#the bus driver was driving SO SLOW and he kept taking breaks and i literally was going to cry on the bus because i was scared of missing my

[luvrodite]

you guys. you will not believe the day i’ve had and it isn’t even mid afternoon

[kuroosmikasavolleyball]

Rewind

summary: you never believed in true love because during your long, 19 years of life, you’ve only ever experienced it through books and movies. But at a Valentine’s Day party in your second year of college, you come across a familiar face who just so happens to be single..and you’ve had the hots for him before. will you finally find love amongst the Cupid chaos?

genre: college au, fluff

warnings: cursing, this chapter is a flashback

pairing: iwaizumi x f!reader

word count: 1.2k

a/n: this took long cause I’m on vacation but I hope you enjoy! I literally forgot to mention this is a flashback but..um yeah.

taglist closed!

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It was funny watching Kuroo try to peer through Kenma’s blonde hair to see what video game he was playing on the bus. You shifted, comfortable in your three-seater that you got all to yourself because the boys had crowded the back.

“What are you chuckling for?” Kuroo asked and you simply shook your head at the guy with the bed head.

Cigarettes After Sex played in your earbuds as the bus rocked from bumps in the road. Kuroo had asked you to come to a volleyball camp that they had to drive longer for, since it included more schools. You and your two friends, Emi and Chiyo, weren’t managers but the teams needed help during camp and you volunteered after hearing about it from Kuroo. They were coming by car since they had to take an exam.

The bus slowed down after a 2-hour drive, bus driver chuckling at the team cheering. You all made a beeline to get off. “Oh god, my butt hurts.” Kuroo dramatically stretched, and Yamamoto smacked his ass. “Ok grandpa.” Even Kenma snickered.

The school was crowded with sweaty, sleepy, and complaining boys, but you quickly found the friends you’ve made during other volleyball meets.

“So how’s Kuroo..?” The Seijoh manager, Tomoe, perked up.

“Why are you asking about..oh god. What does everyone see in that rooster?” Multiple girls around the circle you had formed chuckled and blushed.

Tomoe continued, “By the way, Y/N, I have a favor to ask; I have to run to the kitchens, and two of our players are still outside. I told Iwaizumi to go stop Oikawa from flirting with the managers outside and bring him, but they’re not back yet. Can you go find them and call them back please?”

You nodded and took off, groaning from the heat as you walked out the main door. You saw multiple teams, but two people in light turquoise shirts stood out. You watched as one threw a volleyball to the back of the head of the other player.

“Hey break it up- oh.”

You almost yelled before realizing they were play-fighting and were actually friends. They wore the same colored shirt as Tomoe and you recognized one of the boys as Oikawa Tooru.

The boy who threw the ball turned around as you approached, following Oikawa’s gaze.

“Hey, can you two go inside please? Tomoe was calling you in and we need all the players situated.”

“Come on Iwa-chan!” Tooru started marching to the main entrance, and the other guy stayed behind.

“Sorry, I tried to get him to come inside. He kept making excuses, but that’s just him. Thanks for coming out here.”

You were shocked at his kindness and stared at the back of his head when he walked away before walking inside yourself.

You spent the rest of the day helping out; making lunch, providing water bottles, handing out towels, etc. You felt particularly bad for one team that kept losing and had to do the punishment multiple times. Emi and Chiyo arrived and you got them used to the order of things.

After dinner, you were about to head to the shared managers’ room when Oikawa came up to you.

“Hey, Y/N right? You were the manager that brought us inside during the day?”

You nodded and he kept talking. “I heard you have some experience with volleyball. Iwa-chan is still at the courts because he wanted to practice spikes, but I’m just too sore today.”

You could tell he was being dramatic but urged him to continue.

“Well, could you go there and help him with spiking? You just have to set to him. Ok thanks, bye!”

Oikawa rushed off, his chocolate hair ruffling behind him.

You took off hesitantly towards the courts, finding the Seijoh ace trying to solo spike.

“Hey, Iwaizumi? Um..Oikawa sent me to help you practice. He said he was tired and you needed a setter. I have some experience but I’m not as great.”

His eyes sparked confusion, then surprise, then annoyance.

“Shittykawa just loves to not have any responsibilities. It’s alright, you can go to bed. I know you’ve had a tiring day too.”

You considered turning around and leaving, but something made you stay.

“It’s fine, really. Unless you don’t want me to help-“ he aggressively shakes his head “-oh ok. Um…just toss to me and I’ll set it.”

Besides barely knowing each other and getting used to an unfamiliar set, you were happy that you were there. It gave Iwaizumi more practice and you got to know him. You both talk through the whole practice and you didn’t know why, but he was just so easy and comfortable to speak to.

Before you knew it, the time on your phone was 1:30 am and you both bolted out the door. You said your goodbyes and tiptoed into your respective rooms.

How did so much time pass? You thought as you settled in bed.

The next morning went so well that you didn’t think it was real. On one hand, you had Kuroo to talk to while his team was on break and you had boring jobs. But on the other, you also had Iwaizumi, who kept you smiling and distracted enough that you didn’t see Oikawa smirking at the sight of you two together.

On the third day, you, Emi, and Chiyo went for a walk during lunch.

“So does this mean you already made a friend here? With a hot guy?” Chiyo spoke after you updated the two girls on what happened last night.

“I mean he is hot..but he’s also really sweet. I was kind of scared earlier because he looked mad? But it turns out he was just annoyed at Oikawa.” You subconsciously smiled.

“Ooh someone’s in love~” You pushed Emi playfully for the comment. But before you could protest, you heard a voice.

“Hey Y/N! Wait up!” You turned to see Seijoh’s captain running to catch up to you.

“What’s up?”

“Do you think you could help me again tonight? With spikes?”

When you agreed, he thanked you a million times before running back inside.

“I don’t think someone with only platonic feelings for you would do what he just did.”

“Shut up, we’ve only known each other for 2 days.”

Four days had past and you became closer with Iwaizumi and Seijoh’s team in general.

You finished up lunch before going to help the other managers set up food for the teams. It was the last day of camp and the coaches had planned a barbecue.

You saw the boys being anything but serious; rolling around, eating watermelons way too quickly, and fighting over meat.

The coaches and helpers went to set up for buses after the well-deserved feast and the teams said their goodbyes. You bowed to the coaches and managers before heading towards the Nekoma bus. You went through the gyms one last time, waving to the friends you’ve made at Seijoh and other teams.

“Hey, uh..Iwaizumi. This was really fun. Can I ask for-“ “-Y/N THE BUS IS LEAVING!” Kuroo’s yell cut through your conversation and you cursed in a whisper.

“Sorry, I have to go. I’ll see you sometime!”

You quickly ran and got on the bus, out of breath as your friends snickered at you.

“Shoot, I forgot to ask for his number!”

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taglist: @xybi @kwiwin @perqabeth @bakugouswh0r3 @silver-liner @mzstics @magpiemissy @lilith412426

[unfortunate-stranger-losers]

All Those Things They Couldn’t Say - A Runaway Baudelaires AU

{ao3} {tumblr} {masterlist}

Chapter Thirty-Three - We begin the hunt for the Bastard

“Esmé will have alerted Olaf to where we are by now, so the city’s not safe.” Violet said. 

They still sat on the dusty floor of the nursery, but this time they were all at full attention. They’d slept in the old master bedroom, taking turns keeping watch and spreading themselves out on the bed, Sunny curled up on a pillow and unaware that she was not to be awoken for a watch. Now, though, it was time to plan, and as Violet had wandered her way back to the nursery, almost in a trance whenever the music box was played, they’d decided to figure everything out there. 

“Klaus, map me.” Violet said. 

Klaus reached into his bag, handing out a map of the city they’d managed to grab upon entering the other day. He spread it out, and as Violet dropped coins onto the sides to weigh it down, he started charting the surrounding area. 

“If we’re going to find Olaf and not get caught,” Klaus said, “We need to figure out where he’s going to be, beat him there, and then kill him before he can kill us.” 

“Sounds good.” Isadora nodded. 

“Lousy Lane is here,” he said, “But Olaf won’t think we’d go back there, and VFD could be swarming the place.” 

“Could we get VFD’s help?” Duncan asked. “I know they suck, but they seem to hate Olaf, too. Maybe we could make a temporary alliance.” 

“You’re forgetting, dear Duncan,” Violet said, “That they don’t know we exist, they hate our parents, and you two are definitely targets for them. Any association with them will not end well.” 

“I guess.” Duncan said, considering. 

“But,” Klaus said carefully, staring at the corner of the map, “Duncan may have just given me an idea.” 

“What?” 

“How about he head this way?” 

He then pointed to a spot, several miles outside the city, literally marked VFD. 

“Seriously, Klaus?”  Violet asked. 

“They have their headquarters on a fucking map?” Isadora asked. 

“It’s probably not a headquarters,” Violet sighed, “But an outpost of some kind. They’re idiotic, but not that obvious.” 

“But,” Klaus said, “There are no surrounding towns. Looks like an isolated spot. So anything that happens there- well, we can be sure Olaf can’t run and hide.” 

“Neither could we.” 

“Which is why we get there first.” 

“Lure him there.” Isadora suggested. “Make sure he knows where we’re going and get there first. Then set a trap.” 

“And boom! He’s a dead son of a bitch.” Duncan said. 

“And likely he’ll bring our parents with him.” Klaus said. “Once they’re out, they can take care of you two.” 

“Could be risky.” Violet said. 

“Losi,” Sunny said, which meant, “And where’s the fun if there is no risk?” 

“This isn’t fun, Sunny,” Klaus said, “We have to go rescue our parents and kill Count Olaf.” 

“Yeye.” Sunny nodded. “Exactly; sounds like a blast.” 

“Listen to Sunny, Klaus,” Violet said, “Manhunts are fun. And oh…” she shook her head and smiled, “Will it be satisfying to stab that bastard.” 

“Kill!” Sunny agreed cheerily. 

“So, how do we make sure he follows us?” Isadora asked. 

“Easy. We go out in the fucking open, and he’ll spot us. He always seems to.” 

“So we just… don’t make an effort?” 

“Hell, we’ll find a bus station near Dark Avenue. Get to the city that way.” Violet said. “But make sure he doesn’t catch up to us until we’re on the bus. Everyone have your weapons?” 

Duncan and Isadora nodded, putting a hand on their knives. Sunny bit her finger, smiling and nodding as well. 

“Yeah, Sunny, you are staying the Sunnybag.” Violet ordered, and Sunny flipped her off. “Klaus, you stick with her. Quagmires, hand on one of us at all times unless we have to fight. We move off now.” 

They nodded, and stood up. Violet, though she just told everyone to leave, stopped a moment, looking back at the nursery. Then, slowly, she lifted the music box, and slid it into her bag. 

Nobody else said anything. 

When they left the house, the Baudelaires walked backwards for a bit, so they could look up at the mansion. It was still standing, and the outside didn’t quite look as rough as the inside. 

It might’ve been a nice place to live. 

“The bus station’s this way.” Duncan said, glancing at the map. He wasn’t quite as good as Quigley would’ve been, but he could figure out where the bus was from their position. 

“We haven’t been spotted yet.” Klaus said. 

“It’s no loss if we’re not. Just means it’ll take longer for him to catch up.” Violet whispered. “That’s fi- and boom goes the dynamite.” 

“What?” 

Violet gestured with her head, and Klaus looked over to see, in a doorway of a post office, that Henchperson of Indeterminate Gender, a confused look on their face, was staring right at them. 

“We run in five.” Violet said calmly, as she reached out and grabbed Duncan’s hand. “One, two…” 

The Henchperson slowly stepped out of the doorway, and Klaus said, “Five.” 

He grabbed onto Isadora, and the Baudelaires took off running, dragging their friends behind them as they rounded the bend. “Keep going, he needs to think we’re afraid or he’ll get suspicious.” Violet muttered as Duncan let out a startled noise, and Sunny helpfully let out a cry, just so the Henchperson knew which direction they were going in. They seemed to be a slow runner, so Violet even paused a second after rounding the second bend, just to make sure the Henchperson saw them enter the bus station. 

She raced up to the ticket counter, passed Duncan’s hand to Klaus’s, and reached into her pocket, slamming as much money as she could grab in front of the woman. “Five tickets to VFD, four children and one baby.” 

“Nota!” Sunny called. 

“Sorry, four children and one toddler. She’s been getting better at walking.” 

The ticket person glanced at the money, at a chart on the side and said, “You’re just in time, that bus is about to leave.” 

“Yeah, we hoped so.” Violet said. She pushed the money at the ticket salesperson and said, “Keep all the change and if someone comes by asking for us, tell them which bus we went on, but give them the wrong directions to the bus station.” 

The salesperson opened their mouth to question, looked down at the handful of cash, and then shrugged and nodded, handing over the tickets. “Station thirteen.” 

Violet directed Klaus to follow her and ran towards their station. Klaus trailed quickly behind her, Sunny still on his chest and with one hand gripping to each Quagmire. Isadora and Duncan kept their heads down, clinging to Klaus and trying not to be noticed by the crowd moving to and fro buses, muttering or laughing to themselves and not noticing the panicked, dirty group of children rushing for station thirteen. 

They reached the bus just after the last man in line boarded, and Violet raced in, throwing her tickets at the driver, waving at him, and then turning around, eyes darting between seats. She finally dragged her group over to the back seat, large enough for them all to squeeze into, and they settled down, breathing hard, shoving their bags off and glancing to each other to make sure they’d all made it.

Isadora was nearest to the window when the bus finally left the station, and she peered out, whispering, “Yeah, that Henchperson’s heading this way. Won’t make it in time, but they’ll know which bus we took.” 

“Good.” Violet says. “Gives us quite a bit of time, especially since they seem to be alone. Must be a scout ahead.” 

Isadora sighed and turned back, kicking her legs as Duncan leaned onto Klaus’s shoulder. Klaus jumped, and Duncan, not even noticing, muttered, “I’m going back to sleep. Wake me up when we get there.” 

“Srac,” Sunny said, which meant something like, “It might be a long drive.” 

“Good. Long nap.” Duncan said. He yawned, grabbing Klaus’s arm and curling up some more. 

Isadora smiled, and said, “What, Duncan, we’re not going to do the song?” 

Violet took a quick break from watching the roads pass by out the bus window to turn in confusion. “The what?” 

“We- when we were on long car trips, we’d do a song.” Isadora giggled. “Cause Quigley used to be scared of long car rides and Mother wanted him to stop crying all the damn time so we made a game of it…” 

She fell silent, staring down at her hands, and Violet shared a quick look with her siblings. Singing on a crowded bus would draw attention to them, and they already had Olaf’s attention, they didn’t need anyone else’s. It would probably be a bad idea. 

Klaus shrugged, and Sunny giggled, and Violet smiled over at Isadora. “How does it go?” 

“What?” 

“The song. How’s it go?” 

Isadora’s face lit up, and Duncan sat up a little, rubbing his eyes and smiling. She kicked her legs a little, and then sang, “Twas brillig, and the slithy toves, did gyre and gimble in the wabe!” 

Duncan smiled and sang the next line softly. “All mimsy were the borogoves, and the mome raths outgrabe.” 

“Beware the Jabberwock, my son! The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!” 

“Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun the frumious Bandersnatch…” 

When the bus stopped, and the driver called for departers at VFD, Violet looked out the window in confusion, signalled to the others to stay put, and then wandered down the aisle, over to the driver. 

“Where is it?” she asked. “This is just empty space.” 

“It’s over there.” the driver pointed out the window, and Violet squinted, seeing what looked like a dot on the horizon. “I don’t go any closer. That Council of Elders freaks me out.” 

Violet didn’t remember shit about a ‘Council of Elders’ in VFD, so she assumed that meant either this VFD was coincidentally named, or some weird shit had gone down in the cult since her parents left. She sighed, reached into her bag, and pulled out another fistful of cash. 

“You drop us off closer and then abandon us and you get this as a tip.” 

He considered, then shrugged. “So long as I don’t get burned at the stake.” 

“Won’t happen.” Violet assured him, shoved the money into his hands, and then walked back to the backseat. 

She glanced over the group; Duncan had fallen asleep on Klaus’s shoulder, and Klaus had fallen asleep on Isadora’s, while she stared out the window and bounced a snoring Sunny on her knee. She sat back as the bus started again, and said, “We’re almost there. We should wake them up.” 

Isadora nodded, and then absent-mindedly fixed Sunny’s ponytail. “What do we do when we get there?” 

“We find an abandoned building, wait for Olaf to come, and kill him.” Violet said simply. “Once Olaf is dead, we’ll either interrogate the troupe or search the town to find where he stashed our parents. We have weapons, we can set traps-” 

“What if he escapes?” 

“That’s a possibility, not gonna lie. We can also find an escape vehicle in case we have to retreat. We won’t split up, so that he can’t corner any of us. Sunny’s getting a bit big for her bag, but we can either extend the straps or make sure someone’s holding her at all times.” 

“What if he captures someone?” Isadora turned to Violet, pleading with her eyes. “What if he gets Duncan? I won’t let him take my brother away.” 

Violet took a deep breath, and took Isadora’s hand. 

“That won’t happen.” she promised. “If he takes someone, it’s kill on sight.” 

“Promise?” 

“Promise.” Violet said. “Keep your knife on you at all times.” 

Isadora nodded, and then moved to wake up Klaus. 

[nomnomsik]

To Catch a Dream - (3)

Summary:  It’s difficult for Yoongi, who’s completely infatuated with you, to quietly remain your college friend. With a slow appearance of unusual tendencies in him, he realizes what he needs to do to attain his dream. However, jealousy and possession are universal in everyone.

A/N: I hope you enjoy Chapter 3. We love character development. Unedited! Trigger warnings: yandere themes, slight violence, others TBD. Please do not read if you are sensitive to these topics. 

“Any plans for Christmas break?” you asked, as your feet crunched the winter snow.

Yoongi looked up from his puffy winter coat, his ears sticking out with a tint of red. As he exhaled, his breath floated into the cold air.

“Not really. Probably have to go back home. They're kicking us out of the dorms. You?”

You stared up at the grey sky, as the two of you walked on the unshoveled pavement to the dorms to pack up.

“Yeah, me too probably.”

Yoongi let out a sigh. You smiled sympathetically at him, patting him on the shoulder.

“I really don’t want to go back…” He sulked, his hands shoving into his pockets.

“Are they still mad at you?” You questioned, remembering how his parents had practically disowned him for his college major. You knew Yoongi put up a hard exterior but you always noticed when his eyes flickered with doubt or uncertainty as if he was constantly worried he was making a mistake.

Yoongi just hummed, not confirming or denying. Something told you in your gut to do something. You really wanted to. Should you?

“Hey, Yoongi…” you muttered. He looked over, his eyes meeting yours. “Do you… I dunno. Wanna crash at my place?” His eyes widened, You saw a spark somewhere in the way his face lit up.

“Really? I-I mean… Are you sure? Is that okay?” He grabbed onto both of your sides, firmly planting you in place.

“Uh-” you looked over awkwardly. “I mean, probably? I wouldn’t see my parents having any problems with it. They’ve known you for a long time after all.”

There was silence for a long time as if he wasn’t sure this was reality.

“I’d appreciate it, y/n.” He gave you a small smile, his gums peaking out despite the cold wind. Yoongi’s mind couldn’t stop thinking about all the things the two of you would do together. He’d be with you the whole time. He’d see you every day. Talk to you every day. Maybe, he’d get closer to you. Maybe, he’d be able to build some sort of deeper connection as well. He wanted to just jump and skip everywhere. To throw his body into a small wiggle to release all his excited energy. His winter break would be so unpredictable. He wished he could just break into a run and shout to the top of his lungs.

You brought your phone to your ear after clicking your mother’s number on speed dial. To be honest, your dad would be less inclined to let you bring Yoongi over. When your mother picked up, you asked, knowing fully well that she understood Yoongi’s situation beforehand. Everyone in your neighborhood knew by now. It didn’t take much to spread the news. Gossipers where everywhere, yourself included.

Your mother only gave you one condition, nobody must know that he was taken in by your family for the break. She did not want to be hated by the infamous Min family. She kept going on and on how they’d ruin her reputation if they were painted as irresponsible parents for not taking care of their child. Real world problems.

After the lengthy call that really didn’t need to be that long, you met Yoongi in his dorm room. He let you in, a small smile firmly permanently plastered on his face. You saw the little skip in his strides and the intensity of his happiness.

“She said yes, in case you were wondering.” You bluntly stated. Yoongi looked up from his large duffle bag that had clothes dumped in.

“I expected that. She probably mentioned my parents too, right?” He looked back at his closet, taking his shirts off their hangers.

“Yeah, she did, something small. Not wanting your family to know she’d taken you in during the break.”

You sat down on Yoongi’s mattress, feeling the mattress dip. You grabbed the blanket that was sprawled on his pillow, covering your lap. “Yoongi, your closet is literally all black…”

“What about it? It’s my clothes.” He gave you a questioning look, one eyebrow raised.

“Of course you’d say that.” you rolled your eyes. Yoongi zipped up the bag, standing up and brushing the specs of dust off his legs.

“No really. Why does it matter? I’m wearing them!” He complained, pushing your shoulder playfully. “Joking, c’mon let’s go. You need to pack your stuff too.”

“Yeah yeah…” You pouted, reluctant to leave the softness of the cushions. Yoongi grabbed his bag, making his way to the door. You followed him, grabbing your backpack off the ground.

Before Yoongi could open the door, Jimin burst through, his hair disheveled and his face an absolute drunken mess. There were little red marks littered over his skin, the collar of his shirt hanging low.

“Jimin, Jesus Christ, it’s only the fucking afternoon. Are you kidding me?” Yoongi shouted, a heavy sigh leaving his lips. He took a quick glance at you, observing your shocked expression and the way your mouth hung agape. Following Jimin, his hand held onto another woman’s, leading her in. Yoongi just stared, obviously not fazed by the events taking place.

Wait wait wait, hold on. Does this normally happen?

JImin paid the two of you no mind, clearly busy. “Whatever, just get out, unless you’re into watching me or something.” You cringed, squeezing your eyes shut and ushering Yoongi to move so you two could get out, immediately, NOW.

With a shut of the door, you let out the breath you didn’t know you were holding.

“Whoah…” you let out. “That was intense…?” Yoongi frowned, disturbed at letting you see Jimin like that. But in a way, he was happy. You saw what he was like and he didn’t have to do anything.

When you finally reached your door, you pushed in the code on the keypad to your room, letting Yoongi in. As you threw your clothes into your bag, your mind couldn’t help but wonder.

Was that his girlfriend? Did he have a girlfriend? Is he usually like that? He seemed so different than what I thought.

But you felt your heart sink. You really didn’t think Jimin was like that. He seemed like a stylish guy with a decent style of living. Not that you thought any less of him of drinking alcohol or his other shenanigans, but his slight irresponsibility didn’t rub you the right way. You shook your head, focusing on your task. With a final check around the room, you nodded and shut the door.

As you and Yoongi waited for the bus to arrive at the stop, the sun was slowing descending downward, sending warm rays of orange around you. The other students waiting at the same stop stared at the shared sight. The temperature had dropped, but you stared warmly at the beautiful sight before you. Yoongi silently admired the natural occurrence of sunset, enjoying the wash of golden hour. A high, cold wind blew past, causing a slight shudder and the clatter of your teeth. Feeling a tap on your shoulder, you were greeted with an outstretched hand, Yoongi looking the other way.

You giggled, interlocking fingers and humming as the bus pulled up.

Ah, nice and warm.

Yoongi went in first, letting the driver scan his bus pass. You, on the other hand, had to resort to your wallet.

“That’s $2.50, please.” You nodded, quickly handing two single-dollar bills and digging into your wallet to find two quarters. Yoongi looked back at you, concerned evident in his expression. He knew you and what you always feared. Like he expected, you felt a sudden urgency to let the people behind you through. You apologized profusely to the people behind you, still digging for coins. A dime, two dimes, a nickel, another nickel, numerous pennies… damn, where...

Unfortunately for you, it was your unlucky day. The senior behind was not having it, shoving you to the side to get his bus pass scanned. Yoongi gawked, his mouth hung open in shock. You let out a groan as you hit the side of the dashboard. You rubbed the side of your hip, in apparent pain.  

“What the hell is your problem?” Yoongi shouted at the man, his anger increasing. The senior shoved him off to the side, having a clear height advantage. Not wanting a fight to break out, you spoke up.

“Yoongi, let it go. It’s okay.” You hurriedly went over to him, after handing the driver a quarter, two dimes, and a nickel. You patted Yoongi’s back, trying to calm him down. “I’m not hurt, I promise.”

“Absolutely not, y/n. Who the hell does that? This is why people have anxiety over these small things that they shouldn't be worrying about! It’s because of assholes like him!” He clenched his fists, glaring daggers at the senior who had taken a seat at the back of the bus.

“Yoongi… I appreciate you standing up for me, but please just drop it, alright?” you smiled awkwardly up at him, feeling his body relax at your soft touch. He looked down, muttering a small ‘ok’. The senior snickered, muttering something snarky under his breath.

I wish I could just kill him.

Yoongi blinked, a hand coming up to his mouth. Did he just…?

You sat by the window seat, staring at the white piles of snow. The bus closed its door, driving off. Yoongi fiddled with his fingers, feeling inadequate. He sat next to you, closing his eyes and drifting off into a light sleep. He couldn't protect you, he couldn't make you feel better, and he wasn't enough. In a constant vortex of thoughts, he felt powerless. He couldn’t do anything when he thought about it. What could he have done?

A sudden sadness overcame him. He clenched his teeth, remembering to stabilize his breathing. The ride back home was going to be long, but he was ready. As you looked back at Yoongi, you saw a tear slide down his cheek. You smiled sadly, wiping it away and joining hands once again for the ride back home.

Chapter 4

[aventurasdeunatortuga]

Laredo Day 10

Some moments of joy amid the chaos today.

We got over 230 people today. Somehow I was put in charge of deciding where all of them should go but I kept getting conflicting information from literally everybody and there was no one to drive people anyone and more and more and more people kept coming in and I had no room for them to sit and it was just all very stressful.

Mostly I felt bad because it was another element of stress and confusion and uncertainty for these folks just coming in that they just didn’t need any more of. There should be a regular consistent plan and procedure for people coming in by now, so just ugh

Also I was really frustrated with some of the other volunteers. A group of people from New York started yesterday and just maybe its because they’re new but like they don’t take any initiative and don’t know how to do anything and don’t ask to do anything and whenever we need them they are nowhere to be found. At one point today I was sweeping and mopping the floors, helping folks, answering questions from the call center, and fixing someone elses mistake on an intake form (that resulted in us not being able to find the person bc they left a lot of it blank) while 5 other volunteers sat on chairs with their phones, talking, or even actually reading a novel in the same room I was in trying to get all this stuff done. It felt like just me and 2 other people were trying to manage everything when there were 8 volunteers present.

Like if you’re going to be here you need to actually do stuff. I mean maybe they were off doing other stuff when I wasn’t there that I didn’t see and they were just taking a much needed break but honestly I doubt that. Like I took a break earlier in the day when things were slow but not when other people were working and overwhelmed right next to me! For me and the other volunteers that do work really hard and go home exhausted every day its really frustrating when people volunteer and then don’t do their part. Like why bother coming.

Ugh rant over

We had some really nice moments today though that made up for the not nice moments. The mother and her kid who had been here a week waiting for her tickets finally got to go home today. Our bus driver gave her a hand made crucifix from Mexico to her to thank her for all the work she had done this week helping out around the shelter and to wish her well. You can see in the corner the kids’ legs flailing in the air as he “surfed the hallway” on cardboard boxes meanwhile.

We got tons and tons of donations today which was wonderful to see. Thank you to all who donated shoes and underwear and other clothes!! I saw some people wearing some of the shoes and clothes that were donated today and they looked so happy. Little things like that really help people to feel more human again, especially after they have been treated in such an inhuman way for so long.

The last moment happened at the very end of the day as I was leaving. I was really upset with how chaotic it had been at the end of the day and how it felt like very few people were willing to help. I was walking out the door when I bumped into the very first family I had served this morning. The two kids yelled, “Megan!!!! Wait!!! Guess what?? We’re going on our bus ride now! We’re going home!!” They had actually remembered my name. The two kids and their mom gave me lots of hugs and the mom had me write my full name on the back of a band-aid so she could add me on Facebook when I got home and took my picture.

They kept saying thank you so much for everything. They were such a sweet and happy family. They really stuck out to me when I was registering them this morning because all three of them had such huge smiles on their faces. And the kids couldn’t stop telling me everything about themselves and the mom just kept on thanking us. They were such a lovely family.

Here’s to more moments like that

[girlwsoftsound]

Deal || Ross MacDonald Oneshot

Word Count: 2,599 Warnings: Smut & Fluff galore. Summary: Ross has a plan for you when you get a few minutes to yourselves on the tour bus. Author’s Note: Got a prompt for tour bus smut and Ross eating the reader out. So...I mixed the two. I think it turned out pretty fun. Hope you think so, too. Please feel free to send more requests here! Enjoy!

Tour bus shenanigans were a given.

That much, you came to know for a fact. Whenever the drive would become mundane, or Matty would grow stir crazy, or George picked up a new gadget from the city to amuse himself, some nonsense would occur. Usually, it kept the bus lively. Other times, it made catastrophe. Coming off of one of those near-catastrophes involving George almost breaking the tour bus window, the boys were taking a day off from the usual antics. It was fine by them, and incredibly fine by the bus driver and Jamie, but for you? It simply left you bored.

You were Ross’ girlfriend of more than ten months, and for most of those ten months, you were lucky enough to accompany the boys on their tours. You loved when pranks happened, because even though you loved spending time with Ross and could never grow tired of it, pranks kept things fresh. When they were not happening, you could feel the energy sucked out of the air. It dampened your mood almost every time without fail. When you walked over to Ross’ bed and found him texting, he knew exactly why the frown on your face was there. Sighing, he scooted over and brought you close to him.

“Slow day, huh?”

“I feel like throwing something at George just to make sure they’re alive,” you grumbled, and it caused Ross to laugh against you. “Today’s boring.”

Kissing you tenderly, Ross peered into your eyes. “I have an idea of how I can help maybe make it not super boring.”

You raised an eyebrow. “Oh? Are we talking pranks or shenanigans?”

Ross kissed you again, this time deeper to help you get the point. The sheer force of passion behind the kiss was enough for you to understand his words, and more. A shiver went down your spine, his eyes practically begging you to follow his plans. “I was thinking something more along the lines of some more personal shenanigans.”

With a smirk, you pushed at his chest. “Ross! As much as that would fix my problem, I think it would be pretty obvious if we started trying to shag in this little bed with all the boys literally just down the bus.”

Ross shrugged. “We could be quiet.”

“Ross.”

“Alright, I could be quiet,” teased Ross, throwing you a wink. “Look, I think we are supposed to stop off somewhere for food soon. Play it cool and say you don’t feel well, I’ll stick on board with you to ‘help’. That’ll give us at least twenty minutes. Plenty of time.”

You rolled your eyes. “And what about our food?”

“I’ll ask Adam or whoever to order some for us to go,” he said. You were still not fully convinced. Fucking on the tour bus simply sounded risky. You never did it on the bus simply for that reason. Sure, you let Ross occasionally play with you late at night if you shared your bed, but it never went further than that. There was a reason you waited for hotels. But, Ross did have a point. Twenty minutes was plenty of time, and with the bus being empty, you could be as loud as you wanted. Saying you were sick would not be hard to pull of either, given you had gotten over a cold a week and a half before. The boys listened to you and Ross then, why wouldn’t they this time?

Sighing, you kissed Ross. “Fine. But if we get caught, you’re taking the heat from Jamie, not me. I’m not going to be the butt of everyone’s jokes from here on out because you felt horny on a lazy day.”

Giddy and ignoring your words, Ross nodded. “It’s a deal.”

And so, the plan was set. Sure enough, about twenty miles later, the bus came to a stop in front of a southern cooking restaurant. The boys all eagerly stood up and got their things together so that they could go. Jamie met them towards the front. He looked them over, and frowned when he saw Ross and you were missing. The boys followed his gaze back, where Ross stumbled out of his bed frowning.

“Hey guys, can one of you order for us? I think {Y/N}’s cold is coming back.”

Following the plan, you threw in a beautifully executed fake sneeze. Ross was impressed, but stopped himself from saying something. The guys at the other end of the bus seemed just as convinced it was real as he had hoped. Jamie sighed.

“Let her know we hope she feels better,” he said softly, “and text whomever to get you your food. We should be back in about a half hour, but we can come back if you need us.”

Ross nodded. “Of course. Thanks, guys.”

Everyone sent Ross a soft smile and a few waves as they, one by one, piled out of the bus. Ross watched from the window nearest him as they all, including the bus driver, made their way into the shop. He waited until the door shut behind them to let out a cheer followed by a triumphant laugh.

“WE DID IT,” he yelled, pulling you out from his bed to kiss you smack on the lips. “You were so good! How the hell did you pull off that sneeze?”

Laughing, you shrugged. “It wasn’t that hard. Jeez Ross, I’ve never seen you so excited for sex.”

“It’s not every day I get to spend some time alone with the most beautiful girl I’ve ever met,” he let you know as he sauntered closer to you. You blushed as he began kissing up your arm, moving upwards until his lips met your neck and found their happy resting spot. They worked over you, nipping and pressing soft kisses to make you weak like they were so trained to do. You grew weak in the knees fast. You had to grip the side of the bed simply to keep from falling.

“Ross,” you gasped, pausing him in the middle of leaving what was sure to be a prominent hickey on your collarbone. “Ross, we should sit o-or lay down somewhere.”

Nodding, he looked around the bus. It was small, but Ross knew exactly where to go. He motioned for you to jump up on him, and as soon as you did and secured yourself with your legs around him, he made his way over to the stairs to the second floor. You had rarely been up there. That was where Jamie slept, and where they stored a lot of their luggage. It was uncrossed territory as far as you were concerned. It was a shock to see that, past Jamie’s bed and the usual bags, a grand bed sat behind a curtain. It spanned the entire width of the bus, and looked far softer than what you were used to. You opened your mouth to complain, but Ross quickly captured your lips to draw you silent. There was an eternity to explain to you the origin of the big bed, but you two only had about a half hour. Time was of the essence.

You were put down on the edge of the bed once Ross grew tired of carrying you. Wasting no time, he stripped down to only his underwear. You smirked at the sight and reached for him with grabby hands. It made him laugh.

“No no, you don’t get to touch yet,” he instructed with a playful wag of his finger. “You wanted to be entertained, correct?”

“You’re not going to give me a lap dance, are you?”

Ross barked out a laugh. “No! God no, I’m trying to attract you, not send you running. No, I’m going to make you feel good first. C’mere, scoot to the edge of the bed.”

Following his words, you moved forward until you were on the very edge. You sat and watched as Ross moved forward and helped you take off your blouse and bra, tossing them off to the side. After a second to admire you, he knelt down and helped you rid yourself of your jeans and underwear. Placing a kiss to your abdomen, he let out a moan that sent chills down your spine.

“God, you’re beautiful.”

Blushing, you pushed gently at his shoulder. “It’s my job.”

Ross smiled. He carefully guided you to scoot back on the bed until your head was hitting the pillows. Once there, he spread your legs so that he could settle himself between them. With a lick of his hand, he lowered it down to you to first tease your clit, and then slip a finger inside you. You gasped at how forward the movement was, but it started to feel too good for you to protest. Before long, you started to grind your hips against his finger, and later his second finger, to gain more friction and pleasure. It was in the moment that you let out a big moan after Ross managed to hit a wonderful spot within you that you felt glad you both had waited until the bus was yours and yours only. If the others heard you this loud, you wouldn’t be able to look at them for weeks.

Just as you felt yourself nearing having to cum, Ross stopped and pulled his fingers out. It made you frown, but you quickly changed your spirits when you saw what he had in mind instead. After repositioning himself, Ross’ mouth was on you. Man, did it work wonders. He had you gasping and writhing in seconds. With the addition of his beard, which you had loved seeing getting longer and more scruffy, you were losing it. The scruff mixed with his expertise was better than any drug. Ross’ tongue on your clit thrown into the mix, and you were gone. 

Gasping, moaning, bringing yourself every bit closer to Ross and his oh-so-thrilling beard as possible, you found yourself arching your back with a loud cry. His lips did not leave you, not until your breathing came slowly back to normal and he could feel your usual sign of running your fingers in his hair to stop. His lips navigated back up to yours then. You grinned into the kiss.

“How long do you think we have?”

You bit your lip. “Ten, fifteen minutes maybe.”

Something electric entered Ross’ eyes. “Want to have a little fun?”

“I-I don’t know about you, but I think this is pretty damn fun so far.”

“Ride me.”

Your eyes widened. “Excuse me?”

“I want you to ride me,” he repeated, “and when you do, I want no holding back. You hear me? I know you, you even did this as I ate you out. No holding back. If you’re good, and we have time...maybe, just maybe, I’ll finish you by eating you out again. Deal?”

Well shit. How could you possibly deny that deal? Nodding, you kissed Ross deep until he moaned. “Get on your back then, bitch.”

Ross’ eyes went wide. “Is that dirty talk? Coming from you? Fuck, you must really want your end of the deal.”

You smirked. “Did I stutter, Ross?”

“N-No-”

“Then what are you waiting for?”

What was he waiting for? Rolling off of you, Ross went flat on the bed. Crawling on top of him, you helped him out of his boxers and tossed them aside. While tossing them, you reached for his pants and grabbed from the pocket of them a condom. Ross smirked.

“How did you know that that was in there?”

“Was it too big of a stretch to think you wouldn’t come up here unprepared after all the planning we did?”

He smiled. “You’re speaking a lot for some girl who wants her present.”

“It’s a present now?”

“Well, it’s only going to come after you follow directions, so I think it’s a present.”

You rolled your eyes. “Shut up and let me put this thing on you.”

“Where did the dirty talk go?”

“Shut the fuck up, Ross.”

Ross laughed. “Okay love.”

After finally getting the condom on, and teasing him with a few strokes just to get at him for being snarky with you, you finally gave in and settled down onto him. The moan Ross let out instantly went matched by you, to his delight. He raised his brow at you.

“Are you making this a competition?”

You laughed, grinding down on him to elicit another moan out of him. “I’m only following orders, love.”

“Fuck you.”

“Um, I think you’re fucking me, love.”

Stopping any further words, you started to ride Ross. Each bob up and down was marked, as he wished, with some sort of noise. It was dirty, raunchy, and way louder than any time you had ever had sex with Ross. It also was more intense than any other time. Ross was meeting your movements with thrusts almost every single time, groaning and grinding and begging for you not to stop. His movements, fueled by your noise, were intoxicating. You felt close, but you could tell he was closer. Grinding down a bit harder, you ran your hands along his chest and, in your most sultry voice, beckoned Ross to give in. He all but growled in response. A few more thrusts, and you felt his orgasm rush over him.

You rode him until you knew he grew too sensitive. Once he was able to think straight again, he brought you down to kiss him, languid and blissed-out. You pulled away from it with a smile.

“I think you owe me something, MacDonald.”

Ross chuckled. “Fine. Get on your back then, bitch.”

“Using my own dirty talk against me?” You kissed his nose. “Impressive.”

As soon as you were off of Ross and laying down, Ross assumed his old spot between your legs. He grinned up at you and rubbed gently on the inside of your thigh. “Are you ready?”

You sighed happily. “I cannot wait.”

“Brilliant.”

Diving down, Ross’ lips met you and went without any build up. You gasped as his tongue worked your clit and open mouth kisses brought his beard rubbing against your inner thighs. If Ross had thought you were quiet before, there was no such lack of sound this time. Your hands weaved their way into his hair, tugging at it especially when he picked up speed. Wishing to really make this time a gift, he scooted you forward and put his hands on either side, keeping your hips pinned down. It drove you wild. That coupled with the closer proximity left you in shambles. Yelling his name, you came, and came hard. You heard Ross faintly chuckling as soon as he pulled away, as if he were impressed. If anything, you were the one was impressed with him.

“I need to fake that I’m sick more often.”

Ross smiled. “I think I can agree to that.”

“We should probably get rid of all this and clean up before the guys get back. They’d never let us live if they found us like this.”

“Probably.”

“What?”

Rubbing your leg, he leaned his chin on your knee. “Nothing. Just thinking about how much I love you.”

A fierce blush washed over you. “I love you too, Ross. I don’t know if I said it enough when you were blowing my mind a bit ago, but I do.”

“I’m really glad you joined us on the tour.”

“I am too, ya’ big sap,” you teased. “Let’s do this again sometime, huh?”

Nodding, Ross moved forward to kiss you. “Let’s.”

[purplesurveys]

667

Have you ever tried to walk on a moving vehicle and fallen over?: I’ve lost my balance while walking to an empty seat in jeepneys. Cos what usually happens is that the jeepney drivers resume driving as soon as you’re aboard the jeep, and so they don’t give a crap whether you’re already sitting or still on your way to a seat haha.

As for falling over, it’s probably happened to me as a kid when I still rode the school bus. We were always rowdy in the afternoon and would walk all over the bus, so I’m not ruling it out.

What is your favourite kind of bread? Is there any of that in your house?: BRIOCHE is the shit, yo.

Do you own any equipment to make cocktails, like jiggers or shakers?: Nah. My family – save for me lmao – isn’t big on drinking, so there’s never been a need for us to get equipment. We literally only have one bottle of Jack Daniel’s and like two bottles of wine in the house hahaha, a far cry from what I usually see in my friends’ houses.

How many times have you seriously injured yourself?: Can’t count them on one hand, that’s for sure. I’ve sprained my left foot from tripping in school (in front of an ongoing protest, to make things worse), had a toe or two caught in a bike’s pedal crank, a foot infection from the sea, scraped the skin from my palm when I had to use the bass drum in high school, shocked (also) my palm trying to plug something, and tripped multiple times as a kid and made my knee bleed.  

When was the last time you were a passenger in a car and sat in the back?: Sunday. My siblings and I were at the back, but it was also to drop my sister off at her dorm so the second half of the ride was just me and my brother.

Did you attend Sunday School as a child?: Bleck, no. Despite being forced to attend almost every single Sunday mass since I was 4, I’m glad my mom never made me attend anything beyond that.

What is the longest your hair has ever been?: It’s reached my hips many times - that’s the longest I let it be, because my hair tends to be dry and it’s not the prettiest sight when too much of it is happening lmao.

What about the shortest? (not including being a toddler or baby): When I was 4, 7, and 10 my mom had my hair cut all the way up to my ears because my hair is quite frizzy and she didn’t like that I didn’t have the tendency to tie my hair up in a ponytail. Naturally her response was to just have all my hair cut off lol, bt those three years were miserable as I hated the look and it made me feel like a boy. The third time she had it cut was the last one on my watch; I started tied my hair up in a ponytail every day if it meant she was hands off of my hair and how I wanted to look.

Have you ever smoked a cigarette?: LMAO y’all are gonna be SO disappointed. I smoke socially now. It started in January when I was out with high school friends and at one point literally every one of them headed out to have a smoke break; and I didn’t like being left alone inside the bar so I went out with them. I figured I was getting all the health effects from the secondhand smoke anyway so I asked for a cigarette and asked them to teach me how to use it. The rest is disappointing history.

Are/were you in the school band, and if so, what instrument did you play?: No, definitely not musically inclined.

Who does the grocery shopping in your household?: My mom. Sometimes my dad would do it when he’s home, but even then my mom provides the list of which things to buy.

What is the best thing you’ve ever bought at a thrift shop?: Not sure if it counts as a thrift shop but I once found a newer edition of the WWE Encyclopedia in a bookstore that solely sells donated/used books. I never get to see wrestling merch in real life – much less in thrift stores – so I didn’t even need to think when it came to buying it. It ended up being super worth it; those books typically cost P1,500 to P2,000, and if I’m not mistaken I got it for like P450.

Have you ever ordered an unusual drink at a bar?: Nah, I have my usuals. There was only one time I bought an uncommon drink and it was in Makati Shang – I barely remember anything about it but I do remember that it was topped with egg whites lol. Think I bought it just to feel fancy for once, even though my usuals were also in the menu.

What is your favourite thing about summer?: The beach, mainly. I’d mention getting the chance to rest, but I’m on my last year of college and have literally run out of summer vacations at this point.

When was the last time you went to your local library?: Just a kind disclaimer that we acually don’t have public libraries, because the government could not care the fuck less. As for my college’s library, I last went maybe a month ago? to pick up a book that had a chapter in it that I needed to read for a class.

Do you have any friends who work in retail?: I don’t think so.

Can you do a proper cartwheel?: Nooooooo. But I tried so many times as a kid. I also nearly broke my arms so many times as a kid, so there’s that.

Have you ever been pulled aside by security at the airport?: Not me, but my mom. We were in Shanghai and both my mom and the guards couldn’t figure out what it was inside her bag that kept making the machine beep. While I’ve forgotten what the thing was when we did find out, I do remember that it was such a stupid, small issue and the guards were being unnecessary bitches throughout the whole thing.

Are you a fast-thinker or a slow-thinker?: More on fast. I hate mulling over on anything for too long.

Do you watch The Simpsons regularly?: No. I always watched Family Guy more often.

If you were to donate to charity today, what would you donate to?: PAWS! They’re an NGO focused on animal welfare. I’ve always wanted to volunteer but just never have the time to.

What is your favourite card game and when was the last time you played it?: I dunno what it’s called anymore but Angela taught us a card game where we toss cards onto the the table and when the last two cards add up to a certain number, we race to see who can slam their hand onto the pile of cards haha. I’ve always been a slow adder so I always lose, but it’s still a fun game.

Would you consider yourself to be good at spelling and grammar?: Relatively better than a lot of Filipinos, yeah.

Who was the last person you cuddled with?: Idk, I only ever do this with my girlfriend.

Have you ever spoken or performed on stage in front of a large audience?: I’ve done both.

Did you ever go to summer camp when you were younger?: Nah, I doubt my mom would’ve let me go anyway as a kid. I did go to a sports clinic – I did swimming when I was 9.

What is your favourite seasonal candy? (only available at certain times): Meh I’m not a big candy fan. I can give you seasonal menu items, though hahah. I love McDonald’s’ McSpicy and curly fries and KFC’s Double Down. They haven’t been bringing McSpicy back for a long time now though :/

Are there any television shows you own in entirety on DVD or VHS?: I have a bootleg collection of the 80s show Perfect Strangers.

How far away from your house is the nearest gas station?: I’d say 10 minutes, but this is because our house is situated at the very end of our village. If we lived near the main gate, it would probably take like three minutes to get to the first gas station nearby.

Do you know anyone who is fluent in a second tongue?: Virtually all Filipinos are bilingual, and those who are trilingual closely trail by. In the city, most if not all know English/Filipino, but there are so many others who know English, Filipino, and the local language of their province, e.g. Bikolano, Ilonggo, Ilokano, Cebuano. Language is kind of a big deal here that you’re considered boring if you only know English and Filipino hahaha.

When was the last time you had a bubble bath?: Maybe a year ago.

Have you ever been pressured into doing drugs? Did you say yes or no?: No. At least not yet, lmao.

[ofubox]

Japan’s a chronically sleep-deprived nation – but some companies believe introducing a lunchtime nap at the office could help solve the problem. Could ‘hirune’ take off? t’s three o’clock in the afternoon in Tokyo, and business people across the city are bouncing between meetings outside the office, sneaking in breaks before heading back. Crouched over small tables in coffee shops with their faces down over their laptops, eyes glazed over, they eventually nod off. People are so tired, sleeping in cafés like this is commonplace. A couple of hours later, those lucky enough to get seats on their cramped train journeys back home shut their eyes again as soon as the train starts moving. But no one around them bats an eyelid. Known as ‘inemuri’, drifting off in public has become synonymous with exhausted workers. However, tolerance of these frequent sightings of inemuri is contributing to the country’s chronic sleeping problem.  “It’s so easy to fall into it after an exhausting day at work,” says Takanori Kobayashi, whose sleep schedule was so wrecked by his former job as a businessman that he quit. Then he founded NeuroSpace, a start-up with a mission to implement sleeping programmes for companies. “What I didn’t realise until recently was how much it was damaging my quality of sleep overnight.” Japan has the shortest average sleep in the world, according to 2019 OECD statistics (Credit: Getty Images) OECD statistics, in its 2019 Gender Data Portal, reveal that Japan has the shortest average sleep in the world at 442 minutes per day a year – approximately 7.3 hours a night. South Korea also scored low at 471 minutes, whilst many countries averaged more than 500 minutes (8.3 hours) including Britain, France, Spain, the US and China. A new law capping overtime came into effect in Japan in April 2019 to combat the culture of long working hours that has contributed to workers’ short sleep cycles; the new law limits legal overtime work to 45 hours a month and 360 hours a year. But companies have also begun taking matters into their own hands, encouraging employees to go for a ‘hirune’ – which literally translates as “lunchtime sleep”. At the headquarters of GMO Internet Group, a Tokyo-based company that provides services like web hosting, strong scents from aromatic lavender oil fill an unused conference room during lunch breaks, aiding the employees who occupy most of its 27 beds to sleep. “What we encourage here is not inemuri,” says Sae Takahashi, the group’s chief spokesperson. “With hirune, one is consciously making an effort to rest within a short space of time. This way, we think they can effectively switch between business and break times, creating a better working environment.” Called GMO Siesta, the facilities are available every day from 12:30 for an hour. “The habitual aspect of hirune is similar to the concept of siesta,” Takahashi continues. “Some use the room as part of their daily routine to help them rejuvenate for the afternoon. For those with children, it helps them catch up on sleep that they may otherwise miss out on at home.” In Tokyo, GMO Internet Group offers 27 beds to its employees for regular cat naps. The initiative is called "GMO Siesta" (Credit: GMO Internet Group) Overwork ‘crisis’ ‘Karoshi’ – the Japanese term for death from overwork as a result of sleep deprivation – has frequently made headlines in recent years. In 2013, a 31-year-old political reporter at Japan’s national broadcaster NHK suffered heart failure and was found dead in her bed, holding her mobile phone. She had died from working 159 hours of overtime and only getting two days off a month. In 2017, advertising agency Dentsu was fined after a 24-year-old employee jumped out of a window after tweeting: “I’m going to die. I’m so tired.” Its CEO resigned. The crisis around karoshi has created a sense of urgency among companies to do something about it – Takanori Kobayashi For Kobayashi, lack of sleep became a catalyst to quit his job and run NeuroSpace. “When I graduated and started my career as a salaryman, I entered a terrible cycle,” the CEO says. “I couldn’t stop thinking about the pressures from my older colleagues when going to bed, which meant I couldn’t sleep much. The next day I would worry about my lack of sleep on top of the stress of work.” “The factors affecting the stress kept multiplying, to the point where it was affecting my ability to perform well on the job. The lack of colleagues myself and others could turn to for support was evident.” Since 2014, NeuroSpace has worked with more than 70 companies in Japan to advise companies on implementing sleeping programmes to boost employee productivity. After a slow start, almost half of those clients have come through since the start of 2019. Known as ‘inemuri’, drifting off in public has become synonymous with exhausted workers in Japan (Credit: Getty Images) “The crisis around karoshi has created a sense of urgency among companies to do something about it,” says Kobayashi. “From a business point of view, I always knew there would be a need for this. But I never expected such a rapid interest and shift of attitudes that has occurred over the last couple of years.” Although companies are now legally obliged to limit overtime hours, NeuroSpace’s programmes include monitoring sleeping habits as part of a wider change of working culture that meets demand for a better work-life balance. “Building rooms in offices to accommodate ‘kamin’ – or power napping in English – at roughly six hours after an employee has woken up helps prevent [inemuri]. That’s around lunch time for most people,” explains Kobayashi. More knowledge needed Despite increasing awareness, there is still a long way to go. “The other day I visited an office block near Tokyo Station and found ‘no sleeping’ signs in toilet cubicles,” says Seiji Nishino, director of the Sleep and Circadian Neurobiology Laboratory at Stanford University. “It was an absolute shock. Instead of spending money making these signs, it would make sense to invest in nap rooms that can be accessed by employees of various companies based in the same building block.” Nishino refers to the concept as “sleep liability”, which he coined in his 2017 book The Stanford Method for Ultimate Sound Sleep – a book written for Japanese readers.  “The lack of sleep itself is not the problem,” Nishino explains. “Rather, it’s about the damage it causes on the human body. It requires several times the missing hours of sleep for it to recover.” As an academic based in America for more than three decades, it wasn’t in Nishino’s plans to write a book for the Japanese mass market. But his publishers had identified an audience before the word ‘karoshi’ was popularised; there was already a sense of urgency among shift workers to solve sleeping issues following the death of a bus driver who crashed into two trucks as a result of suffering from sleep apnoea. The driver had been on overnight shifts in the run up to the 2011 accident and could not prevent the disaster despite taking turns at the wheel with a substitute driver. The other day I visited an office block near Tokyo Station and found ‘no sleeping’ signs in toilet cubicles – Seiji Nishino In the same year, epilepsy sufferers with driving licences caused accidents, which led to a revision of laws that punished drivers with up to 15 years in prison for concealing conditions that affected the safety of passengers. The laws, which went into effect in 2014, also banned those suffering from a lack of sleep as licenced drivers. Since 2015, the Ministry of Land and Tourism has become proactive in preventing sleepiness among those working in the railway industries.  Improving knowledge among workers to approach sleep as health maintenance is something experts at the Japan Organisation for Better Sleep have been trying to implement. “We’ve always had students from those working in the railway industries since we started in 2006, but nowadays almost half of those attending lectures are from that field,” says its chairman, Shuichiro Shirakawa. “There is an expectation that more corporate companies and their workers will take part. As there isn’t enough education around sleep science and sleep disorder in Japan, I think knowledge about sleep among industrial physicians and staff at health care centres is lacking – the reality is they’re only just getting to grips with it now.” Some companies in Japan have rolled out designated nap rooms for overtired workers (Credit: GMO Internet Group) Learning to nap But for hirune to become habitual, there is a need to start young. “Traditionally, children used to nap at school during lunch breaks. That practice has faded over the last few decades, which has contributed to the lack of practice among adults,” Nishino says. Last year, Meizen High School in Fukuoka prefecture made headlines after twice as many of its final year students were offered a place to study at the University of Tokyo – Japan’s most prestigious institution for higher education – from the year before. With children exhausted from the stress of extra lessons and homework from cram schools in the evenings after normal high school hours, their key to success was adopting a 10-minute nap time after lunch just before the start of their fifth lesson for the day. In the city of Osaka, local authorities have been collaborating with Osaka University to monitor and analyse sleeping habits among primary and secondary school students across the prefecture as a measure to start educating them on their sleep. By January 2019, 6,000 children had taken part. The researchers found that 15% of students who claimed they were not tired at all got an average of 8 hours 43 minutes of sleep a day, and the 16% who said they were extremely tired were sleeping an hour less on average. With the added help of gadgets and products designed for better sleep – known as sleep tech – it’s this collection of data that will also determine the effectiveness of hirune for working adults in years to come. The numerous apps available on the market are already being used in conjunction with corporate sleeping programmes. “In an ideal world, we wouldn’t need to depend on technology to help us monitor our sleep,” NeuroSpace’s Kobayashi says. “But in order to help us get there, these are the steps we need to take in order for this to become a natural habit again.”

http://ofubox.blogspot.com/2019/08/why-overtired-japan-is-turning-to.html

[olwog]

So Peeps, this is a tale of an ambiguous text and excellent service from Abbotts Coaches and their wonderful staff.

Well I woke up this morning. (You can’t beat a bit of blues first thing). I’d received a text from Dave and it said; “Walking from Swainby to Osmotherley, bus to usual place, usual time . Let me know if you’re up for it, love and peace Dave”.

Well how can you ignore such an invite?

So, I’m walking up to the bus stop texting Dave a reply and manage to flag the bus with only seconds to spare. The Abbotts service is brilliant and we proffer ‘our old farts passes’ to use it regularly to get to Swainby so that we can head in to the North Yorkshire Moors literally on a whim.

The bus driver, Brian checks where I’m going, he clearly thinks I’m old and might not know where I’m going and given a few more minutes he’s probably going to be right!

I take a seat and read the reply from Dave.

“George, it’s tomorrow”,

Bugger, I’d better read the text again…no it still doesn’t mention tomorrow.

I’m smiling now as I think about dastardly things that could be done; that can wait, I need to make a decision as to what to do and I’ve got a couple of options. I could jump off the bus at Brompton and walk back home or I could ring Peter to get him out of bed and do the walk anyway. I plump for the latter smiling even more ‘cos it’s only 10 o’clock so I’ll wake him up.

So, I can hear the yawn as he answers the ‘phone and I explain the plan. When I mention the word ‘walk’ he responds like my dogs and I can imagine him standing at the door drink in one hand and ‘phone/camera in the other.

Brian drops me off at the toilet block in Swainby and I blink and sneeze as I step into the sun. Peter’s nearly ready, in fairness I had said that I’d be about twenty minutes as I thought the bus went to Osmotherley first but it didn’t so the twenty had dropped to five and he’s standing half naked at the door. Fortunately it’s the top half that’s naked so I’ll not need the counselling.

The sky is almost without cloud as we leave the village and the trees have their fresh green livery only seen in spring. We pass a rope swing over the beck and it reminds me of an escapade from my childhood.

//Start wobbly image and fade to childhood// We used to play at a place like this. Castle Hills was where I grew up and we loved to play near or over the beck. One of the places of interest was an area lined on one side with trees and on the other with bushes where the beck flowed next to the railway line, we called this Calcutta for no other reason that it was a deep cut where the beck flowed. In the spring when the snows were melting on the moors the beck would be swollen and as summer approached it would slow so that we could splodge in it and catch sticklebacks and the odd elver. Low Castle Hills was where we rolled our eggs at easter and these had usually been coloured using the yellow gorse flowers and onion skins.

There’s a public footpath that leads to the North End of town and as it passes “Cally” The path is restricted in width and there’s been a fair amount of erosion over the years. There’s a tree that we used for a swing across the beck and I believe that tree is still there; anyway, the purpose of this deviation is that I remember an incident when we were children and it involved a rope…

When we were about 10 we’d been ferreting about in a factory yard and had ‘found’ a discarded rope and decided that it would be ideal if we could find a tree with a bough that stretched over the beck then we could swing across it like Tarzan of the Apes who was very popular at the time.

We did remember such a tree that had been used before and all we had to do now was find it and that we did near the above Calcutta.  As we approached we could see the remnants of other pieces of rope that had ether snapped or been cut down by adults bent on suppressing our desires to commit suicide.

I’m not sure who shimmied up the tree now, with our climbing skills it could have been any of us but I do know that the outcome was a rope dangling in the middle of the beck just out of reach. Being human helped at this point as we began to think of the tools that we’d need to bring it back to the bank and within minutes we had a broken branch that had been blown off one of the other trees during the winter storms. Seconds later we had the rope in our hands ready for the swing and nobody had fallen in…yet!

We then had a limited but spirited ‘fight’ about who would go first and I lost. The winner took a long run along the embankment with the intention of describing a smooth arc that kept your feet dry and gave you the opportunity to land on the opposite bank if you so desired. If you chose not to land then the rest of the journey was a mirror image of the first and, if you were fleet of foot, you’d land on the side of the beck that you left and hand the rope on to your friend. If you were not fleet of foot you hit the tree!

My friend who will remain anonymous ran along the bank with the above mental rehearsal in his mind. He had the speed and the angle all perfect and left the river bank with grace. The bough of the tree dipped as the combination of gravity and mass took effect. I could also see water emerge from the fibres as the rope thinned slightly as it stretched.

Then there was an extended crack and the rope snapped. Geoff hit the water with the elegance of a brick, oops I said he would be anonymous!

I suppose the gentlemanly thing to have done would have been to help him out of the water but both his brother and I were helpless with laughter and I’m still sitting here with a smile as I finish this paragraph.

//End wobbly image and fade to now//

Click on any image to page through them full screen…

We make our way up Shepherd Hill passing a number of others taking advantage of this beautiful weather. Scugdale and Whorl Hill are fabulously clear on our left and the Vale of Mowbray stretches out to the Pennines on our right. We turn right and on to the steps the signpost indicates the Cleveland Way and we’ll be staying with this for a while topping out at 280 metres (about 900 feet).

The steps are a challenge, it’s easier to walk on a track than steps whether you’re going up or down but we use the excuse of taking photographs to steal a breath or two and use the opportunity to view the vale and the Pennines in the distance. The oil seed rape fields stand out but the other crops contrast and the walls and hedges stitch it all together. Walking on a sunny day is the ultimate relaxation. It stimulates every sense and, on cue, we hear a cuckoo.

At the top the path becomes a track and easy walking after the exertions of the steps are forgotten. Scarth Wood Moor is on our left and the blues, whites and yellows of the wild flowers on both sides of the track are a treat.

We reach the cattle grid across the Swainby-Osmotherley Road and Peter is telling me about an adder that he photographed here yesterday. I’m not afraid of snakes but I’m still a little more cautious as we cross the road and rejoin the track on Scarth Wood Moor.

Another 50 metres or so along the dry stone wall and we can look back over Whorl Hill and Swainby Village, scanning to the left is Ingleby Cross and numerous farms. The blue sky and odd wisp of high cirrus it’s like a scene from an idyllic children’s cartoon everything is primary coloured, gloriously bright and sharp.

At the top of Scarth Wood Moor there’s a bench seat where we take a break and spend a little bit of time taking a drink and a short break then it’s off again along the ridge with Arncliffe Wood on our right and a dry stone wall and plenty of gorse on our left. At the repeater station we would normally turn right if it’s wet and follow the tarmac road down to Osmotherley there hasn’t been rain for some time so we continue along the Cleveland Way to pass Lady Chapel on our left and Mount Grace below us on our right.

We soon arrive at Chapel Wood Farm and follow Rueberry Lane in an arc into Osmotherley. The view to our right across the Vale of Mowbray is clearer than most days although the Pennines are still a little misty so their outline is shrouded with light mist.

At the Queen Catherine we order a sandwich to share, they come with some chips and salad so one is more than ample unless your intention is to have a snooze in the afternoon.

Now here’s a little tale that’ll warm your spirit:

I mention to Pete that I normally carry a small folding keyboard that bluetooth’s into my iPhone so that I can write these little missives as the words enter my head.  I think I’ve left both the keyboard and some once a day expensive suncream that was unopened on the bus. Pete thinks it would be a good idea to ask the driver as I’m picked up to go back to Northallerton. I’m not entirely convinced as the service that took me to Swainby was the fast service that didn’t call into Osmotherley i.e. it was a completely different rout but hey, it’s got to be worth a punt.

As I step onto the bus I’m beckoned by two people that had been on the other service this morning and had found my keyboard and the sun cream and handed it to Brian, the driver. Peter, in the meantime is asking Marion, the driver of this bus if anything has been handed in and I hear a voice calling “George, have you lost something?” I respond that I have and within a few seconds they’re handed back to me. At about £100 to replace them I’m delighted.

My belief is this. The easy thing would have been for Brian to have handed them in at the office as lost property at the end of his shift but I’m guessing he realised that I was walking to Ozzy and handed it to Marion who was driving the Ozzy bus on the off chance that I’d be catching that. So here I am reunited with my keyboard and suncream, can’t fault the service, thanks to both Brian and Marion and also the lovely  honest couple who handed them to the driver in the first place.

I love Yorkshire, I love Yorkshire folk and I commend the Abbotts service that we use regularly, it’s second to none.

Today is a great day. Enjoy the snaps…G..x

This is a 8km (5 mile-ish) well marked route a bit challenging up the steps and certainly gets the heart rate up but with lovely view.

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Swainby to Osmotherley – May ’17 So Peeps, this is a tale of an ambiguous text and excellent service from Abbotts Coaches and their wonderful staff.