#my repeater setup
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guesst · 1 month ago
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im still so bummed that the nice arc ended in 4 ep like wdym we didnt get three seasons of identity crisis and ll stepping into nice's skin and agonising about who he is and if he's staying like this forever and sometimes forgetting he wasnt always nice and slowly uncovering everything about nice until he fully comprehends why nice jumped and and and
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quibbs126 · 5 months ago
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I had another thought with that one megop sparkling idea I keep bringing up but never fully committing to because I can’t decide on any one idea and at this rate I think I’m just annoying people
But yeah, I had another thought, one that I just thought was funny. I want to draw it out, but I’m lazy and also I have a test tomorrow that I have to study for, so I’m not doing it now. But I’m also impatient, so I’m giving you the bullet points/written version. If I’m sensible, I’ll take this post down after I finish the actual thing so I’m not too repetitive
Anyways, so there’s the kid, who is the child of the two leaders of the Autobot and Decepticon factions, and thus, potentially, holds a lot of value as a hostage and bargaining chip. Granted, I don’t know how known they actually are, there might just be a rumor going around that the two leaders have a secret kid somewhere
But anyways, someone (I don’t know who) gets the idea to capitalize on this, and afterwards calls up Optimus and Megatron, who are up to their usual things, claiming they have taken their sparkling captive and want some demands or other if the two ever want to see them again
Now both of them are very confused by this turn of events. Optimus has no goddamn clue what this guy’s talking about, because he’s pretty sure he knows the two of them definitely don’t have a sparkling. Megatron meanwhile does know they definitely had a sparkling, but he’s cycling through his head the possibilities of if this guy’s telling the truth. Because he was pretty sure no one knew about them, how did this person find out? How many people know? Do they really have their sparkling or is it just a trap to kill them? Or is it some idiot claiming this status, while probably not being aware there is a genuine one out there? Or did they just pick up an innocent bot who just happens to kind of look like them? How close is his secret to getting out, especially to Optimus?
But yeah basically meanwhile, while Megatron is somewhat internally panicking and trying to assess the most likely severity of this situation, Optimus is just like, “…I have absolutely no clue what you’re talking about, Megatron and I don’t have a sparkling, isn’t that right Megatron?”, thinking Megatron is on the same page of this being absolutely absurd as him
But because Megatron is thinking and stopped paying much attention, he doesn’t answer at all. And the silence goes on long enough that it’s getting questionable, especially since Megatron isn’t jumping in to defend his own honor that he did not have a baby with his sworn enemy. His silence is starting to become an admission, and the possibility of this actually being legit is starting to freak Optimus out, because again, he doesn’t know about any of this
Okay explaining it out loud does not bring out the comedy the situation is supposed to have. Probably because there’s no visuals and my description of the narrative rather than just dialogue. So like, the comedy doesn’t happen like it’s supposed to, this isn’t the format for the joke. But the image is funny in my head, okay?
I’ll make the picture either tomorrow or Friday or something, since I have things to do tomorrow. I was just trying to explain it so that you could understand my vision before I can make it
#I don’t actually know if this kidnapper has the legit sparkling or not#because I don’t know how much I want this info to be actually known in this scenario#though it does work as a way to bring the character actually in to meet their parents#granted with this setup everyone knows from the start the whole situation#Megatron’s suffering is not being the only one who knows and unable to tell anyone#but rather that he kept this secret this whole time#which I mean would be true of the former scenario as well it’s just a lot later#the best threading of the needle is can think of is that the kidnapper was accidentally successful#like they heard the rumors or something and thought it was worth a shot picking up a bot who looks reasonable enough#to hypothetically be their sparkling#but somehow ended up picking up the actual real deal#and like before meeting them Megs had settled on the idea the hostage wasn’t their actual sparkling#because how likely is it that it’s the real one?#and he’s able to cover up in the moment saying that it’s probably just some bot who looks like them and is playing off rumors#but they still have to go along with this because that’s probably an innocent bot who just got dragged into this#only for Megatron to realize during the negotiations that oh crap that actually is the real one#and having to deal with this somehow#anyways yeah#more elaboration and repeating whenever I make the final#I should really do my homework and go study for my test tomorrow#transformers#megatron#optimus prime#megop#transformers sparklings#random stuff
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invye · 24 days ago
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When you have THE idea and you really really REALLY want to talk all about it but you CAN'T because it's literally the final payoff of the entire project---
I Am Suffering.
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gobs-o-dice · 11 months ago
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Dice Set #287: Wheat
Bonus Detail Shot:
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(Yes, there is an actual piece of wheat floret as an inclusion in each die).
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aroaessidhe · 11 months ago
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2024 reads / storygraph
The Eternal Ones
final book in a YA fantasy trilogy
follows a girl with divine powers and her friends searching across the land - and realms - to find a way to defeat the gods who are bleeding their land dry
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taichi-x-koushiro · 1 year ago
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"My name is Izumi Koushirou and I just recently turned thirty. I'm studying science related material at Keio University, though I've technically already graduated, I am always trying to further my education and my career goal in the field of relevant scientific research fields. My family... consists of my parents. My favorite drink is ... Oolong. My favorite food ... I lately really enjoy Chinese takeout, and dishes in general, but I also enjoy Japanese home cooked dishes. Omurice is also a favorite. I like my eggs with some ponzu. The food I hate ... there are 'some' things that I mostly just try to avoid, but I do well with that. People usually listen and try to be accomodating if I make a polite request to not be served the food. If they didn't, I would have already left. Strength: I try to maintain an open mind about the world and reality around me. Weakness: I'm actually quite obstinate. My hobbies are researching things that Interest me, including by using my computer, observing nature, and visiting museums for both educational purposes and personal enjoyment. I am an Adoptee. Because I am, my family is what could be considered by society to be a 'Non-normative family'. My parents are, I know now, without a doubt, my real parents, but my late relatives are also important. I visit the cemetary to see the family grave every Ohigan I get, even if the trip from home takes hours to reach there. And... the person that I both consider a dear friend, and love, is Yagami Taichi."
Izumi Koushiro, Probably (A.U. Concept or Not)
"...Did Yamato-san say something unusual?" "Well, it's just... Yamato was wondering, 'things' like, 'how much' I 'knew' about you, if we're 'really' 'friends'--"
#izumi koushirou#koutai#koushiro x taichi#izumi family#izumi kae#izumi masami#yoshie izumi#koutai headcanon#koutai au#koutai incorrect quote#repeatverse#repeat koushiro#repeat advs koushiro#repeatverse spinoff au#(I remembered this one and realized it works perfect for Repeatverse Koushiro setup in spinoff A.U.s and I got Really Emotional)#(Even though I no longer really follow that originating series and this is more A.U. off the top of my head than not but The Setup Here Man#(Keio is also the University seen + Implied in Kizuna)#(but the original concept I had for my KouTai A.U.s began LONG BEFORE me seeing Kizuna or even technically Tri)#(This Koushiro however would probably still retain a lot of what I enjoy from every Koushiro regardless)#(WITHOUT Me Having To Modify MuchTM)#(Anyway Koushiro immediately shooting down 'Yamato's {coughT0EIcoughs} Awful Internalized Amatonormative Takes with 'AND THE PERSON I BOTH'#('CONSIDER A DEAR FRIEND AND LOVE IS {TAICHI}')#('{The Only Person Who Can Decide That For Me Is Me}')#(These Head canoned lines)#(also lining up VERY VERY WELL)#autistic koushiro#(There were also lines about height and weight and blood type and Sign but Im Leaving Those Out {For Now} For ReasonsTM {Might edit Later})#(A FEW OF THESE I DONT REALLY HAVE TO MODIFY MUCH tHO Anyway I Am Having 5million KouTai Ideas+Thoughts Cant Stop Wont Stop)#source: sekai ichi hatsukoi#(EDIT I added in Pibook line but id have to modify it to 'tablet' if these were other A.U. versions like 2020 KouTai)
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aromanticasterisms · 11 months ago
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my god lingsha's design is so ass. my god
#personal stuff#seraph plays star rail#main takeaways from this quest r designs i'm not a fan of. and weird fucking dialogue#what the hell was march talking about with that giant mech line. i have literally no idea what she was referring to#also yanqing going ''oh i forgot to ask yunli to return my sword'' ?? he did. he literally did. it didn't end well but he didn't Forget. wh#also like. maybe i'm just petty but the facial expressions in conversation#you guys can't have this serious conversation return to a more solemn default expression?#why are you guys smiling talking abt tingyun's ship crashing and everyone dying. come on#but god yeah lingsha's design is just not hitting for me. i wanted to be excited since she's based off of nuwa but like goddddddd#it's bad. the situation is dire.#also having a literal Snake abundance character who has an interest in the arbor. they're like okay we didn't set up tingyun well enough#let's try this shit again.#i guess?? otherwise why make her Like That and crank that shit up to an eleven#okay i am enjoying feixiao's design a bit more#but like my god. some weird lines from her for real#the whole ''yeah i made up a new title for myself'' just felt so cringe. maybe bc i'd already seen the line and didn't need to see it twice#also yeaaah let's repeat my backstory dramatically to these two people who already know me. ??#okay ruan mei is resurrecting tingyun i guess. cool#thinks mournfully about gallagher and misha.#but yeah i AM enjoying the yanqing moments. he's my little guy#also huaiyan's big anime sparkle eyes are very funny to me.#OKAY OKAY. second half of this quest was quite good.#i liked the little expedition w yanqing yunli and march. good setup of tension#and then everything from there to the end i enjoyed. i liked seeing hanya and xueyi again even if the circumstances were. well#and dan heng's interactions w the trailblazer in the shackling prison waa. waaaaaa.
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morrigan-sims · 1 year ago
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mmmm I have two really really complicated render/edit ideas, and I'm going to die trying to pull them off, but if I can, I will be SO happy.
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hopecomesbacktolife · 2 years ago
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unless stated otherwise, whenever I think of love poetry in my head or reblog it, while doing so chances are I’m probably thinking of Kira Nerys
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moreaujeans · 4 months ago
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genuinely felt like a swamp monster just now that was a ghastly amount of slip
#chesschats#i intended to write this post ‘i feel like a swamp monster right now this is abhorrent amounts of slip’ but then i realized there was#absolutely NO chance of me picking up my phone unlocking it and typing out anything comprehensible like that. when i say swamp monster you#must understand how legitimately i mean this i am talking LAYERS of slip#<- finally testing out pottery wheel for the first time to be clear#i am quite bad at it right now! LMAO i don’t remember it being so difficult when i was a kid but i also had a professional watching over my#work and guiding my hands ahdkkg well! there is always room for improvement#i didn’t make anything today just wanted to test the waters get a feel for how it works bc the last time i touched a wheel i was#like six or smth#anyway yeah very messy. i make clay figurines which is also messy but at the same time i feel like it is much more controlled yk you wipe#or rinse off your hands you dip them in more water and you go back to it it’s very calming and centering and you feel very connected to#your work you are bringing a little creature into the world and watching it open its eyes! vs this frantic ‘ah shit my hands are too dry rn#im going to fuck up the texture like this’ -> quickly throw hands in water -> zoom back to the wheel -> repeat many times over#<- not sure if this is the technique i should be using either bahaha i need to watch some videos. also making it sound more frenzied than#it really is. but compared to Figurines#my setup is also way less than ideal i have my water up on my desk im in my chair and then the wheel is on the floor bc it is an extremely#awkward height so im Very much hunched over to work on it and then i need to reach up and stretch to get the water and then back to hunchin#while also trying not to make a total mess with the clay water on my way down etc lmao#the art chronicles#i think i’ll do some more tmrw too and actually try to make smth today was just to get a vibe of the process
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quibbs126 · 9 days ago
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I've probably said this before, but honestly I think Earthspark is my favorite canon depiction of like, early Transformers life. Granted, I don't think most continuities go into that sort of thing, but still
I think the protoform stage is cool and unique looking, and I like how they can seemingly choose whatever they want their alt mode to be instead of it being pre-built in. And I also like how while these guys come out with full cognitive ability, there's still a clear distinction that makes the Terrans "children" compared to the Cybertronians, they're not just mini adults straight out the gate. Also, another small thing I like is how they seem to come with their names when they're created, instead of it being something given to them by other people, even if the Terrans need Robby and Mo to verbalize their names at first
I don't know, I think it's like, having your cake and eating it too for me. Because you have them have this younger stage, they have some level of development, without it having to work just like human development, if that makes sense. I mean I like sparklings, but you know, it's more unique this way
Granted, there's also the possibility that a lot of these traits are unique to the Terrans specifically, due to being from an organic planet and with partial human DNA I think, but shush, let me have this
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littlebluebird2000 · 3 months ago
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Twirling Hearts- part 1
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pairing: yeon si-eun x reader (female reader)
rating: 18+
genre: romance, smut
warnings: overprotective sieun, school bullying, discussion about food and weight, violence, harassment, eventual smut, mature language, sexual harassment, slow-burn, jealousy, baku always being at the scene of the crime…
summary: Who would've thought that a ballerina and the school's most feared nerd would complete each other so well? Being the new student was never easy—especially not when you were the only girl transferring into an all-boys school. To make matters worse, Eunjang High has a reputation for having its fair share of troublemakers. Some of the rumors were enough to make anyone second-guess stepping through those front gates…
author's note: the lack of fanfic dedicated to sieun is, in my opinion, completely unacceptable. I had to come back from hiatus for him. I’m warning y’all, it’s a long one. there’s a part 2 coming soon, maybe a part 3 if this goes well. please note that English isn’t my first language, so there might be some mistakes here and there. i hope you will enjoy, and if you do, please leave a comment <3
word count: 8k+ ( I know… I went overboard )
part : 1 , 2, 3., 4., 5.
Being the new student was never easy—especially not when you were the only girl transferring into an all-boys school. To make matters worse, Eunjang High had a reputation for having its fair share of troublemakers. Some of the rumors were enough to make anyone second-guess stepping through those front gates.
Your family had helped set up an apartment not too far from the academy and Eunjang High. A single bus route connected both places, making the commute manageable with your tight schedule. Originally from Busan, you welcomed the distance that Seoul offered. Being hours away from your parents gave you a kind of peace you hadn’t realized you needed until it now.
Back home, your father placed suffocating academic pressure on your shoulders, while your mother lived vicariously through your ballet career, projecting her own lost dream of becoming a prima ballerina onto you. Here, in this new city, you could finally breathe a little easier.
To balance both ballet and school, you needed a flexible academic setup. Thankfully, Eunjang High offered a unique mix of online and on-campus classes. A lot of the students there were repeating years or following unconventional tracks, which made the school more lenient with scheduling. It was one of the only reasons why they bent the rules to admit you, despite the school typically being reserved for boys. They needed to fill seats. You needed a compromise.
Although your father wasn’t exactly thrilled about the idea of you attending a school like Eunjang, there weren’t many better options. This compromise—the odd, messy arrangement—was the only way both your parents could get a piece of what they wanted. As long as you kept your grades up at this so-called “lousy” school and continued to perform well in the online program, your father was willing to compromise to please your mother.
Each weekday followed a strict routine. Mornings were reserved for intensive ballet practice at the academy. From there, you’d head straight to Eunjang High for your campus courses: English, mathematics, social studies, and science. After that, it was back to the academy for evening classes. Your online studies could be completed anytime throughout the week, as long as you met the deadlines. The weekends were yours, thankfully.
Today was the day everything would change.
To say you were nervous would’ve been an understatement. Your stomach was in knots, your thoughts racing faster than your footsteps on the way to the academy. There was a strange heaviness in the air, like something big was about to unfold.
Later, you’d look back and realize—you had every reason to feel that way.
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The morning had started better than expected.
You were pleasantly surprised by the atmosphere at the ballet academy. Though the classes were clearly going to be grueling and demanding, there was something deeply motivating about the environment. It felt purposeful. Focused. The kind of place where real growth could happen.
Your instructor, Mrs. Kim, was a stern older woman with a sharp gaze and impeccable posture—clearly someone who had spent her life perfecting her craft. She wasn’t warm, exactly, and you didn’t expect her to be. But her corrections were precise and never cruel. She was strict, yes, but not out of ego or power—she pushed for improvement… And that made all the difference.
The other dancers were older than you by a few years, likely in their early twenties, and carried themselves with the kind of quiet confidence that comes with experience. They greeted you politely, if a little stiffly, introducing themselves one by one before falling back into an easy rhythm of conversation that didn’t quite include you.
You didn’t take it personally. They weren’t being unkind or intentionally cold. It was just the natural awkwardness that came with a new arrival—especially one as young as you, dropped suddenly into their already well-formed circle. They didn’t know you yet. That would come with time.
At least they were civil. That alone was a relief.
Back at your previous academy, competition had turned the other girls into enemies. Whispers behind backs, sabotaged shoes, icy glares in the mirrors—it was a toxic place that made you question your love for dance. But here? The air felt different. More mature. Healthier. Safer.
You could handle being the outsider for a little while longer, as long as respect remained part of the equation.
And so, when class ended and you washed up quickly, put on your uniform, and gathered your things to head to your first afternoon at Eunjang High, your nerves buzzed with a strange blend of anxiety and cautious hope.
You had survived the first half of your day.
The next part, however—was still entirely unknown
As soon as your feet hit the pavement, a chill ran up your bare legs. The bus doors closed behind you, and you stood there for a second, staring up at the towering gray building of Eunjang High School. It honestly looked more like a prison than a school, with its cracked concrete walls and rusted metal gates. You hugged your blazer tighter around yourself.
You could still hear your father’s voice from last night’s call echoing in your head: “Stay out of trouble. Don’t talk to anyone unless absolutely necessary. These boys aren’t your friends.”
You wanted to believe he was just being dramatic… but as you stepped through the gates and onto campus, you weren’t so sure.
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Chaos greeted you like an old friend
Boys were everywhere—some shouting, others chasing each other through the halls like it was recess, not school hours. Someone threw a water bottle across the courtyard. Another boy ducked just in time to avoid a roll of toilet paper flying through the air. You grimaced at the sight.
You felt your breath hitch. This was going to be hell.
A quiet voice at your side made you turn. “This way.” The speaker was a boy, small with thick glasses framing his face. He didn’t meet your eyes as he spoke, just kept walking, hands clutched to his backpack straps.
“I’m Seo Juntae,” he added shyly. “We’re in the same class—1-5.” You nodded, falling in step beside him, grateful for the guide. At least one person here seemed sane.
“The teacher should be waiting already,” Juntae mumbled as you reached the classroom door. “You’ll be fine, probably.” He gave a nervous little smile and pushed the door open.
Probably?
Inside, it wasn’t much better.
The classroom buzzed with noise. Some students were arguing over who’d stolen whose eraser, while others leaned out of the windows shouting at someone below. A few boys sat on desks instead of chairs, and more than weren’t wearing their uniform properly.
You felt every gaze turn your way as you stepped in.
A few low whistles rang out from the back. Someone muttered something you didn’t catch, followed by a burst of laughter. You fought the urge to turn and leave.
“Quiet down,” the teacher said firmly, standing up from his desk. He was tall and slightly hunched. “This is our new student. I expect you all to treat her with respect.”
He smiled at me. “Please introduce yourself to your classmates.” Swallowing your nerves, you turned fully, facing the other students.
“Hello, my name is (Y/N). It’s nice to meet you all. Please take good care of me.” You said, bowing politely.
The room fell quiet for a moment, then:
“I’ll take real good care of you, if you let me.” Someone said from the back. A few more snickers followed. You flushed but stayed silent, keeping your face blank. You couldn’t say that you didn’t expect that.
“Enough.” The teacher snapped, glaring in the offender’s direction. “Y/N, you can sit next to Yeon Sieun. He’s by the window. Put your bag in the lockers in the back.”
You made your way down the aisle, trying not to meet any of the stares that followed you. The boy you were assigned to sit next to didn’t acknowledge your presence, not even a glance as you slid into the chair beside him.
As you settled into your seat, you quickly adjusted your skirt, tucking a loose strand of hair behind your ear. You focused your gaze on the teacher.
You had to remind yourself that this wasn’t about making friends. Your ballet and your studies were your priorities. Everything else was secondary.
Taking a deep breath, you forced yourself to focus on the lesson. The teacher, Mr. Yoon, was talking about social studies—something about historical figures and their influence on modern society. The words blurred together as you tried to push your thoughts aside, diving into your notes with the intensity you’d developed over the years.
It wasn’t easy. The whispers around you, the occasional chuckle, the glances…there was no escaping it. You heard the boys behind you muttering and laughing quietly, but you couldn’t make out the words. You didn’t want to.
The boy next to you, however, remained silent. Yeon Sieun hadn’t spoken a word since you sat down. He acted as if he didn’t care about you at all, like you hadn’t entered the room. You were weirdly grateful for that. The less attention you could get here, the better.
Social studies were now done. Mathematics were next. You sat quietly, shoulders tense, eyes fixed on the chalkboard as you copied the teacher’s writing. You were trying your best to blend in. Head down, mouth shut. Only three classes to go. Just three. You could survive this.
You glanced at the board again, where a string of complicated equations still glared down at you. Math had never been your strong suit. You were going to have to study harder than ever to keep up.
A tap on your shoulder made your heart skip.
You turned slowly, wary.
“Hey,” said a boy with a crooked smile, his tie hanging loose and shirt stained at the collar. “Got another pencil? Mine broke.”
Your stomach twisted. Something about his tone made your skin crawl. Still, you managed to nodded and offered him what you hoped was a polite smile. You pulled a pencil from your case, and handed it to him. “Keep it.”
You turned back around before he could say anything, silently praying that would be the end of it.
It wasn’t.
Another tap. You inhaled sharply through your nose, willing yourself not to react. You turned.
“Got an eraser?”
Without mentioning that there was one attached to the end of the pencil, you just grabbed your spare eraser and dropped it on his desk without looking at him.
Surely, that would be enough.
But you felt it again. A third tap.
Annoyed now, you spun halfway toward him. “What?”
He grinned, leaning forward. “Can I get your number too?”
A burst of laughter came from behind him. His friends fist-bumped like they’d just witnessed something brilliant.
You blinked, the question hitting like a slap. Your lips parted, but no words came. You just turned back toward the front of the classroom, disgust curling in your chest.
Pig.
The snickering didn’t stop. The teacher, annoyed at the growing noise, shushed them harshly.
You stared at the board, eyes blurry with shame and frustration. You should’ve known. Of course he didn’t want a pencil… You clenched your jaw and forced yourself to keep writing.
When the bell rang for lunch, the teacher dismissed the class and left before most students were out of their seats. You packed slowly, hoping the room would clear before you had to walk through it. As you reached for your last book, a shadow fell over your desk.
You could read his name tag now.
Hyoman.
He loomed close, too close. “So,” he said, voice low and smug. “You’re gonna give me your number or what?”
You looked up. His posture reeked of arrogance, and the heavy scent of sweat made your nose twitch. You pushed your chair back instinctively, putting space between you. “I don’t give out my number,” You said firmly but politely, smoothing your skirt and standing.
A chorus of oohs erupted from his friends and Hyoman’s grin vanished.
He stepped closer, and something in his eyes changed. Gone was the teasing gleam. In its place was something colder. More entitled.
“You’re gonna give it to me though,” He said, voice sharp. “I’m not asking. I’m telling you.”
Your pulse spiked. Hands clammy, you forced a calm expression. “I really can’t. I’m sorry.” You lowered your eyes, trying not to provoke him further. “Please, excuse me.”
You tried to step around him, but he grabbed a fistful of your hair and yanked you back, hard.
You gasped, pain flaring at your scalp. Your back hit his chest and you froze, heart slamming against your ribs.
“Listen here, bitch,” He snarled, his mouth near your ear, breath hot and sour. “You don’t get to say no to me. I was nice. Now you give me your number, or I’ll take it out on you in ways you won’t like.”
Still frozen in shock, your breath was caught somewhere in your throat. You were just about to cave—just about to say something to make it stop—when a chair scraped loudly against the floor. The sharp squeal cut through the chaos like a blade.
“Don’t cross the line.”
The voice was quiet. Almost too quiet, but something about it made every sound in the room stop.
No yelling. No rage.
Just a thread of quiet authority that made the air go still.
You didn’t dare turn to look, still locked in Hyoman’s grip. But the tension around you shifted.
“Fuck off, Yeon Sieun,” Hyoman spat. But his voice faltered at the end, cracking under pressure. Still, he yanked harder on your hair, and you let out a strangled sound as fresh pain bloomed across your scalp. “It’s none of your business. Stay out of it.”
A pause.
Then, calmly, Sieun said, “This is your only warning.”
Click.
The sound was soft, like a pen snapping into place.
Strangely, the sound alone was enough to make Hyoman freeze behind you. His entire body stiffened like a wire pulled too tight.
No one laughed. No one moved.
Click.
Again. That sharp, quiet snap.
Someone whispered, “Shit” under their breath.
And suddenly, Hyoman let go of your hair. Just like that. He shoved you away roughly as if to save face, but there was fear flickering behind his eyes now. You stumbled forward, catching yourself on the edge of a desk, one hand going to your aching scalp. “I was just playing,” He muttered, voice small and strained. His hands lifted in mock surrender, but it was all performance now.
He walked away quickly, dragging his pride behind him as his friends trailed after him.
Blinking away tears, you now took the chance to look at the student who had came to your help.
Yeon Sieun stood there like he hadn’t moved at all. His uniform hung a bit too loose on his frame. His dark hair fell into his eyes, shadowing the expressionless mask he wore.
But it was his eyes that caught your attention.
Sad. Hollow. Tired.
Not the kind of tired from a long day, but the kind carved from sleepless nights and things too heavy for someone his age to carry. He looked distant, detached, like he wasn’t really here at all. The pen in his hand was held like a weapon.
With a slow, almost mechanical motion, he slid the pen into the inside pocket of his blazer. Without sparring you a glance, he turned, walking toward the door as if nothing had happened.
“Thank you.” You said before he left completely, your voice unsteady, barely more than a whisper. “Thank you, Yeon Sieun.”
He paused. Without a word, he turned slightly, just enough to acknowledge you with a sharp nod, then left.
And that’s how everything began.
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Most of your days were now spent going to ballet classes and hanging out with Sieun and his friends whenever you weren’t busy with your online classes. You would eat regularly with him, Juntae, Bakua, and Gotak. Even though Sieun didn’t talk much, you appreciated his calm presence, especially since the others could be a bit … much. Not Juntae though. He was a sweetheart.
It only took a few days for you to feel like you fit in with the group. While your father might disapprove of your new found friends, these guys had shown time and time again that they had your back in a way that none of your previous 'friends' had.
Five months had passed since your arrival at Eunjang High School, and things were going better now. Your ballet classes were going smoothly, you were doing well in your online classes, and now that you were close with Baku and his friends, no one dared to bother you. Plus, they were all terrified of Sieun and his pen. After hearing the stories from Gotak, you couldn’t say you didn’t blame them.
For the school classes, everything was fine, except for mathematics, which wasn’t surprising. You were very thankful that Sieun was taking some of his time to help you study. More than once, you would found yourself staring at him instead of listening to his explanation.
He was rough around the edges at first, but once you really started to know him, it was clear that he hid a lot of what he really felt.
It felt like a small victory every time you managed to pull even the faintest smile from him. You were sure you'd seen it twice. Once for real, and once when the corner of his lips twitched like it wanted to. It was rare, fleeting… but beautiful. Seeing even a glimpse of happiness on his face—however brief felt like sunlight breaking through clouds.
There was a quiet heaviness that always clung to him, a kind of sadness that never quite left his eyes. You remembered the night he opened up—told me about his old friends and how everything fell apart. You knew he hadn’t told you everything, only the outline of it, the parts he could bear to say out loud.
Sieun didn’t open up easily, and you didn’t push him. But even from that glimpse, you could see how deeply the guilt had rooted itself in him. You wished you could take some of that weight off his shoulders. Maybe if enough people kept on reminding him that it wasn’t his fault, he might start to believe it too. Someday.
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You met up with Baku and Gotak at your usual spot near a quiet corner shop downtown. The air had a sharp bite to it, the kind that crept under your clothes and settled in your bones. The sky was a dull, steely gray, and the wind whipped through the streets, rustling the fallen leaves that hadn’t yet been swept away. The chill in the air was a clear sign that winter was closing in fast.
You pulled your jacket tighter around yourself, trying to trap in whatever warmth you had left. “I hate the cold,” You mumbled, already shivering as your breath came out in faint, misty clouds.
Baku laughed. “I can warm you up if you want to.” He teased, dancing towards me like a complete fool.
“Gross! Get away from me, you big brute!” You halfheartedly exclaimed, giggling a little as you pushed him away.
“What’s going on?” A voice said behind you.
You turned quickly, the smile still lingering on your face until you saw Sieun standing there beside Juntae, his expression unreadable but eyes fixed on us. There was a flicker of something in his gaze. Confusion, maybe, or something else you couldn’t quite name. You stepped to the side a little bit, creating a circle with everyone.
Gotak shrugged. “Nothing special. Just Y/N breaking Baku’s heart again.”
Baku whipped invisible tears from his eyes. “If this goes on, I might actually start to think that you aren’t interested in me, Y/N. Stop pushing me away.”
You only hit his arm, a smile of amusement still tugging on your lips. “You’re stupid.”
Sieun suddenly coughed and adjusted his hoodie on himself. You looked at him then, but he avoided your gaze, looking to the side with a bored expression on his face.
Juntae, bless him, stepped in before things got awkward. “Does anyone want anything in the store?” He asked pulling at the fogged-up lenses of his glasses with one hand.
“No, thank you.” You declined politely, looking down. You were suppose to follow a certain diet for ballet, and you were already toeing the line with the calories you’d allowed yourself for the week. Thankfully, the food at the cafeteria had healthy versions. The real issue was back at your apartment were snacks were always within reach and boredom made them way too tempting. You were trying hard to get it under control lately. “I’ll wait here.”
“Can you bring me some shrimp crackers?” Pleaded Baku, bathing his eye lashes dramatically. “I’ll pay next time!”
Juntae nodded, a small smile on his lips as he entered the shop. “I don’t know what I want. I’ll go have a look.” Said Gotak, entering as well.
Sieun stood next the entrance of the shop. For a split second, he looked straight at you. His eyes, dark and tired, held yours for a few seconds longer than you expected. Your breath caught a little, but then he glanced over your shoulder at something—or someone—and the moment broke. Without a word, he turned and stepped into the shop after the others two.
The cold wind nipped at your face, but it wasn’t what made you shiver. You stood there, arms wrapped tightly around your body, watching the door slowly swing shut behind him.
You turned back towards Baku, who looked like he was seconds away from bursting into laughter.
“What is it now?” You asked, already dreading his answer.
“I’m just wondering if I should ask him if he’s carrying a pen with him tonight.”
You recoiled, looking confused. “What? Why would you ask him that?” Your voice rose in disbelief.
He gave a dramatic shrug, puckering his lips like he was trying to look thoughtful. “Oh, I don’t know? Maybe because he just gave me the look.”
You shoved your hands into your jacket pockets, trying to preserve whatever warmth you had left. “The look? Really?” You rolled your eyes. “What does that even mean?”
Baku grinned, eyes gleaming with mischief. “Come on, Y/N! You know exactly what it means. It’s that thing his eyes do when he’s trying not to lose it. Just for a second, it’s like you get a peek inside his brain. His eyes were practically screaming at me.”
You scoffed, tilting your head to the side. “Yeah? What were they saying then, oh great Eye Whisperer?”
He smacked his lips, pretending to deliberate. “Hmm… I don’t know if I should tell you. It might scare you.”
You crossed your arms over your chest, rolling your eyes again. “Just admit you’re making things up and talking out of your ass.”
He snorted, raising his hands in mock surrender. “All right, all right. You asked for it.” He leaned in dramatically, crouching slightly to meet your gaze. “I think our little Sieun has a big, fat crush on you and he was mentally murdering me with his eyes earlier because he was jealous.”
You stared at him, heart skipping a beat, mouth slightly open until you quickly shut it. “Stop speaking nonsense,” You muttered, shoving him hard in the shoulder. He stumbled back, unfazed, laughing so hard he had to wipe actual tears from his eyes this time.
“It’s not funny, Baku!” You exclaimed, still flustered. “You can’t say things like that.”
He calmed down a little bit. “It’s true though. I’m not lying.” He shivered, pulling his hoodie tighter. “Everyone sees it. He’s not exactly subtle, Y/N. Around you, he… speaks. That’s already saying a lot.” He wiggled his brows at you.
“He speaks to you guys as well, don’t be dramatic.” You looked away, trying to focus on the foggy shop window instead of the chaos Baku had just stirred in your chest. “You’re reading too much into things.” You muttered, but even you didn’t sound convinced.
It was true that over the past months, Sieun and you had gotten a bit closer. It just felt easy talking to him. At first, he’d simply stare blankly at you while you rambled on about your day at the academy. He wouldn’t say much…just the occasional nod as if he were barely listening. He seemed completely unapproachable, like there was some invisible wall around him that you could never quite break through. But slowly, you chipped away at it. By the end of the second month, he actually started listening. He’d sometimes ask questions, offer advice where he could. He even started helping you occasionally with mathematics after you broke down in tears over your mock exam grade.
Since then, even though he still mostly stayed quiet and distant, his presence never left you feeling completely alone. It was strange, but also comforting.
Your cheeks burned now, and it wasn’t from the cold. “Can we drop this, please?” You said as Baku was opening his mouth again. “He doesn’t treat me any different.” You spoke firmly, now too shy to meet Baku’s gaze. You couldn’t shake the feeling that he might see something in your eyes that you weren’t ready to face yet.
Before Baku could say anything, the door to the shop creaked open, and the rest of the group stepped out, carrying bags. Juntae handed Baku a bag of chips, and without missing a beat, Baku ripped it open, shoving a handful of chips into his mouth. He spared you a quick look, his grin still wide. You shifted uneasily, still feeling the weight of his teasing.
“Let’s go everyone.” Called Gotak, already heading towards the karaoke room with a purposeful stride. “Let’s not stay outside longer than we should.”
The walk between the karaoke room and the store was short, but with Sieun walking silently by your side, it felt much longer. The air between you two was thick with unspoken words.
You tried to focus on the sound of Gotak and Baku’s bickering when you felt something press into your hand. Looking down, you saw Sieun offering you a piece of triangle Kimbap along with a hand warmer pouch.
He kept his gaze straight ahead, as though nothing out of the ordinary had just happened.
“Sieun,” You said softly, touched by his quiet gesture. “Thank you.”
“It’s nothing,” he replied nonchalantly, not meeting your eyes. He shoved his hands into his pockets, maintaining his usual cool composure.
You decided to put the hand warmer in my pocket, saving it for when you would head back home . “I’ll give this back to you though.” You returned the Kimbap piece in his opened hand. “I can’t eat it.”
He stopped walking, and finally, his eyes met yours. For the first time in a while, you noticed how much better he looked. The dark circles under his eyes weren’t as prominent anymore, thanks to Juntae’s magnesium supplements. “What do you mean by that?” he asked, his expression slightly confused. “It’s the flavor you like, no? Spicy chicken?”
Always so observant.
“Yes, it is,” You replied, walking again and feeling his presence beside you. “But I can’t eat it tonight.”
“Oh.” He furrowed his brows. “Are you not feeling well? You should have said so if that’s the case. We could have rescheduled.”
You gave him a tight-lipped smile, feeling suddenly uncomfortable talking about this. “It’s not that. I’m pretty sure I’ve gone over my calories for the week. I can’t eat anymore today.”
Before you could take another step, Sieun’s hand landed lightly on your forearm, stopping you in your tracks. The look on his face was incredulous, the biggest expression I’d seen from him in a long time, if ever. It was almost enough to make you laugh.
“You can’t be serious right now, Y/N.” He said, his voice low and almost… protective?
“Sieun,” You sighed, exasperated. “I’m not starving myself. Calm down. I’m just counting my calories to stay on track.” You suddenly felt a little uneasy , like you were exposing too much. “You know I’m a ballerina. It comes with the hobby.”
He only blinked. “I understand that, but a single piece of Kimbap won’t make much of a difference anyways. If your body feels hungry, you should eat. Everything is good in moderation.” He handed you back the black triangle. “Please.”
Reluctantly, you took the food and put in inside of my pocket. “You win.” You rolled your eyes, trying to act as if you didn’t care, but deep down you were touched by his concern. He was always acting so cold, but he was warm-hearted. “ I’ll eat it at the karaoke.”
Your heart felt strangely lighter now, though you still couldn’t explain why. Maybe it was the simple act of him caring, even in the smallest way. You smiled to yourself.
“What are you guys talking about?” Ahead of us, Baksu had also stopped his walk and had turned around to watch us. His eyes were sparkling with amusement and you hoped that he would keep his mouth shut.
Without responding to his question, Sieun and you both continued walking, side by side, your steps quiet as you neared the karaoke building.
Once you were close enough, Baku threw his arm around Sieun’s shoulders, pulling him close in a playful manner. He was grinning like a cat who had just found a mouse. You went ahead of them to enter the establishment, not wanting to hear the nonsense that was sure to come out of his mouth. You climbed the stairs rapidly, eager to join your other two friends and escape the awkwardness.
“So, I don’t get any of your precious Kimbap?” Baku teased in Sieun’s ear, his voice light, but with that edge of knowing exactly how to push Sieun’s buttons. “I thought we were friends, man. You’re gonna make me beg for it?”
Sieun stiffened, but only for a second. He didn’t answer, his face completely blank of emotion. He on gave a single glare as he shrugged Baku’s arms off with a slow, effortless motion.
“Don’t touch me,” he said flatly.
Only Baku could see the faintest flush spreading across Sieun’s neck.
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The triangle Kimbap was indeed delicious. You ate it in three single bites. While Juntae, Baku, and Gotak were singing their hearts out, Sieun and you were relaxing in the seats behind, content with watching. The room was dim, lit by rotating colored lights that swept across the walls in soft pulses—pink, blue, green—giving the whole place a dreamy glow. The screen was huge, displaying lyrics in bold font, while a score in the corner judged every note. You giggled at Gotak’s poor attempt at the Wonder Girls choreographer for the song “Tell Me”. His shoulders bounced like jelly, and Baku’s dramatic backup dancing wasn’t helping.
Sieun let out a quiet breath beside me. Not quite a laugh, but close. His arms were crossed, eyes half-lidded in his usual indifferent way, but you caught the subtle curve at the corner of his lips.
“You know,” You whispered, leaning a little closer, “You almost smiled just now.”
He glanced at you, and for a second, our eyes locked in the flickering lights. His expression was unreadable, but not cold. Just… careful.
“I didn’t,” he said softly.
“You did.”
He looked away, pretending to be more interested in the screen than you. “You’re imagining things.”
You giggled softly at him, eyes sparkling.
You let the silence hang for a while, watching the others collapse in laughter as Juntae hit a tragically off-key note and the karaoke machine scored him a humiliating 58. Your shoulder brushed lightly against Sieun’s, and you didn’t move away.
Neither did he.
For a long moment, you just sat there, side by side in the dim, glittering room, the noise around you fading into the background. The others were loud, off-key, ridiculous—and perfect. But here, in the stillness between songs, with the soft lights brushing his cheek and his presence warm beside you, something delicate hung in the air.
A feeling of melancholy suddenly came over you. You hadn’t felt this kind of friendship, ever. You never felt understood. Not at home. Not at school or at the academy… But here, with your friends… You had found your people.
Beside you, you felt Sieun shifted and you look over to see him already staring at you. His eyes… you could get lost in them. You cleared your throat, leaning slightly to make sure he heard over the loud music. “Are you alright?”
He nodded. “What about you? You seemed somewhere else.”
You shrugged, taking a deep breath in. “It’s nothing. I’m just being a child.” You took a sip of water.
Sieun was silent for a while. He just kept looking at you, quiet, unblinking—like you were something worth paying attention to. It made your heart beat faster
“You can tell me, if you want. I’m the least likely in this room to go around telling everybody.” He finally said, shrugging his shoulders.
A small delicate laugh escaped you, and your imagination could have fooled you into seeing a softness entering Sieun’s eyes. You looked down suddenly embarrassed.
“I was just being sappy.” You muttered, tucking a loose strand of hair behind your ear. Letting out a deep breath, you finally let the words spill—the ones you’d been holding in for far too long.
“I’ve never really had friends like you guys before.” You said quietly, eyes fixed on the screen ahead. “It’s… kind of a new feeling. Being around people who don’t just tolerate me but actually enjoy having me around. It’s nice.”
You bit your lip, hesitant but too far in to stop now. “With my parents, I always have to be this perfect version of myself. The one that follows every rule, never talks back, never messes up. It's exhausting. I feel like I’m always performing for them. But here… I can actually make my own choices. I get to be me—no filter, no pretending.”
Your gaze drifted from your lap toward the others now, to Baku laughing about something with Gotak, Juntae nudging him with a bag of snacks in hand. “It’s the first time I don’t feel like I have to shrink myself just to fit in. It’s a relief not to always be worrying whether I’m too much or not enough.”
You hadn’t noticed the sting in your eyes until a tear slid down your cheek, then another. Startled, you wiped at them quickly, hoping Sieun hadn’t noticed. Your voice came out a little bit shaky, rushed. “Sorry. Told you I was being a child.”
Sieun didn’t respond right away. You expected silence—maybe one of his usual non-answers—but when you looked back at him, he was still watching. There was no judgment in his expression, no awkwardness. Just… stillness.
And his eyes.
They held so much sadness, so much depth, like the ocean. You stared too long. Long enough to forget what you had just said. Long enough to forget we were in a room filled with singing and ridiculous dancing. All you could see were those ocean eyes.
“I know that feeling,” he said at last, voice low. “Being around people, but still feeling alone.”
Your throat tightened. “It’s exhausting,” You whispered.
Sieun gave the tiniest nod. The glow from the karaoke lights painted faint purples and pink across his skin, and for a moment, you thought he looked almost unreal. His hair fell slightly into his eyes, and he didn’t bother fixing it.
He was pretty. So damn pretty.
“Do you ever feel like… no one really sees you?” You asked, almost afraid to hear the answer.
Sieun turned his gaze away briefly, as if the weight of the question was too much to meet head-on. Then, with the softest voice you’d ever heard from him, he said, “All the time.”
You reached over without thinking and lightly touched his sleeve. “I see you.” You said.
His eyes flicked back to mine—just a flicker—and something unreadable passed through them. Not quite surprise. Not quite disbelief. Maybe both. But underneath it, there was something tender. Shy. His lips parted like he might say something, but then Baku’s voice echoed through one of the microphones.
“Lovebirds in the back! You’re making us single people look bad!”
You jumped, pulling your hand away from Sieun’s arm like you’d been caught doing something forbidden. Heat bloomed across your face.
You were about to protest, but Sieun, for once, beat you to it. “Shut up, Baku,” he said, still calm but with a rare hint of embarrassment. His ears had gone red.
Baku only snorted. “Touchy!”
Juntae frowned between bites of leftover chips. “What did I miss? What happened.” Gotak blinked, eyes darting between Sieun and you.
You shifted uncomfortably in your seat, and Baku seemed to suddenly have some sympathy for you.
“You didn’t miss anything.” He said to both Gotak and Juntae. “False alarm. Let’s not make it weird.”
Without any more explanation, Baku marched forward and quickly cleaned up the trash left on the table in front of Sieun and you. The former was still glaring at him.
Noticeably, Baku made sure to take Gotak’s leftover ramen along with his chopsticks.
“I’m not risking my life tonight.” He whispered to you two, but mostly to Sieun with a wink.
Baku turned back around, snickering to himself. He gave Juntae’s shoulder a playful shake, hand already reaching for his bag of chips. “Back to the important stuff—karaoke and salty junk food.”
Gotak and Juntae still looked mildly suspicious, but Baku had already grabbed a mic and queued up the next song, dramatically clearing his throat.
With a resigned shrug, they both let it go, and soon the room was full of singing and laughter again—as if nothing strange had happened at all.
When Sieun’s knee brushed yours again, you didn’t move away.
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The group was still lingering outside the karaoke building, debating whether to get late-night ramen or just call it a night. Baku, as always, was still hungry.
“I’ll be right back,” You said quietly, pulling away from the circle. “I need the restroom.”
Juntae gestured vaguely. “There’s one beside the café next street—they let us use it last time.” You nodded.
“Don’t get murdered,” Baku called after you, half-joking.
“I’ll try not to,” You muttered with a laugh.
The city was quieter now, the glow of signs reflecting off the pavement. You turned down the narrow path between the karaoke place and the café, leading to the next street. You quickly head for the door with the bathroom sign.
That’s when you heard it.
“Well, well. Didn’t expect to see you here alone.”
You froze.
That voice—it sent a ripple of nausea straight through you. Slowly, you turned.
It was him. Hyoman.
From school.
He was leaning against the wall like the world owed him something. “I heard you were into ballet.” He said, looking me up and down. “Guess that means starving yourself and hanging out with losers, huh?”
You clenched your jaw. “Leave me alone, Hyoman.”
He stepped closer, not listening. “Or what? You’ll twirl away from me?”
His hand shot out, grabbing your wrist. “You act all quiet and high-and-mighty, but I know what girls like you are really like. You think you’re special. But you’re just fake.”
“Let go of me” You snapped, trying to pull back, fear creeping in.
He didn’t.
A smirk curled at his lips. “You still pretending to be all graceful and perfect?” he sneered, stepping closer. “Still playing the innocent card, huh?” Your eyes filled with tears, and panicked grounded you in place.
“You think just because you hang out with Baku, you’re safe now?” His eyes raked over you repeatedly, colder this time. “I bet under all that discipline, you’re just waiting for someone to mess you up a little. Isn’t that what you dancers want?” My throat tightened again.
“Let go of me,” You said softly, your voice trembling, breath caught in your chest. “Please.”
He leaned in, and you could smell the alcohol on his breath. “C’mon, just a little fun. Don’t act like you’re too good for it.”
And then, like lightning—
Sieun.
He grabbed Hyoman arm and yanked him back with so much force that the boy stumbled and hit the wall behind him with a grunt. For a moment, Hyoman looked stunned.
“She said to let go.” Sieun said. His voice wasn’t loud. It didn’t have to be. It was sharp. Direct. Steady in a way that made the hair on your arms rise.
Hyoman pushed off the wall, sneering. He stumbled a little bit, and you suspected that it wasn’t just because of the alcohol. “What, you gonna fight me? You’re just some freak who never talks. You think being quiet makes you scary?”
Sieun stepped forward without hesitation and shoved him again—harder this time. “Try touching her again,” he said, “and I swear I won’t just push you.”
Sieun’s eyes burned with something raw. Not anger, exactly. Something more dangerous..
Hyoman backed off, scowling. “You’re both crazy,” he muttered, spitting to the side before stalking away.
The silence he left behind felt suffocating.
You stood frozen, staring at Sieun. Your chest was still tight, adrenaline spiking through you.
He was breathing heavily. The fury slipped from his face when he saw your face.
“Are you okay?” He asked, stepping closer.
You nodded, but it was a lie. The moment you met his eyes—soft now, worried—you cracked.
“No.” You whispered.
He didn’t hesitate.
Sieun stepped forward and pulled you into him, his arms wrapping around you like it was the most natural thing in the world. He held you—not too tight, just enough to remind you that you weren’t alone.
And you broke.
The tears came fast. Hot, angry sobs that you couldn’t hold back any longer. You clutched his hoodie in your fists and buried your face against his chest. You couldn’t stop shaking.
Sieun didn’t say anything. He just stood there, solid and quiet, letting you fall apart in his arms. For someone who rarely showed emotion, he held you like he’d done it a hundred times. You melted into his warmth.
That was when you heard footsteps.
“Y/N?” Baku’s voice called, too cheerful at first, until it dropped with concern. “Y/N, what happened?!”
The rest of the group came into view, Juntae and Gotak behind Baku, who stopped mid-step when he saw you in Sieun’s arms.
Gotak blinked. “What the hell…?”
Juntae looked concerned. “Wait, is she crying?”
Baku’s eyes narrowed as he looked around. “What happened, Sieun?”
Sieun didn’t move. He kept holding you, shielding you with his body from the boys’ growing panic. You didn’t lift my head, not yet. You didn’t want them to see you like this.
“She’s okay now,” Sieun said, voice flat but firm. “Someone crossed a line. It’s handled.”
The others were still trying to piece together what had happened, but something in Sieun’s tone, something cold and sharper than they were used to, shut them up.
Baku muttered under his breath, something about looking for whoever did it. But he didn’t press further.
Sieun’s arms didn’t move until your breathing calmed. And even then, he didn’t let go until you gently pulled back, cheeks still damp.
There was no judgement on his face when you backed away.
✎﹏﹏﹏﹏✎﹏﹏﹏﹏✎﹏﹏﹏﹏✎﹏﹏﹏﹏
The walk back to the karaoke room was quiet.
No one asked questions. Not even Baku, who usually couldn’t stay silent if his life depended on it.
Sieun didn’t speak.
He just stood beside you in the quiet night air, his hands in his pockets, his expression unreadable as always—but there was a tension in his posture, like he was still on edge.
“I think I’ll go home,” You said finally, voice hoarse from crying.
Sieun looked at you, then gave a small nod. “I’ll walk you.”
“You don’t have to—”
“I know.”
But he came anyway.
The city lights flickered around us as we walked. The only sounds were the occasional passing car and the soft rhythm of our footsteps. You kept your eyes on the ground, the cool breeze brushing against your cheeks, hand warmer between your palm. You didn’t feel like talking, and Sieun didn’t push you to.
Halfway home, you glanced at him from the corner of your eye. His shoulders were slightly hunched, like he was carrying something heavy.
“I’m sorry,” You murmured.
He looked at you, confused. “For what?”
“For ruining the night.”
“You didn’t ruin anything,” he said, tone even. “Don’t apologize for something that isn’t your fault.” Wind ruffled through his hair.
“I was scared,” You admitted after a while. “Not just in the moment. Scared he wouldn’t go away. Scared no one would come.”
You let out a quiet breath, the words catching on the edge of your hesitation before you finally spoke. “I know you were scared too. But you still stepped in. You chose to protect me.” Sieun didn’t say anything, didn’t even look at you directly—but something in him shifted.
His expression remained unreadable, but his shoulders eased, just slightly, like some invisible weight had loosened its grip. “Thank you,” you said, gently.
There was a pause.
Then, barely above a whisper, Sieun said, “I’ll always protect my friends. No matter what.”
We walked the rest of the way in silence, but it wasn’t the kind that made you feel alone.
When you reached your door, you turned to him and gave a small smile. “Thank you… for everything.”
Sieun stared for a second too long. Then, awkwardly, he nodded, eyes flicking away.
“I’m just glad you’re okay.”
And before you could step inside, he added—barely above a whisper, “Text me when you’re safe in bed.”
You blinked. “You want me to text you?”
He rubbed his neck, trying to look nonchalant. “I just… want to know you’re okay. That’s all.”
Warmth bloomed in your chest, and you couldn’t help but smile softly.
“Okay”
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That night, you kept my promise and texted him.
[10:42 PM] In bed. Safe.
There was a long pause before his reply came.
[10:47 PM] Okay. Sleep well.
Simple. Distant. But it made you smile anyway.
You curled under the blanket, still feeling the ghost of his arms around you, the way he had pulled you close without hesitation. It stayed with you long after you closed your eyes.
You dreamt of him.
Of Sieun.
Not the quiet, cold version of him the world knew. But the one you saw tonight—the one whose eyes burned when he saw you hurt, whose voice sharpened when he defended you, whose hands didn’t shake when he held you.
In the dream, we were alone again. But it was warmer somehow. Softer.
You stood beneath a streetlight, the city blurred around you. He stepped close—too close—and reached out to tuck a strand of hair behind your ear. His fingers lingered just slightly against your skin, and his eyes… they were locked on mine like I was the only thing that existed.
And then—his hand slid gently to your jaw. His thumb brushed your cheek.
He leaned in.
His breath touched yours.
And just before your lips met, you—
Woke up.
Your eyes snapped open. The room was dark and quiet, the covers twisted around your legs. Your skin felt hot and sticky.
You sat up slowly, pressing your hands to your cheek.
It had been so vivid.
Too vivid.
You groaned quietly and flopped back against the pillow, staring up at the ceiling.
What was wrong with you?
It was just a dream. Just a dream. Just—
But the image of his eyes, the sound of his voice, the way he held you like you were something precious… You pressed your palms against your eyelids. You knew, no matter how hard you tried, you weren’t going to forget it anytime soon.
You were screwed.
1K notes · View notes
inkandapex · 3 months ago
Text
stream madness pt. 4
Lando Norris x Y/N
Summary: Twitch streams, chaos during trivia, and one very soft Lando Norris. Whenever Y/N shows up on stream, fans get more than they bargained for. Between Max F's third-wheeling, and Lando's doting habits, the internet can't keep up.
Words: 5.3k
Warnings: swearing, mentions of period, pregnancy
part 1 | part 2 | part 3
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Five star michelin
The stream blinked to life, revealing a familiar setting: the sleek, modern kitchen of Lando’s Monaco apartment. The camera was already rolling, capturing a countertop neatly prepped with ingredients, and a few pots and pans waiting on the stove like soldiers at attention. Cooking stream? Unheard of.
Lando appeared on screen, a little out of focus as he fiddled with something just off-camera. He leaned down toward a mic and gave it a couple of taps.
“Can you hear me now?” he asked, eyes darting toward the chat as it exploded with responses. A few seconds passed before he nodded, satisfied. “Nice.”
From somewhere off-camera, a familiar voice chimed in. “You ready?”
“Mmhmm.” Lando stepped back into frame and clapped his hands together, “So—”
A sudden laugh burst from off-screen, stopping him mid-sentence. He turned his head, smirking.
“What?”
Y/N finally stepped into view, her expression amused. She wore one of his Quadrant hoodies, her hair pulled back casually, looking completely at home. “You and Max always do that,” she teased.
“Do what?” he chuckled, reaching out to tug her gently closer until she was tucked beside him, shoulder brushing his.
“The clapping,” she said, gesturing at him with a knowing smile. “Every time you guys film something, you both do that little clap before talking. It’s like a reflex or something.”
Lando rolled his eyes with an exaggerated sigh. “Whatever, hater…”
He turned back to the camera, hands twitching like he was going to clap again. “Anyways, so—” He froze, caught himself mid-motion, and looked right at her. “...Fuck. I really do it, huh?”
Y/N doubled over laughing, lightly shoving him. “I told you! It’s your little pre-performance ritual.”
Lando laughed too, bumping her gently with his hip. “I feel attacked in my own kitchen.”
“You should,” she grinned. “Consider this an intervention.”
“Alright, alright,” Lando grinned, finally pulling it together. “No more claps. Let’s cook before I develop another weird habit.”
“Tell them what we’re doing,” Y/N says, grabbing two aprons from the counter and tossing one to Lando.
“Right!” he nods, slipping the apron over his head. “We’re making dinner. From scratch.”
“That’s right,” she grins, stepping behind him to tie his apron strings neatly at the back. “Steak and mashed potatoes today, quick and easy.”
Lando scans the kitchen setup with a slightly exaggerated frown, lips pressed together as he surveys the ingredients. Y/N catches the look and raises a brow.
“What’s wrong?”
He exhales a soft laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. “I’m actually kind of nervous. Chat’s gonna see how rubbish I am at this.”
Y/N’s face softens as he gently spins her around to tie her apron too, the motion slow and familiar. She glances over her shoulder with a small smile. “That’s why I’m here, bub. We’ll work as a team.”
He gives her a playful pat on the bum, earning a surprised little laugh as he says, “Alright, boss. What’s first?”
Y/N grabs a bowl of unpeeled potatoes and hands it off to him along with a peeler. “Wash them, peel them, cut them into quarters.”
Lando blinks. “Huh?”
She stifles a laugh. “Wash. Peel. Cut. Into quarters,” she repeats with a teasing squeeze to his arm, before turning toward the fridge.
He looks down at the potatoes, then to chat, then back at the potatoes, sighing as he walks to the sink. “Do I like... scrub them or something?” he calls over his shoulder.
“No need,” she answers, rinsing some herbs at the counter. “We’re peeling them anyway.”
And so the chaos begins.
Y/N gets to work seasoning the steaks and prepping the herb butter, while Lando stands at the sink, holding a potato like it might explode. He finally begins peeling, very slowly, occasionally pausing to read the chat.
“Hey! I’m not slow!” he says, pointing the peeler accusingly at the camera, eyes squinting playfully. “I’m just taking my time.”
From behind him, Y/N chuckles, drying her hands. “You are doing it quite slow, my love.”
She walks over with a chopping board and a knife in hand, peeking into the bowl beside him. “I’ve already seasoned the meat, made the herb butter, and cleaned up. And you—” she pauses, looking over at his bowl of potatoes “—have peeled exactly… three potatoes.”
Lando gasps like she’s just betrayed him on live television. “I think I'm doing a mega job.”
She laughs, nudging him gently with her hip as she starts chopping the peeled ones. "And I'm so proud of you"
The chat explodes in laughter, messages flying in:
“3 potatoes in 20 minutes 💀” “Y/N carrying as usual” “He’s trying his best leave him alone 😭”
Y/N takes over the potato duties without much of a fight, Lando had peeled just enough for her to work with. She dumps the chunks into a pot of water and sets it to boil, giving it a quick stir before turning to check on her newly assigned sous-chef.
Lando is now standing in front of the stove like he’s guarding a priceless artifact. The pan on the burner is still very much empty, not even a drop of oil or butter in sight, but he’s watching it with intense focus.
“You do realize the pan’s still empty, right?” Y/N asks, sliding up beside him, arms crossed, one eyebrow raised.
Without taking his eyes off the pan, Lando scoffs, “I’m aware, yes.”
She bites back a grin. “And you’re watching it like a hawk because…?”
“I’m waiting for it to heat up enough,” he replies, dead serious, hovering his hand just above the surface with surgical precision. “You said it has to be hot. Like hot hot.”
Y/N stares at him for a second, then laughs. “Okay, fair, but you could at least put some oil in while you’re doing your little steak meditation.”
Lando lets out a dramatic sigh like she’s asking him to do the impossible, but obliges, grabbing the olive oil and drizzling it into the pan with flair. “There. Happy?”
“Ecstatic,” she deadpans. “Now wait til it's smoking a bit.”
He narrows his eyes at the pan, nodding slowly. “Got it.”
From the corner of the room, her phone buzzes with notifications. Chat is thriving.
“Lando’s steak arc begins” “This man is doing yoga with a frying pan” “Protect the pan at all costs”
Lando peeks over her shoulder and squints. “I feel very attacked in this live stream.”
Y/N smirks. “Good. Means they care.”
Just then, the oil begins to ripple gently in the pan. She leans over, inspecting it.
“Alright, chef,” she says with a teasing salute. “You’re good to go.”
Lando straightens up dramatically, grabs the seasoned steak like it’s a sacred relic, and carefully lays it into the pan with a loud sizzle. He flinches slightly at the noise, glancing at her like, “Did I do that right?”
Y/N gives him a proud little nod. “That’s perfect.”
The satisfaction on Lando’s face is almost too much. He’s glowing like he just scored pole position.
“Yeah?” he says, biting his lip to hide the grin. “I mean… obviously.”
They both stood shoulder to shoulder in front of the stove, their expressions weirdly serious as they watched the steaks sizzle in the pan. The kitchen was quiet now, save for the soft bubbling from the potatoes and the satisfying sear of meat against hot oil.
Neither of them spoke. Just stood there. Staring.
Chat, however, was anything but silent.
“they’re both dissociating 😭” “brainrot live” “this is peak couple behaviour” “they’re literally the same person wtf”
Lando finally blinked out of it first. He glanced sideways and immediately burst into a quiet laugh, spotting the exact same zoned-out expression on Y/N’s face as she stared into the pan like it held the secrets of the universe.
She snapped out of it at the sound of his laugh, turning her head with a soft smile. “What?”
“You were giving me crap for staring at the pan,” he said, nudging her gently with his elbow. “You were literally dissociating watching the steak cook.”
Y/N blinked, then laughed, covering her face with one hand. “Oh my god. I was. I think the sizzle hypnotized me.”
Lando grinned, bumping her again. “Welcome to my world.”
She leaned her head briefly against his shoulder, still smiling. “Brain empty. Just meat noises.”
Chat was in shambles.
“JUST MEAT NOISES” “meat trance 🧠✨” “someone screenshot this, I need it framed”
Not much time had passed, and now the two stood on opposite ends of the kitchen island, heads down, tongues slightly poking out in focus as they carefully plated their food.
Each had been assigned their own plate, it had somehow turned into a competition. And of course, they’d agreed that chat would vote on whose presentation was better.
“Stop hogging all the broccoli, baby!” Lando cried dramatically, pointing an accusing finger at her side of the counter. “I’ve got no garnish.”
Y/N scoffed, not even looking up as she arranged a small floret just so. “You knob, we’ve literally both got five each!” she exclaimed, gesturing wildly to her plate like she was presenting evidence in court.
Lando leaned over with a squint. “Yeah, but you’ve got all the pretty pieces!”
She froze mid-mash, then turned to look at him, face twisted in utter disbelief. “They’re all broccoli, you muppet! What do you mean ‘pretty pieces’?!”
“The round ones!” Lando argued back, now clutching his plate like it was his child. “Yours are, like… cuter!”
“I cannot believe we’re arguing about broccoli aesthetics,” she muttered, laughing as she snatched one off his plate and swapped it with hers. “There. Happy?”
He paused, inspecting the trade like a jewel dealer. “...Yeah, that’s fair.”
Lando glanced over at his plate, then at hers. His brow furrowed.
“How’d you do that?” he asked, confused, staring like her food was some sort of black magic.
Y/N didn’t even look up, too focused on delicately arranging the slices of steak just right on her plate. “What now?”
“Your mash…” he said, drifting over behind her to peer over her shoulder. “How’d you make it look like that?”
She let out a loud, surprised laugh, trying to push him away with one arm. “Lando! We literally have the same stuff. Go back to your side!”
“But yours is nicer!” he whined, barely budging under her efforts, grinning down at her like a menace.
“Then make yours nicer” she shot back, trying to block his view with her body.
Lando laughed, finally backing off with a shake of his head. He grabbed a clean spoon and stood over his plate like he was defusing a bomb. Slowly, carefully, he swiped it through his mashed potatoes in a swooping motion, eyes narrowed in focus.
“Done!” Y/N announced triumphantly, tossing her hands in the air. She wiped her hands on her apron and sauntered over to Lando’s side with a mischievous grin.
“Hey!” Lando yelped, quickly shifting to block her path with his hip like a human kitchen gate. “Back to your side!”
“I just wanna peek!” she laughed, trying to sneak a look over his shoulder.
Without warning, Lando wrapped one arm around her waist, effortlessly scooping her up like she weighed nothing. Y/N squealed in surprise as he spun her around and plopped her down directly in front of the camera.
“Stay there,” he said, grinning as he planted a soft kiss on the top of her head. “Talk to chat while I finish my masterpiece.”
Y/N blinked at the camera, momentarily stunned, before bursting into laughter. “This man really picked me up like I was a rogue toddler.”
Lando finally walked over to show his plate toward the camera with a dramatic spin. “Voilà. Chef Norris’s Signature Steak Surprise.”
Y/N tilted her head, pretending to inspect. “Surprise being you didn’t burn it?” She teases as she holds up her own plate to show the camera
“Oi,” he huffed, nudging her gently with his hip again. “Time for the votes. Chat—choose wisely.”
He moved to stand beside her as the poll popped up on screen: Whose plate wins? 🍽 🧡 Lando’s Luxurious Lunch 💚 Y/N’s Superior Steak Situation
The votes flew in fast.
“I swear, if you win because of the mash swirl…” Y/N muttered, squinting at the poll.
Lando grinned. “That’s called technique, love.”
The timer ticked down.
Y/N – 62% Lando – 38%
“YESSS,” she cheered, throwing her arms up again. “Justice for the broccoli.”
Lando slumped against the counter dramatically. “This is rigged. I demand a recount.”
Y/N leaned in, pecking his cheek. “Better luck next dinner, chef.”
------------------------------------------------------
Think fast
Being in a relationship with Y/N meant Lando had to stay constantly on his toes. In the early days, her endless pranks always managed to catch him off guard, whether it was the latest viral trend or some chaotic idea she came up with on a whim, he never stood a chance. These days, though, he liked to think he’d gotten better at spotting the signs, or at least bracing himself for whatever mischief she had up her sleeve.
“It’s not going to work.”
Y/N and Max Fewtrell strolled into the McLaren hospitality, phone in hand streaming live on twitch, making their way toward the back where Lando was supposed to meet them. He’d left the hotel a couple hours earlier for back-to-back meetings before free practice.
“When has he not fallen for one of your pranks?” Max asked, sipping his coffee with a knowing grin. “Just try it. Chat's going to love it”
Y/N shook her head, already laughing at the thought of Lando calling her out before she even made a move.
“The last two times, he shut me down before I even got the chance,” she said with a shrug. “He’s learning.”
They found an empty table tucked away from the crowd and sat down to wait. Max, ever the instigator, kept nudging her to try one of the latest pranks he’d seen trending on his feed, desperate for a dose of chaos and the chance to see his best friend publicly flustered.
The two sat like that for a while, answering a few questions every now and then. Before long, Lando’s voice rang out behind them.
“Oi! There you two are!”
Y/N glanced over her shoulder and grinned, standing up with a mischievous glint in her eyes.
“You want your fix? Watch this,” she whispered to Max, stepping aside from the table just as Lando approached.
“Sorry, meeting ran long,” Lando said, pulling off his cap and tossing it onto the table.
Y/N didn’t miss a beat. “Think fast! I’m a random girl!”
Without warning, she lunged at him—arms outstretched, lips puckered dramatically, ready to play her role to perfection.
Lando’s reflexes kicked in fast. “Whoa!” he said, holding his palm out and catching her right in the forehead, effectively stopping her mid-charge.
“I’m happily taken, thank you very much,” he deadpanned, pushing her away gently but firmly, then wiped his hand on his pants with exaggerated disgust. “Please maintain a safe distance, stranger.”
Max burst out laughing while Y/N nodded proudly, even slow clapping.
“Mate,” Max wheezed through his laughter, practically spilling his coffee, “you’re like a trained puppy!”
“Proud of you, babe,” Y/N grinned, leaning in to plant a kiss on his cheek.
“Hey!” Lando ducked away dramatically, throwing his hands up. “Lady! Please… I just told you—I have a beautiful girlfriend!”
Y/N smacked his arm, laughing. “You muppet.”
Lando chuckled, finally letting his act drop as he wrapped an arm around her and pulled her in. “Hello, my love. Trying to entertain Max and chat again, I see?”
“Someone’s gotta give them content,” she teased, and Max just shook his head, still grinning, proud to have captured the whole thing.
------------------------------------------------------
Just cause
Lando had been on Twitch with Max for hours now, deep in a chaotic stream full of banter, games, and far too much shouting. Y/N had been missing in action the whole time, curled up in bed for a nap when the boys started, and clearly forgotten amidst the noise.
When she finally stirred awake, the first thing she heard was Lando’s muffled shouting through the walls. Headphones on, game volume cranked, completely unaware of how loud he was being. With a sleepy smile, she grabbed her phone and hopped onto Twitch, curiosity getting the best of her.
Instead of Lando’s stream, she tapped into Max’s—knowing full well she’d get the better view and more unfiltered commentary.
“Hi Maxie” she typed, the grin already growing on her face.
“Woah, is that Y/N?” Max’s voice rang out, loud and clear through Lando’s headset.
Lando glanced over his shoulder instinctively. “She’s asleep in the room, mate.”
Max let out a laugh. “No, mate—she just said hi in my chat. Hi Y/N!”
Lando’s brows lifted in surprise, just as the sound of her soft footsteps approached from behind. Moments later, she was there—turning his chair slightly before straddling his lap without a word, resting her chin on his shoulder.
“Oh—” Lando blinked, arms instinctively wrapping around her waist, one hand settling gently on her back. “Hi, baby. What’s wrong?”
She didn’t answer—just shook her head and nuzzled into his neck, clearly not in distress, just craving closeness.
The chat exploded.
“OMG STOP” “They’re so cute I’m gonna cry” “IM SO SINGLE” “Watch Max clown them in 3...2...1…”
“Ewww! Get a room, you two!” Max called out through his mic, laughing.
“Shut up, Max,” Lando chuckled, slipping off one side of his headset and muting his mic. He leaned back slightly, guiding her face away from his neck so he could see her.
“Baby… hey,” he said softly, concern laced through his voice as his arms held her close. “You alright, my love?”
She smiled gently, still sleepy-eyed. “Hi.”
“Well, hello,” Lando chuckled, amused by the unexpected visit. He reached up to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear, his thumb brushing her cheek. “What’s wrong? You don’t usually do this… not that I mind—I quite like it, actually.”
She only shook her head, letting out a quiet sigh as she settled her head back on his shoulder, her arms loosely wrapped around his neck.
Lando’s smile faded into a soft frown, now slightly worried. “You feeling okay? Are you sick?” His hand instinctively moved to her forehead, checking her temperature.
She laughed, lifting her head to meet his eyes. “I’m okay, silly. I just… missed you.”
That one sentence made something warm bloom in his chest. He smirked, his hands now tracing slow circles on her back, already forgetting the stream still running in the background.
“Yeah?”
She nodded, now suddenly a little bashful under his gaze.
“I can end the stream,” he offered gently. “We can hang out in the room, maybe order some food and watch a movie?”
She shook her head. “Maybe later? Go finish your game… I’ll just stay here for a bit.”
Lando smiled softly and guided her head back down to his shoulder, pressing a tender kiss to the side of her head. “Alright, my love. One more hour—then I’m all yours.”
He leaned forward and unmuted his mic, the grin already spreading on his face. “Sorry—boyfriend duties,” he said proudly, as Max groaned dramatically and the chat predictably exploded again.
“bf of the year!” “THE WAY HE LOOKS AT HER 😭” “MAX IS GONNA LOSE HIS MIND I LOVE THIS” “THE BAR IS ON THE FLOOR AND LANDO JUST LAUNCHED OVER IT”
------------------------------------------------------
Who knows me best?
The stream kicked off with the usual trio, but this time, they had a small whiteboard in hand. Lando sat center, eyes scanning his computer as he tweaked his Twitch setup.
“Ready?” he asked, giving his hair a final fluff before leaning back in his chair.
Max and Y/N finally set their phones aside, both nodding in sync with soft hums of agreement.
"So..." Lando clapped his hands to mark the start of the stream, prompting a chuckle from Y/N
“See? Told you he does that too,” Y/N said, leaning forward to look at Max.
Max grinned. “P said the exact same thing to me.”
“The clapping again?” Lando groaned, rubbing his cheek in mock frustration. “I swear I’ve been trying to stop. Someone tie me down already.”
“Y/N can do that tonight—like you two always do,” Max said with a cheeky smirk. “Right!” He punctuated the joke with a clap, then winced. “Ah, fuck. I did it too.”
That sent all three of them into a fit of laughter.
“We’re hopeless, mate,” Lando wheezed between laughs. “Alright, chat! We’re here for the ‘Best Friend vs. Girlfriend’ challenge—who knows me best?” He turned to Y/N with a playful look. “Or as she likes to call it…”
“‘Girlfriend versus Boyfriend,’” Y/N said, nodding seriously at the camera. “Because Max is my boyfriend’s boyfriend.”
“Oh, piss off,” Max laughed, shaking his head.
"I've started a poll, so you guys an vote on who you think will win" Lando says, handing each of them their own markers
“First question!” Lando grins, glancing between the two. “When and where was my Formula 1 debut?”
Max and Y/N immediately start scribbling on their boards, Lando casually jotting down his own answer with that signature smug smile.
Once they’re both done, Lando nods toward Max. “Alright, Max. You go first.”
Max flips his board with confidence. “2019, Australian Grand Prix.”
Lando chuckles and gives him a fist bump, flipping his board, revealing the same answer. “Point for Max.”
He turns to Y/N, who’s already rolling her eyes. “You got it wrong, didn’t you?”
“On the contrary,” Y/N says, flipping her board around with flair.
Lando and Max burst out laughing before she’s even finished reading.
“March 16, 2019. Australian Grand Prix. 3 PM local time,” she recites matter-of-factly, raising an eyebrow.
“You’re fucking joking,” Max wheezes, clutching his stomach. “You gave her the questions beforehand, didn’t you?!” He shoots Lando an accusatory look.
“What?! No! I swear I didn’t!” Lando throws his hands up, still laughing.
“I’m just that good of a girlfriend,” Y/N shrugs, casually erasing her board and adding a neat little mark in the corner for the point she just earned.
“We weren’t even dating yet, baby,” Lando teases, wiping tears from his eyes.
“Yeah, but she definitely had a massive crush on you already,” Max adds with a smirk, wiping off his own board "Remember when you begged me to not tell him when I found out and you—"
"—Okay! That's enough from you Maxiepoo," she says clapping her hands trying to speed up the process "move on come on keep them coming!"
Lando chuckles and nods, reading another question off his phone, “Next one. What’s my worst habit?”
Both Max and Y/N immediately start writing without hesitation, clearly prepared.
Lando watches them suspiciously. “Why are you both so fast with that?”
Max flips his board first: “Biting his nails”
“Okay wow—” Lando starts.
But Y/N’s already turning hers around: “Saying ‘I’m fine’ when he’s clearly spiraling.” She underlines it twice for dramatic effect.
Lando throws his head back laughing. “Well fuck, I feel attacked.”
“You should,” Max says. “We’ve had an intervention, like, twice.”
“You ignored both,” Y/N adds, casually ticking her board again.
Lando just shakes his head. “You guys are supposed to be on my team.”
“No,” they say in unison. “We’re on the truth’s team.”
Chat? Loving it
"NOT THEM TEAMING UP ON LANDO" "Max and Y/N are so competitive with it" "lol i think they're playing who loves Lando more?" ------------------------------------------------
Mini Lando
It had been a two-week break between races, and Lando was soaking it all in, some sun, some sleep, and a whole lot of gaming with the boys back in Monaco.
Today was no different, Lando and Max were live on Twitch, lazily stacked in their usual setup, bantering, gaming, and occasionally getting completely distracted by chat. But there was one thing everyone in the comments couldn't stop talking about.
The clip had already gone semi-viral on F1 Twitter: Twitch stream, Max mid-sentence, Lando walking off-screen, only to pop back into frame quietly leaning over Y/N on the bean bag, hand resting softly on her stomach, the other brushing her hair away like some kind of soft boyfriend fever dream. That, paired with Y/N’s mysterious absence from this stream?
Yeah. The fanbase had collectively lost its mind.
“Where’s Y/N?” Lando reads aloud, scoffing with a half-smile as he leans back in his chair.
Max snickers but doesn't look up from his screen. “Mate, you’ve unleashed the internet. That clip’s everywhere.”
Lando chuckles. “I was literally just saying hi.”
“Sure,” Max says, dragging it out like he’s stirring something dangerous. “Saying hi with your hand on her stomach and playing with her hair like it’s a Nicholas Sparks movie.”
Lando defends, laughing now. “I was being a good boyfriend”
Chat explodes — everything from “we know what tired means” to “BABY LANDOOOOO??”
Lando shakes his head, clearly fed up with the stream chat spiraling out of control. With a sigh, he pulls out his phone and dials Y/N, holding it up on speaker for dramatic effect.
Almost instantly, her voice comes through, dry and familiar “You do know I’m in the bedroom, right?”
“Hi, my love,” Lando says sweetly, ignoring Max’s exaggerated eye roll. “Come here for a sec?”
Max doesn't miss a beat. “The tone shift is insane. Bro went from gamer rage to Shakespearean boyfriend in 0.2 seconds, someone study that.”
Lando reaches over and smacks his arm, earning a loud “Oi!” from Max.
“Lan,” Y/N groans on the other end, “I look like shit right now.”
“You always look beautiful, my love,” Lando says, dramatically and unapologetically simping. “Chat’s looking for you. And, apparently… baby Norris too.”
“Oh my Gosh,” she mutters, but the sound of movement comes through anyway.
Not a minute later, Y/N appears behind Lando’s chair, wrapped in a hoodie that definitely wasn't hers, her hair in a mess of clips and chaos. She leans down, placing a soft kiss to the top of Lando’s head.
“You called?” she murmurs.
Lando looks up at her like she hung the moon. “Hello, gorgeous.”
Max turns back around, still grinning. “Everyone thinks baby Norris is on the way.”
Y/N snorts. “We can’t even agree on getting a pet, and you guys think we’re having a child?”
Chat loses it. Lando’s smile widens as he reaches up and laces his fingers through hers.
“So that’s a no?” Max deadpans.
“That’s a hell no,” she says, laughing. “Not until he agrees to get a dog”
“Here we go again,” Lando groans, burying his face in her hand.
“I was just on my period, guys. Calm your T’s,” Y/N says casually, walking further into frame like she didn’t just drop a bomb on the chat.
Max chokes on his drink. “Okay then—!”
Lando just shrugs, grinning. “You wanted answers.”
Without missing a beat, Y/N walks over to the corner of the room and returns with a small basket cradled in her arms.
“Anyway,” she continues, unfazed by the hysteria in the comments, “look at the care package Lando got me.”
She plops down next to him and starts pulling items out like she’s hosting an unboxing video: a ridiculous amount of chocolates, sour gummies, a box of painkillers, a face mask, heating patches, and even a tiny plush dinosaur.
“For emotional support,” Lando adds, pointing at the dinosaur. "Tell everyone what you named him, baby"
“His name's Dino Ricciardo” Y/N says, nudging Lando with her shoulder. “He was just being a doting boyfriend, is all.”
Chat absolutely explodes — messages flooding “I’m crying real tears, this is PEAK boyfriend behavior”“CAN WE CLONE HIM?”“Dino Ricciardo world champ 2025”“Why am I single 😭”
Lando’s just grinning like an idiot while Max shakes his head. “Yeah, alright, you win. Everyone else can go home.”
------------------------------------------------------------
Cat gate
Lando and Max were lounging side by side in his gaming room, mid-break between rounds of Counter-Strike, when Lando’s phone lit up on the desk.
“Ooh, look who’s calling, chat,” he grinned, picking it up and flashing the screen toward the camera, a photo of Y/N, cheeks squished against his in a selfie. The chat instantly flooded with heart emojis.
“Probably misses me already,” he added smugly, answering with a teasing, “Hello, baby.”
“Yuck,” Max groaned beside him, visibly cringing as he read the chat explode with reactions to Lando’s soft tone. “Hate it here.”
“Hey, so, um… don’t be mad,” Y/N’s voice came through, the slightest bit hesitant.
Lando’s brows furrowed slightly. “That’s never a good start. What’s wrong, my love? You still out with Lily and Alex?”
“Yeah! We had such a good time—we played a little golf, got some lunch…” she said casually, but there was background noise now: distant music, a bit of wind, someone talking.
Lando glanced at Max, curious. “Sounds fun. You on your way back?”
“Almost home, yes. But okay, listen… there’s just this tiny thing.”
“Wait—" Lando cut in, scandalized. "You played golf without me? I’m actually offended.”
“Lan…”
“Traitor,” Max muttered, shaking his head at her through the mic. “She always says no when we ask.”
“Because Lily actually knows what she’s doing!” Y/N snapped back playfully, then sighed. “Anyway, that’s not the point—”
“You told him about the cat yet?” another voice chimed faintly in the background—Alex Albon, unmistakably.
Lando’s expression froze. “Cat? Did Alex just say cat? What cat?!”
Y/N laughed nervously, “Okay...you know what? We’ll talk about it later. We’re almost home. Ten minutes. Love you, bye!”
“Wait—we?” Lando sat up straighter, suddenly suspicious. “Baby, who’s we? Hello??”
The call had already ended.
Max burst out laughing. “Oh, you’re in trouble.”
Lando stared at the screen like it betrayed him. “What cat? Who is we?! Did she mean her and the cat?!”
Not long later, a soft knock echoed through the room.
Lando glanced at the door just as it creaked open, revealing Y/N’s head peeking in, her eyes wide with mischief and a grin tugging at her lips.
Max immediately leaned forward, laughing. “Oh, she’s definitely up to something. That’s the face of someone who’s just done something incredibly stupid… or incredibly amazing.”
Lando turned in his chair to face her, smiling despite himself. “Come in, baby. The stream’s on.”
She stepped fully into the room, and in her arms, curled up like a sleepy little angel, was a kitten. A tiny, soft-furred ball of fluff, blinking slowly and completely unfazed by the chaos around it.
“Before you say anything,” Y/N started quickly.
“Oh my god,” Max said, whipping his head toward Lando, his eyes wide with glee.
Lando just stared. “Baby… you didn’t.”
“We can’t. We’re barely even home,” he added, voice soft but edged with disbelief.
“I know,” she rushed out, walking toward him and gently placing the kitten in his lap. “Technically, she’s still Alex’s. One of their cats had a litter and I said we could foster one for a bit.”
Lando let out a breath as the kitten instantly curled into him, purring like a tiny engine. His hand instinctively began to stroke the soft fur.
“How am I even meant to carry a cat?” he muttered, spinning his chair a little to show the stream.
“Mate… what do you mean? You’re literally holding it,” Max deadpanned, watching in disbelief.
“So?” Y/N asked, bouncing slightly on her toes. “Can we keep her—for now? Alex said if you say no, that’s totally fine. We’ve got three months to decide.”
Lando looked up at her, caught somewhere between overwhelmed and completely smitten. “But I thought you wanted a dog?”
“I do!” she said, nodding eagerly. “But now they can be friends.”
Lando turned to Max for backup, but Max just shrugged. “Leave me out of this one, mate.”
Lando’s eyes flicked back to Y/N, a grin breaking across his face despite the chaos. He looked down at the kitten, now snoozing peacefully in his lap.
“What are we naming her?”
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mothman-etd · 10 months ago
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I have talked a few times about Psychological Operations or psyops on here, but I would like to point out a real world example of a PO Operation that was found out recently by the Department of Justice.
Before that though, If you would like to read more about the actual position of a PO soldier, you can look no further then the PO benefits page on the US Army special operations recruitment website (https://www.goarmysof.army.mil/PO/).
Personally I feel like many people still believe psyops to be some kind of conspiracy theory instead of a fairly standard military division in almost all modern militaries, anyways onto the example.
The US Department of Justice is going after (indicting) two RT (Russian state media) employees for committing fraud and violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act.
Basically they created a front "media" company in Tennessee, translated russian propaganda videos into english, then paid right-wing influencers to promote (reblog/retweet/talk about on streams) said videos.
Three of the named influencers that I could find were Tim Pool, Dave Rubin and Benny Johnson.
I honestly have no idea who these three are, but supposedly their platforms have millions of followers. Also, some of these influencers were paid up too $100,000 a week to promote their videos and messaging.
So to summarize, Russia setup a fake company to pay American influencers to repeat their lies so that their followers would interpret those lies as legitimate since their were coming from a source they trust.
When people talk about election interference this is what we are talking about.
$100K a week is insane money for most, I am sure many people would be hard pressed to not sell their soul for that much money. Many of the videos from this media company were lies about the Ukraine war, and looking into Tim Pool it seems he also has a very anti-Ukraine stance (Audio from one of this podcasts https://v.redd.it/41xgvuri0vmd1/DASH_AUDIO_128.mp4)
I generally do not talk about my job on here, but corporations used to pay me to run seminars to help train their employees on spotting these types of attacks--mainly targeted psyops attacks from nation states to hack into their company via end user interaction.
Or in layman's terms, to help companies protect themselves from Russian Ransomware Thieves and Chinese Intellectual Property/Information collectors. Both of these being extensions of the Psychological Operations military divisions of each country.
I am really not sure how to end this post other than I am just trying to show people how real it is that the militaries of the world are spending obscene amounts of money in trying to influence your opinions and day to day life via your internet consumption.
Surf responsibility, be very wary of anyone telling you not to vote and don't believe everything you see/hear on TikTok/youtube/twitter/Insta etc etc
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thebananwithaplan · 2 years ago
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Is it peanut butter jelly time
Tumblr media
. "Always and forever."
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luna-azzurra · 3 months ago
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5 Ways to Actually Get Writing Done Without Selling Your Soul (or Crying into Your Keyboard… Again)
» Set Specific Goals
Sitting down with the vague idea of “I’m gonna write something” is a trap. It’s like walking into a grocery store without a list—you’ll leave with five snacks, zero dinner, and a sense of moral failure. Set a goal. A real one. Like...
“I’m going to write 500 words.”
“I’m going to finally fix that scene where my MC argues like a confused raccoon.”
“I will name the horse in chapter 3 and stop calling it ‘Equine Placeholder.’”
Specific = focus. And when your brain knows the mission, it’s much less likely to yeet you into Instagram for 45 minutes.
» Make Your Writing Cave Cozy (But Not Too Cozy, You’re Still Supposed to Be Working)
You don’t need a Pinterest-worthy office to write, you just need a space where your brain doesn’t go, “Ah yes, this is where we rot.” That means:
Get rid of the chaos pile on your desk.
Turn off your phone notifications (no, you do not need to reply to that meme right now).
Put on music if it helps—lo-fi beats, rain sounds, dungeon ambiance, whatever makes your creative brain purr.
And listen, if your writing setup is literally “half my bed, one sad candle, and a playlist titled ‘angst in the moonlight’”—same. Make it work.
» Trick Yourself Into a Routine (Because Discipline is a Scam and We're Just Goblins With Deadlines)
Look, “routine” sounds boring and adult, but hear me out: it doesn’t have to be rigid. You don’t need to write at 5am with green juice in hand like a productivity cultist. You just need consistency.
Write after you brush your teeth.
Write before bed with your laptop balancing on your stomach like a raccoon with a diary.
Write for ten minutes during lunch, just to prove to yourself you’re still a writer.
The goal is to make writing so normal, your brain goes, “Oh, this again. I guess we’re doing this.” Momentum is magic.
» Use Productivity Hacks (Or: Outsmart Your Own Gremlin Brain)
Your brain? It’s crafty. It will try to distract you with snacks, existential dread, and seventeen Wikipedia tabs. So: outwit it.
Try the Pomodoro Technique:
25 minutes of writing.
5 minutes of pretending to stretch but actually scrolling.
Repeat until your story is slightly less of a hot mess.
Or time block. Or sprint with a friend. Or lie to yourself and say you’ll just write for five minutes—then trick yourself into staying because now you’re in the zone and your villain is being so deliciously cruel.
Whatever works. Bribe your brain. No shame here.
» Stop Editing Mid-Damn-Sentence
Nothing kills momentum faster than rewriting the same paragraph eleven times before moving on. This is your permission slip to write badly. Like, aggressively mediocre. Like, "this dialogue sounds like a soap opera performed by raccoons" badly. Because you can’t fix what you didn’t write. First drafts are for getting the clay on the table. You’ll sculpt it later. Probably while crying and muttering “why did I make this character so emotionally repressed.”
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