked into lemon yellow shorts, your sunglasses sweeping your hair back off of your forehead.

In another life, he’d reach back and you would wrap your palm around his index finger. He would smile at you and you would be all kinds of giddy about this date.

But this isn’t that — it doesn’t work like that this time around. Someone could see you. Bradley knows now how you’re feeling. He knows that your fiancé is on your mind. He chose once, took Natasha’s choice in her own future from her. He won’t do the same to you.

“The dinner thing,” You call out from behind him, watching your shoes travel from grass to stone pavers as you pass by an intricately carved fountain. He turns his head and peers at you over the top of his sunglasses, looking over his shoulder. “Is that really every night?”

Before you’re even done with your question Bradley’s looking ahead once again, and you’re left looking at the plain white of his cotton tee stretched pliantly over the swell of his shoulders. “Until you all start treating each other with a little respect, I guess so.”

“All of us? — Come on, Bradley, don’t act like you don’t know who the problem is.” An incredulous scoff, barely paying attention to your own words as your eyes wander around the flowered garden. “She’s just a slut, and—“

He stops and turns. Your gaze snaps from double early tulips and their puffed yellow petals to Bradley standing before you — the look in his eyes is scolding before his mouth has even moved.

“Do you listen to a single thing that I say? — Seriously?” He asks you, brows drawn together and his lips pressed into a frown. You simply blink at him.

“What?”

“She’s a slut because she has sex with her boyfriend?” He challenges you, shaking his head. The past week, Bradley has been spoon-feeding you content about the sexual culture through the history of Rome. You nod like you understand and yet, you come out with bullshit like that.

He’s the one who challenged you. You simply answer back.

“She’s a slut because he’s not her boyfriend. They’ll both tell you that.” You tell him, defiance coursing through your veins in lieu of anything that might have helped you make a stronger argument.

“What does that make me? — You listen to my stories with a smile on your face. It’s not dirty until it’s someone you don’t like, huh?” Bradley asks. He’s right, you know that much. Bradley has indubitably slept with far more people than Robin possibly could have.

Still, maybe it’s his tone that makes you need to bite back so quickly. Hands on your hips and a scowl on your face, you stand off against him before the fountain. “What does it matter to you if I think she’s a slut?”

“It matters —“ Bradley stops and takes a deep breath. He leans in by three inches and you’re met with that familiar woody smell that just makes you want him even closer. “Use your brain. Whatever your mommy and daddy taught you back home is bullshit — you’re the odd one out.”

With that, he turns and starts away from you. He won’t leave you to walk home alone, but he will walk six paces ahead so that you’re clear with the fact that you have once again stepped on his nerves.

“I’m the odd one out for respecting my body?” You call out to him.

“Respecting it, ignoring it… same difference, right? — It’s your call, honey,” Bradley walks slowly closer until the toe of his sneaker brushes yours. He lowers his voice, calm. “But choosing not to have sex doesn’t make you better than Robin.”

“I’m not your honey.” You bite back.

“Right,” Bradley nods at you. He lifts his arms and drops them back against his sides incredulously. “But here we are.”

It’s an eleven minute walk back to the hotel. You stroll behind him, sullen like a scolded child. The letter feels heavy in your bag. He might not have called you a slut, but you’ve been put in your place nonetheless. The words would never pass your lips — but he’s right. The comparison’s right there in front of you, all around you. You’re living it.

She can’t be a slut for sleeping with one boy if you’re not for whatever you’ve got going on with Bradley.

You would hold it against her, crushing like a weight, if she told your story back to you. If she was the one with a fiancé at home and a professor who spent afternoons in her hotel room.

Still, your face is hot and you’re not ready to speak to him. Halfway across the herati patterned rug that covers most of the reception area, Bradley turns and looks at you as he tucks the arm of his sunglasses into the collar of his t-shirt.

Chin high and shoulders squared, your clear path is to walk right by him. Just as you always have when a man in your life has embarrassed you.

One step ahead, Bradley catches your wrist loosely, stopping you mid-stride. “Dinner’s in five. Remember?”

“I’m not going to dinner with you.” Your answer is simple and biting. Childish. He wouldn’t be surprised if you crossed your arms and stomped your foot.

“It’s not up for discussion. Everyone’s going.” Bradley explains. Right on time, he lifts his gaze and spots Pasquale headed towards the two of you from across the lobby. It’s not like he won’t have seen the two of you argue before.

He reaches you with a smile and stands at Bradley’s side. His bald head has caught the sun, reddened slightly with head. The smile lines beside his eyes always crease when he beams at Bradley. He stands almost an entire foot shorter. Looking up at him and grinning like a kid, even though he’s older than Bradley.

“Hi, guys!” He pats Bradley’s arm jovially and turns that wide, cheesy grin to you. “How is the revision going?”

Your eyes land on the professor and suddenly there’s something dark about them that has simply nothing to do with eye colour, and everything to do with the mood he put you in.

Pasquale lives in ignorant bliss for the two seconds that it takes you to settle your hands into the shallow pockets of your lemon shorts and narrow your eyes at the professor. “Bradley’s a self-righteous asshole.”

“But what else is new!” Pasquale tries. The laugh is forced out of him and nerves shake through it. He shoots Bradley an apologetic look. Bradley’s looking at you anyway.

“She got a C minus yesterday. Still trying to figure out if it was a fluke.” Bradley bites. Your eyes widen.

Sitting on his lap, wrapped in his arms as he told you how hard you had worked — how proud he was. His hand trailing your spine. His mouth soft against yours. Butterflies tearing through your stomach.

“I think I got too much sun today. I’m going to lie down. Enjoy dinner.” Fuck mandatory. Fuck every single student on this trip. Fuck this class, and fuck him in particular. Pasquale swallows softly as you turn on your heel and head for the stairs.

Bradley turns his chin towards the ceiling. He wants to like you, he wants you to like him. In the moments that you do, everything feels so easy. Like the breeze in early June. But when you’re hell bent on arguing with him — those are like those scorching hot summers back in California. Surrounding and heavy. Pressing in on him until he bites.

“A C… that’s not so bad. Right?” Pasquale asks quietly. Bradley turns his head and looks at him, there isn’t really an answer to give. A B is the average in his class, so no — a C really isn’t bad.

The thing about old Italian hotels is that they tend to be marketed towards guests looking to lead quiet lives — romantic getaways and such. Not young women fuelled by anger. The door slams and teaches you a quick lesson in cause and effect. The painting hung on the wall to the right of the bed wobbles in complaint, then bumps to the floor. The glass frame promptly shatters across the floor.

There’s an almost calm silence that follows. A few slow blinks, and the glass is still there. The frame is still shattered. There are pieces all across the floor. Bradley still said what he said.

The soles of your tennis shoes are thin and pliant, excellent for movement but not designed to fend off glass shards. Crossing the floor at that exact moment seems like far too much of a challenge. So, you press your back to the door and slide down it. Cupping your hands tight over your mouth, you clamp your eyes tightly shut and let it go.

The scream is muffled by your palms, but probably still enough to alarm other guests.

Your bag clatters haphazardly to the floor and you lift your face from your hands just long enough to examine the mess once again. Huffing out a sadder sound than you had intended, you push weakly to your feet once again.

Until today, Verona had been your favourite stop so far. Even with that spoiled, at least you have an en-suite here. You’re more careful with that door. You tug it closed and lock it behind you, toeing off each of your shoes as you go.

These old hotels have old water heaters too. You lean across to turn the shower on first and wriggle out of your shorts, dropping your polo onto the ground with them. Facing straight ahead, you stare into the little round mirror above the sink. It’s got molding all around it that was supposed to look gold once, but the peeling paint reveals brass underneath.

Your reflection stares back at you, sullen. It’s a portrait, just your head, shoulders and chest. Swallowing doesn’t make the thickness in your throat fade. You just blink at your reflection in the mirror. The cotton t-shirt bra hugged to your chest is modest and does it’s job — nothing more.

You’ve seen lingerie — you own lingerie. You have a white teddy with matching panties reserved especially for your wedding night. Bradley has most definitely seen lingerie.

A swift inhale is followed by a baited exhale.

The memory is so distinct, standing in a mall with your mother at the ripe age of twelve, watching her soured expression as she searched through the rack.

“Lace, lace, lace.” She had tutted. Back then, you had been more concerned about someone you knew seeing you here, shopping for your first bra. You hadn’t understood.

“Mom, just grab one. I want to go home. I don’t care what I wear.” You had whined, fidgeting on your feet and brushing awkwardly at the pleats of your dress. You’ll always remember the way that she had rounded on you, eyes wide like you had asked her to buy you a thong.

“Well you should, young lady!” Her voice always sounded scarier when you were younger, even though it had always been hushed and poised.

You have been a grown up for a while now. Lived outside of her home. Had your own bank account, car, clothes — and that voice still circles in your head.

The nightdress she had gotten you last Christmas is hanging on the back of the door. Malcolm hates it. He says it reminds him of his grandmother.

You look down at the thread scissors from your sewing kit resting on the shelf beside the sink. Anger has often led you to some of your best DIYs.

“So, we all have to be here… except not actually all of us.” Robin points out, leaning back in her seat and crossing her arms over her striped t-shirt. Elbow resting on the table, Bradley turns his head to look at her.

“She’s sick, Robin, leave her alone.” Abigail mutters from beside her, pushing her fork around the plate of roasted vegetables.

“No, but I heard Bradley say mandatory. So, mandatory for everyone except—“

“Robin.” Bradley sighs, sitting back in his seat and frowning at her. The restaurant is dimly lit, almost ten of them are cramped around a table in the corner, and after your argument today, Bradley just doesn’t want to hear it. “I don’t want to hear another damn word.”

This is what Bradley hates most about education. Half of the time a punishment for his students is more of a punishment for himself, which this dinner just so happens to be. He wants them to like you. He doesn’t want to hear the bitter comments and the arguing.

Everyone’s eager to get it wrapped up and over with. It’s still early by the time that he heads back to the hotel — everyone else decides to go out for drinks again, without you. Making the entire thing pointless.

The knock at your door startles you. You wince as the pin slips into the tip of your finger, inhaling sharply. Abandoning the project on the bed, you push yourself to your feet and walk over to the door. You already know who it is.

Bradley’s gaze flickers down at the sweat shorts and T-shirt you’re wearing first, then back up to your face.

“How was dinner?” You’re already turning away from him again, stepping onto the bed and tiptoeing back across the sheets. Bradley glances behind him, then steps inside and closes the door.

“Are you done sulking?” He rests his hands on the leather belt wrapped around his hips. Sewing needle in hand, you lift your head and stare, silent. “I’m allowed to disagree—“

“Fuck you,” This time, you don’t give him a chance to finish. You turn your head and continue to thread the new hem. “What you said was cruel and you know it, this isn’t about a disagreement.”

His gaze turns towards the ceiling, hands still sitting atop his belt.

“It was. I’m sorry.” He mutters with an exhale and a shake of his head. Bradley looks back at you finally. His brows draw together and he takes a step into the room. “What are you doing?”

“Hemming.” Your answer is short.

Briefly, Bradley presses his tongue into his cheek and considers just saying goodnight. Then, he notices exactly what it is that you’re working on.

“Did you cut that in half?” He’s already crossing the room and craning his neck to get a better look. Unluckily for him, you’re finished. He watches you look up at him through your lashes and lift the nightdress, then stand up from the bed. “Oh, you’re ignoring me now?”

The door to the bathroom swings shut behind you, the thin wood does nothing to muffle your voice. “I’m not ignoring you.”

Bradley’s attention has already waned. He’s looking at the paper on your nightstand. His drawing from earlier is uncurled and illuminated in the light of the lamp, below that is your address book — opened to a page with Malcolm’s name. Dotted around are little pink hearts, his number neatly written along the line.

“Are you snooping?”

Bradley flinches, turning back towards you with a swift inhale. He remains silent, lips parted as you march from the bathroom to the wood-framed mirror about three feet from where he’s standing.

Aware of his eyes on you, you study the new garment. It sits a few inches above your knee, just above mid-thigh. The sweetheart neckline keeps it sweet. Bradley’s eyes flicker briefly downwards in the reflection. With the window open, he can’t help but notice your nipples peaked against the light cotton blend.

“What’s this?” He asks quietly.

“I wanted a change.” You answer him.

He lifts his gaze to your face, just in time for you to turn and face him. Half an hour ago, you were talking to your fiancé — and yet, you’ve got no shame in searching for Bradley’s approval like this. Maybe you aren’t as pure as you had once thought, or as your mother would like you to be. But for now, standing in front of him, you aren’t ashamed.

Malcolm had called you today from his office. He was eating a sub that one of the interns had grabbed from him and he was telling you about his week. Numbers and figures.

You had thought of everything you could tell him. Juliet and the views of the city, sitting under the tree in that garden this afternoon. Bradley.

“I’m sorry that I said what I said.” Bradley tells you. Maybe it’s just because he’s desperate to get the conversation off of the light fabric you’re wearing, but something tells you that he means it. “It was childish, and you’re right, I was being cruel.

Barefoot, you take four short steps forwards until you’re standing right in front of him.

“I’m not saying you’re right — but I shouldn’t have called Robin a slut.” The admission comes with a small, lip-twitching smile. Bradley’s hands reach forwards and curl around your hips.

“She is annoying. I’ll give you that much.” Bradley concedes. Your mouth twists into an eager grin as you press closer and shift up onto your tiptoes. Bradley steadies your hips and follows you in until your mouth is on his. Slowly, sweetly. His hands skim along the yellow fabric experimentally. He hums as he pulls away from you. “So, what’s with this?”

“You’re right. I was ignoring my body — I like the way I look in this. I like my shape. I can still respect myself without covering up so much. Right?”

Fuck. Bradley stares at you for just a split-second too long. He wrestles with the realisation of what he has just done to himself. Sure, you listened to him for once and it was a decent lesson to learn — but his summer just got considerably harder.

“Do you like it?”

He trails his fingers lightly along the fabric, careful not to touch too hard and press it against your skin. Quietly, he hums. “Sure. It’s cute.”

Bradley’s mind is swimming as he is walking back to his room. Fine, he resolved the issue that he went up there to resolve. Now, he has presented himself with a much bigger one.

His hands press into the pockets of his jeans as he starts to contextualize how deep he actually is into this mess. He hasn’t ever thought about fucking a student before — not once. He detests the men he knows that fantasize of it. And yet, here he is, picturing his fingers bunching up that stupid nightdress.

“Hey, Bradley.” Luke grins, sprawled out across his bed in the dark, reading a magazine with a flashlight. Bradley flinches. The door shuts behind him and they’re in there together. “Natasha called from Turin! She told you that she’s going to be in Venice this weekend too, she asked you to call her back.”

…

Tags: @thedroneranger @batdanceq @cassiemitchell @himbos-on-ice @wkndwlff @bradshawsbaby @damrlova @fudge13 @xoxabs88xox @mak-32 @sihtricswife @callsignvenus @callsign-joyride @harper1666 @krismdavis @sheisanangell @thecitysgraveyard @sugarcoated-lame @kmc1989 @cherrycola27

[madebyrolo]

𝘉𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘥𝘢𝘺 ོ

𝘑𝘫 𝘔𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘹 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳

𝘴𝘩𝘦/𝘩𝘦𝘳

Y/n and Jj decided to have a beach date without the rest of their pouge friends. They love hanging out with them but they just needed a one on one day after everything they been through.

sort small blurb

not proof read/edited

⋆｡⋆｡° 𓆉*ੈ‧₊˚ ༘⋆

Y/n sat on her beach chair under an umbrella with hard lemonade in her cups holder. Y/n and jj decided to have a beach date taking time away from the group. They went to a public beach surrounded by family’s, friends and couples on vacation. The sounds of segals mixed with the different genres of music playing in the background including reggaeton, country and pop. The smell of sunscreen, saltwater and bbq filled their noses. Although it wasn’t the most peaceful setting they loved the community vibe. They needed some happiness and sun after everything with losing the gold.

Soon jj came back with food he got at a stand. He got them sandwiches and more beer.

“Here you go darlin’. I got you turkey” jj said handing her the sandwiches as he placed the beers in the cooler.

“Thank you love” she grabbed the wrapped paper that said turkey unwrapping it taking a big bite.

“Ooh these are so good oh my” she said with her mouth full.

“Yea maybe keep it in your mouth then..” he said with a small laugh.

Y/n gets her speaker playing the pouges beach playlist called “the bitch” with a picture of jj passed out on his surf board. Omar Apollo’s,“Kamikaze” started playing which cause y/n to immediately perk up.

“Oh my god he’s go good I can’t-” she put her sandwich in a sand free spot and got up turning up her music. She started dancing getting a few looks from people but she didn’t care. She was vibing.

“Alright y/n sit down and eat your sandwich.” Jj joked with her

“Fuck you boy, imma leave this state and never come back, never never come back.” She sang along. After the song finished she finally sat down finishing her sandwich.

After a few minutes jj got up grabbing her hand and leading them to the ocean. They had to zig zag through the groups of people but they made it to the coast. There were little kids in the shallow part, they walked passed them going waist deep into the water. The swam closer to now being shoulder deep floating in the ocean. They were farther away from the shore in a little more secluded area with just them but not too close to the surfers.

They swam and play fought in the ocean, splashing each other until one of them got pissed off. jj making sure y/n wasn’t floating or drowning as they got farther in. They floated at least 30ft above the sea floor engulfed in each other arms, jjs chin rested on y/n head. Just taking in each other presence and enjoying the peace and safety they craved.

“In a way I’m glad we lost the gold.” Y/n spoke

“Like don’t get me wrong I wanted the money but all the danger and drama that was in it wasn’t healthy.” she said as jj pulled away getting a better look at the girl.

“Yea I get it but it all would’ve been worth it if we got it.” Jj said trying to make her feel better.

“Laying in silk bed sheets on a California king, jaguars and lambos in our drive way. Endless refills of Budweiser given from our butlers.” He said with his eyes sparkling.

“Yea your paradise” she rolled her eyes.

“Still, mine or yours we would be happy and filthy rich. Full kook remember?” He said looking for a bit of happiness in her eyes.

“Would it though ? Rafe literally killed a cop, John b almost died? we were getting chased by death every. single. day. If we were to got it, who knows who would’ve went after us again.” she said as a small tear fell down her cheek.

“Even now with gold is gone. People are starting to believe John B killed Officer Peterkin. Ward with his power can put us all in jail. Or worse.” with another one trialing down.

“Hey hey hey- don’t cry. It’s all going to be okay, we have each other alright? I wouldn’t let anything happen to you.” He said pulling her into a hug.

“Let’s just enjoy the sun yeah? Happy wife happy life” he said giving her a kiss in the cheek.

“Wife?” She questioned. Yes they were boyfriend girlfriend but they haven’t been together long enough to even consider getting married.

“Yes my wife?!” He scoffed giving her kisses all over her face.

“Didn’t know we got married, must’ve missed it” she giggled return.

“Ah yes everyone was there, John b, Pope, Heyward catered. Even Rafe” he joked

“Rafe? Can’t believe he got the invite AND accepted it” she joked with him

“Yea, he was jealous, saw the tears in his eyes.” He said hinting about Rafes small feeling for you.

“Oh shut it, that was traumatizing. I rejected him and he actually looked hurt yet so angry. If you wouldn’t have gotten there in time who knew what he could’ve done. You saw what his did to Peterkin.” She pushed him away.

“I’m sorry my princess. I wouldn’t let him or anyone lay a finger on you.” He said pulling her back.

“You’re not going anywhere Mrs.Maybank.”

“Oh like you can tie me down ?” She smirked looking up at him.

“Oh honey I already have.” He retuned the smirk bringing her into a deep heated kiss.

“Come on let’s go home Maybank.” She said swimming towards the shore.

“Right behind you Mrs.Maybank.”

-time skip-

Jj and y/ns car came to a stop in John bs driveway. They followed eachother hand in hand giggling from the past convo they had in the car. As they made their way through the front door jj spoke up.

“JOHNATHAN ? SARAHHH?! KIE??? PROOPEEEE!?” He yelled out checking to see if anyone was around, throwing their nicknames in.

A couple seconds pass and no a single sound was heard.

“Hmm house to ourself. What to do, what to do….” He said looking around perusing his lips acting all innocent.

“Let’s head to the guest room, might as well take it before someone else comes home right?” she said playing his game.

“Might as well ya know?” His noses scrunched up.

Jj dragged y/n by the hand entering the room locking the door behind her. She turned towards the bed before jj quickly picked her up, legs around his waist and his hands holding her on her lower thighs slowly working their ways up.

“So what did you say about tying me up?” She said grabbing the side of his face.

“Better I show you yea?” She said throwing her on the bed.

ﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـ♡ﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـ

Heard there was a jj fic drought 💋

maybe I’ll do a pt.2 with a smut lmk

*ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚

[animalsalvationassociation]

Passing the Torch . . .

[ DO NOT REPOST, ALL ART & CONCEPTS WERE MADE BY ME ]

“Wonderful news tonight as the organization known only as the Animal Salvation Association, a group of individuals set to bring peace to the world through their environmental and political efforts, finally passes on the torch to a new generation of Ocean Explorers.”

“It has been several years since the accident occurred taking the life of Professor and Captain, Samara Jade Kelp, the leader of the infamous Octonauts crew. A team known as the ‘Saviors of the Ocean’. Today we see history as Captain Samara’s legacy is finally laid to rest and a new captain takes the helm of this mighty crew.”

“Her husband, Professor Marin Kelp and head of the A.S.A. says this . . .”

“Mara would’ve wanted this I’m sure, she always had a heart of gold that one! I congratulate Captain Barnacles on his new role, I think she would’ve liked his spirit! He’s a strong one he is and the men and women he’s called to his crew will no doubt be just the same. That being said, we at the A.S.A. made sure to bring in someone we trust! After all most of planet is covered in water, might as well have someone taking care of it!”

“In other news, new waves of gang violence have been picking up along the east coast. As with many others gathering around the lower parts of Africa and South America, just around the center of the Amazonian River. Officials say that they’ve never seen activity quite like this before. Many key witnesses around each of the affected areas have claimed the existence and affects of poachers. But if there’s anything to go off of there seems to always be some valiant soul ready and willing to stop them.”

“Speaking of, Friday night a press conference is set to be held with world leaders over this issue, and the very organization we just covered is invited to join in. That’s right, the A.S.A. has finally caught their attention and at the end of the week there are rumors of an alliance being made between the UN and the A.S.A. So be sure to tune in Friday, Eastern Time to see it live. Now back to the weather . . . ”

Illustration Time: 10hrs 12min

[ This is a Octonauts AU, in no way is this canon to the OG storyline. ]

(GUYS I GOT A JOB!!! ALSO I JUST GOT HERE AND THE BOOP-MAGEDDON IS ALREADY OVER???? NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! WHY CRUEL WORLD!!!!)

Ya’ll BTW are you guys kidding me??? 60+ followers???? That’s INSANE ty all sm!!! You have no idea how happy that makes me!!!

[13thdoctorposts]

Highlights from Jodie Whittaker’s Gold Coast Panel

Host

So have you got any stories from Attack the Block?

A.

Can I think of stories from attack the block?

I would say that when we were shooting it just as a little like genius of Joe Cornish.

He is an encyclopedia of films and television. And every single element of it is some kind of homage to something you’ve seen. One thing that was really clever is there is no accidental lighting, so the entire thing is set at night so that every single light is deliberate. This stuff or that, like the kids train, is like, every single element is a choice. And you can't say that for most things, because the sun will just appear sometimes, and the sun can take full credit for the lighting. But in that film, he chose every single element. And that's why I think it's such a great film, because it's detailed beyond belief.

Host

Thank you. Wow. Can I see that.

Q.

What's your favorite memory of playing The Doctor?

A.

My favorite memory? There's so many, I'll tell you what, I'll give you a moment that's relevant to something like this. One of the highlights of playing The Doctor actually happened to me at a con, and it was San Diego, and so it was before the show would come out.

We were filming, and I got invited to come to this kind of the cosplay show. And when I got there, I was like, a special guest. And because I was just feeling really confident, I was like, can we not announce me? Can I pretend I'm a model?

I came out in my costume, slowly walking down, and I thought I was gonna get to the end to do some big reveal. But I must have a very obvious walk, because people started to realize, and the really narcissistic part myself, absolutely loved it because I got such a big round of applause just for walking. So that was a really amazing moment.

Q.

My question is about one night. Your character Tess has tattoos. They're only shown in two scenes, one in the first episode and one in the last I was wondering if they were both shot together, even though characters in different places, at different times, and the system of putting those tattoos on, because there's quite a lot.

A.

Yes, it was. It was one of the most influential stage directions I've ever read of a character when that doesn't necessarily feature as a main part of the story. So my character Tess, in a Australian show called One Night, I’m very proud of it is covered in tattoos and every tattoo was a choice, and designed by the incredible designer and all the creatives. And so there's no accident. But the first time we did it, it took about 4 Hours and we stood like this for what is a very small scene as well.

And then the next scene, which is however many months later, I think we got it down to 3 Hours but it was still, it was a long time.

But it was such an amazing character choice, the writer, beautiful writing that gave me so much, but I didn't have to necessarily articulate what that was. It was just she gave me this armor to be able to play tests.

And that is when I started to read it, it's only a few scenes into the first ep, I was like, I'm playing that part. I'm absolutely playing that part. because I just thought that was such an incredible choice.

Q.

I was just wondering, in regards to Doctor Who, was there anyone that you wanted to like come and appear on the show alongside you, like an old companion?

A.

Ah, I suppose I was spoiled for companions. So I think with that, I was, I would have loved, oh, it's difficult before, before we got to the point where I met my master, who is played incredibly by Sasha, and I adored every single scene I was in with Sasha.

There was a part that was like, oh, wonder if I get to work with Michelle. I thought that would have been incredible. So if anyone's out there and they write episodes of Doctor Who, I think that might be a good one.

Q.

Hi, and why did you decide to become an actor? Oh, that's such a good question.

A

When I was probably a bit younger than you i watched a film called goonies and if you haven't seen it highly recommend it stood the test of time and it is such an amazing film and i think what it does is it celebrates the inner child's because as a kid. I watched it and thought, oh my gosh, they're going on this amazing adventure. But then as I got older, I realized that could be a job, and then I got to play the Doctor. So it really is a job that you get to play pretend in the most epic scale, and anything is possible. So I think that's what I wanted to continually feel, was that I could be my inner child till I'm 99.

Q.

my question was, I love seeing, you know, Thasmin play out on screen in Doctor Who. And I know that you and Mandip had a bit of involvement in making that happen. So I was wondering, could you, explain how we got that.

A.

No, no we didn’t, so I think just the fact that Chris obviously knows us and knows how much we love each other. Yeah no we had no influence on any of the story lines. Obviously, we had that, the characterization, and we fully, you know, believed in and loved the direction that our characters went in, and it played out perfectly for me in my head. That is absolutely my kind of dream ending of where I saw my doctor. And the to the point of regen was with that side by side with Mandip .And for those two characters as well, I thought it was beautifully played out, but it was all Chris Chibnall. So I can take no credit, which also the video in the cupboard during lockdown.

I think people were really generous and thought I'd written it, but I didn't write that. Chris wrote it and sent it to me and said, I think it'd be really brilliant if the doctor could maybe, you know, say something. And so that was him as well. So I love that. I keep getting all this credit there. But, but I absolutely adored where our story line went.

Q.

You have obviously played such a diverse range of characters, and I'm just really curious about your process when you sort of get the script and how you create them.

A.

Do you know what? I can't write at all, and I don't want to be a writer. And because it's not within my skill set. And I think because of that, my appreciation the next level, I think 90% of my job is generally always done, I’m so lucky to work on extraordinary scripts, and a lot of your hard work is there, like I was saying about, Emily (one night writer), with one night. This wonderful stage direction is she's covered in tattoos. But those kind of details are just the best. Sometimes an entire character can be given to you in a tiny stage direction, or in a use of punctuation. Something can be a dot, dot, dot, and it has a completely different meaning than an exclamation mark.

I think that, for me, is the absolute side point. Take what you can from the script, and then I've been looking at what the directors and cast do it’s a really collaborative effort My main thing is, I don't like to decide or even kind of go there on how I'm gonna do something before you say action. Because if I do, I'm just a bit cluttered, and I overthink it, and I wouldn't listen to you. So however you were doing it, my brains go, well, I'm gonna do it like this, and it doesn't work for me. So for me, I kind of, I need to be kind of completely unprepared to be prepared, that not even answer. I don't think I should teach a drama school. Basically, not everyone can teach. And I can't.

Q.

If you could be in any episode of Doctor Who that already come out to 13, which would you choose? And why? The ones that you haven’t already been in

A.

I am furious if no one's seen it I'm REALLY sorry I'm furious I MISSED an episode with spice girls i Am Sorry… But how did that happen when i wasn't IN it? spice of your life i devastated, I was like, I'm sorry. What? But it's only because It was so amazing. Sorry if that's a spoiler.

Q.

I just wanted to see if you could tell us a bit about your audition process for Doctor Who.

A.

So it was an interesting one because it's secretive from the second the words are spoken. And my initial meeting was what I thought was just a cup of tea with my name Chris, because we did Broadchurch, and we were doing the junket and he was in town. He doesn't live in London. So we met up and we were chatting, and he’d been announced as the show runner. And I said, please, can i be a baddie? And then that was when it was, can you keep a secret? Depends. And it was, would you like to audition to play The Doctor? Um…I'm sorry? (Laughs)

But then it was a lot. It was quite a few rounds. It was about three And some of it was my husband taped me when, you know, at like, 09:00 p.m., when my kids asleep, and not gonna come in the room and ruin it. And I got, like, iphone wires and had to defuse something.

And we did it. Most tapes I've ever done, I've been sat on a couch and you make sure it's like a really tight two shot there. So my I was running around with an iphone as I was jumping on a couch and then trying to do the gobbly guke. And I say that with up most respect. And it was so stressful. And then when I got it, they were the most fun. I was so scared of those scenes more than anything. And, that's always the most fun when the doctor's just fizzing and working out. So, so it was over months, and it was very secretive, but then I finally got it.

Q.

I was wondering about your doctor. Is there a facet or an aspect of the of your doctor that you wish you could have explored more?

A.

I don't know. That's a good question. Um.

Is the one you like me to have explored?… No, just because I feel as if there's a lot of versions of The Doctor that I really enjoyed. And I love it, particularly around The Timeless Child, where there was this kind of deep rooted rage that would come out in a kind of slightly spitty, you know, frustrated way I enjoyed playing the distance sometimes when i wasn't quite connecting with the people that i was with i enjoyed THOSE elements because i follow such a contradiction to the not a contradiction. Just such a journey away from the kind of energized, childlike version of The Doctor that I loved to play But can you answer that? What would you have like me to have done it?

I think the depth of the distant of the doctor, was amazing But I think that I would have liked to see a bit more, um, a bit more unhingedness.

Okay, so we'll get an episode of me and Michelle, because we're really unhinged.

Q.

You've done so many roles that have legit, ripped my heart out. when is this trauma gonna turn into a villain arc?

A.

Oh, I know. I keep saying that, so keep, I keep contradicting myself, because I get asked specially after Doctor Who, what is it that you want to do? And I was like, oh, you know, I'd really love to play, like, I'd love to some comedy, maybe, or explore a character that has a lot of darkness and potentially not very likable. And then, you know, wanna kind of steer clear, maybe of, like, drama. And then I did one night, time. And this other thing. It's very emotional, and I don't know why, but I kind of keep breaking my own rules.But I would love to explore a villain. I mean, that was my initial thing.I want to be a baddie.But I'm glad Chris didn't listen.

Q.

I'm a big fan of Attack the Block, and especially the horror sections of Doctor Who, and I was wondering, what was your approach, and how would you think about doing the, your characters different in that sort of horror setting compared to other genres?

A.

Oh, do you mean, like, how would I do it or if The Doctor was in more of a horror genre or if me as an actor got to be in that?

Both. But you as an actor?

I'm into horror. That's kind of, let me say, to reference. It's like, one might be a bit young for it, but there was a classic horror for me that came out when I was like, 16, and it was right at the beginning, of the Internet so being able to have this mystery, because now we're so used to information been given to us by the Internet.

But when I was 16, it was that there was this found footage of these guys in a wood And then I went see the film. I was like, this really happened, oh boy, which it's really, really happened. And now you can't really create that that kind of, like trickery in a way, during a press junket, because we know it's a film. But I that kind of horror that plays that doesn't give you too much, I don't wanna see everything chopped up. I'm just not into it I'm too much for whim. But the psychological horror of the when you hear it, but don't see it. Those are the kind of things that I think brilliant to play.

But then when we did have things like that, with the Dregs, and we were filmed in I was chasing me and once you were stuck in a cage, and every time it hit the railing, it was really loud. And I go, ahhhh… I know the doctor's probably braver okay you know I, don't know how i did it ha ha.

Q.

Some Doctors have had input into their outfit. Others have been told by they can't have that. How much input did you have into the outfit?

A.

Well, so I had a hugely collaborative experience with the costume designer, and it started from the second we met. We met in a bar that he recommended. And the surrounding wallpaper was this petrol blue which became the trousers. I had a photo that I sent to Chris when I was trying to trick him into giving me the part I sent him all these photo references. And it was a woman. It's a black and white picture. I Don't know where it's from. I don't know if it's fake, black and white, and it's modern or I don't know but it's someone walking with purpose short trouser, tshirt boots so to me all of that, the coat was very much collaborative with ray because I would say things And he came back with the design of the coat that was so perfect.

I Didn't want buttons because I felt like it was pointless. Of course, wanted pockets. I wanted a hood, but I wanted the colors to be representative. Because of my first episode, I wanted to transition from was space through to Earth, sky. So the entire lining on the inside is a dark blue, black for space. The exterior is a kind of like sky blue light color. But also the into the the Suffragette colors are inside the sleeves. And it has my pride stripes everywhere, and yellow braces because it's my favourite color. So the whole thing, the jewelry was collaborative with Alex Monroe. It was amazing. I think I take more credit for it than it was me, because i felt like I'd go oh i came up with that and then actually, when i look back on it it was drawings that ray had done. Very much you gave him A pebble and he created a statue out of it. It was amazing.

Q.

I just first wanna say thank you for making a very queer, coded doctor. I just wanna quickly ask, we've seen David tenant come back for the anniversary just past, and we've seen doctors come back in the past. Would you ever consider coming back again and putting back on the coat and the zonic of everything?

A.

Hundred percent. I would love to, and I really, if that's not, I would be really offended, because I would love it, and it'd be so amazing. And you just, you never wanna say goodbye to It is the the gift role forever. And I'm still, I'm gonna grieve it forever. But I suppose the feeling is that you don't have to necessarily let go, because, like you say, other doctors have come back. There was loads in my last ep, so there's no reason for me not to bob up somewhere. But I want to.

Q.

Did you take anything from like the set, all your costume?

A.

I've stolen it all. I've got my jump suit, the prison jump suit. And just as a little fun fact about costume, all of the dates are personal to me. So there's dates all the way down the side, and there's a lot of Gallifreyan you know, kind of design. But all of them are a meaningful date to me. So that was, that's the kind of joy thing you can put into your doctor. So I've got that, so I've got my costume and me and Mandip very clearly heard ‘that is a rap in the TARDIS’ So we heard that on the last day of filming and she had a hold on the console that was like this massive ball thing. I snapped off the tiny mini TARDIS that spun And then, we hear and we're gonna do some pickup shots in the TARDIS without any actors. So I think there was a bit of swift editing there, because I absolutely wasn’t my fault. I heard cut.

Q.

When it comes to Doctor Who, do you have a favorite doctor from any era?

A.

I got asked this the other day. I'm not saying, it's not saying you don't like the other ones. I got asked recently about classic, and so I said, Sylvester But you said any you didn't say classic. I'm gonna say, Jo Martin. The episode to shoot with her, and the moment when her doctor is revealed and the costume and the energy she bought was amazing. And so, Jo Martin, hahaha.

Q.

I was just wondering, were you interested in doing the Big Finish audios? And if so, what kind of story would you like?

A.

I don't know. I get ask all the time. And I don't know. I mean, hopefully, is this something I ask them? Do they ask me? Big Finish? Well, obviously, if it, then if I was gonna do it, I'd really wanna do it with Mandip, but I would love to, I mean, this is, what is this job? You know, I've not been the doctor now for two other doctors, and it's amazing that you still get to experience it and be a part of it. So if being a part of things like big finish, or any of you the… I suppose, departments?, but all those other things that celebrate Doctor Who I'd wanna be in them all.

Q.

It's such a loved program. Is it what you thought it would be playing the Doctor like?So you're the figurehead of that program. You know, is it what you thought it would be? in as big as you thought?

A.

I think it's, it's bigger and more magical than you can kind of ever describe, because it's as a new whovian as well. And I'd said to Chris in the process of audition, look, I've not seen loads of it. I've seen, you know, bits when I was a kid, but we didn't have it on those in house. But then also, I've got mates that have been in episodes. I've done those auditions and not got in, you know, things like that. And so it has a very unknown quantity about it. To me, I was very much walking into something and going, okay, what is this? And I think from the second you get on set, and the crew, the crew I worked with, had been working on the show for twelve years. It was such a magical family and to shoot it in Wales.

Wales is one of the most beautiful countries you can ever visit.

So to be there and to be in this ready made family of something that all the hard work's been done because all the other doctors build up this family , you just shouldn't lose it. And so then to have our journey and our story lines, and to then have this opportunity where we went out to press or we met fans, and to have the interaction and to speak to people, to see how much it's meant to them through their life, is so extraordinary, because for me And I can definitely say it and for Mandip as well, that it's our happiest time as actors. We've never been happier, and we knew when we were in it. Ah, this is this. It's just so nice, and there's just so much, just wonderful about it. And I think that needs forever. This is so easy to talk about, so easy to be in this room and do it because I wouldn't have to, I've never fake how much I love it. I loved it, but as a new whovian. And I'm like, oh, I get it. Hahaha. I one of a family then. Haha. That's it. I'm in.

Q.

Do you ever get nervous when you're playing The Doctor?

A.

I was nervous all the time. I know The most nervous, I think I've ever been on a set was in my first week of shoot in The Doctor. It was my hero speech at the end of episode one. So my very first day involved jumping between cranes. Mind you I’ve only ever run around and cried on most jobs. So jumping between cranes was a whole new thing. And on day two, I think it was my huge kind of realization of, I know who I am, I am the doctor, and saying that for the first time, and thinking, if you mess this up, there's still time to recast I've been here two days. So that was the most nerve racking.

And I think sometimes another time when I was nervous as well, we had Stephen Fry come in And I was a bit like, you might not remember me, but I was in St. Trinian's And we kind of had a scene in St. Trinian's, isn't it was, you know. And so him being on set, I was just so nervous, because I was just like, he's a legend to me. So this is very… I think if you're not scared and you haven't got the adrenaline of nerves, you're taking it for granted.

Q.

Who is your least favorite doctor?

A

There's nobody, the craziest answer. I haven't got one.

Q.

Did you ever think you would have had such the impact on the doctor who community?

A.

The thing that's such a joy for me playing the Doctor, the thing that I really quickly realized was that it. I adore this community, and I feel that everyone in the fandom should feel represented and what I feel really proud of with ours, which has nothing to do with me, like you saying about, when, you know, with me and Mandip had credit to that story, and we didn't in that way, but it was, that was the beautiful transition of this gorgeous journey that we'd been on. And I think that because it then resonated so powerfully to so many people, that is the all of a Christmas Day gift, because what you want is you want your work to, to speak to people, and you also wanna feel as if everyone feels seen. And I think that that's what I'm really, proud of.

Whenever I have these wonderful interactions with people, they say that the doctor means this or someone else's doctor means that for me, that very often is having that wonderful moment where someone feels like that storyline really spoke to them. And I think I can't take any credit for it because I didn't write it, but I loved being a part of it.