#seaside mama

[blissfullyawakened97]

Shaking with a sigh, Ah! The two of us started walking on different paths, From that time, It hurts when I remember it...🎶

[mary2404]

You can find me on ig @fioccamt

Love u xoxo

[dontsh0vethesun]

this is me right now if u even care 😔

[cocosloveletters]

The ocean calls back to me ,

[aceyalonso]

ii - i missed you, italy

chapter summary : the long-awaited summer vacation in Italy is finally here. you and oscar finally start talking to each other but it's a little too awkward for you to keep the conversation going.

alternative summary : preparations for the piastri family's arrival and y/n somehow manages to fall asleep on oscar's shoulder

warnings : awkward tension, oscar is a bit rude in this

word count : 2.5k

a/n : there's more oscar in this I swear (song is just for the vibes again)

song : sarà perché ti amo - ricchi e poveri

Y/n's family had arrived at their beautiful seaside manor in Italy, the air filled with a mixture of excitement, anticipation, and jetlag; especially from Gabriel who complained that 7 am was way too early of a time to wake up. The house was nestled in a peaceful, secluded area surrounded by vibrant greenery and scenic views. The family had arrived 4 days before Nicole's family to prepare their summer house for their guests.

As Y/n's family stepped into their summer house, they were immediately greeted by the few maids who had been taking care of the property in their absence. The maids warmly smiled and bowed, welcoming them back to their home in Italy. They helped carry the luggage and inquired if the family needed any assistance during their stay.

I approached my mother who was already busy organizing some belongings in the living room.

"Mom," I say. "I'm going to head upstairs and unpack in my room."

She looks up and smiles at me. "Alright, dear. Let me or the help know if you any help okay?"

I start to make my way up the stairs but stop for a moment, seeing Gabriel asleep on the couch. A smile tugs at my lips, observing my 5-year-old brother sleeping with a dinosaur plushie in hand. I quietly approach him and place a gentle kiss on his forehead before moving on upstairs.

I enter my room, taking in the quaint charm of the space. I began to unload my suitcase, placing my clothes neatly in the closet, and my makeup and skincare on the dresser. As I continue to unpack, I can't help but glance outside the window, taking in the breathtaking views of the Italian seaside surrounding the property.

Y/n finishes unpacking and takes out her phone, walking over to the window and taking a few pictures of the stunning view outside, the rolling hills, the quaint villages, and the bright blue sea water dotting the landscape creating a picturesque view.

yn.jpg | 📍Italy

liked by sienna_cresenzo, mari.crsnzo, may.piastri and 1,709 others yn.jpg i missed you, italy.

sienna_cresenzo SINCE WHEN DID YOU ARRIVE AND WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME?? ↳ yn.jpg we arrived 2 hours ago HAHAHA

may.piastri see you soon y/n!! liked by yn.jpg

mari.crsnzo welcome back y/n :) liked by yn.jpg

Y/n was in her room, putting the finishing touches on her outfit when she heard her mother's voice calling from downstairs. "Y/n! Lunch is ready! And we have guests, come say hi!"

"Coming, mama!" Y/n calls out in response, quickly glancing in the mirror to make sure her pair is in place "Just give me a sec!" She swiftly smoothed out her outfit and gave herself one last look before making her way downstairs to join her family and the guests.

I entered the dining room, pausing when I saw Sienna and Marietta sitting at the table. I squeal, unable to contain my excitement. With a wide grin on Sienna's face, she stands up from the chair, running over to hug me with Marietta following calmy behind her.

"Oh my god, I can't believe you guys are here!" I yell, my voice laced with joy.

Marietta responds to my reaction with a small, awkward side hug in return. Her expression was somewhat reserved, and there was a hint of discomfort on her face, but whatever.

Y/n and her family, along with their guests settled around an elegant dining table. The lunch was a simple yet tasty Italian affair, with freshly baked bread, assorted meats, and a variety of local vegetables.

The group bowed their heads as Y/n's mother led grace, giving thanks for the food and their summer gathering. After everyone had thanked for the blessing, Y/n's mother looked up, a warm smile painting her face.

"How are your parents doing?" she asks Sienna and Marietta, her eyes flickering between the two young ladies. "Are they enjoying their summer?"

Sienna and Marietta exchanged glances before Sienna responded. "Our parents are doing well, Zia (aunt)" she replies, her voice soft. "They're kind of busy with l'azienda (the company) but I think they're enjoying their summer so far."

Y/n's mother nodded, a look of understanding on her face.

"That's wonderful to hear," she said. "Work can be hectic, but it's important to find some time to relax and enjoy the summer."

Sienna chimed in, a hint of playful sarcasm in her voice. "And of course, they're leaving us behind to fend for ourselves for a bit" she added, rolling her eyes playfully.

For the next 4 days, Y/n and her family spent all of their time setting up the house for guests. They put away their belongings, rearranged some of the furniture, and made sure everything was neat and organized.

As the sun began to dip towards the horizon, Y/n's family gathered in the van, getting ready to go pick up Nicole and her family from the airport.

Y/n and her family arrived at the airport and parked their car in the designated area. They made their way through the airport, following the signs to the arrival terminal.

Y/n's eyes darted around, eagerly searching amongst the crowd of people for signs of May or Nicole.

As Y/n's family scans the never-ending stream of people, she suddenly spots a familiar face not too far away. It was Oscar, standing beside his family.

She tapped on her mother's shoulder and whispered, "Mom, I think they're over there. I'm not sure if that's Oscar but it looks like him."

Y/n's mom squinted her eyes, scanning the crowd for Oscar. After a moment, she shook her head, not seeing him right away.

"Which one is he?" she asked, her gaze still searching.

Y/n pointed discreetly towards Oscar. "he's the one in the black shirt, standing by the charging port over there," Y/n said.

As her mom finally spotted Oscar and his family, she walked ahead, leading the way as her husband placed a gentle hand on Y/n's shoulder. The younger brother clung to Y/n's arm, looking around curiously.

The three of them approached Oscar and his family, Y/n's heart fluttering slightly as they got closer. She could make out their faces more clearly now.

As Y/n hugged May, her gaze wandered to Oscar, taking in his appearance. He looked good in the black shirt, the color complementing his features. Y/n felt that similar flutter of her chest again but quickly pushed down her thoughts, not allowing herself to accept or acknowledge them.

As the two families walked back to the parking lot, the dads and Oscar took charge of loading the suitcases into the back of the van. They piled them neatly, ensuring everything fit snugly and securely.

While the men were engaged in their task, Y/n found herself standing next to Oscar, feeling a bit awkward. She tried not to make it obvious that she was stealing glances at him as they waited.

Y/n glanced around, noticing that there seemed to be little space left in the trunk. She looked at the carry-on bag that she and May were holding onto. She cleared her throat and addressed Oscar somewhat awkwardly.

"Uh, is there still room for a carry-on in there?" she asked.

Oscar's dad, overhearing the question, replied, cutting off Oscar. "Sorry, but there isn't any room left back here. Don't worry, Edie and Hattie can place them in their row later."

She nods, whispering. "Oh, okay. Thank you"

As they all climbed into the van, the seating arrangement was determined. Y/n's dad took the driver's seat, while Oscar's dad sat in the front passenger seat (due to Y/m/n's insistence). Nicole, Y/n's mom, and Gabriel settled in the front row, while Edie and Hattie occupied the second row with a few carry-on bags. Leaving Y/n Oscar and May to sit together in the last row.

As May decided she wanted to take pictures from the window side, she asked Y/n if they could switch places. Y/n agreed, and soon enough, she found herself sitting next to Oscar.

As they sat side by side, the awkward silence between them was palpable. Y/n desperately tried to make small talk, breaking the uncomfortable silence between her and Oscar. However, her attempts seemed to fall flat and their conversation remained stiff and unnatural.

As me and Oscar sit beside each other, I felt the urge to break the awkward silence.

"Soo.. uh, are you excited to spend summer here?" I ask, my voice sounding a bit forced and uncomfortable.

Oscar only nodded, his gaze still fixed out the window. "Yeah, sure. It'll be nice to relax somewhere new I guess," he replied, his response sounding somewhat indifferent.

As I try to continue our stilted conversation, May suddenly taps my arm.

"Hey, Y/n, which one looks better?" she asked, holding up her phone with two different photos on the screen.

I lean closer to May, taking a better look at the photos.

"The second one looks better," I say, pointing to the screen. May hums in agreement, mumbling. "Thank you"

May immersed herself in photography again, but the desire to continue the conversation with Oscar lingered in my mind. However, I held back, hesitating to proceed.

My thoughts echoed back and forth in my head, "I know I shouldn't force it. He might not be interested anyway. I don't want to appear pushy anyway"

As the drive progressed, the ongoing traffic added to the time spent in the car, making it a slightly longer journey than expected. Y/n's exhaustion slowly crept up on her, and she found it increasingly difficult to stay awake.

Without realizing it, her head had gradually swayed to the side, coming to rest on Oscar's shoulder as she drifted off into a peaceful slumber.

As Y/n's head rested on his shoulder, Oscar felt a sense of slight shock, not expecting it. Nevertheless, he chose not to disturb the girl. After all, she had done nothing wrong to justify him waking her or reprimanding her.

He was fully aware of her close proximity, her head gently resting on his shoulder. However, he remained still, silently allowing her to sleep.

Edie who was sitting in front of a busy May and a sleeping Hattie, had a clear view of the scene unfolding between her older brother and the girl. She noticed how Y/n's head was resting on Oscar's shoulder, stirring a mix of confusion and surprise within her.

To get May's attention, Edie decided to annoy her, playfully waving her hand in front of her face until May finally looked her way.

Edie then pointed at the scene in the backseat, silently drawing May's attention to the situation between Y/n and Oscar.

May, sitting beside Y/n, was initially confused by the situation unfolding beside her. However, she decided to let it go and not dwell on it. Meanwhile, Edie continued stealing glances at her brother and Y/n.

Oscar, seeming unaware of his sisters' attention, plugged in his earphones, immersing himself in the music, and quietly ignored the outside world.

Oscar, noticing that they were nearing their destination, felt the need to wake Y/n up. However, he approached the task somewhat nonchalantly, his usual indifference surfacing.

He gave her arm a firm nudge, his tone a bit brusque. "Hey, wake up. Your dad said we're almost home," he said, his voice low, lacking any concern or tenderness.

Y/n gradually stirred from her slumber, her mind slowly returning to consciousness. As she felt Oscar's nudge and heard his voice, her eyes fluttered open, and confusion briefly clouded her mind.

Realizing that she had been sleeping on Oscar's shoulder, a feeling of embarrassment flushed her cheeks.

As she sat up straighter, her initial embarrassment was replaced by a slight annoyance. She was in no mood to deal with his attitude, and her mood instantly soured.

She turned her gaze toward Oscar, her voice carrying an undercurrent of frustration. "Thanks. You could've been a little gentler. A more pleasant way of waking someone up, you know."

Her annoyance was evident in her tone, but she tempered it, managing to hold back from sounding overly sassy or rude.

As the families entered the house, Y/n followed suit, lending a hand to Edie and Hattie with their luggage. Despite her lingering annoyance after Oscar's rude awakening, she shoved it aside momentarily and focused on assisting their guests.

Together, Y/n, Edie, and Hattie carefully maneuvered the suitcases toward the living room. The hustle and bustle of unloading and settling in filled the air.

As the initial commotion of entering the house and moving luggage started to subside, Y/m/n spotted an opportunity to gather everyone's attention.

She clapped her hands gently to get the group's focus. "Everyone, can I have your attention, please? I'll explain the room arrangements."

Everyone ceased their conversations and directed their focus towards her. The living room quieted down, and all eyes were on Y/m/n.

"Okay so, Nicole, Tim. You two will stay in the room in front of the one me and Y/d/n are staying in. Gabriel will stay in the room to the right of ours." she explains, her hands waving around. "May, your room will be right in front of Y/n's. Oscar, your room is beside Y/n's room." she continues. "Hattie your room will be beside Oscar's, and Edie yours is in front of Oscar's- Oh, and don't worry, all of your bedrooms have their own bathrooms."

After listening to her mother's instructions, the group exchanged their goodnight. Y/n led Edie and Hattie to their rooms.

"Here we are," Y/n says "If you guys need me or any help, just knock on my door okay? It's the one with my name on it," she begins to ramble nervously.

Edie and Hattie say their thanks and retire into the comfort of having their own rooms.

On her way back to her own room, Y/n bumps into May, who has just finished unpacking a small bag of clothes. Y/n seized the opportunity to ask, "So, how are you finding Italy so far?"

May smiled, tucking a few strands of stray hair behind her ear before replying, "It's pretty nice, the bed seems pretty comfy- but I'm thinking of swapping rooms with Osc. His room seems to have a better view than mine."

Y/n chuckled lightly at May's comment about trading rooms with Oscar. She soon bid May a cheerful goodnight, her laughter still lingering as she twisted the doorknob to her own room.

"Have fun room trading then," she said with a playful tone. "Goodnight, May."

May replied with a lighthearted goodnight.

"Sleep tight," she chimed in, bidding Y/n farewell with a tired smile. "See you in the morning."

After saying their goodnights, Y/n closed her bedroom door behind her. She swiftly changed into a fresh set of pajamas, relishing the comfortable fabric against her skin.

With fatigue setting in once more and the eventful day slowly catching up to her, Y/n wasted no time crawling into bed. She nestled beneath the covers, her body sinking into the softness of the sheets and pillows. Within moments, her eyes grew heavy, and she drifted into a peaceful sleep.

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series masterlist

[bunniehrtz]

so... mommy!reader taking her baby for a walk and they end up buying a bouquet of flowers for mommy!Abby who will be back soon from one of her work trips

should we turn this into a series ?? loved writing this and would love to write more that isn’t smut !!

abby has been gone for almost a month, she comes back tonight. you miss her, so does little ivy. “come on, baby. let’s go for a little walk to the park, yeah?” you say to your baby, after dressing her up in a white, flowery summer dress, a matching sun hat. you strap her into her stroller and set off into the seaside town you reside in. the sun beaming down on you both makes you miss abby more.

“should we go to the playground? we can get ice cream! would you like that, baby?” you ask, tickling ivy’s soft tummy as she coos, smiling up at you. whilst walking, talking softly down to your daughter, you walk past an independent florist. the displays outside are beautiful, you can’t not go in. “should we get a present for mama?”

“hi there, just these today please,” you hand the cashier a bouquet of flowers. she smiles and you pay for them, making a little small talk. you place the flowers in the cup holder on the stroller, smiling at yourself being so innovative. you leave the shop, kissing your fingertips and placing the kiss on babygirl’s plump cheek. “mama’s gonna love these.”

after wearing the baby out in the playground, you come home, putting her down for her before dinner nap, and keeping the flowers in the stroller until abby gets home. making a start on dinner, dancing in the kitchen wearing nothing but abby’s dress shirt which reaches half way down your thighs, you didn’t notice the door lock click, open and shut. you jump out of your skin at the feeling of a cold hand reaching up the shirt, subtly groping your ass. you gasp, turning around to look up at the dirty blonde standing before you. “abby! you’re home!” you exclaim, jumping up into her arms, pulling her into a kiss. “missed you so much.”

“missed you more. our baby girl, too. where is she? napping?” abby asks, you nod. “good.” she pulls away, smirking. you land a soft slap on her chest. “no, abs. later. i’m making you a welcome home dinner. now, go say hello to your daughter,” you tease, smacking her ass as she turns around to walk to your bedroom, where your daughter is napping.

“hi, baby. mama’s home,” abby says softly, stroking her cheek with the back of her finger. she stirs awake, smiling up at abby before crawling into her arms. she comes back out of the room, ivy rested on her hip, falling back asleep with her curly head rested on abby’s chest. “don’t fall back asleep, baby. gotta give mama her present,” you whisper, kissing the side of her head before disappearing back to the stroller, hiding the bouquet behind your back.

“whatcha got there?” abby asks, confused. you giggle, bringing them around to show her.

“oh, baby, for me? they’re beautiful!” she exclaims, kissing her face all over, shushing her giggles with a kiss on her lips, then pulling you over to kiss your face.

“thank you, baby.” abby whispers down to you, engulfing you both in a hug.

“welcome home.”

[roosterforme]

Jake and Darlin' already feel like they are in their honeymoon phase. What do they do for their actual honeymoon?

I think they feel that way, because they are so comfortable around each other and spend a lot of time alone. It's so refreshing to be able to be around someone who doesn't make your brain hurt or work harder. You can just be yourself. Plus, he doesn't go out to the bar as much, especially not until she turns 21, so they have a lot of date nights together.

But after her next birthday, things get a bit more hectic. And then it's her senior year. And then she starts working full-time. So for their actual honeymoon. Jake is going to urge her to pick where she wants to go, and he's going to feel like she read his mind when she says, "I don't care, as long as it's just me and you. Quiet and relaxing."

Jake was in the cafeteria, scrolling through google search results for the perfect destination. He did this a lot now, considering you and he were getting married in four months and had nothing planned for the honeymoon. You told him you wanted to spend eight days with him. No frills, nothing crazy, nobody else around. But he wanted you to have some pretty scenery and good food, too.

He wanted secluded, but not too secluded. He wanted to be able to take you back to bed on a whim. He wanted you to have as much wine as you desired. This was a tough choice.

Then he saw it. Pink sand beaches. A private, seaside bungalow. An enormous price tag. He didn't fucking care, he just dug his credit card out.

That night, after dinner, Jake lined up fruit juices, rum and cocktail cherries on the kitchen counter while you loaded the dishwasher. "What are you doing?" you asked skeptically, reaching for his arm, your engagement ring sparkling. "You're making cocktails?"

"I am," he confirmed, giving you a kiss. You watched him mix two brightly colored drinks over ice, and then he decorated them with the cherries and pineapple wedges. "Bahama Mamas."

"Okay....." you said, as you accepted one of them. "Thanks."

Jake laughed and took a sip before feeding you a cherry. "It's a clue. About our honeymoon."

Your eyes went wide. "We're going to the Bahamas?"

"Yep. Secluded little island. Beach bunglow. You and me and a hammock and the sunset."

"Sounds perfect."

[thebibliosphere]

When your human has the constitution of a sickly Victorian Mama who needs to be sent to the seaside for her health but all she’s got is you.

It’s ruff work being Dogtor Mop but someone’s got to curl up and nap on top of Mama to keep her blood pressure regulated.

[luvolani]

•Hi! Might not post in a few days so I made a little fluff oneshot for you guys enjoy!

Nanami stood outside the bathroom door, tapping lightly. The sound of splashing water and childish giggles filled the air, mingling with the soft humming of his wife, Y/N. He took a deep breath, steeling himself for what he was about to propose.

"Hey, Y/N?" Nanami called gently through the door.

Y/N paused her humming. "Yes, dear?"

Nanami hesitated for a moment, collecting his thoughts. "I was thinking... maybe it's time we took a vacation. You know, just the four of us."

There was a moment of silence from the other side of the door, broken only by the sound of water running. Nanami held his breath, waiting for Y/N's response.

Finally, the door opened a crack, revealing Y/N with a towel draped over her shoulder, her expression thoughtful. "A vacation? That does sound nice. Where were you thinking?"

Nanami smiled, relief flooding through him. "How about the beach? We could rent a little cottage, let the kids play in the sand..."

Y/N's eyes softened as she considered the idea. "That sounds perfect. Let's do it."

ꕤꕺ♡ꕺꕤ♡ꕺꕤꕺ

As Nanami and Y/N packed up their belongings, preparing for their much-anticipated vacation, their friend Gojo dropped by to bid them farewell. Gojo was known for his playful and sometimes dramatic antics, and this departure was no exception.

"Just think of me while you're lounging on the beach!" Gojo exclaimed dramatically, holding up a handmade sign that read 'Goodbye Forever' in big, bold letters.

Nanami rolled his eyes good-naturedly, knowing Gojo's flair for the dramatic all too well. "You're not going to chase our plane again, are you?"

Gojo grinned mischievously. "Maybe just a little!"

Y/N chuckled at their playful banter, giving Gojo a warm hug. "Thank you for everything, Gojo. We'll miss you!"

With a final wave and a promise to keep in touch, Gojo watched as Nanami and Y/N drove off to catch their flight. He couldn't resist running alongside the departing plane for a few moments, waving energetically as Nanami sighed in mock annoyance and Y/N laughed, blowing kisses back to their friend.

Nanami's heart swelled with happiness. He knew how hard Y/N worked, balancing their children, the house, and her own career. This vacation would be a chance for them to unwind, to reconnect as a family without the usual daily pressures.

ꕤ♡ꕺꕤ♡ꕺ♡ꕺꕤ

Nanami and Y/N arrived at the beach cottage they had rented for their vacation, greeted by the soothing sound of waves and the salty tang of the sea breeze. Their children, Aki and Emi, squealed with delight as they explored their new temporary home, already excitedly planning their adventures.

The first evening, they walked along the beach, hand in hand, watching the sunset paint the sky in hues of pink and gold. They ate dinner at a quaint seaside restaurant, indulging in fresh seafood and local delicacies. Aki insisted on ordering a towering ice cream sundae for dessert, while Emi clutched a fluffy stuffed dolphin she had picked out from a beachside shop.

Back at the cottage, Aki, the youngest, surprised everyone by uttering her first word—a clear "mama" that brought tears of joy to Y/N's eyes and made Nanami scoop her up in a tight hug. They celebrated with laughter and cheers, feeling the magic of the moment weave itself into their vacation memories.

Later that night, after tucking Aki and Emi into bed, Y/N slipped into the dimly lit bedroom they shared in the cottage. Nanami was already half asleep when she climbed on top of him, her smile mischievous in the moonlight filtering through the window.

"I want another one!" she whispered playfully, gently shaking him awake.

Nanami blinked, momentarily stunned by her unexpected declaration. Then, a wide grin spread across his face. "Another vacation already?"

Y/N laughed softly, leaning down to kiss him. "No, silly. Another baby."

Nanami's heart skipped a beat. They had often talked about expanding their family, but with their hectic schedules, it always seemed like a distant dream. Yet, here they were, surrounded by the serenity of the beach, their children sleeping peacefully just down the hall.

"I would love that," Nanami whispered, pulling Y/N closer. "The kids always wake up early so let’s get to it alright?”

And as the waves gently lapped against the shore outside, they embraced, their love and laughter mingling with the promise of new beginnings under the moonlit sky.

[princessofanarchy]

hi! this is honestly my first fanfic ever so i know there's maybe a few things I'm not doing right. i'm fully open to feedback and suggestions to improve. hope y'all like it ;)

You, the reader, and Gojo Satoru were in what everyone would consider a great relationship. That is, until he broke up with you, citing his desire to keep you safe from the threats of the world that he was a part of. He was thorough in his separation from you, so thorough that, had you wanted to reach out to him when you found out you were pregnant, you would not have been able to.

Now, three years later, you've moved out to a quiet village near the sea on Okinawa Island where you've been raising your son as a single mother. You've resigned yourself to only worrying about your son's paternity when he becomes old enough to question it, and you've convinced yourself that you're completely over the blue eyed bastard.

One day, you're out, strolling the beach with your son propped on your hip. You're enjoying the peaceful scene, indulging in your son's fascination of the seaside. His is the kind of fascination that can only come from experiencing something novel. It's the last place you expect to lock eyes on Satoru after the wind sent your wide brimmed hat flying his way and landing at his feet.

Your grip on your son tightens and you unconsciously hold his head to your chest, hiding his face and the azure blue eyes that are exactly like the ones you're looking at now. You can't which of you is more in shock over the encounter. You stare at each other for a few moments too long, but you're the first to speak.

"Can you……pass me that hat?" You ask politely. That seems to snap him out of it, and he picks the hat up and dusts it off before handing it to you.

"Thank you." You place the hat on your head, still holding your squirming son to your chest, and turn away quickly.

"Wait!"

You freeze. Your heart jackhammers in your chest. You hear the sand shift beneath his feet as he approaches you.

"Could you turn around, please?" He asks softly. You hesitate.

"M-mama!" The toddler in your arms whimpers frustratedly as he tries to wiggle from your uncomfortably tight grip. Your stomach drops when you realise that you might have been hurting him and you loosen your grip quickly and place a kisses on his forehead and cheeks.

"I'm sorry, baby. Mommy's sorry." You coo at him softly.

"Y/N?" Satoru calls out to you in a low voice from behind. His tone is unreadable. You consider, briefly, making a mad dash away from him. For some reason the desire to hide your son away from him has seized every fibre of your being. But you know damn well how futile that would be against Gojo Satoru, and it would only make him suspicious.

You turn slowly to face him, carefully hiding your son's face, and look up, into the eyes of the man that you weren't counting on seeing again anytime soon.

"Satoru. It's been a while." His name sounds foreign on your tongue, after not speaking it for almost three years. His eyes soften as he takes in your face. The expression makes your heart stutter.

"Yeah……it sure has been." He rubs the back of his head, a nervous trait of his. "You look, well."

"So do you." You respond evenly, as you wonder how you'll manage to get out of the interaction, hoping those damned eyes of his don't pick up on what you're trying to hide. You should have known better though, because when his eyes move from your face to the child in your arms, you knew that he had known from the moment your first locked eyes. His gaze travels back to your face, and he arches a snowy white brow. You press your lips together, not wanting to verbally confirm the obvious, and you both fall into a silent staring contest that  lasts a few brief moments before he sighs deeply.

"Can I hold him?"

The immediate answer than springs to your tongue is a resounding 'No'. And right on its heels are all the things you wanted to scream at him when he left broken and abandoned three years ago. He sees it on your face, the myriad of feelings, the supressed hurt and anger.

"There's a lot of things we have to talk about." He says. "And we will, I promise. But for now, can I just -"

His words taper off as the child in your arms turns and looks at him curiously. You're watching Satoru's face the entire time. You see his breath catch. You see the shock in his eyes. Then you see something that wasn't there when he broke your heart; regret. Anger blooms within your chest.

"My house isn't too far from the beach." You hear yourself say, before you turn and walk away.

Satoru watches your retreating back for a moment before taking one step, then another, before he begins walking after you.

[seoksgrl]

right where you left me, 1. : jjk jungkook x reader 1950's au, biker au exes to lovers

tws: mention of illness, controlling behaviour

m.list next

June, 1959

Your mother is sick. 

When your brother sent you the telegram, you had expected it to be another plea to visit more, to bring Junghee to see your ageing family a little more often. To help out more with the family business. For years now, you had been the ungrateful daughter that had run away from town at twenty and never looked back. In your family’s eyes, that was a betrayal. 

Growing up, you were always the one who lessened the burden for your family. Your father had been sadly killed during World War Two, and the tensions on the homefront had taken your eldest brother from you a year after you left. In between the passing of your father and your departure from the seaside town where you grew up, you had spent the majority of your time taking care of those around you. You’d never asked for anything, never wanted for anything more than what your mother and older brothers were prepared to give you, even if that sometimes meant upsetting you. 

Your family weren’t poor, not by any means. You had a good home, good education and a slew of well-bred friends. You had been given the luxury to spend your time with a multitude of kind, if not slightly boring girls, and for a long time you had believed you were lucky. It wasn’t until you turned eighteen that your friendships seemed to pose an issue, and later led to the aforementioned escape. 

The hand holding the telegram trembles slightly, and you place the letter on the table. Any moment now, Junghee will come running down the stairs ready for breakfast, and here you are daydreaming of the past. You haven’t allowed yourself to do that in a long time, and you have come too far to fall victim to painful memories now. 

As if sensing your turmoil, your five year old daughter bounds down the steps and rushes through the archway into the small kitchenette. Her hair is mussed, dark and thick, falling over her small shoulders while she stares up at you bleary eyed. 

“Morning, mama,”

“Come on, sweetheart,” You usher your child onto the seat at the tiny kitchen table, “time for breakfast,”

It’s only when you say the words that you notice the lump in your throat, and you know that no matter your complicated relationship with your hometown and with your mother, you are upset to hear that she is so unwell. The familiar guilt you had always felt as the only daughter comes rushing back so fierce it takes your breath away, and you brace a hand on the kitchen chair to steady yourself. 

“Where’s papa?” Jung-hee asks, her tiny fist wrapped around the spoon she uses to dunk into her cereal, splattering milk on the tablecloth. She doesn’t look up at you, and you wonder if perhaps she has inherited your traits as a child, keeping to herself, maintaining a meek, quiet demeanour. You dearly hope she hasn’t. 

With a deep inhale, you swallow the emotions clogging your throat and grab the hairbrush off the counter, gathering her knotted locks and combing through them gently, “Papa is away this week, remember?”

Youngsik hadn’t wanted to leave, but running a business from home isn’t feasible, and so you understood when he pressed a quick kiss to your lips early this morning and jumped into a taxi. Despite the love you feel for your husband, whenever he kisses you, that familiar deep pang of longing always bursts free seeking its mate. You don’t know how many times in the last six years of your marriage that you’ve had to focus on something else, anything else, to get the feeling to go away. 

It seems that even here in Seoul, far away from your family or from the memories your hometown provokes, you can’t escape the lingering feelings of lost love. Perhaps you never will, and it’s that thought that keeps you awake at night. 

The train is smooth despite the rough terrain, and you attempt to focus on Junghee sitting in your lap and looking out for animals to distract yourself from the fact you are returning home for the first time in seven years. Even though there are a couple of hours left of the journey, you can practically feel the suffocating energy of the town ahead drawing you in, taunting you. 

It’s hard to predict what awaits you in Busan, but one thing for certain is that you will come face to face with your mother for the first time since you begged her to let you move to Seoul and finish your studies there. Teary eyes, a broken heart, sobs wracking your body with such ferocity that even now you find it hard to draw in a breath from the memory alone. 

Your mother was always a cold woman; quiet, reserved and hell bent on making sure her children slotted neatly into society. Everywhere had a social ladder, and even in a sleepy place such as Busan, there was always a hierarchy that your mother strived to maintain. One foot out of her carefully calculated plan inspired a world of icy anger that scared you more than your father’s fiery temper had as a child. 

It’s her dark, penetrating stare that you remember most about the rainy night you made your getaway. The moment your mother got a chance, she had bundled you onto the first train with a healthy envelope of money and a promise from you to only return once you had fixed the mess you had made of yourself. Within a year, you were a straight A student with a new husband from a wealthy family, and in her eyes, that was success. 

You hadn’t thought so, but Youngsik had been kind to you, and so it was easy to let yourself love him. Though no amount of love from a good man could ever repair the scars left by the one person you hope never to see again. 

And also the one person whose eyes you need on you the most, though you will only admit that to yourself in the dead of night, faced away from your husband in bed, staring out into the darkness of your bedroom. Right now, on a train packed full of people that are likely to remember your family name, you have to remain poised. 

Once the train pulls into the station, you step into the role of a dutiful daughter, wife and mother, tugging your child along with you through the small train station. It’s early evening now, and the fog from the sea has begun to settle, a warm, wet humidity clinging to the air around you, almost suffocating you in its grasp. After so long in the suburbs of Seoul, it’s hard to readjust to the salty sea air that coats the inside of your lungs with a nostalgia you hadn’t even realised you were missing. 

“Y/N,” A voice slashes through the silence and you turn your head to see your brother, Sangchul, waiting for you. He is much older now, a moustache shadowing his top lip. If you look closely, you can almost make out a feathering of grey hair at his temples and the worn smile lines that deepen as his eyes drift down, “And my little niece,”

“It’s been a long time,” You smile, though it fails to reach your eyes with the stark reminder of why you are here in the first place. Sangchul looks so much like your mother, it’s difficult to prevent the mist from coating your vision, and all at once you feel your brother’s arms wrap around you in a hug that would be out of character if the two of you weren't about to become motherless as well as fatherless.

Sangchul’s voice is gruff, and he squeezes you a little tighter when he speaks. You have a feeling it’s more for him than it is for you, however. “Too long,” he pulls back, eyes glassy, but piercing - so much like your mother, “It’s been four years since you last visited, Y/N,”

Sangchul scolding you is one of the many things you had expected when you stepped off the train, but it still stings, and once again you’re sent back to the past, feeling like the teenage sister who disobeyed his rules one too many times. 

“I’m sorry, Sangie,” You say, though it’s hard to force the affection into your voice. Sangchul was never your favourite brother, but since Sungho’s passing, he is all you have left, “You know how hard it is for me to come back here,”

His frown only deepens, “I hope you aren’t comparing seeing your family with seeing that vermin,” even now, years later, you still flinch when Sangchul calls him that, “I don’t want you mentioning Jeon J - “

“Please don’t say his name,” You let out a shuddering breath, panic tightening your chest. You haven’t heard his name in seven years, and you need to keep it that way for as long as feasibly possible. You are here for your mother, and nothing else.

Sangchul seems satisfied with your reaction, if a little uncomfortable, but he makes a gruff sound, bending at the knee to greet your daughter before helping the two of you with your bags. 

The view outside the car window is remarkably unchanged from your last visit, though your hesitancy to make any journeys out of your mother’s home meant you saw very little. With an intense fear of locking eyes with him, you’d travelled from the train station to your mother’s house, only leaving when you were due to get the train back two days later. The anxiety every visit back home brought you only meant you spent the last four years putting off visiting, until almost half a decade passed without you even realising. 

By the time you pull up to the house, Junghee is almost fast asleep, her head lolling against your arm and Sangchul offers to take the bags so you can carry her up to her room. Formerly your room - now, you stay in the guest room, fit for you and your husband, though his absence won’t be felt much. Your family has only ever met Youngsik once, and that was at your wedding. Since then, your mother has either been too tired to travel or your husband has been too busy. 

For some reason, their opinion of your husband has never bothered you, despite the trouble you have caused your family in the past regarding such matters. You never let yourself dwell on why that might be, too scared for what the conclusion might lead you to. 

When you walk into your old bedroom, you’re instantly hit by a wave of familiar scents. As always, a bouquet of white roses sits on the windowsill, and you have to look away the moment your eyes land on them. You’re thankful that you won’t be staying in this room, aware already as you nestle Junghee under the blankets how difficult seeing it all is. So many memories come flooding back to you, and it’s only when you’ve put your daughter to bed and raise a hand to your cheek that you even notice the tears falling. 

“It’s difficult,” Sangchul says, his sudden presence at the doorway startling you a little, “Mother is sleeping now. The doctor will be here in the morning, he comes by every day to check on her. I’ll wake you when he’s here,” he stands back, letting you leave the room, and suddenly you can breathe again, “Get some sleep, Y/N,”

He leaves you then, stood in the hallway with your arms wrapped around your waist, staring into your former bedroom and fighting off the debilitating need to sink into the past. You won’t let yourself, not now, not ever. Once you’re in the neutral space of the spare room, you sit onto the bed, swallowing a sleeping pill with a glass of water and sinking into the plush mattress. 

When sleep comes, it gives you no reprieve from the memories that plague the outskirts of your mind, and when you awake just a few hours later, you can feel the sweat soaking the nape of your neck. This week was never going to be easy, but you realise that your delay in visiting may have just made things all the more challenging. 

Falling back into sleep again, you don’t fight the memories this time, letting them come as they wish. It’s with a sigh of relief and a deep, longing ache in your chest that you fall into a deep slumber, drifting through images of dark eyes and even darker nights. Soft kisses, forbidden love and the one man you never let yourself think about.

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[shmaptainwrites]

𝐓𝐎 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐒 [𝐀 𝐕𝐈𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐓 𝐁𝐑𝐈𝐃𝐆𝐄𝐑𝐓𝐎𝐍 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘]

PAIRINGS — Violet Bridgerton x fem!Reader [Modern!AU]

SUMMARY — Violet reveals her surprise location. Dinner and a stroll ensues.

WORD COUNT — 2.5K

WARNINGS — some vague descriptions of body shaming

NOTE — Finally these two can really get into it! Absolutely loved writing these moments they have alone and are able to use to get to know each other better. As usual thanks to Mama and Sister duck for editing!

𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐒 𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓 | 𝐓𝐀𝐆𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓 | 𝐀𝐎𝟑

𝑪𝑯𝑨𝑷𝑻𝑬𝑹 𝑰𝑽: 𝑻𝑬𝑳𝑳 𝑴𝑬 𝑴𝑶𝑹𝑬, 𝑻𝑬𝑳𝑳 𝑴𝑬 𝑴𝑶𝑹𝑬

“Please tell me I am not the only one who’s happy that the meeting is over?” you asked while going to sit in the car. 

“No, that meeting was…” 

“So boring?” 

“Very boring,” Violet agreed. 

“And now we have to go straight to the airport and wait in line at security,” you sighed and pinched the bridge of your nose. 

“Why don’t you rest,” Violet suggested. “I’ll wake you up when we get there.”

You nodded your head, not feeling that bad as your obligations for the day were technically complete. What you didn’t know was that as soon as you drifted off your destination was no longer the airport. 

When you were finally stirred awake, you blinked a few times and looked out of the window, realizing you were definitely not in the departure drop off area. 

“Violet, where are we?” you asked with a yawn. 

“Surprise,” she said softly with a smile. “I changed our flights back to tomorrow.” 

“You did?” you chuckled. 

“I don’t know if you recall, but I did make a promise to bring you somewhere,” she said, opening the car door. “Come, let me show you around.” 

You opened your car door, stepping outside and fully taking in your surroundings. 

You were by the ocean, you could hear the water lapping distantly against the shore while the sun cast a golden hue across the buildings. 

“This is Ostia,” she explained. “It’s a neighbourhood I used to frequent with my family when I was younger and we were on holidays.” 

“And why did you want to bring me here?” you asked curiously, looking over at her and noticing the way the sunlight seemed to make her hair glisten and her eyes shimmer. 

“Well, one of my favourite restaurants is right over there,” she pointed to a small place on the corner. “And I have had a lot of good memories here and I thought it might be about time to make a few more.”

You smiled at her words, your hands making their way to your hips. 

“And how do you plan on doing that?” 

“First food,” she said, walking around to meet you on your side of the car, guiding you towards the restaurant. “The rest tends to fall into place after that. Think of this as an employee appreciation day.” 

“Oh does that mean this is all covered then?” you joked. 

“It’s a business trip, of course it is,” Violet grinned. “Just don’t tell Anthony,” she added, only slightly kidding. 

When you and Violet entered the restaurant you noticed the place was not what you had thought. Instead of a lavish seaside eatery, it was a small, most likely family owned, company. The host immediately recognized Violet and offered her a friendly greeting and a comment of not seeing her in such a long time.

“This is my friend,” she introduced you. “Is there any chance you have a table you can spare for us?”

“For you, we always have a table,” he patted Violet’s shoulder. “Come, I take you somewhere more private.”

Violet placed a hand on your back and you felt a small tingle where she touched you but you tried to focus instead on where she was leading you, a place where the host had a table set up in a more private area of the restaurant.

“Same wine as usual?” he asked.

Violet nodded with a smile as you both sat down across from each other. She sighed and settled into her seat, clearly feeling at home in the small institution.

“When was the last time you were here?” you asked once the wine was brought out. 

“Oh, far too long ago,” she said. “I used to come here with my father when I was a young girl, and then when Edmund and I got married we always made a point to come back, especially after my father passed away. It just hasn’t quite felt the same now that they’re both gone.”

Something about the outing felt particularly intimate. She was taking you to a place she had once frequented with members of her family, somewhere that clearly carried a lot of meaning for her. 

You didn’t comment on the fact that she had chosen to share this space with you, instead you focused on enjoying the wine and the good company, picking Violet’s mind about what her favourite menu items were. 

When the food arrived after you had ordered, you eased into a regular rhythm of conversation that always seemed to flow whenever the two of you were together. 

“Wait, so you mean to tell me that Benedict, Eloise, and Gregory managed to prank Anthony?” 

“To be fair, Gregory was hardly even two years old, he was mostly a prop on my husband’s insistence. Sometimes I used to think we only had so many children so he’d have more people to scheme with when it came to his practical jokes,” Violet explained. “They still talk about it to this day, and Anthony detests whenever it is brought up, although his wife rather enjoys the story.” 

“I don’t blame him, I absolutely hate being pranked,” you admitted and then took a bite of your food. 

“Well, it was only done in retaliation. Anthony had previously done something quite nasty towards Benedict and Eloise and so they enlisted their father’s help to get back at him.” 

“Oh, in that case he deserved it,” you changed your mind, and Violet laughed. 

“You know,” Violet began. “I feel as though you’ve gotten to know my family quite well. Occupational hazard, surely, but I…” 

“You don’t really know me,” you filled in and she nodded her head. 

“I’d like to though.” 

You pressed your lips together, feeling a burning sensation in your cheeks while you pushed around some of the food on your plate with your fork. 

“I’m afraid my life isn’t that interesting,” you said. “I just grew up, went to school, got a job. All the little details seem to blur together.” 

“Never had anyone special?” Violet asked, and you shook your head, swallowing thickly, not quite the topic of conversationconver you were wanting to broach so you attempted to come up with an answer to steer her away.

“No, not really. I mean I’ve dated people, I’ve had relationships, but nothing that feels like it’s…” your voice trailed off in search of the words. “Worth keeping.” 

Violet nodded her head sympathetically, her forearms resting against the table. 

“What about your family?” she asked. “Are you close?” 

“Relatively,” you nodded. “We don’t always see each other, but we love each other, and I guess that’s what matters in the end.” 

“It is indeed,” Violet agreed. 

“I am a simple creature, Violet. Unfortunately, I’m not sure there’s much else I can share.” 

Violet gave you a soft smile and sipped her wine. She was sure there was something in there worth sharing, but she just wasn’t sure how to get it out. 

“What about your years at school?” she asked. “I imagine you were a diligent student but even diligent students have stories.”

“I tried to be,” you nodded your head and thought about her question, seeing if any memories came up from your undergrad. “Okay, maybe you’ll enjoy this story,” you said, settling back in your seat, your own glass in hand as the memory slowly came back to you.

Violet seemed excited that you had something to share and leaned in towards the table to listen intently. 

“So, the university I went to had this program you could sign up for to get out and go on small trips around Europe and the UK throughout the semester. Really, I think it was an excuse to get out of our dorms and meet new people. My parents thought maybe it would be a good idea to sign me up and pay for it as a gift even though I think they could hardly afford it along with my tuition costs, but that’s not the point,” you waved your hand. “Anyway, the first one we did was not too far, just up in Scotland and I made a friend on the way there and we decided to stick together for the trip. Day three rolls around and we go to this festival or parade, something big that was happening in Edinburgh and we almost immediately got lost and separated from our group.”

“I think the real question is why did you get lost?” Violet inquired and you could feel a heat coming to your cheeks.

“Let’s just say I was admiring the highland dancing,” you settled on. “In the end, these really nice gentleman with bagpipes got us to walk the parade with them thinking it was probably the easiest way for us to cover enough ground to find our group, but we never did, and by the end of the parade we were drinking in a pub with a load of Scots and I can’t quite say I remember the rest of the evening,” you chuckled. “Just waking up the next morning on a bench with the police looking for us.”

“The police?” Violet was shocked.

“The group had put in a missing persons report, we didn’t get up to any trouble, or at least as far as I’m aware,” you made a slightly concerned face before sipping your wine. “But I now have a friend for life so I suppose in the end it was worth it.”

“Did you go on any more of these trips?” Violet asked.

“Well, I had to, my parents had paid for it,” you nodded your head. “Although I did try to avoid the pubs after that first experience. I’m not sure my back has ever fully recovered from sleeping on that bench.”

“It’s a miracle you didn’t lose each other again,” she chuckled. 

“No, I really do think someone was looking out for us that night because clearly we did not have the sense to do it ourselves,” you chuckled and paused for a moment, watching as Violet looked at you fondly. “Is that the kind of story you were looking for?” 

“Any story you’re willing to share is one I’m willing to hear,” she said. 

You smiled at her and finished up your wine with some light chatter before the meal was paid for and the cook was personally thanked and you headed back outside, catching the clouds as they painted the sky hues of pink and orange just after the sun had set. 

“Wow,” you breathed. “That’s quite something, isn’t it?” 

Violet silently nodded her head, taking in a deep breath, the air from the sea water filling her lungs and reminding her of moments that were long since gone. 

“I had our bags dropped off at the hotel, it’s right across the beach over there,” she pointed over your shoulder.

“Perhaps a walk along the beach is in order then?” you asked, and Violet nodded her head once more. 

You noticed how she pulled out a large pair of sunglasses from her purse along with a silk scarf that she laid over her head and there around her shoulder like a covering. 

You couldn’t imagine what that felt like. Constantly feeling as though there were eyes lingering on you. Wanting to hide, fearful of what part of your lives might be broadcasted for the whole world to see. 

Sensing this caution coming on her part, you made sure there was a respectable distance between you as you walked together, but Violet seemed more focused on the ocean regardless, slipping off her flats and carrying them in her hands, while dipping her toes in the Mediterranean. 

“How’s the water?” 

“Refreshing,” she looked back at you. “I used to swim a lot on beaches like these.” 

Her musing tone made you think perhaps there was a reason other than the passage of time that made her stop. 

“When your family would visit?” you attempted to ease into the topic. 

“Yes, my mother didn’t know how to swim. I don’t think she thought it was particularly important, but I begged my father to teach me, unfortunately he wasn’t particularly well equipped, but he made the effort to get me a good teacher and then it became quite hard to get me out of the water.” 

You barely let her finish before you asked your next question. 

“Why did you stop?” 

Violet paused, the water coming in soft waves, crashing around her ankles as she looked down at her painted toe nails through a small cloud of sand that had been disturbed by the water rushing through. 

“Violet?” your voice was gentle, trying to pull her out of wherever her mind was, seeing flashes of memories go past her eyes, glimmers of past pain resurfacing. “I-I’m sorry for asking. You don’t have to say anything,” you retracted your question. 

You and Violet continued to walk in silence, until you heard her voice quietly speak over the waves. 

“I stopped after Anthony was born.” 

You continued your walk in tandem, hearing the water slosh around Violet as she walked. 

“Edmund and I were always in our own little world. I never really thought much of the way I looked after I had given birth because my husband always worshipped the ground I walked on,” she explained quietly. “And so when we took a little trip with baby Anthony to Greece for a wedding I immediately got Edmund to look after him so I could slip away for an hour and go for a swim. A few days later my mother phones and makes the extra effort to express-mail a copy of a tabloid to our hotel.” 

Violet didn’t continue speaking. She knew you got the gist of what she was saying. 

You thought for a moment, wondering if there was anything you might say, not that anything would make her feel better about a situation as horrible as that. It was bad enough that those around you could be cruel, why did the world need to throw in their opinion too?

“I’m sorry you can’t do the things you enjoy anymore,” you said quietly. “I hope one day you can walk outside and feel as though no one is watching you.”

“As do I,” Violet agreed. 

It wasn’t much longer before you arrived at the hotel and checked in. A bellboy brought your bags up to your room for you and just before you parted ways, still leaning against your doorframe you looked over at Violet. 

“Thank you for this,” you said. “I had a wonderful time.”

“It’s been a while since I’ve been able to share this place with anyone. I should thank you for giving me an excuse,” she smiled. “Breakfast is at nine on the waterfront then we’ll head to the airport after that.” 

“See you tomorrow Violet. Rest well,” you patted the doorframe and turned into your room, leaving Violet resting against her door with a sigh escaping her lips. 

TAGLIST —

@paola-carter @madde11 @thesamesweetie @cherrysxuya @philocalistwrites @mako-mermaids2021 @oh-mydarling @courtneyteal @amethyst-bitch @etherynn @lilisdarling

[tessa-liam]

Turning the Page

Make You Mine - Chapter 14 

Choices, The Royal Romance, The Royal Heir AU 

Series Premise: As Riley Brooks journeys through life as a single parent in New York City, an epiphany strikes as she contemplates the future for herself and her two-year-old son. 

Turning the Page Series Masterlist, My Complete Masterlist 

Main pairing: Liam Rys x F!OC Riley Brooks 

All characters belong to Pixelberry Studios, except William Brooks (Rys) and Matteo Magro, who both belong to this series. 

Category: On-going series, contains angst/fluff/depression. Cross-over fic with Choices, Perfect Match. 

Rating: M 🔞 - Warnings – Series will have crude language, weapons, NSFW material – not Beta’d - please excuse all errors. 

Words: 4816 

Make You Mine - Chapter 14 

Chapter Summary: Daniel & Matteo get married in Greece 

Music Inspiration:

Unchained Melody, Righteous Brothers 

A/N1: In this alternate universe, after King Constantine orchestrates two individual scandals to humiliate and entrap Riley Brooks and Olivia Nevrakis in shame, Madeleine Amaranth secures her position as the Queen of Cordonia. Riley, as the King’s mistress and Olivia, in self-imposed exile. Tariq is never found.  

A/N2: Damien Nazario has been assigned as William’s personal bodyguard. (Series cross-over with ‘Perfect Match’) 

A/N3: My submission for @choicesaugustchallenge , prompt "Summer Wedding"

"What an amazing wedding venue!" Riley gushed as she and Liam leisurely strolled, hand-in hand along the pristine beach with William. "This white sand ... the turquoise water ... it's absolutely breathtaking!"  

Liam smiled tenderly as he admired her elation and innocent amazement of the seaside in front of the hotel. Arriving on the island of Santorini, the weeklong pre wedding festivities began as wedding guests arrived to join the celebration. 

“It truly is," Liam agreed as he also took in the beauty of the scenery." I can definitely see why Daniel and Matteo chose this location. However, I must say that Cordonian bea --" 

Interrupting his father, William tugged his hand and pulled, "Daddy, I wanna play in the water. Pleeaaase?!" 

“Is that so?”

William squealed when Liam at once picked him up and twirled him around, giggling and clapping his hands in delight.

"He's getting so big!" Riley cooed, reaching out to tickle William's belly. "You're such a big boy now, aren't you?" 

William grinned and nodded. "I'm three now, mama!" Grinning and patting his chest proudly. 

"That's right, Will," Liam chuckled, giving him a high-five. "You're growing up so fast!" 

They continued their walk along the beach, taking in the sights and sounds of the ocean waves crashing against the shore. Riley slipped her arm through Liam's and leaned her head against his shoulder. William began to pull away from them to follow a seagull that flew up from the water's edge. 

"William, don't run too far ahead," Riley called after him. 

"I won't mama," William called back, slowing his pace. Damien, who followed close behind, kept an eye on the prince. As they continued their walk along the beach, Riley and Liam enjoyed the feeling of the warm sun on their skin and the gentle breeze blowing through their hair. 

"What a perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon," Liam smiled joyfully. "This is what I have always dreamed of -- you by my side, with children underfoot ...enjoying life with my family." 

"I couldn't imagine being anywhere else," Riley said, returning his smile. 

"Nor I, Riley," Liam said, placing his arm around her waist pulling her closer. 

"I'm so happy for Daniel and Matteo," she sighed. "They're perfect for each other." 

"And so are we." 

"We are," Riley murmured, tilting her head as she leaned up and captured his lips. The kiss was slow and deep; savoring the taste of him.  

Liam's tongue brushed against hers, sending a thrill of desire throughout her body. He pulled her even closer, his hand splayed on the small of her back. She reached up and ran her fingers through his hair, tugging gently as she kissed him harder. 

They were so caught up in each other that they did not even notice when Maxwell, Bertrand, Savannah and Bartie strolled alongside. 

"Hey, lovebirds," Savannah called, breaking them out of their passionate embrace quickly. 

"Sorry," Riley giggled, her cheeks flushing. 

"It's okay, you're just young and in love," Savannah smiled, giving her a knowing wink. "But don't forget, there are little eyes around, too." 

"Yes, save some of that for later, you two," Bertrand chimed in, indignantly.  

"You're one to talk, Bertrand," Maxwell guffawed. "I've seen the way you and Savannah can't keep your hands off of each other." 

"I suppose you have a point," Bertrand conceded, looking pleased with himself. Liam acknowledged, "Duke Beaumont, you are correct. It is good to relax and spend time with the people we care about. It's what we all need." 

"Indeed," Bertrand said, his eyes sparkling. 

"We'll try to keep our hands off each other, just for you," Riley laughed, teasing the elder Beaumont. 

"Good, thank you," Bertrand huffed. 

Maxwell chuckled, "Yeah, I'll make sure Bertrand behaves himself in public, too. For Bartie's sake, of course."

"What are you talking about?" Savannah asked, her brows furrowing. 

Bertrand’s eyebrows shot up in annoyance. "Nothing," Maxwell and Bertrand said in unison. 

Bartie, seeing William up ahead, tugs his mother's hand wanting to join his friend. 

"Bartie, don't go too far," Savannah called as he sped off to join William.  

"Please excuse me, your majesty," Bertrand quickly followed the chase. 

Liam and Riley exchanged an amused look and continued their stroll along the beach, hand in hand. “Hey, Max, how did you convince your brother to come to the beach, anyway?" Riley grinned mischievously. 

“Ha,” I had to bribe him,” Maxwell shook his head, chuckling. “I told him if he would come out here that I would look after Bartie during the wedding. He was reluctant at first, but eventually, he caved.” 

"That's sweet of you, Maxwell," Riley said. 

"Yes, Maxwell, that's noble of you. It is good that you are looking after your nephew. You're a great uncle." 

"Thanks, Liam. I appreciate that." 

"Of course," Liam smiled. "What on Earth--"

Up ahead, as Bertrand pursued his son, the chase ended when he tripped and landed face first, with a splash, into the water. 

"Bert!" Savannah called out, "Bartie, what did I tell you?" 

"Sorry, mommy," Bartie said sheepishly. 

"Bertrand, are you okay?" Maxwell asked, rushing to his brother's side. 

Bertrand grunted, pulling himself up and wiping his face. "I think that's enough for today," he said, looking annoyed. 

Savannah giggled, "It's okay, Bertrand. Accidents happen." 

"Right," he nodded, with a look of disgust at his wet clothing. 

"Let's get out of here before something else happens." Maxwell chimed in, trying, but failing not to laugh. 

"I think that's a good idea," Liam said, suppressing his amusement. 

"Yes, I'm fine," Bertrand grunted as he stood up, soaking wet. 

"Let me help you with that, Bert," Savannah offered, handing him a towel. 

"Thank you, Savannah," Bertrand said, taking the towel. 

Maxwell helped his brother dry off while Bartie looked on, a look of concern on his face. "Father, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you fall into the water." 

"It's alright, Bartie. Accidents happen," Bertrand replied, giving the boy a small smile. 

"Come on, let's get you back to the hotel so you can change into some dry clothes," Savannah said, taking Bartie's hand. 

"Yes, good idea. Let's go," Maxwell followed behind, shaking his head with a smirk. 

As they walked, Bertrand turned his head back to Maxwell. "Did you see what happened? I could have sworn that there was a shark fin in the water. It looked like it was heading straight for Bartie!" 

"A shark? Really?" Maxwell burst out laughing uncontrollably. 

Damien, overhearing their conversation, grinned as he turned with William and walked towards Liam and Riley. 

"That was quite the scene, huh?" Damien quietly commented and snickered. 

"It was something," Liam nodded, as he bit the inside of his cheek, successfully holding his laughter. 

"It was quite entertaining," Riley chuckled. "Bertrand needs to come out here more often, especially with Bartie. He is so sweet." 

"Having his son and Savannah with him at House Beaumont has been a positive influence on him." Liam replied. "Bartie is just curious and adventurous. He's a good kid." 

"He's a little rascal," Damien laughed. 

"Maybe, but he's a cute one," Riley added. 

Damien stopped walking as he noticed Olivia and Drake up ahead at the hotel entrance. 

"I'll be right back," Damien said, making his way towards the entrance. 

Riley watched him leave; her brow furrowed in question. "What's going on?" 

"Well, I think Duchess Olivia has an admirer." 

"Is that so?" Riley asked, her interest piqued. 

"It would appear that way," Liam said, his lips curving into a knowing smile. 

As Damien approached closer, he saw Olivia and Drake locked in an intense discussion. He could not make out what they were saying, but he had a feeling that things were getting heated. 

"We should keep walking," Riley said, smiling coyly at Liam. "Yes, let's get out of here." Liam agreed, taking her hand and leading her further down the beach. 

"This is the perfect place for a honeymoon," Riley mused. "Greece is so romantic." 

"Do you see that temple over there, Riley?" Liam asked, motioning to a magnificent structure that rose up from the shore of the main island. 

"That's the Temple of Apollo," he continued. "It's one of the most famous monuments in Greece." 

"Wow, it's gorgeous," Riley breathed, awestruck. "It looks like something out of a movie." 

"The ancient Greeks were known for their exquisite architecture," Liam explained. "They used materials like marble and limestone to create these stunning monuments." 

"It's incredible to think that something so beautiful has lasted for thousands of years," Riley pondered. "I wish I could have seen the world back then, when these temples were still new." 

"Me too," Liam chuckled. "Although I'm not sure how I would have adjusted to a time without modern technology." 

"True," Riley laughed. "I can barely manage going without my phone for a few hours, let alone a lifetime." 

As they continued to walk along the beach, Liam regaled her with stories about the Greek gods and goddesses, and how their myths had inspired the Greeks to create some of the most iconic art and literature in the world. Riley listened with rapt attention, enthralled by the stories of love, betrayal, and heroism. 

"So, which god do you think would be the best fit for you, Liam?" she asked teasingly. 

"Hmm, that's a tough question," he chuckled. "But I think I would have to say, Hermes, the god of travel and trade." 

"A good choice," Riley nodded. "What about me?" 

"Definitely Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty," he replied without hesitation. 

"Wow, high praise indeed," she blushed. 

"It's no less than you deserve, my love," he murmured, kissing her cheek softly. 

The sun was beginning to set over the sea, casting a warm, golden glow over the beach. The breeze ruffled Riley's hair as she leaned against Liam's chest, her heart filled with joy and contentment. 

"Thank you for coming here with me, Liam," she whispered. "This means so much to me." 

"It is my pleasure, Riley," he murmured, holding her close. "I'll never get tired of seeing the world with you." 

He leaned in and moved a lock of hair behind her ear, and kissed her lips, as she melted into his arms. 

Daniel and Matteo’s wedding day... 

The setting was stunning, with the Aegean Sea providing a breathtaking backdrop. The guests were greeted with glasses of champagne, and Riley and Liam mingled with their friends and Matteo's family.  

 As the sun started to set, Riley noticed that Daniel and Matteo had not arrived yet. She began to wonder if there had been any delays, but as she was about to text them, the guests heard a motorboat approaching the shore.  

 Riley gasped as she saw the two grooms arrive on the boat, looking dashing in their tuxedos. The guests cheered as the two men disembarked and made their way towards the ceremony venue. 

The music changed to a slower, more romantic song as Daniel and Matteo walked down the aisle, arm in arm. 

"Welcome, family and friends, to the wedding of Daniel and Matteo," the officiant began. "We are gathered here today to witness the union of these two wonderful people in marriage. 

“Daniel and Matteo have chosen to write their own vows, which they will now recite to each other." 

Matteo nodded and took Daniel’s hand. 

"Daniel, when I first met you, I knew you were someone special. You are intelligent, kind, and incredibly generous. You have brought so much joy into my life, and I am so grateful that I get to spend the rest of my life with you." 

Matteo paused and took a deep breath, his eyes glistening with tears. "Danny, I promise to love and support you, to be by your side through good times and bad, and to share in your dreams and ambitions. I will love you and cherish you for all the days of my life." 

With tears in his eyes, Daniel takes a deep, shuddered breath. 

 "Matteo, When I first met you, I never imagined that we would end up together. But every moment we have shared since that day has made me realize that you are the person I want to spend the rest of my life with. You are kind, funny, and so very dear to me. Thank you for making me a better person and for loving me unconditionally. I vow to be your partner in all things, to stand by your side through the ups and downs of life and to love you forever and always.” 

After the exchange of rings, the officiant asks, "Matteo, do you take Daniel to be your lawfully wedded husband?" 

"I do," Matteo replied, his voice thick with emotion. 

“And Daniel, do you take Matteo as your lawfully wedded husband?” 

“Yes, yes, I do.” Daniel smiled through his tears. 

"Then by the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and husband. You may now kiss the groom!" 

Daniel and Matteo wasted no time embracing and kissing each other passionately. The guests applauded and cheered. 

"Congratulations, Daniel and Matteo!" the officiant announced. 

"I love you, husband," Matteo said, cupping Daniel's face. 

"And I love you, husband," Daniel replied, kissing him again. 

The newlyweds made their way down the aisle, surrounded by their friends and family. As they walked, they could hear the guests chanting "kiss, kiss, kiss!" 

Finally, Daniel and Matteo obliged, stopping to give each other a long, loving kiss. Matteo lifted Daniel's hand in thew air and with the other he lifted a glass. Grinning, he smashed it down and yelled, "Opa!" 

Matteo chuckled. "I can't wait for our honeymoon." 

"Same," Daniel grinned. 

Riley smiled as she watched the two men walk off hand in hand. She turned to Liam, her eyes sparkling with happiness. 

"That was so beautiful," she said, her voice full of emotion. "They are truly in love." 

"They are," Liam agreed, his voice tinged with sadness. 

Riley turned to him; a questioning look in her eyes. "Are you okay, Liam?" 

Liam nodded; his expression somber. "I'm just thinking about the past. How could my life have been different if I had chosen you from the start." 

"But you did choose me," Riley reminded him, her tone gentle. 

"Yes, but at my coronation --," Liam began, his tone regretful. "If I had given you that ring, things would be so different." 

Riley placing her hand on his cheek, “we're together now, and that's all that matters. I'm so glad you came with me here," she said softly. 

"There's nowhere else I'd rather be," he replied, his voice low and husky. 

He leaned in and captured her lips, and she happily responded. 

Amidst the cheers and applause, the guests were gathering for the traditional Greek wedding dance. Riley and Liam were swept up in the moment, as Maxwell and Savannah linked arms with them as they joined in the dance. 

The music changed to a slower, more romantic song, and the guests formed a circle around the newlyweds. 

"This is called a Syrtos," the band leader explained. "It's a traditional Greek dance that symbolizes the union of two souls. Daniel and Matteo, if you will please take the center of the circle." 

"Now, everyone, join hands and begin the Kalamatianos," the band leader instructed. 

The guests joined hands and began to dance, circling around the newlyweds. 

"Great! Now, the bride and groom will walk around the inside of the circle, holding hands. Opa!!!" 

Daniel and Matteo danced around the inside of the circle, their arms linked. As they passed their friends and family, they shared smiles and hugs. 

"This is a wonderful tradition," Liam whispered in Riley's ear. 

"I know, it's beautiful," she agreed, smiling. 

The dance came to an end, and the guests broke into applause. 

"Thank you all for joining us on this special day," Matteo called out, his smile beaming. "We are so happy that you could share in our celebration. We hope you have a wonderful time and that you will join us for the reception." The reception was a beautiful blend of traditional and modern, with delicious Greek cuisine and a lively dance floor.  

"Congratulations, Daniel and Matteo," Riley said, giving them both hugs. 

"Thank you, Riley," Matteo replied, smiling. 

"We're so happy for you both," Liam added, shaking Daniel's hand. 

"Thanks, Liam," Daniel said. "Now, if you'll excuse us, we have a reception to get to!" 

With that, Daniel and Matteo made their way to the wedding feast, hand in hand. The guests followed, ready to continue the celebration. 

The newlyweds were soon swept away by the joy and excitement of their reception, and the party began in earnest. Loud music played and the guests danced and celebrated well into the night. 

Riley and Liam spent the evening talking and laughing with their friends, and when it was time to cut the cake, the couple fed each other a slice, much to the delight of the guests and then snuck off to take some photos. 

William pointed to the wedding cake displayed on a nearby table. "Look, Mama! Big cake." 

"That's right, sweetie. That’s a wedding cake."  

“Mama, you and daddy married, too?" Riley’s eyes snapped up to meet Liam’s gaze as he smiled tenderly, raising his eyebrows.

"Maybe someday," she said, winking at Liam. 

"Can I have cake now, pleeaase?" 

"Of course," Riley smiled. 

"Come on," William said, getting up from his chair, grabbing Liam's hand. 

"Okay," Liam chuckled, as he started to stand up to follow his son. “Oh Liam, no worries. I can take him.” 

As Riley started to rise from her chair, Liam tenderly put his hand on her shoulder, urging her to still be seated. Liam bent down and placed a sweet kiss on her cheek.  

William led his father over to the wedding cake, where they were greeted by an older woman. 

"Ah, King Liam." The woman bowed her head and dropped down to curtsy. "How can I help you, Your Majesty?" 

Liam graciously bowed his head in respect and placed his hands on William's shoulders. “My son would love to try some of the wedding cake, thank you." 

"Of course, Your Majesty. Would you like a small or large piece?" 

"Wait ... is the cake made of baklava?" Astounded by his favorite dessert in the world made into a wedding cake. He was ecstatic. 

Matteo overheard his question and leaned over, a grin on his face. "It is, actually. It’s my favorite." 

"Wow," Liam breathed. "This is amazing." 

"My yia yia [grandmother] made it herself." Matteo said. 

"So, would you like a slice, Your Majesty? She smiled warmly. 

"Please," Liam nodded, his eyes sparkled happily. 

Matteo 's grandmother first cut a slice for William and then cut a generous slice and placed it on a plate for Liam. 

"Here you go." She smiled proudly.

"Thank you," he said, his tone sincere. 

"You're welcome, Your Majesty." 

Liam took a bite of the cake and sighed contentedly. "αυτό είναι απίστευτο" ["This is incredible"].

"Χαίρομαι που σου αρέσει" ["I'm glad you like it"], Matteo smiled. 

"ο Βασιλιάς είναι ένας σοφός άνθρωπος" ["The King is a wise man!"] Matteo's grandmother exclaimed. 

"μιλάς ελληνικά;" ["You speak Greek?"]

"Έκανα μερικά μαθήματα" ["I took a few lessons," Liam admitted.

"Λοιπόν, τότε είναι διπλή τιμή που σας έχω εδώ! [""Well, then I'm doubly honored to have you here."]

"παρακαλώ η τιμή είναι δική μου!" ["Please, the honor is all mine."]

*** 

After the desserts were served, the band began playing a lively tune. Maxwell grabbed Savannah's hand and dragged her to the dance floor. Bertrand contentedly remained seated with Bartie. 

"Come on, Daddy," William said, pulling at Liam's sleeve. 

The woman's eyes went wide as she realized the little boy was his son.

"Θεέ μου ο Μάτι ο βασιλιάς έχει έναν γιο!" ["Oh, my goodness, Matty ... the king has a son?"]

*** 

Later in the evening, Matteo's grandmother approached Liam, as he enjoyed a drink with Drake and Olivia.

"Your Majesty, please give this to your bride. It's a family heirloom, and I want her to have it," the elderly woman said, pressing a small, ornate necklace into Liam's hands. 

"Yia yia, With respect, I can't accept this. It's too much," Liam protested, but the old woman was adamant. 

"Nonsense," she insisted. "It's a gift from me to your bride, for more healthy babies. 

Liam felt his face flush at her words and the thought of having more children with Riley. He swallowed hard and nodded. "Thank you, Yia yia. But I must ask why." 

The old woman smiled, her eyes twinkling. "Because I see the love between you two, and it reminds me of my late husband and me. You are a lucky man, Your Majesty. I hope you cherish each other always." 

Touched by her words, Liam gave her a hug and thanked her again. 

As Liam sat back down, he could feel the intense gazes of his friends look straight through him.

***

Laughing, and out of breath, Riley and Maxwell sat down from dancing at the table. "This was so much fun. I am so thirsty ..."

"Say no more, Ri. I'll be right back with refreshments," Maxwell stood up and saluted, in jest, and went to the bar.

"It's lovely to see you celebrate Daniel and Matteo's wedding." Liam squeezed her hand.

"They are so happy together." 

"They are," Liam said, a slight wistfulness in his tone. 

Riley caught his gaze and held it for a moment, reading the look in his eyes. 

"We're going to get our happy ending too, you know," she lowered her voice, giving his arm a reassuring squeeze. 

"I know," Liam replied, a hint of a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. 

"And even if we have to wait a little longer, it'll be worth it," Riley continued, her tone firm and confident. 

"I couldn't agree more," Liam said, his expression softening, making a mental note to send Olivia a 'thank you so much' gift for helping Riley find her spark again.

"Besides," Riley added, a mischievous glint in her eye, "I can think of a few ways to pass the time until then." 

Liam laughed, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "You're incorrigible," he said, his tone playful. 

"You know you love it," Riley teased, leaning in closer. 

"I do," Liam said, his gaze fixed intently on hers. 

Their faces were only inches apart, and Riley could feel her heart racing. She knew she could pull away, but she couldn't seem to make herself do it. 

Liam leaned in and kissed her soundly, the taste of scotch lingering on his lips. Riley closed her eyes and kissed him back, savoring the moment. 

When they finally broke apart, their faces were flushed, and their breathing was ragged. 

"Come on," Riley said, her voice low and husky. "Let's go back to our room." 

"Gladly," Liam replied, his voice matching hers. 

They slipped out of the reception, their hands intertwined. As they walked back to the hotel, they knew that, no matter what challenges lay ahead, they would always have each other. 

***

Later that night, Liam and Riley were getting ready for bed in their hotel room. Riley had just finished washing her face and was brushing her teeth when she noticed Liam staring at her from across the bedroom. 

"What?" she asked, toothbrush still in her mouth. 

"Nothing," he chuckled. "You're just so beautiful." 

She grinned, her cheeks turning pink. "Charmer," she mumbled. 

Liam walked over to her and gently took the toothbrush from her. "Matteo's grandmother gave me something for you," he said, pulling the necklace from his pocket. 

Riley's eyes widened as she saw the beautiful piece of jewelry. "Liam, it's gorgeous," she breathed. 

"Here, let me put it on you," he said, his voice soft and husky. 

He reached around her neck and fastened the clasp, his fingers brushing against her skin. Riley shivered at his touch, her body responding to his closeness once again.

"Thank you," she whispered, her heart fluttering. "But I don't understand why--" 

"She told me it was for more healthy babies," he interrupted, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. 

"Oh," Riley said, her blush deepening. 

"Well, we should probably get started then," Liam said, his eyes darkening with desire. 

He pulled her close and kissed her, his tongue brushing against hers. Riley melted into his arms, her body pressed against his. 

"Yes, Your Majesty," she murmured, her lips curving into a smile. "We should definitely get started." 

Thank you for reading, tags are in the comments. Please let me know if you would like to be added or removed.

@choicesficwriterscreations @thosehallowedhalls

[edmcmayonnaise]

simon-related ramblings from me to my poor favorite dbda discord server, in no particular order...

Yes I am unhinged and no I don't know how they've allowed me to remain on the server. It is a miracle.

Simon is a tall awkward boy with a crush on his classmate that ended in oof

Maybe simon played tennis?

ugh simon went from doing some old wives tale style magic to try to get edwin to just ~~notice him~~ but it doesn't work, so ofc magic is't real, right? so of course no harm in just scaring the boy you like but can't be like or else by doing a fake ol' demon summoning ritual from the old tome you snagged from your elder brother's dumb bookshelf. Oopsie.

("plucking ‘yarrow from a young man’s grave’ in order to bind unknowing men to them for all eternity" ugh simon sneaks out a lot at night so there we go. yarrow hunting for simon it is)

"i look smart with my cap but i slay withouuuuut gooooodbyeee simon" as he tosses the hat and it gleams in the moonlight

ugh how soft would it be to have a fox-hunting fic

oof au where edwin and simon don't die and go into the intelligence service together

simon still gotta fix the telephone switch board

simon is the office receptionist

simon in a cute crochet muffler

​​The idea of Edwin exhausting himself to care for Simon because then he doesn’t have to face his own trauma is

wow tho headcanon is that simon loves his mama so much

(in reference the french horn hanging in the attic during charles' death scene) simon gives big french horn energy

omg the visual of simon in edwin's desk junk drawer and edwin pulls out orbmon, sighs, and says "this is where you've gone off to-- been looking everywhere for you." I ended up writing a fic similar to this thought.

to have both edwin and simon enjoying seaside would be cute

mah boy simon repping the pigtail pullers

if the show was my cat king (it was) then simon was the moment i forgave myself and decided I deserve to pursue happiness 

[jokeroutsubs]

[ENG translation] Rock'n'roll in the blood

An interview with the Guštin family in Slovenian newspaper Delo, originally published 6.2.2022.

Original article is available here for Delo subscribers. Original article written by Agata Rakovec Kurent for Delo; photos by Jože Suhadolnik; English translation by a member of Joker Out Subs, native proof reading by IG GBoleyn123.

If you repost quotes from the interview, please link back to this post! And if you repost the photos, do not crop out the photographer credit.

Next Saturday (12.2.2022), Gušti and young singer Leyre will present themselves at EMA¹, but first, we visited him and his family in Bežigrad².

The Guštins (right to left) Chantal, Maja, Kris, Miha and Maks, were all happily rolling around the house during lockdowns and having a pretty nice time. PHOTO: Jože Suhadolnik/Delo

Just as I was looking at the names on the doorbells and considering calling Gušti about whether I was even at the right address in Bežigrad, the last of the five family members, Kris, came hurrying home. Actually, there are six family members, alongside Chantal and Gušti and their kids Kris, Maks and Maja, there is also Apple the dog, who greeted me with loud barking. Dogs remain with their parents even when the kids start to leave the nest, we agreed as we sat down at a big wooden table.

For musician Gušti and Chantal Van Mourik from the Netherlands, everything started with a teenage seaside romance. After that, nothing happened for ten years, but when Gušti wrote Big Foot Mama's big hit Črni tulipan, he could not imagine anyone other than his teenage love in the music video. He invited her to the filming, she came, and the rest is history. Three decades and three children later, their first-born Kris is following his dad's footsteps as the guitarist of Joker Out, the most popular band among the Slovenian youth right now.

We all know Miha 'Gušti' Guštin as Big Foot Mama's guitarist and the writer of their biggest hits. 20 years ago, he went his own way, musically, and recorded his first solo album Dolce Vita, where his successful collaboration with Polona Kasal³ started. He also did a memorable duet with Zagreb resident Ema Gagro, but let's start at the end.

If not for the good song, then for the laughter…

Next Saturday, we'll see something completely new at EMA, as he has joined forces with young singer Leyre⁴. How did they find each other? "People have been hinting that I should sign up for EMA for years and years and I never did, but this time I told myself that I would sign up if I found a truly good vocalist.

Producer Žare and I started looking, and through Dušan Obradinovič - Obre, drummer of the band Dan D, we got to Leyre. Leyre is Spanish by birth, she came to Slovenia when she was two years old. She's from Novo mesto, she is 19 years old and studies in Ljubljana. It's a one-time musical collaboration, just for EMA, so that I can finally have an answer for everyone who has been asking me for years: 'Why don't you sign up once?'" explains Gušti.

His family, especially Chantal and Kris, were initially pretty sceptical about this endeavour. Because it's a circus, because it's always said to be "rigged"?

"No, not because it's rigged, but because I thought that dad had slight misconceptions about what you can achieve with a song at EMA. My reservation was that if you go to EMA with a bad song, it falls through, no one remembers it, and it all doesn't seem worth the effort to me. Of all the songs that have been on EMA, 95 percent have sunk into oblivion, and I didn't want something like that to happen to dad.

Once we talked things through, however, and especially once I heard the song, I supported him, just like mum did. If you go to EMA, you have to win, otherwise it all passes you by, that's my opinion," says Kris.

Is Eurovision as much of a circus in the Netherlands as it is here? "It used to be, but now it's not like that anymore. For the past few years, they haven't even had a pre-selection. There's a committee that picks the performer who then represents the country at Eurovision. As for Miha, I think it's great that he signed up. The song is fantastic and the singer is truly exceptional.

On the other hand, I find it all amusing. I know Miha, and Miha is not about make-up and image, but with EMA all of that matters, the sound and the look are a package and it's absolutely not just about the song. That part, the fact that Miha is going to clothes fittings, is greatly amusing to everyone in the family," Chantal laughs.

Next Saturday, they will all keep their fingers crossed for Gušti and Leyre at EMA. Photo: Jože Suhadolnik/Delo

So did Gušti have a particularly shiny tuxedo made for EMA? "The styling will absolutely be appropriate for the event. I turned to a stylist, we just ordered everything, but I will wear a nice, elegant suit, which will still be rock chic."

The youngest members of the family, Maks and Maja, are smirking as their dad talks about rock chic. How interested is their generation in EMA anyway? "I don't know, I never asked my friends about it," is the concise answer of the youngest, seventh grader Maja, who is great at artistic gymnastics, as well as being the most artistically talented in the family.

"To be honest, I don't watch it and I'm not very interested in these things, but I will definitely watch it when dad performs, if not for the good song, then for the laughter," Maks' honesty makes everyone present laugh loudly.

History is repeating itself

Kris, who just graduated in chemical engineering, was not too enthusiastic about Big Foot Mama or Gušti's later solo projects at first.

"Everything changed when I got involved in music myself, when the summer before my first year of high school, I took up the guitar. At ten or twelve years old, I listened to what was playing on the radio, and that wasn't like the music that dad was making, so his music didn't interest me. In time, when I started discovering more complex music, rock, I started to enjoy his stuff.

My friends, who I'm still in a band with, introduced me to Big Foot Mama's music and tried to convince me that Črni tulipan was a totally awesome song. Then, for a while, I was like 'Oh, awesome, dad!' At first I didn't even care that he had been with the Big Foots, then I couldn't believe that he had left the band, it seemed horrible to me, but now I completely understand why he did it, and I really like what he's done since leaving," he tells us.

Chantal used to watch fans screaming in front of Big Foot Mama's stage, now she can relive those scenes at her son's concerts. "The screaming never bothered me, I always thought it was fun and interesting to watch. Nowadays, Miha and I often talk about how we're experiencing the same moments from another perspective.

Where Miha used to stand on stage, Kris now stands, where I used to stand in front of the stage as his girlfriend, we now stand together, but everything else is the same - the music, people screaming, girls going crazy, all that. I think that's great and I couldn't be more proud of Kris, of his band, and of course also of Miha and everything they achieved back then. We do sometimes truly feel like history is repeating itself, though."

However, some things did change from the time Gušti was starting out in music to today. Social media arrived, and these days, if you're not on it - you don't exist. "My kids and wife help me with social media, I'm not very good at it. Before they help me out, they always explain how clueless I am and that I should engage with it more and get with the times.

I'm not interested in these things, I can't find my footing in this world, but I know that it has to exist. I have Instagram, Facebook, and after they get done criticising me, everyone helps me out," says Gušti, while Chantal adds: "We have to help him to prevent something worse."

Apple the dog will also keep her paws crossed for Gušti at EMA next Saturday. Photo: Jože Suhadolnik/Delo

Joker Out take care of the social media themselves; "we have the natural advantage of having grown up with this, and it is unfortunately an integral part of the music scene today. We couldn't achieve much without Instagram. Well, after Facebook, Instagram is also almost 'out' now, so we have to start thinking about TikTok, which seems horrible to me," Kris tells us.⁵

His younger brother Maks is also part of Joker Out's story as a roadie. "It started with me helping the roadie, bringing water, putting away the cables and so on. Of course they didn't pay me, it was all in the family. Then I took over the merch, selling T-shirts and other things, which is pretty fun, it's a lot of work, but it pays off," he tells us, while Kris laughs, adding sarcastically: "Well, it doesn't pay off for him, because we still don't pay him."

Joker Out released an album (Umazane misli) recently, while Gušti says about his new one: "To me, having released quite a few albums already, the most important thing is that there is music. And there is music, I release a single or two every year, and once there's enough of them, there will also be an album. When that will happen, I don't know. Since I've never sung, I'm still figuring out the best direction for my vocals.

To put it bluntly…

Even before the pandemic, which devastated our music industry as well, Gušti and Siddharta's singer Tomi Meglič already found a recipe for these weird times, a cycle of 1on1 concerts: "During the Covid times, Tomi and I had 30 gigs, which was probably by far the most among all Slovenian performers. Seated, distanced gigs were possible. They were very well-attended before Covid already, and then it just kept going.

To put it bluntly, we were lucky bastards. It was just a pity that we couldn't put as many seats up for sale as usual and the pay reflected that, but at least we could play." I already joked with Tomi in a recent Nedelo interview that the format suits Siddharta's and Gušti's aging audience, who - judging by myself - finds it harder and harder to stand for two hours and longer. Gušti laughs: "It's true that it's mostly people our age who come, faithful fans of Siddharta and Big Foot Mama, there aren't many young people."

Putting together the repertoire gave them a lot of trouble, because together - they have too many hits. "At the beginning, the format was 14 songs with an encore, seven of his, seven of mine, which we immediately filled up. I chose his hits, he chose mine. The problems are arising now when we should freshen it up, but we don't want to lose any of the songs." At the end of March, the 31st, Gušti is also planning a solo concert in SiTi Theatre with a new team. "I will do a half unplugged, half electric version, and I will keep that up afterwards."

Unlike Gušti, the Jokers were hit by the crisis at the start of their musical journey. "At first, we planned to release the album on the 1st of April 2020, with a concert in Cvetličarna following on the 9th of April. A month before, everything closed down and fell apart. We rescheduled everything for May, then for October, and finally for next October. We also rescheduled the album release. Firstly because we weren't completely happy with it yet, and we also didn't see the point in releasing it, only us not to be seen anywhere for a year and a half.

Then people would come to a concert and wonder where anything new was, because they would already know everything. In a way, we were happy to delay everything. That way, a lot of the pressure was released, or stretched out over a longer period of time.

Covid seemed very inconvenient at first, we felt like we fell off the horse, but when we look back, it was a very productive time for us. We made some radical changes, in the music, in the line-up and in our way of thinking, and it shows. The tension was mounting before the concerts in Cvetličarna⁶ and that's why they were much more cathartic in the end," says Kris.

They have just renovated their rehearsal space and started working on the new album, which they have promised for September. That is also when they're planning a big concert in Križanke, before that they have summer concerts, including some outside of our borders. "We will try to get a gig in Serbia, and we will also release a song in Serbian."

The damage that was done to the music industry is huge, despite some bright exceptions. "The consequences will drag on for years. A huge part of the industry fell apart, and many found work elsewhere. Not musicians, not the people we see on stage, but the people in the background, as well as those who worked for publishers, in the distribution chain..." Chantal reflects.

A nomad in the house

Because of the uncertain situation, she hasn't visited her homeland for two years. "Maja and I are hoping that we can finally travel there on the 17th of February, so we're already half in isolation. The last time we were planning to go there was in September, but then Kris got sick, and then I did too. I'm hoping and knocking on wood that we can finally do it. In the meantime, my sister visited us twice, and at one point, Transavia also cancelled the flight connection between Ljubljana and Amsterdam, and I would've sooner made it around the world than to Amsterdam."

Kris visited his Dutch relatives, as well as his girlfriend and a friend who are studying there, for one week immediately after the Cvetličarna concert. "At that time, he called home to say that there were no restrictions there and he didn't need to have a mask on at the store, meanwhile here, everything was a lot more strict. When he came back, things relaxed a lot here, while over there the restrictions got stricter," says Chantal, who hopes that travelling will soon be something regular again and they will be able to visit their relatives more.

Since Kris just mentioned his girlfriend, I ask him whether it wouldn't be better for sold-out shows if all members of the band appeared single. "I have no reservations about publicly saying that I'm in a relationship, even though other band members might say differently. Our singer Bojan would say 'Kris got dumped by his girlfriend..." at every concert before a song I wrote when I once had a broken heart, but he didn't mention that it was four years ago," he laughs.

"As young girls, we used to wish that the boys on stage were single, but now I prefer to watch guys like Miha who are in a long-term relationship, because it means that they actually know something and have something to show for themselves," Chantal concludes wisely.

Maks and Maja have not been drawn into the music world (yet). "I did kind of pick up the guitar last year, but I quickly lost interest because I have too many things going on in my life to focus only on one. I can play a few of dad's songs, and I might turn to the guitar again at some point," says Maks, and his proud mum adds: "Maks is very skillful with the computer, he edits music clips and is working with various musicians.

Of course it started with Joker Out and Gušti, but now he's also working with Challe Salle⁷, Nipke⁸, he's making various videos for Spotify and has his own business. He's our businessman. All three of them are very creative, not only in the field of music, which is interesting. Maja, for example, draws incredibly well and is constantly making art."

All three kids are artistically gifted, say the proud parents. Photo: Jože Suhadolnik/Delo

They handled home schooling successfully, and as the family businessman and second year high school student Maks says, "I've found that being at home is better for me. The trip from home to school and back is time-consuming. If I'm at home, I have a lot more time left that I can use for myself."

Kris finished practically half of his studies remotely: "For the first year and a half, I was at the faculty and saw 250 students in one place in large halls, which was fascinating to me. With each new year I progressed to, there were fewer of us, and at the end there were about 40 of us left. Lockdown came at the right time for me.

All the lectures were recorded and I didn't have to get up early, I didn't have to take the bus at half past six in the morning, I could sleep in as long as I wanted and then watch the lectures. Because the professors speak slowly, I could set the speed to 1.5 and I wasn't losing time."

"I think we're all well-adapted to remote work," says Chantal, who is a veteran of it, "I've been working remotely for five years for the international school SAE, School of Audio Engineering, which used to be in Ljubljana as well, but shut down in 2016. Now I work for them in the international space. During lockdown, we were all happily rolling around the house and we were having a pretty nice time.

The happiest one, however, was Apple, who had company all the time." Gušti smiles: "I'm the only one in the house who doesn't have his own room, except for our bedroom. Whenever I needed peace to create, I retreated there, or I waited for example for Maja to go to her gymnastics practice so I could go to her room, or for Kris to not be home so I could go there. I'm the only nomad in the house."

When I last spoke to Chantal and Miha about ten years ago, we also talked about their filmesque love story which, with three small children, wasn't always easy. "I often got home at five in the morning, hyped up, with a good concert behind me, and Chantal placed a baby who hadn't slept all night in my arms. I was searching for that line, how to satisfy my rock'n'roll side on the one hand, and be a good husband and father on the other. I didn't always succeed, but I'm trying," says Gušti, who now sees his first-born backstage at concerts too.

Chantal, who speaks Dutch to her family as well as to Apple at home, has not grown fond of Slovenian cuisine even after 23 years: "I'm sorry, but that is really not for me, cabbage, sausages, blood sausages, dumplings… Luckily I now have kids who, apart from Kris, support me in this. Slovenia is developing though, and you can also get more and more Asian food here, which we really like and used to eat every other day back home, since my dad is originally from Indonesia." She says that Slovenians are very close-minded in some respects: "The attitude towards anything foreign is still pretty problematic here."

Maks adds the finishing touch: "If Slovenia was as developed socially as the Netherlands is, it could make a lot of progress as a country. I'm talking about the relationship between different cultures, who work together in the Netherlands, like water that always finds a way, while here, they are very separated."

¹EMA is the Slovenian national selection for Eurovision

²Bežigrad is a neighbourhood in Ljubljana

³Polona Kasal is a Slovenian singer; her and Gušti performed as a duo called "Gušti & Polona" for a few years

⁴You can watch Gušti and Leyre's performance at EMA 2022 here.

⁵Joker Out have, in fact, had to start thinking about TikTok since then. As you probably know, you can find them on TikTok here.

⁶You can watch the Cvetličarna concert with English subtitles here on our YouTube channel.

⁷Challe Salle, real name Saša Petrović, is a popular Slovenian hip hop singer, known for being very focused on being a good role model for his younger fans. One of his big hits was Lagano.

⁸Nipke, real name Boštjan Nipić, is a popular Slovenian rap/hip hop singer. He's part of the Dravle Records publishing company and collaborated with Bojan in the song Jst mam sam sebe rd.

If you repost quotes from the interview, please link back to this post! And if you repost the photos, do not crop out the photographer credit.

[flyinghome-againstthewind]

Writing Patterns

Rules: Share the first line of your last ten published works or as many as you are able and see if there are any patterns!

Tagged by dearest @theawkwardterrier 💜💜💜

He had the car drop him off at the end of the lane rather than Lallybroch’s doorstep. Beside the Seaside

Brianna was coming down with a cold. Soften Every Edge

“Mam? Mama?” Where the Love-light Gleams

“Ready to dip your toes in the water, little bug?” When My Love Reaches to Me

Her consciousness surfaced slowly and, like waking from a bad dream, her body reacted before her mind could catch up. the best by far is you

For every year that Jamie Fraser could remember, the Christmas season was ushered in with a Fraser family trudge out to the woods to chop down their Christmas tree. The Lost Ones

Claire turned restlessly in bed, stuck between sleep and wakefulness, never quite fully reaching one state or the other. Up All Night

“I want Christmas,” she told him one day. Holly, Ivy, Mistletoe

Well I may be prone to ending my fics on a line of dialogue, but not so much with starting them! 😅

No-pressure tagging @frasers-of-my-heart @forgetmenotsassenach17 @philtstone and anyone else who wants to play!