#(this is more directed at the met gala and those participating. not so much the bloggers who think the outfits look nice. they do. i guess.)

[tendercoretroglodyke]

sorry but fuck the met gala

[slyscoutess]

BLOUKOUT || FORMULA 1

I think we're all chronically online enough here to know what's going on, and rightly so, on TikTok right now, but don't worry, if for some reason you've been in a cave the last few days and haven't heard , let me explain everything with such precision.

In recent days, the Met Gala 2024 was unveiled, and with it celebrities from all lists came together with a single cause, to put themselves in the spotlight with exaggerated clothes and a ticket more expensive than yours and my life. Among these was the influencer hayleyybaylee, an American influencer who thought it would be wise to record, edit and publish a video with her exaggerated clothes, heading to a dance that only the elite within the biggest elites have the right to go to, in the audio of the video? a line that is certainly historically excruciating.

while Rafah, the only theoretically safe place, or at least that was what had been promised to the Palestinian people, was being completely bombed, Hayley was publishing a video with the audio of Marie Antoinette: “let them eat cake”. If you, like me, are a history lover, you know well the episode in history that the French people lived from then on.

With the memory of this audio, we reclaim our power as the people in control, we gave these people the platform and from these people we can take the platform away at any time we want. If the government and the rich are not giving their time to those in need, we will need to force their gaze in the direction we want.

Here we have a term: the people for the people.

because it's literally all we have.

with that, we brought our guillotines outside and decided to take from them what they don't know how to use; their voices and their platforms. blokout2024 is a line that anyone can participate in, the best way to help is to share lists and that includes your own, but it was bothering me how there were names that never appeared there, the formula 1 drivers.

These playboys who spend the year doing Vrom Vrom don't pay attention to anything that doesn't affect them and this was seen with the whole Christian Horner harassment case and some of the reactions to this case. It's time to demand some responsibility from them, they are not babies, they are not children, they are men who are always ready to defend harassers and say that they respect racists and criminals.

“but love, boys can't talk about it” Sir Lewis Hamilton, as always and once again, proved that they can. the man continues to publish links and news about Palestine, and this is not recently, and we know that when Lewis makes donations, he is not in the habit of taking a stand on them, just as he recently did for the Brazilian people with the case of Rio Grande do Sul, the other pilots and their partners just don't care. not to mention the teams and their bosses. This even affects the Formula 1 Academy, with Charlotte Tilbury as a sponsor and frequently in the paddock, for those who don't know, Charlotte recently fired Bella Hadid, a Palestinian woman, for protesting and continuing to speak about the country of her blood and family.

remembering that there are convinced Zionists within the paddock, such as Lance Stroll's girlfriend, sister and brother-in-law, the latter is also Daniel Ricciardo's best friend. Tell me who you hang out with and I'll tell you who you are.

I'm not here telling you to stop liking your favorites, I'm not here telling you to stop watching the races, I love some of these and it will hurt me to block them, but not as much as it hurts me to know that they close their eyes and remain quiet in all their luxury, I'm here saying that we need to demand a position from these men and women, we were the ones who gave them the platform, how many people in Palestine can be fans of these people who ignore their suffering on a daily basis? so keep writing fanfics, follow the gossip pages, but the officials need to take a stand

If even the swifties are doing it, why can't we do it?

Let’s Start Big:

BLOCK

FIRST HALF || SECOND HALF

HONORARY MENTION

LN4 |

LN Rancing Kart |

Lando JPG |

Lando Movie |

Quadrant |

Max Fewtrell |

Lec |

F1Academy |

Nico Rosberg |

Romain Grosjean |

Jenson Button |

Kimi Räikkönen |

Sebastian Vettel |

Mick Schumacher |

Magui Corceiro |

Ollie Bearman |

Liam Lawson |

James Vowles |

Bianca Bustamante |

Sky Sports F1 |

Zak Brown |

Christian Horner |

CS55 Racing |

Arrow McLaren |

1 paper cut doesn't really hurt, but 28 million paper cuts can kill you. Let's fucking hit the pentagon, only follow trought fan accounts.

We, the damned of the earth, have only each other. And that will be enough.

[mysticprofessoralienhumanoid]

Maribat ideas I will probably never write

Now, before we start.

I realize that those may have already been made but I've never seen them and everything here came from my mind. But if you remember the titles, please tell me them or send a link to the stories, I'd love to read them.

This can be whatever ship you want Connorette, Daminette, Cassandra x Marinette, Brucinette... Any ship.

Here I'll refer to them just as the bats or one of the bats, or just choose a random one of them simply because I don't know the exact person that'd fit in the au with Marinette so I'm just leaving it up to you but... yeah.

[And yes, I know I said it could be Connor or Jon or anyone else, and I know they are not part of Batclan but for the lack of better word, just roll with it]

Yes, you can use any of them, but please tag me (i really want to read what you came up with) and include the link to my post so maybe someone else could use any other of these.

And if want to add anything or just brainstorm in the comments I'd love to do it with you, so don't be shy and say what you think (constructive critism only).

Maybe i will update this, but for now feel free to use any of these over 20 (i think at least) ideas I came with in these past 2 weeks cuz i was bored.

And before you start, I'm thinking of making mafia boss! Marinette AU, but i don't know what ship it should be... Suggestions? (Just not the love square please)

Hope you like it.

-------------------------------------------------------

Violinist Marinette. The Waynes got invited to a concert in which Mari played a solo. And they're all just enchanted with her talent.

Marinette a Badass Dancer. None of the bats is a dancer in this AU and I don't really have any direction where this would go, but i just had a scene where she kicks their asses even though she doesn't have much (or any) exprience in martial arts. Just her spinning and kicking one of them mid-spin in the face or... somewhere else...

So the scene is a Wayne Gala, right? Jagged Stone dares Marinette to sing a song on a stage (there’s live music band, i guess?). Everyone’s mesmerised by her voice and Jagged can be heard screaming “That’s my niece!” in the backround. I really want her to sing Creep , a cover by Scott Bradlee's Postmodern Jukebox ft. Haley Reinhart or Crazy in Love , also a cover made by Sofia Karlberg, though any other song is fine too

Bats and Marinette in a band. That's it. That's the whole AU.

One of the bats is sitting under a tree, all peacefully and relaxed, but then they look up to see a random girl with dark blue hair (??) just hanging upside down from a branch like an actual freaking bat. She gives them a heart attack.

Another Au with singing Marinette lol. In this one Marinette likes to sing in a park every other day and Damian comes here one day and hears her and is like “wow.”, and since then he comes there everyday in hopes of hearing her sing and getting her number. And maybe Luka or Adrien play while she sings, that’d be cool

Guys, Marinette and the Waynes being neighbours. No, but imagine. Them seeing some girl watering plants every week for a month or two and then not seeing her for a long period of time, and they're kinda worried, but then she's back and they're confused, because where the hell she'd been, the house looked like not used and just where the hell was she? Marinette seeing some... Weird things happening in the Wayne backyard. Balconies being in front of each other, so they're balcony neighbours too (the romance, the fluff, even the angst, guys). Marinette going to them with baked goods and introducing herself as their neighbour. Them going to hers and welcoming her with a basket of Alfred's cooking. 

Jason has to participate in a dating show because he lost a bet and Mari's one of the participants too...

Duke needs a date to a wedding (i don't know whose, your choice) and Marinette's his best friend, so be my fake date to this wedding?

Marinette as Tim's daughter??

The greatest showman AU. (Sibling dickinette. On the trapeze-)

Forget rouges, superheroes and vigilantes. Underground dancers. Because it's what i need, y'all

So in this, WE is a dance company, and Marinette's maybe an intern in a fashion department. One day Dick's going to one of the practice rooms where's been scheduled a meeting with a designer for his costume for the next show. Instead he's met with a girl he sees for the first time, practically flying on the dance floor. Just as he's about to reveal himself the rest comes and it turns out this is the fashion designer and it seems as no one knows she's an amazing dancer too

Teachers AU + Rivals AU = utter chaos. Them teaching the same subject and competing for their class' loves and/or arguing whose close is better. [Bonus points if everyone's thinking they hate each others guts, but they're secretly dating]

Fencers AU - on the same team on different teams, your choice. (And this honestly suits with Kagami too. I'm up for kagami x bat/marinette)

Damian in the park with Mar'i, but he's having trouble, because this kid has so much energy. How?? Just when he thinks he can take a breath, he notices Mar'i has wandered off and is talking to a young woman, so he rushes there and try to apologize, but she says it's no problem at all. Suddenly this gorgeous girl offers him her help. It looks like Mar'i has taken liking to her and he's so tired, so he agrees and for the rest day watches two Mari's play together and falls in love with the older one. Plotwist: this was plan all along. Mar'i is the ultimate wingwoman.

All the Wayne siblings decided to go to one of those haunted houses for a halloween and there's this petite girl who tagged along their group somehow. They didn't expect to see this tiny girl punching the worker dressed as a monster and knocking the daylight out of him. But it was so worth getting kicked out.

Marinette's a ghost and these four men came to her house and apparently they're doing a ghost investigation?? I mean, she was getting a bit lonely and bored, maybe it's time to "gain some friends" (read: scare the living out of them).

Pretty much the above but with bat/s as ghost/s and Marinette as the paranormal investigator with her team (i honestly want one of them to be Kagami, i don't know why). In both you need to decide who's a skeptic and who believes. It's fun, the ghost is trying to scare them off, but they're stubborn.

Sibling dickinette where Marinette calls her older brother everytime she wants to get out of a date and so he pretends to "arrest" her. (And then maybe dick decides to play a matchmaker and sets her up with one of his adoptive siblings)

Marinette as a lawyer. Her going against LexCorps who framed Wayne Enterprises for something. Or maybe Bruce was accused of murder (that he obviously did not commit) and now she has to prove his innocence. I just really want to read about badass lawyer Marinette, guys

Merlin AU. Is there any AUs with Marinette being Merlin and saving Arthur's ass (I honestly think it should be Chloe, no joke)?

Mominette where she adopts Cassandra. I just imagined them going to ballet lessons together and cooking and now I'm soft.

Marinette got dared by her friends to set a trap for the passerby that involved eggs, toy train and glitter and to then to pretend they're her ex and they cheated in her, and Jason had the misfortune to be that passerby. (Yes, this is probably crack lol)

Tim can rap. Marinette can rap. What could go wrong?? (Yes, this is probably crack too)

There's this girl they see every year when to go on trick-or-treating and she always has the most amazing or scariest costumes. But Damian will not go without a fight and so every year they compete over who has the better costume. This year they just so conveniently dressed up as the famous Halloween couple.

Jon is 17 now and it seems as no one is interested in him. He jokingly tells Damian he supects theres a ghost that's in love with him and they keep away any potential lovers from him. He doesn't know how much he's right. Marinette though, is freaking out.

Marinette decided to take a part-time job at a local pool as a life guard. There's a sudden increase in people coming to said pool but also a dramatic increase in people pretending to drown. Conner is one of them.

Marinette plays a therapist to all of the batfam. The amount of the ridiculous problems she had to listen to... She could write a book and she would make millions out of it, she swears.

"Some say "revenge is a dish best served cold.", then i read "revenge is sweet", so i came to conclusion revenge is ice cream." Huh, so that'd explain the sudden disappearance of ice cream in whole Gotham Jason had been hearing about for the past week from Bruce. The question is, what that petite bluenette is planning to do and who is going to be a victim of her ice cream revenge?

Tim had been in coma for a month after the drug bust, and he has just woken up. The first thing he does? He picks up the argument he and Marinette had been having before he's been put into a coma.

The couple at the place Jason had been at, started making out loudly, so he started making loud noises while eating his ice cream. They stopped. And he got this cute barista's phone number when she was walking past him.

Marinette's at the spa when she overhears two guys betting who can eat more slices of cucumber (that were supposed to be put on their eyelids) and she decided to participate. Safe to say they were all banned from all the spas in Gotham

Can i please get Jason/Duke/anyone making up a bedtime story for Marinette after she woke up from a nasty nightmare? I need it

Every morning and night Marinette pretends to be asleep just so she can feel Damian pull her closer, kiss her temple and whisper how much he loves her

Roy listening to Jason complaining about each first encounter of her girlfriend with his siblings and Bruce. Each is more ridiculous than the one before. He listens to it, after he and Marinette had gone through their own weird af first meeting.

Dick was so busy laughing at the bluenette who'd just walked into a post, he ran into the same post minute later. She asked him out... After she finished laughing and telling him karma's a bitch

Dick likes to think he's the reason Jason and Marinette got married. To his last days he will brag about how at his and Kori's wedding Marinette caught the bouquet, tripped and Jay caught her.

Jason asked Marinette on a date to one of the restaurant the WE owned. Then as a test, he told her he couldn't pay for all the expensive dishes they ordered. She took his hand and they ran out of the building. He's convinced he's going to marry her.

[opalmaplehibiscus]

Leona, this is Romance – Romance, this is Leona

**I’m so sorry it took so long to actually finish this request OTL I really do hope I did it justice since I do happen to like Leona despite him being so petty and jerky**

Leona x Reader HC

·       When Leona sees you the first time, he didn’t think much of you other than some entertaining herbivore. After all, it wasn’t every day for him to see someone without magic get into a magic school, none the less NRC. You not knowing anything about Twisted Wonderland, making it funnier

·       Although he found you fun to watch, as he often gets bored a lot, he wouldn’t get close to you. He didn’t want to get involved with the chaos that occurs around you. All the nosiness and troublesome things you have to deal with? No thank you, I’m already in a relationship called sleep and I have no plans on breaking up with her yet

·       He spends his day like normal, lazing around, taking naps, and skipping classes until his tail gets stepped on. To say that he didn’t appreciate the pain as a way to wake him up was an understatement. Whoever stepped on him was going to die

·       Once his eyes met with yours, he would be surprised and curious how you ended up staying in the school, no less, a student

·       Maybe you were hiding magic or had it sealed? Those could be a probable reasons to have you enrolled. To test his theory out, he comes closer and sniffs you. But nope, he couldn’t smell even a hint of magic from you

·       Once again, his interest in you piqued as he found himself finding a toy to keep him entertained. But first things first, whether you had magic or not, you stepped on his tail. And he can’t let you go just like that

·       He was cracking his knuckles, ready to actually punch you, only to stop when Ruggie starts calling for him

·       He didn’t appreciate Ruggie interrupting, nor having to let you off. As Ruggie was busy nagging at him for skipping his classes, Leona would replay the events that had happen, recalling the scared look you had on your face. It reminded him of a scared, baby herbivore that was about to be eaten. Cute and entertaining to watch

·       As Ruggie and him walked to Leona’s remedial lessons, Leona would be smirking unconsciously causing Ruggie to get the chills and send his condolences to whomever caught Leona’s attention

·       When word of you defeating and saving OB Riddle spreads around campus, Leona knew that he needed to stay low from you. After all, if you were able to take on OB Riddle, you weren’t simple as he had initially thought

·       Careful, careful, Ruggie be careful, would be the words Leona always gave to Ruggie, before sending him off to the next target. It annoyed him how careful he had to be, more than what he had originally thought, but if rumors about you were true, it would mean he would need to be extremely careful

·       You were sharp and clever as it was obviously seen with how you were able to create a plan on spot to take down OB Riddle. And like hell is he letting you ruin his plan

·       When his plans crumble right before his eyes, he wasn’t happy but not surprised that it was you who did it. You were too observant to the point there wasn’t a chance for him to get away with it. Especially if it was true that Ruggie had shown you his unique magic before the plan even started.

·       After obing, he was ready to face the full consequence. Not you interfering, letting not just him but the whole Savanaclaw to play in the magift tournament

·       He initially thought it was going to be out of pity, and like hell was he going to accept that. He may have lost 90% of his pride, but he still has 10% of it left. And yeah, no, he’s not about to get that taken away from him

·       But after hearing how it was for the victims to get their revenge, he couldn’t hold back his laugh. No matter what, in the end you would always find a way to surprise him – something he started seeing as charming and attractive

·       When you got knocked out from Grim’s attack – which was like, really? Really? You can’t even control magic but you still tried doing that? Dumb cat – he was the one to pick you up and bring you to the infirmary as Ace, Deuce, and Jack were panicking over you while lecturing Grim in the same time

·       He will never admit it that he was worried for you at the time. He just felt annoyed and frustrated how the 1st years didn’t even use common sense to take you to the infirmary. Seriously, he swears, every year, the newbies come in with one less braincell than the previous year

·       When you woke up and ask about Savanaclaw, all Leona could was huff at your question, not being able to understand why you cared about his dorm so much. It was as if you actually cared for him and his wellbeing, something he never felt or experienced before in his life

·       When he sees you smile and laugh while watching Cheka fooled around with him, he doesn’t know why, but he starts feeling embarrassed. Annoyed was his usual feeling, but embarrassment? Never heard of it until now. It doesn’t help when his heart starts feeling warm when Cheka went over to you and talked with you with his precious bratty smile

·       During Chapter 3, after hearing that you were kicked out of your own dorm, the unfamiliar feeling of concern enters him, making him feel frustrated and conflicted. He didn’t want to deal with your problem, because…well.. It’s not his problem and it’ll probably be too troublesome. On the other hand… okay, he might’ve developed a soft spot for you, which would probably be the reason why he wants to help you

·       Either way, for the first time in his life, he wasn’t sure what to do so decided to let fate decide the course of things except with a challenge that was obviously suppose to favor him not helping you. Because as always, he doesn’t like to bother himself with troublesome things. Just let him stay lazy, stop bothering him dang it

·       To put it bluntly, he lost. And boy oh boy did he had a hard time sleeping in the same room as you during the next 2 days. He didn’t really notice at first, yet as soon as he caught himself covering you back up with a blanket, he found himself actually mothering you. What the hell

·       It’s just, well, because seeing you sleep while shivering annoyed him. So was removing Grim off your stomach. It looked way to cringy. Yeah. Yeah. That was it. Totally

·       During that time, Ruggie continued to give Leona a knowing look, snickering whenever Leona had his eyes trained on you, though subconsciously.

·       Leona: What’s with that look? Ruggie: Nothing~ Nothing~ shishishi. By the way, aren’t you looking at the freshman too much? *Sound of a glass cup cracking* Leona: You said something? Ruggie: …No

·       When you were able to reveal the weaknesses to Azul’s contract, it reminds him that despite your herbivore-exterior, you still had the mind of a predator. Something he finds himself appreciating

·       One thing led to another, and he finds himself facing off with an OB Azul. Leona questions himself as to why he was there in the first place but when the memory of you threatening him into helping came up, he remembered why. Yes, he also wanted to get rid of the contract he made with Azul and maybe, maybe, egg that octopus-bastard (which he had fun by the way. It was his first time ever seeing Azul desperate and to say he didn’t enjoy it would be lie). Now, he regrets it to a T

·       When you thank him for the help though, Leona brain froze for a second. To be thanked by you, felt weird. For some reason, it made him feel warm – as if everything he had just put up with was worth it. But after feeling a certain someone’s stare, he ended up smirking, saying it was obvious that you should be thanking him

·       Winter break roles in, and he finds himself continuing to think about you. He would chuckle to himself time to time, freaking Farena, Cheka, and Cheka’s mom out as he found it endearing and amusing that you always manage to find a way to either surprise or amuse him

·       All of those feelings disappeared though when he suddenly gets a phone call from Ruggie while he was in a middle of trying to run away from Cheka

·       Dread fills his mind as he watches the whole Magicam live from start to finish. Soon he’s filled with anger, directed towards a certain snake, when he sees you get kicked to the ends of the desert

·       He only gets angrier when he realizes that he can’t come and help you this time. He’s stuck at palace and if he leaves, Cheka would most likely throw a tantrum leading to more headaches

·       He couldn’t understand why in the world you care about others so much. It doesn’t matter whether it was because of your good will or the fact that you simply can’t help it. If it’s going to put your life in danger, why do it from the start? What if you actually get hurt?

·       The more Leona thought about it, the more frustrated he got. He tried to calm himself, reminding himself how you weren’t dumb like most of the freshies but actually smart. You’ll be able to solve this and somehow get of the situation at hand

·       When he came back from break, he didn’t greet you with his signature smirk or his neutral expression. Leona was glaring at you, to the point he could see you shiver from fear. Ruggie was on the side, trying to get him to calm down yet it only annoyed him more. He wanted to at least punch you once for acting like an idiot and getting yourself in danger

·       After 5 minutes, he ended up calming himself and walk towards the dorm, calling you an idiot before he left

·       He wouldn’t talk to you until he was forced to participate in the Fairy Gala. During the time off, he would try to figure out why he was so angry at you. Even he knew that he was behaving strange, but for what reason?

·       You were weak, fragile, and an herbivore. You can’t even use magic. Yet you always manage to surprise him, making school life interesting with your antics. Cause underneath that “weakling” cover, you were observant, clever, intelligent, always looking cute when you were able to discover hint or clue. When you explain how were you able to reach your accurate conclusions, it showed you were a force to be reckoned despite your exterior. And that just made you all more cha- ah

·       Midway through his thoughts, Leona paused as he realized he was complimenting you in his head. His dictionary usually doesn’t have such things like compliments. And all he could think after realizing this was – Oh. Oh…F***

·       During Fairy Gala, he continued to curse Vil in his head for insulting him in front of you. It’s already bad that he got spanked – spanked what the crap. He’s a prince and he was spanked – but to be insulted about walking? And in front of you? This is the worst

·       He could see Ruggie trying to not laugh in the corner of his eyes. And like hell he’ll let the hyena off. Just you wait Ruggie, once this whole thing is over, you’ll regret ever enjoying my pain

·       When he sees you in your Fairy Gala attire, he did his best trying not to blush or saying something nice. It was taking all of his self-control not to take you right there especially when you were looking adorable

·       He enjoyed getting praised by you though, as he saw you turn apple red at his appearance and tell him he looked good despite the ridiculous make up Vil made him put on and the cape that seemed to resemble a blanket (he knows that Crewel and Vil were shading him but he’ll let it go for now since it helped him get to see a side of you he never knew you had)

·       When he was heading back to his spot after walking the run away, he didn’t expect to see you and Ruggie nearly getting caught by the fairies. Panic entered Leona’s head as he realized that the two of you were hit by the sprinkler, washing off the fairy dust

·       Quickly, he grabbed the fairies’ attention, trying to give you both the chance to escape. After all, it would be annoying if the magic stone didn’t make it back to campus and put all his hard work in vain. Does anyone know how painful it was to walk with a vase on your shoulders and head?

·       Once everyone was able to sneak out of the garden, Leona wanted to rip Ruggie a new one for nearly getting caught. But when you praised everyone for doing a good job on making the plan successful, he dropped it as he opted to hear more praises from you

·       As everyone was heading back to their own dorms, Leona walks with you to the hall of mirrors, listening to you as you talked about how you enjoyed attending the gala despite being there only for a day. The way you were speaking with pure joy and bliss, smiling while Grim chirped in here and there made him smirk, but with an edge of softness and endearment though you wouldn’t notice

·       Once the two of you reached the hall of mirrors, right before you enter the mirror Leona suddenly grabs your arm and spun you around

·       You were tense when your eyes met his, feeling overwhelmed from how Leona’s eyes seemed to be glowing with some sort of passion

·       And without hesitation he kisses your lips firmly yet softly for what seemed to be eternity before he lets go of you and heads to his dorm

·       When he sees Ruggie standing in front of the dorm entrance, snickering after seeing the whole thing, Leona scowled

·       Ruggie: Wow, Leona-san. Who would’ve thought that you could blush like that? Shishishi~ Leona: I could make you turn red, but for a whole different reason if you want Ruggie: Kidding, kidding~ Shishishi

·       That night Leona had the best sleep, feeling satisfied and actually…happy for once. He didn’t regret anything one bit. You may be smart, but he was smarter to the point he knew what you were going to do and say

·       All his thoughts were confirmed as he saw you at the entrance of Savanaclaw’s dorm, smirking as you turned towards him with a blush while Grim was growling on the side with Jack, Ace, and Deuce

·       For the first time in his life, he felt happy. And only became happier when you walked up to him and kissed him on the cheek with a muttered “Good morning” before walking with to main campus as the 1st year crew and Grim were screaming “No” in despair

[angelz-dust]

masters of none - part 2 (jason todd x reader)

summary: thank you all for taking interest in this! i’ve gotten wonderful feedback and helpful criticism that i appreciate so much. i’ve decided to give you guys some more jason since i’m sure you all want to see him lol. i have a plan tho so bear with me. we are currently laying the foundation.

word count: 2.9k

warnings: alcohol. food mention. anxious reader.

part 1 /// part 3

ungodly hour

when you decide you like yourself. when you decide you need someone. when you don't have to think about it.

...

you felt an uncomfortable churning in your stomach as your bare back pressed against the cold leather seats of the limousine. you laced your fingers and rested your hand over your middle, hoping the subtle self soothing would calm your nerves. it wasn't everyday you went to a wayne gala after all. your silence and clear discomfort was enough to stir a reaction from misha, one of your fellow producers and stylist.

"you doing alright over there?" she asked after applying her lipgloss, carefully wiping the corners of her mouth.

"chillin'," you responded with a little shrug.

that was a lie. you felt like you were going to shit and projectile vomit simultaneously. however, it was freezing in the limo so you were definitely chilling in some sense of the word. your navy off the shoulder dress made of tulle embroidered with stars but it wasn't really warm. your shoulders were exposed and so was a good portion of your arms. you didn't know how misha was holding up in her dress. her entire back and arms had to protection from the cold at all.

"you know this isn't a big deal, right?" she reminded you gently. she must have picked up on your discomfort. "we'll go in, i'll network with the old money of gotham, and we'll leave."

"yeah but where does that leave me?" you asked her, shifting in your seat and almost slipping out of it. the tulle didn't provide much traction against the slippery leather. "i'm your plus one, remember? i serve no purpose."

"i thought that was the selling point," she pouted before making an attempt to cheer you up. "you don't serve no purpose. you're there to make me look good. my arm candy."

"i believe people may see it as the other way around," you informed her with a sigh. "but... fine. as long as you don't leave me alone."

"and let somebody snatch up my trophy wife?" misha scoffed, causing you to exhale through your nose with a barely visible smile. "i'm not letting you out of my sight!"

the limousine slowly stopped in front of the venue, your door lined up with the red carpet that had been laid out for the guests. it was time. you glanced around, briefly considering your escape plan just as the driver had opened the door, snuffing our any idiotic thoughts you had about jumping out through the sunroof or shimming out of the opposing window, away from the prying eyes of the paparazzi.

the lights. bright, blinding white lights flashing on and off. if you weren't acutely aware of where you were at the moment, you would've thought some kid had an essay due at midnight with the furious clicking and shuttering that filled your ears. misha was the first to step out, waiting for you to maneuver your way out.

the golden light emanating from the venue, paired with the harsh lights from the press honestly made misha look even more beautiful than normal. here you were, completely out of your element, standing next to a goddess in lilac chiffon. you looked up at her, noticing how the soft edges of her face contrasted with the sharp ones of her collarbone and the plunging v neck only accentuated that. the person you were with wasn't your friend, or your label mate. no, you were with gotham's resident fashionista and trendsetter, misha matsuri. if anyone was the arm candy, it was her.

you were brought out of your trance when she linked arms with you and began leading out down the red carpet. you honestly couldn't make out what the paparazzi were shouting at you both, aside from the occasional scream of your names. normally, you'd be a little more lively but this was a very important and formal event. it wasn't like the times where you went to award shows and you could feed off of the other seven's excited energy. you weren't surrounded by fans or people who were interested in hearing about you. you were here for misha and only her. you liked that aspect of it, but it was still uncharted territory for you.

"misha! can you tell us more about your foundation?" a reporter asked, pushing through the eager paparazzi who wanted to monopolize on their close contact with you both.

"of course," misha smiled, flipping her hair out of her face. "to cut to the chase, m squared is making fashion accessible to everyone. we've have homeless people on the streets who have no access to clothes that are befitting of the harsh weather they endure on a daily basis. we have low income families who can't afford to give their children new clothing for the school year. there are people who can't afford a nice shirt and slacks for their job interviews. our goal is the provide these people with what they need. access to clothing is a necessity, not a luxury."

you listened to misha and felt pride swell up in your chest, replacing the nausea that had plagued you previously. you were quickly reminded of why you came with her in the first place. she was trying to do something wonderful for the community and aid others in doing the same.

misha left it at that, dragging you along once she had said what she wanted. "see? that wasn't so bad."

"we haven't even crossed the threshold, mother teresa," you reminded her, jerking your chin in the direction of the large double doors behind held open for you both. misha flashed her invitation to the bouncer, quickly being let in.

the two of you walked in and you were stunned at the venue. everyone was dressed to the nines. you recognized many politicians, socialites, and some celebrities as you worked your way to the main ballroom. you felt your eyes widened as you saw bruce wayne out socializing with his guests. you had seen him on the news and in magazines but never in person. he was much taller than you expected. and closer in proximity to you. how was that happening?

"miss matsuri, miss l/n," he had greeted you both, almost surprising you. you weren't sure if misha brought you to him or he brought himself to you. maybe they met halfway while you were in shock. either way, he was here now. "it's wonderful to finally meet you both."

both? he knew you? bruce wayne knew you?

"thank you for your invitation, mr. wayne," misha smiled politely as they gently shook hands. he turned to you, offering you the same courtesy. you felt your brain lag out before you snapped out of it, taking his hand with nervous laughter. "it was a pleasant surprise."

"anyone that has the best interest of gotham in mind deserves recognition and support for their efforts. and please, bruce is fine."

you zoned out as bruce gave you the run down on the place. your eyes wandered around, occasionally lining up with a location bruce was telling you about. you were brought out of your boredom when you heard a loud crash off in the distance. you saw a group of four boys all surrounding a broken champagne bottle like it was a crime scene. you saw a twinge of annoyance on bruce's face before he collected himself.

"please excuse me. i need to reprimand my sons," he said apologetically, making his way over to the group who paled at his presence, except for the youngest one.

"father, this was todd's doing," you heard him say with a frown. "he kept antagonizing drake and they knocked over the champagne. grayson and i were merely bystanders."

"you are such a snitch," the apparent perpetrator sneered.

"here, come on," misha laughed, dragging you away from the scene. "i have old men to seduce for their money."

your gaze lingered on the group while you were dragged away. you knew that none of them were related by blood, expect for the little one and bruce, but handsome clearly ran in the wayne family. there must be something in that expensive tap water.

you spent majority of the night helping misha on her quest for benefactors. she wasn't made of money and she had made it clear that she didn't want money coming from the community. she wanted to 'milk the rich bastards of gotham for everything they've got' or something to that effect.

not actively participating in these conversations required you to try and keep yourself occupied. you started counting the chandeliers (there were five), thinking about one of the tracks you were working on (the chorus was lacking something and you didn't know what it was), and at one point you tried listening in on other conversations, hoping to hear about something juicy (you didn't).

how many glasses of champagne have you had now? three? four? you lost count. you realized you should've been counting them instead of the chandeliers. either way, you were definitely starting to feel the effects of that err. or was that the sensation of being watched?

misha had left to use the bathroom, leaving you by the fancy finger foods. as you ate the bacon wrapped enoki mushrooms, you could feel the presence of another person. you swallowed your food with a helpful swig of champagne before turning to the person who had made a claim on one of the strawberries with chocolate drizzle.

you watched as his lips parted, carefully taking a bite of the potentially messy dessert, his gaze directed at you. it was the handsome wayne boy from earlier. the champagne murderer was what you were calling him in your head. he was very tall and much better looking up close. his eyes were very striking, too. from the look in those eyes, you quickly figured out what he was trying to do.

"she's in the bathroom," you informed him, his brow perking silently as he chewed the berry, licking his lips of any lingering juice. he had this look on his face. confusion? but then you saw him fighting back a smile as he looked down at the table before looking over at you again.

"who?" he asked, his tone and look in his eyes awfully playful. you confused his flirty tone for coyness.

"don't play dumb," you laughed. normally, you wouldn't help out guys when it came to getting on misha's good side but you were making an exception for the dangerously handsome champagne murderer. "i can't give you her number. she hates that. but if it's any consolation, you're definitely her type."

"well, what about you?" he asked after taking a short pause to digest your words. "am i your type?"

you scoffed. the gall of this man. 

"am i the backup plan or something?"

"no," he said, his lips pursed slightly as he shook his head. "would you like to be?"

"there's not going to be a plan to back up if you're trying it with me," you told him seriously. what a dick. it was to be expected, though. he was bruce wayne's son after all. of course he was a player.

"i never said i was trying anything. you're the one who keeps assuming things," he reminded you with a little grin. "had it occurred to you that i came over here, simply wanting to indulge myself in these divine strawberries?"

and he did just that, looking you in the eye as he took a slow bite of his new berry, raising a brow as you watched him. "what?"

"are they as divine as you anticipated?" you asked, not being able to resist some teasing.

"absolutely."

there was something about the way he answered you. was he flirting? were you flirting? the champagne was making it hard to read the situation. there was no way someone as gorgeous as him would spare you a glance and even if he did, you didn't have the time or energy for romance.

"alright. i'll be honest. i came over here because, well, i'm a fan," he told you, turning his body to fully face you now.

"oh," you nodded, not sure what to say next. when people led with that, it always felt awkward. were you supposed to say thank you, or was that weird?

"yeah. i've always wanted to meet batman."

you visibly paused, turning to face him as you watched him give you a lopsided grin. you breathed out a laugh, shaking your head. so he was a fan. he was referencing something you tweeted a few days ago. someone had jokingly made a conspiracy thread, claiming at you and the rest of cloud 9 were the vigilantes of gotham. they had theorized that you were orphan, to which you rebuffed, saying that you were clearly batman and they were blind not to see the resemblance.

"shhh, it's a secret," you whispered, putting your index finger to your lips. 

"ohhh. right, right. my mistake," he whispered back with a firm nod. "how do you juggle your two jobs, though? seems difficult."

"well, if you must know, batman is actually a robot that i control from the comfort of my couch. very advanced technology. you wouldn't get it," you joked, making jason laugh out loud. was it really that funny or were you missing something?

"funny," he answered unintentionally. or you thought. could he read minds? "i'm jason."

"jason," you tested out his name on your tongue. jason. you liked it. "wayne?"

"todd," he quickly corrected you, seeming very adamant that you understood that.

"jason todd," you said again, almost addicted to how it sounded coming from your lips. jason. jason todd.

"and you're y/n l/n," he said, almost as if he were telling you, reminding you that was your name. you weren't sure if you liked saying his name or hearing him say yours more. before you could even register what was happening, he took your hand and gave it a soft kiss.

you locked eyes with him as he looked up at you with his lips, soft as silk, pressed against your knuckles. you could see something in them. he looked... unsure. afraid of his actions. you found yourself subconsciously mirroring his expression in an effort to try and identify it.

"it's a pleasure to finally meet you," you said breathlessly, noting how his demeanor changing a little now that the two of you searched each other's souls for a few seconds. he rubbed his thumb over your fingers before letting go.

"pleasure's all mine," he said, his voice softer now. he was the one who broke eye contact, looking around absentmindedly. he grabbed another strawberry, about to eat it when you went to carefully grab it from him. his lips grazed your fingers as he loosened his lazy grip, letting you take it from him.

"you can't hog them all," you informed him, trying it out for yourself. they were divine, just as jason described them to be. you let out a satisfied hum, which seemed to grab his attention.

"things always taste better when they belong to someone else, right?" he teased and you couldn't help but wonder if there was a double meaning to that.

"you don't own the strawberries, jason.”

"no, but i owned the one that's in your mouth, y/n."

you were sure he was saying these things on purpose now. you just smiled, softly sucking the juice off the pads of your fingers. seldom did the opportunity to harmlessly flirt with someone present itself so you wanted to enjoy it while you could. during your back and forth, you could feel yourself holding back, despite this. you felt jason was doing the same. you were both constantly thinking about what you were doing and actively fighting against it but not doing a very good job at it. it was odd, but you felt like you and jason had this unspoken, mutual understanding for what you were doing in that moment.

still, you couldn't let yourself fall into that trap. you knew when this was all over, that was it. nothing would come from it and you were fine with that. besides, he was a fan, right? it wasn’t right to be with a fan. there was a power imbalance there that you weren’t looking to exploit.

"sorry to interrupt, but my wife and i have an early morning tomorrow," you heard misha say from behind you as she wrapped her long, slender arms around you. saved by the bell.

"wife?" he parroted, giving you a curious look.

"yeah, for like, two more hours," you reminded her as you glanced at your watch.

"and you have to respect the sanctity of our fake marriage until then. just like cinderella," misha told you, putting her arm around your shoulder now.

"i don't think that's how the story goes," you laughed, giving jason an apologetic look afterwards. "i should get going."

"i understand. i'd hate to be branded a home wrecker," he joked and misha gave him a look.

"oh, i'm sure you would," she smirked, tugging you along. "goodbye, thief."

"bye jason," you called to him, waving goodbye, receiving a silent wave and smile in return.

"what was that about?" misha nudged you playfully, giving you a suggestive look as she led you through the maze of bodies blocking your escape route.

"i'll tell you on the way home."

you exited the venue from the back, where your limo was waiting for you. what started out as a scary social event ended up being surprisingly fun. you learned a thing or two from watching misha network and that conversation with jason was entertaining, to say the least. you wondered if you’d ever run into him again.

probably not.

[some-cookie-crumbz]

Love your Huwumi fics!!! Can we get some Meet Cute 24 for them? Thnx

Well here’s another idea that’ll most likely escalate into something bigger lmao! Please enjoy this little bit of cute, flirty fun!

If not for Akiko’s insistence and offer of a discount, she wouldn’t have done it. Or so she told herself.

As far as Fuyumi was concerned, she still didn’t understand why she was expected to attend big, ritzy events to help promote her father’s business. After all, it wasn’t like she worked for or with him. She was a grown adult with her own career and her own life to live! She wasn’t obligated to do anything just because her father said so! 

But even still… She liked to maintain friendly relations in her tense family. So when her father had offered to reimburse her the cost of some ballroom dance classes so that he could take her to an upcoming gala in two months time? She was… unenthused, but had agreed nonetheless. When she’d mentioned it to her dear friend, Akiko, she had jumped on it like a starved alley cat on a chicken nugget.

"You should take the class I teach!" she insisted before taking a small sip of her coffee. She made a face. "Ugh! They put way too much caramel syrup in this."

"I thought you taught salsa, flamenco, and ballet fundamentals?" Fuyumi asked. Akiko and her mother, Umeko, ran a dance studio together. Fuyumi had attended some of the ballet classes there back in high school but, once she entered college, hadn’t had the time to keep up.

She nodded, stirring her drink with her straw. "I do. But I'm also teaching pole and ballroom right now," she said. After deciding her drink was mixed up enough, she took another sip. She still made a face, but this time it was a bit more restrained. "Anyway, we're starting up a new six-week session this Friday. The class runs from 6:30 to 7:30, and I know you can make time that night."

Fuyumi let out a small whine and took a sip of her own drink, becoming immediately overwhelmed by the thick vanilla flavor. She swallowed hard and made a face. "You weren't kidding about them going hard on the syrup," she mumbled.

"Right?" Akiko laughed. "But back to the point at hand! The ballroom session we run doesn’t just teach the waltz; we also do the basics and intermediate steps of the cha cha and the tango! That’ll most def impress all those stuffy old douchebags you’ll be spending the night putting up with!”

Fuyumi whined a bit louder as she tried mixing her own drink up to try and distribute the syrup a bit more, maybe water it down a little. “I don’t know,” she trailed uneasily. Sure, it would be nice to be able to go to the gala and put her best foot forward, but more from the sense of just looking good for herself rather than out of spite. She loved Akiko but the other young woman was motivated by only a few things and vengeance was one of the biggest.

“Please sign up? For me? If you do, I'll have an even number of students to pair up! And I’ll even give you a discounted rate on the classes so you aren’t hurting as bad for cash while you wait on your dad to pay you back!" the other pleaded, fluttering her big brown eyes. 

She snorted a bit at it before rolling her eyes. ”Okay, okay, you win. I’ll sign up,” she said, giggling when her friend openly whooped in delight. She took a sip of her drink again and found it… slightly more palatable. She then indicated the other woman with her cup. “But just know I’m only doing this for the discount! And you better draft up the receipts as if you charged the full amount!”

“Of course! Only if you agree to not tell mom that I gave you a discounted rate,” she said, tilting her head and waggling her eyebrows at the other suggestively. They stared at one another before devolving into giggles.

And before Fuyumi knew it, Friday night was upon her.

She swallowed as she walked into the packed room at the studio, the crowd thick enough that it was hard to catch glimpses of herself in the full length mirror against the opposing wall. She considered going over to talk to Akiko, but could see her preoccupied with introductions from some students. Instead, she headed over to the far wall where people were setting their bags down, the odd sensation of eyes on her making her move a bit quicker. She set her bag down and quickly tossed her hair up in a messy but tight bun before tugging self-consciously as the tank top she was wearing as her eyes scanned the room. Oh, gosh, should she have bought some proper dancer’s clothes? She had thought about it going out after work on Thursday, but there had been a last-minute staff meeting that zapped up what little free time she had before she needed to be home to have dinner ready on time. She had figured that the old tank top and capri sweats she’d grabbed would suffice for one class but maybe that was presumptuous of her. 

She was snapped from her musing by a loud clap. She jumped and glanced over at where Akiko stood in front of the group with one of the male instructors by her side. “Okay, everybody, we’re gonna get you guys partnered up! Everybody stand with your back to the mirror and in height order, please,” she directed before turning to say something to her associate.

It was as she moved to join the others in the class that the sensation of being watched returned. From the corner of her eye she caught a flicker of movement and turned to face her watcher. She froze as she locked with sharp eyes of liquid gold settled in a tastefully scruffy face. He was physically fit, wearing a breezy tank top that showed off the defined muscles along his arms and dipped a bit low around the neckline to hint that there was more where that came from. His hair was a gleaming blonde messily pushed out of his face with a black headband. And then there was her deepest, darkest weakness; a light bit of facial hair along his chin and jaw. He was an attractive guy, to put it mildly, and must have confidence, given how he didn’t flinch away when her eyes sought him out. Instead, he slowly leaned back against the balance beam poised just in front of the mirror, tilting his head and flashing her a smirk, looking more like a model on set than some rando in a dance class.

She answered with a small smile of her own when he followed it up with a wink and wandered off to find her place in the line up.

Akiko did a quick scan of those present before she started matching up pairs. She took Fuyumi's wrist and led her right over to Mr. Golden. "Todoroki, Takami, you two will work together," she said, tilting her head out of the young man's view to wink at Fuyumi's pinkening face.

Takami was quick to take her hand with a small hum. "Todoroki-Chan, is it? A pleasure to meet you," he hummed, lifting her hand up to press a quick kiss to the top of her hand.

Fuyumi wished she could slap her cheeks in that moment but instead she politely cleared her throat. “Charmed,” she said gently, forcing herself to regain her composure.

“Oh, I am,” he practically purred.

She flashed a quick glance at her friend, greeted by the other’s dark brown eyes gleaming in amusement. “Okay, Takami. You can flirt with Todoroki on your own time, not my dime. Let’s get everybody on the floor and start with the basic moves, shall we?”

Fuyumi squared her shoulders, heart hammering as Takami led her to join the other pairs in the the lines, Akiko and her partner already having scrambled to the front and starting to give the overview of what the goal was for that days class. Fuyumi was rather relieved that there was a moderate breath of space between their bodies for the waltz steps, as it gave her some level of physical separation from her partner while still being close enough to exchange sly glances. Additionally, it seemed like Takami had a little bit of experience with some kind of dance before, given how easily he took the lead. Fuyumi herself had participated in other dance courses and, while the waltz lessons were new, also had a basic understanding of what to expect. She briefly wondered if Akiko also had some information regarding the prior dance history of her students to assist with picking partners, but couldn't say for certain.

She could, however, say for certain that her partner was charming and that she kind of liked the flirty looks they were exchanging.

“So,” he breathed quietly, at a point where Akiko stopped to help a different pair at the front correct their steps, “what has forced a fetching young lady such as yourself to a class like this?”

She felt a small smile turn up on her lips, a brief flash of courage sparking in her. “Hmm. That’s a rather strange way to put it. Do you think I have a reason other than humble interest behind being here?”

He cocked his head back a bit. “Call it a hunch, but… I get the feeling there’s more to this than a ‘humble interest.’”

“Is that so?” she hummed as they were instructed to return to their starting position to go over the steps again as a whole.

“I’d love to hear more about your reasoning. Maybe over coffee? Or dinner some time? My treat, for getting your phone number and to pick your brain a little,” he said.

She let out a thoughtful hum, sliding her hand slowly up to just a bit beneath his shoulder. Internally, she delighted in being able to touch the muscle she’d been quietly ogling not too long ago. She noticed the light way he shuddered at her touch and a part of her was thrilled by the subtle reaction. “I’ll tell you what,” she drawled. She didn’t miss the way his palm on her upper back flattened a bit more, shifting her just a hair closer and pressing a bit more of his warmth into her, as she spoke. She met his eye fully as she spoke. “If you can encounter me outside of the classroom, on the streets during the day… I’ll give you my number and we can have a little meetup.”

His eyes widened a hair before his grin shifted to more of a smirk. “Oh, so you’d like to play a little bit of cat and mouse? I like that,”

“I had a hunch you might,” she purred back, delighting in the playful back and forth between them. She normally wasn’t this forward or responsive to someone flirting with her. But when it got a guy like this to look at her like that, who was she to complain?

“Well, before we start the game proper, can I at least get the privilege of your full name? To let me know who to be listening out for?”

“Todoroki Fuyumi,” she said. “And what about you? I think I have the right to your name as well.”

He smirked and leaned a bit closer, “Takami Keigo,” he answered, voice barely above a whisper, right as the music clicked back on and they resumed their practice. Fuyumi had to suppress a shudder of delight as they moved, step by step, along the dance floor.

She would need to thank Akiko and Father for their instances after all.

[eadanga]

Falling in Love with You Part 4

Summary: Chris is a rich guy trapped in an awful engagement. He meets MC a young medical student and falls for her. Can Chris get out of this engagement to be with the one her loves?

A/N: This series is for @maxattack-powell​ one of the winners of my 400 followers giveaway hope you enjoy this and thanks for participating.

Chris gets dressed then looks at himself in the mirror Good. He heads downstairs where his parents are having breakfast “Morning”

His father sets down his coffee “Morning Chris who’s this girl that you’ve been seeing?”

Chris rolls his eyes “I have not been seeing her she’s my friend”

“But you were dancing with her at the gala”

“Yes what’s the big deal?”

“Chris you need to hanging around people in the higher class station lower class will just drag you down”

“You can’t tell me who I can and can’t hang out with I’ll hang out with whoever I damn well please!”

“Chris don’t speak to your father that way show some respect”

“I’ll show respect when you two stop trying to control my life! Goodbye!” Chris starts to walk out the room

“Chris you haven’t eaten”

“I’ll get something on the way” He walks out the door and slams it

“What’s gotten into him?”

“Don’t worry dear he just needs to cool off”

****

As Chris drives down to his office he sends out a quick text

Morning MC

Why are you a morning person?

Chris chuckles

Wake up sleeping beauty

I’m up it better be important I wanna catch up on my Z’s

Chris laughs

So you don’t want the money you earned? Ok no problem

What? No wait I need that

Really aww man I was hoping to get a motorcycle

Lol well that’s gonna have to wait

Lol I’ll be there shortly

Chris smiles then changes directions to her apartment

****

MC quickly got dressed then headed out to the kitchen to eat breakfast. Kevin sits at the table pouring cereal “Hey lil bro”

“Hi big sis you slept in”

“Cause I work hard what do you do?”

Kevin chuckles “I play video games and sports”

“Nerd”

“You’re the nerd” MC playfully sticks her tongue out then hears a knocking on the door Kevin smirks “I wonder who that could be”

“Shut up” MC playfully smacks him as he laughs

She answers the door and sees Chris standing there in his suit. MC felt her face heat up as she stared at him. She snaps out of the trance when he chuckles

“See something you like?”

MC blushes and turns away “Uh…it’s just…um…” She turns back and faces him “You look nice”

Chris smiles “Thanks” He smirks and leans in “And you’re cute when you’re pink”

“Stop it!” MC playfully shoves him as he laughs

“Hi Kevin”

Kevin waves “Hi Chris”

Chris pulls out two checks from his shirt pocket “One is yours the other one is Kaitlyn’s”

MC looked at the checks and her eyes almost popped out her head when she saw the amount “Chris this is 50 grand”

“I know”

“No way I earn this much”

“The total cost of everything for the gala was $100,000 and since you and Kaitlyn planned it together half is yours and half is hers”

MC felt tears coming to her eyes “Wow I can’t believe this I think I’m gonna cry”

“Told you you’ll have more than enough to pay for those medical bills”

“This is definitely more than enough”

“You won’t have to worry about money for a long time and I’ll call you if you want to earn some more”

MC grins “My phone is always open”

“Now will I see you at the concert?”

“Yes you will”

“Great I’ll pick you and Kaitlyn up later”

****

“MC I’m gonna go I have practice”

Chris smiles “You play sports”

“Yes football”

“I used to play football in college and high school”

“Really?”

“Yeah if you want I’ll give you some pointers”

Kevin smiles “That would be great we have a game coming up we can use the help”

“I’ll be there and I’ll be at your game”

“Thanks Chris see you two later” Kevin waves and heads out th door

“You sure made his day”

“He’s a great kid” Chris looks at his phone “Oh damn I’m late I’ll see you later MC”

MC giggles “You better go before the boss fires you”

Chris chuckles “Very funny” He waves and heads off to his office.

As he walks to his office he spots Grace who smiles “You’re late Powell”

Chris laughs “I know I’m sorry you’re smiling would that have to do with a certain someone?”

“What? No”

“Really I saw you guys chatting all night”

“Ok Kaitlyn is really awesome”

“Hey I’m going to a concert with them how about you join us”

“That would be great thanks Chris”

Chris nods then heads to his office and gets to work. After a long day he heads out and heads home to get ready for the concert. He looks at himself in the mirror then heads out. As he reaches his car he hears a voice behind him

“Oh Chris!”

Chris let’s out a frustrated sigh then turns around “What do you want Scarlett?”

She bats her eyelashes “I know you’re sorry about what happened at the gala but how about we forget about all that” She gives him a flirtatious smile “How about we go out have a romantic dinner and then -”

“Hell no I’d rather get shot now I have somewhere to be”

Scarlett huffs “Where are you going?”

“None of your business that’s where” Chris gets in his car and drives away

****

MC and Kaitlyn stand outside waiting for Chris.

Kaitlyn grins “I’m so excited for this concert by the way MC have you seen my new shoes?”

“Yes you showed it to me 10 times”

“I could never afford this but now that I’m rich”

MC giggles “Don’t go crazy with the money of else you won’t any left”

“I won’t just getting me a new wardrobe maybe a new car”

MC laughs “You’re too much”

A car pulls up to them and they get in “Hi Chris”

“Hey you two ready for the concert?”

“Hell yeah and thanks for the money think I can get me a house?”

Chris laughs as MC rolls her eyes. He looks over at her and looks at her outfit. He smiles and sees her smirking “Now who’s staring?”

“You look nice”

“Why thank you”

They arrive at the concert and they find their spots in the crowed. Chris spots Grace and waves her over. Kaitlyn Grin and mouths a thank you then walks off with her.

“Playing matchmaker?”

Chris chuckles “Maybe”

“Nice job Powell”

“Thanks” Chris smiles “You want to dance?”

“Sure”

They dance together following the beat of the music. Chris pulls her closer and placing his arms around her. MC smiles as he stares into her eyes then they feel a magnetic pull between them connecting their lips together. MC sinks into the kiss as Chris deepens it.

Then she pulls away “Chris we can’t you’re engaged…and I…can’t do this”

MC steps away and ducks out the club

****

Chris immediately runs after her and sees her standing outside he walks towards her and grabs her wrist pulling her back into his embrace “Please don’t go” MC feels her heart race as Chris wraps his arms around her “I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable MC I couldn’t help myself”

“It’s ok Chris but it doesn’t change the fact that you’re engaged to that rude bitch”

Chris chuckles “That’s true” He smiles and cups her cheek “I really love spending time with you MC”

“Me too Chris”

“Can we go back inside? We haven’t finished our dance”

“As long as you keep your hands to yourself Powell”

“Impossible around you”

MC blushes then takes his hand and heads back inside

As the dance together Chris smiles She’s an amazing girl I’ve never met anyone like her

Tags: @maxattack-powell​ @annekebbphotography​ @indiacater​ @mfackenthal​ @hopefulmoonobject​ @liam-rhys​ @the-soot-sprite​ @jared2612​ 

[spectral-musette]

The Worthy Partner

Set in an AU in which Duchess Satine Kryze asks Obi-Wan Kenobi to stay on Mandalore with her (before TPM). The couple attends an official function on Satine’s homeworld a few months after their marriage.

~ 3000 words

I used a little Mando’a (based on the dictionary at Mandoa.org), but the meanings of the words and phrases hopefully should be clear from the context. A couple of endnotes are included as intended translation notes in case I messed up, though.

Cross-posted on AO3

(Written when I got carried away working on a sketch of the scenario.)

*     *     *     *     *

           “How are you enjoying the meal?”

           Satine glared down her officious host, the Minister of Arts and Culture of Kalevala, but Obi-Wan merely nodded. “Your spices are extremely flavorful,” he complimented.

           “Be sure to try the tiingilar with the sauce.”

           He obligingly took a spoonful from the serving dish onto his plate. Satine tried to cast a warning glance in his direction and refilled his goblet with the cold ulik milk from the pitcher.

           She watched his face turn crimson as he tried a bite, but he smiled pleasantly. “Thank you for pointing it out.”

           He did, however, empty his goblet quickly.

           “Are you all right?” she whispered, leaning close as the Minister moved to the next table of dignitaries. “That stuff will peel the paint off a starship hull.”

           “No harm done. Hazing the Offworlder is to be expected, isn’t it?”

           She let out a hiss of disapproval. “They’re deliberately trying to humiliate you.”

           “Let them. I’ve had far less palatable meals than overspiced Mandalorian cuisine.” He dipped his bread into the offending sauce and smiled his most charming smile at their host, who was glancing over his shoulder surreptitiously to observe Obi-Wan’s response to the spicy delicacy.

           “I know. I’ve eaten Qui-Gon’s cooking too.”

           A wistful shadow passed over Obi-Wan’s handsome countenance, and they gripped each other’s hands under the table.

           “I’m sorry,” she said gently. “I miss him too. He promised to visit soon.”

           “No doubt the Council is keeping him busy.”

           Though she hadn’t managed to get him to talk about it, she suspected that there were moments when Obi-Wan felt miserably homesick, not just for his former Master, but all his friends and mentors and for the community of the Jedi Temple. This was not the time to try to discuss it, though. “Just don’t let the Minister goad you into gulping the tihaar,” she warned, changing the subject and trying to distract him from falling into introspective melancholy.

           “Don’t think I can stomach it?”

           “No, I just hate the stuff, and I don’t want to taste it on you later.”

           “Fair enough,” he replied, laughing softly and squeezing her hand before releasing it.

           Perhaps not that much later, depending on how long etiquette demanded they remain at the Minister’s gala. She and Obi-Wan had been husband and wife for a few months now, and the touch of his hand and light of a smile in his eyes still made her heart quicken – as she happily suspected they always would.

           The Minister stood from his table, raising his arms to announce his intention to address the guests. The room quieted as everyone put down their flatware to listen attentively.

           “Before dessert is served, I wonder if the Duchess would be so kind as to grace our company with the performance of a traditional dance.”

           The orchestra struck up the opening measures of a familiar tune, and Satine’s heart sank.

           Ruusaanyc Riduur, the Worthy Partner.

           She hated this dance. She remembered learning it as a girl, practicing with her sister until they knew the complex steps by heart. But the childhood memories were overshadowed by the few times she had been asked to dance it publicly with a would-be suitor, under her father’s watchful gaze. The young warriors who’d courted her in those not-so-distant days had been ambitious, vicious men, interested only in clan alliances and winning her father’s favor. And after her father’s death…

           For a moment, the orchestra seemed to thin to a badly tuned mandoviol drunkenly meandering through the notes, the elegant hall to dim to the ramshackle camp where she’d once been held prisoner by a warlord with aspirations bigger than his arsenal, a boy no older than herself, stinking of tihaar as he held her by the chin.

           You might be dar’manda, but you’re almost pretty enough for it not to matter. Bet your clan would be grateful if I’d lower myself to marry you.

           Satine tried to banish the unpleasant memory as well as the sickening one of the Protectors’ retaliation when they had rescued her shortly thereafter. She took a deep breath, rallying her wits to counter the Minister’s latest onslaught of social warfare.

           “Perhaps,” he pressed, taking advantage of her brief silence, “if your consort is not familiar with the steps, I might find you another partner.”

           Before she could voice her outrage at the suggestion that a married woman perform this particular dance at an official function with anyone but her own spouse, Obi-Wan stood, grasping her hand and leading her from the table to the open floor at the center of the hall.

           For a moment she thought he was leading her out, refusing to put up with further insult – the implication was plain, that if her consort did not participate in the traditional dance, he was not a worthy partner – but he stopped in front of the Minister’s table.

           “Don’t try to bluff your way through this,” she warned quietly, a heavy knot of dread in her stomach. Performing it badly might be worse than refusing to participate.

           “I won’t,” he promised, the hint of a dimple creasing his cheek. “Trust me.”

           Of course, she always did.

           And he might’ve been a little stiff and nervous, held her hands a little too tightly, but he trod the steps precisely, even catching the subtle shift in the way they clasped their hands to indicate that the dancers were vowed to each other rather than merely courting.

           “How…” she breathed in wonderment when he briefly grasped her close.

           “In the usual way. Took lessons.” He broke his concentration a moment to favor her with a smile, and she cursed his dimples for almost making her trip. “I’d hoped to surprise you under rather better circumstances.”

           “I didn’t know you could dance at all,” she confessed.

           “How do you suppose they start teaching us saber forms in the Temple? Let a bunch of toddlers loose with laser swords?”

           “When you put it like that…”

           More couples began to fill the floor, and Obi-Wan relaxed a little as they were no longer the center of attention.

           Satine took a moment to admire him, graceful and lithe as he gained confidence in the movements of the dance. Most days he wore his simplified version of the Royal Guard’s uniform, but she’d managed to coax him into a few bits of finery for the occasion – please don’t make it easier for them to pretend to mistake you for my bodyguard this time. He looked very dashing in a tunic of fine-spun silk instead of his preferred coarse linen, with a smart half cape over one shoulder, a pair of bright silver vambraces, and a wide belt of intricately tooled leather.

           She was also feeling rather grateful for his cool temper under the current trying circumstances. Her Mandalorian disposition was apt to spit fire when delivered insults and slights. He tolerated them with such grace that it left her enemies baffled most of the time. He had a way of making them aware that he was on to their game and refusing to engage in it. She knew some of them were foolish enough to doubt his courage, but the wiser ones never did; if a Mandalorian worth his beskar knew anything at all, it was how to size up a fellow warrior.

           And that was the final irony of her choice of a husband: she’s sworn she’d never marry a warrior, and yet here he was. He might not wear the beskar’gam, he certainly didn’t share certain hard-headed Mando perspectives, and she knew that he abhorred violence in his heart, but he still dealt it out with skill and cunning when he had no other choice. Her eyes went to the lightsaber at his belt, and she thought of the would-be assassin he’d apprehended mere weeks ago, now in custody on Coruscant waiting for his trial. Someday, she hoped, that last resort would stop being necessary quite so often.

           The music slowed to a halt, and Obi-Wan brought her hand to his lips, bestowing a light, courtly kiss on her knuckles as he met her gaze. He could be difficult to read sometimes, so she always felt a swell of affection when he let her see his heart in his eyes: his eagerness to please and impress her, his unabashed devotion, and the ember-glow of his desire, no doubt brightly mirrored in her own eyes. They would both be very glad indeed to leave the party.

           “I’m sorry your plan was spoiled,” she said, smiling at the charming thought of him plotting a romantic setting for her, with music and dancing.

           “You were surprised,” he conceded, grinning.

           “Very pleasantly. I admit it’s not a favorite of mine, so perhaps it’s better this way,” she said, lacing their fingers together as they headed back to their table. The crowd on the dance floor was moving slowly, a particularly large man Satine recognized as one of the Minister’s aides blocking their path. He glanced over his shoulder at them, and turned to give her a polite nod.

           “Dal’alor.[i]”

           Apparently someone had been serving the tihaar already, judging from the fumes on his breath and his odd choice of the rather archaic Mando’a translation of her title. She decided not to take issue with the way his slurred speech had shifted dal towards dar –“former” – changing the honorific into a rather ominious threat of deposition. However, it did put her on edge.

           “Gar veriduur redalur jate,[ii]” he continued.

           Satine froze.

           It wasn’t as if she hadn’t heard be’jetii veriduur – Jedi’s whore – flung at her before, but she hadn’t been expecting such crass invective in this ostensibly civilized setting, least of all under the guise of a compliment.

           “Perhaps your Mando’a is rusty,” he said, feigning surprise at her outraged expression. “I said your young husband dances well.”

           Another subtle shift in pronunciation, vaar to ver, plausible given his drunken state, but a stretch. Nor was simply “young” a very accurate translation of vaar, carrying more of an implication of wanting size and maturity, as evidenced by the way the man was looming over Obi-Wan with a rather unpleasant smile.

           “You did not,” she spat back.

           “Vaar, I may be,” Obi-Wan replied, assessing the man coolly, “but wise enough to know it’s not always a disadvantage.”

           Satine let out a slow breath. Rely on Obi-Wan to handle the situation with diplomacy.

           “Unlike inebriation, which generally is,” he added.

           Also rely on Obi-Wan to be too damn glib for his own good. She squeezed his hand and rolled her eyes.

           But then, perhaps Obi-Wan had read the situation correctly, as the jibe seemed to shift the big man’s drunken state to good humor rather than belligerence.

           “They said you were mir’sheb.” He landed a playful punch on Obi-Wan’s shoulder with one large hand. True enough, though Satine wouldn’t have put it in quite those terms – the linguistic connection between quick-wittedness and the anatomical region where the Mand’alor met the throne, as it were, had always mystified her.

           “More like mesh’sheb[iii],” someone muttered in passing. Satine spun in the direction of the voice, but the floor was clearing out, making it impossible to tell who had delivered the rather crass compliment - also not untrue, Satine had to admit, and patently obvious given the tailored fit of his trousers.

           “Did you follow all that?” she asked Obi-Wan as he pulled out her chair for her back at their table.

           “I think so. Vague threat to your sovereignty, calling me your prostitute – which is a change, I suppose we can give him points for that – backpedaling and saying he meant to call me puny, and finally that I am apparently known to be a smart-ass, to use the Basic vernacular.” He ticked off the items on his fingers.

           “Oh, did you miss that last anonymous expression of admiration?”

           “Your admiration is the only sort that interests me,” he countered, grinning.

           “Consider it bestowed.”

           “Likewise. In all things, my love,” he told her sweetly, kissing her hand again.

           “I’m looking forward to expressing it more emphatically.”

           “I’m not sure how much emphasis this particular setting can tolerate.”

           “I daresay not much. Do you suppose we can leave yet?”

           “You’d know better than I.”

           By now, the guests were milling around the dessert tables and the wait staff was distributing alcohol freely.

           “Let’s risk it,” Satine said decidedly, running her fingertips over the back of his hand. “We’ve made more daring escapes.”

           “Better wait for the Royal Guards to make it to the dessert table, at least, or I won’t hear the end of it,” he advised with an apologetic, lop-sided smile.

           “An acceptable concession.”

           Fortunately, there was not much that would keep the Royal Guards from uj cake, so the retinue was contentedly stuffed with the beloved confection and ready to leave in short order.

           While many in the government and the population at large remained dubious about her husband, it comforted Satine that Obi-Wan had at least found his footing with the group of Protectors who formed the Royal Guard. Juvenile as it seemed, after he’d shown them all up in swordplay and marksmanship, it had taken finding a martial art at which at least some of them could trounce him – Mandalorian kick-boxing – before they softened towards him. The captain had carefully reassigned anyone who was really hostile due to old prejudices, and those remaining formed a tight-knit group that treated Obi-Wan with respect and a kind of fondness. Despite leaving the Order, he was still jetii, but he was their jetii. These days, they didn’t insult him any less, but it was done in much better humor.

           “A goddamned piece of cake is not so much to ask, after all, is it?” the captain inquired, helmet not quite concealing his amused expression.

           “We waited,” Satine protested. They must have been making quite a habit of leaving events early if this was an ongoing source of ribbing.

           “Never mind the captain,” his lieutenant chimed in, holding the heavy door to the hangar. “When cake is involved, he thinks with his stomach and forgets what it means to be young and in love and think with your…”

           Obi-Wan cleared his throat loudly and cast a stern glance at the guard.

           “Your heart,” he concluded defensively.

           “No doubt with the sweet looks they’ve been casting at each other all night, uj cake seems bland by comparison,” the captain agreed.

           Satine felt her cheeks go a little hot at the guards’ teasing and glanced appreciatively at the adorable blush painted across Obi-Wan’s face as well. Even at the risk of further commentary, she couldn’t resist leaning close to press a kiss against his cheekbone, feeling the warmth of his flushed skin against her lips. The guards’ chuckles were not too high a price to pay for their security, and though Obi-Wan had certainly proven himself an able bodyguard on countless occasions, there were times that she required his undivided attention.

           One of which was fast approaching, as the guards boarded their starfighters and she and Obi-Wan made their way to their shuttle. It would be a long journey back to Sundari at sublight speed, as the two habitable sister planets in the Mandalore system were at far points in their orbits and intrasystem hyperspace jumps were needlessly risky.

           Obi-Wan headed for the shuttle cockpit, but she wrapped her arms around him from behind, tugging him back into the passengers’ quarters. He stumbled back against the bulkhead, resting his hands lightly at her elbows while she nuzzled eager kisses along his neck and jaw.

           “At least let me set the autopilot,” he pleaded with a breathless laugh.

           “That’s probably for the best,” she agreed reluctantly.

           He started to draw away, and then he caught her glance, his eyes bright and his dimpled smile affectionate. Shaking his head a little, he stepped close again to cup her cheek in his hand and kiss her, soft, lingering, and tasting sweetly of familiar spices, until her knees were weak. He broke the kiss too soon, tearing himself away to go attend to the shuttle controls, and she sank down onto the soft couch to catch her breath. The shuttle lifted from the ground, and Satine caught a glimpse of the familiar constellations of the world where she was born through the viewport. Nothing about Kalevala had felt like home for a long time, but perhaps some lingering sense of nostalgia brought the tune of the old folksong, Ruusaanyc Riduur, back into her mind. And this time, she didn’t think of being forced to dance to it with suitors she despised or enemies she feared, but choosing to dance with her own worthy partner. Their life together was like the dance, careful steps around unseen obstacles and the loving support of each other’s hands. There were words to the song, but she only recalled them in snatches – return to my arms… together, we are home. She was singing it softly, without words, by the time Obi-Wan returned to hers, and he joined her, sitting beside her on the couch and clasping their hands together in the particular attitude of the dance. She felt the vibration of his sweet, clear voice in his chest, his breath on her hair as he pulled her against him, resting his other hand at her waist.

           “I thought you didn’t like it,” he pointed out, kissing her temple as she finished the last phrase of music in a soft hum.

           “I changed my mind,” she declared, tugging him into a kiss, slow and deep, as the music replayed in her mind.

           Together, we are home.

 *     *     *     *     *

[i] I put this together from “dala”/woman and “alor”/ruler to be something like “milady”, “queen”, etc.

 [ii] I’m sure the grammar is a nightmare here, but I don’t know how to conjugate verbs in Mando’a. Literally “Your hired-spouse dance good”, but the speaker is very drunk, so…

 [iii] Won’t find this one in the Mando’a dictionary either, smooshed together from related words as “possessing a pleasing posterior” more or less.

[carat10library]

The Elite: SEVENTEEN edition

A/N: Because I haven’t moved on yet after reading Kiera Cass’s “The Heir” and “The Crown”, I decided to write an imagine featuring my favorite boys (for my Carat heart is waving at me).

To those who haven’t read the novels: For me, the Selection is like a screening process for the prince or princess to find their potential spouse who will help them to lead the people. (But it has a deeper meaning than that because the princes are being married to commoners.)

Now, think of yourself as a princess next in line to the throne. Your Highness as everyone addresses you. Your Selection had begun with thirty-five young men as participants. The twenty-two others you have eliminated (due to judgments, but mostly because SVT is thirteen haha). And these thirteen suitors of yours are the ones left—the Elite as they are called.

   Sir S.Coups – confident (can be overconfident), a different kind of handsome, his eyes and words can lure you, and so he could be your first kiss among the other Selected

You were disoriented and his eyes were soft. “Good night, Your Highness.” He turned to leave but looked back at you as if he forgot something. “I’m torn about apologizing for what I’ve done, really. But I don’t have regrets—that I kissed you. I thought you should know.” And he left after a hurried curtsy. You calmed your giddy heart, standing alone in that dim hallway.

 Sir Jeonghan – composed, smart, cunning, he’s too handsome to be a commoner, a good listener, your dates are mostly calming walks in the garden

Today must be a really good day because he’s in a good mood. And he even spilled the beans regarding his original motive. “At first it was only for the crown, but these days I realized it’s now because of you,” he said casually. That revelation made you stop. For a moment you cannot feel the soft grass under your heels.

 Sir Joshua – ever the gentleman, linking arms with him feels like the most natural thing, calm, kind, sweet, sings for you and even writes you poetry

“To be queen is to be powerful. You just have to ask and you’ll have it. But to be a queen is more than that. What I’m saying is even when you’re not queen; I’d do anything for you without you asking,” he professed with a quick squeeze of your hand. You just closed your eyes at the moment and tried to picture a future with him. You smiled at the thought that of possibly good days, cheerful laughs and butterflies.

 Sir Jun – a bunch of nerves, fidgets and jitters, the fact that he’s super handsome and could still be shy around you amuses you

It’s good to finally see him feeling comfortable with you. “Aren’t you embarrassed because of me? You don’t think I’m a mess when we’re together. Well, that’s gracious of you, Your Highness. It’s sweet but you can laugh at me.” His eyes met yours, giving you affirmation. A nervous laugh from him followed and you find yourself joining in. It was certainly not because he told you to laugh at him—it’s because of the sound of his laugh touching a part of your heart.

 Sir Hoshi – of course he’s fun to be with, considerate, a talker, but could be a little shy, he always asks, your constant dance partner in galas

His expression turned soft and something in you melted. The grip on your hand never loosened. “It’s not being prince consort and later on to be the king that I truly wanted. Those title seems everything, but not for me. Not for me who only wants to be with you.” The confession took him a lot of courage. How many people had told you they want you more than the queen in you? Your head told you it’s only him.

 Sir Wonwoo – quiet and intimidating, but there’s more to him than the cold façade, exudes an aura of a king, a gentleman with a love for books, definitely something

“After having to spend time with you, I think you are truly wonderful. Being here is a privilege after all. You’re worth it,” said the guy who wouldn’t look you in the eyes when you first met. Stunned with his words, you meet his cold stares and felt something tug at your heart. He then flashed you a rare smile as he reached for your hand.

 Sir Woozi – probably the biggest threat to other suitors, brains like his makes for a king, is too awkward when escorting you, a good listener, music dates

“You can always send me home, you know. But don’t go missing the music we made together if you don’t choose me. It’s the best you can do for me.” There wasn’t any trace of sadness in his voice. You’re planning to keep him for long and he’s like saying goodbye to you. Tiny needles pricked your heart. But he smiled genuinely at you, indicating he’s only kidding. And he resumed playing with a piece from Chopin.

 Sir Dokyeom – a mixture of timid and confident, so funny, he makes you laugh every day, enjoys the experiences and company above anything else

He watched the vast morning sky with contentment on his face. A smile completed his look. “Knowing you is a huge honor to me. This Selection will surely be a part of my memory whatever happens.” You smiled at yourself, pleased that he’s happy. He turned to glance at you and he looked like he’s on the verge of tears. Quickly, you felt guilty at the sight of that.

 Sir Mingyu – scene stealer, tall, dark and handsome, cool but not always, polite, nice, thoughtful, seriously he’s close to having it all

He was pacing back and forth, deep in thought while you’re sitting on a bench. He got on one knee in front of you so he could meet your eyes. The gesture took you by surprise. “I may not be the next king, but remember that I will always be there whenever you call for me. I just hope you won’t hesitate.” He was so close now and you can close your eyes any moment.

 Sir The8 – cool is his name, unassuming, not pushy, not afraid of being honest with you, he looks good in almost anything he wears, photography dates

There was only you and him now. Like every time you’re together, he has his camera. He paused as his eyes directed at you. “I know I’m no prince and that there are others out there, but for you I’ll try and do my best. You just tell me if you want me to.” Suddenly, he snapped a photo of you. You don’t care how the photo will turn out. His words hang in the air, stayed in your head, entered your confused heart.

 Sir Seungkwan – unexpectedly good company, talks even about little things like all the time, compliments here and there, could be shy at times, real cute

His smile was highly inviting. That’s what you notice about him. “Your Highness, you look lovely as always. What does my princess want to do today?” He curtsied grandly and offered you his arm which you gladly took. His cheeks blushed when you gave him a real smile. You expected a happy day ahead.

 Sir Vernon – his silence is comforting, whenever you’re stressed he’s one of the suitors you like to spend time with, no nonsense type, intelligent, and he’s gorgeous

He’s waiting for you at the bottom of the grand staircase, a kindhearted smile on his face. When you reached him, he offered an arm. After minutes of comfortable silence, he spoke. “Actually I didn’t come here to compete, but it’s like everyone is daring me to. And if I want to win your heart, I want to be the same person as before. I won’t pretend for you.” Grateful, you beamed. Whether it’s because of his decency or the possibility of winning you, you can’t tell.

 Sir Dino – straightforward but still careful, confident, you never turn him down when he asks for a dance, always makes you smile, tends to be heroic

The music is making you feel good as well as the gentleman holding you in his arms. You’ve been dancing for you can’t tell exactly how long. It just makes you feel good, you can’t stop smiling. After when the song ended, he walked you back to the table. “You have everything, even this heart of mine. You have the right to break it and I wouldn’t mind.” He smiled a tiny smile before leaving. But you don’t want to break his heart when you could tell he was happy.

  You sighed, feeling more puzzled. Who says being in a Selection is easy—much more to find real love within a competition? After getting to know all of them, they all got a piece of your heart. Maybe now it’s hard to let them go, but you will have to eventually. They know what’s at stake and it is only you who isn’t prepared. The choosing part is always inevitable. But you’re going to be the queen soon and a queen must not be rash in making decisions.

Who will be your very own “One” in the end?

[rodrigohyde]

Hip-Hop Has Shaped Our Style More Than We Know

How Hip-Hop Influences Fashion

American hip-hop culture has influenced the way people around the world express themselves and identify with each other for decades. From all corners of the globe, fans are financially swayed by their rap icons, so much so, hip-hop itself is now serving as a major source of inspiration for the most elite fashion houses.

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At the 2018 MET Gala (dubbed the Oscars of the fashion world) hosts included not only the event’s annual chair, Vogue’s Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour, but also Rihanna. Noteworthy invitees included rappers 2 Chainz, Migos, Wiz Khalifa, Cardi B, Nicki Minaj, Jaden Smith and A$AP Ferg, who garnered a wealth of social media attention and photo coverage usually filled by fashion’s most elite.

RELATED: Hip-Hop Style

Continuing to buck traditional fashion protocol, Cardi B sat front row alongside Wintour during Alexander Wang’s Autumn/Winter 2018 runway show at the former Condé Nast offices above New York’s Times Square. This seat, next to the most powerful figure in fashion, is typically reserved for A-list friends of the designers, powerful editors, industry exes — even royalty. The placement of the one of the hottest, most talked about female rappers today is a strong example of how high fashion has largely been influenced by hip-hop, which, in December 2017, surpassed rock to become the most popular music genre in the U.S.

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Rappers have long used designer fashion as a symbol of status, both in person as well as in their lyrics, and those stories have a direct influence on high-end fashion. It is evident even from hip-hop’s very beginning.

The ‘80s

Kangol bucket hats, chunky street-tuff gold chains, and name-plated necklaces with “Tonya” and “Lisa” written in cursive were all the rage. New York style with Adidas shell-toe trainers with wide white laces and black tracksuits were created by Run-D.M.C, LL Cool J, Funk Master Flash, The Fat Boys, and Big Daddy Kane, who were trendsetters in making authentic fashion statements.

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LL Cool J wore his then signature Kangol hat when few Americans knew anything about the European hat maker, but its association with hip-hop quickly invigorated the brand.

When Run-DMC sang about “My Adidas,” it at once pioneered the use of rap as a fashion advertisement and paved the way for the first endorsement deal between rap and clothing designers. In the mid ‘80s, the Adidas Superstar was an old basketball shoe, originally handed to players in 1969. The way Run-DMC wore their Superstars was different: The combination of sneakers without laces (similar to in prison, where they were removed to prevent inmates hanging themselves), black Lee jeans, leather goose-down jackets, Cazal glasses, and gold rope chains had long been the look of New York hustlers. But as earlier popular artists such as Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five were pushed by their labels into wearing flamboyant, shiny, post-disco gear, Run-DMC would successfully take the street look mainstream.

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The ‘90s

The rise of female rappers such as Queen Latifah, MC Lyte, and Salt-N-Pepa all ushered in black pride wearing Afrocentric fabrics, headwraps, large gold earrings, and asymmetric haircuts, which all symbolized a movement that gave rise to social conscious hip-hop.

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The genre had became a powerful mix of influences — especially for clothing — allowing for the interaction of two theories of fashion diffusion. The upper class of fashion leadership proposes that new styles are adopted or started by groups in higher social classes, and they are later adopted in the lower social classes. This theory explains the early emergence of hip-hop fashion in the ‘80s and ‘90s, when consumers adopted aspirational labels not typically marketed to them, black poor teens, and young adults.

In contrast, however, hip-hop artists wore styles from Polo, Timberland, and Tommy Hilfiger, drawn to their all-American, elite, country club appeal. Yet, in 1994, Timberland’s chief operating officer issued a public statement reassuring customers that the brand wasn’t abandoning it’s so-called core base for the urban market.

RELATED: How to Wear Men's Boots

In 1991, designer Isaac Mizrahi incorporated hip-hop accessories such as African-inspired medallions into his New York Fashion Week runway show, while Anne Klein launched a clothing line especially based on rap music. Grand Puba name-dropped Hilfiger in his hit 1992 track “360° (What Goes Around)” and wore the designer’s clothes on various album covers. In 1994, Snoop Dogg donned a shirt emblazoned with the Tommy name on “Saturday Night Live,” gifted to him just hours before. The new yet immense popularity of the brand in the hip-hop community provided Hilfiger fueled growth and widespread brand resurgence since its founding 10 years prior.

In 1996, Tupac walked down the Versace runway during a fashion show in Milan. This might be one of the most spectacular visuals of just how intertwined hip-hop and high fashion were becoming.

The transformation of the hip-hop “look” to both a mass fashion and high fashion trend pushed hip-hop pioneer fashion labels such as Rocawear, Phat Farm, Karl Kani, and FUBU into iconic status.

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The ‘00s

The Courvoisier-guzzling, supermodel-dating, bling-bling decade of the 2000s became the next huge fashion influence derived from hip-hop culture. This evolution of the style suggested extreme wealth when hip-hop’s biggest stars began wearing more extravagant attire, while Snoop, Tupac, and Biggie were dressing like old-school mobsters in fedoras, bowler hats, large double-breasted suits, and expensive alligator shoes.

Coming off the bright and colorful ‘90s, the advancement of technology and travel brought a wide variety of influences to fashion, and it seemed like every rapper with a little bit of money and power attached his or her name to a clothing label. For every successful Sean Jean and Rocawear from the ‘90s, there was a failed Akoo, Nostic, Benjamin Bixby, and Outcast clothing from the aughts.

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Outside of full-blown fashion brands, some more obscure trends did make their way into the fashion mainstream. Sweatbands influenced by St. Louis rapper Nelly, which had a bizarre crossover appeal, became a sports accessory that young men — white and black — started wearing on completely non-athletic occasions.

One of the most universally known fashion trends of the aughts was the tall white tee. Mostly because an oversized white tee like a beeper signified drug dealer, tall tees were banned in bars and clubs, condemned in the media, and used by the police to profile assailants. Yet, when looking back at the era, the oversize tee of any color was status quo for high schoolers around the country.

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No hip-hop artist in recent memory has influenced high fashion more than Kanye West. When West released his first album “The College Dropout” in 2004, his prepped out style and popped collars was perfectly timed with the rise and dominance to then absurdly expensive teen retailer with uniquely Waspy appeal, Abercrombie & Fitch. It was a brand of prep Americana in every mall kids would save their money for just to have one of the brand’s ironic logo’d graphic tees.

The ‘10s to Today

Kanye's preppy, collegiate style stood out to begin with, but it was at the start of the 2010s that he came into his own with the creation of his profoundly popular collection Yeezy 1. Best known for his incredibly popular sneaker designs, West began designing footwear for Nike almost a decade ago. The Air Yeezy 1 and 2 collections gained instant popularity, setting new records for how much they demanded in resale prices. According to Business of Fashion, the collaboration had "the biggest impact on sneaker culture in the last decade."

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In 2015, West teamed up Adidas, Nike’s biggest competitor, on a line of apparel and footwear simply known as Yeezy, a project that has since reportedly transformed into a $10 million partnership. The Yeezy Boost 350s and 750s presented during the Yeezy Season 1 show sold out globally within 12 minutes and exceeded the resale records set by his collaborations with Nike, with some pairs selling for more than $6,000 on eBay.

West, who refers to himself as the first “hip-hop designer,” has also designed collaborations with Louis Vuitton, Balmain, Giuseppe Zanotti, and A.P.C., but it was his record-shattering collaboration with Adidas as the first deal of its kind with a non-athlete, set an industry precedent that paved the way for other similar hip-hop and sportswear collabos, including Rihanna’s cultlike brand FENTY, designed for Puma.

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West is also, according to GQ, directly responsible for the prospering partnership between rappers and high fashion: “Five years ago, no rapper (or rap fan, for that matter) considered buying Givenchy or Alexander Wang ... West's penchant for luxury brands and avant-garde designers paved the way for guys like A$AP Rocky." A$AP was most recently named the face of Dior Homme, and sat front row at Gucci’s Cruise show in Blenheim Palace.

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With hip-hops’ already immense impact on fashion in the past decades, future holds much promise for this marriage. To be involved with the hip-hop culture is to participate in the defining mood of the spirit of the time. Luckily, fashion and hip-hop aren’t inactive ideas. They’re constantly evolving in ways bold and barely perceptible — but always aiming to be in line with that ineffable quality of being cool.

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Best Rappers of All Time Kanye West Style on a Budget Drake: Looks for Less from AskMen Style https://www.askmen.com/style/fashion_trends/how-hip-hop-influences-fashion.html

[adenathebean-blog]

Alrighty, it’s been a while since I posted something on here, but I promise it was worth the wait!

I’ve been in Cambodia for almost a month now and after the excitement of the holidays and such, life has pretty much settled down into a pretty regular routine. It’s been business as usual, which isn’t super inspiring to write about and is even less fun to read. But things definitely picked back up this Saturday with Aram and Virak’s wedding!

Aram is the woman who was rooming with Jane before I moved in and I’ve only met her a few times, but she is super sweet and I was very encouraged to get an invitation to her wedding last week. The ceremony was held at the church building, but it looked nothing like it usually does on a Sunday morning. Breakfast was served outside at eight in the morning and the ceremony began at nine. Cam and Chiara (the international bibletalk leaders who have been in Cambodia for over fifteen years) did a fantastic job of organizing it all. The courtyard of the building felt very tropical, with plenty of oranges and reds and greens, while the inside of the building was elegantly decorated with the bride’s favorite color: purple. I truly had no idea what to expect from the ceremony and the wedding as a whole, but it far exceeded my expectations.

The ceremony began fairly traditionally, with the groom and his groomsmen taking their places at the front and the bridesmaid and the bride following. Aram’s dress was simple but beautiful and complimented the style and atmosphere of the wedding wonderfully. Cam began by reading a few scriptures and sharing some thoughts while Sovann translated into Khmer. Once the introduction was over, that’s when things got even more interesting. Aram and her family is Korean while Virak and his family are Cambodian and both of them speak fairly good, if a little basic, English, which meant that the ceremony was conducted in not just two languages, but three. I actually understood more Korean than Khmer (I knew watching those k-dramas would be useful someday).

I’m not sure where the tradition originates, but both the bride and groom had prepared words to share with each set of parents before presenting them with gifts. I couldn’t understand very much of this portion of the ceremony as it was largely translated from Khmer to Korean and vice versa, but the sentiment transcended language and it was clear that both families were very touched by the words that were shared. The Khmer-Korean translator was also extremely impressive and she didn’t seem to miss a beat when translating between the two languages. What made it even cuter were the over the head heart signs that Aram’s mother kept making as Virak spoke. When the bride and groom had shared, Aram’s mother took the floor and shared as well, which was equally as special.

When all of the speeches were done, Aram and Virak returned to the center and exchanged vows and rings. Cam declared them husband and wife and they shared a very quick and chaste kiss before all of the guests stood and cheered.

The reception wasn’t scheduled to start until four-thirty (although we were advised not to arrive until six, which was a good call as Cambodians are not known for being a punctual people) so we Jane and Allison and I used the hours in between to go dress shopping. The attire for the morning ceremony was similar to church wear—sun dresses and long skirts and the like—but the reception was a whole other ball game. Guests were fully expected to dress to the nines with gowns and suits and heels and diamonds. Think Met Gala only less eccentric. Needless to say, I had brought nothing of the sort with me to Cambodia. We stopped at about five different shops in search of something stunning (but cheap enough) to wear in the evening. I discovered several things that afternoon.

1.       I didn’t think I had hips until I tried on Cambodian dresses. And by “try on” I mean trying desperately to slip a tiny dress over my thighs in a cramped dressing room without bursting out of it like the Hulk.

2.       Trying on clothing when you’re sweaty is infinitely more difficult than when you’re not.

3.       Looking for another size in a Cambodian boutique? Stop looking. They don’t have any.

I believe it was the sixth shop that we stopped in that turned out to be successful. It’s a cute little boutique right around the corner from our apartment that organizes it’s clothing by price, which ranges from a three dollar rack to a twenty dollar rack. Jane and I walked out with beautiful gowns while Allison decided against dressing up.

The wedding reception was held in a collection of tents that extended down an entire street and it was every bit as extravagant as I had heard it would be. (So extravagant that guests are expected to pay twenty dollars if they’re invited. I think this takes the place of wedding gifts though.) They had an area for photos, the bride and grown (who somehow managed to exceed all of their guests in terms of formal wear) were standing at the entrance greeting people, and the music was blasting. We spent some time outside mingling and taking photos before being shown to our table inside. Cambodians take their parties very seriously. There was a live band, and plenty of people to serve the traditional seven course meal, which I’m beginning to get used to. I’m proud to say that I’ve learned to choose my courses well. Bread and rice are always safe; seafood and the stew that it’s in is usually a good bet; ask thoroughly about meats; and say yes to cooked veggies and no to raw ones. I haven’t found a dessert that I like yet.

I managed to strategically eat my fill and wash it down with a beer before the bride and groom walked down the long aisle between the tables. All of the guests stood and tossed flower petals and they commenced with another very modest kiss and the bouquet toss (which both men and women participate in). After that, the real party started. I observed for a while before getting pulled out onto the dance floor. Cambodian dancing is simple in concept and surprisingly difficult in execution, but I think everyone was just happy that I was trying to participate. By the time we left, I was sweaty, I had so many bugs on my dress that they looked like polka dots, and my feet were aching even in flats. We did get cute little party favors though, which were full of Korean yakgwa, which are like little honey cookies.

But the adventure didn’t end there. Cam and Chiara managed to pile seven people into their five-seater SUV. We were halfway home (the reception was pretty far away) when the car battery died. After flagging down two tuk-tuks, one whose driver was drunk and another who didn’t have enough space, we eventually called over a third and were on our way. Not one of us was Cambodian, and the driver was surprised when Cathy gave pretty detailed directions in Khmer. His surprise only grew as one by one, we all spoke to him in Khmer, including myself. He kept turning around to look at us in shock and I’m sure he went home and told his friends about the strange mix of foreigners (two Americans, one Hispanic, one Brit, and one Indian) who all spoke his language. It was definitely a night to remember.

[brisbanecollection-blog]

New York sues Trump, alleging his charity engaged in 'illegal conduct'

Donald Trump used his charity foundation as a company chequebook, the New York law suit alleges. Photo: AP "This resulted in multiple violations of state and federal law," Underwood wrote in the legal complaint. The White House and the Trump Organisation did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Trump has been president of the foundation since he founded it in 1987. In late 2016, he had promised to shut down the Trump Foundation but could not while the Attorney-General's investigation continued. Underwood was promoted to the position of Attorney-General only weeks ago, succeeding Democrat Eric Schneiderman after he resigned following allegations that he had physically abused several romantic partners. Underwood was a career staffer, not an elected official. She has promised not to seek election for a full term as Attorney-General later this year. Ivanka, Donald Jr and Eric Trump are listed in the law suit. Photo: Supplied Underwood declined to comment on the case beyond issuing a written statement. "As our investigation reveals, the Trump Foundation was little more than a book for payments from Mr Trump or his businesses to nonprofits, regardless of their purpose or legality," Underwood said in the statement. Underwood said she had sent letters to both the IRS and the Federal Election Commission, identifying what she called "possible violations" of tax law and federal campaign law by Trump's foundation. Underwood has jurisdiction over the Trump Foundation because the charity is based at Trump Tower in Manhattan and registered in New York State. Trump's children Donald Trump jnr, Ivanka Trump and Eric Trump were also named in the lawsuit because they have been official board members of the Donald J. Trump Foundation for years. Under the law, Underwood said, board members are supposed to scrutinise a charity's spending for signs that its leader - in this case, their father - was misusing the funds. President Donald Trump, pictured at his Mar-a-Lago resort, allegedly used his charity to pay off fines the resort incurred. Photo: New York Times But in reality, Underwood wrote, the three Trump children exercised no such oversight. The board had not actually met since 1999. "The Foundation's directors failed to meet basic fiduciary duties and abdicated all responsibility for ensuring that the Foundation's assets were used in compliance with the law," Underwood wrote. She asked the judge to ban each of the three from serving as a director of a New York nonprofit for a year. It was not clear if any of the three are serving currently on the board of any such charities: Eric Trump, for instance, stepped down from the board of the Eric Trump Foundation after the 2016 election, and the charity was renamed Curetivity. Although Trump's name is on the foundation, in recent years most of its money was not actually his. Trump did not give any donation to the Trump foundation between 2008 and 2015 - instead, its largest benefactors in recent years have been wrestling moguls Vince and Linda McMahon, who gave $US5 million total in 2007 and 2009. Linda McMahon was later appointed by Trump as head of the Small Business Administration. The McMahons have declined to answer questions about the reasons for their gifts. The foundation was set up to distribute royalties from Trump's book. Photo: AP The lawsuit shows that the Trump Foundation - which Trump founded to give away some of the royalties from his 1987 book The Art of the Deal- looked, on paper, like other tax-exempt nonprofits. It filed annual reports with New York state and the IRS. It listed directors and donations. But behind the scenes, Underwood said, the foundation was essentially one of Trump's personal chequebooks- a pool of funds that his accounting clerks knew to use whenever Trump wanted to pay money to a nonprofit. By law, Trump wasn't allowed to buy things for himself using the charity's money, even if he was buying them from nonprofits. At one point, during a deposition, a New York state investigator asked Allen Weisselberg - a Trump Organisationemployee who was also listed as treasurer for the Trump Foundation - if the foundation had a policy for determining which specific payments the foundation was allowed to make. "There's no policy, just so you understand," Weisselberg said. The interviewer asked if Weisselberg had understood he was actually on the board of the Trump Foundation, and had been for more than a decade. "I did not," Weisselberg said. With no outside oversight over Trump's use of foundation funds, Underwood said, the future president had repeatedly used his charity's money to help his businesses, and himself. Twice, for instance, Trump used the charity's money to settle legal disputes that involved his for-profits businesses. In 2007, he settled a dispute with the town of Palm Beach over code violations at Trump's Mar-a-Lago Club. The town agreed to waive outstanding fines if Mar-a-Lago gave $US100,000 to a charity. But the donation, to an organisationcalled Fisher House, came instead from the foundation, Underwood said - after Trump wrote a note to Weisselberg. "Allen W, DJT Foundation, $100,000 to Fisher House (Settlement of flag issue in Palm Beach)," said the note, which is included in the lawsuit. Donald Trump and then partner Melania Knauss attend a charity event in 2004. Photo: Stuart Ramson/AP In addition, in 2012, a Trump golf club agreed to pay $US158,000 to settle a lawsuit with a man who was denied a $US1 million hole-in-one prize during a tournament at the club. The Trump Foundation paid the money instead of the club, Underwood said. Both of those payments were first reported by The Washington Post. In March, after the Attorney-General's investigation was underway, Trump repaid his foundation all $US258,000, plus more than $US12,000 in interest, Underwood said. Underwood also listed several smaller instances of what she called "self-dealing," meaning Trump using foundation money to help his businesses. The charity paid $US5,000 to put an ad for Trump hotels in the program for a charity gala. It paid $US32,000 to satisfy an obligation of a Trump company that manages a New York estate. It paid $US10,000 to buy a portrait of Trump, which was later found hanging in the sports bar at Trump's Doral golf resort. Underwood said Trump had already repaid amounts spent by the foundation, plus penalty taxes totaling more than $US4,000. Loading In the case of the portrait, she said Trump's golf club had now paid the foundation the "fair rental value" of using the foundation-owned painting as decoration. The value: $US182. IRS rules also prohibit tax-exempt foundations from aiding political campaigns. But Underwood listed two instances where Trump's foundation had seemed to do so. In August 2013, Trump donated $US25,000 from his foundation to a Florida political group aiding the re-election of state Attorney-General Pam Bondi, a Republican. Around the same time, Bondi's office was considering whether to join an ongoing lawsuit by Schneiderman, then the New York Attorney-General, alleging Trump had defrauded students at his now-defunct "Trump University". Afterward, the Trump Foundation omitted any mention of Bondi's political group - called And Justice for All - from its annual report to the IRS, and instead said the $US25,000 donation had gone to a nonprofit in Kansas with a similar-sounding name. Underwood said Trump's staff blamed confusion among accounting clerks for spending the foundation's money, instead of Trump's own. As for the incorrect IRS filing, Underwood wrote, "the Foundation has no credible explanation for the false reporting of grant recipients". Loading After The Post reported on this donation to Bondi's group in 2016, Trump repaid the $US25,000 and paid a penalty tax of $US2,500 for an improper political gift. But Underwood alleged that the campaign Trump's foundation helped most was his own. In January 2016, Trump skipped a debate among Republican candidates because he was feuding with Fox News, the debate's host. Instead, Trump held a televised fundraiser for veterans - drawing millions from wealthy friends and small-dollar donors, and giving much of it to the Trump Foundation. Underwood said that, afterward, "the Foundation ceded control over the charitable funds it raised to senior Trump Campaign staff." She cited emails in which Corey Lewandowski, Trump's then-campaign manager, directed which veterans' charities should receive money. At one point, Lewandowski emailed Weisselberg to ask if the Trump Foundation's money could be ready to distribute during Trump's last campaign events before the Iowa caucuses: "Is there any way we can make some disbursements [from the proceeds of the fundraiser] this week while in Iowa? Specifically on Saturday," Lewandowski wrote, in an email cited by Underwood. Loading At one point, the lawsuit says, Trump actually gave out an oversized $US100,000 "Trump Foundation" cheque to a charity at a campaign event in Council Bluffs, Iowa. The problem: nobody appears to have told the Trump Foundation. "This 'check' was given out (see video). This is not one of the charities we've cut a check to yet. Are there other charities like this?" wrote Jeff McConney, a Trump Organisationstaffer, in an email to Lewandowski cited in the lawsuit. The cheque was later cut. In 2016, Trump sought to excuse his foundation's actions in a letter to the New York attorney general, saying that the Iowa fundraiser was a charity event. "This statement was false," Underwood wrote, "because, in reality, the Fundraiser was a Trump Campaign event in which the Foundation participated." She wrote that Trump had repeatedly signed charity documents saying that nonprofits like his were not allowed to become involved in political campaigns. "Mr Trump's wrongful use of the Foundation to benefit his Campaign was willful and knowing," she wrote. As President, Trump has repeatedly called for the repeal of the Johnson Amendment, a 1954 tax code provision that imposed the ban on political activity by nonprofit groups. Washington Post Most Viewed in World Loading Morning & Afternoon NewsletterDelivered MonFri. https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/world/north-america/new-york-sues-trump-alleging-his-charity-engaged-in-illegal-conduct-20180615-p4zlkm.html?utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss_feed