#𝖬𝖨𝖥𝖥𝖤𝖣𝖲:     a     conglomeration     of     musings     written     by     v,     dependent     and     associated     with     mutuals.     private     but     not     exclusive.     guidelines.     credit.     

⭒   დ      𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘳      。     @nostrumstart​  ⭒   დ       𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯       。   matala beach, crete

jaeyi   really   loved   his   job,   making   pastries   all   day   was   truly   an   amazing   job   for   him,   but   he   could   never   say   that   he   loved   that   more   than   going   to   the   beach.   he   was   so   in   love   with   the   view   and   the   weather   at   that   moment,   it   was   just   a   perfect   moment   and   he   would   treasure   it   forever.   “   i   have   to   be   totally   honest   with   you   right   now   ”   finally   decided   to   break   the   silence,   a   big   smile   in   his   face,   his   brain   deciding   on   whether   he   should   say   it   or   not,   but   he   felt   like   he   had   to.   “   but   this   beach   makes   me   feel   like   someone   is   going   to   burst   into   an   abba   song   in   any   moment   ”.

so     sungho     is     in     a     bit     of     a     predicament.     he     knows     it’s     a     little     corny     (a     lot     of     corny)     but     he     needs     his     picture     taken.     see:     he     needs     definite     proof     for      his     friend     that     he’s     enjoying     himself.     he’s     found     a     cave     along     the     coast     that     would     work     for     it     perfectly,     found     a     space     within     it,     but     he     just     can’t     seem     to     find     the     angle     for     a     selfie,     not     one     that     captures     him     and     the     rock     around     him.     so     he     shouts,     and     zeros     in     on     the     youngest     looking     person     he     can     find.     “you,     hey!     sorry     for     interrupting     your     day     but     can     you     do     me     a     favor?”

 if  there  was  one  thing  ali  took  pride  in  it  was  his  ability  to  hold  a  conversation.  and  it  wasn’t  just  him  tooting  his  own  horn  !!  he’d  been  told  as  much  a  handful  of  times,  but  an  instance  in  college  where  he  met  the  parents  of  an  ex  for  dinner  and  her  mother  told  ali  over  dessert  that  he  was  a  great  conversationalist.  while  that  relationship  went  up  in  flames  a  month  or  so  later,  ali  at  least  won  over  her  parents.  he  still  gets  an  annual  merry  christmas  text  message  from  them  so  he’ll  be  damned  if  anyone  tried  to  argue  that  niceties  led  nowhere.  so  …  yeah,  his  dating  history  may  have  been  less  than  stellar  but  the  parents  will  love  him  forever.  ali  knows  he  can  erode  down  even  the  most  reticent  of  people  due  to  his  people  pleasing  nature  of  wanting  to  be  liked  by  all.  at  least  there’s  some  self-awareness.  that  counts  for  something,  right  ??  so  even  though  this  mysterious  stranger  definitely  looks  like  he’s  close  to  throwing  ali  over  the  handrails,  he  preservers.  ❝  oh,  definitely  not.  he  wasn’t  even  like  the  colin  firth  type  in  a  gilf  kind  of  way  —  is  that  a  term  ??  anyway,  i’d  bring  a  taser  just  in  case  and  not  in  a  kinky  way.  ❞  ali  paused,  cocking  his  head  in  thought  before  noticing  the  pack  of  cigarettes  in  the  other’s  hands.  ❝  oh,  am  i  keeping  you  from  your  smoke  ??  don’t  stop  on  my  account.  light  away,  man.  ❞

gilf.     what     the     fuck     is     a     gilf?     he’s     almost     curious     enough     to     ask,     but     one     look     at     their     face     and     he     decides     he     rather     not     know.     instead     he     decides     to     focus     on     the     sounds     of     water     in     the     distance     and     does     as     prompted.     he     lights     his     cigarette,     closes     his     eyes,     and     takes     a     drag     so     deep     you’d     think     he     didn’t     know     just     how     bad     they     are.     let     it     be     known,     he’s     well     aware     it’s     a     nasty     habit     (     much     like     the     whiskey     before     noon,     his     leaving     friends     on     read,     and     sleeping     with     pretty     strangers     he     shouldn’t     )     but     like     all     habits,     it’s     routine.     it’s     automated.     akin     to     how     the     twenty     something     before     him     keeps     talking.     smoke     billows     from     lips     slowly,     whipped     away     by     the     breeze     and     he     peeks     his     eye     open     to     see     if     baby     face     is     still     near     him.     he     is.     “what’s     your     name?”     maybe     the     sooner     they     get     done     with     introductions     the     sooner     he’ll     be     left     alone.     

𝒊𝒕'𝒔  𝒂𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓  𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒆𝒕  𝒏𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕  for  ilhan  and  they  don’t  feel  like  staying  in  their  room  .  dressed  up  in  one  of  their  oversized  hoodies  and  sweatpants  ,  ilhan  decides  to  take  a  walk  around  the  cruise  ,  figuring  that  most  of  the  guests  and  employees  will  be  asleep  .  being  out  here  is  fun  and  all  ,  but  it’s  taking  them  a  little  more  effort  to  try  and  forget  .  ilhan  arrives  at  the  oceanarium  ,  the  soothing  sound  of  the  soft  music  playing  as  they  make  their  way  to  their  usual  spot  right  in  the  middle  of  the  huge  aquarium  .  they  sit  on  the  floor  ,  looking  tiny  in comparison  to  the  size  of  the glass  in  front  of  them  .  ilhan  hugs  their  knees  to  his  chest  ,  hoodie  covering  his  cold  ears  as  he  sighs  .  

𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗿 :  @nostrumstart​​ 𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 :  oceanarium

midnight     finds     him     wandering     the     halls     of     the     cruise,     dimmed     golden     lights     all     around     shrouding     him     in     a     soft     glow.     he     should     be     asleep     right     now,     cozied     up     in     a     suite     he     paid     far     too     much     for,     stretched     out     on     a     king     sized     bed,     but     torpor     evades     him.     it     shouldn’t     be     surprising,     considering     it’s     been     circumventing     him     for     a     while     now,     but     it’s     still     remarkable     —     -     that     even     on     vacation,     respite     slips     through     his    fingers.     so     he     walks.    he     moves     through     the     ship     /     takes     a     pause     at     the     the     sun     deck     to     watch     waves     collide,     and     walks     some     more.     he     doesn’t     have     a     destination     in     mind,     nor     a     plan,     but     feet     lead     him     to     the     oceanarium.     trails     of     blue     that     dance     across     the     floor     lure     him     in,     and     he     finds     himself     in     a     space     of     incandescence,     sans     a      smear     of     black     curled     up     before     it     all.     he     doesn’t     feel     much     like     talking,     so     he     doesn’t.     just     lets     the     quiet     wash    all     over     him,     as     it     has     the     other.

OPEN  STARTER  -  @nostrumstart​ LOCATION:  sun  deck

❝  hey  —  what  are  you  looking  at  me  like  that  for  ??  all  i  said  was  that  you  look  only  slightly  murderous  today.  as  opposed  to,  y'know,  any  other  day,  ❞  it  was  a  genuine  question,  though  ali  can’t  help  the  wild  gesticulations  tacked  onto  what  he’s  said  or  the  mischievous  grin  pulling  at  his  lips.  ❝  did  you  see  a  kid  pee  in  the  pool  or  something  ??  someone  accidentally  trip  you  in  line  for  the  breakfast  buffet  and  your  scrambled  eggs  went  everywhere  but  your  stomach  ??  or  generally  just  a  subpar  day  ??  ❞  he  pauses  to  consider  another  scenario  before  deciding  to  spare  himself  from  potentially  being  strangled  by  his  companion.  ❝  if  it  helps,  some  elderly  dude  gave  me  his  number  after  his  massage  this  morning  and  said  he  had  something  fun  planned  for  later  in  the  night.  so  while  i  debate  taking  a  swan  dive  from  the  observation  deck,  if  you’re  looking  for  some  kinky  swinger  party  then  room  2509  is  the  place  to  be  tonight.  ❞

sungho     is     a     stoic     man.     he     prides     himself     on     being     composed     in     even     the     most     demanding     of     situations;     mind     clear     and     temperament     settled,     psyche     calm,     cool     and     collected.     always.     but     christ,     is     this     kid     wearing     him     thin.     it’s     one     thing     to     have     the     happy     go     luckies     of     the     staff     bombard     him     throughout     the     day     —     -     the     cheery     dispositions,     the     1000     megawatt     smiles,     “have     a     happy     (crowned)     hopeful     day!”     he     gets     it.     he     tolerates     it.     it’s     a     heartbreak     cruise     after     all     and     it’s     their     job     to     bother     check     in     on     guests.     but     for     it     to     be     half     past     nine,     the     deck     relatively     empty     besides     those     he     assumes     are     here     for     peace     and     quiet     and     still     be     victim?     is     another     thing     altogether.     “thank     you     for     the     kinky     sex     party     notice.     is     that     all?”     palm     reaches     for     the     pack     of     cigarettes     he     bought     so     he     could     smoke     while     he     studies     the     waves,     fingers     slipping     into     his     pockets     for     the     lighter     he     has     in     tow.