#they live in LA surely they have a bathtub big enough for the both of them right?

[crimson-calligraphyx]

IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ROMANTIC OK

[sebsgirl71479]

Shoot Your Shot  The Sequel

Sebastian Stan X Curvy Actress Reader

A/N Yup im baaaack with a little sequel that i didn't think would happen but here we are. Let see how our beautiful celebrity couple are up to in this story at the Golden Globes. Again reblogs always appreciated and loved. 

Word Count :2006k

Warnings: Fluffy AF, Sexual content, smut 18+ only No Minors 

It had been 4 months since the emmy awards, where you not so subtly asked out Sebastian Stan on live tv. After your wonderful night together just talking and kissing, you both were head of heels for each other. When December rolled around, Sebastian was nominated again for Pam and Tommy, first a Golden Globe then a Critics Choice Award. You were so happy for him, a day after you went with him to his agent's office and what waited for him was a massive bouquet of flowers from the Hollywood foreign press for his nomination. 

“Sebastian, are you sure you're okay walking all the way back home carrying those? We could get a cab if you want.”  “Printesa, I’ll be fine, besides I want to see peoples faces as I walk with this monstrosity in pink.” He giggles a little bit while you picture the streets of New York City watching a 6ft tall man in pink himself no-less carrying a bouquet of pink flowers. 

When you both got back to Sebs’s apartment full of laughter, you started planning your trip to LA next month. You were still on hiatus from ted lasso and Sebastian was in between films at the moment so it was perfect timing. “Baby are we staying at my place or yours when we get to LA?” While you're in Sebastian's closet picking out clothes for him to take to California he comes up behind you to wrap you up in his arms. Placing gentle kisses on your shoulder and neck, humming in content you look over your shoulder into his eyes and just drink them in. He's rocking you back and forth in the closet like there is music playing in both your heads. 

“How about we split our time between both? We can stay at my place just before the golden globes, then after we can go to your place and be ready for the other awards show and beyond.” You turn around to face him and place your hands in his hair to comb through it, Looking deep into his eyes. “I think it’s a great idea, but I have one question? How big is your bathtub?” “Hmmmm, big enough to fit both of us with plenty of room to spare, what do you have planned printesa?” Still swaying back and forth with him just taking him in. “ I was thinking when we land we leave our luggage by the door and spend an hour in a hot, steamy bath to relax and maybe a little something extra?” Wiggling your eyebrows and giving him a sly smile. “I think you have one of the best ideas ever. Now how about we celebrate a little bit tonight with some take out, wine and some dessert?” He winks at you, that's your cue that when he does that you know what he has in mind.

Before you knew it it was new year's day and you both were all packed and ready to head to LA a week before the Golden Globes. You decided to have a lazy night in for new years eve considering you had a 6 am flight the next day. Just the 2 of you, a few glasses of wine and a home cooked meal made by you. When the clock strikes midnight you stood out on Sebastian's balcony and watched the fireworks go off around the city, and a midnight kiss that lasted 2 mins. The perfect way to start 2023 in your opinion. Because of the time change you got to LA around 9am, plenty of time to have that relaxing bath you promised Sebastian. The bathroom was filled with the scent of roses from the bath soaps and candles. Sebastian dimmed the lights to make it more romantic. You sat in front of him while he took a loofa and caressed your body, getting the smell of the airplane off. He abandoned it for his own hands not 5 mins into the bath. You didn't mind it, you preferred it. He started at your shoulders rubbing them and kissing the area afterwards, his new beard he was sporting was tickling you a little bit making you giggle. 

Next he grabbed your chin to have you look at him giving you a strong passionate kiss. Midway you fully turned around and straddled his waist holding on to the back of his head to ground you. You both moan into each other's mouths getting more needy for one another. You rocked your hips back and forth on Sebastian's already hardened cock with how wet you were for him already. “Angel, baby I need you so bad, I need to be inside you right now.”  “Seb, oh baby, make me feel good.” He lifted you up a little bit and you sank down on his cock so easily. Sebastian threw his head back with how good you felt. You melted into him, staying still for a bit to get used to his size. No matter how many times you've had sex with him it takes a min to get used to him. Sebastian lifts his head and rests his forehead against yours. You started to move your hips up and down just enough to not let any water out of the tub.

"Draga, you feel so good, keep it up and we will be done sooner than I expected."  You throw your head back in ecstasy as your organism washes over you in now time. "Oh Sebastian cum for me baby, fill me up." “I’m cumming baby oh god you feel so fucking good. AHHHHH!” You both came together basking in your highs resting your foreheads together. You began to comb your hands through his hair to sooth him, he rubbed your back at the same time. You opened your eyes after your breathing came back to normal, Sebastian was already looking at you. Both of you having a silent conversation looking deep into each other's eyes, Sebastian lifted you up slightly with a little hiss and had you sit sideways in his lap. It was another 10 mins before the water really started to get cold and decided to get out of the tub. 

The rest of the week leading up to the golden globes was spent arranging the makeup artist for you and making sure you and Seb had the right outfits. You also spent days being lazy in his house but also taking in LA by hiking Runyun Canyon a few days and grocery shopping as well. It felt so domestic at times you wondered what it would be like to spend the rest of your life with Sebastian but you put that in the back of your head for another time. Little did you know Sebastian had packed a beautiful diamond engagement ring in his luggage and left it under his bed for the right time. 

The day of the golden globes came and it was super busy at Sebastian's house, even his longtime manager came by to check up on you two to make sure things were running smoothly. By 4pm you both were ready to go to the Beverly Hilton. It would take almost an hour to get there with how LA traffic was. Walking the red carpet with Sebastian as a couple was a huge deal and everyone took the opportunity to tell you and show you when the camera went absolutely crazy when you showed up. You both took pictures together and individually. You entered the ballroom just in time to have dinner served with plenty of champagne for the table. By the time all the plates were taken away the show was beginning to start. While the show was being broadcast you both sat holding each other's hand and never letting go. When they broke for commercials, that's when you both would stand and start talking to a few other actors. Paul Walter Hauser came over and introduced himself to you since he was at the table next to you. Sebastian looked over at you talking to Paul, one of best friends and his heart swelled. You looked like you were having an animated conversation with him and it made him happy.

Paul finally saw Sebastian looking over at you two and smiled. That was his way of saying ‘you have a good one here’ He came over to say hi to Paul and congratulate each other just before the broadcast came back. It was finally time for Sebastians category, you held his hand tight in yours your nerves were so high for him that your leg was bouncing so much he let go of your hand and started rubbing your thigh to calm you. You looked over at him and gave a small smile mouthing him a ‘thank you’. When they announced Evan had won the award you were more disappointed for Sebastian than he was for himself. He felt your body slack after that after being wound tight for the last 5 mins. He took your hand and kissed the back of it. “It's ok baby, it won't be the last one.” “I know sweetheart but I really wanted this for you, but understand I’m just happy you got nominated and are finally getting recognized for the hard work you have been doing.” “Thank you draga, I love you.” I love you too Sebastian.”

The night had been wonderful, at some point during the show you and Sebastian got to speak to Billy Porter you were in heaven. You both went to an after party at the chateau marmot and talked to more celebrities. By the time 1am rolled around you both were tired and ready to head home. Sebastian helped you out of your dress and shoes and you went to steal one of his t-shirts for the dresser. “Baby you looked wonderful tonight but seeing you in my shirt makes me love you even more.” “I only do it because it smells like you and helps me sleep better.” He is only in his dress pants at this moment, you're just taking him all in. Then he starts coming towards you and in no time he has you weak in the knees with a body numbing kiss. After the thought of breathing comes to you both you part with chests heaving staring into each others eyes. Its at this moment that Sebastian has his perfect moment to propose. “Draga, wait right here I have something for you.” Before you have the chance to say anything he is on the other side of the bed taking his luggage out. He comes back with his hands behind his back as he stands less than a foot away from you. 

“Sebastian baby, what is it?” With a big smile on his face he begins to get down slowly on one knee. Your lip is quivering at this moment ready to just ball your eyes out. “Y/N when you asked me out on live tv 5 months ago i knew that when i met you i would never regret it. Tonight I may not have won an award but you won my heart. Y/N Y/L/N  draga will you stand by me for every awards show, every premiere and every other milestone in our lives forever? MARRY ME BABY.”  You look at the beautiful sapphire engagement ring in the black box. Vision blurry which most likely you still have mascara running down your face. You look him in the eye and place your hand on his face with a water smile. “Yes Sebastian, I'll marry you. With all my heart.” He slipped the ring on your finger and you both just held each other for the next 10 mins just basking in the other's warmth and love. Finally parting he held your face in his hands and kissed you so softly and sweetly. 

“I love you y/n so much I can't wait to marry you.” “I love you too Sebastian forever and always.” 

Tag list: @christycurlswrites @buckyalpine @frostironfudge @allandoflimbo @peaches1958​ @altagraye 

[sugaxela]

AN ACCIDENTAL FIC REC LIST

So.. I’m a lurker who reads a lot of fics and I get annoyed when I can’t relocate my fave ones. I started making this list of my faves mostly for myself but then figured I’d share it...

I’m Yoongi biased and gravitate towards angst fics so it’s mostly that but there’s fics for every member tossed in here. Some of these are pretty popular so you might have seen a few. 

Also, I realized I need to read more Jin, Jimin, and Hoseok fics so if you have recommendations let me know!

Once again it’s a LOT of angst so I would just like to say... CRYING IS GOOD FOR U.

***

KSJ

Start Anew - @gukyi

Seokjin x Reader. Angst. Summary: it’s been five years since you left your hometown, vowing never to return, but a simple invitation to a christmas party and a yearning to know whether or not you’re truly over the heartbreak you left behind has you wondering if, maybe, the christmas spirit and promise of a new beginning can change your mind.

No Limit - @sailorbellewrites

Seokjin x Reader. Fluff. Summary: you and jungkook don’t even look alike. how was seokjin supposed to know you were off limits?

Lovely Little Mess - @guksheart

Seokjin x Reader. Fluff, smut. Summary: telling seokjin of your pregnancy should not be so daunting, but you hide it  as long as you can—at least until you are sitting with him in a bathtub and the secret comes spilling out. 

No Parking - @jungshookz

Seokjin x Reader. Fluff. Summary: “to the asswipe who owns this mini cooper - do you know how to read signs? this is a no-parking zone. no. parking. zone. that means you are not allowed to park in this zone. DO NOT park here.” (also I made up the title bc it doesn’t have one)

MYG

Seasons Change - @taetaesbaebaepsae

Yoongi x Reader. Angst. Summary: Min Yoongi and you, through the seasons, break up and come back together. Nobody said love was easy.

I’ll Float Away - @ppersonna

Yoongi x Reader. Angst. Summary: years after the breakup, yoongi, a successful award-winning rapper with an unhealthy addiction, finds your wedding invite on Facebook.

Memory Lane - @hayjeon

Yoongi x Reader. Fluff. Summary: grumpy husband yoongi au aka lots of fluff (mentions of sex)

Do It Again - @kimnjss

Yoongi x Reader. Angst. Summary: months after deciding to end their three year long relationship, a sex tape hits the internet. fans go wild speculating that rap star, min yoongi and aspiring model, yn are the stars. old feelings arise as the couple try to figure out a way out of this.

Cuddles and Kittycats - @dinoyoongi

Yoongi x Reader. Fluff, angst. Summary: After a night of drinking, you go to Yoongi’s dorm for some quality cuddles. Unfortunately, you’ve forgotten that you are currently giving him the silent treatment.

Overstayed Welcome - @kkaep-jjjang

Yoongi x Reader - Fluff, smut. Summary: Y/N decides to get over her crush by getting under someone else. Sounds fool proof right? Wrong.

Ghosted - @bloomsuga

Yoongi x Reader. SM AU. Summary: your new roommate is everything you could ask for: quiet, never makes messes, a killer dry sense of humor... and oh yeah—he’s dead.

Wildest Moments - @joonbird

Yoongi x Reader. Angst. Summary: “Min Yoongi is forbidden territory. And although you both know better, the two of you just can’t seem to stay apart.”

Romance is Dead - @dinoyoongi

Yoongi x Reader. Angst, fluff. Summary: You try to surprise Yoongi with a night full of romance but he manages to ruin all of your plans.

Fools Rush In - @sailorbellewrites

Yoongi x Reader. Drabble series. Summary: min yoongi, music executive and perpetual bachelor, marries a las vegas stripper he’s only known for six months. chaos ensues.

Pretend - @gimmesumsuga

Yoongi x Reader. Angst. Summary: “You know what they say: the best way to get over someone is to get under someone else, right?” 

Aquiver - @floralseokjin

Yoongi x Reader. Idol AU. Summary: Yoongi can’t remember the last time he was able to successfully bring himself to the point of orgasm, then Namjoon gives him a business card advertising ‘Healing Hands’, and that’s where he meets you; pretty and innocent looking, who gets paid to provide hand jobs for a living…

Hidden Stars - @jungblue

Yoongi x Reader, Jungkook x Reader. Angst. Summary: It started out simple, but when your feelings start to grow for the idol who isn’t allowed to date, things get complicated.

Talk To Me - @btsrpp

Yoongi x Reader. Fluff, angstyish. No summary. But it involves a silent treatment.

No Title - @jungxk

Yoongi x Widow!Reader. Angst. No summary.

JHS

Hobi’s Girl - @v-hope

Hoseok x Reader. SM Au. Summary: after attending a bts concert and very clearly catching one of the members’ attention, you can’t help but get flooded with hate comments once people find your twitter account. who would’ve thought that would be the reason jung hoseok would find his concert girl, too.

Bloom - @jungxk

Hoseok x Reader. Smut. Summary: you’ve always had a crush on hobi and he’s always handled that gently. what he can’t handle is you now, nine years later. 

Blue Side - @minyoongone

Hoseok x Reader. SM AU. Summary: when you get a text from a heartbroken boy who you mistake for your ex

KNJ

Confirm or Deny - @dinoyoongi

Namjoon x Reader. Angst. Summary: You’re a member of the rising group FRNZEE. You’ve been dating Namjoon for years when Dispatch releases an article exposing your relationship. Your company confirms the relationship. Big Hit denies it.

You’ve Got That - @mikrksmos

Namjoon x Reader. Angst. Summary: After making a life-changing decision for your career, you’re unsure of how exactly to bring it up to your boyfriend after your relationship and communication has not really been in sync. Namjoon is ready to take this relationship to the next stage, and he is sure that what he needs to ask you will be the solution to all the problems you have been having. Both know this next move is the right idea, but are unaware of how parallel those ideas really are.

Duck and Cover - @versigny

Namjoon x Reader. Fluff. Summary: There were two things you never dreamed would become your biggest worries with your new job: Kim Namjoon, and that god damn camera.

Inked - @1997jk

Namjoon x Reader. heavy angst, slow burn, soulmate au. (no summary).

Try Me - @jjkfire

Namjoon x Reader. Fluff. Summary: You wanted nothing more than to leave behind your old self when you graduated from high school and moved on to college to play rugby but when you see your high school classmate, resident fuckboy and captain, Kim Namjoon, at the rugby department orientation, you feel like everything might fall apart.

Stitches - @glassbangtan

Namjoon x Reader. Angst. Summary: People always said getting married at a young age was a mistake - could they have been right?

All In - @kookiesjoonies

Namjoon x Reader. SM AU. Summary: you aren’t usually one to give out your number to strangers (let alone customers), but after you start talking to Namjoon and getting to know him, you decide that there’s no way you’re going to let him leave without it. however, he fails to mention that he’s one of the most popular rappers in South Korea. and it just so happens that one of your best friends ends up with an extra ticket to one of his shows. 

PJM

Come Home to Me Darling - @roses-ruby

Jimin x Reader. Angst. Summary: Jimin cheats and you try to make him stay. But whatever you do, it’s never enough.

Attention and Care - @your-daily-biaswrecking

Jimin x Reader. Fluff, angstish. Summary: Jimin must be the only person in the world who complains about his girlfriend not complaining... When Amy doesn't pester him to come home early (like the rest of the members) he starts thinking she might not care for him as much.

Daisies - @silverlightqueen

Jimin x Reader. SM AU. Summary: You’ve had a long-running feud with fellow idol Park Jimin, saving all the anger and bitterness for the yearly award shows and shooting each other a few dirty looks, not bowing when you walk past each other, or just generally throwing shade. After one particularly obvious encounter between the two of you, the fans start to notice, just in time for The Rose Tour!

Doubt - @heartkook

Jimin x Reader. Fluff, angst. Summary: Jimin gets jealous of your relationship with Jungkook, and needs reassuring that he’s the only one you love.

KTH

Of Lace and Lust - @hobidreams

Taehyung x Reader. Smut. Summary: friendship rule number one: don’t imagine how amazing your best friend’s cock would feel inside you. except that’s all you can think about after accidentally discovering taehyung’s kink for panties. specifically, the lacy ones you’re so fond of wearing. 

Queen Cobra - @fantasybangtan

Taehyung x Reader. Gang AU. Summary: when your boss offers the chance to take down the nation’s most lucrative gang from the inside out, you know you’ll do it no matter what the cost… even if that means entering an arranged marriage with the kingpin himself.

See You - @gimmesumsuga

Taehyung x Reader. Smut. Summary: The one where Taehyung notices you at a concert, and can't help but want to see you again.

Who Cares? - @floralseokjin

Taehyung x OC. Angst. Summary: what happens when Taehyung falls for someone who’s already taken? Can he control his feelings or will they take over and render him powerless? In the end is it all her fault or his…?

Color of Your Shirt - @firebettercallnct

Taehyung x Reader. SM AU. Summary: when you're close to your soulmate your shirt changes to their favorite color. yn hates taehyung's favorite color.

JJK

Comfort Inn Ending - @joonbird

Jungkook x Reader. Angst. Summary: “It was you who Jungkook gave his heart to- that is, until the day you broke it. And it is you now, hoping that some faultlines can be repaired, and that some broken hearts can be put back together again.”

After I Left You - @latetaektalk

Jungkook x Reader. Angst. Summary: “when you decided to meet up with taehyung for dinner to reconnect, you didn’t expect to see jungkook, your ex, on a date with his current girlfriend and not to mention, end up fake dating taehyung.”

Rattled - @gukslut

Jungkook x Reader. Genre: Single dad AU, Angst, Healing, E2L, F2L, Smut. (no summary)

Risk It - @kookiesjoonies

Jungkook x Reader. Sm Au. Summary: a drunken text ends with you wrapped up in the arms of your ex-boyfriend. aka the man that you dumped two years prior, after he refused to marry you. suddenly, all of the feelings that you’d seemingly had buried come rushing back up to the surface, and you’re not sure how long you can ignore them.

Damn the Delivery Boy - @deerguk

Jungkook x Reader. Fluff. Summary: Jeon Jeongguk is a computer science major working as a pizza delivery boy, and you are an uninspired published author who has just started an art degree. When you realise that the delivery boy is your old high school crush, he keeps coming back, but with more to offer than just puff pastry and vegetarian supreme. Though little did he know that he would end up giving you something much more that flips both of your worlds completely upside down in the form of two blue lines and nine months.

One Thing Right - @hobios

Jungkook x Reader. Angst, fluff. Summary: desperate to get your ailing mother into the best care possible, you ask your childhood friend turned enemy to marry you for his health insurance benefits. the only problem is it’s illegal. and he’s the sheriff. and you swore to hate him since the day he broke your best friend’s heart.

Hidden Stars - @jungblue

Jungkook x Reader, Yoongi x Reader. Angst. Summary: It started out simple, but when your feelings start to grow for the idol who isn’t allowed to date, things get complicated. 

Tamped - @chimoona

Jungkook x Reader. Smut, fluff. Summary: You and your business partner/best friend Jin have struggled to find good help to run your coffee shop. Employee after employee, it just never worked out. However, Jungkook is determined to impress and deliver. He wants this more than ever, and it always feels good to want something. To need, well, that’s even better.

Strawberry Kisses - @kimnjss

Jungkook x Reader. SM AU. Summary: an online dating app pairs him with the perfect girl. the two quickly start falling for each other and when things are getting good, he finds out she’s his best friend’s little sister.

Crush - @jungxk

Jungkook x Reader. Fluff, light angst. No summary, amnesiac jk.

Look Alive - @jamaisjoons

Jungkook x Reader. Angst. Summary: a year after you and jungkook break up, the two of you meet at your brother’s party.

***

I got a lot of these from some fic rec master lists.

Here’s a namjoon angst master list by @bts-ficrecs

Also this bts fic rec list by @platinumjeon

An infidelity list by @hellreads

Fic-Recs by @joonapeach

Top fics compilation by @xjoonchildx

There’s more but I’ll add those when I find them, and I’ll either update this list or make a new one when I have enough new fics.

[vsquadgoals]

Settling Down (J.W) Part Four

Part 1 

Part 2

Part 3

Ever since Jeff mentioned having more children that’s all Milena can think about, Alethea having a little sibling, but also having someone by her side while she’s pregnant, having someone to enjoy the beautiful moments with instead of doing it all alone. When she got pregnant with Alethea she had so many hopes for her future with her father and she dreamed of sharing those moments with someone and those dreams were crushed when she told him and it broke her heart, she struggled for so long to get other those feelings, sure she still struggled with some insecurities and she probably always would but Jeff had quickly broke down those walls that she spent so long building high for no one to get through; Now here she was dreaming of the day that she would be telling Jeff that she’s pregnant with his baby. No matter how excited she was for this day she also was so damn nervous, she was also excited to tell Alethea’s father and that didn’t turn out the way that she had hoped. Jeff was different of course but she still couldn’t shake the nerves that one day she would be raising two beautiful babies on her own. “You okay?” Jeff asks pulling her out of her spiraling thoughts, she didn’t realize that she was sitting in there staring at her unedited video for god knows how long. Milena looks up at him and smiles shyly before nodding. “I’m okay, sorry.” Jeff frowns and kisses her head before cupping her cheek. “You can tell me anything, you know that right my love?” God, he was so sweet, and just as fast as the doubtful thoughts filled her mind they were vanishing as she looked into his eyes that were full of pure love as he looked at her. “I know. It was nothing, I barely remember what I was thinking about.” She leans up and pecks his lips before smiling at him. “I love you Jeff.” He smiles and kisses her again. “I love you more Milena.” She brings her attention back to her laptop in front of her and starts editing the video that had been waiting for her. “Hey, David wants me to go with him to go look at some houses, I think Heath and Mariah are going as well. Do you want me to bring Alethea? We can have a little daddy daughter day so that you can get some stuff done?” Jeff asks standing across from her now so that she can see him over the screen of her laptop. She smiles at him and shrugs. “If you want to, that would be great. Are you sure you’ll be okay?” She asks knowing damn well he can handle it, Alethea was always an Angel for Jeff. He chuckles and nods “I think we’ll be just fine.” Milena smirks and nods before turning her attention to the laptop once again.  

Jeff finishes packing Alethea’s diaper back with everything he would need for her for at least a few hours, honestly he probably packed enough for like two days but he wanted to make sure he was prepared and didn’t have to bother Milena at all. When he brings the bag out of the nursery and puts it next to the stroller Milena looks at him confused. “What is David looking at houses for anyway?” She asks and he shrugs. “I don’t think hes going to actually buy anything, he loves his house too much, but they have a lot of fans that show up there all hours of the night.” Milena shakes her head. “People don’t know what personal space is.” He nods and makes his way over to his girlfriend and wraps his arms around her before peppering her with kisses. “Don’t worry I’ll always keep my girls safe.” He reassures her making her smile. “I know.” Before he can kiss her again Alethea is bumping into his ankles with her walker making him chuckle. “Oh, someone’s so jealous.” He teases picking her up from her chair. “Are you ready to spend the day with me?” He asks kissing her cheeks making her smile wide. Milena smiles “Call me if you need anything okay?” She tells him and he smiles and kisses her. “We’ll be okay I promise.” She nods and kisses Alethea. “Have fun with Daddy, don’t pick up any new tricks from Uncle David.” She teases making Jeff chuckle. He straps Alethea into her car seat and opens the apartment door. “Say bye Mommy! We love you.” he calls only closing the door when she says I love you too.  

Jeff had met David at his house so he could follow him to the houses, he didn’t exactly trust David enough to let him drive with Alethea in the Tesla, he was not gonna risk that. They were on house 3 and these houses were amazing, they were huge and beautiful, and David loved them. He posted a few stories as he walked through the houses panning over to Jeff and Alethea and then the rest of their friends every so often. Milena watched the stories while she took a break for lunch smile when she sees Mariah pushing Alethea’s stroller and Jeff holding her as she smiled wide looking around these big beautiful houses. The one the third house they pulled up to was not like the other ones that David had looked at, not as flashing, more normal and practical. Jeff looked at David confused. “You picked this house to look at?” Jeff asks confused as they walk up to it. David shrugs looking at him before they walk inside. “I don't know it’s nice. You don’t like it?” He asks as they start to walk through, Jeff looks around and he’s speechless, he loves the house, its open and a great size and so gorgeous. But a house like this was not something David would like to live in, this house was more for someone like him and Milena. Suddenly that’s all he could think about as they walked through the house, raising a family with Milena in this house, which room would be Alethea’s, where her play room would be, Milena and Jeff’s office and the basement was fully furnished and a perfect space for the barbershop. Then when they got to the master bedroom his heart swelled, he could practically see Milena decorating it with her incredible style and then the connecting master bathroom, he could see them laying in the huge bathtub relaxing together. “I love it actually.” Jeff finally says to David who shrugs. “It’s not really my style, this is more for like a family.” David says and Carly agrees. Mariah and Heath smirk knowingly at each other as they have been watching the was Jeff was looking around the house. When they’re in the backyard Mariah nudges him a little and smiles. “You guys should get it.” She says catching him off guard and then he chuckles looking at her and Heath. “We could never afford it.” He says and they shake their heads. “Milena would fall inlove with this place, it’s perfect for you guys. You could pull it I’m sure.” Heath says and he’s totally right, it was perfect for them and Milena would die for this house.  

They look at one or two more houses before Alethea is over it. Jeff says bye to everyone and hands Alethea her pacifier before putting her into her car seat and buckling her in. He decided to pick up dinner for the three of them before heading back to Milena’s apartment. When he enters he smiles seeing Milena walking toward the closet where their washer and dryer are with a basket full of laundry. “Hi beautiful.” Jeff says making Milena jump a little and giggle. “Oh Jeff, you scared me!” She says making him chuckle, he puts the food on the counter and takes Alethea out of her seat and puts her into her highchair. “hungry?” He says looking over his shoulder at Milena who nods and smiles. “I missed you guys. Did you have fun?” She asks tossing the load of laundry into the wash and starting it before sitting at the island next to Jeff. Jeff handed her food to her and nodded contemplating whether to tell her about the house. “it was fun, there were some gorgeous houses.” He says putting on Alethea’s bib and feeding her some of her food. “I could tell! One of them did not look like his style though.” She says taking a bit of her food and humming happily. She gets up from her seat and gets them both a bottle of water and puts them on the island and got Alethea her sippy cup full of water and put it on her highchair tray. Jeff thanks her for the water and nods feeding Alethea another bite before eating his. “That one was more our style honestly.” He says trying to be nonchalant. Milena looks at him and smiles a little sensing where he’s going with this as she eats. “Oh yeah? Maybe I could go see it.” She says hiding her smirk as she takes a sip of her drink, Jeff’s eyes light up and he looks at her smiling wide. “Really? Yeah that would be great. I think you’ll love it. Heath and Mariah think so too.” Milena giggles and nods. “Well ask David for the relaters number so we can set up an appointment to look.” Jeff nods happily before turning his attention back to feeding Alethea.  

The next day, that was how fast they were able to get an appointment to see the house, David insisted on going with them, we all know he loves a good reaction. Milena and Jeff got out of her car and Jeff took Alethea out of her car seat knowing she wouldn’t stay in it while they walked around, David’s Tesla pulls up right behind him and he gets out smiling wide at them camera in hand as always. “It’s beautiful.” Milena comments taking Alethea from Jeff as he puts her diaper bag on his back. “Isn’t it?” He comments before David is by their side and smiling wide at them before looking at Alethea who is reaching out for him. “Hi sweetie.” David says kissing her small hand. Milena follows Jeff and David into the house taking in every detail, as soon as she walked through that doorway she was in love and already planning her décor. David had his camera glued to his hand recording Milena as she walked through the house, Jeff leading the way. Her eyes were wide and full of pure happiness and she had a smile on her face she couldn’t hide. Once they had walked through the entire house, they went out to the back yard so she could see the surprisingly large yard that it had which was unusual for LA. It had a beautiful inground pool that had a hot tub connected on the corner, a huge patio that’s doors connected to the kitchen and a large patch of grass off to the side that had plenty of room for kids to run and play and more than enough room for Nerf to live his best life. Milena looked at Jeff and frowned her eyes tearing a little, she was glad that David had stepped away from them to take a call. “What’s wrong baby?” He asks concerned cupping her cheeks. She sighs and wipes her eyes shaking her eyes, it takes her a minute to compose herself so she can answer him, she clears her throat before talking. “I just love this house and all I can picture is our lives here together, growing our family, having our friends and family here.” She sighs and bites her lip. “I just don’t think we can afford this Jeff.” Jeff smiles a little and kisses her forehead pulling her into a hug careful not to squish Alethea. “I think we can figure something out; we’ll just have to run some numbers and budget a little when we get home before we can make a decision.” Milena nods and hands Alethea to Jeff before she heads back inside to look around a little more. David comes back to Jeff and looks confused. “You guys okay?” He asks and Jeff shrugs. “I knew I shouldn’t have brought her here. I knew she was going to love this place and we wouldn’t be able to afford it, it’s not fair to her.” David frowns and nods. Soon after they leave and head back to the apartment, Alethea goes down for her nap and Jeff and Milena sit down and go through their budget and work through their numbers to see what they can swing.  

Later that week Jeff and Milena go to David’s house, Milena’s mom begged her to bring Alethea to her house so she could spend the day with her and it worked out perfectly because David told Jeff they needed to come by the house today and ‘stop being antisocial.’ This of course made them laugh and head right over. Milena and Jeff had talked it out and decided that it would be best for them to just rent another apartment or house once their lease was up in the next few weeks instead of buying the house, they just couldn’t swing the down payment right now while Alethea was so little. As the couple walked into David’s they were greeted with happy faces and Milena got some hugs from her friends who she hadn’t seen since before they went to New York. They all sat around and talked for a while catching up on how their trip went and what Jeff’s parent’s thought of Milena and Alethea. Mariah and Carly gushed over how cute Alethea was when she was with Jeff looking at the houses, how she was such a good girl for him and barely made a peep. “Unless she was giving me some input on the houses of course.” David adds to the conversation making the girls giggle and nod. “True, she's a natural interior decorator.” Carly teases making David chuckle. They’re there for about an hour when David is making an excuse for Milena and Jeff to join him in the Tesla in the driveway, Milena looks at Jeff confused when David is propping his camera up on the dashboard. Jeff shrugs and shakes his head watching David from the backseat. “Roll with it.” Jeff says making Milena shrug and giggle. Once David has the camera set up, he's turning his attention to Milena in the passenger seat next to him. “So how did you like the house the other day?” David asks making Jeff frown from the backseat and Milena smiles at David trying not to show how upset she was that they couldn’t get it. “I loved it, it’s beautiful.” She said simply, David nods and smirks a little. “Yeah it’s perfect for you guys.” He says looking back at Jeff briefly who’s looking at David trying to figure out where he’s going with this. Milena frowns a little and shrugs. “It just wasn’t meant to be, maybe one day.” She says trying to smile. David shakes his head and pulls something from the side of his seat. “Well, that house is too perfect for you guys for you not to buy it.” He says before handing something to Milena. “So, I'm going to pay for half of it.” David says and Milena’s eyes dart from David to the blank check in her hand. “It’s already signed you guys just have to fill out the amount.” Milena doesn’t realize it, but tears are practically pouring down her face and she’s almost sobbing. “Dave... we can’t take this.” She says begging him to take the check back. Jeff is in complete shock in the back seat, he reaches forward and wraps his arms around David hugging him tight. “No, I really want to do this for you guys, you deserve it. I want you guys to have a place to raise Alethea and grow your family.” David says tears streaming down his face too. Once Jeff lets go of David, Milena is wrapping her arms around David and sobbing into his chest. “Thank you, David. This means more to me then you’ll ever know!” She cries and David smiles wide hugging her back wiping his own tears away.  

And just like that a few weeks later they are moving their stuff into their dream house, their friends were all there helping them move their stuff in and the girls helped watch Alethea so Milena could guide the guys where to put certain things. They obviously didn’t have enough furniture to fully furnish the house, but they would soon, Milena has been going a little crazy furniture shopping. They of course filming an empty house tour once they got the keys to the house because her supporters would kill them if they didn’t. 

Alethea was completely in love with the house, she also loved the fact that Jeff was now around 24/7; he practically lived at her apartment with them but he had to go back to film his videos so she would miss him when he was gone for hours. Jeff had done the whole downstairs as the barbershop so now he had his own area for the videos, and he could film whenever he needed to and not have to worry about waking up Alethea since she would be on the second floor along with their bedroom. Milena excused herself from her friends and went outside onto the patio calling in and ordering some pizzas for everyone and sent Todd out to go and pick up some beers and drinks for everyone. Thankfully the first thing to get delivered was their patio furniture, she was so glad so they could at least have something for everyone to relax on today since it was such a beautiful day outside.  

Soon Todd is walking through the front door with arms full of cases of beer and some sodas with the pizza guy right behind him. “Lena!!!” He calls and nods to the delivery guy telling him to follow him. Milena comes downstairs and giggles seeing Todd place everything on the counter, she smiles at the delivery man and takes the pizzas from his arms putting them on the counter and grabs the money from her purse handing it to him and telling him to keep the change. She guides him out the door and closes it behind him. She goes upstairs to wrangle everyone in. “Hey guys! That’s good for today, there’s pizza, beer and soda downstairs.” The guys cheer and follow her downstairs, Jeff wraps his arms around her waist kissing her cheeks. “You’re the best.” He says making her giggle, she puts out paper plates and some solo cups. Milena takes Alethea from the girls and tells them to go eat before the guys eat everything. Everyone goes outside sitting around on the patio furniture, Jeff brings Alethea’s highchair outside and sits it next to her so she can feed her. Milena breaks a piece of pizza into very small pieces for her to pick up and eat and sets her water sippy on the tray as well.  

“Milena this house is amazing, I can’t wait to see how you decorate it.” Erin says and Milena smiles wide. “Thank you, I have so many things up my sleeve.” Milena says making Jeff chuckle, “The delivery guy is going to know our first names by the time the house if furnished.” She giggles and shoves him playfully. She turns back to Alethea picking up a small bite and feeding it to her. They sat like this for hours, goofing around, filming and just hanging out. Thankfully everything they had for their bedroom and Alethea’s were going to pretty much stay the same and the important things were set up and put together. Soon Alethea is wining and reaching for Jeff with sleepy eyes, Milena kisses her head and hands her to Jeff, he’s standing talking to Todd and Jason as he holds a very sleepy Alethea to his chest, she nuzzles into his neck and her hands play with his beard as usual. He sways back and forth as he continues talking to his friends, Jason smirks watching Jeff hold Alethea close and she's falling asleep fairly quickly. Jason’s so happy seeing Jeff and Alethea together it warmed his heart seeing his friend turn into such a sweetheart with her and practically fall into the father roll like a natural. After about 10 minutes Milena looked over and smiles seeing Alethea fast asleep on Jeff’s shoulder, she excused herself from her friends and made her way to Jeff who was still talking to Todd and Jeff. “I’ll take her.” She says slowly talking Alethea from Jeff’s arms trying to keep her asleep. She made her way inside and upstairs to her new nursery. She laid her on the changing table and changed her diaper and changed her into some pajamas somehow without waking her up. Once she was laid in her crib and fast asleep, she turned on her sound machine and turned on her baby monitor camera and bringing the monitor downstairs with her.  

Once Milena was back outside, she turned up the volume on the monitor and set it on the table in front of her when she sat back down with the girls. They all talked for a while about random things and goofed around a little while the guys talked by the pool and Jeff explained a few plans they had for the yard. Everyone hung around for a few more hours before they slowly started filtering out, Jeff and Milena thanked them for their help today. Jeff was walking out Todd who was the last person to leave and Milena started cleaning up, she picked up empty bottles from the outside patio along with paper plates and threw them into the trash. Jeff came into the kitchen where she was packing up the leftover pizza to put into the fridge, he wrapped his arms around her waist and kisses slowly from her ear to her shoulder making her tilt her head to the side and smirk. “That was fun right?” She asks trying to focus on packing up the food and not the tingles that Jeff is sending right between her legs as his lips tease her skin. “Mhm.” he hums not paying much attention to what she's saying making her giggle. Once she’s done packing it all she turns around to face him wrapping her arms around his neck. “Did you hear what I said?” She teases and he looks down at her and chuckles. “Yes of course I did baby. I just am a bit distracted by this hot babe that’s in my kitchen.” Jeff teases back before his lips are attached to her neck again. “I can tell.” she hums leaning into him and closing her eyes. Jeff grabs her hips and lifts her effortlessly onto the kitchen island and stands between her legs, Milena giggles and looks at him biting her lip. Jeff cupped her cheeks kissing her lovingly. “God, I love you so damn much Milena.” He mumbles against her lips making her smile wide, “I love you Jeffery.” She says kissing him a few more times. Soon Jeff his lifting her dress off her legs and kneeling between her legs, he kisses her thighs lovingly until he's hovering over her slick panties, he pushes them to the side and looks up at Milena who is looking down at him biting her lip her eyes practically begging him to touch her.  

Milena runs her fingers through Jeff’s hair as she looks down at him waiting for him to make a move, the suspense was killing her. As if he could read her mind, he buried his face between her sweet thighs that he loves so much, his tongue swiped through her soaking wet folds before his lips attach onto her clit sucking and rolling his tongue around her clit. Milena holds onto his hair and throws her head back moaning into the echo of their practically empty house, Jeff hums happily against her clit sending vibrations through her making her jolt against him and almost come undone right there. He slips two fingers into her curling them up, his tongue circles around her clit making her pull his hair and squirm. “Jeff.” She whimpers and he smirks against her pulling away slightly. “I know baby, cum.” He says before attacking her clit again, and on que she's coming undone on his fingers, she throws her head back moaning his name, she bites her bottom lip hard trying to keep herself quiet. Jeffs fingers continue working on her helping her ride out her high, soon her legs are shaking, and snapping shut and she’s trying to squirm out of his grasp. He slowly removes his fingers and brings them to his lips sucking them clean before kissing her lips. Milena smiles against his lips wrapping her arms around his neck, he wraps his arms around her waist and picks her up off the island carrying her up the stairs to their bedroom. Milena buries her face into his neck and giggles as he makes his ways to their bedroom, he closes the door behind them and places her gently on the bed. “Clothes off pretty girl.” He says his voice deep eyes scanning over her as he strips himself of his clothes. She smirks and bites her lip as she pulls her dress over her head tossing it on the floor and then pulls off her panties tossing them to Jeff before laying back on their bed. Jeff catches them and looks at her with his eyebrows raised, he chuckles and tosses them onto the floor before climbing on top of her. His lips attack her neck as he lines himself up with her, he teases her slowly rubbing his tip between her folds making her squirm and moan. He smirks against her skin before slipping into her slowly. Milena moans softly burying her face into his neck trying to muffle her moans as he thrusts in and out of her keeping his pace steady.  Jeff groans against her ear before leaning back and putting her legs over his shoulders, his hands gripping her thighs tightly as he thrusts into her deeper his movements already becoming sloppy. He could’ve cum watching her cum on his face and fingers earlier, so it was no surprise that he was already close to his high. Milena arches her back grinding her hips along with his moaning loudly, Jeff smirks and reaches down to cover her mouth trying to keep her quiet, his other hand reaches between them and his fingers circle her still sensitive clit making her moan loudly against his hand. “I’m close baby.” He groans snapping his hips against hers faster, Milena nods looking up at him with pleading eyes. He feels her tighten around him as he grinds against her hitting all the right spots, before he knows it Jeff is releasing inside of her snapping his hips roughly and she’s following right behind him her fingers gripping the sheets tightly between her fingers. Jeff helps her ride out her high before he’s collapsing on top of her trying to catch his breath.  

It’s a few minutes later when he’s pulling out of her slowly and lying next to her, he runs his fingers through his damp hair. “I think that was a perfect way to end the first day in the new house.” Milena whispers turning onto her side to face Jeff, he chuckles and looks at her. “I think I agree.” He says smirking. Once Milena can trust her legs again, she climbs out of bed after pecking Jeff on the lips. “I’m gonna shower.” she whispers, and he nods smiling. “I’ll finish cleaning downstairs.” He says kissing her again. Once Jeff is finished cleaning up after their friends, he makes sure all the doors are locked and closes the windows in the kitchen and living room. He brings the baby monitor that is long dead upstairs, before he goes into their bedroom, he cracks open Alethea’s nursery door and peaks his head in trying to be as quiet as possible. He smiles wide seeing that she is still fast asleep in her crib, he was worried that she would have trouble adjusting to being in the new house but she was actually still asleep and usually by now she would have woken up at least once. He closes the door slowly making sure not to wake her as he does. When Jeff walks back into their bedroom and smirks seeing Milena pulling one of his t shirts over her head, “She’s still fast asleep.” Jeff tells her before pulling in the baby monitor on Milena’s side of the bed. “Really? Wow.” Milena says before slipping into the bed under the warm blankets, she quickly braided her still wet hair before laying down and nuzzling into the pillow. She looks up at Jeff and reaches her hands out for him. “J.” She wines as he strips down to his boxers chuckling. “I’m coming Lena.” He says smirking before crawling into bed next to her, he wraps his arms around her and pulls her into his chest holding her close. “Welcome home beautiful.” He whispers into her head before kissing the top of her head. Milena smiles wide and nuzzles further into his chest. “I love you.” She whispers only falling asleep when he whispers it back.  

[jaxsteamblog]

Comfort

Click here to read the full fic on AO3

The last week of her summer, Katara stopped working at the Ice Blossom. Her days would be spent packing everything up and getting her new apartment ready. The cable and internet needed to be switched over, and there was a problem moving over her electric bill. A Katara paced around her apartment - her steps confounded by partially filled boxes - she waited on hold with the electric company.

Stubbing her toe on the coffee table she had pushed out of the way of her cable box, Katara tried to keep her swearing under her breath.

When she heard knocking at her door, Katara wordlessly walked to it. Opening the door, she waved Zuko in before turning back toward her living room.

“Hello?” Katara asked when the hold music cut off. “Ah great, thanks.”

Zuko raised his eyebrow at her and Katara shook her head, gesturing to the living room. She watched him close the door, crossing one arm over her chest and nodded as she listened to the man on the phone.

“Mmh hmm. Mmmh hmm. Yes I-.” Katara rubbed her eyes. “Yes, I understand that. But I’m not, yes, I’m not cancelling my services. I’m just trying to remove one address and add another to my account.”

Zuko walked to the living room and peered into a couple of boxes.

“No, that’s where I live now. I need my account to be moved to the second street address.” Katara said. Zuko watched her as she paced and she turned her back to him.

“Yes, exactly. Now wait.” Katara said in a rush. “I don’t need the switch made until the end of the month.”

She listened intently, not turning as she felt Zuko walk up to stand next to her.

“That’s perfect, thank you.” She said and clicked her phone off.

“UGGGHHHHH.” She groaned and rubbed her face vigorously.

“I am really glad I never have to deal with stuff like that.” Zuko said. Katara blew a raspberry and walked over to a box in the living room.

“It’s not always a pain. I can usually do it online, but they were having a problem with this move for some reason.” She said.

“Well, what do you need me to do?” Zuko asked.

“I need to pack up a lot of the non-essentials, like my books, and start dismantling the furniture.” Katara replied.

“Okay. Where should I start?”

Katara set him to work on the living room while she packed up her bedroom. In the South Pole and during the war, there was never a reason to accumulate a lot of stuff, so her packing was usually done fairly quickly. She left out a week’s worth of clothes and folded everything else up into a box. Everything else was categorized as miscellaneous and she wrapped them if needed. Otherwise, she tossed everything into a box and moved on.

After a while, she went out and helped Zuko dismantle her bookshelf. As she started to vacuum up the formerly hidden dust, Zuko headed into her kitchen. She followed him and they started wrapping up her dishes in old newspaper.

“I really appreciate the help. This would normally take me all week and then we’d have to rush the move in one day so Sokka wouldn’t take too much time.” Katara said as she moved a stack of wrapped plates into a box.

“Not a problem. And if you wanted, I did bring the van. We could take some stuff over tonight if you wanted.” Zuko said.

“We can’t take the trolley through the center of the rings, we’d have to take the highway.” Katara remarked.

“That’s only a three hour drive to the opposite side of the ring.” Zuko said. “I mean, we’d only be able to take one trip, but that’s one less to do on the weekend.”

Katara looked at her watch; it was five-thirty and she was starting to get hungry.

“Yeah, that sounds like a good idea.” She rolled her head and stretched her arms out behind her. “Let’s pause here and load up.”

“Did you want to do any of the furniture?” Zuko asked hesitantly.

“The furniture is the easiest.” Katara said with a smile. “Don’t you remember the factory?”

Confused, Zuko watched as Katara turned on her sink. As the faucet opened, she pulled the thin rope of water. More and more pooled in the air, enough to easily fill a bathtub, and Zuko stepped back. When she judged she had enough, Katara used the water to shut off the faucet.

“You might want to head down first and open the van.” She said. Zuko nodded and made a quick dash to the door. He looked back in time to see Katara envelope the couch in water.

In the parking lot, Zuko laughed quietly as Katara used her bending to slide the couch into the back of the van. When it was settled, she recalled the water and sent it shooting down a sewer drain. In awe, Zuko ran a hand over the back of the couch, feeling the dry fabric.

“We can’t do that with the boxes because the initial grab would ruin some things.” Katara said with a sigh.

“Guess we’ll have to do it the old fashioned way.” Zuko said.

The van was a delivery vehicle and so they weren’t able to fit much more in the back. Zuko and Katara stepped up into the cabin of the van and she pulled up a map on her phone.

“Where do you want to eat?” He asked, turning over the engine.

“I don’t care. Somewhere quick.” Katara replied, fitting her phone into the holder on the dash.

“Fast food?” Zuko asked, sounding offended.

“Okay rich boy, calm down.” Katara replied. Zuko smiled but didn’t say anything. He pulled out of the parking lot and headed onto the main street.

They got food through the worst drive-thru Katara could find and Zuko demanded that she feed him his fries so he could keep both hands on the wheel. The interstate itself was fine, but they hit construction traffic about forty-five minutes in that made it a slog.

Zuko swore a blue streak under his breath as he flipped his turn signal on aggressively. He was trying to merge in front of a blue car for the third time since they had seen the orange construction signs.

“You’re in a van,” Katara said. “You’re only just above semi-trucks in car hierarchy.”

“So I just have to go for it?” Zuko asked. He shoved the front of the van into the tiny space the blue car was just about to lurch into and Zuko smiled triumphantly.

“I wanted to ask, how to manage to get around so freely as the crown prince?” Katara asked as Zuko straightened out the van and let out a breath.

“I have a security detail, of course. But a lot of it just comes down to the fact that I live a very mundane life here. I’m a Firebender, so I can take care of myself in close quarters, and any larger attempt on my life is most likely going to get picked up by my babysitters.” Zuko explained.

They drove for a time in silence and Katara watched the cars sway like fish in front of them.

“What about you?” Zuko asked.

Katara looked at him, curious.

“Me?” She questioned.

“Where are your babysitters?”

“Why didn’t the crown prince of the Fire Nation know about Arnook’s new heir?”

“Hmm.” Zuko nodded, looking intently through the windshield. “Fair.”

“People had no idea who I was at the end of the war. And it’s not like the Fire Nation wanted to talk about the Waterbender that…” Katara trailed off and Zuko didn’t move. “Anyway, I was easy to hide.”

“Probably not for much longer.” He said softly.

“Do you think I’ll be able to finish medical school after my coronation then? I mean, it’s pretty mundane.” Katara asked. Zuko glanced over at her quickly, but she was able to see his pained face.

“Katara, again, you’re going to be a ruling monarch. I doubt they’re going to let you do anything other than that.” He said. Katara huffed, crossing her arms over her chest and sinking down in her seat.

“I don’t even know what being a queen means.” She muttered.

“Well,” Zuko paused as traffic started to clear up and he changed lanes again. “You’re going to have a lot of ministers, and I’m sure Arnook is going to stick around.”

“I just don’t know what I’m supposed to do. All of the tribes have been self-governing for a very long time, and I don’t see them unifying just because I’m a Waterbender.” Katara said.

“Sure, but the tribes are small, and the war wasn’t that long ago. Being united might seem pretty attractive right now, and with the Avatar being born in the Swamp, it might be that Arnook is trying to keep power in the North Pole.” Zuko replied.

“So what?”

“So nothing. Really, it’s because the Water Tribe will look bad if the head is some random person for a literal backwater place.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Katara jerked herself upright but Zuko stayed firm.

“You know I don’t mean anything by that. Only that no one knows anything about the Swamp Tribe, and two nations are going to be sniffing out their loyalty.” He said.

He looked at her and Katara turned her face away to look out the window. The sun was sinking behind the wall of the middle ring and the sky seemed brighter on that side.

“Does it actually bother you?” He asked. Katara sighed and rested her forehead against the glass.

“No. I know what people say. I just don’t want to be queen.” Katara said. “This wasn’t supposed to be my reward.”

“Reward?”

Katara closed her eyes, listening to the road underneath the tires. She could conjure the image in perfect detail, right down to the smell. The ocean spray was metallic; the sunken ships blooming like tea leaves under the waves. The sky was a blinding orange. Sozin’s Comet ripped through the sky and burned up the oxygen, leaving Katara to gasp as she ran over the howling water.

Sky Pirates clashed overhead and sent more ships tumbling down, their hulls ablaze. Sokka and Suki had infiltrated the Fire Nation air force and Katara watched with her heart in her throat as the flagship went down.

She had to trust them, had to trust that they would be able to get out safely.

And so she ran, waves pushing her up over rocks that pierced the depths. It was after one massive swell that Katara found herself airborne. Flipping around, she dove into the water. It covered her and became her. La rose with her and they ripped ships out of the sky, dragging the seabound ones downward as they did.

The Firebenders were more powerful at that moment, but a fire could always be put out with a big enough wave.

When she landed on a boat, she ran over the deck, sheering it apart with her bending. The sailors that got in her way were forced to kneel when she used her knowledge from Hama. At the prow, Katara would jump again, and La would receive her.

It was only by chance that they were at the invasion site. They had just been trying to get home when Sokka had noticed the fleet.

“What do you know about the final battle?” Katara asked, opening her eyes and watching the reflective lines pass underneath the window.

“Only that two-thirds of our air force and navy was sunk.” Zuko said. “I actually almost lost my father then.”

“Yeah,” Katara croaked. “Sorry about that.”

“Were you,” Zuko paused and Katara looked away. “There?”

“I was.” She said.

“And La?”

Katara didn’t answer and Zuko didn’t say anything further. Silently, Katara rolled onto her back and stared up at the sky through the windshield.

“They only want me to use my power.” She said.

“No one else knows about your connection to La though.” Zuko pointed out. Katara groaned and pressed the heels of her hands into her eyes.

“Can’t you be upset?” She demanded.

“Why would I be upset?” Zuko asked.

Sitting up, Katara slammed her hands on the edge of her seat.

“You literally just told me that I almost killed your father in the war. It didn’t bother you when I told you I drowned Zhao, but this? He’s your father Zuko!” She said.

Zuko sighed, but he looked sad.

“What happened to your mother, Katara?” He asked. Shocked, Katara sat up.

“What?”

“She died in prison right? Protecting a horrible woman, or so Sokka told me.” Zuko said. Katara faced forward again, her hands gripping her arms.

“My father ordered that the Water Tribe forces be captured and sent to POW camps. It’s his fault she was there.” Zuko said. Katara lowered her face as tears welled up hot in her eyes.

“He took my mother away too.” He said.

With a gasp, Katara’s head snapped up.

“What?” She asked.

“I don’t know why, but my father is behind her disappearance. He told me as much. He also told me that I will never see her again.” Zuko said. He turned his face to steer the van onto an exit ramp. His jaw was set but he still only looked sad.

“So, we have something in common.” He added gently.

Katara started to cry and Zuko flipped up the center console, yanking a tissue out of a box and handing it to her. She took it and he kept his eyes on the road, occasionally looking at her phone for directions.

“Katara, you are an amazing woman and I think you’ll be an amazing queen.” Zuko said. He finally looked at her as they stopped at a stop sign and he smiled. “Want to get some ice cream?”

Sniffling, Katara nodded.

“I’m going to need you to find a place because I have never been here before.” He said, pulling the van through the intersection. Katara chuckled and grabbed her phone.

“So, we should probably find out what else we have in common besides the mom thing.” She said as she looked up an ice cream place.

“What kind of flavor do you like?” Zuko asked.

“Butter pecan.”

“Well it’s certainly not that.”

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21

[diurnaldays]

I was tagged by @skullycloud in the @americapersonified usuk/ukus survey!

Quick note, I'm answering all of these from a canonverse angle specifically.

USUK/UKUS SURVEY (by americapersonified) QUESTIONS:

- In what decade did they officially become involved?

If you know me, you know I loooooove WWII USUK. There's just so much significance, both personal and historical, to the WWII US-UK alliance that I doubt they didn't start dating during the 1940s. Maybe they first kissed on VE Day, maybe they first kissed on Janurary 8th, 1942 (you'll find out the significance of that date eventually if you follow along with my historical USUK fic "Tigers in the Sky", wink wonk).

- Who tops? (USUK or UKUS?)

They wrestle it out. Either that, or they do rock/paper/scissors. In all seriousness, it likely depends on what fantasies they're acting out, who's less drunk, etc etc.

- Was either of them a virgin before their first hookup?

Maybe America, definitely not England, though I like changing this around in human AUs.

- If not, to whom did each lose his virginity?

England either lost his virginity to Portugal or France, depending on just how closely England entangled himself with them during alliances/invasions.

Although I doubt America lost his virginity in canonverse (before WWII, that is), I guess his first time might be with either France or a human. With France, it'd have happened during the Rev War to spite England, while if it was with a human, it was a one-night stand that America probably felt bad about afterwards.

- Are they more patient with each other in private, or do they bicker/tease each other all the time?

A mixture of both, to be honest? They express more affection and intimacy in private, as they don't feel a need to put up the same barriers they maintain in public or when around other people. At the same time, they're both always up for a verbal sparring match, regardless of whether or not they're behind closed doors.

- Will they get married?

I'm a sucker for gooey romantic shit, so of course they do. Anyway, speaking from their perspectives, they love each other and probably have preconceived notions of what a modern long-term romantic relationship should look like, so they'd get married regardless of what their bosses think.

- If so, where will the wedding be held? (Add other details if you wish)

Regardless of whether or not they're public figures, their ceremony was probably rather small but still decorated rather nicely with some of their closest allies invited cordially as guests. I think the first time around they'd get married in a quaint chapel in the English countryside somewhere, but when they renew their vows they alternate between each other's bucket list venues -- so one decade, America insists on renewing their vows in Las Vegas with an Elvis impersonator as the officiator, another decade England arranges a ceremony on a historic ship, the decade after that America organizes a bombastic ceremony at Disney World, and so in so forth.

- At whose house do they most often stay together?

In canon, they usually stay at America's house. In my opinion, they try to split trips 50/50 whenever possible, though any number of reasons could compel one of them to visit the other more often.

- Do they refer to each other by their nation names or human names?

Depends on the situation, time period, etc. I think that both their nation and human names are intimate for different reasons that evolve over time.

- What pet names do they have for each other?

America @ England: sweetheart, babe, baby, (insert gooey silly pet name here when he's trying to tease England rather than openly express affection towards him)

England @ America: love, poppet, my love (He uses these both sarcastically and endearingly.)

- Who drives?

Depends on which side the country they're in drives on.

- Is Alfred good at making Arthur's tea?

Eventually, he develops a knack for brewing tea just the way England likes it, but he doesn't admit to himself that he cares about England enough that he's learned how to make perfect tea and scones -- it's just so that England will stop making a sad face and cheer up, you see! A hero can't do heroism when his lover is all pouty and sad! Anyway, England knows that America can brew tea correctly, and so he gets pissed off whenever America brews his tea incorrectly, as England knows that his lover is trying to get a rise out of him.

- It's universally accepted that Arthur is bad at cooking. Does Alfred enjoy cooking? Is he good at it? Or does he usually stick to McDonalds and fast food?

Hey, England's canonically good at baking :( But anyway, I have no doubt America can actually cook very well when he tries. However, fast food is easy, tasty, and convenient for him, so he usually just orders delivery when he's not having England or a friend over. I bet England would be surprised that America can actually cook really well the first time America prepares a lavish three-course Thanksgiving meal for the two of them, though America brushes off the effort he puts into cooking and alternates between pretending that he doesn't know how to cook and taking pride in how much better his cooking totally is compared to everyone else's.

- Do they shower together? (Not specifically for sex)

As long as the shower stall or bathtub is big enough, yes. Just as England fixes up America's shirt collar and tie before attending formal events, England likely also joins America in the shower to both save water and make sure America washes himself and towels off properly. I'm not sure how they'd stay in such close proximity to each other while naked for so long without getting at least a little handsy, though, lol

- Who smells better? (In your opinion)

Uh, England? While America probably has a nice warm sandalwood and sea breeze musk when he's trying to be seductive, he's also sloppy enough that he'd smell of grease, lint, and sweat most of the time (sorry, you know it's true). England is probably more attentive to his own personal hygiene and so usually carries a faint aroma of rose blooms and tea.

- How vocal are they in bed?

Both are very vocal, though England probably moreso when America's doing a good job.

- Is spending time together easy, or are they forced apart for long periods at a time?

I'm a sucker for America and England dealing with the loneliness and longing of a long-distance relationship, so while they'd do their best to find time to visit each other, they both have separate lives and duties that sometimes keep them apart. Still, they generally spend every vacation together, and their allies/friends are used to every invitation likely involving a plus one at this point.

- Are they wealthy, or do they live modestly?

Depends on the time period and where they are. I'd imagine they both own lavish estates and apartments/flats as well as some more modest homes across their respective nations, though they try to maintain lifestyles similar to those of their more average people.

- For Alfred specifically: Glasses on or off?

On in public, off in private or when they're being annoying (as glasses are wont to do).

- How often do they break up?

Unless they have a really bad misunderstanding, I don't think they'd take breaks or break up. They've developed good communication and rapport with each other after decades of dating.

- Open relationship?

In terms of romance, definitely not, they're both too possessive (and also imperial powers lmao). In terms of the bedroom, however, maybe that'd be a different story... (Jealous possessive America ftw)

- Did Arthur actually care for Alfred before the revolution?

Hmm, probably in a paternalistic (NOT paternal) sense, like America/Alfred was an abstract love object for him who he sometimes mentored and sometimes brought gifts for, but who he otherwise chronically neglected up until America broke off their relationship unilaterally with force.

If you see this survey and want to fill it out, consider yourself tagged! :)

[megalony]

Touchy situation- Part 11

This is the last part of this slow-burn Roger Taylor series, but I have a follow-on series planned which I am going to be starting very soon because I love writing this storyline and am not ready to end it just yet. I hope you all like it.

Taglist: @lunaticspoem @butlegendsneverdie @langdonzvoid @jennyggggrrr @rogmeddows @radiob-l-a-hblah @rogertaylorsbitontheside @chlobo6 @rogertaylors-lipgloss @sj-thefan @omgitsearly @luckytrashgooprebel @scarsout @deaky-with-a-c @killer-queen-ofrhye @bluutac @vousmemanqueez @rogahs-drowse

Summary: (Y/n) and Roger still love each other even after their breakup but although they want to be together again, they can’t because Roger is with someone else now. Someone who is now pregnant.

Series masterlist

Enjoy.

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

"What are you doing?"

(Y/n) found that her voice was quieter and rather timid when she wanted to sound neutral and inquiring. She knew her voice was fragile and she seemed desperate as well as worried, but she couldn't help how she felt as she started to feel fear creeping up into her system.

She had been relieved when Roger let her into the apartment rather than leaving her on the doorstep acting like he was out like he had done when Brian came round the other day.

No one had seen Roger since Andrew's funeral last week and they were becoming increasingly worried. They came round to the flat but Roger wouldn't let them in or even speak to them through the door. They called but the most he had done was pick up the phone so they knew he was okay but he didn't speak. He knew he had to at least answer and let them hear his breathing or they would become paranoid he had done something rash.

The funeral had been a very close-knit gathering of (Y/n), the band and a few members of Roger's family but the drummer was not himself anymore.

He had talked to Liz after leaving the hospital but harsh words had passed between them as he told her she couldn't go to the funeral and he made sure no one told her when it was. Roger knew it was very harsh of him but he felt like he didn't have a heart anymore and therefore had no more cares to give. He didn't even know where Liz was, he simply knew she wasn't at their apartment anymore and had left a key after he told her he didn't want her in his life at all.

(Y/n) was the first person Roger had let into the flat and now she could see why.

As she walked inside and followed the drummer, she found it was not the same as she had seen it on the very few times she had been round. There were no more pictures hanging on the walls, not even of the band's albums. His collection of records were now stuffed away into boxes and the record player was nowhere to be seen. The kitchen was spotless and had no plates, cups or utensils out anywhere, it looked like it hadn't even been used for days.

What made (Y/n) worry was the hundreds of boxes everywhere.

Was Roger moving?

Roger continued to stay silent as he headed down the corridor, his head purposely turning to the right so he didn't catch a glimpse of the door on his left that led into Andrew's room. That was the one room in the apartment that he hadn't managed to go into yet and he didn't know if he ever would.

He led (Y/n) into the end bedroom and he shivered when he heard her breathing hitch in her throat.

There were two suitcases resting on the bed that were almost full. One contained Roger's clothing which was a lot since he had a rather jumbled wardrobe with a range of clothes. And the other held a few personal items such as his jewellery, photos, some cards from over the years and resting on top were some of Andrew's blankets, clothes and one or two of his toys.

"A-are you moving?" (Y/n) didn't even try to hide the way her voice trembled as she clenched her hands together in front of her to try and calm herself down.

Roger slowly turned around so he was facing her as he nodded. There was no way he could stay in the flat anymore, he had the memory of Liz in the bathtub and he had little pieces of Andrew scattered everywhere. If Roger was going to try and move on from this chapter of his life then he had to be able to live somewhere that he didn't feel chained to his memories. This was not a place he could live anymore.

"Do you have somewhere else to go?" (Y/n) knew Roger had a few places in America and one in Montreal since they owned a studio there. But with how quickly he seemed to be packing he must have either found a place he wanted and was in the process of buying it or he was staying with someone until he got somewhere lined up.

Her heart seemed to stutter in her chest when Roger reached forward and took both her hands in his own. Brushing his thumbs over the back of her hands as he tried to look at her but he couldn't manage it.

"I'm going to stay at my place in LA." With how much time the band spent touring and disappearing around the world, when they started to make a lot of money Roger decided to get a place in the states. LA seemed the best place and he found a house he really liked, it was where he and even the band stayed when they were over there and Roger had gone there a few times when he wanted to get away and have some time to himself.

(Y/n) had gone there with him once for a holiday.

"For how long?" (Y/n) asked the question that Roger wished she wouldn't. He didn't want to stay in this flat any longer than necessary but London was tainted for him now. He had the memory of losing his daughter here and then having and losing Andrew. Liz was still going to be in London and he didn't want to bump into her anywhere. Roger didn't see the use of being here when it wasn't going to aid his recovery from how his mind was breaking apart. The band wasn't going to be going on tour now and he didn't know if he even wanted to go back to being in Queen anymore.

LA was far away from here, it was somewhere he could have a break and try and recuperate.

"Rog?"

"I bought a one-way ticket." Roger finally pulled his eyes from their hands to look at her eyes but he found them flooded with tears.

He was leaving her.

He was going to leave them all behind like a bad memory and he didn't seem to want to come back, and the worst part was (Y/n) couldn't blame him for anything. Roger couldn't stay here and she couldn't blame him for feeling that way. He was trying to get over a huge loss that she also couldn't be mad at him for and he was doing what was best for him. How could she ever be angry at him for leaving when it was the only thing that would guarantee he wasn't going to have a breakdown or get any worse?

"(Y/n)... I can't stay here anymore. Miami called the other day, the media's got wind of what happened and I don't want to be here if they find out the truth. Liz is here, the band is here and A-Andrew, is here. If I stay I'm going to be walking around and remembering him and wishing for him to come back and I can't do that."

Roger didn't want to forget about Andrew, that was never something that he was going to do and he would never consider trying to forget his son. But he couldn't live his life seeing Andrew everywhere he went because he would be carrying around such a big burden. He had never got the chance to take Andrew anywhere and most importantly, his house in LA had no trace of Andrew or Liz. That meant Roger could wake up in the morning and not be bombarded by their memory, he could think of Andrew when he felt down or when he missed him.

Roger could get out a picture or an item of clothing or a toy of Andrew's and hold that and be close to him. But he didn't want to pass the graveyard where Andrew was buried and feel like he wanted to join him. Roger didn't want to walk around and remember that this was the flat he found his son drowning or that was the hospital he lost his son in.

He couldn't stay here if the media started printing articles about Roger losing his son, and if they found out what had happened between him and Liz then Roger was not prepared to stay and be questioned by paparazzi. He didn't want to be bombarded by them everywhere he went and he didn't want fans or passers-by asking about it if this went public.

LA was a fresh start.

"I understand, Rog. I... I just don't want you to leave me." (Y/n) tightened her hands around his own as she tipped her head down but she couldn't stop herself from crying. After everything they had gone through, (Y/n) didn't want to give up on Roger now. She didn't want to let him slip through her fingers and disappear from her life. They had been through far too much for her to simply try and move on from him now.

(Y/n) loved Roger, and the love she had for him showed her that no matter how hard either of them tried, she was never going to be able to walk away and move on. Roger may be able to do that or he may just want to try, but (Y/n) didn't want to waste time grieving over her loss of Roger when she could try and help him through this and be there for him. Even as a friend, but she didn't want him to disappear from her life.

Roger let go of her hands so that he could wrap his arms around her and encase her to his chest. Leaving was something Roger had felt fine with when he thought about the band and the boys and everything he was leaving behind. He knew they would understand and they simply weren't enough to make him want to stay. But (Y/n), she was the one thing that made him reconsider everything.

He didn't want to leave her behind and forget about her because he would never be able to do that. These past few years had shown Roger that through everything, they could last forever and he knew he was never going to love anyone else.

"Love, I am never, ever, going to leave you. And this isn't forever I swear to you. But I have to leave, this isn't my home anymore, too much has happened for me to be able to live here." Roger was never going to leave (Y/n) and he had a few things sorted out to make sure whatever happened, he would not be cutting her out of his life. This move didn't mean (Y/n) would never see or hear from him again, it just meant there would be an added distance between them for a while.

"When are you leaving?"

(Y/n) dug her hands into his shoulders as she clung to him desperately, praying that the answer would be a week or two so she could have some time with him before he went.

"Tomorrow." Roger clung to her as tight as he could when she writhed to pull away from him, a small cry leaving her lips at one word that shattered everything. He couldn't go tomorrow and not know when he was coming back, he couldn't tell her today that he was going and have this be the last time she saw him for God knows how long. He couldn't do this to her.

"No, R-Rog you can't-"

"Shh, baby it's okay. It's all gonna be okay." Roger started to sway them side to side as he kissed her forehead repeatedly. He had planned to talk to her before now but things just happened and everything seemed to jumble together and go so quickly. "I need you to listen to me for a moment, alright?" Roger slowly pulled back so he could look at her, but he kept his arms around her just in case she tried to pull or walk away.

(Y/n) couldn't trust her voice so she simply nodded, wiping furiously at her eyes so she could actually see him properly.

"I leave tomorrow morning, and I said to the boys that I would call you and let you know I was there alright... but then that's it. Just for a month or two, I won't call or write. I need some time to get everything straightened out, up here." Roger tapped his head as he spoke. He would need headspace and time to try and recover and he couldn't do that if he clung to everything he was going to walk away from. So he wasn't going to call or have any contact with them for a while. "But it won't be forever I promise that after a month or two I will call you and that is a promise I won't break."

With how quickly he was leaving, Roger had asked John if he would put all of his things that he wasn't taking with him into storage and if he would sell the flat for him. John was good with finances and he had a head for transactions like this so he had agreed to sort everything out.

And Roger promised the band he would call (Y/n) so they knew he was okay and he was in his house in LA with no problems. Then he would become a ghost for a while, just long enough that he could get himself together without yearning for everybody.

"I want you to read this tomorrow after I leave, promise me you won't read it until I go?" Roger turned and took an envelope out from one of the suitcases before gently placing it into (Y/n)'s trembling hands. She could tell it was a letter and that by the way he wrote her name on the envelope, he had tried to make his writing neat since it was sometimes hard to read. He didn't want her to read it until he had gone because then she couldn't rush round and talk to him about it.

"I promise."

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

(Y/n) tried to stop herself from gripping the letter too tightly so she didn't indent the precious paper that Roger had given to her. The envelope had sat on her mantlepiece for one day and it had been so hard to sit and stare at it and fight the urge to run over and rip it open to know what he had said to her.

But she knew that right now, Roger was boarding the plane that was going to take him away for his recovery. There was no way that she could rush over after reading this and get to him before he left. He had technically gone now, so it was okay for her to read the letter.

With trembling hands, (Y/n) ever so carefully opened the crystal white envelope and reached inside. Grasping the edge of the thin paper, (Y/n) slowly pulled the letter out and set the envelope down on her lap.

What had he written to her?

What did Roger write that he felt he couldn't say to her in person?

A sudden flurry of panic flooded through her chest as she wondered if she really should read this or not. Maybe it would be something she wouldn't want to hear, maybe it would be something that would make her melt or breakdown in sobs. Maybe it wasn't worth upsetting herself when she already knew she would breakdown later when Roger rang at around midnight to say he was officially in a different country.

But (Y/n) couldn't sit and wonder any longer, she had to know what Roger had written.

(Y/n), I remember the first time I met you in a bar after the band had an argument in the studio. I remember ordering you a martini, the first time you ever tried one which admittedly did make you sick afterwards. And I remember all the little moments afterwards. I knew when I met you that you'd be special to me, I just didn't know how special you would become. Call me a coward, but I just didn't know how to say this to you in person. I've done a lot of shit in my life, but leaving you was something I both regret and am happy about because it gave me Andrew. The stuff I said to you in the hospital was wrong, I know you would never wish any of that stuff and I know it was hard on you for me to have him. But I know you loved him too and I am forever grateful for that. But he's gone now, and I don't know how I'm supposed to deal with losing both of my kids. Somehow, I don't think even you can help me right now and that's okay, space helped us last time and it will help us now. Being on my own is what I need right now and I think in the long run it will help you too. I've never loved someone as much as I love you, which is why I've left something in the envelope for you. It will show you I'm not going to leave you forever and that I love you far too much to leave you behind. I'll see you soon.

(Y/n) slowly set down the letter next to her on the sofa as she wiped at the tears to rid them from her face. Taking a deep breath to calm herself down, (Y/n) picked up the envelope and peeked inside to see what Roger had put inside.

What would he have left in there that showed he was going to come back?

Seeing a rectangular piece of paper, (Y/n) felt intrigue pulling at her chest as she reached in and took it out of the envelope. It took a moment for her vision to adjust and a delayed reaction for her mind to actually work out what Roger had left. But once her mind had configured what it was that she was staring at, a smile found its way onto her features. Roger was never going to forget about her and this was the proof.

Maybe Roger would never be coming back from LA, but (Y/n) would be seeing him in two month's time.

He left her a plane ticket from London to LA.

[blondecarfucker]

Bed of Roses (Chapter 20)

Roger Taylor x Reader

BoRhap!Roger Taylor x Reader

Fic Summary: It's 1971. You just moved to London to study, and you find a band on a local pub after a bad date. The encounter doesn’t go the way you expect it, and neither does what follows this evening as you try to deal with loving Roger Taylor.

Fic Note: So I’ve had this story in my head for the last three weeks and finally decided to write it down. It’s completely planned. It will have 21 chapters and it’s divided in three acts: Dusk, Night and Dawn. It’s will be a bit angsty in the future, and it will most likely have some smut as well. I hope you guys enjoy it! Tell me what you think about it in the asks/comments/messages. PLEASE REMEMBER THIS IS NOT THE LAST CHAPTER OF THE STORY. If this is your first time stumbling upon Bed of Roses, thank you for stopping by! The rest of the story is in my masterlist, the link is in my bio - can't put the link here or else the post will disappear from the tags.

Chapter's notes: GUYS THIS TOOK SO LONG AND IM SORRY. im actually in another city at the moment and yeah, having free time has been a bit hard - i wrote this mostly on a plane and now im editing it on an uber on my way to class. BUT, theres only one more chapter to go!!! WTF!!!! its so close to the end???? i mean?????? but its been an amazing journey and mostly thanks to you all!! more thanks on the next chapter where im gonna be so cheesy thanking you all, just wait. anyway, nice fun sexy chapter to heal our hearts from the break up and stuff! hope you enjoy

Words: around 4k

Warnings: smut, alcohol, swearing probably. all in good fun tho. probably some errors cause its been a busy week

 ACT 3 - DAWN

"It's the moment night time seems weaker and everything seems easier to figure out"

Chapter 20

Paris

You hold Roger's hand as you wait in line for the immigration officer to check your passports. The activity in itself is something the both of you did many, many times before - you travelled a lot with the band.

But this was different. You were not only alone with Roger, but there was nothing concerning you - his mood, your job, nothing. You feel at ease.

Roger's idea to go somewhere where none of you knew very well was brilliant. Since you're outside of your comfort zone anyways, you were both more easy going, not overthinking anything, just spontaneous. You knew the time where you would talk about your relationship and how you want to deal with everything would come, but you weren't stressing about it. You would think about it once the time came - there was no reason to be concerned now.

Cause now you could only feel Roger's touch, hear him humming something - you couldn't believe he was humming La Vie En Rose, the most cliche Paris song of all times, but of course he was. His shoulders are relaxed, and he brushes his thumb against the skin on your hand. His smell is all around you.

You could really immerse in the presence each other, now. Ever since you left London, where almost everything between you happened, you didn't really knew anything else - the fields on the window, the french being spoken by the people on the cabin next to yours. So you just laid your head on his lap as he ran his fingers through your hair and told you about the little things you missed.

His eyesight has gotten worse, and now he can't really do anything without his contacts. He met David Bowie in an award show, and he thought of you - he knew how much you liked him. He still knew all of Fleetwood Mac's 1974 album songs by heart - he kept the album you left in the old flat.

And also stuff about the boys. John's kid was a cute, quiet boy, just like his dad, and he didn't enjoy any of Roger's songs when he went to rehearsals. Veronica was pregnant with another baby - Roger's pretty sure it's a girl. Brian was still thinking about finishing his PhD, but never got around doing it - his schedule is too crazy. Freddie was growing tired of the long hair and clean face, and kept thinking about changing his looks, but couldn't decide on what he would do. He told you that ever since Freddie and Mary broke up, he started seeing more guys - none of you thought much about it. It was just another aspect of Freddie's life.

Roger kept writing songs now, even when they were on tour or at home. He was getting annoyed at the "No Synths" rule in the band, and tried to convince them to drop it. But he was happy with the new album - he enjoyed how they simplified the process of writing it, and thought mostly about writing songs they can play live the same way they play it in studio. The last time they did it was in their first album.

You just kept looking up at him, his defined jaw glowing against the sun, his bright blue eyes looking down at you to watch your reaction, your grin once he told you he finally finished writing Sheer Heart Attack, a song he tried to get done and in an album ever since 1974.

And now the immigration officer called you, and you laughed as you watched Roger try to speak french to the guy before taking the matter into your own hands.

And when he asked you what was your relationship with him, you just smiled and said "mon copain".

-

You knew Roger chose the hotel as you packed in London, sitting between all the boxes so he could use your phone. You didn't pay attention to which hotel he picked, but once you got to the Champs-Élysées, you knew he spent too much money.

You got off the cab at the Four Seasons George V Hotel, a building that was basically a modern castle, and you stared at him, shocked. "Roger, you didn't do this", you told him, your eyes wide as you entered the spacious and luxurious lobby, your luggage already being taken to your room as the lady on front desk recognized Roger. "Did what?", he asked jokingly, raising his brow at you, even though he knew what you meant. "This hotel. It's too nice and probably a fortune", you told him, and he shrugged. "Hey, we deserve it. We always did. But now we can afford it", he winked, and then took the room keys from the front desk.

"C'mon, I want to see how you're going to react to the Penthouse Suite", he laughed, and you coughed. "Um, I'm sorry? The what now?", you asked, and he playfully pulled you into the elevator.

He kept looking at you the whole lift ride, excited and nervous - he wanted you to like it, to enjoy his efforts, to take him back into your life somehow.

When he opened the door and walked to the side, his old genuine smile was back on his lips, and you couldn't help but smile back, even before taking a glimpse into the room.

And what you saw surprised you - everything looked expensive, but still comfortable. You first entered a huge living room, and every couch looked comfortable enough to sleep in. Then you walked to the bedroom, and the huge bed caught your eye - it was big enough to fit comfortably at least five of you. The bathroom looked like a spa, a huge bathtub in the middle of it, a delicate statue of a woman under the window that overlooked the Champs-Élysées.

You walked to the balcony with Roger beside you, and he laughed when you gasped.

The Eiffel Tower looked back at you, glimmering at the sunset.

You looked at Roger.

"You're unbelievable, you know."

He smirked. "I'm just trying to get you in bed, though", he told you, and you laughed as you walked closer to him.

"You did that when you didn't have a penny, Rog. You don't have to get us a huge suite with artwork everywhere and a view of the Eiffel Tower", you said, bringing him closer to you by his collar as he snaked his arms around your waist.

"I never have to do anything. I do it because I want to. Because I love you", he whispered, his breath against your lips, teasing, feeling like the ghost of a touch.

"I love you, Roger", you told him, moving your hands to the back of his neck and pulling him in for a kiss.

-

You held his hand as the cool wind passed through your bodies. It was the next day, and you've decided to walk to the Louvre by the side of the Seine.

It would be faster if you got on a cab, but the view of the Seine, the sounds of the city and the smell of pastries and perfume made everything feel even more like a dream. You were still tired from last night, and the night before it - you and Roger were acting like a couple in honeymoon ever since you met again, stolen kisses and arms wrapped around each other, trying to make up for the lack of touch in the last couple years.

And once you were alone, you'd hug and touch and kiss and fuck passionately wherever - sloppy kisses and love bites all over each other, first in London and now here. It didn't feel like you were together again for only about 36 hours - so much has happened, yet time passed by so fast. It was like you lost touch with reality ever since you looked at his hands on the pub.

When you thought of being alone in New York, it felt like a past life. But the weird thing was how your first years with Roger also felt like another life - you wouldn't act the way you did again, ever. But you were grateful for both times of your life. You felt like you could never get here, to Paris and to Roger, if those things didn't happen.

You got to the Louvre and you were surprised at Roger's interest - he wasn't simply acting interested while trying to get you to leave somewhere else with him. He was genuinely interested in the art, commenting about each style and dropping trivia about artists.

"Someone has been spending some time with Freddie, I suppose", you noted, and he gave you a half smile. "Well, the person responsible for bringing culture into my days spend some time away. I had to look for substitutes", he said, and you jokingly nudged at him.

He still looked at you adoringly once you started talking to him about the excellent state of conservation the mummy was in, or once you started analysing "L’Européenne".

You both kept quiet as you watched the Mona Lisa, only holding hands as you tried to get closer to the painting, dozens of visitors separating you from it. It was a time for reflection, too. The Mona Lisa invited you to think about yourselves, her neutral expression making you wonder - seeing it was one of your life long goals, and now you're realizing it with Roger. Being with Roger was something else you struggled to achieve, ever since the first time you saw him. But now it was the time to realize dreams - hell, you'll start working at the British Museum in a few days.

But you got distracted as soon as you got to the Venus de Milo. Roger snaked his arms around your waist from behind you and pressed a slow kiss under your lobe before whispering "You look just like her".

You felt a goosebump on your neck, but you tried to laugh it off. "I can think of a few things we don't have in common, though", you said, and he rubbed his nose on the curve of your neck. "Like what?", he whispered.

"I'm gonna start the list with the basics: arms", you told him, and he laughed against your skin. "I can think of a few other things, too", he tells you, back at kissing your neck. "Yeah? Like what?", you asked, and he sucks on your skin for a few moments, hitching your breath. "Your skin is softer", he says, and then lightly bites you, running his tongue over it to sooth it. "And you taste amazing. Everywhere", he whispers again, and you bite your lips as you feel another goosebump on your neck, and it didn't go unnoticed by Roger. "And the way you react to me”, he whispered, wetting his lips. "God, it kills me", he said, running his fingers over the area where the goosebump was.

It was a public place, but it didn't cross your mind when you turned around and pulled him in for a kiss, making it deeper as your tongue massaged Roger’s. His fingers brushed over your exposed skin, and you could feel how strong his grip on your waist was, wrinkling the fabric of your summer dress - probably inappropriate. You pulled him even closer to you by his hair, already used to its new length after two nights. It was only when you broke apart to recover your breath that you noticed how you were making out in a public place, and only because Roger told you.

"I know we're in public and I'm trying to be more discrete now, but all this artwork just made you look even more beautiful, like you belong around them. I just couldn't hold myself any longer", he said.

-

The warm water ran through your fingers as you filled the bathtub, only in your robe, as Roger spoke with the concierge on the bedroom. He told you he was getting champagne, but you didn't see why the concierge would go to the bedroom for it. Anyways, you wanted a warm bath.

After the Venus, you and Roger had a hard time keeping your hands away from each other. So you didn’t argue when he suggested you take a cab to the hotel.

The cabbie was an older man with a very rosy skin, and he barely knew how to speak english, but he sure tried - specially with Roger. You were suspecting he knew who Roger is, and Roger apparently thought the same, an amused look on his face as the driver tried to continue the conversation with him.

He was looking amused for another reason, too. His hands took his time on your legs, his long fingers brushing over your inner thighs, making you press them together as you tried to control your breathing. Roger kept talking to the driver as he slowly moved his fingers closer to you again, and you bit your lips to hold a moan when he pressed two fingers against your core.

You were already wet from all the teasing, and it goes through the lace of your lingerie, wetting Roger’s digits. He took his fingers away from you, and you frown as he rubs his two fingers against his thumb, smirking at you.

Then the driver asks him something and he turns to answer, putting his hand on your knees and then quickly sliding them up, moving them to your core again, massaging your clit for a few seconds. He looks at you so he can see your reaction, and you can hear the driver’s voice as you grip on Roger’s arm so he keeps touching you, pressing your lips together to keep quiet.

He keeps smirking as the conversation with the driver goes on, and you decide you can tease him, too. You move your hand from his arm to his leg, and he moves his gaze back into yours as you move your hand slowly to his inner thigh. His eyes get wider once you run your finger over his length, his cock already getting hard and visible through his always tight pants. The driver called his name so he answers another question, and you wrap your hand around him through the fabric of his trousers.

His breathing audibly hitches and he tries to be discrete by making it into a cough. He answers the driver and then looks at you, but you’re looking forward, innocently. He smirks again and then pulls your lingerie to the side, and, without more teasing, puts his two fingers inside of you. You gasp, and the driver looks at you suspiciously as Roger starts pumping his fingers inside of you.

But then the car stops in front of the hotel.

You take your hand away from Roger and he does the same, feeling like two children who got caught with your hands inside the cookie jar. Roger pulls out his wallet from his pocket so he can pay the cabbie, his fingers still glistening as he holds the leather wallet.

You then walk to your room without saying anything until you close the door. “So, that guy was pretty close to figuring out our little teasing game, huh”, he said, unbuttoning his shirt. “I was pretty close, too”, you said, winking, and he smirked. “I guess you want to go back to where we were before getting interrupted?” he raised his brow.

But you wanted to tease him a bit more. So you nodded a no. “Actually, Rog, I think I want to take a warm bath”, you came closer to him, wrapping your fingers on the back of his neck. “That’s a really good idea, in fact”, he said, and started undoing his belt. But you held his hand in place. “But you won’t join me”, you said, and he pouted in protest. “Not until you get me some champagne. I thought you were gonna be romantic before luring me into bed, Taylor”, you said, and he laughed. You let go of him and turn around.

“Can you unzip me, please?”, you ask, and you can hear him scoff, annoyed at your teasing, but then you feel him slowly unzipping your summer dress, then moving his hands to your shoulders as he slides your dress down.

You're not wearing a bra, so you can feel the cold wind from the AC on your hard nipples, getting even harder as you felt his lips on your neck once again, his hands pulling your dress down at your hips before it falls to the ground.

Then you move away from Roger’s grasp as you walk to the bathroom, without looking back at him, and you can feel his eyes on you as he watches your hips sway as you walk, only in your burgundy lace panties, your hair cascading on your back.

And now you’re inside the bathtub already, feeling the smell of roses and cinnamon from the bath salts you used, waiting for Roger. You hear the door close, and the concierge is gone.

“Rog? I’m waiting for you”, you say out loud, waiting for his answers. “Actually, I think I’m not in the mood for a bath. But your champagne is here”, he says, and you can hear a fake tiredness in his voice.

“Are you sure you’re gonna leave me here, alone, in this bathtub? I’m gonna have to do something to let the time pass, you know. And you’re gonna hear me do it without doing anything about it?”, you asked with an affected voice. You haven’t teased him in so long, you forgot how fun it was, especially cause he always teased you back.

“As tempting as your bathroom plans sound, I’m also alone here, you know. And your champagne is here. Can’t believe you’re gonna waste it after I got it just for you”, he said, and you laughed. You got up from the bathtub and barely dried yourself on a towel before putting your robe back on and walking to the bedroom.

Roger was sitting against the bed’s headrest, completely naked and rock hard. You moved your hand to your lips and you let out a sigh at the vision. He looked like a greek god - Apollo, maybe, with his golden locks shining against the afternoon sun, his skin glowing under the golden hour lights coming through the window. The bed was filled with red rose petals under him, the smell filling your lungs.

He opened his eyes when he heard your sigh, and he smirked at you. “Get the champagne and come here already”, he said, pointing his head at the table where a Dom Pérignon bottle sat on an ice bucket, and you did so. You climbed on top of the bed and started moving towards him. “Are you suggesting we play with food, Mr Taylor?”, you asked, and he nodded. “Give it to me and I’ll show you”, he told you, and you gave it to him as you sat on his thighs.

He popped the bottle open and some of the liquid poured over the edges. He licked it, looking at you, before undoing your robe with his free hand. He pulled it to the sides, looking at you with admiration as if he was unwrapping a Christmas gift.

You took the robe off and threw it to the side, and his free hand moved to the back of your neck and pulled you in for a kiss. It was a slow, delicate kiss, where Roger tried showing you love, admiration, respect. Not only how much he wants you, but how much he cares about you.

But you pulled him closer to you, moving closer to him, and your bare breasts touched his naked torso, making the two of you moan.

That gave a new sense of urgency to the kiss, and after a few seconds, Roger broke it apart. “Tell me if you want me to stop”, he told you, and you nodded. He poured a bit of champagne above your collarbone, the cold liquid making you shiver, and then Roger’s tongue licked it, warm and wet.

He looked up at you to make sure you liked it, and you gave him a quick nod. He smirked, then poured champagne on your other collar bone, and licked it off again.

As you seemed to like it, he poured champagne between your breasts, licking it off right after and waiting a few seconds to see if you’d protest. He then finally poured a bit of champagne on one of your breasts, right above the nipple, licking you and the drink.

He kept doing it for a while, sucking on your skin that tasted like champagne and cinnamon, the smell of roses intoxicating him.

You broke away from his touch, and he looked at you, confused. “Can I try it?”, you asked, and he nodded, passing you the champagne bottle.

You started above his collarbone, and you could feel him moving under you. You wondered how much he would be able to wait before fucking you, considering he was already hard before you licked champagne off of him.

Once you poured champagne over his chest, you didn’t lick fast enough, and a drop of champagne rolled down on his torso. You leaned in to lick it right before it fell to his pelvis, mere inches away from his cock.

The feeling of your tongue close to his length did it for him - he had to have you, right now. He gripped your hips and motioned them up, and you understood what he wanted, so you got on your knees and stood right above him as he positioned himself on your entrance.

You slowly moved down, feeling him filling you, and you let your head move back as you moan in pleasure, your moan intensifying as you heard Roger’s voice whispering your name.

You started riding him slowly, small moans leaving your lips every time you felt him bottoming out inside of you, but you wanted him to go deeper.

So you got off of him, and he grunted, frowning at you as he saw you on your knees in bed. But once you leaned forward, putting your weight on your elbows, he smirked. “I want to feel you deeper”, you told him.

He moved to your back, spreading your legs a little more so he had better access to you, and you both cursed under your breath as he got inside you again slowly, so you could get used to his size on this new position, his grip on your ass getting stronger once he was completely inside you again.

You moaned his name, and he moved his hands to your waist so he could move inside of you with more control.

He developed a rhythm after a few moments, and all you could hear was the sound of your skin on his and the moaning (and cursing) coming from his lips and yours, too. You could feel yourself closer to your orgasm.

It wasn’t long before you reached your high, crying his name as you pulled the duvet into your fists.

Roger kept thrusting through your high, but once he noticed you were done, he pulled out. "Can you turn?", he asked, and without much thought, you turned over and layed down, wrapping your legs around his hips.

He gave you a tired smile and then got inside you again, thrusting. "I like to look at you", he told you, closing his eyes, focusing on his movements. He was like that for a few seconds, and you could see the beads of sweat forming on his face, his blonde locks glueing themselves to his forehead.

As his movements got more intense, you could see he was close. "Y/N? Can I pull out?", he asked, and you nodded a yes. He liked to do that sometimes, when you could get messy, but it has been so long you nearly forgot.

So he pulled out and his cum fell on your torso, covering your breasts and stomach. He fell to your side and stayed there for a few moments, before opening his eyes and looking at your torso. "Sorry for the mess", he said, getting up and going to the bathroom. You smiled when you heard the sink open, and your smile got wider as Roger appeared with a warm cloth on your hands.

"I guess this helps", he shrugged, wiping his cum from your torso carefully. Once he cleaned most of it, he giggled. "Maybe a bath is not a bad idea, after all. Will you join me?", he asked, offering you a hand.

---

Chapter 21

Masterlist

Taglist:

@taylorroger-s @sarai-ibn-la-ahad @its-nessi @anamcg317 @frenchieswiftie @queen-danielle-dani-dan @minihemo @shutup-sorry @theyrealllegends @killerqueenisthebest @ashagracelove @hardy-s @fuckinghurricanesoul @secretsweetscollectionblog @mrswinterhater @11mb0 @tamtam-go92 @derptatosaur @brianandthemays @phantom-fangirl-stuff @the-hysterical-queen @rogerofmylife @notevenlxvely @discodeakyy @x1975sos @16wiishes @jennycidesstuff @partydulce @melros-e @onevisionliz

[zankivich]

Home - A One Shot

this is all about being stressed and tired and having a hard day, but coming home to an empty house because Shawn has to go and be a mega star. Except for the house isn’t empty at all. Lots of internal angst and then super super super fluff. I really like this for some reason. Let me know if you fucks wit it. 

It was your fifth time in a row not getting home until after eight o'clock at night. There was so much tension in your shoulders that you had to keep consciously reminding yourself to let them drop. Your arms were full of your computer bag and your purse and your bag that held all of your work materials that would always find some way to come home with you. Your body was tired and maybe your soul was a little tired too, and you just were ready for the day to be over.

You opened the door to your apartment and the first thing you noticed was the gentle hum of the dishwasher. It was one of your favorite sounds. You found it soothing and it reminded you of deep cleaning on the weekend and the satisfaction of a pristine house. Since you had been working late every day that week there hadn't been time to run the dishwasher at all, or do anything but pile the empty bowl of cereal you'd used as a sad excuse for dinner. Which lead you to wonder just who had felt the need to wash your dishes.

You dropped your keys and various bags on the couch taking in the cleanliness of the apartment. Someone had swept and mopped the hardwood floors. The pillows were set up nicely on the couch, and the rug you'd gotten as a housewarming present had been vacuumed. You sighed a sigh of relief knowing that it was more than likely Karen stopping by to take obsessive care of you again instead of a house cleaning bandit.

Sliding out of your heels, you headed towards the kitchen on bare feet hoping desperately that the leftover pizza from a couple days ago would satisfy your hunger. In the kitchen he was standing there, tongue tucked between his lips in frustration as he tried to scrub away at a bowl. He was wearing one of white, designer t-shirts that hung billowy on his tall but sleek frame. A curl hung in his face and your heart lurched forward like it wanted to explode from your chest. It'd been a long day, a long week, a long month, and here he was standing in front of you. There was really only one thing for you to do.

Shawn turned sharply toward you as a wet gurgling sound left your chest and you fell apart in extremely embarrassing fashion.  

"Babe? Hey-- are you crying?!"

How could you even begin to explain that being your own boss with a board of directors that had the ability to fire you defeated the purpose of being the boss? How could you explain that you were tired, and your feet hurt, and you'd spilled coffee on your favorite blouse, and you'd had every intention of coming home and drinking an entire bottle of wine in one of his hoodies, and yet here he was with his dumb, perfect face just standing there? What was there to say when he just made everything infinitely better always?

He dropped the bowl back into the sink wrapping his arms around you suds and all and dropping his chin comfortingly to your head.

"You're home." You croaked into the soft fabric of his t-shirt.

He chuckled. "I am. I gotta say, not exactly the response I was expecting."

"Sorry," You sniffled.

He leaned back running his warm, callused thumbs along your eyes to gather the tears there.

"Is everything okay?"

You nodded, cheeks reddening. "Just wasn't expecting to see you."

"Bad day?"

"Bad week."

He frowned down at you before peppering your face, lips, and head with a ridiculous amount of kisses until you started to giggle.

"Well maybe I can help. I uh cleaned up. Even soaked the bowls with dried on cereal like you taught me. And I made pasta. And i bought wine. I thought we could celebrate my being home and your being generally amazing."

Your body was trying to produce more tears at that statement and you had to fight it throwing your arms around him for a hug instead. He held your body close, warm and smelling suspiciously like home. The stress of the day melted as he held you in his arms. He kissed at your hair and gave you a second to compose yourself, which was desperately needed. Afraid he might disappear if you didn't take full advantage you tangled your fingers with his and let him lead you to the dinner table where the food was all waiting.

"When did your flight even get in?" You asked he poured you a generous glass of wine.

This man knew you like the back of his hand.

"Finished up some promo in LA, and instead of spending the night in the hotel, I took a flight late last night to get here this morning. You were already at work by the time I got in. Figured I'd surprise you." He smiled.

You huffed out a breath taking a huge gulp of wine.

"Consider me surprised."

"Yea? Do you wanna talk about it?" He asked clearly referring to whatever had caused you to burst into tears at the sight of him.

You shrugged reaching for his hand. "Not really. Just wanna be with you."

He smiled soft and dopey.

"I think that can be arranged."

Shawn’s cooking skills were shaky at best, but pasta did seem to be his specialty. The food was good and he’d bought your favorite wine for the occasion. He held your hand while you ate listening while you caught him up on everything going on in your world. It always seemed a little ridiculous to try and compete with the world that he lived in, with stadium shows and recording studios and screaming fans. But, when he was home he was completely locked into you, and had this way of actually making you believe that your life was remotely interesting. He cared, which was weird, but you kind of liked it.

“I thought maybe I could run the tub for you. Help with the stress?” He asked when the dishes had joined the dishwasher, and the wine had been drunk.

You wrapped your arms around his waist booping your nose against his.

“Will you take one with me?”

He ran his thumb across your lip smiling down at you like you were more than you were, because he always saw more. And maybe that’s why you worked so well

“I don’t know if I’ll fit, but we can try.”

Shawn’s biggest need when you had been apartment hunting was that there was a view that would inspire him when he woke up in the morning. He wanted to see something that would get him to write as much as possible. Your biggest need on the other hand had been a big ass bathtub because…. Well because you liked bubble baths dammit.

Shawn filled the tub adding your favorite bubble bath while you shed your clothes and tried to shed the weight of work and anything else that wasn’t you and Shawn getting to be together again. In the bathroom, the room was steamy and warm and your husband was just kind of sitting there watching the water fill.

You took the time to take him in. The long curve of his back. His curls were especially messy today and you could tell he’d spent a lot of time tugging at them, more than likely when he was trying to figure out how the hell to clean the apartment. He’d gotten some sun in LA and his sensitive skin had both a golden look to it, as well as red splotches along his cheeks. While you were stressed out at the world, he looked rather content, which usually came with getting the album out and having the fans positively react to it. Promotion didn’t really stress Shawn out because it just kind of felt like the cherry on top for him. It was an interesting moment in time because while a few months ago he had needed your support during the creation of the album, now you really needed him. And the fact that he showed up just felt like he was everything you could have ever asked for.

“You’re staring.” Shawn grinned catching you standing at the door.

You nodded. “Little bit. Is the water ready?”

“I think so. Do you wanna test it, make sure I didn’t do it wrong?”

You crossed the room and let your fingers skim past the bubbles and into the water. It was warm, a little on the hotter side, just the way you liked it. You could feel his eyes on your face looking for you to confirm that he did it right, and you were more than willing to praise him.

“It’s perfect.” You hummed

He reached out snaking his arm around you to pull you close by one of the ties on your robe.

“Good. You deserve perfection.”

He pressed his lips against yours and you sighed, lips parting just enough to let his tongue slip inside. Sometimes you forgot how good he could make your body feel. It always surprised you how attentive he was, how he just seemed to pull emotions from you with ease. When his hands were on you you felt safe, felt wanted. And everytime he came home those emotions seemed to amplify exponentially.

Watching Shawn fit himself into the tub was quite hilarious. It was a huge tub, so big you’d had to get a designer to hunt one down. But, you had gone for width and not length, so his six foot plus frame fit oddly in the tub, knees sticking out of the water. He was adorable covered in bubbles though and he wouldn’t stop smiling at you for nothing. You were sitting on the opposite side of the tub building a bubble fort to cover your body when you felt his hand grace your thigh beneath the water.

“What are you doing all the way over there?” He asked.

You chuckled. “We’re like five inches away from each other, babe.”

“Exactly, too much. Come here.” He insisted making grabby hands at you like a child.

You laughed letting him grabs your hands and pull you closer in the tub. He maneuvered you, back to chest, your thighs bracketed by his. Though you’d never admit it, it was the most wonderful feeling you could ever fail to describe. His arms leaning on the edge of the tub, holding your hand so that your wedding rings touched, and your heart beat softer and sweeter inside your sternum. This was home. Not the penthouse extravagant apartment, or the tub, or the view. Home was him. And the craziest part was that he somehow believed you were too.

“I’m not crushing your dick am I?” You mumbled leaning back against his chest.

He laughed. “I promise you if you were crushing my dick, you’d hear about it.”

“K. Just precious cargo and all that.”

“Are you saying you only love me for my penis?”

“I’m saying I love lots of things about you. Especially your penis.” You smirked. “Now hold me, eh?”

He let his arms dip into the water pulling more bubbles toward you with a tiny wave as his arms came to do what you’d asked. His large palms tested on your thighs and it was as sensual as it was cozy. You felt most like yourself in moments like these. When it was just the two of you and you knew that no matter what came out of your mouth there would be no judgement. He sometimes felt like the best part of you, but you loved more that he could rattle off dozens of things that he liked more about you. His lips grazed your shoulder and you just wanted to fold into him, to allow yourselves to become one. Because maybe then he wouldn’t leave again.

“I love you.” He whispered seemingly out of nowhere, but you wondered if his mind was where yours was.

Was he counting down the hours of the next flight, the next interview, the next performance? Were you any better at hiding the pain that hit when it did?

You took one of his hands off your thigh cradling it in both of yours as you placed it between your breasts, right where your heart was. You wanted him to feel the way it beat, the way it was when he was there.

“I don’t think I breathe the same when you’re away.” You murmured. “I think my heart beats to a different rhythm… like it’s trying to protect itself until you get back. Like I’m farther away from home every mile we’re apart.”

“That’s really beautiful” He murmured with a soft chuckle against your neck. “And really sad.”

You strained your neck, sliding farther down in the tub so that you could peer up at him. He let his hand move from your heart, past your neck, to grip your cheek. He kissed you softly eyes open the entire time and you felt like you were melting in the water. He’d always had that effect on you.

“You know I’d take you everywhere with me if I could right?” He whispered stroking your jaw with his thumb.

“Y--Yea. I know.”

“Your job is really important to you. And I love that about you. I don’t want your life to revolve around me just because of the career I chose. You don’t wanna be a tour wife, and I don’t want you to throw everything away for me.”

It was a conversation you’d had time and time again. Being your own person, your own woman, was wonderful and important and empowering. But, sometimes you just wanted him to hold you in his arms and it was devastating when he wasn’t there.

“I know. I know.” You huffed, your eyebrows drawing together. “It’s just hard right now. I’ll get over it.”

“I don’t want you to get over it alone. I’m your husband, you can lean on me ya know? You don’t have to always carry the world on your shoulders.”

You shrugged. “I don’t know how to do it any other way. This is all that I know.”

“Would you have called and told me how hard your week was, if I hadn’t come home?”

You let your eyes drop away from his, and that was really the only answer that he needed.

“You know I don’t like bothering you when you’re on the road.”

He sighed. “Babe, we’ve gotta find another way to deal with things.”

“Well that’s real easy to say when you’re a hundred miles away, Shawn!”

Your shoulders tensed up, and the easy, floating feeling from earlier disappeared as you got angry at yourself and at Shawn and at the world. Everything that you’d been keeping in came bubbling to the surface, and you couldn’t bite your tongue anymore.

“You don’t know what it’s like. You’re out there doing what you love and working twenty five hours a day. And I’m here. I’m here living the life that you get to pick up and put down whenever you want. I go grocery shopping and people just stare at me like I’m some desperate housewife. My board of directors is ninety-five percent old, wrinkly, white men who either are staring at my ass or tits or whatever means they don’t have to listen to me talk about the work that I’m doing. And sometimes it’s really great, but other times it really fucking sucks. And you want me to just what...ask you to come home? Ask you to drop everything that you’re doing in LA or Brazil or Japan, just to fly back to Canada for me? I won’t! I won’t ask you to fucking do that Shawn, and you know it.”

You both stewed in silence for a minute, the only sound in the entire room being the bubbles slowly depuffing on the water’s surface. There was a tear that betrayed your being and slid angrily down your cheek. You reached up to wipe at it, thankful for the fact that you’d had the good grace to turn away from him. His fingers came up regardless to hold your hand, squeezing at the fingers just enough to bring you back into the moment, just enough to remind you that he was there when it mattered.

“You feel a little better now?”

You scoffed at him not dignifying it with a response. You hated yelling at Shawn, mostly because he very rarely yelled back. And arguing about his job always put a bitter taste in your mouth. You loved what he did for a living and never wanted to seem ungrateful for him getting to live his dream. But your heart rate had come down a little bit, and your shoulders didn’t hurt as bad proving that made a little of the steam had escaped. As if he was reading every thought you’d ever had his hands came to rest on your shoulders digging into the tense muscles with his firm, too big hands. You bit your lip to stifle a groan and he brought his mouth to your ear.

“If you called while I was in New York or Japan or even in Toronto; I’d come. Because you mean the world to me. That’s what married couples are supposed to do, right? Be there for each other? We’re just a little farther apart sometimes, but that doesn’t mean I won’t make my way back to you. It just means I might take longer to get here. But I want you to call when it gets on top of you. Because when it gets on top of me there’s no one I’d rather call than you. No one who makes me feel calmer, or more in control. I need you. And I just wanna give you that, too.”

Somewhere in his words another teardrop falls and you’re not sure if its from sadness or elation or comfort. But when he notices that you’re crying he pulls your lips to his and he presses his hand against your heart again. And the rhythm changes beneath his palm. And your heart seems to expand within your chest like it’s taking its own little breath. You can’t find it within yourself to do anything but be closer to him. And any anger or frustration completely goes away when he’s touching you like that.

“I think I need to get out of Toronto for a while.” You admit softly.

He nods resting his forehead against yours.

“You can come with me back to LA. I’ll set it up with Andrew, get us a separate hotel room. Can you get the time off?”

“Yea, I’ve got PTO out the ass. Also, I’m kind of the boss.”

He grinned because he’s a man and he’s your husband but he’s also most definitely still a child at heart.

“That’s kind of hot.”

You roll your eyes, serious moment destroyed.

“I’m getting out of this tub now.”

When you’re both in robes and the water has drained and he’s pressing you against the bathroom sink to get at your lips better, it does seem like things will get better somehow. Or maybe it’s just because he’s there, holding you that you’re able to forget. And you wonder what it will feel like when you’re apart again. But he’s picking you up and carrying you to bed before your mind has the time to worry.

He gives you a hoodie he must have worn on the plane and you pull it on way too excitedly. It shouldn’t matter, but having his smell on you makes you feel good and he knows it. You put on Harry Potter and he holds you in his arms playing with your hair the way that you like, whispering his favorite lines against your neck. Your legs are intertwined and his chest is bare and warm, all the more better to press yourself into. With the wine and the food and the bubble bath, your eyes start to droop and before you’re even aware of what’s happening you fall asleep

When you wake up the lights are off, and the only light in the room comes from the tv illuminating you in soft, blue glow. Shawn must have shifted you over because you catch him mid-movement as he’s pulling the blankets back over your body.

“I’m here.” He whispered wrapping his arm around your waist. “Sorry to wake you.”

You yawn rolling over and pushing your face back into his chest for warmth.

“It’s fine. Sorry to fall asleep.”

“It’s okay. You’ve been through a lot lately. You need rest.”

You rolled your eyes. “I’ve been a little stressed out, not on my deathbed.”

“Will you stop being so stubborn, woman. Let me take care of you.” He huffed.

“Be careful. I might get used to it.” You warned him.

He threaded his fingers into your hair and kissed your forehead as you both settled in for the night.

“Baby, that’s all I’ve ever wanted.”

[thechocoboos]

Headcanons: The Bros as Roommates

I’m going off to college soon and was thinking about roommates, so this was born

Warnings: swearing of course

Noctis

Noctis just showed up one day looking for a roommate

You had no idea he was the Prince of Lucis, all you knew is he showed up with your ad and a wad of cash in hand (good enough for any broke person, right?)

You didn’t even find out he was the fuckin prince until like… four, five months into it? When you did find out, you were more pissed than anything else cause that meant he totally had enough money to buy a new microwave when he accidentally blew the old one up

He didn’t even tell you about him being a prince, you found out when his dad (the fucking goddamn King of Lucis) showed up one afternoon like “Hi I’m looking for my son” with the Shield of the King behind him

Schools might not have showed pictures of the King’s son, but you damn well knew what the King looked like and seeing him at your apartment door when you were in your bum clothes was terrifying

Noctis had a lot of explaining to do that night (after Regis and his shield, Clarus, joined you two for supper, of course)

Overall tho, he was an alright roommate

He didn’t bug you (in fact, he barely talked to you unless you initiated conversation or if he had to give you a heads up about some guests)

And much like yourself (probably, if you’re on this hell hole of a websight), he was a bit of a night owl. Dude stayed up until 2 am at the earliest, and usually slept to noon (unless he had a prince thing to do)

Your biggest two complaints? He constantly made messes and the boi had no fucking independence (you had to show this manchild how to do his own laundry ffs)

Oh, he’d also use your hair products and shit, too (so make that three)

Anyways, you’d come home after a long day of work and school and the damn apartment was a fucking mess like…? What the hell? There’d be overcooked mac n cheese on the coffee table, blankets and pillows all over the living room, crumbs everywhere…

Turns out, it wasn’t just him making those messes

One day, you showed up and there were just three other grown ass men in the room, roaring with laughter and playing poker with bags of chips all over the place and various drinks in their hands

It was the first time you had ever met Noctis’ best friends (and it was not the last, either), and you were a lil pissed that they had been making so many messes

Still, they were cool dudes and sometimes you’d play video games together

In fact, the more you saw of Noctis’ friends, the closer to Noctis you became. It was thanks to his little blonde friend, Prompto

Lil Prom always felt bad about the messes and noise, so he’d drag you into their fun and games (you both loved and hated him for that)

ANyways

The closer you became with Noct, the more you saw of his weird shadow, Ignis

You’d get up in the morning, walk out into your living room in nothing more than your undies and a sheerish shirt, and there Mr. Scientia would be, chillin’ with a cookbook in hand while wearing his best clothes

It was creepy; half the time it felt like you had a third roommate who didn’t pay rent

He’d just… be there. Sometimes he’d nag Noctis, other times he’d cook (always made some for you, too), and occasionally, he’d just talk to you (you lowkey got a crush on him as this went on)

Still, Noct was a great roommate at the end of the day, especially when you two became friends

Prompto

You were the one to find his ad, this time around

Saw a tiny ad on the craigslist of Insomnia and were just broke and desperate enough to take it

You had prepared yourself for the worst, but when you met Prompto, you found all your worries were in vain

He was the sweetest, most polite roommate you’d ever had (and probably would ever have, tbh)

He pretty much lived around your schedule, he’d always ask if you had to be up early so he’d keep the noise down if need be and he was super conscientious of your schedules

Boi was like a saint

If anything broke, he’d fix it in a jiffy

If anything needed replacing, he took care of it

And guess what else? Prompto Argentum can cook. He’d make meals a good few times a week (usually in bulk so he could have leftovers and save stuff), and he would always, always make you some

Honestly? If it wasn’t for Prompto’s cooking you’d probably have fed off of nothing but frozen food and stale chips

He wasn’t a master chef or anything by far, but he had some basic knowledge of cooking and he used it regularly

Sometimes you’d joke about having to marry him for that and he’d blush a bright tomato red every time (it was super cute, too)

The boi also C L E A N E D

To be fair, tho, he was also messy. Always making messes. BUT, he cleaned, which was more than you could ever ask for

He’d clean up his messes, your messes, the messes of friends… Just, he was a clean boi.

Once again, not super masterful at it, but he could clean pretty damn decently and you were not about to complain

Fun fact: Prompto forgot about the existence of periods, so if you happen to be a female who gets periods, good fucking luck lmao

Whenever you’d roll around in bed from the pain of cramps (or puking or crying or other such horrible things), he would absolutely panic

And when he caught sight of a bloody tampon or pad? Or a lil bit of blood on the toilet? Oh god, he was a wreck. He ran into your room, eyes wide and worried, demanding to know if you were okay. Boi even offered to take you to a doctor

Of course, when you told him that it was just your period, he was just embarrassed

Much to his credit though, he would make sure that the kitchen was stocked with chocolates and that there was a heating pad for you to use (and some pain meds), so yeah, probably the best roommate in the world

But the negatives?

He liked to talk - a lot.

You’d come home and if he was there, you bet your ass there was conversations to be had. Not a morning person? Too fucking bad. Prompto’s got some juicy convos to have with you at 8 AM

It was cute, yes, but more annoying than anything else (as precious as he was, it was sometimes too much)

Still, if you asked for a lil bit of quiet time, he would listen and back off immediately

That went with any complaint, he always listened and changed his behavior accordingly

And in saying that, if anything you did happened to bug him? He would bottle that shit up until he broke down crying

You never really saw many of his friends, but you quickly picked up that he usually went to their places (you eventually found out that it was so they wouldn’t bug you, bless his lil considerate heart)

The one friend you did see regularly was Noctis, and he was so chill that you usually barely noticed he was there (and when you guys did hang out, he was just as chill)

Sometimes, Prompto would have breakdowns or anxiety attacks tho

You weren’t always sure what to do, but you did your best to help him out or to comfort him (he appreciated it more than you ever knew)

In the end, you guys became great friends that knew each other pretty damn well. You guys would always end up accommodating for the other person in your daily lives without ever realizing it

Basically, you guys were G O A L S

Gladio

Gladio was the one who answered the ad

You were scared to death at first, but you had bills to pay and were desperate af

You were surprised when he was moving in, a good half of his boxes were books and he had a whole box of scented candles (the man had good taste, too)

Gladio was pretty gruff and he kept to himself for the most part

However, if something was bugging him, you bet your ass he would bring it straight to you to talk things out, and he expected the same in return

That was how he worked as a whole; he would do his best to make your life not shitty and expected the same from you

It wasn’t hard to avoid bugging him; he was hardly ever home (you later found out it was his job as the Prince’s shield, which explained a shit ton of his life)

Gladio noticeably left you and your shit alone, but eventually you two became closer (you probably bond over a book series or a TV show, things like that)

You bet your ass that once you guys became close, he borrowed your shit, teased you a bit, and boundaries went out the fucking window

He’d stolen more blankets than you even knew you had. There were times when he stole your hair brush or your shampoo, hell, he even started using your damn body wash (“That shit is fucking expensive, Gladio!”). You swear he even used your toothbrush once, but you could never prove it.

Still, y’all were close (Noctis once made a comment about the sexual tension, but neither of you ever acknowledged it)

Even tho Gladio intimidated you a shit ton in the beginning, when you two became comfortable around each other, his presence made you feel safer than anything else

If a robber or a murderer tried to break in, he would handle it faster and smoother than anyone else

Plus the creepy neighbor next door was too scared of Gladio to be weird towards you anymore (bless)

His little sister showed up a lot, too

You liked her so it was never a problem (in fact, you looked forward to her sudden visits). You always got a kick out of her nagging Gladio about his messy room or how he makes the apartment “smell like man”

Anyways, when he actually graced the apartment with his presence, there would be a candle lit and a book in his hand. Sometimes, he’d have some chill music playing and it wasn’t uncommon for him to hog the bathtub for a solid hour

Surprisingly, Gladio could cook. He didn’t do it often, but when he did, the apartment was full of delicious smelling spices and you could count on there being a great big steak waiting for you at dinner

More often than not, he just helped himself to massive cup noodles tho (it got to a point where you were concerned for his health)

You met his friends a few times, but it was usually in passing whenever Gladio had to grab something

The friend you saw the most was Ignis; sometimes he and Gladio would be up late drinking in your shared apartment, but they were fairly quiet and respectful (minus Gladio’s loud laughter and Ignis’ mild chuckles when they got too tipsy)

Despite seeing Ignis the most, you knew the most about Noctis simply from Gladio bitching about the shit Noct pulls with Prompto. Sometimes he’d just complain about his job, too, and through that you learned what kind of people his friends were and that was actually how you pieced together his job enough to get a proper response as to what he did with his time

Sidenote: Gladdy was never great with technology

You never, ever saw him watching TV or playing video games (unless it was with his other friends), and the few times you saw him on a laptop, it was a noticeably old model and he was grumbling about how he “couldn’t work the damn thing”

More often than not, you had to help him out with technology troubles; he was pretty shit with computers and such (it was pretty comical at times)

From there, you learned that he hated driving and didn’t even have a license. In fact, he just hated technology; the only reason he had a smartphone was because his job pretty much required it for communication purposes

In summary: Gladdy was old fashioned and you didn’t trust him alone with your computer

But yeah, you guys had a weird roommate relationship

He was hardly there, but you guys got along surprisingly well and even had some “self-care days” together (it was your idea, but when you guys tried it, he found he liked it)

Ignis

When he showed up, following up with the ad you put in the newspaper, you were pretty surprised like...

Those designer shoes? The impeccable hair? High quality glasses? The man could probably afford the best apartment on his own, yet there he was, at your own front door (turns out, he chose your apartment due to its close proximity to the Citadel and Noct’s  apartment)

When he actually was home, it was like he wasn’t there 

In fact, half the time you were like “Sorry? Roommate? What roommate? I only know the mysterious check that appears in the kitchen that always pays half the rent!” (dude was home even less than Gladio and his apartment)

The only way you knew he was actually in the apartment was when you could smell food being made or hear noise from the kitchen

In the beginning, Ignis was strangely firm with boundaries. He never went in your room or messed with your stuff unless it was out in the open (hell, even when you two actually became friends he wouldn’t get in your business)

You had to specifically tell him it was okay to go put your shit back in your room if he mentioned that you left something out

And if you went into his room or touched his stuff without asking? Oooo boi, be prepared for some saltiness in the few exchanges you had with him

The more you got to know Iggy, the saltier he was about things. Like if you purposefully did something to annoy him, he would be the most passive-aggressive person in the world

Even so (especially in the beginning), Ignis was very forward with problems or annoyances. If anything was wrong, he’d call it in to be fixed and let you now right after. He’d also tell you if you needed to clean something or if your appearance was… lacking. The closer you two got, the more forward he was

There were quite a few times when he’d tell you your room is a mess or that you look like a slob

Still, it took quite a bit of time and effort to get there. He was hardly home, and when he was, he pointedly left you alone after a quick nod of acknowledgement

In fact, he was usually doing work at the dining room table or actually sleeping for once, so if you wanted to talk with him, you’d have to initiate it

As mentioned earlier, he did cook or bake when he was home. Usually, he was trying to master a recipe and always had you test out his food

When you asked why, he merely told you that he had been exposed to the smell too long to viably give a proper response to its taste (in response, you told him he was a dork)

The more you got to know him (over a painstaking year, might I add), the more of a dork he seemed to be (he totally is a dork, btw)

At first, he had been uptight and mildly intimidating, but as time went on, you caught sight of the occasional fumble in his step, heard the dumb puns he said, and listened as he eagerly told you of one of the few hobbies he genuinely enjoyed

He also grew fond of you, much to your own surprise

He’d even make your favorite foods out of nowhere sometimes (he’d always say it was for practice, although you both knew the truth)

Iggy kept his job surprisingly private, even when he would stay up late working on documents at the dining room table. It took a long time for you to find out he was actually the adviser to the Prince. In fact, Noctis had actually been over a good seven or eight times before you found out

Still, even when you knew, Ignis never really told you what was going on in his job for the longest time. Part of you thought it was due to important secrecy, but when you asked, it turned out that Ignis didn’t want to burden you with anything (“Your life is rather stressful on its own, wouldn’t you agree?”)

It took several different conversation to actually get him to talk about work for once, and when he did, it was mostly just complaints and salty bitching about certain employees or mistakes others have done (it was pretty funny, actually)

Ignis never really had company over, either

In the beginning you seriously doubted that he had any friends at all

Despite how many times he told you that he had friends, you didn’t believe him until three of them showed up unannounced at the apartment at 11 AM on a Satuday, proclaiming that they were having a card game session whether “Specs wants to or not!”

You never thought Ignis would be friends with guys like the other chocobros, but when you saw them interact, it seemed like it shouldn’t be anyone else at all

In the end, even if Ignis wasn’t home a lot and even if you didn’t really know his friends too well, you guys did care about each other in a weird, subtle way. But hey, it worked

[the-voice-of-hell]

Rent is Theft, part 25

Read from the beginning here, read the previous chapter here.  Note:  My MC is a Filipina trans woman and I am not.  If you have notes on that or anything else, hit me up.

                                                     ***

      I felt a chill.  My body was too beaten to react with a shiver, but there was a chill, like my most exposed flesh was draining of blood, stung by the air with pain.  But low key.  My eyes stung with the salt of dried sweat as I opened them, and my nostrils burned with lingering smoke.

      I forced myself to a sitting position, feeling almost too lightweight and airy, a dried piece of driftwood.  My limbs were very stiff.  It took a while to figure out what time of day it was - early morning, the light gray and dim, glowing like cathode ray tubes where it peeked through the windows.  Smoke hung in the air from the day of burning, but I sensed that nothing was currently in flames.  How much of that had I imagined?  The apartment hadn’t melted completely into a coal-black abyss, so the worst of it had surely been in my head.

      Leimomi.  I jolted awake and staggered around the apartment, trying to call to her, my throat too dry to make a sound.  She was on the bathroom floor, at first only visible to me as a sprawled mass of dark mangled hair, in parts sunk to deeper black, smoking.  How had she gotten in there?

      I pulled her head and shoulders up onto my lap.  She was easy to slide across the floor because the sweat underneath her body didn’t dry the way it had on top.  Something alarmed me badly.  As I pulled, her hair was coming out in dramatic clumps.  It felt like I was killing her.       I gasped, the choke finally bringing enough saliva to my throat to start making sounds again.  I used my voice to hyperventilate and make incoherent plaintive noises.  I know what they meant.  She woke up crying as well, which was a massive relief.

      I kissed her mangled salty forehead, pressed my cheek there, tamped down my panic enough to make soothing noises.

      “What happened to us?  What’s... Am I... Where is..?”

      I took the questions seriously, looking over her head and body for answers.  “Your hair… You’re OK, you really are, but your hair is burned... Don’t worry, it’s OK.”

      She cried and I held her, though my body ached and cramped so badly I almost spasmed with the pain.  At last she calmed enough that I felt bold enough to do something, to say something beyond my soothing.

      “Hey, when I say your hair is burned, I mean just your hair.  It’ll grow back, your head is fine.  But we should get this gross stuff off of you, honey.  I’m going to run you a bath, OK?  You get in and wait for me.”  I choked.  “I’ll geh- water too.”

      I helped her into the bathtub, and she sloughed off almost all of the mass of her hair at once, leaving flimsy thin strands half glued all around her face, head, and neck.  Her forehead was knotted from crying and I kissed it, wishing I could smooth it out.

      Just as I was leaving to get our water, she cried, “Oh no!  It’s your hair too!”

      I turned to look at her and felt up my head.  Some of my hair was coming loose, and I quick stepped to the mirror in panic.  Please don’t be male pattern.  It wasn’t as bad as hers, wasn’t bald in the front at all.  Tears streaked my face again, this time in relief.

      But then I felt it.  Just below the crown, there was a bald area, the flesh warped and numb from a burn.

      “Courtney, it’s gone.  The mouth!  And my hair.”

      She was right.  Our curses had been burned out of us.  And the bald spot was low enough I could probably work with it, if it ended up as a permanent thing.  “That’s good, I mean... That’s good.”  I peeled myself from the mirror and smiled at her one time before going for the water again.

      The grey light was already more fully formed than when I first woke, though still weak.  Maybe it was an overcast morning out there.  I remembered using warm saltwater to gargle when sick, and added some table salt to the first glass I poured.  I gargled it, I swallowed some.  As my voice healed under the effort, I spoke to Momi through the rooms.  “We’re doing good, baby.  We got through the worst of it!  It’s good...”  I trailed off, unsure if she could hear me over running water, realizing I was talking to myself more than her.

      I cut off two slices of cheese and tossed them in a bowl with some chips, poured Momi a tall luke-warm glass of water, and went back to the bathroom.  She turned off the water as I came in, looked at me with her big eyebrows scrunched up.  As long as she still had those, I was in love.  I smiled much more easily then, and sat beside the tub.

      “Drink this.  Kinda gargle it a little too.”

      She did.  “Bleh.  Gross.”

      “I think warm water goes down easier when you’re dehydrated like this.  At least I didn’t add salt to yours.”

      “Ew.”

      “Heh.”  I gobbled up my share of the cheese and chips, then smiled at her again.

      “Why are you smiling at me so much?”

      “I’m just so glad we’re done with the curses, that we’re alive.  I swear, I’m gonna get more interviews, get something going.  If we have to move to Kalamazoo and flip burgers, we’re going to be OK.”  I wanted to help wipe away the rest of the loose hairs, but she was eating the food, drinking the water.  “When you’re done I just wanna take a super quick shower before we check in on everyone else.”

      “Oh god, I hope Marcie is OK.”  She hugged herself.

      “You can bet she is.”  What could possibly be wrong with the world right then?

      My gaze drifted through the smoke, took in some details as the weak sun revealed them.  There were blisters and warps in every surface.  The mirror’s backing was badly oxidized into rusty splotches and speckles.  What the hell?

      I helped wipe away Momi’s burned hairs and wrapped a scarf around her head, cancer patient style.  Then I hopped into the shower and rinsed the salty crud off my bones.  I heard voices in my apartment, towel-dried and put on a bathrobe as quick as I could.

      There was no bedroom door to obscure me as I hopped around, trying to get ready.  Methadone Mike and Deandre glanced at me a few times.  At last I slouched against the door frame like Mae West.  “Hey boys.  How’s everybody doing today?”  Momi looked embarrassed.

      Deandre said, “Fit to get eaten.  We just got slow roasted las’ night.”

      Mike said, “That’s ta say, like, why are you in such a good mood?”

      I slapped the back of my head with both hands.  “Only one mouth today.”

      Deandre grabbed his body and started patting himself down.  “Huh.”

      “I did ask you a question.  You talked to anyone else yet?”

      Mike said, “Uh, just to check in.  Everybody’s alive except... Graeme ain’t answerin’ his door.”

      I was startled, then thought better.  “Sometimes in crunch time programmers’ll work overnight.  Bet he isn’t even home yet.  Stayed out on purpose just to beat the heat.”

      “Well shit, you think everybody is cured?”

      I shrugged.

      “Except Graeme,” Mike added.

      “Alright,” said Deandre, “Let’s find out.  But look at this shit.”  He gestured around the place.  Every surface was blistered or warped from the heat.  The air was hazy from old smoke with no way to vent.  “We gotta get out of here.  We’re lucky to be alive.”

      I nodded eagerly and swept Momi along with us as we stepped into the hall.  “This is our chance.  We got through it, guys.  We can walk away...”

      In the hall, the lights were all dim and irregular - the light somehow blotchy.  Glancing up, it looked like they had little bubbles in the glass of the fixtures.  Heat damage?  We went to Olivia and Knobby’s door and knocked.

      Suddenly, the elevator softly chimed its presence on the floor.  I glanced that way over Momi’s shoulder, expecting Grime to step out of the door looking like a semi-pleasant zombie.  Instead, before the door fully slid open, a horrible animal’s head ripped free, thrashing and tossing spittle.

      We all leapt at the noise.  It was surging, slamming to get into the hall.  The scrape and bustle coming from inside the elevator - meaty flanks beating the sides of the box, impatient hooves scratching.  It was a wild boar with a head the size of my torso.  The bug-sniffing pig?

      “No!” I shouted, “You’re supposed to have an appointment!”

      Momi dragged me out of the hall as it came in, slamming against a wall in its mad scramble.  I was in an apartment, it was out of sight, but I could still hear it, still feel it in the floor - an ogre, a giant.  Olivia and Knobby were bedraggled and terrified, looking like twelve year olds in their sweaty underclothes.  Deandre was shoving at them, yelling something.

      I found Momi’s eyes and hardly had a moment to catch my reeling mind before she was thrown against me.  She had been blocking the door, and one bash from the beast sent her crashing.  We scrambled to push the door back into place as the monster wound up for another attack.

      Momi cried, “We need a gun!”

      Deandre might have said something about that, but the pig crashed into the door again like thunder.  The door was knocked off the hinges, Momi and I were mashed together under it as the monster barreled past us into the room.

      My head was spinning, ears ringing, when I heard the voice of that fucking bug man out in the hall.  “What’s that boy?  You smell somethin’ good?  Get ’em boy, get ’em!”

      I tried to tell him to fuck off and die, but couldn’t breathe.  I struggled to stand, slipping against the wall.  To one side, the boar rampaged through Olivia and Knobby’s apartment.  Right in front of me, Momi was pushing the door out into the hall like a massive shield.  She smashed it against the wall and I saw a spindly white man’s arm flap behind it like a spider in death throes.

       I caught my breath and she was lifting me up by an arm.  We faced the living room.  The boar had already annihilated the coffee table and upended every piece of furniture that remained.  The children were hiding, Deandre and Methadone Mike facing it from either side, armed with stools.

      “Hey!” I yelled at the thing.  “We didn’t call for you!”

      It whipped around to look at me, and the guys charged in.  It looked mildly surprised to be stabbed from both sides, and spun in place again.  This time, the power of its movement sent the guys down.  Deandre was shoved back by his own stool, losing his grip and going end over end.  Mike’s stool flipped away and exploded on the ceiling.  His body went ragdoll to the floor and bounced.

      Before I could even blink, it reached a leg over - with almost no effort at all - and drove it down onto Mike’s back with a horrible noise.  He spasmed one time and fell still.  It wasn’t even looking at him.  It was staring at me.

      The thing was so full of power, its barest movement made things explode.  I knew if it touched me I’d die badly.  The kitchen had a window to the living room and I tried to dive through that, hoping Momi would take the opportunity to shut herself in one of the bedrooms.

      I only got my upper body through, snagging my thigh on the wall.  My legs were hanging out, wagging as I scrambled to get in.  The pig was so fast.  I felt it crash into me, into the wall.

      I think it had tried to bite my leg but missed, then when it pulled back to bite me again, its tusks flipped me the rest of the way into the kitchen.  Lucky, but it still felt like taking a baseball bat to the thighs.  I was on a high counter trying to get my balance when sharp hooves kicked me onto the floor - it had reared up to attack me.

      Fortunately it knocked me out of its own reach.  I yelled, “Momi, hide!” and hoped she’d do the smart thing.  I heard it hit the floor again and scrape hooves to come get me.  I jumped up on the counter again, planning to go through the kitchen window back to the living room as soon as it got close.

      The kitchen had a clear view of the apartment door and as the beast rounded the corner, I saw Richie stepping into the apartment behind it.

      “No!  Run!  It killed Mike!”  I screamed.

      It whipped around again, crashing into every wall as it went.  I tried going through the window, but again got tripped up, falling out headfirst and landing like a pile of bowling pins.  I blacked out.

      Deandre was pulling me to my feet, Olivia and Knobby were behind him.  They were waving for us to come join them in the bedroom, in safety.  Deandre looked very frustrated.  “Just ’cause I’m gangster doesn’t mean I have a gun.”

      My head bobbled in shock.  “Uh-huh, hm - fuck.  Where’s Leimomi?”

      “I’ll go help her.  You get in there with the kids, dammit.”

      My heart sank and I almost collapsed again, sliding out of his arms.  Then I shook my head and steeled myself.  “Where did she go?”

      He shook his head.  “Out there.”

      Pretty quickly, we were both out in the hall.  Knobby gave me his aluminum bat and Deandre got a knife.  I heard the pig in one of the other apartments, heard movement from others as well, heard voices.  Olivia and Knobby’s door was where Momi had left  it - on top of some unmoving fucko who was dead for all I cared.  The pig had also knocked the doors off of Methadone Mike’s apartment and Leimomi’s.  I heard a buzzing overhead like moths around an electric lamp. I glanced up and saw the light fixtures were actually full of eyeballs, which obscured the light and bobbed around each other like they were boiling.

      Patrick and Marcie came out of Patrick and Perry’s apartment, both carrying short spears made from halves of the same broken mop handle.  Marcie said, “Where’s my boy?”

      We exchanged very emotional looks in that moment, but the sound of the pig thrashing in Momi’s apartment drew our attention.  We all hustled to that broken door, gathered outside it in the hall.  I said, “Hey, pig!  Suey!”

      In response, I heard it wreck some more furniture before storming back into our line of sight.  It surged toward us, toward the hall, and we all stepped to the sides of the door.  Patrick and Marcie were on one side, Deandre and I on the other.  As it came into the hall thrashing - a grey-brown tornado of bristling hair and gleaming tusk - we all did our best to attack it.

      Hitting it with the baseball bat was like hitting leather-covered steel.  The shock and its thrashing threw me to the ground again.  It stomped Deandre’s leg and he collapsed, though he barely managed to escape another stomp by lurching out of the way.  His face was completely unrecognizable from the pain, doubled in on itself like a baseball cover.

      It jerked back into the apartment, leaving the four of us in the hall, splashed with blood.  Another calm before another storm - it would surely come attack us again in less than a minute.  Deandre couldn’t get up, Marcie had lost her spear, Patrick’s face was purple and swollen.

      To Marcie I said, “Help Deandre get to Olivia and Knobby!  I’ll help Richie.”

      She shook her head, grabbed Patrick’s spear, and went after the thing in Momi’s apartment.  I looked at Patrick in desperation, he shook his head.  I knew he had to get back to Perry.

      I grabbed Deandre’s shoulders to drag him, but he pushed me away.  “Don’t!  Find your girl!”

      “That thing’ll stomp you dead!”

      “Go!”  Blood spewed from his leg in time with his pulse.

      I took the permission and ran into the apartment.

      Richie was dodging it over by the window, bouncing around like a too-tall marionette on a string.  The pig had a spear and a knife sticking out of its flanks, but wasn’t slowing at all.  Marcie was throwing a stool at it, again to no effect.  Where the Hell is Leimomi?

      “Come on!,” Marcie yelled. “Suey suey!,” I yelled.  That’s a thing they say on farms, right?

      The boar was obsessed with Richie in that moment, ignoring anything we threw at it.  He was more agile than the thing, like a cowboy at an unusually sadistic rodeo event, but it was so much faster.  It whacked him in the shin with its tusks and flipped him off its head.  He spiraled in the air like a starfish before hitting the ground.

      The beast came rushing at him, and Marcie blocked it with a cushy chair.  When it failed to flick the furniture aside quickly enough, it decided to burrow its way through, sending a snow of stuffing and wood chips flying.  As it dug, its weight had Marcie and Richie sliding tangled across the carpet.

      I pushed a couch upside down, covering the pig and the chair, and I jumped on top.  I waved for Marcie and Richie to get away from the chair, and they did.  Just in time, the monster ripped out through the chair, out from under the couch.  I bucked loose and the couch rolled over me.

      When I got loose, I saw it headbutting Marcie full force in the guts, then spinning to face Richie.  He kicked it but it just lurched into the foot, pushing the boy on his ass again.  Marcie was too winded to help, I was still getting to my feet, and the horrible thing’s massive jaws were perfectly poised to start devouring Richie’s softest parts.

      Momi came into the room with a long flat metal rectangle, gripped in two places with rags.  She slapped the wall to get its attention.  “Hey!  Hey!”  She waved the metal closer to its face, swooping dangerously close to Richie’s head to do so.

      The pig lost interest in Richie and nipped at Momi’s clumsy weapon.  Unfortunately for Richie, it was stomping all over him to get to her.  He was bloody in a split second.  I found my footing and charged in.

      I grabbed its tail, jerked with all my strength.  It really hated that, bellowed and turned to face me, trampling Richie again.  I lost my grip on the tail.  It was facing me almost instantly.  This was it.  Deranged animal fury, blood and bristles, gleaming tusks - and me completely without a weapon.

      It hit me with its face, a battering ram of bone and enamel.  We went to the floor together, prey and predator, jerking and screaming.  I pulled myself out from under it.

      Leimomi was coming to help me, Marcie to Richie.  The boar was on its side, twitching.  Momi had stabbed it from behind with the metal, and deep.  She pulled me into her big arms.  I gasped as my diaphragm started working again.

      “Where did you get that… spear?”

      “Bottom of Mikey’s bed.  Are you OK?”

      “Uh… I think so.”  I sat up.  “Deandre.  Mike.  What the fuck is happening here?”

      Marcie had Richie sitting up again.  “We got it?”

      I pulled myself up to my feet on Momi’s shoulders.  “Checking for bed bugs.  We gotta get Deandre to a hospital.  And you.”

      “Huh?”

      Marcie said, “Hush up, baby.  Let’s get you walking, OK?”

      I went into the hall.  Deandre was gone, a trail of blood leading back to Olivia and Knobby’s place, past the corpse of the bug man.  Overhead, the eyeballs in the lighting fixtures were seething, angry.

      Momi came into the hall behind me.  “What should we do?”

      “Get everyone together, down there.  Fucking... Hell, I don’t want Marcie to see... Mike like that.”

      “Should I tell her..?”

      “We should all go down there.  Get Patrick and Perry.”  I yelled to Marcie, “Hey, we’re going to Olivia and Knobby’s apartment first, OK?”  She made some kind of noise back, then we went to work.

                                                       ***

Read next chapter here.

[frustratedcastingdirector]

The Times (UK) 10/16/2003

Alex O'Connell goes weak-kneed in the presence of Mark Ruffalo, the anti Hollywood star of In the Cut If there was such a thing as a textbook outsider, Mark Ruffalo would be one. Like Dostoevsky's Raskolnikov, Rilke's Malte Laurids Brigge and, well, Buffy, he is in a netherworld all of his own. Metaphorically speaking, Ruffalo sits on a park bench in the middle of an LA traffic island staring into the smog while most of Tinseltown is vrooming down the highways talking about their Japanese advertising campaigns and what happens if you smoke right after Pilates while on the Atkins. We meet in a hotel in Park Lane, in a suite which has more chintz than a Chelsea draper's. Still, Ruffalo cuts through the frills and fancy, like a pair of industrial shears. To be frank, the furnishings don't get a look-in. His face is soft and crumpled like a baby boxer, his hair is a pile of Italianate curls tousled to unstyled perfection, his eyes are the same lazy, deep brown as his pinstripes. On the soulless hotel interview circuit, Ruffalo is as refreshing as the cold shower I should be having. He doesn't try, he hasn't rehearsed answers, he doesn't care if he says something that might make his agent twitch. Give the man a part in one of the films of the year! (Oh, he's already got one.) A respected theatre actor and director in America but relatively unknown here, barring a star role in the playwright Kenneth Lonergan's film debut You Can Count on Me (2000), Ruffalo is about to ease into the mainstream. The Wisconsin boy has two movies out in the next few months, both in The Times bfi London Film Festival. The first, My Life Without Me, is a drama about a woman with a terminal illness, in which he stars alongside the Canadian actress Sarah Polley. The second, and the biggie, is Jane Campion's cop thriller, In the Cut, the festival's Opening Night Gala. Adapted from the novel by Susanna Moore, the film features Ruffalo as Malloy, a hard nut homicide detective who begins an affair with Frannie, an ethereal New York academic (Meg Ryan). While Malloy is out chasing killers, she's sticking Post-it Notes scrawled with her favourite words on the wall. Ryan is good. Ruffalo is even better as the cop whose incestuous cityscape consists of dives, crime scenes and the odd sweaty mattress. At 35, Ruffalo has taken long enough to get where he is. Partly it was bad luck, he says. Three years ago he was diagnosed with a brain tumour after he finished filming The Last Castle with Robert Redford. "It naturally slowed everything down," he says, in his old-world drawl. "It was taken out immediately and it was benign, but it was a year of being out of work and reassessing. When you're young and you start getting on as the 'hot new thing', you can lose sight of what you are doing it for, and I was starting to get a little disappointed with acting. It made me reassess. Also, they go in there and tinker and you feel like you'll never be the same and, quite frankly, I didn't know if I still had my talent after that." The script for In the Cut arrived eight months after his illness. Campion asked him to lunch and she gave him the good news between courses. Initially, he was concerned about how to make what could easily have been "just another cop role" his own. "We've seen this a thousand times, more, probably," he says, "and it's been done very well by many people." Eventually he located his point of real interest. "There is some part of Malloy that wants more from his class than just where he is at in life. There is some curiosity for fineness and beauty." Research involved trailing Manhattan's cop bars and knocking back whiskey with the guys. "It took a lot of bourbon and cigarettes to get to the point where people were actually being truthful." One of the most talked about elements in the film is the nude sex scene between him and Ryan, her first in a long career. It's erotic and integral. But, boy, wasn't that, well, a pressure? "It was never comfortable," he says, shifting in his chair. "When we had known each other for three months, it was still uncomfortable, people standing around all the time...I'm married ... "I mean, I was really nervous," he laughs, "and when you're nervous it's hard to affect, erm, confidence." Did you have a thing that you did? "A technique? Well, Jane gave me The Woman's Orgasm and a bunch of books and videotapes. At one point she tried to give me an anatomy lesson on the vagina, which frankly brings up all kinds of defensive feelings in a man: 'I know what I'm doing! Why are you telling me that? Let me show you!' And that was funny, seeing myself react like that." Did he read them? "Yes, I did read them. I definitely learnt." He admits that the film's unbalanced relationship dynamic (cop/academic) probably would not work in real life. Luckily Ruffalo has no such personal concerns, as he is married to an actress, Sunrise Coigney. It's fairytale stuff: he saw her in the street, knew she was The One, and had to figure out how to meet her. She has a small part in In the Cut. Ruffalo is unusual in that he is a Hollywood actor with a very definite life outside Hollywood. It has a lot to do with his background in theatre. After moving to San Diego at 13 he uprooted to LA at 18 to study at the Stella Adler theatre school. His big break was in Betrayed by Everyone, a chunk of This is Our Youth which was made into a one-act play at a festival in LA in 1995. There began his great friendship with its writer, Kenneth Lonergan, who later invited him to audition for This is Our Youth, his play about indulged youth in the 1980s. "Since then we've been close friends," Ruffalo says. "We were both struggling in the theatre and then we both did the film You Can Count on Me and it launched our careers." These days he runs an LA theatre company, Page 97, and has written a play and a film of his own. In fact he even turned down a bunch of big studio films, including a part in The Core, because, well, it just didn't suit. And of his considerable freezer of turkeys (he's been in 28 movies, most of them poor to dreadful) he is charmingly self-mocking. Houdini -the biopic? "That is good compared to some of them," he laughs. "I don't network, I see it as kind of crass. There is just this cliquey scene in LA. I don't think that casting directors ever discover anybody, they are just told about somebody by somebody else. I'm sure there are 1,000 people like me out there who have worked really hard and done the plays and the work that really counts, but there is a lot of hyperbole in LA and the focus is in getting to places where you can be seen and get 'famous' and then all the work follows." In fact recently he's even been working on a novel, called Him, which sounds like self-parody or The Outsider Pt 2. "It's about a man who doesn't fit into the modern world," he says with a smirk. Stage, screen, plays, novels, what's it going to be? Unless he makes his mind up, doesn't he risk turning into Ethan Hawke? He sighs, a deep Ruffalo sigh. "They're gonna throw dirt on you at the end of this game, man," he says. "And I don't think you can be too careful at the cost of your life. At the end what do you have but the life you lived?" Quite. CV: MARK RUFFALO AMERICAN HISTORY Born in Wisconsin in Nov, 1967. He moved to San Diego at 18, then to LA where he studied at Stella Adler. NEW BEST FRIEND Playwright Kenneth Lonergan. Ruffalo was in This is Our Youth. MY FAVOURITE WIFE Actress Sunrise Coigney, whom he fell for in the street. UNBEARABLE LIKENESS OF BEING Compared to Marlon Brando and James Dean -"But he had no work ethic," says Ruffalo of the latter. TOPSY TURKEYS Windtalkers (2002); A Fish in the Bathtub (1999); There Goes My Baby (1994).

Article corrections: Ruffalo’s family moved to Virginia Beach, VA when he was 13;Lonergan did not invite Ruffalo to audition for “This is Our Youth,” Ruffalo had to nag him into letting him audition for it; The LA theatre company is called Page 93 not 97; and it was Marlon Brando with no work ethic.

[ivyfics]

With me - Chap 3

One second he’s ready to do the ghost version of flinging a toaster into a bathtub and the next he’s flinching, yelping out an enraged, “Hey, nothing here is little!” 

Read on AO3

Pairing: KuroTsuki Rating: M Chaps: 3/7 (May change in the future) Additional Tags: Ghost!Kuroo, Haunted!Tsukishima, Tiniest bit of crack, Future angst

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He’s not quite sure how or why the things that happen next happen the way they do. There’s a disconnect between what the situation really is, how Tetsurou should maybe react to it, and what he ends up doing.

One second he’s ready to do the ghost version of flinging a toaster into a bathtub and the next he’s flinching, yelping out an enraged, “Hey, nothing here is little!”

Kei glares at him harder and tilts his head back to also be looking down his chin at him. It’s not an expression Tetsurou’s seen on him other than when trash day comes around, the comparison making him want to squirm where he floats.

"Pathetic."

Tetsurou climbs down from the wall, coming in as close as he can to Kei. There are four hundred separate trains of thought running around his head. The loudest and most pressing one wins mouth rights, spraying out with a high pitched squeal of, "Pathe —You weren't supposed to know!"

After that visceral reaction purges most of his agitation, two things come to Tetsurou’s mind. One, his hand is still stuck between the energetic representation of the running shorts he was wearing when he keeled over—and what a fate that is, to not only have to die in unwashed, borrowed running shorts but also have them become one of the only two articles of clothing to represent him forever. Tetsurou is damned to an eternity barefoot —and two, Kei can see him.

Kei, the bookish, quiet, tall nerd that lives in this apartment, Tetsurou’s apartment, and who Tetsurou was, in the most basic of definitions, spying on to the point of voyeuristic enjoyment, can see him.

Let’s back up a step, do a timeline of how he got here:

Death.

Panic.

Ghost.

Panic.

Acceptance.

Chilling.

Watching Betty, La fea for the first time.

Almost making Mrs.Smith have a heart attack.

Rewatching Pasión de Gavilanes.<\em>

Accidentally triggering Mrs.Smith’s stroke.

Seven tenants.

Haunted Teddy bear.

That one asshole he locked out whose name he never learned because every single one of his friends was always stoned out of their mind and only called each other dude.

Watching Ugly Betty for the first time.

Tsukki moving in.

Las Rosas del Desierto premiere.

Trying to beat his metaphorical meat in the same room as Kei.

Getting caught trying to beat his metaphorical meat in the same room as Kei.

Kei can see him.

Not only can Kei see him, Kei can talk to him.

There, where he stands in front of Tetsurou with his arms on his waist and nothing but those cloud socks and a pointed glare, Kei licks his teeth at him. "Well? Are you going to try and defend yourself or are you just going to stand there and gape at me?"

"You can see me," Tetsurou parrots.

Kei rolls his eyes and holy shit it’s so real , "Yes, I thought—"

"You can see me, and you can hear me," Tetsurou repeats, dumbfounded. He shakes himself out of it when his brain gets to the part where Kei is not, let’s say, freaking out, his voice going high as it can, "Wait, have you been able to do that all this time? Since the beginning?"

Kei huffs, still mad, “Yeah.”

Tetsurou yanks his hands from under his shorts with viciousness, feeling the layers snap back into place along with his outrage and yells, "Why didn't you say anything?!"

For a long moment, there’s nothing between them but the racking cough of whoever lives in the apartment above them. They’re coughing up a lung, clearing their throat and making wet sounds no human being should be able to do, much less with their mouth-related pieces. It stops, and Kei opens his own mouth-related pieces to offer Tetsurou what better be the explanation of a century when another bout of lung-expulsion commences.

With the tiniest curve of his lip Kei’s lips seal shut again, politely waiting for the noise to die down.

Infuriatingly well-mannered little prick.

When the air is devoid of icky sounds, Kei simply shrugs.

"Seemed like a hassle."

He can’t believe this. It doesn’t compute. Tetsurou sounds the words out, trying to make any sense of them and the person standing in front of him. "Telling the ghost that's haunting your apartment that you can see him seemed like a hassle."

Kei nods at him like this is a completely normal situation for either of them to be in, “See, you get it."

And Tetsurou, in that very moment, gets it. Boy, does he get it. Not unlike the vehicle that killed him, he’s hit by just how much he fucking gets it.

There’s no scoreboard.

He was never meant to win.

Tsukishima Kei is a god amongst men, mortal or otherwise, alive and dead, and Tetsurou always stood exactly zero chance to ever win in every dimension unfolding from their irrelevant, unimportant point in time and space.

He’s rudely—offensively interrupted by Kei’s alarm filtering through his back pocket from continuing to stand and stare and do absolutely nothing else other than basking in the full understanding of the last three months of his not-life. Kei is unaffected, as usual, while the current of white noise always in the back of Tetsurou’s head swells until he can see it.

Usually, this is the part where Tetsurou walks him to the door, makes a comment or two, wishes him a nice day while asking Kei to please not be weird when outside of this apartment. Today, he’s rooted to the beige carpet he can’t feel while his fake brain implodes at the knowledge that Kei has heard every single farewell, every single comment, including ‘ and your ass looks incredible today so don’t just sit somewhere and read, walk around, do a good deed and let the people see the goods!’

Kei gets dressed in something, he guesses. Tetsurou never thought he’d say this, but Kei’s wardrobe is the last thing on his priority list right now.

"I have to go. Whatever you were going to do just," Kei’s hand flings randomly as he grips the brassy doorknob, "don't do it in my room."

The door shuts with a click, caramel colored wood mocking Tetsurou silently. He’s still minutely floating above the same spot when not ten seconds later, it opens again and Kei peeks from the side.

Tetsurou hopes with whatever might be left of his soul that Kei is merciful with whatever comes out of his mouth.

“One more thing. What’s your name?”

The ceiling hasn’t changed in the past hour that Tetsurou has stared at it. The cracks running through it are the same no matter how many times his eyes run through the branching paths, the stains from when the apartment above them had a leak remain just as faded brown as they’ve always been. Circular and brown, oval and green, opaque and not, they look down on the previous three months and lay witness to Tetsurou’s plight.

Embarrassment and something that comes close to what must be shame are still flowing through him, foreign and uncomfortable. They spike with every passing memory of something he’s done since Kei has been living in the apartment that was not meant to exist in the presence of others. Fleeting snippets of conversations meant only for himself thrown in the air, snapshots of inappropriate comments. They leave him charged to the point where he feels bubbly and partly phasing through the couch. His leg sinks in and blends with the navy fabric, making him flinch and pull back out only to have to go through the same thing over again forty seconds later.

Tetsurou is a big ‘ol messy glitch.

It’s...not great.

Emotions when you’re an entity are this weird convoluted energy thing that Tetsurou has not a lot of experience with; so much is obvious by how he’s handling the ghost version of a blush. The only constant a ghostly tenure provides is the fact that you’re alone to do whatever the fuck you want to do (within certain boundaries he’s not going to get into because they’re not relevant right now), and not have to tell anyone about them. Up to an hour ago, he didn’t think he could tell anyone about them lest there was some sort of seancé or Tetsurou got really creative with lipstick.

There’s the first time he tried to go through the wall and bounced back so hard he and his overly charged body shattered a mirror. Or the first time the tried to turn on an electronic device and promptly fried the whole thing. Both of those things ended up with people moving out and him learning the ins-and-outs of being a baby ghost, but there wasn’t anyone to see him be a complete loser.

Kei changes the rules of the game completely.

When he first woke up here—in the messy, unkempt version of this place he first saw—there was nothing to do, nothing to be. He was a mass of unending open nerves, fizzing and crawling over every line, thread, and current of open energy. The transition from body to no-body is not so much violent as it is sudden. It leaves you reeling and relearning how to be now that you aren’t.

Also a lot violent, if he’s being honest.

Imagine you’ve been a fork all your life, then suddenly you’re a stress ball. Not the most poetic of examples but it’s accurate enough.

Terrifying.

Becoming a ghost isn’t as glamorous as the media portrays it. It’s a lot of isolation, confusion, and fear before you get a grasp on what’s possible. When, after painstaking trial and error, Tetsurou became Tetsurou he spent hours and hours doing nothing but saying his name out loud.

My name is Kuroo Tetsurou and I am—was human, I lived with Bokuto and Kenma, and Bokuto’s parrot Captain, my mom’s name is—

Over and over until it lost meaning. Until words became nothing but monotone, meaningless gibberish in a world made up of one.

Kuroo Tetsurou?

Okay, Kuroo. I’ll be back at six. Please get out of my room.

Tetsurou?

Kuroo. Tetsurou.

Okay, Kuroo

Okay. Kuroo.

Kuroo.

A wave swallows him whole, hands vibrating in and out of being, and leaves him shivering in a mess on the floor. He phased right through the couch and half into the floor. Tetsurou stares at the worn springs that live inside the guts of their couch and does nothing but think of how his name sounds coming from someone else's mouth. Then, he thinks of whose mouth that is and the sparks come back, excitement instead of embarrassment this time around.

He has so many questions.

Kei, true to his word, comes back home at almost six on the dot. Blinking red light from the clock on Tsukki’s nightstand shows a square 6:02. Light still streams from the living-room window, it’s rays strong and orange but fading into gray as the afternoon sun starts its descent. Tetsurou’s had a lot of time of time to think about what happens next.

Kei already knew the apartment was haunted when he moved in—something Tetsurou still has a hard time wrapping his head around because what the hell kind of sane person moves-in to a place that’s haunted? Willingly . Proactively . Kei is literally paying money to sleep with a ghost—so Tetsurou being around isn’t an issue that’s going to trigger a melting panic-attack and make Kei leave. Kei is pretty cozy shacking up with the undead.

(Tetsurou has always wondered if that’s a correct term, or if it only applies to beings of the corporeal variety: zombies, vampires, so on and so forth.)

Tetsurou isn’t sure how he feels about that— the whole Kei mostly seems to like the arrangement thing — in particular, but he’s been actively avoiding thinking about it since he accidentally put half his form in the wall between the bathroom and the kitchen. The inside of his not-mouth still tastes like dead.

The click from the door alerts him from where he “lays” on Kei’s bed. He chose to lounge there and not on the couch simply out of defiance. Tetsurou vanishes from his spot on the bed, sinking into the line that runs by the whole of the apartment and popping out in front of Kei, who instead of jumping like Tetsurou hoped he would just stare at him impassively.

Kei wears one of his favorite outfits, a mix of his and Tetsurou’s invention, created when Kei pulled out a pair of old sweats and was genuinely planning on leaving the house wearing them. Kuroo might have yanked them out of his hand and almost made him trip. Along with that memory resurfaces a jab of the glitchy feeling, the line he’s riding spiking in brightness before returning to a steady hum around him.

Tetsurou wants to make him look presentable outside and Kei likes to be comfortable. That outfit is the perfect compromise. The pants he wears are the fancy version of sweats, black and wooly. Tetsurou didn’t think a single person could own so many pairs of joggers instead of actual pants but surprises with Kei never end. He has black and white canvas shoes, along with his white, black, and maroon ��Me? Sarcastic? Never” hoodie.

He looks good, like he always does when Tetsurou intervenes, but that is not what he cares about right now. Later.

Tetsurou minutely glitches again before he starts talking, “Oh, hey, hi roomie, glad you’re here, let’s talk about you, and wow, you can see me and I can see that you are not ignoring me anymore so I was wondering if we could talk about that because that's, like, super fucking weird, and how can you do it? Are you a psychic? Oh shit, are you like, a medium? Like that lady with the short blonde hair? Ohmygodisitablondething—”

Kei’s nose scrunches up as he takes a step back, tongue sticking to the roof of his mouth in distaste. “Jesus lord dude, calm the dick down,” he swats at Tetsurou before bypassing him completely and walking to the couch. He pulls the strap of his crossbody book bag over his head and drops it on the corner of the couch. “At least let me settle in.”

Tetsurou skinks back in the line to appear in front of Kei. “I can’t calm down! This is, this is—it’s! It is!”

“Tch, fine! If I answer your questions, will you stop popping up out of nowhere?”

“No! Yes!”

“Okay.” Kei sighs. “What do you want to know?”

Tetsurou flounders for a bit, trying to contain his excitement. “Can your whole family see ghosts? Is it like, hereditary or something?”

Kei sinks next to his bag. “No. Just me. My brother only gets a weird feeling.”

“Oh. You, ugh—” Tetsurou’s hand comes up to scratch the back of his neck—“saw that, didn’t you?”

“I did. Your face was priceless.”

“Hey, I wasn’t expecting to be swatted at.”

“There’s a lot of things you don’t expect, apparently.”

Embarrassment at this morning flows through him again. It catches him off guard and breaks through that fizzy feeling of having someone respond when he talks to them. There’s so much he wants to know but the blonde looks really uncomfortable, avoiding Tetsurou’s eyes as much as he can. Kei has gone from zero willing communication to being grilled in the span of 12 hours.

And Tetsurou was a total creep.

He clears his not-throat to catch Kei’s attention.

“Yeah, about that. I’m sorry. It was a very creepy thing to do, I won’t do it again.” Tetsurou withholds the 'but I’m not used to having to interact with anyone anymore and being held responsible for my actions' that threatens to follow because he’s not trying to justify making Kei uncomfortable in his own home. Pride fills him at the fact that he still knows how to apologize, followed by more shame at the fact that he has to.

Big day for Tetsurou’s emotions and growth.

It’s been a big day for both of them.

Kei is not going anywhere. Tetsurou can slowly suffocate Kei with his presence and learn all he wants to know in time. There is one last thing he’s dying to know right now.

“One more question—It’s really stupid—What are you studying? No, that’s not—Why the hell did you move into an apartment with a ghost?”

Kei doesn’t hesitate. “Rent is really cheap.”

Tetsurou looks around the room. Yes, full rent on a place like this is pretty good. Yes, Tetsurou’s constant need to prove that he still exists in the form of uncaringly revealing himself to the tenants has probably driven down the price to the point where it’s a bargain, but at what cost?

“But...ghost.”

“It's like having an alarm system, but you don’t have to pay for it.”

“Were you not worried about getting murdered? Or—or possessed?

”By who? You? No,” Kei chuckles.

Tetsurou bristles, too amused for it to have any sort of heat. Kei’s relaxed a bit, shoulders not as tense. “I could be a really bad ghost, like all boo and shit. You’d have to go Ghostbusters on my ass.”

Feeling Tetsurou’s retreat for the dismissal that it is, Kei stands up, stretching lightly. After his bag is slung over his shoulder, he answers. “I know what a bad ghost feels like, if I had felt a bad ghost I would have gone somewhere else. Is that all?”

There’s a shred of normalcy about it all, Kei talking about ghost-this and ghost-that with a nonchalance that makes it seem as if this is actually an everyday thing. Just a dude and his ghost roommate, shooting the breeze. “You are so fucking weird,” he says because he might be dead but he knows weird when he sees it.

Kei yells in his direction before the door to his room clicks shut. “I don’t want to hear that from someone who watches television while hanging from the ceiling.” 

Later, Kei bursts in from his room, earphones dangling from his neck. He rushes over to where Tetsurou is watching Las Rosas del Desierto and slams his hands down on the dull padding of the couch with the most emotion Tetsurou has ever seen him manifest.

Kei changed out of his clothes. He’s wearing the gray sweats that Tetsurou vetoed as going-out clothes and a green knit sweater two sizes too big that swallows his frame whole. A quick peek at his feet show matching snail socks.

He looks bright-eyed, cozy, and unfairly cute.

Tetsurou mutes the commercial for laundry soap right before Kei rushes out, “Did you die here? Is that why you’re haunting this place?”

Tetsurou is stunned, both by Kei's enthusiasm and the way he said that almost cheerfully, as if having his apartment be the scene of a gruesome murder (because that's how Tetsurou would die here) is the good answer.

Kei continues, “Because if you got murdered here, rent could be even cheaper.”

It’s not what Tetsurou expects at all, laugh bursting out of him. Kei waits for him to finish his outburst with minute impatience showing in his twitching brow. He files that for later and wipes an imaginary tear, Kei's excited face at his answer is making it hard for him to talk properly.

He considers lying, just a little white lie to keep Kei’s excitement going, but he settles for the truth. “No, I didn’t die here. The dude that did up my body when I died rented the place. He liked my necklace so he swiped it, and ta-da, here I am for eternity.”

Kei stares at him from behind his glasses, at a loss. “Then why are you still here? Couldn’t you just,” Kei waves around one of the hands previously on the arm of the couch, the green sleeve from his sweater flopping about, “get the necklace and go wherever.”

“The dude lost it.” Kei stares at him. Tetsurou gets it, he reacted the same way when it happened. That and rage-cracking the dude’s phone, the bathroom mirror, and the window. “He lost the necklace.”

Kei sputters, “But you’re still here!”

Tetsurou laughs again, less humor and more of something else that he doesn’t want to explore. “Fuck if I know, no one gives you the So now you’re dead talk. Ghosting 101 is self-taught.”

“So no brutal murder?” Kei sounds disappointed, physically sagging where he's bent.

“Nah, sorry. But I bet if you tell Karen something is spooky here with a scary enough voice, she’ll give you a discount. Now shhh, Victoria is about to fuck shit up.” 

Ten minutes into his novela Tetsurou is hit with the fact that they had a normal conversation. Kei walked out and casually asked him (odd but expected) questions, told him to close the window and went back to his room when commercials ended.

Like they’ve done it a hundred times before.

He phases half through the couch and watches as the channels on the screen flip a mile a minute on their own when he realizes that, unknowing to him, they have.

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MERIDA: A KITCHY KITCHEN GUIDE

Want Claire’s entire guide to Merida? Check out her PDF!

WHY MERIDA?

The Landscape:

Mérida lies about 20 miles from the Gulf of Mexico on the Yucatán, and about 100 miles from numerous Mayan ruins. Cenotes, primal sink holes that act as oases in the sweltering jungle, dot the map to the south and east through the peninsula. Proximity to wilderness and proximity to history gives Mérida the qualities of uno pueblo magico – a place where the modern, colonial and indigenes intersect in a pouring out of creativity and yes, magic. Our driver Daniel explains as we buzz through the parched bush of the Yucatán, that uno pueblo magico also has excellent food and artisans, touched by the Mayan equivalent to the muses. This sounds perfect to me, who’s coming to Mérida for a weekend of relaxation, and perhaps a little magico.

THE STAY

The michelin guide has a famous criterion for three stars, “Exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey.” To me, Coqui Coqui is an exceptional experience, worth a special journey to the heart of the Yucatán. Nestled on the bathroom counter of models, celebrities, and hip urbanites, the perfumery’s products are distinct in their jungle meets old world elegance aesthetic. Their scents conjure up images of colonial haciendas, overrun with the flora and fauna of the Yucatán, Coqui Coqui’s base of operations and source for inspiration and ingredients. The line of thirteen scents extends from candles and perfumes to bath oils, linen sprays and custom amenities for each of their four residences, each of which has a personalized fragrance. Tulum is dewy coconut, Coba is lush and green mint, Vallodolid is roses dried with tobacco, and Mérida is the scent of cigar box, inspired by the surrounding tobacco plantations.

The residence in Mérida is why I’m here. The last time I was in Tulum, I enjoyed a few meals at Coqui Coqui and was immediately charmed. The style was effortless and worn in, the tiny perfumery was an unexpected gem on that stretch of beach, and the chicken mole sandwiches were enough to sell me on their own. My trip to Tulum overall was not the quiet journey I was hoping for, but it introduced me to the Yucatán – it’s food, history, and culture – and that was something I wanted to explore further. Coqui Coqui had residences dotted across the peninsula, and I had heard of Mérida, the capital of the Yucatán state, as a pastel oasis in the jungle. Trusting that planning a trip around a Coqui Coqui residence would be worth it, I booked the trip. The hotel was full for almost every night of my window, but I was able to secure a spot. I booked the rest of my trip at the other premier boutique hotel and spa in Mérida, Rosas y Xocolate.

Arriving at Coqui Coqui, near Parque de Santa Lucia in the heart of Mérida, my husband and I enter through the L’Epicerie, a small boutique shimmering with Coqui Coqui’s bottles of perfume and glass candles. Beatrice, the manager, welcomes us. An Italian expat living in Mérida, she’s effortlessly chic but matter-of-fact in tone. Throughout my stay I pepper her with questions, running my itinerary past her to make sure it passes muster. Fortunately there are only a few adjustments she suggests. We’ve arrived early, so we take a seat in the spa courtyard, a cement tiled space shaded by lofty plastered walls and vines. The cook brings out a little cake and a selection of signature teas for us to try, offering some local honey to go with it. The space is small but maximized. Sitting on a 4000 square foot lot (and this is just me eyeballing it), the residence is indeed a home. Completely private with 15 foot walls, every inch serves a purpose. The marble kitchen opens onto the patio for easy access, the fountain echoes off of the tile near the outdoor bathtub and one room spa; stairs curls up to an outdoor breakfast patio, and further still to a wading pool. When we get to our room, it occurs to me that this is all for just us.

The residence is a one room hotel, where the guest gets the entire upstairs floor and patio to themselves. The room itself is gorgeously appointed in a stripped down, colonial style. High ceilings with rich drapes accenting the cement tile floor and minimalist decor, I got practically giddy as I bounced around the easily thousand square foot space. The canopy bed was large with soft, thin sheets; there were two gigantic bath tubs side by side, and then there was the amenities bag. I’m not above lusting over the free soap at a hotel, and I hoarded the contents of this bag like dragon’s gold. A mini bath oil and perfume in both Tabaco and Flor de Naranjo, hand soaps in both scents, custom shampoo and conditioner, and even chic little toothbrushes in tortoise and black were squirreled away into my suitcase immediately. We then walked out to the pool patio and lingered there for the afternoon.

The next morning were our spa treatments – deep tissue massages in the downstairs space. Every scent is laid out as a massage oil, including scents that are rare or hard to find back in the states. I chose Rosas Secas, which smells like an earthy fresh rose with a hint of tobacco. It’s almost impossible to find a perfect rose scent that doesn’t go powdery, soapy, or grandma’s purse, but Rosas Secas was minimalist and modern. Before the massage, you can soak in the large bath by the fountain (it’s in a very private back corner of the property) to loosen and warm up your muscles. The massage itself is deep and effective, while still being relaxing. It’s presented in an a la carte manner – no hot stones or add ons, which feels appropriate for the simplicity of the space. The other options on the spa menu include a one hour Swedish massage ($90) and a one hour organic facial made with oatmeal, honey and avocado (also $90). Loose, relaxed, and smelling wonderful, we left Coqui Coqui for a day in town.

SAFETY & TRANSPORTATION

Walking southward on the thronging Calle 58 in search of hamacas, jumping off the side walk into the street to avoid bumping abuelas exiting the bus or panaderas selling their wares, I paused at Calle 73. In two blocks I had gone from hot, noisy, and crowded to breezy silent emptiness, excluding the dozens of ladies of the night hovering on the sidewalks. That’s how quickly Mérida can change. One block is Easter Egg colonial mansions and the next is empty tiendas with “for rent” signs. It’s a technicolor checkerboard. As a rule, the farther norther you go, especially via the major avenues, the tonier (and honestly, more boring) you get. All of a sudden the panaderas are replaced by Starbucks (I counted three in a ten minute cab ride), and the high-end restaurants are in curated strip malls. The farther south you go, the less developed, commercial, and safe it gets. The happy balance is in el centro, near the Casa Montejo, where the plazas, shops, and snacks, coalesce into the perfect hour long walk. Mérida is on a convenient grid system, with odd numbered streets running east/west and even numbered streets running north/ south. It’s almost impossible to find street numbers, so most places are described by the cross streets. The city is quite safe north of Calle 65, but during the evening it’s best to take a taxi if you have to walk more than a few minutes.

WHAT TO PACK

The best time to visit Mérida, or the Yucatán in general, is from the late fall through the spring. That’s when the tropical weather is its least humid and most yielding. No rain and temperatures in the mid 80s welcomed me as the plane touched down twenty minutes from the center of Mérida. The locals kept mentioning how cold it got at night, but I never noticed more than a 15 degree difference – compared to the frigid evening air of Mexico City (dropping from 70 in the day to 40 at night). The tone is quite casual in the day, and just barely less so in the evening, though I didn’t notice any requirements beyond a shirt on your back and shoes on your feet.

Packing List:

1 pair comfortable, chic sandals 1 pair close toed shoes – or climbing down to the cenotes or exploring ancient ruins, my snakeskin slip ons were fine for this, as would be desert boots.

2 light weight shirts – cotton is best.

1 pair shorts

1 pair light pants – linen or silk is ideal.

2 dresses, one light day dress and one slightly more formal one

1 bathing suit

1 light jacket – I had a white Jenni Kayne silk blazer I wore at night.

1 light sweater or shawl – I had a traditional rebozo scarf by Carla Fernandez to throw on when the nights got cold.

A giant hat – The sun can pound on your skin, so a big, light straw hat is best)

Sunglasses – Shield yourself from the sunlight bouncing off the pale colonial buildings.

Sunscreen – I prefer Aesop’s 50 spf sunscreen; great protection with none of the usual additives found in generic sunscreens.

Dry Shampoo – the weather leans toward humid, so expect to use a bunch of this to give your hair texture. Bug Spray – If you’re visiting during the wet season,or immediately after it, make sure to spray yourself before venturing out to areas like the cenotes or ruins.

SHOPPING

Other than camping out inside Coqui Coqui’s L’Espicerie, the shopping in Mérida is varied in quality and style, but not category. The area is best known for its astonishing weavings, and you need to pick up una hamaca (a hammock), una guayabera (men’s linen shirt), una huipil (a women’s embroidered tunic, or any number of baskets, blankets, and rugs.

Note about haggling: Some shops expect haggling, others recoil at it, and it’s pretty easy to tell the difference. Curated shops with hangers and a specifically styled aesthetic tend to have the prices locked in, and if you attempt to haggle you will look awkward and boorish. Shops near the plaza with stack and stacks of rugs next to exploding shelves of pottery expect and encourage a good haggle. The best I managed was 40% off the price tag.

Hammocks: The best hammocks I found (and I went in dozens of shops) were in Guayaberas Tita (Calle 59 between 60 and 62), but Hamacas Maya gets an honorable mention. Not only was there a ton of variety, but Juan, the owner, also does custom orders. I placed my order on the first day of my trip and picked it up on my way to the airport. There are hammocks woven specifically for tourists that are only woven with one line of thread. The result is a rather flimsy contraption that can unspool the second there is a cut or tear anywhere. Locals use the five threaded hammocks, woven with very thin twine for the most comfortable experience. Practically every home in the area has one hanging in its porch, usually occupied during siesta. I longed for a hammock with fringe or tassels, but those typically have pieces of wood forcing the hammock to lie flat. I ended up ordering two hammocks, both with the higher quality five thread weave, in a natural cotton, without madera (wood) and with orilla (tassles), but not macrame, and haggled Juan down to $75 each. The cheaper, single thread hammocks cost closer to $30 each, and the gorgeous sisal ones (an agave fiber) at Coqui Coqui are about $300 each, to give you a comparison.

Guayaberas y Huipil

The guayabera is the iconic Cuban button down, worn untucked, usually paired with a cigar and straw hat, worn by heavies of the early 20th century. After the Cuban revolution, Yucatecans started weaving the popular shirt themselves. For the best ones, try Guayaberas Jack in the center of town (Calle 59 between 60 and 62), but skip on the cheap poly blends. Find the pure linen ones for the most authentic look, and comfort. Huipil are easily found all over the city, but my favorite were at Color Amor (Calle 55 between Calle 56 and Calle 58)

Other artisanal goods:

Coqui Coqui L’Espicerie // Calle 55 between Calle 64 and Calle 66

This is a must stop if spending the day in Mérida. Not only can you pick up a hard to find scent or bath product (I bought both Rosas Secas and Naranjo Negro perfume), you can also find locally created jewelry, and rebozo dresses – made of fabric woven on a waist loom – designed by Francesca Bonato, the co owner of Coqui Coqui. Honestly, I could’ve come to Mérida with the clothes on my back, shopped there, and would have been ready for the rest of my trip.

Kukul Boutik // Calle 55 between Calle 56 and Calle 58

This curated boutique is definitely more put together than the average artisan shop in the area. They carry the usual mix of woven and embroidered pieces, but their woven sisal (agave) pillowcases are especially beautiful.

Casa de las ArtesanaIas // Calle 63 between Calle 64 and Calle 66

This is a definite tourist spot, so don’t expect quality here. However, there is a large selection here and everything is quite inexpensive.

Ki Xocolatl // Calle 53 between Calle 60 and Calle 62 (inside the Parque de Santa Lucia) A belgian chocolatier in the Yucatán started this little chocolate boutique. You can purchase a cup of velvety hot chocolate, but I opted for bars of their pink peppercorn studded chocolate bars instead.

El Estudio // Paseo de Montejo between Calle 41 and Calle 43 (further north, near the Palacio Canton) This boutique has a fun, funky vibe of a 90s Urban Outfitters. Glitter crusted matchbooks emblazoned with a portrait of Frida Kahlo, vibrant skulls, and hand painted glassware fill the shelves.

FOOD & DRINK

: I might be biased by my pseudo-hipster ways, but the most flavorful, most delicious, and best food was from the local spots rather than the white tablecloth restaurants.

Street Food Tips: Stick to the places with the longest lines. If they’re popular, then they aren’t getting people sick regularly. Also look for older, professional types. Doctors, lawyers, and cops can’t afford to get sick from street meat, so they’ll be conservative with where they get their street food. Teenagers, on the other hand, play more fast and loose.

Look around: Does it look clean? Is food left sitting around? Use your eyes and nose to tell you if the food looks good to you. If you’re apprehensive, just walk to the next cart. Better safe than sorry!

Water/Ice: Potable water is an issue in Mexico, so if you’re buying a respado (shaved ice) or an icy drink, make sure it’s from a place that uses filtered water.

Have a plan: I’m a research nut, so I looked up street food spots in Tulum that my favorite food writers and publications recommended. It makes the hunt so much easier!

Marlin Azul // Calle 62 between Calle 57 and Calle 59

This tiny restaurant is possibly the best seafood in Mérida. There are a few different options on the menu, but honestly, when a giant platter of ceviche is in front of you, how can you think of anything else? The habanero salsa is especially good here as well.

El Cangrejito // Calle 57 between Calle 64 and Calle 66

Fish tacos for breakfast? Yes indeed, but a far departure from the Ensenada style. These are fresh, served with different sauces and garnishes. You walk up to the front and just point at whatever fillings you like. We got one of everything: bacalao with capers, fried white fish, camarones ceviche, and my favorite, the langostino.

La Michoacana // Multiple locations

Paletas are a must, and La Michoacana is an easy choice. There’s a rainbow of flavors, but mamey is my favorite. If you’re not familiar, it’s a tropical fruit that’s fuzzy and brown on the outside (not unlike a kiwi) and with a rich red flesh that tastes like sweet potato pie. But hey, I won’t blame you if you go with mango con chile.

El Colón Sorbetes y Dulces Finos // Two locations, up on Paseo de Montejo and in the Zocalo

Situated right across the zócalo (main square), El Colón has been serving freshly made sorbet (without extra sugar and preservatives) for one hundred year. The tables on the sidewalk are perfect for people watching and cooling off on a sweltering Meridian afternoon. I ordered my favorite, mamay, but try the guava or tamarindo for a bright kick.

Apaola // Calle 53 between Calle 60 and Calle 62 (inside the Parque de Santa Lucia)

Combining Mexican, Oaxacan, and Yucatecan influences, Apaola is a favorite restaurant amongst travelers. Located inside Parque de Santa Lucia, the restaurant spills out onto a lovely courtyard. The menu is filled with modern fusion dishes (the appetizers were best, so I’d recommend ordering more of those), so don’t expect to find cochinita pibil on the menu. The mezcal and tequila selection is excellent, and the restaurant is very popular, so make sure to make reservations.

Tacos at Wayané, Mérida, Mexico // The corner of Calle 20 and Calle 15 just north of the Parque de Itzimná

Pronounced “why-en-AY,” the name is Mayan for, “here we are.” That’s the perfect name for this taco stand, a favorite amongst locals. This is an almuerzo spot. It’s not breakfast or lunch, but mid morning snack time. The Loría family have run the Wayan’e street stand for 20 years. They serve savory tacos and tortas throughout the morning, scooping flavorful fillings like smoky chicken fajitas and scrambled eggs with Swiss chard out of clay pots that customers point to. All dishes are from 8 to 12 pesos. Everything is cooked fresh every morning and when the food is gone, the place closes down for the day, usually by 2:00 pm. It’s a drive from the center of town, so expect to taxi.

Néctar // Av. Andrés García Lavín, between Calle 41 and Calle 43

Mérida’s newest haute cuisine restaurant is Nectar, where the ambitious chef Roberto Solis, having done time in the kitchens of Noma, Per Se, and the Fat Duck, plays with indigenous flavors and French techniques. My favorite dish was actually the dessert, which played with texture of coconut and was dusted with charred rosemary.

K’u’uk // Paseo de Montejo and Calle 27A (on the round about)

Taking haute cuisine a step further, K’u’uk presents symbolic and metaphoric dishes, relating to Mayan culture. Chef Pedro Evia utilizes locally sourced ingredients and inventive modern gastronomy to create a palette bending experience. If you’re going to do one “big meal” on your trip to Mérida, go here.

Chaya Maya // On the corner of Calle 57 and Calle 62

I’m usually leery of restaurants where servers dress up in traditional costumes, seeing it as a ploy for tourists, but Chaya Maya is actually enjoyed by the local population as well. This place is all about the Yucatán, so go for Los Tres Mosqueteros, or The Three Musketeers, for a nice overview of three classic Yucatecan dishes: relleno negro (a black sauce made from burnt chiles and spices) over pork; papadzul (egg enchiladas); and pipián (a sauce with a pumpkin seed base) over turkey. There are several other locations, but I like this one’s low key energy

Kii Wik // Avenida Garcia Lavin and Calle 37-B

From the team behind K’u’uk, Kii Wik is a small cafe in the tonier part of town. It’s pretty busy, but has excellent coffee and chilequiles, along with a cute bakery and gourmet shop.

Oliva Enoteca & Kitchen // On the corner of Calle 47 & Calle 54

If you don’t feel like Mexican, Oliva is a beautiful choice. With wine personally selected by the Chef to complement the cuisine, and modern rustic dishes that include an array of burrata, lemon scented ricotta with shrimp, daily fish, and simple antipasti, it’s a beautiful bit of Europe in the heart of the Yucatán.

Poxeria // Paseo de Montejo between Calle 41 and Calle 43 (further north, near the Palacio Canton)

Located next door to El Estudio (the boutique I mentioned above), we stumbled across this coffee and pox (pronounced posh) shop quite unexpectedly. The coffee is from Chiapas and honestly, the best we had in Mérida. Pox is an interesting choice when you’re over mezcal – it’s corn based and tastes quite a bit like moonshine, which isn’t surprising considering that it’s 53% ABV.

Hacienda Teya // Mérida-Cancún Highway, Kilometer 12.5 (about 20 minutes outside of Mérida)

Inside this 17th-century plantation that switched from cattle to henequen, used for making rope, at the end of the 19th century, is a boisterous family restaurant. Large tables are packed with families enjoying a post-misas (we were there on Sunday) meal. Surprisingly, there were no tourists, just locals. Try the classics like sopa de lima, or the sample platter that includes cochinita pibil, Puntas de filete al xcatic, and poc chuc.

SIGHTS

Catedral de Mérida // Calle 60 between Calle 61 and Calle 63

This almost 500 year old Cathedral hovers over the city center, with a constant flow of observants moving in and out of its imposing doors. Finished in 1598, the cathedral is a combination of late renaissance and early baroque styles, with obvious influence from the Roman and Moorish tinged Andalusia.

Casa de Montejo // Calle 63 between Calle 60 and Calle 62

A bank is now housed behind the brilliant façade of this extremely rare example of 16th century civil architecture, but take a step in, and you’ll find a small free museum featuring seasonal exhibits and a preserved dining room from the original house. The ceiling frescoes are gorgeous and the gift shop is actually a lovely mix of artisanal products that aren’t seen anywhere else in the city.

Palacio Cantón // Paseo de Montejo between Calle 41 and Calle 43

Nestled in the center of Paseo de Montejo, an avendue lined with henequen funded Beaux Arts-style mansions, lies the Palacio Cantón. Built in the first decade of the twentieth century as a family residence for General Canton (one of the most prominent figures of his time), it now houses the Mayan Anthropological Museum. Since 1980, its permanent exhibition about the pre-Hispanic Mayan society is presented on the main floor, with exhibitions, educational workshops and cultural events offered upstairs.

Chichén Itzá

An hour and a bit away from Mérida The stepped pyramids, temples, columned arcades, and other stone structures of Chichén Itzá were sacred to the Maya, and the center of their spiritual life from A.D. 750 to 1200. Go in the afternoon, when the Temple of Kukulkan, also known as El Castillo, reveals itself in the light. This impressive step pyramid demonstrates the accuracy and importance of Maya astronomy, which is specifically oriented to catch the light, creating the illusion of an undulating feathered snake going down the steps. This even happens in the afternoon, and is easier to see the closer you are to the spring solstice. The previous structure was 17 degrees off, so the Mayans made an adjustment, and 52 years later (as dictated by their calendar to be a full period cycle) corrected it with the structure that now stands. The whole complex is awe inspiring in scope, especially when you realize they built it without the use of wheels. We wandered over to the ball court, the largest in the Americas measuring 554 feet long and 231 feet wide.These ritual games were a spiritual rite, with two teams of seven trying to hit a rubber ball through an impossible looking small, high hoop. The winner was put to death, a fact that a German couple on the tour with us refused to believe. It was considered an honor to die, as the games were for the gods’ glory, and not the players.

Cenotes

There are cenotes all of the region, but the one we stopped by on our way back from Chichén Itzá, near Yokdzonot. A cenote is a natural pit, or sinkhole, that exposes groundwater underneath, sometimes used by the ancient Maya for sacrificial offerings (usually women who would jump in as an sacrifice to the water god, Chaac). Now they’re open as little oases in the jungle heat. There are three different types of cenotes: jug cenotes, with a small hole at the top; cave cenotes, where you enter through a cave; and my favorite, cylinder cenotes which have vertical walls. The reason why those are my favorite is a bit vain, but I like how beautifully cylinder cenotes photograph. The light bounces on the light, adventurous swimmers can dive in from high up the side, and tree roots dangle overhead. Skip Progresso Beach, which is very privatized and a bit of a challenge to navigate if you’re unfamiliar with the area, and jump into a cenote instead.

Source: https://www.thekitchykitchen.com/travel/merida-kitchy-kitchen-guide/

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Miami’s Best Delivery & Takeout For Your Birthday added to Google Docs

Miami’s Best Delivery & Takeout For Your Birthday

So, it looks like your birthday is going to be a quarantine birthday. We know that’s probably not how you planned this - unless you are one of those people who really hates birthdays - but you can still organize one hell of a takeout dinner to celebrate. Hopefully this guide can help you with that, whether you want to have an at-home taco party, stone crabs on the couch, or a serious amount of pie.

All restaurants featured on The Infatuation are selected by our editorial team. Miami’s Best Takeout & Delivery For Your Birthday is presented by Uber Eats. In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, supporting our local restaurant community has never been more important. Uber Eats customers can now give directly to the restaurants they love at checkout. 100% will go to the restaurant. Order now to support. See app for details.

   Featured In The Ultimate Miami Delivery & Takeout Guide See all our guides The Spots  Tasty Planet Kyu $ $ $ $ American ,  Korean  in  Wynwood $$$$ 251 NW 25th St 8.6 /10

Wynwood’s KYU has always been a great restaurant for a celebration. And even though you can’t gather a group of friends to meet you in their dining room right now, KYU’s takeout menu is very fitting for a special occasion at home. A lot of our favorites from their regular menu are available to-go, like the whole roasted cauliflower, Korean fried chicken, and the massive beef short ribs. Order all of the above and have enough leftovers to make your birthday a month-long. You can also get some cocktails if you order pick up.

 Emily Schindler Cafe La Trova $ $ $ $ Latin ,  Cuban  in  Little Havana $$$$ 971 SW 8th Street 8.6 /10

Little Havana’s Cafe La Trova is back open for takeout with a big online menu that has their very delicious empanadas, new sandwiches, and big plates like lechon and whole fried snapper. You really can’t go wrong with anything on the menu here - just promise us you’ll order their pre-batched daiquiri, which is available in 64-ounce portions in case you’re really trying to celebrate. Order online and throw on some Celia Cruz when it’s time to eat.

 Order delivery   Justin Namon NIU Kitchen $ $ $ $ Spanish ,  Tapas  in  Downtown $$$$ 134 NE 2nd Ave 9.4 /10

NIU Kitchen has always been one of our favorite spots to visit when we want to eat amazing things and celebrate. And their takeout options will still do the trick. You can browse their online bodega and order things like grilled ribeye, the awesome whole calamar, duck confit, and enough wine to fill your bathtub - which probably isn’t the best use of wine, but hey, it’s your birthday.

Balloo $ $ $ $ Chinese ,  Indian ,  Caribbean  in  Downtown $$$$ 19 SE 2nd Ave #4 Not

Rated

Yet

We’d still order from Balloo even if the only thing they sold was their spicy Thai micheladas, which are our favorite micheladas in the universe. But what makes this place truly worthy of a birthday celebration is the food. Their menu changes often, but you can see the most recent version on their Instagram. Chances are there will be some excellent dishes like butter chicken, coconut rice, braised oxtail, and more very good things you won’t find in many other kitchens around town. They’re delivering on Uber Eats, or you can call for pick up at (786) 534-2768.

 Order delivery   Tasty Planet Taquiza $ $ $ $ Mexican  in  Miami Beach ,  South Beach $$$$ 1351 Collins Ave 8.2 /10

Taquiza has takeout options worthy of most special occasions. If you’re celebrating with a few roommates, get their DIY taco party kit, which comes with your choice of protein, tortillas, elote, quinoa salad, garnishes, and hot sauce. The taco spot, which is currently offering takeout from its North Beach location, also has margaritas to-go and is selling their blue masa, in case you want to make birthday tortillas at home. Order online.

 Order delivery

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INFATUATION NEWSLETTER Get our newest guides & reviews first,

plus more restaurant intel you won't find anywhere else. TRVL ATL ATX BOS CHI LDN LA MIA NYC PHL SF SEA DC Subscribe Smart move. Excellent information will arrive in your inbox soon. Do you have friends and family who also eat food? Enter their emails below and we’ll make sure they’re eating well. (Don’t worry, we won’t subscribe them to our newsletter - they can do that themselves.) Help Your Friends No Thanks Well done. You’re a good person. All good. We still like you. Want to quickly find restaurants on the go? Download The Infatuation app.    Tasty Planet Joe's Stone Crab $ $ $ $ American ,  Seafood  in  South Beach ,  South of Fifth $$$$ 11 Washington Ave 7.5 /10

Joe’s is never a bad call for a blowout meal involving martinis and seafood, especially now that you won’t have to wait at the bar for two hours to enjoy those things. Just call them at (800) 780-2722 and go pick up your claws and key lime pie when it’s ready. If you really want to recreate the Joe’s waiting experience, have your parents and all their friends put on something from Tommy Bahama, drink three daiquiris each, and then hop on a zoom call with you.

 Emily Schindler Hometown Barbecue $ $ $ $ BBQ  in  Allapattah $$$$ 1200 NW 22nd St 9.1 /10

Maybe you were planning on having a backyard cookout for your birthday. Or maybe you’ve just been having very vivid dreams about ribs recently. Either way, Hometown Barbecue is the birthday meal you deserve. The Allapattah spot does big hunks of smoked meat better than anyone else in South Florida. Order a beef rib, wings, and brisket online, or catch them on Uber Eats. They’re delivering all the way to Miami Beach.

 Order delivery   Emily Schindler Fireman Derek's Bake Shop & Cafe $ $ $ $ Cafe/Bakery ,  Dessert  in  Wynwood $$$$ 2818 N Miami Ave Not

Rated

Yet

For some, birthdays are just the one day of the year when they get a chance to eat as much sugar as possible. If you’re one of those people, Fireman Derek’s Bake Shop is here to help you become 40% pie. The very indulgent bakery (with locations in Wynwood and Coconut Grove) is accepting takeout orders. Get a simple key lime pie or a not-so-simple chocolate peanut butter pie (which you can also order in milkshake form). Or get both. And then maybe some cookies too. Yeah, you’re going to need cookies at a time like this.

 Karli Evans Ariete $ $ $ $ American ,  Cuban  in  Coconut Grove $$$$ 3540 Main Hwy 9.2 /10

Ariete is one of the best restaurants in Miami, and if you just want something delicious to celebrate another year around the sun, order from here. Their takeout menu has some of their greatest hits, like the chug burger, venison, and the pastrami-style short rib. But this is one of those places where you can order anything with confidence - especially the phenomenal candy cap mushroom flan, which will look very cute if you stick a candle in it. And don’t forget to ask about the to-go cocktail selection.

 Emily Schindler Boia De $ $ $ $ American ,  Italian  in  Buena Vista $$$$ 5205 NE 2nd Ave 8.8 /10

Boia De’s takeout menu is a lot different than its normal menu, but it still looks really, really good - especially their fried chicken sandwich, which is big and crunchy. There’s shrimp ceviche and a few of their regular dishes we remember, like the crispy polenta and beef tartare. All of the above is food worthy of a celebration, but even if you just want wine and ice cream, Boia De has you covered. Order online.

 Emily Schindler Lucali $ $ $ $ Pizza ,  Italian  in  South Beach ,  Sunset Harbour $$$$ 1930 Bay Rd 8.5 /10

Do you just want an entire pizza for your birthday? Well, good. You deserve it. And if you want one of the best in Miami, go for Lucali. They don’t normally do takeout, so you should take advantage of this opportunity to get one of their pies in your living room. These pizzas are a perfect hybrid that combines all our favorite parts of thin-crust with New York-style, and it’s all topped with a big bouquet of fresh basil. They also have a dessert pizza with nutella if you couldn’t locate a cake in time. Find them on Uber Eats or call them at (305) 695-4441.

 Order delivery

via The Infatuation Feed https://www.theinfatuation.com/miami/guides/birthday-takeout-delivery-miami Nhà hàng Hương Sen chuyên buffet hải sản cao cấp✅ Tổ chức tiệc cưới✅ Hội nghị, hội thảo✅ Tiệc lưu động✅ Sự kiện mang tầm cỡ quốc gia 52 Phố Miếu Đầm, Mễ Trì, Nam Từ Liêm, Hà Nội http://huongsen.vn/ 0904988999 http://huongsen.vn/to-chuc-tiec-hoi-nghi/ https://trello.com/userhuongsen

Created May 13, 2020 at 03:08AM /huong sen View Google Doc Nhà hàng Hương Sen chuyên buffet hải sản cao cấp✅ Tổ chức tiệc cưới✅ Hội nghị, hội thảo✅ Tiệc lưu động✅ Sự kiện mang tầm cỡ quốc gia 52 Phố Miếu Đầm, Mễ Trì, Nam Từ Liêm, Hà Nội http://huongsen.vn/ 0904988999 http://huongsen.vn/to-chuc-tiec-hoi-nghi/ https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1xa6sRugRZk4MDSyctcqusGYBv1lXYkrF

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MERIDA: A KITCHY KITCHEN GUIDE

Want Claire’s entire guide to Merida? Check out her PDF!

WHY MERIDA?

The Landscape:

Mérida lies about 20 miles from the Gulf of Mexico on the Yucatán, and about 100 miles from numerous Mayan ruins. Cenotes, primal sink holes that act as oases in the sweltering jungle, dot the map to the south and east through the peninsula. Proximity to wilderness and proximity to history gives Mérida the qualities of uno pueblo magico – a place where the modern, colonial and indigenes intersect in a pouring out of creativity and yes, magic. Our driver Daniel explains as we buzz through the parched bush of the Yucatán, that uno pueblo magico also has excellent food and artisans, touched by the Mayan equivalent to the muses. This sounds perfect to me, who’s coming to Mérida for a weekend of relaxation, and perhaps a little magico.

THE STAY

The michelin guide has a famous criterion for three stars, “Exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey.” To me, Coqui Coqui is an exceptional experience, worth a special journey to the heart of the Yucatán. Nestled on the bathroom counter of models, celebrities, and hip urbanites, the perfumery’s products are distinct in their jungle meets old world elegance aesthetic. Their scents conjure up images of colonial haciendas, overrun with the flora and fauna of the Yucatán, Coqui Coqui’s base of operations and source for inspiration and ingredients. The line of thirteen scents extends from candles and perfumes to bath oils, linen sprays and custom amenities for each of their four residences, each of which has a personalized fragrance. Tulum is dewy coconut, Coba is lush and green mint, Vallodolid is roses dried with tobacco, and Mérida is the scent of cigar box, inspired by the surrounding tobacco plantations.

The residence in Mérida is why I’m here. The last time I was in Tulum, I enjoyed a few meals at Coqui Coqui and was immediately charmed. The style was effortless and worn in, the tiny perfumery was an unexpected gem on that stretch of beach, and the chicken mole sandwiches were enough to sell me on their own. My trip to Tulum overall was not the quiet journey I was hoping for, but it introduced me to the Yucatán – it’s food, history, and culture – and that was something I wanted to explore further. Coqui Coqui had residences dotted across the peninsula, and I had heard of Mérida, the capital of the Yucatán state, as a pastel oasis in the jungle. Trusting that planning a trip around a Coqui Coqui residence would be worth it, I booked the trip. The hotel was full for almost every night of my window, but I was able to secure a spot. I booked the rest of my trip at the other premier boutique hotel and spa in Mérida, Rosas y Xocolate.

Arriving at Coqui Coqui, near Parque de Santa Lucia in the heart of Mérida, my husband and I enter through the L’Epicerie, a small boutique shimmering with Coqui Coqui’s bottles of perfume and glass candles. Beatrice, the manager, welcomes us. An Italian expat living in Mérida, she’s effortlessly chic but matter-of-fact in tone. Throughout my stay I pepper her with questions, running my itinerary past her to make sure it passes muster. Fortunately there are only a few adjustments she suggests. We’ve arrived early, so we take a seat in the spa courtyard, a cement tiled space shaded by lofty plastered walls and vines. The cook brings out a little cake and a selection of signature teas for us to try, offering some local honey to go with it. The space is small but maximized. Sitting on a 4000 square foot lot (and this is just me eyeballing it), the residence is indeed a home. Completely private with 15 foot walls, every inch serves a purpose. The marble kitchen opens onto the patio for easy access, the fountain echoes off of the tile near the outdoor bathtub and one room spa; stairs curls up to an outdoor breakfast patio, and further still to a wading pool. When we get to our room, it occurs to me that this is all for just us.

The residence is a one room hotel, where the guest gets the entire upstairs floor and patio to themselves. The room itself is gorgeously appointed in a stripped down, colonial style. High ceilings with rich drapes accenting the cement tile floor and minimalist decor, I got practically giddy as I bounced around the easily thousand square foot space. The canopy bed was large with soft, thin sheets; there were two gigantic bath tubs side by side, and then there was the amenities bag. I’m not above lusting over the free soap at a hotel, and I hoarded the contents of this bag like dragon’s gold. A mini bath oil and perfume in both Tabaco and Flor de Naranjo, hand soaps in both scents, custom shampoo and conditioner, and even chic little toothbrushes in tortoise and black were squirreled away into my suitcase immediately. We then walked out to the pool patio and lingered there for the afternoon.

The next morning were our spa treatments – deep tissue massages in the downstairs space. Every scent is laid out as a massage oil, including scents that are rare or hard to find back in the states. I chose Rosas Secas, which smells like an earthy fresh rose with a hint of tobacco. It’s almost impossible to find a perfect rose scent that doesn’t go powdery, soapy, or grandma’s purse, but Rosas Secas was minimalist and modern. Before the massage, you can soak in the large bath by the fountain (it’s in a very private back corner of the property) to loosen and warm up your muscles. The massage itself is deep and effective, while still being relaxing. It’s presented in an a la carte manner – no hot stones or add ons, which feels appropriate for the simplicity of the space. The other options on the spa menu include a one hour Swedish massage ($90) and a one hour organic facial made with oatmeal, honey and avocado (also $90). Loose, relaxed, and smelling wonderful, we left Coqui Coqui for a day in town.

SAFETY & TRANSPORTATION

Walking southward on the thronging Calle 58 in search of hamacas, jumping off the side walk into the street to avoid bumping abuelas exiting the bus or panaderas selling their wares, I paused at Calle 73. In two blocks I had gone from hot, noisy, and crowded to breezy silent emptiness, excluding the dozens of ladies of the night hovering on the sidewalks. That’s how quickly Mérida can change. One block is Easter Egg colonial mansions and the next is empty tiendas with “for rent” signs. It’s a technicolor checkerboard. As a rule, the farther norther you go, especially via the major avenues, the tonier (and honestly, more boring) you get. All of a sudden the panaderas are replaced by Starbucks (I counted three in a ten minute cab ride), and the high-end restaurants are in curated strip malls. The farther south you go, the less developed, commercial, and safe it gets. The happy balance is in el centro, near the Casa Montejo, where the plazas, shops, and snacks, coalesce into the perfect hour long walk. Mérida is on a convenient grid system, with odd numbered streets running east/west and even numbered streets running north/ south. It’s almost impossible to find street numbers, so most places are described by the cross streets. The city is quite safe north of Calle 65, but during the evening it’s best to take a taxi if you have to walk more than a few minutes.

WHAT TO PACK

The best time to visit Mérida, or the Yucatán in general, is from the late fall through the spring. That’s when the tropical weather is its least humid and most yielding. No rain and temperatures in the mid 80s welcomed me as the plane touched down twenty minutes from the center of Mérida. The locals kept mentioning how cold it got at night, but I never noticed more than a 15 degree difference – compared to the frigid evening air of Mexico City (dropping from 70 in the day to 40 at night). The tone is quite casual in the day, and just barely less so in the evening, though I didn’t notice any requirements beyond a shirt on your back and shoes on your feet.

Packing List:

1 pair comfortable, chic sandals 1 pair close toed shoes – or climbing down to the cenotes or exploring ancient ruins, my snakeskin slip ons were fine for this, as would be desert boots.

2 light weight shirts – cotton is best.

1 pair shorts

1 pair light pants – linen or silk is ideal.

2 dresses, one light day dress and one slightly more formal one

1 bathing suit

1 light jacket – I had a white Jenni Kayne silk blazer I wore at night.

1 light sweater or shawl – I had a traditional rebozo scarf by Carla Fernandez to throw on when the nights got cold.

A giant hat – The sun can pound on your skin, so a big, light straw hat is best)

Sunglasses – Shield yourself from the sunlight bouncing off the pale colonial buildings.

Sunscreen – I prefer Aesop’s 50 spf sunscreen; great protection with none of the usual additives found in generic sunscreens.

Dry Shampoo – the weather leans toward humid, so expect to use a bunch of this to give your hair texture. Bug Spray – If you’re visiting during the wet season,or immediately after it, make sure to spray yourself before venturing out to areas like the cenotes or ruins.

SHOPPING

Other than camping out inside Coqui Coqui’s L’Espicerie, the shopping in Mérida is varied in quality and style, but not category. The area is best known for its astonishing weavings, and you need to pick up una hamaca (a hammock), una guayabera (men’s linen shirt), una huipil (a women’s embroidered tunic, or any number of baskets, blankets, and rugs.

Note about haggling: Some shops expect haggling, others recoil at it, and it’s pretty easy to tell the difference. Curated shops with hangers and a specifically styled aesthetic tend to have the prices locked in, and if you attempt to haggle you will look awkward and boorish. Shops near the plaza with stack and stacks of rugs next to exploding shelves of pottery expect and encourage a good haggle. The best I managed was 40% off the price tag.

Hammocks: The best hammocks I found (and I went in dozens of shops) were in Guayaberas Tita (Calle 59 between 60 and 62), but Hamacas Maya gets an honorable mention. Not only was there a ton of variety, but Juan, the owner, also does custom orders. I placed my order on the first day of my trip and picked it up on my way to the airport. There are hammocks woven specifically for tourists that are only woven with one line of thread. The result is a rather flimsy contraption that can unspool the second there is a cut or tear anywhere. Locals use the five threaded hammocks, woven with very thin twine for the most comfortable experience. Practically every home in the area has one hanging in its porch, usually occupied during siesta. I longed for a hammock with fringe or tassels, but those typically have pieces of wood forcing the hammock to lie flat. I ended up ordering two hammocks, both with the higher quality five thread weave, in a natural cotton, without madera (wood) and with orilla (tassles), but not macrame, and haggled Juan down to $75 each. The cheaper, single thread hammocks cost closer to $30 each, and the gorgeous sisal ones (an agave fiber) at Coqui Coqui are about $300 each, to give you a comparison.

Guayaberas y Huipil

The guayabera is the iconic Cuban button down, worn untucked, usually paired with a cigar and straw hat, worn by heavies of the early 20th century. After the Cuban revolution, Yucatecans started weaving the popular shirt themselves. For the best ones, try Guayaberas Jack in the center of town (Calle 59 between 60 and 62), but skip on the cheap poly blends. Find the pure linen ones for the most authentic look, and comfort. Huipil are easily found all over the city, but my favorite were at Color Amor (Calle 55 between Calle 56 and Calle 58)

Other artisanal goods:

Coqui Coqui L’Espicerie // Calle 55 between Calle 64 and Calle 66

This is a must stop if spending the day in Mérida. Not only can you pick up a hard to find scent or bath product (I bought both Rosas Secas and Naranjo Negro perfume), you can also find locally created jewelry, and rebozo dresses – made of fabric woven on a waist loom – designed by Francesca Bonato, the co owner of Coqui Coqui. Honestly, I could’ve come to Mérida with the clothes on my back, shopped there, and would have been ready for the rest of my trip.

Kukul Boutik // Calle 55 between Calle 56 and Calle 58

This curated boutique is definitely more put together than the average artisan shop in the area. They carry the usual mix of woven and embroidered pieces, but their woven sisal (agave) pillowcases are especially beautiful.

Casa de las ArtesanaIas // Calle 63 between Calle 64 and Calle 66

This is a definite tourist spot, so don’t expect quality here. However, there is a large selection here and everything is quite inexpensive.

Ki Xocolatl // Calle 53 between Calle 60 and Calle 62 (inside the Parque de Santa Lucia) A belgian chocolatier in the Yucatán started this little chocolate boutique. You can purchase a cup of velvety hot chocolate, but I opted for bars of their pink peppercorn studded chocolate bars instead.

El Estudio // Paseo de Montejo between Calle 41 and Calle 43 (further north, near the Palacio Canton) This boutique has a fun, funky vibe of a 90s Urban Outfitters. Glitter crusted matchbooks emblazoned with a portrait of Frida Kahlo, vibrant skulls, and hand painted glassware fill the shelves.

FOOD & DRINK

: I might be biased by my pseudo-hipster ways, but the most flavorful, most delicious, and best food was from the local spots rather than the white tablecloth restaurants.

Street Food Tips: Stick to the places with the longest lines. If they’re popular, then they aren’t getting people sick regularly. Also look for older, professional types. Doctors, lawyers, and cops can’t afford to get sick from street meat, so they’ll be conservative with where they get their street food. Teenagers, on the other hand, play more fast and loose.

Look around: Does it look clean? Is food left sitting around? Use your eyes and nose to tell you if the food looks good to you. If you’re apprehensive, just walk to the next cart. Better safe than sorry!

Water/Ice: Potable water is an issue in Mexico, so if you’re buying a respado (shaved ice) or an icy drink, make sure it’s from a place that uses filtered water.

Have a plan: I’m a research nut, so I looked up street food spots in Tulum that my favorite food writers and publications recommended. It makes the hunt so much easier!

Marlin Azul // Calle 62 between Calle 57 and Calle 59

This tiny restaurant is possibly the best seafood in Mérida. There are a few different options on the menu, but honestly, when a giant platter of ceviche is in front of you, how can you think of anything else? The habanero salsa is especially good here as well.

El Cangrejito // Calle 57 between Calle 64 and Calle 66

Fish tacos for breakfast? Yes indeed, but a far departure from the Ensenada style. These are fresh, served with different sauces and garnishes. You walk up to the front and just point at whatever fillings you like. We got one of everything: bacalao with capers, fried white fish, camarones ceviche, and my favorite, the langostino.

La Michoacana // Multiple locations

Paletas are a must, and La Michoacana is an easy choice. There’s a rainbow of flavors, but mamey is my favorite. If you’re not familiar, it’s a tropical fruit that’s fuzzy and brown on the outside (not unlike a kiwi) and with a rich red flesh that tastes like sweet potato pie. But hey, I won’t blame you if you go with mango con chile.

El Colón Sorbetes y Dulces Finos // Two locations, up on Paseo de Montejo and in the Zocalo

Situated right across the zócalo (main square), El Colón has been serving freshly made sorbet (without extra sugar and preservatives) for one hundred year. The tables on the sidewalk are perfect for people watching and cooling off on a sweltering Meridian afternoon. I ordered my favorite, mamay, but try the guava or tamarindo for a bright kick.

Apaola // Calle 53 between Calle 60 and Calle 62 (inside the Parque de Santa Lucia)

Combining Mexican, Oaxacan, and Yucatecan influences, Apaola is a favorite restaurant amongst travelers. Located inside Parque de Santa Lucia, the restaurant spills out onto a lovely courtyard. The menu is filled with modern fusion dishes (the appetizers were best, so I’d recommend ordering more of those), so don’t expect to find cochinita pibil on the menu. The mezcal and tequila selection is excellent, and the restaurant is very popular, so make sure to make reservations.

Tacos at Wayané, Mérida, Mexico // The corner of Calle 20 and Calle 15 just north of the Parque de Itzimná

Pronounced “why-en-AY,” the name is Mayan for, “here we are.” That’s the perfect name for this taco stand, a favorite amongst locals. This is an almuerzo spot. It’s not breakfast or lunch, but mid morning snack time. The Loría family have run the Wayan’e street stand for 20 years. They serve savory tacos and tortas throughout the morning, scooping flavorful fillings like smoky chicken fajitas and scrambled eggs with Swiss chard out of clay pots that customers point to. All dishes are from 8 to 12 pesos. Everything is cooked fresh every morning and when the food is gone, the place closes down for the day, usually by 2:00 pm. It’s a drive from the center of town, so expect to taxi.

Néctar // Av. Andrés García Lavín, between Calle 41 and Calle 43

Mérida’s newest haute cuisine restaurant is Nectar, where the ambitious chef Roberto Solis, having done time in the kitchens of Noma, Per Se, and the Fat Duck, plays with indigenous flavors and French techniques. My favorite dish was actually the dessert, which played with texture of coconut and was dusted with charred rosemary.

K’u’uk // Paseo de Montejo and Calle 27A (on the round about)

Taking haute cuisine a step further, K’u’uk presents symbolic and metaphoric dishes, relating to Mayan culture. Chef Pedro Evia utilizes locally sourced ingredients and inventive modern gastronomy to create a palette bending experience. If you’re going to do one “big meal” on your trip to Mérida, go here.

Chaya Maya // On the corner of Calle 57 and Calle 62

I’m usually leery of restaurants where servers dress up in traditional costumes, seeing it as a ploy for tourists, but Chaya Maya is actually enjoyed by the local population as well. This place is all about the Yucatán, so go for Los Tres Mosqueteros, or The Three Musketeers, for a nice overview of three classic Yucatecan dishes: relleno negro (a black sauce made from burnt chiles and spices) over pork; papadzul (egg enchiladas); and pipián (a sauce with a pumpkin seed base) over turkey. There are several other locations, but I like this one’s low key energy

Kii Wik // Avenida Garcia Lavin and Calle 37-B

From the team behind K’u’uk, Kii Wik is a small cafe in the tonier part of town. It’s pretty busy, but has excellent coffee and chilequiles, along with a cute bakery and gourmet shop.

Oliva Enoteca & Kitchen // On the corner of Calle 47 & Calle 54

If you don’t feel like Mexican, Oliva is a beautiful choice. With wine personally selected by the Chef to complement the cuisine, and modern rustic dishes that include an array of burrata, lemon scented ricotta with shrimp, daily fish, and simple antipasti, it’s a beautiful bit of Europe in the heart of the Yucatán.

Poxeria // Paseo de Montejo between Calle 41 and Calle 43 (further north, near the Palacio Canton)

Located next door to El Estudio (the boutique I mentioned above), we stumbled across this coffee and pox (pronounced posh) shop quite unexpectedly. The coffee is from Chiapas and honestly, the best we had in Mérida. Pox is an interesting choice when you’re over mezcal – it’s corn based and tastes quite a bit like moonshine, which isn’t surprising considering that it’s 53% ABV.

Hacienda Teya // Mérida-Cancún Highway, Kilometer 12.5 (about 20 minutes outside of Mérida)

Inside this 17th-century plantation that switched from cattle to henequen, used for making rope, at the end of the 19th century, is a boisterous family restaurant. Large tables are packed with families enjoying a post-misas (we were there on Sunday) meal. Surprisingly, there were no tourists, just locals. Try the classics like sopa de lima, or the sample platter that includes cochinita pibil, Puntas de filete al xcatic, and poc chuc.

SIGHTS

Catedral de Mérida // Calle 60 between Calle 61 and Calle 63

This almost 500 year old Cathedral hovers over the city center, with a constant flow of observants moving in and out of its imposing doors. Finished in 1598, the cathedral is a combination of late renaissance and early baroque styles, with obvious influence from the Roman and Moorish tinged Andalusia.

Casa de Montejo // Calle 63 between Calle 60 and Calle 62

A bank is now housed behind the brilliant façade of this extremely rare example of 16th century civil architecture, but take a step in, and you’ll find a small free museum featuring seasonal exhibits and a preserved dining room from the original house. The ceiling frescoes are gorgeous and the gift shop is actually a lovely mix of artisanal products that aren’t seen anywhere else in the city.

Palacio Cantón // Paseo de Montejo between Calle 41 and Calle 43

Nestled in the center of Paseo de Montejo, an avendue lined with henequen funded Beaux Arts-style mansions, lies the Palacio Cantón. Built in the first decade of the twentieth century as a family residence for General Canton (one of the most prominent figures of his time), it now houses the Mayan Anthropological Museum. Since 1980, its permanent exhibition about the pre-Hispanic Mayan society is presented on the main floor, with exhibitions, educational workshops and cultural events offered upstairs.

Chichén Itzá

An hour and a bit away from Mérida The stepped pyramids, temples, columned arcades, and other stone structures of Chichén Itzá were sacred to the Maya, and the center of their spiritual life from A.D. 750 to 1200. Go in the afternoon, when the Temple of Kukulkan, also known as El Castillo, reveals itself in the light. This impressive step pyramid demonstrates the accuracy and importance of Maya astronomy, which is specifically oriented to catch the light, creating the illusion of an undulating feathered snake going down the steps. This even happens in the afternoon, and is easier to see the closer you are to the spring solstice. The previous structure was 17 degrees off, so the Mayans made an adjustment, and 52 years later (as dictated by their calendar to be a full period cycle) corrected it with the structure that now stands. The whole complex is awe inspiring in scope, especially when you realize they built it without the use of wheels. We wandered over to the ball court, the largest in the Americas measuring 554 feet long and 231 feet wide.These ritual games were a spiritual rite, with two teams of seven trying to hit a rubber ball through an impossible looking small, high hoop. The winner was put to death, a fact that a German couple on the tour with us refused to believe. It was considered an honor to die, as the games were for the gods’ glory, and not the players.

Cenotes

There are cenotes all of the region, but the one we stopped by on our way back from Chichén Itzá, near Yokdzonot. A cenote is a natural pit, or sinkhole, that exposes groundwater underneath, sometimes used by the ancient Maya for sacrificial offerings (usually women who would jump in as an sacrifice to the water god, Chaac). Now they’re open as little oases in the jungle heat. There are three different types of cenotes: jug cenotes, with a small hole at the top; cave cenotes, where you enter through a cave; and my favorite, cylinder cenotes which have vertical walls. The reason why those are my favorite is a bit vain, but I like how beautifully cylinder cenotes photograph. The light bounces on the light, adventurous swimmers can dive in from high up the side, and tree roots dangle overhead. Skip Progresso Beach, which is very privatized and a bit of a challenge to navigate if you’re unfamiliar with the area, and jump into a cenote instead.

Source: https://www.thekitchykitchen.com/travel/merida-kitchy-kitchen-guide/