#Smart Vs Intelligent

[fujii-draws]

I feel like Aimilios would also have his own little ‘resentment period’ towards Dusknoir when he returns years later. But not in the same way Ribbon’s secretly berates and spits venom when Celebi/Grovyle have their backs turned.

Aimilios’s aura sensing was the biggest double-edged sword for the riolu. Not only because of how he was able to tell when Dusknoir was lying, and turning a blind eye, but also how the aura pup was able to tell when he was being genuine. When he was enjoying his time in the present with them, even as ‘The Great Dusknoir’. When he consistently fretted over him and Ribbons. When he laughed with them while ordering drinks from Spinda’s. When he held back during training sessions—

When he held back during their fight at the temple.

Aimilios… knew for the longest time. That Dusknoir was pulling his punches, but never spoke a word of it to Ribbons. This only led to the fighting-type dealing with the haunting realization that the Gripper Pokémon could have done away with them so easily. Every time they were alone. When he trained them. When Aimilios felt vulnerable enough to sleep near him.

He could’ve killed them at any given moment.

So when he suggests that they talk alone on the beach. (The very same one he gave the Riolu false hope to of being ‘friends’, lying to his face.) Aimilios brokenly asks in the most hushed tone of voice why he stayed close. Even as Aimilios’s instincts, tell him, urge him, to run from Dusknoir. He silences the desperate pleas from his jittery body. Forcing himself to stay long enough to get the answer he wants— needs.

The answer to why. Why Dusknoir could have easily avoided them once he knew who Ribbons was. Or why he even indulged in them. Why he protected them as vigilantly as he did, if they were only a means to an end. Why he looked astonished whenever the small fighting-type showcased his sharp wit towards the elder ghost. Why he told Aimilios how proud he was whenever he landed a hit during their training. Why Dusknoir looked genuinely upset whenever he patched up his wounds.

Why Dusknoir listened to all of his small retellings of his journey with Ribbons with endearment. Why Dusknoir held him closer when he accidentally fell asleep on the gargantuan wraith. Why he held his paw whenever they traversed Treasure town together. Why Aimilios felt like his life was over staring down the Wood Gecko with his blood stained claws— before Dusknoir saved him. Why the wraith was the one who even bothered healing him, when the fatal wounds from Grovyle could have just—

Just. why why why— it would’ve made hating him so much easier if he didn’t do all of that. Aimilios would be just as resentful as Ribbons— but he isn’t. Because the smallest, desperatest part of him still missed Dusknoir. (And an even smaller part hoped he felt the same.)

So, he begs Dusknoir, to be honest with him. For once in his life.

And when he fails to respond in time (due to Aimilios sounding like he’s on the verge of tears. Unable to find the right words to not break the dam—)

“Aimilios, I—“

“You should’ve let Grovyle finish me off in the Azelf’s lake.”

Dusknoir eye only widens. Unable to look in the Riolu’s direction in fear of seeing his torn face. Yet his eye betrays him when it slowly trails towards the Aura Pokémon. Who’s already facing away— black, mittened paws covering the mess of tears spilling from his eyes.

“It—“ The aura pup’s breath hitches “I-It would’ve hurt less than this.”

[starliteonearth]

So there's this theory going around that Todd Phillips may have flipped the dynamic and made Harley the aggressor/manipulator in the relationship and Joker the down bad one instead. And before anybody gets their panties in a twist, I think we need to remember that this version of Joker is a Loser. Very much a Loser. He's not the aggressive, dominant type we're used to (in his dynamic with Harley). This is a sad, sad little beta male who has severe mommy issues, who has never felt the touch of a woman in his life, and who fully imagined having a girlfriend in the first movie. Do you really think he's gonna be aggressive towards the first woman to pay him any attention? And not only that but a woman who seemingly matches his crazy and perfectly understands him? Yeah, no. He's going to be head over heels, Madly in Love.

Now he can still snap and turn against her because you know, Joker, but I do think that for most of the movie he's going to be giggling and kicking his feet like a schoolgirl in love.

[reineydraws]

Twist villain!Shanks

Think about it.

hellooo i have thought about it 'cuz ive seen the idea floating around and sorry, i dont like it. 😭🙏 or rather, the idea of a villain shanks is fun in theory but if it's actually canon then i dont think it will pay off very well lol especially 'cuz he's the very first pirate we meet and it's been over twenty years. i would certainly be tilted.

idk how oda could write it in such a way that i wouldn't be mad aha, tho i'm sure if anyone could pull it off it'd be him. (and i mean villain!shanks as in "was always a villain", not "has to do antagonistic things but his heart is in the right place".)

i will say, however, that there is something delicious about possessive shanks, especially if it leans a little dark. like, he's a smiley pacifist right up until you harm someone that's his, and then it's game over for you and your friends and your livelihood. he's already like that in canon, but i mean like, it's to the point where his revenge gets a little cruel and he enjoys paying you back for the harm you caused.

i like attributing this to him 'cuz if he's dating mihawk, known serial murderer (of marines, if not also underwhelming challengers and entire crews of people that annoy him), then his "let's not kill people if we don't have to" thing could be more of an intellectual ethical choice for him rather than an emotional one. and once you've crossed that line for him by grievously harming or maybe even somehow killing mihawk, then it's over for you and you bet he'll enjoy it. (tho nine out of ten times i write him as a bleeding heart and mihawk is fond and exasperated by it haha.)

but yeah. i digress. 😅 it's a fun concept and i'll probably read the fic if it's mishanks and mihawk isn't his victim in a way that ends unhappily, but ultimately, the most i prefer is shanks with a dark streak.

if anyone's gotten to the end of this ask and adores twist villain shanks, feel free to try and convince me in the replies. maybe i'm just thinking about it the wrong way, and i'm open to ideas. ;P

[storeecbrcod]

I need some more highly intuitive Soap. This man has so much shit going through his head constantly, but I can guarantee half of it is just his mind breaking down how things are made, what he could use from certain substances to make totally new products (that may or may not combust).

We, as a fandom, have established that as much as we make fun of Soap’s little quirky characterisations, that at the character’s heart, he is incredibly smart. Chemistry, technology, engineering, math… this man is a himbo in STEM. He might not be able to tell you what he ate for breakfast, but you know damn well that if a recruit asked him how soap works as a stupid joke, this guy would go on a whole rant about saponification and how fricken cool it is. The blank stares from the recruits don’t ever concern him.

He’s got all kinds of things flying through his little noggin. You know how when you or someone you know buys a new car, and suddenly you see that car everywhere around you? Soap experiences the same thing, except it’s just chemical and mathematical theories. He can’t just exist in the world, his mind is in constant hyperdrive to perceive.

That’s why he’s so good at his job (and pool). His constant heightened sense of awareness allows him to soak up information like a sponge when he finally manages to turn the constant perception off, like out field. Instead of the molecular structure of different plastics, or the force needed to crush a can theoretically, he is able to manage and monitor multiple things at once; his position, his team’s position, the enemy, the direction of bullets, and sometimes even how many seconds it takes for the cease of gunfire from one weapon on the opposite side of the grounds to start up again, notifying a reload.

Ghost made the mistake of opening one of Soap’s chemistry textbooks, once. Once. Soap found him practically tweaking, just staring at the hexagons and lines and graphs and abbreviations, all making his head throb. Soap simply sighed with a smile, plucking the book from skeleton gloves and placing it down, leading the Lieutenant away.

“Don’t hurt yerself, Lt.”

“Careful, Sergeant.”

“You’re tellin’ me, yer eye’s twitchin’ like you’ve been rummagin’ through the contraband stores.”

Extra Ghoap Bonus!

Sometimes, Soap gets so overwhelmingly exhausted from not being able to turn his mind off. (Un)Surprisingly, science is everywhere, and he can’t help but think about it. When he feels a migraine coming on, neck and jaw straining after trying to rein in his overactive brain, he goes straight to Ghost.

Something about Ghost’s dry humour and blunt conversation helps ground him; he doesn’t have to worry about subtext, or necessarily work-related chat. Just silly (read: flirty) banter and bad, clear-cut jokes. Ghost allows his mind to focus on one thing while he occupies his hands. A journal, playful taps on Ghost, a Rubix Cube, fiddling.

Eventually, he manages to calm his thoughts enough to doze off, lying haphazardly across couches, a mattress, on the bench seats of the cargo planes, or even on the floor. Many soldiers could attest to seeing Ghost gently cradling the man’s head, moving him into a comfortable position, even once or twice carrying him to his barracks. Could, if a certain skull-faced soldier didn’t pierce them with a very clear warning glare at the memory, as if he could tell they were thinking about it.

[juggernauteditz]

Johan Liebert (Monster) vs Friend (20th Century Boys)

[sharkingpeach]

“I know what you’re asking, Steve. And I know you don’t seriously expect me to believe you are worried that sharing a cabin is any different than being here, around the kids, at all.” Steve chewed his lip. Scott folded his hands on his desk and leaned forward, “If you were that worried, I don’t think you would still be here. Have a little faith, huh?" Steve sighed and sank in his chair.  "Steve, do you know who Socrates is?" 

[luckyemo]

i always forget naegi/togami is like... a popular ship i guess so theres ppl who think like Deeply about togami and i just wha

[thxrgism]

idk if me calling hiroaki “smart” is debatable. he’s certainly impulsive and immature but considering the trial he does have some smarts when it comes down to it. i don’t think he’s the smartest person in the class necessarily or anything though (you could say that sasaki okazaki ken or kamimura are smarter than him but i don’t like ranking people based on smarts anyway.)

honestly i don’t like boiling down characters to “smart” or “not smart” in the first place. intelligence is a pretty complex and varied thing and people can have smarts in one way that they don’t in another.

tbh when im designing my fangan i may focus on kinda looking at different “categories” of smarts anyway.

[divtechnosoft]

AI Face-Offs: Why Businesses Need to Compare Before They Commit

AI is no longer just hype—it’s a core technology for businesses to remain competitive in the digital age. From enhancing customer service to streamlining operations and generating content, AI tools are transforming how companies operate. But with so many powerful tools emerging—like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and others—the challenge lies not in adopting AI, but in choosing the right one for your unique business needs.

Why Choosing the Right AI Tool Matters?

The growing AI landscape is full of options, and while many of them seem similar on the surface, their capabilities and use cases can differ significantly. Choosing the wrong AI tool can result in:

Wasted time and resources

Integration issues

Poor user experience

Missed opportunities for innovation

Every AI assistant has its strengths—and weaknesses. That’s why a careful, side-by-side comparison is not just helpful—it’s necessary.

Top Factors to Consider When Comparing AI Tools

Before selecting an AI solution, businesses should evaluate these essential criteria:

1. Purpose and Use Case

Different AI architectures are optimized for different functionalities and use cases. For example:

Need an AI for generating blog content? Some excel in creative writing.

Want help analyzing large data sets or reports? Some AI tools are specifically designed to excel at data analysis and logical reasoning.

Looking for client-facing chatbots? Natural language understanding and tone matter a lot.

Once you know what you need, you can focus on the best choices available.

2. Accuracy and Response Quality

Accuracy is the foundation of trust in AI. Businesses need to rely on AI to make the right decisions. Compare how different models handle:

Simple questions

Industry terms

Detailed or complex requests

3. Integration Capabilities

Does the AI integrate well with your current systems and tools? Look for compatibility with tools like:

CRM software

Internal knowledge bases

Slack, Teams, Notion, etc.

4. Security and Privacy

In business, data is everything. Choose AI platforms that:

Offer enterprise-level encryption

Adhere to GDPR and other regulations

Allow data control and retention policies

5. Cost and ROI

Pricing varies based on usage, features, and licenses. Be sure to:

Evaluate cost-to-value ratio

Consider long-term scalability

See if there are any hidden fees, like paying for special tools or only being able to add a few users.

Real-World Example: Business AI in Action

Let’s say you're running a mid-sized marketing agency. You're evaluating two leading AI platforms to handle content generation, customer queries, and internal team assistance.

One platform might offer faster responses and cost less—but lacks brand tone customization. Another may understand tone better and offer secure data handling but comes at a premium.

The best choice depends on your goals. Want better client engagement? Go with tone accuracy. Need budget control? Optimize for speed and volume.

This kind of decision-making is why many companies today are taking a closer look at the differences between conversational AI models—evaluating not just performance, but also long-term business impact. Some recent comparisons of leading tools like Claude and ChatGPT have helped shed light on how these models differ in terms of capabilities, integration, and enterprise value—factors that can significantly shape the outcomes for businesses investing in AI.

Claude vs. ChatGPT? It’s Just the Beginning

While Claude and ChatGPT are two of the most talked-about AI platforms right now, they’re part of a bigger ecosystem. Some businesses may find Claude's contextual memory more helpful, while others may prefer ChatGPT’s broader plugin capabilities.

But ultimately, it’s not about who wins—it’s about who fits. Your business needs are unique, and so should your AI.

Final Thoughts

The future of business is AI-driven—but only if businesses make informed decisions. With so many tools on the market, a head-to-head comparison based on your unique needs is the smartest way forward.

Don’t let the hype blind you. Look under the hood, evaluate what matters to your business, and choose an AI that aligns with your goals—not just today, but as you grow.

[wseinfratech]

How AEO, GEO and AI Powered SEO is Proving to be the Way Forward To go the extra mile on digital marketing ranking is no longer the only way out. With AEO and GEO you are one ahead to reach your target audience quicker and in an advanced manner. Rope in the robustness of AEO and GEO and stay ahead of the curve

[mightymorphinnegro]

When intelligence outpaces empathy, it leaves something important behind—the very humanity that connects us. You can be brilliant, but without kindness, it’s just empty arrogance.

Intelligence without compassion doesn’t elevate; it isolates. And in the end, who wants to be the smartest person in a room they’ve emptied themselves?

[millysastroblog]

RANDOM ASTRO NOTES PT.2 🎋

🎋People with Mars conjunct/Square or opposite Jupiter can have a inflated sense of ego and pride just like Sun/Jupiter aspects (especially men since mars has a stronger and dominant energy in their charts)

🎋Tell me why every Aries Sun be waking faster than then wind ?😂 # you are to fast

🎋People with Taurus and Virgo mixed Placements are the most humble grounded individuals to exist they just exude „ZEN“🍃

🎋People with 1st house placement can sometimes feel left out or stand out from the crowd due to the focus being directed on their individuality and presence

SIDE CHICK INDICATORS:

🎋Venus square/ opposite Neptune ( lacking boundaries)

🎋Neptune in the 7th ( unreliable partners )

🎋Venus in the 12th (secret affair and relationships)

🎋Mars in the 12th (hidden sexual relationships)

🎋Venus / Chiron (low self worth)

🎋Venus Square /opposite/ conjunct Lilith ( lustful attraction to unconventional, shocking secret things like a married person )

🎋Mars conjunct Lilith (secrecy and power dynamics turn them on )

🎋 Venus conjunct /Square Uranus (unpredictable love life’s and entanglements )

🎋Lilith/ Pluto in the 9th house ppl can be scared of taking flights, traveling to foreign countries

🎋Sun/ Pluto aspects might be scared of their fathers or have huge respect for them 🫡

🎋Venus conjunct Chiron synastry: trauma bonding relationship vs. healing relationship

🎋Capricorn MC have a reputation of being the GOAT after their hard work has paid off

🎋Venus conjunct Jupiter is usually seen in charts of woman who marry wealthy partners

🎋Mars square asc look fierce

🎋Pluto Square asc look alluring, mysterious and dangerous

🎋 Moon in Scorpio/Moon conjunct Pluto stare intensely on pictures and camera angels

🎋While moon in Pisces/Moon/ Neptune placement look away or their eyes wonder to the the ceiling, they look sleepy, sweet and in another world

🎋Moon in cancer have doll eyes with little sparkles, round like the moon and comforting to look at

🎋A lot of child actress have Neptune influence on their Moon or IC

🎋Saturn in the 1st house have visible oval nostril where their nose kind of looks pointed and straight

🎋Mercury square Jupiter makes somone who doesn’t have a filter or lacks in reading the room they probably over share and reveal to much information

🎋Mercury/ Neptune aspects can misconstrued, antagonize, change information or get very confused, they also posses very imaginative creative mind that could inspires other people

🎋Moon/ Mercury have an internal need to express their feelings through their voice they are very emotionally intelligent and speak with their heart. They have a hard time taking critique and will voice their opinions whenever they feel like it

🎋Lilith /Mars in Pisces woman can be a unknown sugar baby or trad wife placement since they use illusion, charm and fantasy to get what they want (if they play smart and don’t get carried away)

🎋7th house in the 4th can show an family arrangement marrige or both peoples family being heavily involved in their marriage/ engagement

🎋Pluto/8th house synastry/Composite makes for an unforgettable relationship especially if both people have it. The separation is very painful and takes time to heal

🎋Saturn/ Pluto in the 6th house need to take care of their health, body, routine more than the average person, if not they will have to face harsh consequences

🎋Cancer mixed Leo Placements gives either a neutral balanced personality or drama queen they embody the most authentic expression off themselves and won’t hide for anything and anybody #period

🎋Venus in the 10th has a similar effect as Venus in the 1st house

🎋Venus/ Chiron hard aspects can usually show cheating and betrayal in a chart

Venus conjunct Chiron = being cheated on

Venus square Chiron = being the cheater

Venus opposite Chiron = vise versa

(Pls take it with a grain of salt, it doesn’t have to apply to you)

🎋People with harmonious aspected moons are emotionally stable and regulated, empathetic and understand people needs and emotionall nature

🎋People with Harmonious aspected Jupiter carry a sunshine energy everywhere they go and attract plenty people and opportunities towards them -> positive optimistic mindset -> Luck 🍀

🎋Aries mixed Cancer Placements = unhinged crash- out, impatient, anger issues, very loyal and protective, uncontrollable emotions, lovely and nice to the people that are close to them

🎋Libra mixed Virgo Placements = fashionista, life style influencers, perfectionist, good cooks, enjoy finer things with an hint of detail and excellent observation skills, a bit judgmental, very very very helpful people

🎋Scorpio mixed Virgo Placements = psychotic (just joking 😂), natural detectives and truth seekers, extremely intelligent people, literally know everything, extreme control issues and can be obsessive and a bit creepy when they like somebody, once trust is gained they are number one supporters for life

🎋Gemini mixed Capricorn Placements = Aloof (weirdly give Aquarius or Virgo vibes?) , Logical thinkers, like to think outside the box , can also be very responsible, less inclined to open up about emotions and would rather joke about them. Less lighthearted but also less serious, truthful and honest people

Thx for reading 🫶🏽

•~Milly~•

©2025 millysastroblog All Rights Reserved

[o-bromio]

What’s really interesting about Psych is that Shawn and Gus are a very good example of wisdom vs intelligence.

Shawn has a lot of street smarts and a good intuition. All the jobs he's done gave him many different skills and his observations make him good at reading people.

Gus on the other hand is smart in an academic sense. He knows a lot about the topics that interest him, is generally good with words and always has facts to share.

Both of them have a wide range of knowledge, but the way they approach problems are very different. And together they are unstoppable.

[gaywineauntsstuff]

My favorite thing about reading Dicks thought process vs literally how everyone else views him.

This is the least exaggerated version of this I will willing produce.

-older gen JL: thinks wing is dependable, charming, intelligent and a great leader, impressed how much he’s grown and how well he’s done in the hero world

Heroes his age: the golden standard that everyone tries to match up to and fails at one point in their sidekick-hood before accepting yeah I’m not Dick Grayson and having him lead them in a hero team. The defacto person to look towards in a crisis situation, manages tasks efficiently and doesn’t let personal details affect him. He’s cool, calm and collected while still being the most empathetic man on the planet.

Heroes younger than him: straight up awe. if the heroes who saw his awkward teenage phase, discowing and are privy to his love life info. How do you think people who just saw ‘Mr perfect’ without any of the painful growth to get there and since about 9 billion things have happened since Dick was Robin people have too much to talk about to ever bring it up. I see their thought processes going something like this

-oh my god is that nightwing like THE nightwing like Robins big brother nightwing like the leader of the titans nightwing is he looking at me oh my god he smiled at me wtf wtf wtf until they hyperventilate

(Source how Kow talks about dick Grayson like 99% of the time- ignore all Dan Dido works )

Batkids: awe with a side of insecurity bc that’s the gold standard and how tf are you supposed to get there. Even if you’re an amazing fighter like Cass, the leadership skills, ability to talk people down, make more allies than enemies, infiltrate, lie, cheat, steal, put on a million different masks and come out whole.

How does he know what he’s doing? How does he look so calm and collected when the worlds ending

Batman and Superman (remember when they co-parented in the 60s yeah me neither): like uncomfortable amounts of pride like the type of pride that feels too big for your chest as well as implicit trust.

For B specifically Dick is his crowing achievement as Batman

VS

Dick Grayson at any given moment pre Tom Taylor run: everything is my fault, I suck at everything, I’m never good enough to stop bad things from happening to the people I love it’s all my fault and I will never be able to stop it. My life is an accidental trolly problem except I didn’t know it when I started, I didn’t mean to press any levers I didn’t know what I was doing I am a burden who must make himself useful as an apology.

Like Dick is in a constant spiral of how much he hates his limits and how he just isn’t ever going to be strong,fast,smart or good enough while everyone is staring at him with heart eyes like omg it’s nightwing <3

[assortedvillainvault]

Hello. Can I ask Lord Shen, NOS-4-A2, Horned King and Dr. Facilier with very smart but shy S/O?

Greetings Tumblr citizen, you most certainly can!! Love the variety here! Lowkey this was one of my favourites to write so I hope you like it!

Villains x SmartbutShy!S/O

Lord Shen

Oh? So you do talk.

You pointed out a discrepancy in the cannon’s design vs the quantity of gunpowder needed to shoot the given ammunition without careening backwards and killing the gunwolves – and all he could do was blink at you.

You spend all day hiding from the court, only to sneak in and tell him - to his face - that his weaponry was unfit for purpose, then propose a solution before he has time to open his beak??

...Are you engaged to anyone? Because if not he’s happy to remedy that-

As soon as your genius becomes apparent you go from barely present in Shen’s mind to a pillar of focus. He’s never met anyone so easily able to cut through the mess of mechanical and logistical issues of such vast quantities of metalwork – besides himself of course.

That you fall apart under any form of social pressure is...worrying however. China’s social hierarchy is a vicious thing, and such shyness is a weakness in even the most prosperous of courts – never mind his own.

He’s getting you a tutor. He cannot allow you to make an enemy within his walls when you are so closely intertwined. His word means much now that he’s killed most who would go against it, but he cannot protect you from everyone.

NOS4A2

Oh scrap and damn it all-!

It’s all he can do not to smash the unresponsive controls, and instead whizzes off into the rafters for a sulk to brood.

This ship was fried. It was charged enough to get somewhere, but if he couldn’t pinpoint a heading then he might as well be stranded on a stray asteroid instead of a merchant class vessel, for all the good it would do him.

He rolls his optics and pouts as a crewmember comes rushing in, unaware as he idly sizes them up from his vantage point. Not a droid. Stuck and he can’t even snack. Heinous.

He recognises you. The little one who didn’t talk much. It was a wonder the bigger crew members hadn’t accidentally sat on you for all you seemed able to disappear in to the background.

He all but jolts as you give the console a WHAM and everything comes online again – and gawps delightedly as your little fingers fly over the display, resetting coordinates and triangulating their position in 3D space, manually.

He wasn’t expecting such a solid grasp of intergalactic maps & positioning to come from someone who can barely string a sentence together! What a lovely surprise!!

You turn with an aborted shriek as he swoops down and clamps a hand over your mouth, grinning. The doors short circuit and slam shut with a bang, leaving him to loom over you as he idly tucks a stray strand of hair behind your ear.

“Hello dear~” he purrs, chuckling as your eyes go wide. “Fancy being helpful?”

Horned King

A kindred spirit?? Finally.

He abhors unnecessary social interaction, so to find someone else who operates on the same principle is a breath of fresh air in his long, stale existence.

He's spent so long with only beasts, thickwitted huntsmen and Creeper for company that to see someone so clearly intelligent was almost a shock. The quiet, assesing draw in your eyes was what made him stop and consider you as someone of interest.

...Y’know, once he actually managed to speak to you. Crippling shyness on your end, a lack of patience for the living on his…

He perceives everybody in his lands as something to be used, and you are, unfortunately, no different no matter how many soft feelings you insist on wringing out of his dessicated black heart. Such a spark as yours cannot be wasted. But you are not suited for the battlefield.

It seems you might have a knack for statecraft, if the frankly boggling rate at which you read is any indication. You have an ability to catch loopholes and find solutions that actually help him run his ramshackle forces, and keep the castle running smoothly.

It turns out you are invaluable - and prone to making little nooks of book towers and blankets in his library. Which is adorable.

But only when reading. Spoken word renders you so anxious you can miss important details and become a doormat. A pity. But not an insurmountable issue.

Until they rot, his ears and mouth work perfectly well. You can be his sweet little shadow, and he the face of things.

He'd have it no other way, honestly.

Dr. Facilier

Now darlin, why so shy?

He’s watched you scurry away from his table more times than he can count. He gets the feeling that you’d cross over three streets and the river if you could, to avoid catching his eye on the way to work.

And yet… you always pass by. Watching as he shuffles his cards.

He’s mid scam on some hapless tourist, fingers deftly spinning though tricks as he pulls them into a tidy little scheme, when he catches you watching intently from the side.

Your eyes twitch down to his left sleeve. If he’d have been less of a showman he’d have frozen.

You sneaky little card counter – he tries a couple different tricks, catching where your eyes narrow as he slips cards under the table, into pockets and swaps coins out with dazzle enough to bamboozle even the slickest citygoer.

Your eyes track every single one.

Damn. He has GOT to get you on side. Can’t have such a cute clever thing like you out where he can’t see you…

He ignores the fact that his shadow has been leering at you for weeks and already knows where you live. Give a man some leeway if he likes to hear a cute little thing squeak when they trip over ‘nothing’ once in a while.

And it’s even cuter when he steps from the shadows and smoothly slips you under his arm.

After all! He couldn’t help but notice you don’t seem to have many friends, cher. And he can absolutely help you with that…

[retireddaddyric]

Legacy VS Opinions

(“You’re nobody” pt 4)

Synopsis: Daniel Ricciardo and the fem journalists who hated him and with whom he had a sex affair start a public war only they can understand. ( PART FOUR of a short fic, but can be read as a one shot)

Warnings: 18+, minors do not interact please. Insults, hidden jabs, oral sex, smut, aggressivity, unprotected sex, kind of fluff.

Note: this is all fiction. English is not my first language, so I apologize in advance if there are any errors.

A month of silence.

No messages. No texts. No passive-aggressive memes. Nothing.

You keep telling yourself this is good. That the silence means it’s over. That he’s out of your system.

But the truth is louder than your brain.

And then, one day, he speaks. Not to you directly but during a podcast interview, live, public, dressed up as harmless banter:

“I’ve met people who make their living with words,” he says with that laugh that always comes just before a hit. “They can twist anything. Sound smart, sharp, impressive. But when it comes down to it… that’s all they are. Words. Hollow as fuck.”You stop breathing. The room spins for a moment. Noy because the world heard it, but because you did. No one else would catch it but you know what that tone means. You can hear the anger laced beneath the laughter. The betrayal he still won’t name. He’s still carrying it and blaming you for it.

You don’t tweet about it that night. Two days later, you drop an interview with a respected sports outlet. It’s thoughtful, sharp, buried halfway through, in a paragraph about ego in motorsports, you say: “Some drivers think being liked is the same thing as being respected. And when they stop winning, they can’t tell the difference anymore. So they start trying to make noise instead. But not all noise means you’re still relevant.”

The quote goes viral. People think it’s about a general trend in racing. They start naming random drivers. No one suspects or if they do, they know you never liked Daniel.

But you know who read it.

A week later, he’s on another podcast.

“You ever been in a conversation with someone who’s convinced they’re the smartest person in the room?” He snorts. “They say a lot, sure. And maybe they’ve got a degree or two, I don’t know. But at some point you realize: all that intelligence is just armor. They’re not thinking, they’re hiding.”

That last word hits like a knife. Hiding? You?

The media doesn’t see it but the pattern is forming: coded language, paper-thin disguises. It’s war.

Quiet, precise, vindictive.

And every quote is meaner than the last.

You post a story later that day, not even an article, just a casual piece: “There’s a difference between those who won races and those who won championships, you can see the crack in the first ones, their hidden insecurity that slips out at the wrong moment .” You don’t name him. But you feel the swing land. And so does he.

The real deal comes when you attend a motorsport panel.

You don’t know he’s on the panel too until you’re already mic’d up. Until you’re walking toward the stage, heels echoing down the hallway, and you see him, dark green suit, no tie, thick neck on display with necklaces. As if it’s not a weapon. That familiar smirk stretched over something tighter in his jaw. He sees you and doesn’t flinch. Just lifts a brow. Like the silence, the spite, the sex, none of it touched him.

“Daniel,” you say trying to sound cold.

“Didn’t know you’d be here,” he lies smoothly.

“Likewise.”

You both sit, next to eacj other. There’s a moderator. A conversation about media and legacy in modern motorsport. How convenient.

For half a second, you consider turning back down the hallway. Faking illness.

His knee almost brushes yours but he doesn’t apologize.

The moderator welcomes everyone and launches into an over-rehearsed intro about “how narrative and legacy shape modern motorsport.”

You can’t stop glancing at him from the side of your eye.

He can’t stop letting you.

And then it begins.

Moderator: “Let’s talk about media framing. Drivers, you’ve seen the headlines, the stories. How much control do you think you ever really had?”

Daniel’s smile tightens. “Control’s a myth. You either get loved or eaten alive. Sometimes both. Depends on who’s writing.”He doesn’t look at you when he says it. Not directly. But the heat of it lands on your skin like a slap.

You lean into your mic, smiling sweetly. “I don’t think drivers like to admit that the media usually gets it right.Maybe not always kindly, but we tend to land close.”Daniel’s brow lifts, “Sure. If the truth is whatever version fits your headline.”

“I’d argue the same for race strategy.” You say.

Nervous laughter rises from the audience.

He tilts his head, that sharp grin crawling across his mouth. He knows exactly what he’s doing. “Difference is when I crash, I don’t write an essay about it.”

Your smile doesn’t falter. “No, in fact you just smile in post-race interviews and pretend it wasn’t your fault.”

The other panelists glance between you two like they’re watching a tennis match. You know the audience thinks this is entertainment. Chemistry.

You wonder what they’d think if they knew his tongue had been in your mouth. Or inside you.

The moderator laughs nervously and clears his voice: “Okay, okay, spicy. Let’s pivot a bit.. when we talk about legacy, especially post-career… how do you want to be remembered?”

Daniel’s expression shifts. The playfulness doesn’t vanish, but there’s something deeper beneath it. “I don’t know. I used to care about that more. Now I think… I’d rather be remembered by people who actually saw me. Not just the highlight reels. Not just the opinions.”

You feel the weight of it. You know that “opininions” means your articles.

You tap your pen against your notepad once. “Legacies aren’t always accurate. Sometimes they’re just loud. That’s why we need people who aren’t afraid to look closer. Even if what they see isn’t pretty.”

There’s a beat of silence. The moderator looks at the crowd , then leans forward, smiling. “I feel like there’s history here. Am I wrong?”

Daniel doesn’t miss a beat. “Something like that.” He declares. He says it without even looking at you. Which is worse, somehow. More intimate. More dangerous.

You glare at him. ‘Something like what?’ You wanna ask him.

Them you decide you have to stop the hossip before it spreads, explaining he meant your back and forth between his interviews and your articles about him.

“We’ve always had different definitions of truth.” You say smiling.

“And of closure.” Daniel adds.

That word hits like a low blow.

You clear your throat and sit back, crossing your legs. You feel his gaze dropping for a fraction of a second.

The panel moves on, questions come and go but the energy never settles.

You can feel it in the way his fingers tap the armrest, his voice lowers every time he speaks near you. Your body won’t fucking relax, not with him sitting there, not with the memory of his mouth between your thighs replaying like a reel you never pressed play on.

By the time they wrap the panel, your hands are shaking. You don’t wait to say goodbye. You leave the stage first, your heels click on the floor at a fast pace. You don’t expect to hear his footsteps behind you.

You slam the door behind you, adrenaline still pumping from the spotlight. Your hands are a fury from excitement, anger, arousal.

You don’t even get to breathe before the door opens again and slams shut.

He’s there, no knock, no permission.

“You’ve lost your mind,” you shout turning around. “Get the fuck out.”

He doesn’t move. Just watches you from across the room like you’re prey and he’s been starving for weeks.

“Didn’t think I’d miss that voice,” he murmurs, low. “But I do.”

You laugh, sharp and bitter. “You don’t miss shit. You made that very clear.” You shake your head.

A pause.

He sighs. “Yeah? Then why the fuck can’t I stop thinking about you?”

Your throat tightens. Your legs want to betray you. Your mouth opens and before anything comes out, he’s there, crossing the room in two strides.

You don’t move one bit, you don’t even exhale. And when his fingers graze your jaw, slow and warm, your knees nearly buckle.

“You’re still pissed,” he whispers.

You nod, swallowing, trting to look away.

“And wet,” he adds, even lower.

You meet his eyes.

That’s when you’re about to slap him but he catches your wrist.

And then you kiss him. No, devour him.

Your mouths crash like a fucking car wreck. His tongue pushes past your lips, claiming, greedy. His hands are already under your blazer, pulling at your blouse like it offends him.

You grip his shoulders, grind into his thigh, feel how hard he is already through the fabric of his slacks. He grabs your ass with both hands, lifts you onto the dressing table. Things fall to the floor; lipsticks, brushes, a bottle of water. But neither of you cares.

He pushes your skirt up, rips your panties hooking his finger at the base.

“I shouldn’t,” you breathe.

“But you want it,” he growls, sliding two fingers into you, knuckle-deep. You gasp, your whole body arching forward.

“Say it,” he whispers against your neck, biting it just enough to leave a mark. “Say you missed me.”

You dig your nails into his back. “Fuck you.”

He smiles against your skin. “That’s the plan.”

His fingers curl inside you, fucking you slow, deep, until your hips are moving with him, chasing it, needing more. He drops to his knees without a word.

And when his tongue touches you, everything burns. He’s at it again after a month, like the month never came.

He eats you like he’s punishing you. Like you’ve wronged him, and this is how he wins. Your head falls back against the mirror, thighs trembling as he holds them open, relentless.

You moan his name, more than once. Shame mixes with need, but you don’t stop him. You literally can’t.

When you come, it’s with a sound you don’t recognize: half sob, half surrender.

You try to speak but he stands and undoes his pants. You don’t protest, instead you look at him in the face.

He doesn’t tease.

He slides into you in one deep, unforgiving thrust, both of you gasping. Your legs wrap around him instantly. He buries his face in your shoulder, growling curses against your skin.

“This is another mistake,” you whisper closing your eyes.

He fucks you harder. “Then tell me to stop.”

You don’t.

Because you can’t again.

Because the sound of his breath, the way he fills you, the heat of his hands on your hips, is the only thing that’s felt real in weeks.

You cling to each other like lifelines. You come again before he does, your body trembling in his arms. He follows moments later, burying himself deep, groaning your name against your neck like a confession he doesn’t want to make.

After, there’s silence. Heavy. Unforgiving.

He’s still inside you. He doesn’t move. Just looks at you.

And you know if either of you speaks now, something will crack.

So you look away.

He pulls out, breathless, tucks himself back in, and says, “Just sex, right?”

You meet his eyes and nod. “Right.”

You both lie.

And neither of you is brave enough to call it what it really is.

But this is enough for now.

(Part five here)