#I LOVE EVE BTW. IF YOU COULDN'T TELL.

[honeyviscera]

aaaaah i reallly need to read kara no kiouku (eve's manga series) because i absolutely adore the inochino tabekata music video, which features the main character, and with the release of thefight song mv, which expands upon the rich world this character lives in and fleshes it out it really creates a beautiful narrative, i am in love with those two mv's and the story they tell and the worldbuilding and the character design and the stroy being told in them. also watching them sequentially (inochino tabekata first and fight song next) the way the songs themselves sound really very nicely complemet each other with inochino tabekata having a bit of a darker feel and fight song being comparatively upbeat and energetic but still maintaining a very similar vibe. and to know that they're based off of his manga????? i need to read it. i have been planning to read it. also i've heard that hitotsume (reoccuring character in his mv's and featured heavily in his live action/animated movie adam by eve i love hitotsume he's silly) is a character in the manga as well and i juust. everything referenced in his music videos is all tied togehter in this series and AUGH I NEED TO READ IT. i need to see which othe reoccurring characters i keep seeing in his mv's are in the manga i need to find out the root of the references being made i need to have one of those bulletin board with the red thread where i am tying everything together and looking like that one meme w that guy. that needs to be me with kara no kioku and the eve mv's and adam by eve. hjcghfdvkjglbj;flkn;gmfhvdgcsjfbvdhcvjfgkbjlgk;hk';kjnkhbugtfyrydctugfhlvj;blinkgfb;nmkvlbxcjhvugilh;ojfhdugvsodlhibkvj;lsbuguhiodjk;lkvfigubhvljk;divfjhupbvi'j;fjvbidfhvkjlk;cksjfvhkldsjljdvj;lsdkjgh;jsdh;khsjklfhklgefhjv;jfnkvfnjdspk;hnjhfkjdfvbnsnslkdnslkjjksljkvhkjfvlsjkfbvkjf;vbbvildksjbvkjlbvfdkljfnlkdvjbslkjdgkjlndkjbnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnhgjhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

[sanaexus]

accidental confessions

how the bluelock men would confess to you

includes: sae, nagi, rin

sae itoshi

sae didn't mean to confess, he really didn't. it was purely accidental. to him, in a world full of football and being the best there wasn't any time for love.

but you were his manager (sneek peak into an upcoming fic btw), you dealt with him so kindly, despite his temper tantrums and attitude worse than a teenager who had a bad day. so how was he supposed to not fall for you?

so when you were scolding him for not paying attention and being distracted be it listening to what you were saying or just being "out of it" in general, he snapped.

it was late evening after a particularly intense practice session with the team, but sae, of course stayed back, he was having a shitty week, both in and out of practice, he would himself distracted very often, but he didn't know others could notice it, not until you approach him. "sae? it's getting late you should probably head back" he stops dribbling the ball to stare at you with a deadpan expression as he curtly replies with a "no", now that was annoying, you couldn't exactly leave until he did, him being distracted all week was not only a hindrance for him, but for the entire time and you. "for god's sake stop acting like a child sae and just go home. you've been distracted all week and because of that not only you but the entire team and me had a shitty week, so please just go home and rest."

that caught his attention, as he suddenly halts. he didn't like any part of what you just said. was his performance so lackluster that everyone was hindered? well now he had to do something about this crush, didn't he?

"well, i'm sorry that i fell in love with you and now you won't fucking leave my damn mind and now i'm fucking distracted almost always because all i can think about is you. i didn't mean for this to happen either but i can't do shit about it."

now this was all confusing to you, because THE itoshi sae loves you? and you're on his mind 24/7? you're the reason he's distracted? there were so many questions running through your head. "you what...?"

"i said it once and i won't say it again. it doesn't matter anyway." he grabbed his duffel bag angrily slinging it over his shoulder heading out of the field without doing his usual routine.

doesn't matter anyway? how was he so wrong? was he that oblivious that he didn't notice your feelings for him?- were all the thoughts that ran through your head. before sae could go any further, you catch up to him "you're stupid. you're so so so fucking stupid, and very rude."

stupid? rude? what did you mean? what did he do? he knew you didn't feel the same but how was that rude? wasn't he understanding?

"i find it so incredibly rude that you think i'm not head over heels with your oblivious ass. are you a brick or something? because you're dense as fuck." you breathed out, looking straight at him, though his back was facing you.

he was overwhelmed, the itoshi sae was overwhelmed. the impossible thought of you liking him back was possible and very real? he slowly turned to face you, not realizing just how close you were standing. "tell me you aren't joking, because i swear if you are-"

he got cut off by a kiss. it took him a moment to realize what was going on but once he did he pulled you in closer. as you pull away from him and ask him "enough proof for you to know i'm not joking?"

nagi seishiro

nagi believe everything was a pain, waking up in the morning, going to school, any and every "normal" task was a pain to him. but not you, talking to you wasn't a pain, going out to a cafe with you wasn't a pain; being with you wasn't a pain.

so of course, nagi fell for you, hard and fast, but how could you blame him? you were so understanding and kind to everyone that it was impossible not to love you and nagi being nagi wanted to ask you.

it was finally spring. warm weather was approaching, beautiful cherry blossoms were in bloom, and couples were everywhere. nagi thought it was the perfect time to confess to you.

so when he saw you during lunch break talking to some of your friends near a vending machine smiling so brightly, your sweet giggles ringing in his ears, he swears he fell in love again.

your friends being the oh-so-amazing wingmen they were, excused themselves the moment nagi approached. your heart beat loud and fast. it was scary, being alone with nagi, you didn't know why you felt this way but you did.

it was hard not to fall for nagi, he was just so adorable. it was no secret that nagi was a prodigy, his talents knew no limit, but that didn't make him a show off. no, he was still a genuine and overall an amazing person.

nagi unknowingly trapped you between him and the wall, his hand next to your head, he looked down at you with a small smile. "can you wait for me after school near the gate? i need to confess to you."

you were dumbfounded, he said that so confidently, you doubted if he knew what he just said. "nagi.. just repeat what you said"

he was confused, why did you ask him to repeat as he replays what he told you in his mind, he realized that he technically just confessed right now, a soft "oh" leaves him as he realizes.

"well you should still wait after near the gate, i'll take you on a date."

and without any further explanation he left the scene, console in his hand heading towards where ever reo was.

rin itoshi

rin was a soft person, before spain, rin was the sweetest you, never once did he ever hurt you, physically or emotionally. why would he? you were his bestfriend, the one person he cherished along side his brother.

but that all changed after the incident with sae, it was like someone did a whole 360 on his personality, he was cold, aloof, egotistical and extremely competitive.

he didn't care about anyone or anything, all he wanted to do was beat sae and isagi. he didn't take care of himself and that was worrying. because all he did was practice.

you welcomed yourself into the itoshi household, you could say it was perks of being next door neighbors and family friends. you greet rin's mom and head over to his room like you usually did, sometimes he'd come from practice when you were there, sometimes he wouldn't. however today was different, because the moment you entered his room, you see rin focused on the screen infront of him observing a match.

it was concerning and it didn't help that you didn't know how long he had been sitting there, staring at screen.

"rin?" you call out his name, knowing he wouldn't really give a reply just a hum of acknowledgement that your in this room. usually you would have given up and just sat there doing your own things but today you were persistent.

"rin? can you atleast look at me?" he turns his head around annoyed that his concentration was broken "what?"

"for how long have you been sitting there?" you sit down on his bed facing him with a questioning look on your face.

"how does it matter? why are you even here?"

that pissed you off. the questions 'how does it matter' or 'why are you even here' pissed you off, but it didn't only anger you, it hurt you. you were his bestfriend. of course it mattered, and you were there because you cared and it hurt because now it felt like this "friendship" was one-sided

"i'm here because i care rin, why else would i be here?"

"since when did you fucking care?! even if you do, i didn't ask you to care for me, don't be surprised when you're getting ignored by me."

"since fucking forever you stupid dunce, maybe i fucking care about you because i'm in love with you, but the way you're behaving makes me feel like you don't give two shits about how i feel and maybe you don't, but i care about you, and maybe that's my biggest mistake."

was all he heard before the door slammed, he didn't know why but he chased after you. to him there was no time for romance or love if you want to become the best, but when he heard those words coming from you, that was a wake up call for him. he grabbed your hand right before you reached the porch of your house.

"i love you" he didn't know why he said it, he didn't know what else to say, he didn't know what else to do but just say those three words and hug you, and when he did, he knew he meant those three words more than anything else in his life.

ALSO LMK IF I SHOULD MAKE A PT.2 OF THIS

sigh this took alot longer than it should have and this was pretty hard to write because of the dialogues and i find it to be awkward but hopefully it's still fine and you all like it. i know rin's part wasn't him confessing but instead the reader confessing but whatever.

also to the anon that had requested a certain fic, i'm working on it, it may take a little while longer, so i wrote this in the meantime so i had something to post.

[imyourbratzdoll]

buck x reader where bucky is sad cuz he can't date nat and when frnd!reader asks him out he says yes even tho hes still in love/has a crush on nat, but when r asks he lies n says tht he's not n that hes just "protectivE" of her. later he gets drunk or maybe hes jus rly pissed off after something happens n when r tries to help him he gets angry and tells her that she's clingy n annoying n that he only dated her cuz he couldn't be w nat n that he almost says her name durin sex smtimes. you can escalate from there!1 love ur works sm btw, hope u hav a good dayy!!

okay, I'm hoping this is good! If not, I do apologise.

summary - bucky agrees to date you because natasha is already taken, how long can he pretend before he snaps?

warning - angst, swearing, unrequited love, near abuse but is stopped.

the gif I use isn't mine, dividers by @firefly-graphics and @newlips

You smiled as Natasha encouraged you to ask out your long-time crush Bucky Barnes. You always thought he was into her, but then he started paying more attention to you. You decided to head over to Bucky when Sam came to collect Nat, his arms wrapped around her waist as he kissed softly on her temple. You smiled at the affection and love the two have for each other, hoping you’ll have that.

“Hi, Bucky!” You grin, waving slightly as you stop in front of him. You could’ve sworn your heart skipped a beat when he looked up at you.

“Oh, hi, Y/n” He gives you a tight smile, watching as he continues to look back at Sam and Nat. You feel your nerves get the best of you as you fiddle with your fingers.

“I wanted to ask… Would you like to have dinner with me sometime?”

Bucky shrugs. “Sure.” You’re too happy to see how uninterested he is, wishing him goodbye before skipping away to your room. 

It’s been a few months since you and Bucky started dating. At first, you were ecstatic. You thought he was really into you until you noticed how he acted around Nat. You walked into the room and watched him watch her and Sam for a while.

Walking closer, you sit next to him. Feeling your heart crack a bit when he scoots away from you. “Buck…” He hums, not even taking his eyes off her. “Do you still have feelings for Nat?” 

Bucky’s head whips around, looking at you like you grew three heads. “What? No! What kind of question is that?”

You look down as you play with the end of your shirt. “It’s just… You’re always talking about her or looking at her, and I just thought….”

“Jesus Christ, Y/n! I’m just protective of her. Stop being so insecure.” And with that, he stands and walks off. Leaving you to feel like shit, not noticing Nat and Sam looking at you with pity from across the room.

It had been a few days since Bucky snapped at you, and he’s become distant. You're currently sitting on your bed, feeling tired. You flip through a book you’ve been meaning to read but can never find the time. You’re interrupted by a knock at the door causing you to get up and head over.

When you open it, you’re met with Steve holding a very drunk Bucky. “I didn’t know where else to take him… Please be careful. He’s acting a bit off today.” Steve looks at you sheepishly. You smile softly, taking your drunken boyfriend off his hands, thanking him and closing the door.

“C’mon, Bucky, let’s get you to bed.” A whimper leaves you as Bucky pushes you off him, turning around and glaring at you.

“Jesus fuck! Why the fuck are you always so fucking clingy? Do you know how fucking annoying it is to always have you near me or talking to me?!” You blink, too shocked to move as he explodes. “Fucking hell! I didn’t even want to fucking be with you! Why would I want someone like you when someone like Natasha exists?!” Bucky stalks closer to you, and you quickly take steps back until you are pushed against the wall. “I only fucking said yes to you because Sam fucking took her from me!” 

“B–but”

“But what?! Did you think that I could love you, YOU?!” Bucky’s metal fist flies to the wall beside your head, causing a dent. “You’ve never even questioned me, always requesting to fuck you from behind! Is it because deep down you knew that I secretly wished it was her?! That her name nearly slips from my mouth when I’m balls deep inside you!”

You take a shaky breath, feeling tears roll down your face, but you’re too numb to move. Bucky's fist lifts, and you flinch, thinking he will hit you. You squeeze your eyes shut, only opening them when you hear someone yelling. 

Your eyes widen when you see Steve tackling Bucky, holding him down as he screams to let him go and how much he hates you. Steve turns to you and feels his heartbreak at the terrified look in your eyes. “I got him. Go to my room. I’ll be there soon.” 

You take off, heading straight to Steve’s room and throwing yourself into his bed. You bury your face into his pillows, crying into it before falling asleep. 

Steve enters his room, looking at you sadly before he crawls in behind you. His heart skips as your body curls into him. He wraps his arm around you and holds you close as he falls asleep.

thank you for reading!

feedback and reblogs are greatly appreciated.

part 2

[haveateadude]

bleak horizons ii.

summary *. ⋆ ⋆·˚ christmas and hot chocolate

warnings *. ⋆ ⋆·˚ depression, family issues, and i think that's it?? it's mostly fluff??

author notes *. ⋆ ⋆·˚ why is it christmas you might be wondering... well i don't fucking know okay??😭😭wrote this when i was in another country and it was cold and it reminded me of christmas so i wrote this. anyway. this one is boring as FUCK... just saying. i'm embarrassed about posting this actually. also, i accidentally put this on chat gpt and it gave me more than 10 things i had to fix so. don't get your hopes up LMAO

hope y'all have a great day, night, morning or whatever. take care of yourselves!!!!!!! if u don't you're an asshole.

AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THE SUPPORT ON MY LAST POST!!!!!!!!! i love everyone who liked it :)) even just knowing people have read it makes my heart warm. i really thought it would get cero recognition, y'all are amazing <3

(readers mental health gets addressed in the next chapter btw)

(not proofread either, sorry if there's any mistake)

pt1 — pt2 — pt3

i don't wanna talk about anything

i wanna kiss, kiss your eyes again

wanna witness your eyes looking

For Christmas, I go to Ellie's house, and I lie to my mother about having too much work. She says it's fine, which weirds me out. I never thought she would say yes. I’m excited and happy to go to Ellie’s house, anyway. This is important, I feel—meeting her family, I mean. She never speaks much about them, but I know she's adopted, and that she gets along with them. She also never met her mother. She says she had her aunt to teach her all that Joel couldn't, like what periods were, how to wash her clothes, and how to paint her nails with her left hand.

I think a part of me is afraid to go because I'm afraid I'll get attached. My mother never taught me what periods were and my father never seemed to know what empathy was. Her family sounds like a dream to me.

"We’re here," Ellie says with a smile on her face as she pulls up on the side of the road next to a white house. It’s got a green lawn, it looks nicely cared for, and a white picket fence. I take a deep breath, I don’t know why I’m so nervous. I think Ellie senses that. She puts a hand on my shoulder and squeezes it, which feels comforting. "Hey, just know my dad is really fucking chill. It’s just going to be us, and my uncle's family. They’re going to love you, I promise."

"Okay," I nod because I know it and that's what I'm afraid of. I look outside the window. It’s Christmas Eve. It's already snowing. I then stare at Ellie's eyes and smile. I kiss her and when I pull apart I speak. "I don't want to go out, it's cold."

"C’mon, let’s go inside then. I don’t want you to freeze in this car."

I nod and fix my hair in the mirror before I go out. The cold makes me unable to feel my face or my hands, so when I go inside I'm a bit surprised by how warm it is. Ellie makes me hand her my coat and my stuff, and she puts mine and hers aside.

The house inside looks way better than it does outside. The lights are dim, the Christmas tree has colorful lights wrapped around it, and it smells like an apple pie is cooking. It feels like an actual home, and the chimney is decorated with socks, and next to it, on the wall, are pictures of young Ellie.

"You look cute," I tell her, speaking about the photos, as she walks towards me.

She blushes, her ears go red, "Uh, you weren't meant to see that."

"Oh, stop it," I chuckle. "You look adorable.”

"I bet you looked way more adorable than me."

"I looked like a disfigured mosquito with a big ass."

Ellie laughs as her hand goes to my hip, "First of all, if you were a disfigured mosquito—which you're not by the way—I would still like you; second of all, I love your big ass."

"Oh, so that's all you love about me?" I ask, teasingly, slightly tilting my head. "Just my ass?"

I feel Ellie's hands move downwards, nearly gripping my butt, before I hear someone clearing their throat. I'm so red I'm not even a tomato... I probably look like a fucking chili pepper or something.

I know it's Joel because Ellie has a picture of him with her on her nightstand. She looks at Joel as her hands linger on my hips for a second, then she takes them off and walks towards him.

"Joel," Ellie says, hugging him. "Hey, old man."

"Kiddo, you've grown so much."

"I look the same as last month."

"Yeah, just thought it’d make you feel better."

Ellie laughs as she pulls apart. I just stand there, awkwardly behind Ellie. Finally, Joel looks at me.

"Oh, hi," he says, now looking at me. "Ellie has talked a lot about you."

I nod, "Thanks for letting me stay, Mr. Miller."

"Just call me Joel."

"Well," Ellie interrupts. "We're going to my room, I'll talk to you later."

"Okay, I'll tell you when Tommy and Maria get here."

Ellie takes our bags, which she insists on doing alone, and leads me to her room.

Her room, it's… so her. Posters of bands cover every inch of her walls, and her desk is stained with paint.

I sit on her bed and look around as she sits next to me.

"I like your room," I tell her, feeling her knee bump against mine. She's so close to me I can feel her breath on my neck. 

"It’s messy, though." She’s looking at me, but I can't dare to look at her. 

I feel guilty for not being at home now, it gnaws at me. Is mom alone? And why do I care? Why do I feel guilt over the person who made me hurt more? She always wants to fight—there's always constant battles between us, battles she always wins. So why do I miss her and why is it hard to accept?

"What are you thinking?"

I chuckle, "It’s nothing."

"Well—alright," she lets the subject the subject slip. She kisses my cheek and then my lips and her hands roam my body. We just make out, though.

Christmas dinner goes fine. Better than I thought it would. The Millers are like a real family, they talk to me like they've known me for years, even though I feel like an intruder in their house. I don't want to be fond of them, or else I'll cling to them like they're family.

Maria and Tommy have a baby and most of the night is spent with Ellie cradling the baby and me sitting next to him. We drink hot chocolate with marshmallows. This is the happiest I've ever been at Christmas.

At night, I leave Ellie's warm embrace to go for a glass of water. I can't sleep, my mind is racing and it won't shut off.

When I go downstairs Joel is sitting at the kitchen table, I don't know what to say to him. Which is okay, because he speaks first.

"Can't sleep?" He asks.

For a moment I think he has confused me for Ellie, because why is he talking to me?

"Yeah," I say, getting my glass of water.

"I won't give the 'hurt my daughter and I'll kill you' talk if that's what you're worried about."

I try to laugh, "Thanks, I guess. You're—you're a great dad."

"Well, you're a great kid."

"Thank you," I answer because I don't know what else to say. He's indeed a great dad. He's funny and nice and caring. I've seen the way he talks to Ellie. Unlike my father he doesn't look at her daughter like he's trying to fix their relationship, therefore their conversations don't look forced; Ellie has referred to me as her girlfriend at Christmas dinner, and all Joel did was smile. It made me want to throw up, even if I felt welcomed.

"Hey—uh, I'm sorry if I approach this in the wrong way… but Ellie has told me that your mother is causing you trouble."

"Yeah," I don't know what to say, again. How do I answer this? How should I feel about this? "She's been a little difficult, but you know. It's the normal mother-daughter fight, nothing to worry about."

"Okay," he nods. "If you want you can talk to me, or Ellie—she's… she's been a little worried."

I hadn't seen that coming. Is Ellie's worried?

"I—I will talk to her. Thank you."

She doesn't want you. She's your friend, she doesn't want you. She will fall in love with you, not your brain nor your scars, and when she finds out about the way you think she'll leave.

I want to say Mr. Miller but I know he wants me to call him Joel—which makes me a little awkward. "I'm going to sleep now."

"Get the rest you need," he smiles. "Leave the cup on the table, I'll wash it."

I wake up being the little spoon.

Ellie has her arms wrapped around me like she's afraid I'll leave. As I slowly open my eyes I can also feel Ellie shifting behind me.

"Morning," she speaks in her morning voice, the vibration of her voice against my neck sends shivers down my spine—in a good way.

I smile, "Hey."

"How did you sleep?"

"More than good. Your bed is very comfortable."

"Yeah," she pulls me closer to her front, "I could stay here forever."

We don't stay there forever, though, because we open presents. It's just Joel, Ellie, and me. Surprisingly there's one for me from Joel, and Maria and Tommy.

Ellie gave me a necklace and a ring, which might seem simple to others but I had been planning on buying it for a fucking long while. It always was out of sale. And the ring had a moon on it.

"Fuck, Ellie," I say as I look at her, sitting on the floor with my legs crossed. "This is amazing, I love this."

"Yeah?" She asks. She's sitting next to me, her legs stretched out, resting her weight on one of her arms behind her. I notice she looks flushed. Her cheeks are slightly more pink than they always are.

I nod, kissing her, "Thank you, thank you, thank you..."

She chuckles after I give her one last kiss, "Time to open mine now, I guess."

I look at her as she opens what I gave her. It's small, compared to what she gave me. Is just one of the first pictures we took together framed, just after I moved in. I also gave her a white silver beaded bracelet I had made.

"I remember this day," she says, looking at the picture. "I remember I was trying to impress you all day long, you know? I just wanted to make you laugh... and well, you did."

I chuckle, "I did laugh at all your jokes, but I think that's just because I have a very shitty humor."

"I'm glad we share it."

Ellie looks at the bracelet and the framed photo with a tender smile, her eyes glistening.

"I love it," she says softly, as she puts the photo down, her voice barely above a whisper. "I love you."

Her words make my heart race, and I feel my cheeks heat up.

"I love you too," I reply, my voice steady despite the emotions swirling inside me. I think this is the happiest I've ever been; I think I'll remember this moment forever.

We spend the rest of the morning together, laughing and sharing stories. For the first time in a long while, I feel like I belong somewhere.

After breakfast, as Ellie and I sit on the couch with our fingers intertwined, Joel comes over with a cup of hot chocolate.

"Merry Christmas, you two," he says with a kind smile, handing us the mugs.

"Merry Christmas," I say.

Alright, yeah. This might be the best Christmas I've ever had.

[itsgiovanna]

proud of you

pairing: fem!f1driver for mercedes x mason mount

type: one-shot

requested: yes

summary: can you please write an imagine where y/n is an f1 driver and she just won her first championship from max for the first time and she drives for mercedes. mason tells how proud he is of her and how much he loves her (...)

notes: f1 and mason, everything i need. i changed some things from the request so it’d match the time of the season when the last race happens. btw: i'm not an expert on f1 strategies so it's probably lame, lol. also, there might be a pt.2, there might not… let me know in the comments! :)

warnings: fluff and more fluff, that’s all.

As soon as you’ve entered the paddock in Abu Dhabi, journalists gathered around trying to take pictures of you, being the first woman in F1, since 1976, completely changed things. From people wanting to know who you’re dating to the press speculating about the future in the Mercedes-AMG team alongside the Seventh-Time World Champion, Lewis Hamilton. He’s been someone you’ve created a friendship with, not to mention the fact that he’s a legend and you’re privileged to be learning from him. Also, he’s the reason you’re dating Mason, after he threw a party at his apartment in London you’ve got to know the Manchester United’s footballer and found out Mason is one of the most kind and gentle guy you’ve ever met, it’s been two years since you’ve met and it’s your 2nd year driving for Mercedes, everything happened fast and now you’re battling for the 1st place in the championship against Max Verstappen.

“Darling.” you’re quickly embraced by your mom’s arms in a tight hug. “We’re so proud of you, Y/N.” she says, looking at your dad.

“Thank you, mom.” you’re smiling, remembering all the things they’ve sacrificed so you’d be in F1. It’s worth it, and it’s all for them.

"It's gonna be alright, kid." your dad says, he knows you're nervous and they're too, anything is possible, in a bad way, when you're driving a car at 372.5 km per hour. "You're the best out there, sweetheart. It's a matter of time until you're winning that throphy, we'll always love you, regardless of what happens, Y/N."

"Shit, this is too much, dad." you're practically crying, but it's true, they've always been here, cheering when you're winning or supporting when you're losing.

"We love you, honey. You've been amazing this season. Have fun. Ok?"

"I love you." after a hug on both of them, you're off to the garage. It's showtime, and you're definitely not missing this one.

(...)

"Hey, you." Lewis greeted as soon as you've entered the garage.

"Hi, Lew." you're trying to be calm, despite the fact that the race is in twenty minutes, but he notices you're not 100% as you're used to be in other days.

"What's wrong?" he says, putting his phone away to properly look at you.

"I had a fight with Mason last night." you admitted, quietly, as if saying it out loud might make it more real. "I can't concentrate, Lewis. I'm terrified of what's going to happen out there today. It's not like the other races, it's the last one and I'm competing for the championship!" you're saying everything at once, taking the weight off your shoulders.

"Hey, it's ok." he hugs you as soon as you're having difficulties to breath. "It's natural to have worries, especially before a big race like this. But you're an incredible driver, and you've got the skill to win this. Whatever's going on with Mason, we'll figure it out later. Right now, focus on the track. Ok?" you've nodded, anxiety beginning to decrease. And, he was right. You couldn't let personal problems overshadow professional commitments, it's something you've always been grateful for: his friendship. While you've been emotional these past two years, Lewis is the balance for it, being rational, but caring. "If you ever need to talk or just take your mind off things, I'm here. We're a team, and that means supporting each other, on and off the track."

"Thank you, Lewis. I appreciate it more than everything, really." you've managed to give him a smile.

(...)

Mark, one of the engineers, tapped his tablet, bringing up the data from the previous races and the specifics of the circuit. "The circuit here in Abu Dhabi is known for it's challenging corners and long straights." he explained, his fingers dancing over the screen. "We've seen that tire management will be crucial, and the pit strategy needs to be timed perfectly."

"I need a car that's agile in the corners but fast on the straights. We need to find the perfect balance." you've said, getting approval from the other engineers.

"We're leaning towards starting on the hard tires to build a gap and switching to the soft, it'll probably give us the edge." Bono's voice echoes in the room. "And we'll need to be flexible with the pit strategy, especially if the weather complicates things. We'll be monitoring it throughout the race, though."

"Remember, you've got an incredible team behind you, but this race comes down to you. Max is going to push hard, and we'll need to be ready for any surprises. We believe in your abilities, and we know you can do this, Y/N." Toto spoke up, his voice unwavering.

You could feel the weight of the championship, but you're ready for the challenge. The teamwork, the strategy, and the unwavering support of your team brought you to this. You know that, together, you're predestined win.

"Let's execute it flawlessly, and let's win this championship." the team cheered, giving the confidence that you've been searching for.

(...)

The season had been a rollercoaster of emotions and challenges, but now it all came down to this race, the championship is at stake and the anticipation in the air is apparent. Everything you've worked for, the sacrifices, the late nights in the simulator, it's all worth it now.

You've glanced over at the other side of the grid, Verstappen is already in his car. He's a tough competitor, known for his aggressive driving style and determination, the battle between the two of you've become legendary, with fans around the world excited to see who's gonna win.

Then, as the lights went out and the race beggins, the thrill of the acceleration and the deafening noise of the engines filled your senses. The first few laps are difficult but you've managed to get a good position, overtaking competitors and focusing on Max, who's in front of you, not too far. The race progresses, and the championship battle intensifies. He's a relentless opponent, matching every move you've made. At any moment, the fight for the trophy could've been over. But you won't let pressure take over. With each turn, you're more confident. You've found rhythm and the car is responding to the commands, and is at it's limit.

As the final laps of the race approached, you've made the move. There it is, the opening. A shot to pass Max, and you've took it. The crowd erupted in cheers as you've surged, the two cars racing side by side, inches apart. It's the battle of the century, a test of skill and determination. With the checkered flag in sight, you've gave it all. Powering past the Three-Time World Champion, and crossing the finish line, the sound of the crowd erupting in Abu Dhabi. You've done it. You're the first woman to win an F1 championship, in the most amazing way, it's history for the books.

Tears of joy filled your eyes as you've slowed the car and got out, putting the arms in the air as the people cheered, Lewis is right behind, conquering the 3rd place on the race, and as soon as he looks at you, you're practically jumping on him with a hug.

"You've done it, Y/N!" he holds your helmet. "And, it's fucking amazing!"

"Thank you, Lew. I couldn't win the championship without you." you're crying, looking at him through the helmet's visor.

Then, you've rushed to the team, the ones who had worked tirelessly to make this dream a reality. The mechanics, the engineers, the strategists, they're all waiting with smiles, giving a tight hug, celebrations filling the air. Next, you've looked out for Toto, who believed in you from the beginning. He embraced you warmly, his eyes filled with pride. "You're a champion, Y/N!" he said, his voice choked with emotion.

In the end, on the the podium, the British National Anthem played, and the championship trophy was given to you, under the watchful eyes of the world, you've finally raised it, jumping on the stand, screaming to the top of your lungs, you're a champion now and someone who's gonna be the inspiration for future generations of women in racing, seeing the team, your mom and dad, the crowd... it's the most happy you've ever been.

Then your eyes've found something way too important to shrug off. Mason. He's got a smile on his face, probably tears in his eyes and you couldn't be happier to look at him. As you've met at the edge of the track, you've took off the helmet and gloves along the way, then jumped on him, hugging him tight and totally unconcerned about the fact that you've kissed while there's hundreds of photographers looking at both of you.

"I'm so proud of you, love." he says as he's wiping the tears from your face. "I'm sorry, I didn't think straight last night, Y/N. You're too important to me and I..."

"Mason, it's ok. You're here, and this is my greatest victory, you." his heart swelled with emotion as he's gazing back at you.

"I've loved you from the moment we met, and that love has only grown with time. But today, seeing you out there, I realized that my love for you isn't just about being with you. It's about believing in you, admiring your strength and determination, and celebrating your victories as if they were my own." tears welled up in your eyes as you've felt the depth of his affection and the sincerity in his words.

“I love you, you’re everything to me.” you kissed him with passion, Mason’s hands on your waist and photographers flashing what was about to be the photo on your phone’s screen.

“I won’t let go of you, ever.” he says, breaking the kiss.

“Don’t, I’ll pretty much enjoy that.” you're laughing, feeling him closer.

In that quiet, heartfelt moment amidst the noises of the track, you've affirmed both of the love you've got, a love that is as powerful as any victory on the track. You're celebrating the championship, not only with the world, but with the love of your life, Mason.

(...)

[palmviolet]

Thank you so much for your incredible response to my ask, seriously above and beyond what i could've asked for, the extra references too! So grateful :')

Ordered a copy of outriders yay! That being said though, and obviously you don't have to answer after your generous fist answer, but I've been meaning to get into critical theory and have no idea how. You mentioned “E Unibus Pluram” by David Foster Wallace, (never apologize for a DFW rec btw) so I will definitely be starting with that, but do you have any other helpful reads for getting into critical theory? Some favourites? Anything would be useful, its such a big overwhelming subject lol.

Again thank you for your answer, and no pressure to answer this one! Excited to read your new fics whenever they come also :) I'm in love with your style and intellect! Cheers.

absolutely no worries — honoured you're coming to me for recs!

honestly 'theory' is such a broad topic it can get overwhelming, as you've noticed lol. i started in all this very much from a narrowed literary perspective, so looking at the basics of the different schools of thought — new historicism, structuralism etc — and then tossing it all out of the window to develop my own views (i was taught in the loose 'teach yourself' tradition of prestigious education lmao). which means my knowledge of the basics is fairly scattergun, but i can tell you what i started with, which was beginning theory: an introduction to literary and cultural theory by peter barry. as i recall, it was a good basis. i'm copying from my undergraduate reading list now but David Lodge, ed.: Modern Criticism and Theory: A Reader and Twentieth Century Literary Criticism: A Reader were also pretty good.

i can also absolutely recommend the a very short introduction series. they are indeed very short but they're great if you're just getting into a subject and really don't take very long to read.

from there it's really a matter of finding a) what subjects interest you and b) which voices/perspectives you accord with best. and it's best to draw from a mix. ie. my general approach is a blend of marxist/queer/postmodern criticism but i'm not going to brand myself that way because theory is really much more mutable than all the names suggest and in my experience it's kind of vibes-based anyway. so don't be intimidated, is the upshot. i've read a lot of criticism but not a massive amount of raw theory because i was always more text-focused, literary rather than philosophical, which has definitely contributed to my 'making it up as i go along' approach but also means i can confront texts on their own terms without necessarily the burden of theoretical preconceptions. that being said, i couldn't do what i do without a grounding in the central ideas of postmodern semiotics and queer theory. it's more useful context than anything else sometimes, if that makes sense?

i'm not sure exactly what i read to get a grasp of postmodern theory — it just sort of happened. going through my old downloads on my laptop i've got From Modernism to Postmodernism: Concepts and Strategies of Postmodern American Fiction by Gerhard Hoffman, which was pretty good i think. also in the vein of the DFW essay, New Sincerity: American Fiction in the Neoliberal Age by Adam Kelly is solid. and while we're on the subject of recentish fiction, i'll toss you Partial Faiths: Postsecular Fiction in the Age of Pynchon and Morrison by John McClure and The Program Era: Postwar Fiction and the Rise of Creative Writing by Mark McGurl.

re: queer theory texts:

No Future: Queer Theory and the Death Drive — Lee Edelman

Cruising Utopia: The Then and There of Queer Futurity — José Esteban Muñoz

Time Binds: Queer Temporalities, Queer Histories — Elizabeth Freeman

The Celluloid Closet — Vito Russo

Between Men — Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick

the former two are definitely the most influential in my practice. also have to mention jack halberstam and judith butler, but then of course you're getting into some pretty intense abstract gender theory that might be beyond the scope of what you're looking to begin with. anyway. sorry for the intensely rambling answer i have had a glass of wine and a long day. i probably have more in the tank so feel free to shoot me another ask and we'll see what i come up with next time lol

[summercreolefanfictioner]

Ayato best friends with s/o headcanons please 🙏

buckle up your seats folks 'cause this is another one of my Wattpad-esque pov series ala diaboys (and yes I made the post gender-neutral cause anon did not specify any gender)

btw I highly recommend listening to the song cause it radiates falling in love with bff energy

pov: you're Ayato's bff (and you're in love with him)

they say the best foundation of any relationship is friendship, hence why you were so hopeful abt this thing you have w/ Ayato

yes we all know he annoys the sht out of you and everyone else

but you love him (even to the point of going out of your way to do favors for him)

Laito noticed how foolish you were, acting like a lap dog for his older bro even tho your efforts were in vain

heck you even tried dressing yourself up or changing your wardrobe or fixing your hairstyle

well he did notice you, but not like what you expect

"y/n, are you okay? you're dressing weirdly"

istg you don't wanna do it again so you spare yourself a bit of shame and revert back to your own style

and you know what's more painful than falling in love with Ayato as his BFF?

you have to deal with him ogling over those women with large cup sizes

like okay you think it's just a harmless crush from him no biggie

but sometimes he asks them out and you can't do anything abt it

like can you honestly tell him "I don't like you asking that girl out bcos I am helplessly in love with you and it's hurting me every single day to watch you ask someone else on a date when I am basically here"

you can't do that right?

it was only when you two were forced to a cleaning duty at the library that things changed

like you bumped into a bookshelf and he was fast enough to shield you from the falling books

and you two just looked straight into each other's eyes

the next thing your lips met and you spent the whole day thinking about how soft his lips were and how the kiss exceeded your expectations

you think everything was bliss, didn't you?

nah your romance affair thingy with Ayato ended before it started

after all he can't give you the life you deserve

he's a vampire but ofc you have no idea

plus he's Adam in Karlheinz's plan

you think his father will spare you just bcos his fated Adam had irrevocable feelings for a mortal who is not Eve?

tired of having your feelings unrequited for so long and him not taking the relationship to the next level, you decide to cut things off from Ayato

but ofc you knew deep down he will still be your first love

alexa play first love by utada hikaru

and even when you got married, had kids, turned into a wrinkly grandparent, you'll always have Ayato in your heart

so on your deathbed, there was a young man, with the same features as Ayato

you swear you were dreaming

bcos this man couldn't be Ayato

he held your hand and told you how he missed you so much and that he loves you with all his heart

"I'm sorry this was all I can give."

in the end you didn't care if this was Ayato or not bcos you were content with this happy ending

and yes, Ayato still remembered you up to this day

[approximateknowledge]

Weird asks, all multiples of 5

alright here we go

5: glass cup, easily, but cans are fine

10: martial arts stuff (in judo club since i was 6)

15: either the mundo emerso books or walter moers' rumo, please don't ask me to choose (5th year of secondary school dutch classes were an outlier in quality) (im belgian btw, dutch is one of my native languages) (which also means both books were in fact translations from their respective italian and german originals; (could've read the german too lol)

20: actual answer is *whatever paper is closest to me in the moment*; the issue with that is my writing is one big mess of shorthand and if left unattended itll devolve into semi-logographic ak-only idiolect. so given that this isn't a real option, it's just: locally saved word document

25: very good question, no idea, probably some K3 song ("drie biggetjes" is a good candidate)

30: any plant or lichen growing where it's not supposed to. the ecologies inside pavement cracks give me hope

35: usually between midnight and 1am

40: there was this duck that got spotted in weird places all over the school; just a rogue dude, green-headed menace in the corridors. unauthorised anseriform

45: probably scifi, but the boundary between it and fantasy is thin and also kind of aesthetic half the time. i care about internally coherent worldbuilding above any aesthetic preferences. a mindset of *systems*, not "great men" (<also why i don't like superheroes that much) (usually) (there's always exceptions)

50: i have no fucking clue, but just gonna put calvin and hobbes because younger me loved those and it was right

55: i don't think i have a favourite fairy tale? just gonna put children of memory. those who've read it will understand

60: oh that's a good question... gonna go with unhinged and kind of gory ultra-scifi. think BLAME!. chances ill be a human are statistically low. don't mind me just gonna become an unrecognisable bionanotech abomination beyond baseline human comprehension (post-builder gender envy) (gonna reinvent hivers)

real answer is isekai as a basic neumann-builder in said setting

so im a synth, so what?

65: i have a dent in my skull from breaking it against a table on christmas eve at a family gathering when i was 2 years old. also a scar on my left big toe where an emu bit me while i was wearing sandals. also thyroid shave scar on my neck

70: right handed

75: no clue, presumably at a normal age for it. genuinely couldn't tell you

80: jewel tones but matte

85: mythology all the way, mostly, depends. the distinction is kind of fuzzy, more about intent that content

90: being on reddit for a while (is where i met my matesprit/bf)

95: image gallery (y'all really use apps voluntarily?)

there we go!

[humanmorph]

some more piecemeal pal48 posting. eclectic round 😁

To get it out of the way: terrible. horrible. horrid rolls. I was laughing AND went noooo!!!! out loud when Keith was like "Sorry, uhm, Eclectic dies here." as a reaction likeeee. BOTH times. the SAME dice? god.

I honestly didn't have many thoughts on the Delegate process before the reveal (only questions) (edit: some of which I do still have, like: how were dvines chosen to make elegates out of? Did fidelity choose? Was is a punishment of sorts or pure practicality about who would make the best delegates, whatever that means? I bet this would've been an audio log.) but it extremely tracks it's another Divine. I thought about the Pleroma Hypothesis (I am kind of constantly thinking about it when I think about Palisade. it's there in the back of my head) & how the reaction we got from Divines back in the fleet was mostly to die off to escape that fate. And I was gonna say, what do you do when even that stops being an option (Gumption : ( )? Make others into tools instead of become one yourself (except she also is in that easy a tool of empire). But I'll be real I am SO iffy on Divine Cycle timeline generally and then Palisade specifically to remember if that lines up. Fucked though! It's good! And. You know... I haven't really been too much like "Oh I wish they would've kept going" except I guess broadly I would just have listened to more Palisade. Because it's good. But now, specifically? I am mourning the Resident Evil sortie to the Garden of Fidelity we could've possibly gotten SO much. There could've been audio logs!!!! Thisbe could've been there with Integrity. Partial Palisade could've been there for real. Austin would've described the environment really beautifully. There would've surely been a plant monster to fight. And given it would've been Armour Astir... Could've Eclectic even swung as big as freeing all of the divines? Could there have been a horrible choice to make. ooooohhhh. ooohhhhhh (thinking about it) (sighing)

I also did like Keith being asked what Opposition looks like & he's like well I passed over it twice but fine & goes here's what it does when you look at it and it's an effect that's visually strange and hard to portay. Aphantasia king... (I do really love it btw I am kind of workshopping a drawing in my head, like I wonder if I /could/ portray that effectively? I'd like to try... but it's also getting stuck at the bit where I would have to draw/design the Divine. I didn't even imagine it as person-shaped at all but since Austin asked & Keith went yeah sure I'll go with it... But that's a shape not. Anything else T_T)

I have to say I was kind of crossing my fingers hoping for Eclectic to kill Fidelity somehow. Not that Divines are truly killable nowadays. I don't know. I couldn't tell you why I want this I think it's just because Future is out of reach. If I GET that golden ball

As for outcome I do kind of like the freed Divines just wrecking shit & it's interesting that they're in a way so similar to the Afflictions (don't care who/what they target, so deeply altered from who they were as Divines that they may not care?) but at the same time it is somewhat disappointing because what if they did. Something different. I don't even have a concrete idea because what happens does make sense to me!, it's just a vague feeling I have atm. Since they're on the map & an issue now though, I imagine there'll be more detail on that though. This is part of writing reactions as I'm listening along... this could come up 5 minutes after the point I stopped at... Alas. Similarly: what about Opposition specifically. It reached back when Eclectic was reaching out? If we both pull we can bring this thing down. & a window broke. I'm kind of gnashing my teeth about it like I truly wish So Bad this could've been explored in depth... Like even if it comes up again in the finale, it's just not an arc. And ik we already had an evil lab arc in Palisade (Delegate related, even. Well. That is what they went there for at least) but I just enjoy them. The PZN one is so good too truly horrible moment there when it's laid out what's going on! Haunting!!!! Honestly still gets me when I think about it, it's so good! Anyways. What about Divines who can't move on their own e.g. Righteousness? Did they just carry that briefcase out & take it with them? Because that could be actually very interesting re: August lol. I have to imagine this comes up again later because with the Divines wrecking shit August (left out of the mission on purpose) would've learned about what Eclectic did & probably have opinions about it. I also think this opens up some possibilities for Thisbe aswell, because Janine did say that the Delegates / their Divines were part of her goal ("mend the scattered shards of divinity").

done for now because i need to sleep but btw we still haven't gotten to the bit I accidentally skipped to and got extremely excited at hearing just a snippet of a sentence but the fact that it's probably in Clem's section is kind of worrying me. a lot actually. ooohh she's going to Win her scene I just know it... I am actually looking forward to it though. I mentioned before ever since the Tower game I've just been kind of along for the ride re: Clem and liking it sometimes more sometimes less but rn well. I am intrigued & I hope Art has a good time

[choccyhearts]

90's!Eddie Headcanons

Note: I always like imagining how Eddie would adapt with the 90's since it is lowkey very different from the 80's, so here's some random thoughts ^_^

CW:

Cut his hair around the beginning of the decade

I really couldn't tell you why my brain won't let this go, but I really believe that he would've thought that The Blair Witch Project was real (like not for a suuuper long time, but maybe before seeing it he would)

(But he would NOT have made that mistake again with Paranormal Activity in the 00's...totallyyyy...)

He prepared for Y2K "just in case"

He told the others that it was stupid and that people were all worked up over nothing

But did drag along a case of beans, beer and a first-aid kit with him to Steve's New Year's Eve party "just in case"

(He left his other favorite belongings in his van)

His precious van did sadly break down but that was okay cause he ended up just getting a new one instead :)

He refuses to not drive a van, honestly

Would maybe depart from that though if he had access to hearse

Despite being the rough around the edges metalhead he is, he would find a love for Britney Spears

Like ya know how today there's a collection of metalheads who love Carly Rae Jepsen and see her as their emotional support pop girly? That's what Britney is for him

Thought Scream was a masterpiece and forced the others to dress up as the characters with him for Halloween (you can take your guess as to who he was...)

(Stu, duh.)

Speaking of Halloween costumes, the older gang would also dress up as the Friends characters (because c'mon, these are yt ppl..) (He was Joey because he refused to be anyone else) (Yes him and Steve argued over it resulting in a coin toss to make the decision) (Steve was Ross)

He's def a Seinfeld>Friends kinda guy

He's also a Simpsons>Family Guy kinda guy

Fuckin' loves DunkAroos

Got lost at a Nirvana concert (this applies to both Rockstar!Eddie or regular Eddie)

Rockstar!Eddie and Corroded Coffin went on SNL

Eddie told Mike Myers he was hilarious but kept calling him "Michael" to be "respectful" (also cause he thought it was hilarious)

Got Adam Sandler's autograph for Steve

Isn't a fan of ICP or juggalos but can accept them from afar

(Is highkey thankful he went to high school in the 80's because otherwise he would've had some juggalos sitting at the Hellfire table)

Celebrated the beginning of his 30's with a bottle of champagne and a pack of DunkAroos

Would also mourn his 20s but not entirely

His first time using the Internet, he looked up porn

Not cause he was in the mood or anything, but just to see what was there

He's not allowed to use Steve's computer anymore

Embraced the younger ones' new phases :

Lucas styling himself after Will Smith in Fresh Prince (which btw not an Eddie hc but Lucas and Max dressed as Men in Black for Halloween on year, okay bye)

Max definitely embraced the grunge style of dress

El loving riot grrrl bands due to their boldness and unabashed expression of emotions (Eddie thinks it's badass)

The boys' love for video games surging due to history being made before their very eyes (Sonic, Crash, Super Mario 64, etc.)

Eddie gets high and watches Kevin Smith movies

Misses his long hair after watching Jay & Silent Bob :(

Likes Goosebumps books and collects them for his future children

The whole crew went to go see Space Jam expecting it to be really dumb and dopey

Everyone left with their lives changed

Forced Steve and Lucas to teach him basketball

It went exactly how you'd expect it go

Fell asleep watching Titanic at movie night

Freaked TFFF out when he got high and watched the Truman Show

Then let his fear subside and would make jokes

"Steve, move out of the way, you're blocking my good angle" *is staring at a plant pot*

Wants smoke with the Chucky doll

Tried growing out a small beard towards the end of the decade

Didn't really feel it, will try again in his 40s

Rockstar!Eddie bought Wayne a house in '95

Made sure the kitchen had lots of cupboard space

Eddie didn't cry until he was leaving after moving Wayne in

Wayne didn't cry until he started putting up picture frames of Eddie through out the years

Mechanic!Eddie saved up for a house for the two of them to rent

Either version Eddie got Wayne a black labrador

Wayne was your typical "I don't need a dog to worry about, messing up my furniture" type of man

They're attached at the hip after one day

"This Green Day isn't half bad"

Despite knowing that it isn't his first actual drink, Eddie is psyched to take Dustin out for his 21st birthday, just the two of them

Steve tracks them down, upset he wasn't the one to buy Dustin his first drink

Dustin doesn't even care as long as he isn't the one paying

This would be the decade that Eddie properly settles down with someone

Gets married early in the decade

Decides to have kids towards the end of the decade/early 00s

I'm gonna cap it here ^_^

[floppyhatwitch]

Last new year's eve, I made a resolution that I would learn to draw by drawing one page every day of 2023. I was meant to post this recap on January 1st, but it turns out that I have like a full thesis worth of infodumping about this project, so it got pushed back. Art dump time! <3

(editor witch here. This post is LONG. Like, tumblr-can't-save-the-draft-properly long. I've decided to split this into multiple parts to mitigate formatting issues and pulling my hair out when it inevitably comes out wrong. This is part 1 of 2)

Long post incoming! Art under the cut :)

First off we have the OG, the Day 1.

I try not to pass judgement on my earlier works, because getting more confident with drawing was the entire point of the resolution. However, I can definitely say I've improved a whole bunch since then. It's basically just copied from reference material and the proportions could use a little work.

Fast forward to Day 11 where I had the first piece I thought was kinda good.

Still goes pretty hard tbh. Love a good beholder.

The first piece I ever got a compliment on was this goopy texture text stuff.

Unfortunately since all the early drawings were done in pencil, a lot of them have been ravaged by the unholy nature of graphite smearing.

Day 49 is another one of my favourites, I'd just won big in a no stakes poker match against my mates and thought I'd celebrate with a rendition of Mr Green.

On Day 100 I decided to draw my top 100 favourite pokemon. It took SO much longer than I anticipated, but I still think it was worth it.

After passing the Day 100 mark I thought it was about time to start varying my materials, so I gave pen drawing a go.

I learnt crosshatching and absolutely loved it, it's still a staple technique whenever I go for pen exclusively, highly recommend.

By Day 121 I was fed up of fumbling MY way through drawing faces so I decided to really crack down and try and learn.

As you can tell, it was a long and arduous journey.

By Day 125 I had filled up the first sketchbook and started a new one. As has become tradition, I decided to draw V2 again to see if I'd improved.

While still not my best (that one's coming up) I'm definitely a lot happier with how this one turned out compared to the first. Being able to see how I'd improved gave me so much inspiration to keep going.

Day 136 was the first time I decided to crack out the coloured pencils, so I commemorated the occasion by depicting one of my homebrew DnD deities bring colour to the material plane.

Banger after banger Day 137 is still one of my favourites. One day I'll make it into an album cover or something.

Jeff Bezos exploding in space because his stupid fucking cowboy hat isn't pressurised at all.

Day 142 I started experimenting with including the day number in the art itself, which was a trend I continued throughout the rest of the project.

After seeing Across the Spiderverse, I couldn't just not dedicate two pages and 4 hours of my life to making a tribute piece to the film. I still absolutely adore it, it's easily my second favourite film of all time (right behind the first one).

On Day 163 I recreated the Creation of Adam with my hand and my son.

This is my son btw:

I love him dearly and he is an excellent muse (he sits so still!)

Anyway so the next day I drew my top-secret creative process since so many people were asking for it.

Gettin naked and eating paint in the forest, duh.

Day 178 I made a spidersona, which is kinda my first ever OC? Like official one anyway.

Gave him a spruce up and a colour for ArtFight (which is SO FUN OMG)

Day 183 was the halfway mark (if you round up from 182.5) so I had to pay homage to the modern classic.

The face is my favourite bit.

Speaking of ArtFight, I made a whole cast of characters for it! I was a little apprehensive to participate at first, since I still wasn't super confident in my abilities, but it turns out that the community is super welcoming <3. If you wanna see the whole shebang you can check out my profile here, but my most popular character was Alice.

Which is awesome because we need more rollerblading rep in this world. We have Jet Set Radio and Ramona Flowers, but we need MORE.

I went to see the Barbennheimer double feature and had the time of my life during it, so I had to go home and make art of it.

Come to think of it, I use art to commemorate a whole lot of stuff. Isn't that neat?

On Day 221 I had just finished my first real short film for school and I was so happy I had gotten it all done. It was like 30,000 words of documentation, 7 months of work and I had to act as a man in it (damn you gender binary!) So I personified the relief of completion as the spectacle of gratuitous violence.

On Day 230 I finished Act II of Ultrakill for the first time (which at the time was the full game) and I couldn't get over just how hard Gabriel's monologue goes so I had to draw my favourite intro ever.

I still haven't played layer 7 though so no spoilers pls.

My son again! This time he's posing like Kali Uchis in her album "Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios)" I won't pretend like I understand what that means, but the album sounds so beautiful and the cover is to die for so I put my son in there.

Day 235, the first full appearance of Spider-Girl. She's talking to her friend (Batman Beyond) who is trapped by the Riddler and forced to write a analytical essay of 12 Angry Men. Fun little detail with the day number is that Doc Ock actually threw the D at Spider-Girl as an attack.

frog cowboy :)

I don't remember drawing Day 244, but I think it's actually really nice. Like an abundance of material slowly being wasted on someone hesitant to accept it or something. Idk I was probably sleep deprived to hell.

It's kinda pretty right? Some little art fairy must have broken in an done it for me

DAY 252! A momentous day. It was my second time switching sketchbooks and so I had to give V2 another crack and...

Still my favourite drawing of V2 I've ever done. Getting the ricochet coin in there as a framing tool is just so slay.

On Day 254 the pen I was using to take notes at school was finally laid to rest. I captured its final lines in this piece.

It's actually kinda moving. That pen was so good.

This is the part where I circle back and remind you that this is too long for one post, so check out part two here

[hoghtastic]

So he says he wants to take more photographs because he hasn't taken many lately, although we know that he takes his camera everywhere and always takes photos of everything for Johanne and her friends, and everything in general. I thought to myself, what? 🤔🤔🤔Is he just saying that because he wants to remind people that he is into photography? Is this a mental preparation, a soft launch?

And two days later he dropped a photography project 😂😂😂.

And then he said he hadn't taken any photos on New Year's Eve, hmm ok dude…suuuure. The man is 100% calculated on social media and in the media/conventions which is why I have a hard time believing anything he’s saying.

And btw, I was the one who said Johanne wasn't posting because she was waiting for Alex to post her again after he coldly ignored her embarrassing 'baby' story. But I think Ida's comment spurred her on. Haha she couldn't take it anymore😅. I wonder what Alex is planning? He didn't even repost the picture of Jo and him from yesterday. Whereas Jo would repost every picture he’d post of them a million times.

I mean I assume he’s planning some post of them because he knows he has to satisfy mummy's craving for a public love story and attention but it always feels like he’s doing it for her. It’s just always off.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts, anon! 😊

In my opinion, Alex is either preparing a "2023 recap", as he usually does by this time of the year (like a few people here have already mentioned), or he's taking a step back from IG and refraining to post more private things, in an attempt to make it strictly professional? I've seen a few other public figures choosing this approach lately, so it wouldn't really surprise me if Alex did the same, especially since he already started by promoting his photography and nothing more. 🤷‍♀️ Time will tell, I suppose.

[meterokinesis]

me: sees an insta story where all my old friends are hanging out (without masks??) and having fun, gets that little stabby feeling in my chest

me: remembers how they edited a picture of me to make it look like i had blackface on (it wasn’t, they covered my face in eyeliner without telling me then took the picture while i was trying to wipe it off because it was literally in my eyes and nose and mouth, then used photoshop)

me: remembers how they refused to add my bf (who’s black) to our prom gc because they were afraid my friend’s date would say the n-word

me: remembers how they all post about blm and not being performative allies when they literally did the above and never apologized/owned up to it

me: remembers how over the four years we were friends, i was constantly belittled and told that my problems weren’t important

me: remembers how they stole my phone and sent racist messages ON MY SCHOOL ACCOUNT as a “joke”

me: remembers how they constantly made me feel as if i didn’t belong in their group, even though i’m the one who introduced them in the first place

me: realizes that i am happier now without them than i ever was with them. i’ve made new friends who actually give a shit about me. losing them was the best fucking thing that could have happened in 2020. fuck all of them honestly.

[infernalodie]

how about a maddy x male reader, where the reader is super tall, covered in tattoos and has a deep voice and he like keeps to himself and everyone at school is scared of him, and maddy gets interested about him, and ends up talking to him and he ends up being a huge sweetheart, (also if you feeling it, after they become friends or whatever how bout a part where nate is being an asshole to maddy and he defends her infront of the school leaving everyone shocked)

love your stories btw ❤

Oh, I very much love this and thank you, bb!!

𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐅𝐋 (𝐩𝐭.𝟏)|| 𝐌𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐲 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐳

"𝘚𝘢𝘺 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘧𝘶𝘯, 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘪𝘵 𝘰𝘯 𝘮𝘦 𝘕𝘰𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘺 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘢 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘮, 𝘍𝘓 𝘰𝘳 𝘐 𝘥𝘪𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘺𝘢 𝘚𝘢𝘺 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘶𝘯, 𝘸𝘦'𝘭𝘭 𝘩𝘪𝘵 𝘓𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘢, 𝘭𝘢𝘺 𝘯𝘦𝘹𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘔𝘪𝘴𝘴 𝘍𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘢, 𝘐'𝘭𝘭 𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘺𝘢, 𝘥𝘪𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘺𝘢, 𝘰𝘩"

Pairing: Maddy Perez x Male!reader

Summary: There weren't many kids that didn't feel oddly out of place at East Highland. A kid always fits in somewhere with a certain group of people or their own clique. But you were far different from the rest of the kids. You stuck out like a sore thumb and Maddy couldn't help but become curious from the mystery surrounding you.

Warnings: Pure fluff and Maddy being adorably kind

Part Two - Part Three - Final Part

Words 3150

When Maddy came into school, she was prepared for just another day of school. What else could be so great about school? The conversations happening between her and her friends were the exact same. Any drama going on was talked in great detail. Maddy just wasn’t interested today, for whatever reason. She needed something new. After her and Nate’s break up and the backstab that Cassie had done, she was searching for something refreshing. Like a nice open beach that she had yet to visit.

“Do we have anything good going on today?” She asked, siphoning through her locker, grabbing the books needed for her first couple classes for the day. But when she found Kat and Lexi oddly silent, she pulled her head from her locker and followed their gaze. Breath being caught in her throat at the sight of, well, you.

“That’s why I am saying, we should be heading to Florida this summer,” Elliot told you. “We both have our license and we’ve been planning on doing this for years, man.”

“I wouldn’t mind.”

You and Elliot walked past the trio, unaware of their unwavering eyes. God, you were fucking hot. Telling by the looks on both Lexi and Kat’s faces, they felt the exact same way. You were tall, extremely tall that you had to slightly bend down to move through door ways. A cigarette hung between your lips with your short sleeve shirt hugging your built frame beautifully.

Maddy let her eyes pick apart the pieces of art inked into your flesh. A vine starting from your wrist curled around your left arm up to your shoulder. Other pieces surrounded said vine, but on your right forearm was knife drive through a skull. Even from the distance, she could see the impeccable detail. On the side of your neck sat a flower with blood dripping from one of the petals. Finally, a small noose could be seen behind your left ear. It was so small that most wouldn’t notice if they weren’t paying close enough attention. But you had Maddy’s attention. Every single damn ounce of it.

That had been the first time Maddy ever saw you. From there, she shared a few classes with you, but you rarely ever spoke. Residing at the back of the class, silently doing your work that the teacher gave you to catch up to the rest of the class. And when she was done with school, she would see you sitting on your motorcycle having a cigarette by yourself.

In the matter of only a few days, you had built up a reputation that most wouldn’t condone. It’d only happened when Nate seemed to freak out at Cassie for being clingy. One person said something and ended up with Nate having his face smashed into the tiled floor. 2 - 0. But since then, everyone stayed the hell away from you, besides Elliot as Maddy guessed you two had been friends way before you ever showed up.

No one knew a damn thing about you. There was no background of your life that could allow them to speculate and create rumor's. You were a jigsaw that people didn’t even dare to try and assemble. But Maddy was a person who liked to take leaps into the unknown. You were exactly that. The complete epitome of the unknown. As well as a breath of fresh air to the school that Maddy wanted to indulge in.

So, when she saw you in the hallway, she made her way towards you. She had a whole plan ready. She knew what she was going to say and what she was going to do. It was all thought out, it was now only a matter of doing it.

“Hi, the names Maddy Perez.” You turned your head slowly, looking down at the girl. If anyone was watching, which a few were, they would see the very noticeable height difference as you were a good 2 feet (almost 3) taller than her.

But your empty gaze did intimidate her if she was being honest. “Y/n.” If Maddy wasn’t so preoccupied with your beauty, she would’ve realized that your gravely and deep voice sent a shock through her system.

You were sculpted by the gods and Maddy wasn’t afraid of admitting it. Your voice was created by the deep baritones played just outside golden gates. But your body was marked by the most evil demons in the fiery pits of hell. Huh, maybe she should take up poetry. “You’re in my math class, right?”

The question undoubtedly threw Maddy off. You’d seen her? Oh, god. She was starting to sound like a teenage girl who was pinning over the popular guy in her class. But Highland was a small town, so she should’ve expected much.

“Uh, yeah,” she nodded. “We share a few classes together.”

“That’s sick.” For the very first time, Maddy saw you smile. A damn smile. Somehow, she had managed to have you smile. “So, what’s up? What do you need from me?”

“I was wondering if you’d like to come to a party my friend is hosting,” she offered. “I can show you what East Highland has to offer.”

You sighed softly, pursing your lips. “I’ll have to pass, Maddy,” you said. “But thanks though. Haven’t gotten many offers.”

“Well, you don’t really kinda give off the vibe of approachable.”

That made you grin again. God, she was on a fucking streak. So much so that you had leaned in with a hint of amusement in your eyes. “Well, I’ve hearing judging a book by its cover is pretty bad.”

The hushed tone did very little to repress the shivers that ran down her spine. It slithered its way into her head and she liked the way it sounded. Your voice was so damn soft despite how deep it was that Maddy had a hard time believing it was even possible.

You softly shut your locker with your text books cupped under your arm. “I’ll see you in class, Maddy.”

That first interaction had been an enlightening one for Maddy as she was the first person besides Elliot or teachers to talk to you. And the longer she watched from the sidelines, she realized how rare of an experienced it was because every other girl or guy that tried to do the same were simply ignored.

Somehow, you managed to contradict every goddamn stereotype placed on you in the 15 seconds of you two talking. Which only added more to the puzzle that Maddy desperately wished to be the first to solve.

Which came as a surprise when after cheerleading practice, she walked out to the parking lot to find you. Eyes attached to your phone as you pulled the cigarette from your lips. Softly exhaling the cloud into the open air.

“You stalking me now, Y/n?” The mention of your name and the familiar voice had you lifting you head.

When you found Maddy making her way over, you smiled kindly. “Just enjoying the weather,” you stated. “Did you know riding a motorcycle is good for one’s mental health?”

Hmm, so you were adorably smart? Cute. “Do you suffer from anything?” Maddy asked

You shook your head with a soft sigh. “Nah, its just nice to have a clearer head,” you explained. “It’s my personal therapy.”

Maddy bit back a smile as she looked at the motorcycle. “Well, I heard not talking to a therapist and dealing with your own problems could cause problems.”

Then, by some gift from god, you laughed. It’s low, yet graceful. Which made it hard for Maddy to contain the smile that formed on her lips. “I did hear that,” you chuckled. “But to each there own, right?”

She nodded, staring intently at you. How did you seem to defy every aspect people thought of you? Maybe it was because you wanted something from her. Sex? God, some part of Maddy hoped so, but she wasn’t interested as of late. She wanted to find the right guy before she even decided to go start having sex again.

“Do you need a ride?” Maddy blinked, swallowing the lump in her throat before shrugging.

“Sure.” You sat up, dropping the cigarette to the ground and squashing it with your foot. Handing her a helmet that was adorably huge on her head. “What?”

“You just look funny with my helmet on.”

“Do you not have an extra?”

You started up the motorcycle with Maddy settling in right behind you. Arms tightening around you in slight anxiety. “Your safety matters more than mine, Maddy,” you said before looking over your shoulder with a teasing smile. “I also would hate people saying things about you being around me.”

Before she could even respond, you were pulling from the parking spot and driving. Somewhere along the way, you had stopped at a diner and Maddy was more than keen for some food. She watched as you treated the waitress with so much kindness. Despite her quite flirtatious eyes and smiles, you never humored her and it shocked Maddy.

So many girls and guys had thrown themselves at you, but you never acted on natural desire. Like a lot of mysterious things about you, Maddy was intrigued.

“No one comes to East Highland because they just decide to,” Maddy says, dipping her fry into ketchup. “So, what brought you here?”

You wiped your fingers with a napkin, nodding along to her words as you clicked your tongue. “Uh, I actually moved in with my cousin, Elliot,” you explained. “My mom passed away and my dad started a second family, so I came here for a new start you could say.”

“Oh, I’m sorry for prodding.”

“Nah, it’s fine,” you shrugged. “Less people I have to worry about, the better.”

Maddy nodded, continuing to silently eat the food you bought her. This was one thing Nate never gave her. He always managed to get her a fancy meal at an expensive restaurant, but he never did something so casual. He was always getting her things, and as much as she liked all the expensive clothing and jewelry, he never was down to earth with her. They never talked about stuff that was real. She was only getting a brief insight into your life and she was finding more enjoyment in that then she ever did with Nate.

She grabbed a napkin and wiped her fingers before humming, pointing at you. You chuckled and leaned back in the leather seating. “All right, Mads, lay it on me,” you urged. “Ask me what you want to ask.”

She raised a brow in amusement. “Oh, we’re on a nickname basis now?”

“Ask me the question before I revoke it.”

“All right, all right,” she laughed, inhaling deeply before staring at you with squinted eyes. “Why haven’t you started dating anyone or had sex with anyone?”

You nearly choked on your food laughing. “Who said I haven’t had sex?”

“Trust me, Y/n,” she said. “I got my ways of finding out and people around here aren’t really good at keeping secrets.”

You raised a brow, corners of your lips tugging into an amused smile. “Are you keeping tabs on me, Maddy?”

“Answer the question, please.”

You sighed, crossing your arms on the table and leaning forward. Sniffling slightly as your lips parted, trying to find the right words. “I guess no one has ever liked me like that or wanted that?”

“Lies.” Her immediate response had you lifting both brows in surprise. “Lies because I know Cassie Howard asked you out, but you shot her down-”

“With kindness of course.”

“Y/n, you gotta talk to me to make our friendship work-”

“Oh, we’re friends now?”

“I swear, I’m gonna stab you with this fork.”

Maddy watched you sigh, left hand tapping against your right forearm. Seemingly deep in thought as he leaned back, hand waving dismissively. “Okay,” you sighed. “Love and sex? It’s a cool concept at the start for me. I love to hear about it, fun to read about it, write about it, and think about in my head. But...when it’s real...”

“It’s scary?”

You bit the inside of your lip, nodding softly. “Why is that scary?”

And Maddy watched your mood slightly drop as you licked your lips. Finger tapping against the table softly as you nodded to yourself. “Because the more people you let into your life,” you paused, “the more that can just walk right out.”

It had been that moment that the cloud that surrounded you and your past was cleared and Maddy got to see the true you. The saddest and most scared part of yourself that was put behind good looks and tattoos. Suppressed by the cigarette’s and nicotine that intoxicated your lungs.

What you had to say and offer was pushed back in fear. That was what Maddy had to gather, at least. Something about that made you more intriguing and she felt for you. She was scared of love just as much as you. After Nate, it made it hard for her to try and start dating again. Sex was just as scary as she had been accustomed to how Nate treated her during sex and after.

She licked her lips, slightly motioning to you. “That’s...like your parents, right?”

For the first time, Maddy saw through the forced smile you tried to portray. Taking a sip of your drink to push away the sorrowful thoughts of your parents. But the rest of the night carried on in a comfortable silence. One that Maddy wished to fill, but wanted you to feel comfortable. She didn’t want to come off as needy for information. She did feel some sort of connection with you on a deeper level. No one would fully understand and something about that made her happy.

As far as she knew, besides Elliot, she was the only one to know the truest part of yourself. She felt special, in a sense. But she didn’t try and let that cloud the fact that you had trusted her enough with this information. You could’ve given it to anyone else, but you chose her. That had to say something, right?

After that night, school was different. Whenever Maddy was in the hall, talking to Kat and Lexi, or even Rue or Jules, you would practically steal her away to head to class. She didn’t tell her friends, but it was because she was failing some of her classes and you decided to tutor her. But in those moments alone or before class, you two got to know more about one another.

People asked her what was the deal between you two, but there was nothing. Maddy didn’t know why though. If she was being honest, she’d expected you to make a move on her. But she always taken by surprise when you cared more about who she was hooking up with. Telling her, “If any of them say or do something you don’t like, you come to me.”

She could always count on you to protect her when she needed it. “Get the fuck out of here, Maddy,” Nate barked. “I don’t have time for this.”

“If you’re going to be a dick to Lexi, then I’m going to be a dick to you,” Maddy replied before pointing to the books he smacked out Lexi’s hand. “Pick them up.”

The boy scoffed. “I don’t have time for this.” When he suddenly tossed her out of the way, hitting the lockers, the hallway went deathly silent.

Nate looked around confused until he found you behind him. Eyes heavy with a glare, fires glaring bright in you y/e/c eyes. After your first and only fight, Nate had to say you were on intimidating motherfucker. Standing around 2 inches taller than him and far more leaner then anyone else in school. He wouldn’t admit it, but some part of himself was scared of you.

“You’re going to pick up the books and apologize to Lexi and Maddy, Nate.” Your voice shook the walls already, but the growl you gave off sent shivers down everyone’s spine.

“Y/n, it’s all right,” Lexi tried to reassure, ready to bend down and grab the books, but you stopped her.

“Lexi, Maddy, Kat, go to the bathroom real quick, will you?” You looked at the three girls. “Come out in a minute or 2, okay? Nate will like to talk to you after.”

“C’mon, Y/n,” Kat reasoned. “It’s not worth it. Just let it go.”

You didn’t acknowledge her words and your silence made the three girls quietly move towards the bathroom. But the instant they inside, they heard the loud pounding of a body hitting the lockers. The muffled grunts and yells filling their senses as they glanced at one another uneasily.

“Oh, fuck!” You slammed your fist into Nate’s bloody face before tossing him into a locker. He could respond as you pressed your forearm to his throat.

“Someone get the girls!” A random kid ran towards the bathroom, and soon the three girls walked out. Their eyes widened at the sight of Nate’s bloody features. “Say it or I’ll fucking choke you to death.”

“I’m sorry,” Nate slurred before you let him fall to the ground.

“Now, pick up Lexi’s books.” He did as he was told before you shoved him away with a few people smirking in amusement. No one ever stood up to Nate, but you seemed to defy that every single time. 3 - 0.

You then turned to Lexi, placing a hand on her shoulder. She was surprised to see your entire demeanor switch to worry. “Are you alright?” You mused. “Did he hurt you?”

She shook her head and your eyes flickered to Maddy who held her shoulder. “I’ll take you to the nurses office.”

Maddy didn’t protest as she felt the warm butterflies swarm her stomach. Especially when you sat in the room, asking the nurse questions on how you could help alleviate the pain. Practically taking mental notes on everything you would need to help her.

And when you two were alone, you scanned the bruise carefully. Maddy watched you every single moment. Then when she least expected it, you laughed. She raised a brow, your laugh infectious and enabling her to smile as well. “What?”

“Did I ever tell you I grew up in, Florida?” She shook her head as you smiled softly, pulling away from her. “You remind me of it.”

That made her frown, laughing in slight confusion. “How?”

You shrugged. “Your skin is like a warm day on the beach,” you started. “Your words are tasteful like a dish from Lamoraga. Your playful attitude is like Municipal Beach.” Then you laughed softly, looking at her with a grin as her face was flushed. “Misses FL.”

[redwineconversation]

I greatly enjoy your blog! I’m a new fan of the team and I always learn so much from your blog and really like the team more now. What can you tell us about some of the younger players or the players beyond Henry, Le Sommer, Maro, Bouhaddi, and Ada? I want to be able to say I’m a real fan and know a bit about all the players. Who do you think is the best young to watch talent too?

*cracks neck* Okay kids, last time we learned about Lyon's definition of love and loyalty and how it affects their state of mind, tonight we are learning about youth development and returns of investment.

So as I have said in the past, when Aulas created the women's team, he did with the idea that eventually the team would pay for itself. Whatever money you put into the team, you will end up getting back. You can buy all the top players you want, but what becomes of the club if you do that, 5, 10, 15 years down the line?

Why buy top players when you can create them yourself?

So FC Lyon's women team and Olympique Lyonnais merge in 2004 and the first thing Aulas does is start pumping large amounts of money into OL's youth academy. And I mean a lot - the infrastructure and recruitment strategies increases dramatically over a very short period of time. Aulas wasn't just thinking that he wanted to get a women's team that would dominate the European scene for over ten years, he wanted to make sure he would get the money back if he did it.

And that starts with youth academies.

So he created this youth academy and pays significant money to their scouts. Look hard enough and you can find local talent. Develop local talent and you can make money.

So the Lyon Academy, fueled with decent money, can actually start developing players. Players like Amel Majri. Players like Delphine Cascarino. Players like Selma Bacha. Players like Eve Perisset. Players like Melvine Malard. Players like Laurine Baga, etc.

A lot of Lyon haters like to sit there and pretend that Lyon just buys world class players and anyone who gets a starting spot is there because they won a bunch of things with other teams first and it's kinda... not exactly true? So let's talk about why the Lyon Kids, as I like to call them, stand out, and why when people clutch their pearls and say have you seen Lyon's roster, the sheer audacity of it all, the appropriate answer is "... yes, and?"

Let's start with Selma Bacha. She entered the OL youth academy in 2008. Left footed and argumentative, Lyon also saw what she could become: a player they could mold into whatever they wanted who would defend a club no matter what. She moved up the youth ranks really fast, and in 2018, this person called Sonia Bompastor was like ''yeah I stopped assuming she would play in the U-19s because she spends all her time with the Pro team." Bacha benefited from injuries and sent most of the 2018 season training with the pro team. She played the 2018 UWCL final, did well, and celebrated like a kid who was on an extreme sugar rush.

Selma Bacha fun facts: Hegerberg and Renard got into a debate as to whether her or Eugénie Le Sommer were the smallest on the team (they couldn't decide); when asked what team she would leave OL for her reply was "none"; if I had to put money on a player getting a red card for instigating the opposing players/fans she would be my absolute first choice. To be brutally honest I am surprised she hasn't gotten a red for that yet.

Next up, Delphine Cascarino! Also Lyon's favorite love story, if there was such a thing. Same origins: she showed up on Lyon's radar because of the amount of money Aulas put into the youth development team. She has a twin sister, Estelle, who plays for PSG (man those family dinners must be awkward. Btw Lyon passed on Estelle and sold her.) She is fast and technical. Doesn't quite understand why players don't have the same football IQ as her. Considers traumatizing Wolfsburg's defense as a hobby.

But more importantly, is one of the most concrete examples of what happens when you love a club that loves you back. She suffered a very severe knee injury in 2017, before she had truly established herself in the first team. And let's be frank. Most teams would have cut their losses. She hadn't really done anything yet. She was a kid who had talent but a borderline career ending knee injury. You want to know what Aulas did? He opened his check book, gave her a contract extension, and told her to start performing when she was healthy again.

And that's how Delphine Cascarino won 5 Champions League trophies before she was 25.

I constantly threaten to send either my therapist bills or general health bills to Melvine Malard and the only reason I haven't gone through with it is genuine laziness on my part. Did tell her when I saw her in Portland "my therapist knows about you" but she laughed, probably because it came after she scored the winning goal against Barcelona.

Here's another thing you should know about Malard: Lyon product but she still makes shit decisions. She somehow embodies Hegerberg and Prometheus at the same time: she will score decisive goals but will make 85 wrong decisions before she does that. I honestly think most of my twitter rants about Lyon involve me bitching about Malard's decision making. Anyway, want someone who will get you the winning goal? Decent odds to go with Malard. Want a player who is guaranteed to give you stress ulcers and extreme anxiety? Look no further!

I'm praying that she gets shipped off next season to a loan so she can ponder the consequences of making shit decision making in front of goal only to be bailed out by the grace of God, but I am also not holding my breath.

Now for the established kids: Ellie Carpenter, Catarina Macario, and Damaris Egurrola.

These kids bonded because they came in around the same time (Carpenter summer 2020; Macario and Damaris January 2021). The average age is something like 22 between them, which is actually really young considering their positions.

Carpenter analysis: when it was first leaked that we were getting Carpenter I am not going to lie, my initial reaction was something along the lines of what the actual fuck? It wasn't even because she was a Thorns player, it was because she was so young and playing in a position to replace Lucy Bronze. Even Bronze wasn't Bronze at 20. So I was like ??? Her, really??? when it was announced Lyon was looking at her.

And then she started following a bunch of Lyon coffee shops and I was a bit like *flips hair* you might enjoy a good soy latte too but that doesn't mean you get the keys to a Maserati.

But you know what one of the conditions is of getting to drive that car? You have to prove you are loyal. And Carpenter was like consistent during the games and I remember constantly thinking her?? Really?? but yeah. Carpenter continued to show up even though the remaining players were often DOA. And then she snarked that she understood French better than she could speak it and that's when I thought, ah, maybe we can work something out, after all.

At 21 (22 in late April), Carpenter is too young to understand what love means. But her and Lyon have this belief that they can work something out between them, and that it will sound a lot like the definition of love.

Regarding Damaris: Aulas pays money for young players when he thinks he will get a return of investment. It is very, very rare for Lyon to drop six figures on a transfer fee on a player who had only been with their current club for approximately six months. It shows that Damaris had been on their radar long before she was with Everton.

When I first saw Damaris play my initial reaction was simply Henry?? Physically, technique wise, she reminded me of Lyon's favorite love story. The same technique, a similar physique, and an understanding that all good love stories start with the idea of simply wanting to be seen. Lyon always saw Damaris. But now she is looking back.

Catarina Macario is the player Marozsan used to be. This is what I meant when I said the kids don't really trust Marozsan, it's because they don't have a reason to. They have their own toy, a shiner toy, a better toy. They have a toy they sympathize with. A young player, a gifted player, Macario gives Lyon what they so desperately crave: a player maker who sees them for what they are.

Those are the important kids I would keep an eye on.

[blossom765]

Invincible Ep 6

These are kinda my favorite parts of the episode.

I want to start by saying that Atom Eve's power are incredible! What I want to know is why she only used pink light beams and shields instead of using cars or at least lamp posts or mail boxes as weapons. It's a city. There's a wide array of weapons. Just look at this

I mean she can plants just grow, why couldn't she make the grow in spikes or whatever or change the Flaxans tanks and guns. There is just so much. I do wonder if maybe she just never thought of that and that going on humanitarian missions ( love that plot btw. And how are there not more heroes on humanitarian organizationd instead of just crime fighting. Guess it's not a glamorous ) got her to think bigger about her powers. But that's a bit of a weak explanation so I'm still not sure.

Moving on to Amber. I understand why she's getting frustrated. Relationships take a lot of time and communication, both things Mark is going to have trouble with. Don't really think it's fair to cut off the relationship because he couldn't make it to something after he got "hit by a bus". I get they're trying to show how their relationship is teetering on the edge because of Mark keeps missing things with her but, realistically, I don't think your girlfriend or boyfriend should be holding missing a date against you if you got hit by a bus. On another note, I think now would have been a good time to tell Amber that he's invincible. Will already knows now, might as well tell Amber. That way she can actually decide if she wants relationship after hearing the truth of what it entails. But, since he didn't, I don't know if this is a relationship you can save. Even if they do get back together, if the crime fighting continues so do the missed dates and excuses and those are clearly not working.

Now on William. I'm glad to see him again and I'm glad that this episode showed he had a life. I was so worried he was going to be another gay best friend trope. He's still really close to that but I'm glad this episode showed some more of his life and wasn't shy to show him drooling over a cute guy. But I would still prefer it if Mark is there in future to help with a date by knowing an abnormal amount of information about his crush the way Will did with Mark. Would show more balance in their relationship.

And finally Debbie and Nolan. Debbie has finally caught on. Was not a good idea to not send the results to Cecil as soon as possible. If Nolan is capable of brutally killing 6 people, watching his own son almost die, and possibly kill the super suit tailor then what's to say he's not gonna kill Debbie. I know it's definitely difficult to find out you husband is crazy ass killer but come on, think ahead. Especially if you're going to confront him later.

Now for something I really felt was like a missed opportunity. Mark recovering so quickly. The fight with battle beast was so brutal and you could see how scared Mark was. I just wish they left a little more time for his recovery. It would how close he was to death and really show why he wants to quit the superhero gig. Could've had him have some nightmares, those are are always fun. I just hope in future episodes, they show how that fight really impacted him and give him some PTSD. Would be really weird to give those close ups of Mark scared and in pain and just have him recover after that. That is not how people. Also, great thing about putting superhero shows in the adult animation genre is that you see and feel how brutal and scary the crime fighting is. Whenever I saw a kids animation superhero show, no matter how good it was, I would always think, "Man, the worst thing that happens is strained relationships". The possibility the superhero might me permanently injured or killed was not the biggest focus of the show which is weird when I say it out loud. Like you're telling me a missed date with MJ or a fight with Aunt May is the worst thing Spiderman has to worry about. Not a broken skeleton or a long agonizing death. I just hope they give us more.

And finally Matt!

Oh Matt! Why!

I loved seeing this kid and his dad on screen. They just melted my heart everytime! Oh Matt, honey, you were doing so well.

Also, on Reddit? Really?! Not even youtube?!