#University of New England Assignment Help

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[sweetdispatch]

5 cinnamon buns with raspberry and salted pretzels pls 💕💕💕💕💕

Just friends - Q. Hughes

v' bakery pairing: Quinn Hughes x fem!reader summary: You knew Quinn since you were kids, you tried to be couple but you realised that you work better as friends but everyone around you knew that you're made for each other warning: making out

Between you and Quinn was a complicated relationship. You two had a lot of ups and downs since you were kids. You met him in primary school when he was assigned to do a project with you. At first, you didn’t want him as your partner because you knew that you’ll do the whole project and he will be only watching. To your surprise, he was helping you with everything. 

This project bonded you to him. Quickly you became friends and everything you did together. It wasn’t only school related. Quinn was taking you to the ice rink and he taught you how to skate. Your parents became friends with him and his brothers were treating you like a sister they never had. 

In high school, you and Quinn started dating. At first, everything was looking great between you two but months later, you noticed that you’re working better as friends and you broke up. The feelings you had never disappeared and throughout the whole high school, you were going on and off with the relationship. 

It ended up for good when Quinn went to the university. He stayed in Michigan when you decided to move to England. You were keeping in touch but soon, you moved on with each other’ lifes. He put all his focus on hockey, especially after the draft and you started partying in different pubs and bars in London. 

During summer, you were hanging out like in old times. Maybe you were far away from each other for most of the year but you still had the spark. Two of you were always joking that you barely talk in the academic year to have topics of conversation for summer. 

After your graduation, you returned to Michigan. At that time, Quinn was in Vancouver. You were happy for him that he made it and always tried to go on his game when he was playing in Detroit. The feelings never disappeared and you loved each other but believed that you’re better as friends, especially after this on and off relationship in high school. 

None of you were in a relationship since your break up. You were going on dates with different people but they never were like Quinn. He felt the same when he was seeing other women. You and him were too good match for each other to have partners. 

When Quinn was coming back home, the first thing he was doing was seeing you. He was repeating to his family that you’re just friends but no one believed it. You were acting like a couple and only you two were too blind to try again. 

You were always kissing Quinn’ cheek as a greeting. During nights out in clubs, Quinn was always holding his hand in yours. When you were watching a movie, you were curled up at him. Even when you were staying at his house for the night, you were sleeping in his bed and he was hugging you. 

Jack organised a party in their house and he invited you. Quinn was all the time by your side to make sure you’re safe. You were sitting in the kitchen when the alcohol started talking through both of you. Quinn kissed you and grabbed your ass to squeeze. You were making out in the kitchen not even bothered by people walking in. 

Your hands were running through his hair when his hands were roaming your body. It wasn’t anything new for you to have an intimate moment. Your first time was with Quinn and he knew your body perfectly. You weren’t ashamed of sleeping with him and he wasn’t ashamed to sleep with you. Quinn lifted you up and sat you on the counter. He was kissing you like there was no tomorrow. 

 “Fuck me Quinn. Fuck me like you mean it. I don’t want any sweet love making, I want the dirty and messy sex” You told him and kissed him again trying to get his shirt off. 

“It’s so hot when you talk like that” Quinn told you and bit your bottom lip. “Let’s go to my room so I can fuck you like you want”

Quinn grabbed your hand and led you upstairs. It wasn’t unnoticed by Jack and Luke who shared looks between each other. They saw Quinn’ messy hair and your lipstick all over his lips. 

“Whom do they lie that they are just friends?” Luke asked Jack.

“They’re lying to themselves because for my liking friends are not doing shit like that” Jack told him. 

[judespoets]

jude and reader haven’t seen each other in a while, when the see each other again he notices she’s lost a lot of weight quickly unhealthily

TW

worried | jude bellingham

pairing: jude bellingham x fem!reader

warnings: mentions of: disordered eating, body image struggles and underweight

a/n: this is a bit messy so i hope it’s what u were imagining!

jude and you haven’t seen each other for more than 4 months.

and it was absolute torture.

back when he was at dortmund the way wasn’t that far to england so you saw each other more often. But now with him at madrid, it was hard.

especially with school, you wanted to finish your degree before moving in with jude, just in case, you always said. you wanted to have something in your hand, something to work with, in case something happens between the two of you.

but school was equally as hard, you were drained, not having anyone to help you, your parents moved back to their hometown in italy when you were eighteen and started university.

you felt the weight of your university work pressing down on your shoulders as you sat in your small, dimly lit apartment in England.

Despite the constant ache of missing Jude, you didn't want to burden him with your struggles. You knew how important his career was and didn't want to add to his stress. So, you kept your feelings to yourself, focusing on your studies and trying to manage everything on your own.

The days blurred together in a haze of lectures, assignments, and endless hours in the library. Your friends noticed you growing silent and withdrawal, but you brushed off their concerns with a forced smile and a few words about being busy. You felt like you were barely keeping your head above water, but you were determined not to let anyone see how much you was struggling.

Jude, meanwhile, was busy with his training schedule. He missed you terribly but was unaware of how bad things had gotten for you. He would send you texts and voice messages whenever he had a spare moment, but your responses were often brief and delayed.

You felt the weight of your university work pressing down on your shoulders as you sat in your small, dimly lit apartment in England. Your parents had moved back to Italy when you started university at 18, leaving you alone to navigate this new chapter of your life. The distance between you and your loved ones was becoming unbearable, and the stress of your studies only added to your loneliness.

You had always struggled with taking care of yourself during stressful times, and now was no exception. Your eating habits had become erratic; you often skipped meals, telling yourself you were too busy to eat. The constant bombardment of messages you saw because of girls who want jude, made you feel insecure about your body, and you became fixated on the idea that you needed to be thinner to feel validated, both academically and personally.

Despite the constant ache of missing Jude, you didn't want to burden him with your struggles. You knew how important his career was and didn't want to add to his stress. So, you kept your feelings to herself, focusing on your studies and trying to manage everything on your own.

One evening, after an exhausting day of training, Jude sat down and listened to your last voice message again. There was something in your tone that worried him. It was subdued, almost mechanical. He sent you a text, asking if everything was okay, but received no immediate response.

you, on the other hand, were sitting alone in your apartment, staring blankly at your computer screen. your phone buzzed with Jude's message, but you couldn't bring yourself to answer. You felt a wave of guilt and sadness wash over you. You wanted to talk to him, to hear his voice, but the thought of breaking down in front of him was too much to bear.

That night, you cried yourself to sleep, feeling more alone than ever. You knew you needed to reach out to someone, anyone, but your pride and fear held you back. The next morning, you dragged herself out of bed and headed to class, determined to push through another day.

As the weeks went by, your isolation deepened. Your eating habits worsened, and you found yourself constantly comparing your body to the flawless images you saw online. You kept telling yourself that you just needed to get through this semester, that things would get better eventually. But the loneliness and pressure continued to build, a constant weight on your chest.

Jude, sensing something was wrong but unsure of how to help from afar, decided to talk to one of your close friends, Emma. He hoped she could give him some insight into what was going on.

“Hey, Emma. It’s Jude,” he began, feeling a bit awkward. “I’m really worried about (Y/N). She doesn’t seem herself lately. Have you noticed anything?”

Emma sighed, relief flooding through her that someone else shared her concerns. “Yeah, Jude, I have. She’s been really withdrawn and seems overwhelmed. I’ve tried to talk to her, but she insists she’s fine. She doesn’t look well either, she looks sick, even. Maybe she’ll open up to you.”

Jude felt a pang of guilt and worry. He resolved to do whatever he could to support you, even from a distance. He started sending you longer messages, sharing more about his own day and gently encouraging you to talk to him. He also made sure to send little reminders of his love and support, hoping to bridge the gap between them.

Your hadn't responded to Jude's texts for two days, which left him increasingly anxious. Despite his training schedule with Real Madrid in Madrid, thoughts of your well-being consumed him. During breaks in practice, he found it difficult to concentrate, his mind wandering back to you.

Jude knew you struggled with taking care of yourself during stressful times, especially with eating regularly and feeling pressured by academic expectations. He had seen firsthand how you could become overwhelmed, and the silence from your end only heightened his concern.

One evening, after a particularly intense training session, Jude sat in his apartment, staring at his phone. He had sent several messages to you throughout the day, hoping for a response that never came. Each unanswered text gnawed at him, filling him with a sense of dread.

Finally, unable to bear the uncertainty any longer, Jude decided to call you again. The phone rang several times before going to voicemail. His worry deepened. He left a message, trying to sound calm despite the rising panic in his voice. "Hey babe, it's me. Just checking in. I haven't heard from you in a while, and I'm getting a bit worried. Please call me back when you get this."

Minutes turned into hours, and still, there was no response. Jude paced his apartment, his mind racing with worst-case scenarios. He knew he couldn't just sit and wait any longer.

Jude took a deep breath and dialed your number again. When it went straight to voicemail once more, he made a decision. He grabbed his phone and called the coach, his voice urgent and determined.

"Coach, I need to talk to you," Jude began, his tone serious and focused. "I'm really worried about (Y/N). She hasn't responded to any of my messages for two days, and I can't shake this feeling that something might be wrong. I need to go check on her."

Carlo listened quietly, understanding the gravity of Jude's concern. "Jude, I trust your judgment. If you feel this strongly, go ahead and go. We'll manage here."

With a sense of relief that he was taking action, Jude quickly packed a few essentials, including a small bag with some of your favorite things. He booked a flight for early the next morning, wanting to get to you as soon as possible.

The hours until his departure dragged on, filled with restless anticipation.

Jude couldn't shake the worry that gnawed at him, but the thought of finally being able to see you gave him a sense of purpose.

Late into the night, Jude sent one last message to you, letting you know he was coming. "Baby, I'm on my way. Please let me know you're okay," he typed, hoping desperately for a response.

With everything packed and his flight confirmed, Jude finally allowed himself a moment of rest. He closed his eyes, imagining the relief he would feel when he finally saw you again, safe and sound in England.

Jude's flight from Madrid to England felt like an eternity of restless anticipation. The worry for you gnawed at him with every passing minute, intensifying as the plane descended towards London.

His thoughts were consumed by your well-being, imagining various scenarios of what he might find.

As Jude hurried through the airport terminal, he checked his phone compulsively for any message from you, but there was still nothing. Anxiety gripped him tightly as he hailed a taxi to take him to your apartment.

The drive seemed interminable, each passing street reminding him of the distance that had kept you apart during these days.

When Jude finally arrived at your apartment building, he felt a mix of relief and apprehension. He took a deep breath before climbing the stairs to your floor. Standing in front of your door, he hesitated for a moment, gathering his resolve before knocking firmly.

“Jude?" Your voice was tinged with surprise and relief, but Jude's attention was immediately drawn to your appearance. You looked pale and fragile, your once vibrant spirit subdued.

But what struck him the most was how much thinner you had become since the last time you were together.

"Baby..." Jude's voice caught in his throat as he took in your appearance. He pulled you into a tight embrace, his arms trembling slightly as he held you close. "You're so thin," he whispered, his voice filled with concern and sadness.

You buried your face in his chest, tears streaming down your cheeks. "I... I've been struggling," you admitted softly, your voice barely above a whisper. "With everything."

Jude gently guided you inside, closing the door behind you. He sat down with you on the couch, never letting go of your hand. "Why didn't you tell me?" he asked softly, his heart breaking for you.

You shook your head, your gaze downcast. "I didn't want to bother you," you confessed. "I thought I could handle it on my own."

Jude tilted your chin up gently, meeting your eyes with his own filled with concern. "Love, you're never a bother to me. I care about you more than anything. Please, let me help."

You took a shaky breath, your gaze dropping to your hands. "It's just... everything feels so overwhelming," you admitted in a rush, as if the words were too heavy to hold inside any longer. "The university work, my parents being far away, and... and feeling like I'm not good enough."

Jude's heart ached for you. He knew how hard you had always been on herself, striving for perfection in everything you did. "You are more than good enough, my love," he said gently, squeezing your hand reassuringly. "You're incredible. But you don't have to do everything alone. We can do this together."

You nodded, tears welling up in your eyes as you felt the weight of Jude's support. "I've been... I've been struggling to eat regularly," you admitted quietly, your voice cracking with emotion. "And I've been feeling so insecure about... about everything."

Jude's heart sank as he heard your confession. He gently pulled you closer, holding you as you let out a quiet sob. "I'm so sorry you've been going through this alone," he whispered, pressing a kiss to the top of your head. "But you're not alone anymore. I'm here now, and I'm not going anywhere."

You clung to him, feeling a mix of relief and fear. Opening up about your struggles had been daunting, but Jude's support gave you a newfound sense of strength. "Thank you," you whispered, your voice trembling with gratitude.

“Baby, i’ll take you to madrid with me. No arguments. You’ll finish uni online and you’ll stop with some of your courses. At least until you’re better.” Jude said firmly but still full of concern, he didn’t know how to act either.

“I will. I don’t want to be alone anymore.” You whispered, cuddling into him further.

“You were never alone, my love. And you never will be. I love you so much.”

[s4bbatical]

Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want | Part 1. (Rivals Declan O'Hara x Reader 18+)

masterlist (part 1,2,3,4) Warnings: Profanities, sexual tension, alcohol and cigarette use.

Author's note: I'm not exactly staying on top of the timeline of rivals, bare this in mind as you read. Of course with any self inserts, it's an AU with a bit of tweaking. No smut involved in this chapter, just fluff until I post more parts. AGE GAP (22!Reader). Thanks for reading.

━━━━━━☆━━━━━━

It was your first week at the Corinium. You were a fresh-faced journalist straight out of Washington State University who had accepted an internship at the independent commercial television station in the county of Rutshire, England. Far from home and comfort, you strived to be the best at what you were asked to do. The pay was good, and the idea of being in another continent where anything was possible kept your drive at an all-time high. You were practicing your decorum quietly to yourself at your desk, fiddling with your pen.

"Already going mad, are you?" Your co-worker and new friend Seb asks, grinning as he puts down his homework on your desk.

You laugh awkwardly, crossing your leg over the other as you lean back to look up at the ginger. "If I have to hear Tony Baddingham cuss out another person because Declan O'Hara is too stubborn to take his lead," You quip, closing your own folder of paperwork. "I think I'll start drinking more." You exasperate, recalling the sudden outburst from Tony's office a mere five minutes ago. Seeing Declan O'Hara riled up was never a great sign, but you couldn't help but run your eyes over his sculpted arms when he took off his blazer in frustration.

"I think you need to start drinking more in general, y/n. You're in England now. We all have a problem." Seb comments, half-sitting on your desk. "You should come with us to Bar Sinister. It's owned by Basil, Tony's brother." He says, crossing his arms.

You raise a brow. "I thought we were assigned to get dirt on the next guest on Declan's and have it in by Monday. Wouldn't that cut into our research time?" You query.

Seb laughs. "You Americans are such workaholics." He shakes his head. "Come get a drink with us!" He pleas, hitting your arm lightly. "Those reputations aren't going anywhere. Besides, we're all going, you'll be the odd one out if you don't."

"All of you?" You say, looking across the room at Declan O'Hara. He's speaking to someone on the phone in his office, the blinds open enough to allow you for a peek. God, what a man he was.

"Yes, all of us. I can't speak for Tony or Declan, though." Seb hums, the feeling of disappointment washing over you. "I'd like to see you there, though." He adds, the both of you sharing a lingering gaze before he gets up and walks away.

If you didn't know any better, you'd think your colleague was flirting with you. You didn't mind it, really. Seb was attractive, and only a year younger than you. Unfortunately, you just had a taste something a little more aged. Everyone seemed to want to fuck each other in this office. You barely managed to avoid the claws of some of the older men yourself, not that you were complaining-- besides the fact none of them were Declan O'Hara.

You decide to stand up, grabbing ahold of your folder before boldly heading over to Mr. O'Hara's office. You slowly knock on the ajar door to get his attention before you step in.

"-We'll discuss this later. Goodbye." Declan says into his phone, hanging it up when he notices you. "Y/n, hello. What can I do for you?" He asks, putting his hands behind his back as he leans back in his chair.

Many things. You think to yourself, trying to look away from his stretched out torso before speaking. "I was just wondering if I could help you with anything else before I leave today Mister O'Hara? I just noticed you seem a bit stressed, maybe I could take something off of your plate if possible." You say, smoothing out your skirt.

He chuckles lightly, leaning forward to take a sip of his whiskey on the rocks. "Call me Declan, love. No need for so much professionalism." He sighs, your heart skipping a beat at his words of endearment as he runs a hand through his hair. "I'm 'fraid not. Tony's up my arse, and my wife's trying to throw this ridiculously expensive party for my son's birthday which also happens to be New Year's and..." He notices your glimmer of concern in your eyes, staring into them as if he got distracted. "I uh," He shakes his head. "Don't worry about it." He says, waving it off.

"I'm sorry, that does seem like an awful lot." You say, your cheeks reddening from his stare. "You don't deserve that, you know. The way Mister Baddingham treats you." You mutter, toying with the folder in your arms.

Declan chuckles, pulling out a cigarette and popping it into his mouth. "Try telling him that." He says wryly, lighting up the smoke.

"Well Declan, there's a group of us going to Bar Sinister later, if you'd like to unwind. God knows we both need it." You try to joke, laughing awkwardly as Declan gives you a look. You clear your throat, straighten your spine. "Sorry, just a suggestion." You mumble.

He laughs genuinely this time, inhaling his cigarette again. "You're funny, y/n. I thought it would be intolerable hiring an American journalist-"

"Hey!" You interject, gasping playfully.

"But!" Declan holds a hand up, stopping you from speaking further. "You're quite lovely to have around. I enjoy your presence." He says, smiling at you. "I hope you consider a permanent placement in the future."

Your face lights up, a big smile on your face now. "Thank you Mister- Declan." You correct yourself. He laughs again. "But I would have to become apart of your personal board to get approved for anything like that." You add.

"Well," Declan says, putting out his cigarette in the ashtray. "I hope you don't mind if I consider that possibility y/n. You have a lot of potential, and I admire your drive." He admits, clasping his hands together and putting them on his desk.

"I am very flattered, Declan. Thank you." You say, looking down before meeting his gaze again. "It's been a pleasure working for you." The undertone of your words hint at something beyond, causing Declan to tilt his chin up a bit to analyze you.

There was something about you that had caught his attention since you first set foot in Corinium, and he couldn't seem to shake his mind from it. It was like a guilty pleasure he could never acknowledge out loud.

The phone rings. Declan nods towards it, signaling for the conversation to end. "See you tonight, y/n." He finishes, taking the phone off it's mantle as you feel heat beginning to simmer in your abdomen, nodding before leaving his office and closing the door behind you.

You have a wide grin on your face as you make your way back to your desk, hastily returning to your work in order to keep the evening free.

-

Much to your surprise, it was karaoke night at the bar. There was a good mix of random patrons and recognizable faces taking turns singing out ballads.

You and Seb were sat at the bar, him sipping on a Guinness as you had a vodka soda. Classic American, he commented when you ordered it.

“You gonna go up there?” You ask Seb, gesturing towards Freddie Jones who was pouring his heart out on the mic.

“Mm, possibly. What’d you reckon I sing? I’m tone deaf but maybe if everyone gets drunk enough no one will notice.” He jokes, earning a fit of laughter from you both.

“I love The Cure if that’s any help.” You suggest, finishing your vodka soda.

Seb quickly gestures for the bartender to bring over a bottle of wine. He notices your curious expression, shrugging his shoulders. “Company’s paying for this shite, not me." He explains. "Also, The Cure? I like 'em, but they’re not gonna translate with these guys.” He says, drinking his pint. He pours you a glass of wine as you glance around the space, trying to spot Declan anywhere.

“What about Last Christmas? You know, by Wham? It’s almost Christmas after all.” You say, already pouncing on your glass of wine.

“I do like that one, maybe I’ll do it yeah.” Seb says nonchalantly, finishing his Guinness. “I’ll go right now, actually.” He suddenly gets up, walking through the crowd.

You grab the wine bottle itself and take a swig from it, feeling the alcohol flush out your face. You hated how it made your cheeks red like you were ashamed to be plastered.

You finally see the man you were waiting for enter the place, scanning the room before his eyes landed on yours. You give Declan a timid wave, causing him to walk over as Seb began singing on stage. “You made it!” You exclaim, returning to pouring the wine into your glass so you seemed classy in front of your inappropriate work crush.

“Yes, sorry. Had to stay later at the office to do more flawed research.” He jests, nodding towards the bartender who already knew his regular. Declan referred to finding dirt on his guests as flawed research, mainly so it didn’t seem so inane in conversation.

"You're very dedicated to your work, I'm surprised you have time for any of this." You say, allowing yourself to speak more freely now that you were definitely tipsy.

"My wife would say the same." He sighs, taking a sip of his glass of whiskey.

You take another sip of your glass, trying to conceal your distaste at the mention of his wife. "Is she not very pleased with you, Declan?" You ask, causing your boss's face to harden. "I'm sorry," You quickly add. "That's personal I shouldn't have said that, that's so stupid of me-"

"Y/n." Declan says, putting a hand on your arm. You feel your body burn up at his touch. "It's okay, really. It's actually relieving to know you don't know anything about my martial problems. Everyone does." He says dryly, taking another sip of his whiskey. "She's not too keen on me being obsessed with my job. She compares it to cheating on her, which I find rather hypocritical considering..." He trails off, smiling at you. "Forget it." He raises his glass, clinking yours. "To you, for being an amazing intern." He slams back his glass, putting it down and grabbing ahold of the aged bottle of whiskey to pour himself.

You smile awkwardly, raising your glass before taking another sip of your wine. You piece it together in your head, realizing that his wife must've committed adultery; just like almost every other married person you've worked alongside so far. "Jesus, Declan. I'm sorry." You mumble, hearing Seb's singing end in the distance.

"Please, don't apologize. It wasn't your fault." Declan says, a look of yearning in his eyes.

"If I were her, I'd never do anything of the sort. If I was with someone like you I'd cherish it everyday." You say, finishing your glass of wine.

Declan raises a brow, chuckling heartily. "And someone would be very, very lucky to have you y/n." He replies, the two of you locked in a stare.

You were definitely drunk by now, and wine always gave you an edge to flirt with whomever you found most attractive in the room. You place a hand on his arm, finally knowing what it was like to feel his muscles through the thin material of his button up. "You deserve better, Declan." You say, rubbing your thumb along his bicep. You watch as the corners of his mouth twitch into a smile, placing his hand over yours on his arm.

"How'd you think I did?" Seb asks, returning the bar and interrupting the moment between you and Mr. O'Hara. You pull back, turning yourself to face Seb.

"You did great, Seb." You say, pressing a kiss on his cheek, causing his face to go as red as his hair. "I think I'm gonna give it a shot, show the English what talents an American has." You grin, unable to make eye contact with Declan out of embarrassment for trying to flirt with a married man. However, the commonality of cheating on spouses here still gave you a sliver of hope as you walked towards the stage, a mask of confidence due to alcohol consumption.

"What song are you gonna do?" Seb asks, following in suit.

"You'll see." You say. You walk up to the host, whispering a song in their ear. They nod, giving you a thumbs up as you get on the stage.

Head Over Heels by Tears for Fears starts to play, causing the entire place to riot with excitement. You grin madly, grabbing ahold of the microphone as the lyrics begin to play. You watch as Declan makes his way through the crowd, standing between Freddie and Seb to watch you perform.

"I wanted to be with you alone And talk about the weather But traditions I can trace against the child in your face Won't escape my attention."

You dance along to the music, singing freely like no one was watching.

"You keep your distance via the system of touch And gentle persuasion I'm lost in admiration, could I need you this much? Oh, you're wasting my time You're just, just, just wasting time..."

You now make eye contact with Declan O'Hara, singing the chorus. Everyone's dancing around, paying no mind to where your attention was.

"Something happens and I'm head over heels I never find out until I'm head over heels Something happens and I'm head over heels Ah, don't take my heart, don't break my heart Don't, don't, don't throw it away..."

Declan watches you in admiration, realizing you're singing directly at him. You look away for the rest of the song, only returning your gaze when the chorus comes up again. When the song ends, you give a little curtesy, putting the mic back on the stand as everyone cheers madly.

"That was brilliant, y/n!" Seb exclaims, holding you in an embrace. You laugh, hugging him back. "Thanks, Seb."

"Seb, can you do one with me?" Daysee asks, causing Seb to pull away from you. "Course, what're you thinking?" The two of them walk away, leaving you be to earn compliments from the rest of your colleagues.

"You have a great voice." Declan says, causing you to turn and face him. "Great song, too." He adds.

"Thanks, it was a personal choice." You say, the next song starting up. Dreams by Fleetwood Mac starts playing, Seb and Daysee's choice. "Fuck, I love this song." You exclaim, looking over at the stage as your friends begin to sing along.

"As do I," Declan says. "Care to dance?" He asks, causing your gaze to return to his outstretched hand.

You smile. "I'd love to." You place one hand on his shoulder, the other in his hand as he places a hand on the small of your back. Your breathing becomes more shallow as the two of you rock to the music, staring into each other's eyes.

You didn't know if you were simply too drunk to acknowledge the reality of the situation, but you couldn't help but wonder if Declan was starting to like you a little more than just an intern that was great at her job.

The space between the two of you becomes insignificant, your head slowly leaning onto his chest as his hand moves down to your lower back, staying at the top of your skirt. You close your eyes as the two of you rock in sync, hearing his heart beat rather triumphally. Your stomach is full of butterflies, and the heat between your legs is almost unbearable as he rubs small circles on your lower back.

He smelled like Tom Ford cologne and Marlboro Golds with an undertone of whiskey, the scent of him nearly more intoxicating than the alcohol itself. You feel his chest vibrate as he quietly sings along to the song, causing you to pull your head back to look at him. You both start singing along, your faces merely inches away from each other.

"When the rain washes you clean, you'll know You'll know You will know Oh, you'll know.."

The song ends, everyone erupting into applause as you register the proximity of you and Declan, taking a step back as you notice the stares of your colleagues.

"Thanks for the dance." You mumble, looking down at the ground. "I uh, need to find Seb he's my ride." You say abruptly, leaving Declan stunned on the dancefloor as you hurriedly approach your ginger colleague. "Can you drive me home now?" You ask, putting a hand on his arm.

"Uh, yeah. Sure. Do you need a ride too Daysee?" He asks, the blonde shaking her head.

"'M alright. I'll see you lads on Monday." She says, grinning as the two of you grab your coats from the bar stools.

"Goodbye, Declan." You say, making eye contact with the brooding man who simply looks at you.

"Goodnight, y/n." He responds, inhaling his cigarette before looking away.

You feel a pang in your chest as you look at Declan for another moment, expecting more. He says nothing else. Seb leads you away from the bar, allowing you to let go of any longing between you and Mr. O'Hara.

Declan knew it was wrong to think of you in any other light outside of work. Even if Maud had cheated on him before, with the tendency to keep going at it, he still couldn't shake the guilt away just yet. He retreated to disregarding you as a means to hopefully make you both forget about the whole ordeal, as if he wasn't thinking about what it would be like to have his hands underneath that tight pencil skirt of yours.

He groaned and ran a hand through his hair, lighting another cigarette. The holiday season was about to be a real hassle, and he was afraid of asking Santa for what he really wished for this time around.

-

guys... i finally did it... declan o'hara i want you so bad. i think im just gonna write a part two to this maybe three, and leave it at that. if you have any requests pweaseee leave them for meeee this show has me in a CHOKEHOLD.

much love as always, isabel

[drarryspecificrecs]

2024.10 ~ Top 10 longest fics posted on AO3

1. Celestial Being by Year_ofthe_Rabbit [?, 192k]

The entire universe conspired to make clear that the king Draco’s family had put into power deserved to be overthrown in a bloody coup, to be replaced by a younger, brighter, more beloved king. Draco lost everything and was left to live as a despised servant in his aunt's household. He didn't accept it. No, he would do whatever it took to recapture the life he deserved. Even if that was only possible during an equinox ball, where he could live one anonymous night at a time as a captivating celestial being.

2. In Over My Head by @dracoispookie [E, 184k]

The first wizard going to Hogwarts Harry ever meets is an older boy who is polite, funny, and very good looking. Harry navigates his way through school knowing one thing for sure: he's in way over his head.

3. Comfortable by @peculiarmindset [E, 155k]

Draco and Harry goes through the uncharted waters in their relationship, and slowly become more and more comfortable with one another.

4. what shipwrecks look like by @dancingsparks [E, 149k]

It's after the war, but not terribly long after. Just enough for things to appear happily settled. Draco is an Obliviator. Harry is an Auror. Draco is desperately jealous of that.

5. Defiant Hearts by @coffeedrgn87 [E, 117k]

In Regency England, the price of love is high. Draco, the sole heir to the Malfoy family's vast fortune and reputation, longs to marry for love. His father, Lucius Malfoy—a cold, heartless man—disagrees. With his father breathing down his neck, demanding that Draco court a suitable young lady, Draco's time to find a love match is running out. Then there's Harry, the last descendant of the Potter family, once a noble house with a vast fortune, great respect, and considerable influence. Harry knows his duties, but what he truly desires is a love match—an equal. When an unexpected Regency-style meet-cute turns everyone's plans upside down, Draco becomes a rebel, and Harry must make a decision that will define the rest of his life.

6. Can't turn back now (I'm haunted) by exhiled_spirit [M, 108k]

Draco left his friends and (ex) husband in hopes of moving on from his heartbreak and finding himself in the muggle world. Four years later he returned, rich and famous, to finish off his never ending divorce.

7. Taking Off The Rose Coloured Glasses by @thatwheelchairchick [M, 85k]

After his fourth year at Hogwarts, Harry Potter returns to the Dursleys, where their abuse escalates dramatically, leaving him physically and emotionally shattered. Haunted by nightmares and the voice of Voldemort in his mind, Harry begins to doubt Dumbledore’s intentions, recalling past manipulations. Desperate and near death from a particularly brutal beating, Harry reluctantly accepts Voldemort’s offer of help.

8. a barely lit path by @garagepaperback [E, 64k]

Harry wakes up wanting to live, Draco seems determined to - well, not die, exactly, but you could hardly call it a life, either. /// Featuring: peacocks and a family curse, avoidance, red-rimmed eyes in a blanket fort, a fantastic variety of headaches, sobriety, a toy finger trap and whether or not it's possible for good to grow out of something ugly.

9. Your Heart Got a Story With Mine by futurefortem [M, 62k]

When a wizard or witch turns 17 they become off age. When a wizard or witch turns 18 though they discover their soulmate. On Harry's 18th birthday his world turns upside down. /// Or, the one where Draco and Harry are forced to overcome their differences and discover what it actually was that kept fire burning between them.

10. Rotations by TheCrowCrone [E, 53k]

Trainee Auror Potter receives a new assignment as an Azkaban guard and his life, which finally seems to be settling into something almost normal, is turned upsidedown once more the night he saves Draco Malfoy. But in a post-war world, at least for Harry, the smallest things, like appreciating a sunset and enjoying a hot meal, are sometimes the hardest, while the big things, like death and forgiveness, don't seem that tough. And sometimes, he's just an idiot who falls in love too easily.

※ HONOURABLE MENTIONS :

11. Draco Malfoy and the Pride of the Lion by Fantasy_Critter11 [G, 52k]

All his life Draco Malfoy has awaited the day when he'd finally get to ride the Hogwarts Express to the school of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and of his dreams. Those dreams are upended in seconds, however, when he sees a scrawny boy pacing outside of the barrier, asking how to get onto platform nine and three quarters. [...] Hogwarts is quickly becoming nothing like Draco had expected it to be in his dreams, but he'll soon find he may not mind being part of the Gryffindor pride as he initially thought.

12. What Fills the Void That’s Left Behind by @tessacrowley [E, 46k] --- ART by @itsphantasmagoria

At the end of October, Draco Malfoy slashes open both wrists and bleeds to death. By the middle of November, Head Auror Harry Potter agrees to take his case. But there are entities more ghastly than the ghosts that haunt the Malfoy Manor, and fates more horrible than death. When the wound is so deep that you lose a part of yourself, what fills the void that’s left behind?

—

※ Word count: 1k ~ 15k

※ Word count: 15k ~ 40k

All is found by ProseMary [G, 16k]

Come, Sweet Death by EvilDime [E, 27k]

Everything is coming up Draco by @liligalaxy [M, 37k]

Green by @pixiedunhoff [E, 17k]

The Guardian and The Sword by @mykkitno [?, 37k]

It's Not Hate Sex If You're Secretly In Love With Your Baby Daddy! by @peachydreamxx [E, 33k] --- ART by @littlewinnow

the latch is undone by @aibidil [E, 24k]

Old Rivalries, New Beginnings by @philosophersandfools [T, 29k]

Raising Hell! by @wolfpants [E, 21k]

—

Ongoing Fest/Exchange

※ Fics would be listed elsewhere.

2024 H/D Muggle Fair | @hd-fan-fair

Cult of Chaos Cultober 2024

Gothic Fantasy Fest 2024 | @twhos-fests​

HP Halloween Fest 2024

Trick 4 Treat: A Twisted Sweet

[thelarriefics]

UNIVERSITY FIC REC, Part II: Below you will find more fics that take place in college. (Part I)

📖 Underneath It All by @peachypetalhazz (394k)

Enemies to friends to lovers AU where Louis is a cliché bad boy that Harry can’t seem to get rid of.

📖 there's no fair in farewell by @so-why-let-your-voice-be-tamed (218k)

When Harry and Louis, two Cupids who have been bringing people together for decades, are tasked with making Soulmates Liam and Zayn fall in love, it proves to be much harder than expected. But maybe, just maybe, that isn’t such a bad thing after all.

📖 blue moon by @aquietlarrie (152k)

or the self indulgent 50’s au where i wanted a safe space to explore the culture, history, and sexuality of being gay in a time when it was extremely difficult to do so. includes, lots of questionable dancing, healing your inner child, and one heck of an emotional ride.

📖 Never Be by @cherrystreet (117k)

The one where Harry Styles moves to Connecticut from England for nine months as a part of a study abroad program, and he just so happens to move in with Louis Tomlinson and family.

📖 Pour Your Heart Out by @hrrytomlinson (92k)

Louis is his soulmate. Or at least Harry thinks he is. Louis feels the same as Louis. But there are a lot of people named Louis in the world and this Louis might not be the Louis. It’s besides the point though, because Harry knows he can’t allow himself to get close to any boys. He just can’t and he’s told himself this multiple times. He has to simply stay away from Louis Tomlinson. But he can’t. Harry Styles can never stay away from Louis Tomlinson. It’s physically impossible for him to.

📖 knock knock, i love you by @thelovejandles (86k)

Harry and Louis get kicked out of a statistics exam for passing a knock knock joke note, and subsequently fall in love. Harry's a virgin, there's a cat, a hot cocoa date, a lot of sex, even more knock knock jokes, and everything is lovely and happy.

📖 Are There Second Chances? by @kissyboystyles (85k)

the most eventful twenty-four days of Louis Tomlinson's college career.

📖 A Distant Hazy Light by @greenfeelings (76k)

Life’s pretty ordinary for Harry. He lives with his best friend, got into university just like he’s planned, and manages to support himself just fine for an unbonded omega. If he sustains that lifestyle by getting paid to help alphas through their rut every now and then, that’s nothing to be hung up on. Until he’s hired by an alpha that turns everything upside down. Or, Harry’s working on taking Louis’ walls down, until he builds his own up.

📖 Bikestrike by @thinlinez (68k)

What would you do if you saw someone riding your bike, which had been stolen weeks before, across campus? Omega Harry chose to show no mercy. He didn't know it would all lead him to his own demise.

📖 always you (i should have known) by @28goldens (60k)

or the one where harry and louis cant stand each other and fake date to make someone jealous.

📖 Start A Revolution From My Bed. by @rainbowsandlovehl (57k)

Louis is ready to live on his own, in a dorm, in a new city. He is ready to make new friends, have fun and study a little. But he is not ready for Harry, his pretentious roommate who is out to ruin Louis' sleep and make his dorm life a complete hell.

📖 Love's On The Line, Is That Your Final Answer? by @moonhusbands (54k)

Harry can’t believe it when Louis, the boy he’s always had a tempestuous rivalry with, asks him to be his boyfriend. Well, pose as his boyfriend, that is—for a new television game show in which young couples are quizzed on how well they know each other for a jackpot of thirty grand. Reluctantly, Harry agrees—because he's got student loans to pay off, hasn't he? What's the harm? And he can totally deal with keeping his secret thing for Louis under wraps too. This is all just to win some money. It's fine. No big deal. What could possibly go wrong? Well, everything. Obviously.

📖 The First Year by @parmahamlarrie (46k)

When Louis Tomlinson was assigned a first year student to be his roommate for his final year at the University of Manchester, his expectations were low. All he needed was a cheap place to sleep and keep his stuff amidst his nights out, willing his brain to forget his past. He never expected Harry Styles to become his eclectic, sweet, and cuddly best friend. That was never the plan.

📖 your lips in the low light by @givesuethemoon (20k)

Set over the course of one night, at one fateful frat party. Louis and Harry find that there are not many things they will ever need more than each other.

📖 getting yourself wet for me by @dreamersdivin-headfirst (10k)

frat boys take on watersports

📖 my heart's against your chest, your lips pressed to my neck (i'm in love now) by @bottomhaztoplou (8k)

Five times Louis gives Harry a courting gift and one time Harry reciprocates.

📖 Hea(van) Is A Place on Earth with You by @insightfulinsomniac (6k)

University students Harry and Louis want to spend some alone time together — the problem is, both of their respective roommates are fast asleep. Harry solves that problem with some blankets, a secluded parking space, and his beloved beater van, Belinda.

📖 Lost In This Craze For You by @larrysballetslippers (4k)

Louis thinks he is incapable of making his boyfriend come, but Harry just needs a little more from him.

[blue-bujo]

Bowled Over (Roy Kent x Reader): Chapter One

You work at a bowling alley and a young girl named Phoebe has a birthday party there. You catch her uncle's eye.

Roy Kent x female reader

Will try to update roughly every two weeks

Chapter One: The Other Beautiful Game

Words: 1.9K

Content: Kent-level language (you know what you're in for)

Cricket. Polo. The real football.

There were many popular sports in England, but the downfall of all of those was the fact that they were all at the mercy of the weather. That was why, in your humble opinion, the best sport in the world was bowling.

You were fully aware that the rest of the world definitely didn’t consider it a real sport, and that was fine. But to you, it was the best. No other sport could be enjoyed by 4 year olds and 94 year olds at the same time, all while having full access to a pitcher of beer and never being rained out. Nor did any other sport create friendships so instantly while in good natured competition. It certainly had for you.

You, the army brat, who had moved every year and always ended up being the new kid with the accent different from everyone else’s, had always found common ground in whatever bowling alley had been closest to base. Bowling was its own language, its own gateway into other people’s lives. When you’d finally stayed somewhere for more than two years when you were in high school, you’d made yourself a fixture at the lanes. You stayed in England for college – no, university – and worked your way through every beer league and youth camp you could. The bowling alley was your home, and you ended up staying even after your father retired from the army and returned to his hometown with your mother. Your place was here, behind the counter and coaching leagues.

It was a shallowly connected life. You had a few friends from your own league, as well as your coworkers, and some regulars that you absolutely loved, but mainly, you saw people for five minutes while they paid and figured out which size their rental shoes needed to be before they went to the lanes and you watched from a distance, telling yourself that it was fine.

One day, and especially lonely one, you were scheduled to work a children’s party. You were slightly hung over from the pitcher you’d shared at your league the night prior, and weren’t looking forward to all of the noise that children would inevitably cause. Taking a preemptive Excedrin, you pulled up your hair and braced for the worst.

The birthday child was a blonde girl who was all smiles, leading seven little friends and their adults behind them. You plastered on your best customer service smile and got through the chaos of check in, shoes, snack bar follow up, and lane assignments, then collapsed in your chair to stare into space for a while, until someone needed you.

The respite was brutally short.

You didn’t notice at first, but eventually you realized that you had somebody standing at the side of the counter. It was because of his shirt. Anywhere else, it would have stood out obnoxiously, but the red, orange, and yellow tie dye blended into the colorful walls. You turned quickly once you realized he was there.

“Sorry, I zoned out,” you blurted. “How can I help you, sir?”

The man – you recognized him from somewhere, you realized, but you couldn’t place where – startled at how quickly you acknowledged him. He had very expressive eyebrows, which shot up his forehead in surprise. He pointed at the lanes where the blonde girl’s group was bowling and grunted, “One of the little shits that my niece is friends with threw a ball right after another kid and hit the thing that pushes the pins out of the way, and now it won’t go back up. Can you fix it so their days won’t be ruined?”

You couldn’t tell if her was mad at the lane or at you; it seemed like he was angry in general, judging by the deep creases between his eyebrows. Best to take a cautious approach with him.

“I can’t fix it, but I can call the tech. Just a second.” You grabbed the intercom, but didn’t click it on. “It’s the gate on 15, yeah?”

“The what?”

“The black sweepy thing, on Lane 15?”

“Oh. Yeah.”

Quickly, you called out, “Pete, I need a gate reset on Lane 15, please” over the speakers. Then you turned back to the tie dye man.

“Cheers,” he said. “Phoebe will be happy now.”

“That’s your niece? The blonde girl?”

He nodded. “Yep, that idiot.” He smiled and waved toward Phoebe, who was trying to get his attention. “She made me this shirt. I wouldn’t have picked it, but she made it, so I wear it to all her things.”

“It’s a good look. Matches the décor here,” you teased. “I almost didn’t see you, and you were right in front of me.”

A grunt was the only response you got. Fearing you’d been rude, you cleared your throat and continued. “Well. I’ll be here for the rest of the day, if you guys need anything else. You know where to find me.”

Another grunt, and eyebrow guy was gone, leaving you to put your head on the counter in embarrassment. That was so awkward!

You stewed in your awkwardness for another half an hour; nobody else came in to distract you. Distraction didn’t come until you got a call from the snack bar, signaling that they needed you to run the pizza to Phoebe’s group. Inwardly groaning, you picked up the tray and a stack of plates, and expertly balanced them as you walked to Lane 15. Phoebe and her friends were excited to see you, and their enthusiasm evaporated some of your self-pity. These seemed to be good kids.

“Okay,” you said, putting your hands on your hips and leaning down conspiratorially, “I only have two rules for you. Rule Number One: No pizza or drinks on the approach. Rule Number Two: I don’t want to see any pizza fingers in those balls, because someone will have to clean them.” You pointed at yourself as you said “someone,” which made all the kids laugh. “And Rule Number Three-”

“You said there were only two!” interrupted a young boy. Tie dye guy glared at him.

“Well, I lied,” you shrugged. That got a laugh from everybody. “Rule Number Three: Help Phoebe have a happy birthday!”

All of the kids cheered. Satisfied, you walked over to their grown-ups. “If you guys need anything, I’m Splits.” You tapped your nametag, bearing the kitschy bowling nickname that the manager had made you pick. “I’ll be at the counter.”

Your nickname drew a few chuckles and sympathetic smiles. One of the younger adults, who you also recognized in addition Phoebe's uncle, fixed you with a flirty look.

“Do they call yah that because you can do the splits, or…?”

“No, because I leave plenty on the lanes.”

He looked like he was trying to come up with another quip, but Phoebe’s uncle elbowed him in the ribs. “Shut up, Jamie. Not everyone loves you.”

Jamie, unperturbed, elbowed him back. “Whatever, Coach. It was worth trying. Sorry, Splits.”

You realized where you had seen him before. AFC Richmond was the local football club, and the young man was none other than Jamie Tartt. And now that you had figured out who he was, you had to ask, no matter how much it pained you…

“Can I get a quick photo? The owner likes us to whenever we have a celebrity guest.”

Jamie’s chest puffed out before he looked at tie dye man; you got the feeling his coach had lectured him before about showboating. “Sure, yeah, if that’s how it’s done here.” He checked his hair and grabbed a bowling ball. “Where do you want meh?”

“Uncle Roy should be in the picture, too!” piped Phoebe, shooting her uncle a pout. “He’s more famous that Jamie!”

The man you’d talked to at the counter, who you recognized but didn’t know where from, was named Roy? And Jamie had called him “coach?” Was he Roy Kent? How had you not realized?

It had to be the tie dye. Had to be.

“Fuck no, I’m not getting in a picture with that prick.”

“Please, Uncle Roy?” pleaded Phoebe. “It is my birthday.”

A grunt. You were beginning to think that they were his primary language, in combination with swearing. Roy Kent stood up, rolled his eyes, and got next to Jamie Tartt, glowering.

You reached into your back pocket and took out your phone to check how things looked. Bowling alley lighting was never great, but it was especially bad today. Jamie popped, because of course he did, but Roy melted into the wall, his obnoxious shirt effectively camouflaging him.

Thinking quickly, you went to the racks, grabbed a bright blue bowling ball, and brought it to Roy. He just stared at it.

“And what am I supposed to do with this? Throw a fucking strike on camera?”

“No, I just need you to hold it,” you huffed. “The camera can’t see you; your shirt blends in too much. Just take this, please, and this can be over.”

Without giving him a choice, you pushed the bowling ball against his arm. He took it awkwardly, his fingers brushing yours. You thought he shrank into his shoulders after that, but it could have just been him settling the weight of the ball, so you couldn’t be sure.

You took the picture and sent it to your manager, who started freaking out and texting a sentence at a time, but you retreated back to your counter after that. The rest of the afternoon went quietly. Phoebe’s party ended, and you watched as Roy and Jamie gathered all of the kids’ rental shoes and brought them up to you to return.

Sorry for flirting with yah earlier,” said Jamie, dumping an armful of footwear. “Old habits and all that.”

“It’s no problem,” you replied.

He gave you a wink and sauntered off. Then Roy deposited all of the shoes he was carrying.

“Thanks for being cool. Phoebe enjoyed it.”

“My pleasure. Sorry for the picture.”

“It happens. People are weird about fame.”

“Sorry all the same. Hopefully it wasn’t too awkward.”

Roy Kent wouldn’t look at you, and instead focused on a spot on the counter. Then he gave a last grunt and walked away, sticking out a hand to hold Phoebe’s. You watched them leave before grabbing a bottle of disinfectant to spray down the shoes. As you did, you mused that, for being a football manager and a player before that, Roy Kent was really awkward when it came to being recognized.

The sound of running feet tore your attention away from your thoughts. You looked up, ready to shout at some kids for horseplay, but it was Phoebe, running back to the lanes and grabbing a jumper that she had left. Then she jogged back to the desk, stopping on the way out.

“I had a really fun time,” she said.

“I’m glad,” you replied warmly. “I hope to see you come back.”

Phoebe smiled. “I think I will. I overheard Uncle Roy telling Jamie that he shouldn’t call strangers ‘fit,’ even if they are, and I think they were talking about you. Bye!”

She pranced off to rejoin her uncle where he was waiting for her at the exit, taking his hand once more. You could see them talking, and something she said made him look up abashedly at you. He held your gaze for just a moment, then threw Phoebe over his shoulder and stomped away. You had the rest of the night to ponder the fact that Jamie Tartt and maybe Roy Kent had considered you attractive. It made up for the awkwardness of the photo. Almost.

[sunflowervoltwentyeight]

Happy 28th! Here's my July 2023 fic rec, organized by word count, from longest to shortest. Enjoy!

I Found Love In You (And I Learned to Love Me Too) by CuckooTrooke / @larrydoinglaundry (166k)

After months of battling with his own demons, Louis goes back to get what he once left behind, but Harry's not sure if he showed up in time.

A journey of remorse, healing and love that's strong enough to break them down and build them back up again.

Sequel to 'love is a word, you gave it a name'.

Wild and Unruly by 100percentsassy, Gloria_Andrews / @100percentsassy, @gloriaandrews (123k)

Harry is a cowboy sitting on the biggest oil reservoir in Wyoming, and Louis is the paralegal assigned to pressure him into selling his land.

I Don't Wanna Face the Music by hereforh / @hereforh (95k)

Louis likes to think he's a pretty normal, typical lad. He likes spending nights at the pub with his mates, he loves football and is very close to his family. So when he moves to London for uni, he doesn’t think much will be different.

Until he makes these new friends who are nothing like his mates back home and change his life for the better - and this one boy who messes with his head from the get go and makes him question everything he has ever thought about himself.

(Take Me Home) Country Roads by Awriterwrites (86k)

“Sir, I can help you. Just let me — “ He tried moving closer but the eldest child blocked his way. He backed off, putting his hands out in a passive gesture. “I’m a physician. I can help,” he tried again.

The man shook his head vehemently, passing the cup back to his grandchild. “Tol’ ya. Don’t need ya.” All of the fire had gone out of his voice, leaving behind a frail, sick old man with barely any breath to talk.

“I have medicines...I could make you comfortable…” Louis’ voice was still small, but pleading.

“Mountain Mama cares for wha’s ailin’ me. Don’t need no fancy city doctors.”

Louis blinked at the man, still shaking from the coughing spell. Mountain — well, fuck. That backwoods, uneducated scam artist…

“Of course he is,” Louis said curtly. ***** OR a Northern Exposure AU featuring Louis as the big city doctor, Harry as a natural healer, Niall as a secretive barkeep, Liam and Zayn head over heels for each other but they don't know it and a lot of hurt, comfort and moonshine in between.

King of My Heart by wildestdreams / @thelavendrhaze (83k)

Harry shrugged, his shoulders brushing against Louis’. “I think since I was young, I craved that feeling, though. I didn’t always hate being a prince, but over time, certain aspects of it just bothered me so much. I remember being four years old and realising that every person in the world knew my name, and I wasn’t sure if I wanted that. I told my mum as much and she tried telling me that being a prince is not a punishment. That it was a privilege that I should be happy about it, but no one asked me if I was. But looking up at the sky, I remember that all of this will one day mean nothing, and neither will I. All the pressure will then disappear and I could just be.”

Louis stayed quiet, allowing Harry the space to open up because he knew Harry wasn’t looking for advice, but just someone to confide in. What he wished he could tell him was that in the short amount of time that he’d known the prince, in Louis’ eyes, he couldn’t be insignificant if he tried. He was brighter than every star up there in the sky. He was all Louis could look at and think about.

or A Red, White, and Royal Blue AU where Hollywood elite, Louis Tomlinson, finds himself falling for the closeted Prince of England.

These Bad Omens (I Look Right Through Them) by likelarry / @likelarryfics (82k)

How on earth does someone his parents' age look so damn hot? All of their other friends look... bland and boring.

But Louis, fucking hell. He's something out of Harry's wettest fucking dreams.

Where Louis is Harry's parents' friend and teaches at Harry's university. Harry can't resist getting a taste.

So Keep My Candle Bright by whisperdlullaby (78k)

Louis returns to his hometown after four years to find that the reverend’s son has done some growing up of his own.

Elephant Juice by stylinsoncity / @stylinsoncity (32k)

Harry doesn't understand boundaries. Louis doesn't mind at all.

[phanfictioncatalogue]

Fic Titles W/ Parenthesis Masterlist

Absolutely Smitten (I’ll Never Let You Go) - manchestereyes

Summary: In which Dan is a much-adored primary school music teacher, and Phil is just the science teacher who can’t keep his mind off of him. But when the students notice and try to get in on the action, will Phil finally work up the courage to ask Dan out?

As Fate (or a really weird guy named David) Would Have It (ao3) - husbants

Summary: Phil has been stood up. Just as he’s leaving, a frantic (and absolutely handsome) guy rushes in the restaurant, looking for his own first date.

Maybe tonight won’t be as bad as it once seemed it would.

before we turn into a monster (with two heads) (ao3) - blueshirt

Summary: “Once this case is over, I’m getting a new job. Maybe one where I just sit in my bedroom and make videos about my life. That would be nice,” Dan muses dreamily to himself—or rather, mumbles indistinctly to himself, because it’s a little hard to articulate when you’ve been shoved into the trunk of a moving car, bound, and gagged.

Or, the 30K Secret Agents AU that nobody asked for, featuring an undercover mission as husbands, annoying coworkers with a betting pool (Dan is going to complain to HR about Felix), and inevitable slow-dancing to Ed Sheeran.

dancing on the blades (you set my heart on fire) (ao3) - kishere

Summary: Dan Howell is an ice skater in England, a non power player in the world of competitive ice skating. Phil Lester is the greatest ice skater to come out of England in the past decade, part of a family legacy. When Dan is offered a spot at Phil’s family gym, he learns what he was missing the most to be the best ice skater he could be.

Or: the yuri on ice inspired au

First Impressions (Perhaps I Was Wrong) (ao3) - Ablissa

Summary:

Phil Lester goes back to university for his third year, expecting to live in the dorms with his childhood best friend PJ. That’s how it’s been for the past years, after all. However, due to a mistake of some sort, he finds himself with a new roommate to spend the semester with. Daniel Howell, three years his junior, has rich brown eyes, a laptop to hide them behind, and not more than two words to spare in Phil’s direction. Phil is no fortune teller, but he foresees the upcoming months will be filled with a whole lot of awkward silence.

Unless, of course, Dan proves him wrong… Could one little mistake lead to something entirely life-changing? Perhaps it could. After all, nearly everything changes when Phil meets Dan.

First to Listen (To Anything I Said) (ao3) - SylvesterLester

Summary: It’s 2004, and Dan Howell is screwing up in school. He can’t help that he’s stuck in boring classes with boring people and just doesn’t care. So when Phil Lester, one of the geekiest kids in school, is assigned to be his tutor, he’s expecting this to just be another crappy part of his already crappy life.

But when it turns out Phil might be Dan’s first real friend, his hormones threaten to screw all that up. Because that’s all it is, right? Hormones?

for the first time in such a long time (I know I’ll be okay) (ao3) - possumdnp

Summary: Three conversations in Phil’s bedroom in 2009.

Fuck The Past (Dan vs Phil vs Daniel) (ao3) - phandomsub

Summary: Daniel and Phil decide to mess around with a book of spells for their new video. It’s all just a good laugh, until they somehow end up transporting 18-year-old Dan from 2009 into 2017. The only logical solution is: threesome.

He Keeps On Dropping Hints (so i won’t be the only one that’s going down for this) (ao3) - cafephan

Summary: Dan has discovered that solo tour life can be lonely in more ways than one. One particularly restless night, he aims to satiate himself - though Phil seems determined to make it as difficult as possible.

I Don’t Know Anyone Else (Who Can Make Me Feel This Way) (ao3) - rainbowchristy

Summary: It started as a simple video idea. Little did Phil know, it’d lead to the missing piece in his life. A piece by the name of Dan.

Or: Phil tries cooking and his pregnant neighbour comes by to ask for some of whatever smells so good. Several times.

I’ll follow you into the dark (or at least off this zip-line) (ao3) - nivi_chip

Summary: basically Dan’s stuck on a zip line, and well, you can read the rest :)

(not a) boyfriend hoodie (ao3) - dizzy

Summary: Phil really likes cuddling up in Dan’s new hoodie.

Which would be fine, if it were actually Dan’s hoodie.

oh, i’m trying (not to give in to you) (ao3) - Buttercups

Summary: dan is greg’s little brother. greg is phil’s best friend.

phil discovers what craving someone actually means

Our Wildest Dreams Came True (Not One of Them Involving You) (ao3) - roryonice

Summary: Based on Misery Business by Paramore. Dan has a crush on Phil and always flirts with him at parties, and Phil hooks up with someone else to make Dan jealous.

Pretty Odd (Things Have Changed For Me and That’s Okay) (ao3) - Cadensaurus (orphan_account)

Summary: Baby!fic in which one day, Phil wakes up with a baby in his bedroom and finds out that apparently he and Dan are the only ones who don’t know where this baby came from, as everybody else claims that it’s Phil’s. What happens next is they then end up raising a baby together, with no less than a few existential crises from both of them along the way, as well as plenty of blunders and mishaps. Oh, and through it all, Phil starts falling for Dan but doesn’t dare tell him because he can’t risk losing his best friend.

Send My Love (To Your New Lover) (ao3) - phantasticworks

Summary: Dan has some jealousy issues to deal with when he finds out Phil has had a run-in with someone from his past.

so tell me i’m a rainbow (it makes me feel alright)(ao3) - natigail

Summary: Dan wanted to go to London Pride this year, but doubt and anxiety creeps up on him and he can’t make himself go. It’s okay.

The city is so loud (but you drown out all the noise) (ao3) - natigail

Summary: Phil’s pack might have kicked him out for mating with a human, but his love for Dan was much stronger than anything he’d ever experienced before. It wasn’t easy to adjust to living with Dan in his - now their - small flat in London, but Phil would do it again in a heartbeat. With Dan by his side, Phil was sure he could get used to all the weird things humans did.

they don’t know (about us) (ao3) - calvinahobbes

Summary: Dan and Phil in Jamaica, July 2010.

Tried To Do Headstands For You (Every Time I Fell On You) (ao3) - popsongnation

Summary: coffee shop/uni AU in which Dan keeps injuring himself in increasingly ridiculous ways, Phil regularly has to patch him up, and it’s Christmas time.

[dark-and-kinky-hetalia-scenarios]

Okay first of all a little background info, he's a vampire in my universe here

he doesn't remember his life before becoming a vampire or if there even was one, for all he knows he could have been created as a vampire

he had like a good 100 years where he was really a terrible person in the sense he couldn't control his hunger at all, he'd murder people by draining them

it took him awhile to get his bloodlust under control and he still struggles really hard with it

he drinks animal blood in blood bags and when needed donated blood that the government supplies him with to avoid any unfortunate incidents

his memory is really weird because he does have some that he can't place at all and he does not want to anyway, they are not pleasant

He is a very powerful vampire even by their standards, and having magic of course helps

he lives in the Transylvanian part of Romania, also (if I remember correctly from my visit there) it is a more wealthy ish part

he's a little goofy and he generally tries to be kind and understanding to other people, although he's a slight bit awkward

he doesn't think anyone could love him because he's weird (cough, it helps control his murderous monster personality, cough) and of course also because he's vampire, classic I know

regardless of this he goes out of his way to be helpful and understanding to the people around him, he's more talkative than Norway and more understanding of the youth/new world than England, also much better with patience. He can also be pretty sassy if he gets comfortable around you

he knows of the Twilight series, he thinks it's a little funny, even though he's outwards very much not amused at the whole sparkling in the sun thing

someone drunkly called him a glitter dick once, he got very confused and just looked at the person awkwardly, trying to figure out what the fuck is going on

His main element is fire, ironic really, but it does make him immune to being burned by stake or sun, at least that came when he mastered his element, so he's basically a daywalker (?), If that's the right term, idk

his eyes are blood red but a lighter shade than they used to be, because he's not longer an active killer

Anyways to relationship stuff!

I think a likely case of meeting Romania would be if you had magic too, especially fire magic, and it got way out of control, if it's bad enough the international security, and department of investigation, aka the ISDI (a sort of magical international force I've created for this world to make sense) would intervene to avoid incidents and assign The magic trio to help with the magic, which quickly turns into just Romania because he's honestly the best of them at teaching

now if fire is your main element, which we'll go with here, you would have a much easier time connecting to Romania, as in this scenario, your fires would connect on a magical level

this ensures a lot of fun shenanigans where he opens up to you and get unsure of himself in the sense of "how do I handle these new weird feelings?"

eventually he'd introduce you to his little helper, a fire spirit, a mischievous little thing intended on setting the two of you up

it's cute, there's a lot of training, based on kindness and understanding

if you were to become more powerful than him he'd never even consider being jealous, he'd be so happy for you and praise you for achieving something that incredible

if things get serious he'd want to turn you into a vampire like him, but first after you get married, you'd be his mate in vampire ways and legally

it's his biggest showcase of commitment, because it literally means he'd want to be with you until the end of time

he's such a romantic (becoming a vampire requires a certain amount of draining and also drinking vampire blood)

[coochiequeens]

“There is no place for males in women’s sports,” - Dr Mary O’Connor

World Rowing has been urged to follow Britain’s lead after transgender women were banned from female-only domestic competitions from next month.

Only rowers born female will be allowed to represent England or Great Britain in women’s international events as a result of British Rowing’s new stance.

An open category will now allow anyone eligible to compete in the UK but the women’s category is restricted to those born female. That goes beyond World Rowing’s announcement in March that trans women athletes will carry on competing with females if they reduce testosterone levels more extensively over two years.

Telegraph Sport disclosed on Wednesday how British Rowing was set to follow cycling, swimming, athletics and triathlon in adopting similar rules. As the new categories were confirmed on Thursday, the campaign group Fair Play For Women said: “We’d like to see World Rowing follow their lead.”

In a policy set to come into effect on September 11, British Rowing said that only athletes who are “assigned female at birth” will be eligible to compete in its women’s competitions.

Apart from the women’s category, all athletes will be eligible to compete in an “open” category, while a “mixed” category can be offered by organisers if 50 per cent of crew are eligible from the women’s category.

“British Rowing is committed to promoting an environment in which rowing is accessible and inclusive and to ensuring that we provide opportunities and enjoyment for everyone,” the organisation said in a statement.

“In order to achieve this in a fair manner, we need to establish conditions for competition that guarantee fair and meaningful competition by placing necessary and proportionate restrictions on eligibility.”

British Rowing members urged change

After months of intense discussion at board level, British Rowing decided to follow the majority view of its 31,500 members, more than 80 per cent of whom are understood to have urged a change in approach that would ensure the fairness and integrity of the female category.

Until now, transgender athletes have been able to compete in elite British female rowing races so long as they could show their testosterone serum levels were below five nanomoles per litre, despite an average range for women of between 0.5 and 2.4. But under the revised rules, these events are to be protected exclusively for rowers who are biologically female.

Rowing is the last of the major Olympic sports in Britain to scrap its hugely contentious rules around transgender inclusion in women’s races, with athletics, swimming and cycling all having banned biological males from female competition. In May, Telegraph Sport revealed how, at the 2015 Boat Race, a place in the Cambridge University women’s reserve crew had been taken by Sarah Gibson, who was born male and who attended an elite boys’ school.

As the overseer of perhaps the ultimate endurance sport, in which men enjoy huge physiological advantages over women, British Rowing has been under mounting pressure to toughen its transgender policy. Mark Davies, the chairman, has consistently advocated setting up an open category for transgender rowers, telling last year’s World Rowing Congress that there was a “threat for hard-fought-for progress in women’s sport”.

But he has faced opposition on his board, with one director arguing last May that “enabling transgender people to take part in sport, rather than sift them out, should be the idea”. Eventually, British Rowing allowed members a say on their preferred transgender policy, describing it not as a vote but a “canvassing of opinion”.

Dr Mary O’Connor, a former US Olympic rower who famously helped persuade Yale University to honour Title IX legislation prohibiting sex-based discrimination, has urged British Rowing for several months to show leadership on the issue. “There is no place for males in women’s sports,” she said. “Fairness in competition is absolutely foundational in sports.”

At the height of the row, a female rower racing at Henley Royal Regatta also contacted Telegraph Sport anonymously to press the case for reform. “If I’m racing side by side with a male, and a male wins my event, you wouldn’t even dream of that being a possibility,” she said. “You would expect someone to step in and say, ‘This isn’t OK.’” 

[yuki-shipnoda]

Been obsessed with the topic of mother & baby homes and family reunion shows lately so... lo and behold, Yukierre-turned-Lawsunoda Long Lost Family AU

Warning: This drabble contains elements inspired by the real-life events of the forced adoption industry, particularly of the Baby Scoop Era. Reader discretion is advised.

So, it was the 1960s...

Yuki Tsunoda was a young international student who travelled all the way to Milton Keynes, England from Japan to pursue his university studies in engineering. During his orientation week, he meets Pierre Gasly, a student representative of his university and his assigned mentor for freshman year. He introduces himself to Yuki and shows him around the campus grounds. As time passed by, Yuki and Pierre grew closer and closer, until one day, they got curious and fooled around in Yuki's dorm room, ignoring the consequences of their actions.

Things soon took a turn for the worse, as Yuki realised he wasn't feeling very well. He kept feeling nauseous and faint, thinking that something wasn't right. He went to see the doctor and discovered a major bombshell that he was pregnant. Yuki was shocked to the core at the news, realising his life was now completely ruined.

Perhaps he could ask Pierre to marry him so the baby won't be a bastard? Sounded like a solid plan.

Yuki went up to Pierre privately with the medical letter in hand, proving that he didn't lie about it. So him the truth about his pregnancy, and then Pierre shuts him down, telling Yuki that it would jeopardise his relationship with Kika. Yuki insists he should be responsible, but Pierre tells him it's not his problem anymore and walks away.

Yuki comes to see Christian, his academic advisor, telling him about his problem, fearing he'll lose his spot in university. Christian understands his problem and tells him that he has to be sent away to a maternity home and give his baby up for adoption to hide his shame. Yuki, with no other choice to make, accepts the advice and Christian helps him look for one.

As the weeks pass, Yuki has to hide his growing belly while attending classes until he's made it to the third trimester, where he has to be sent away to a maternity home. Christian and his wife were kind enough to send him away in place of his parents. As Yuki was led inside by the matron for his interview, he saw different expecting parents doing various activities, from doing chores to reading books, knitting, and playing card games. It doesn't seem so bad, he thinks.

Day in and day out, Yuki and the other single parents went through the same scheduled activities. They woke up, washed up, got dressed, had breakfast, and did chores around the home whether it was cleaning the rooms, mopping the floors, doing the laundry, or cooking. After they had lunch, they had time to do recreational activities, as well as make some clothes or going-away packages for their baby once they were adopted, along with church services every Sunday and monthly checkups by a nearby midwife. It was kind of nice, he got to chat with some of the poor youths who were there to atone for their sins too.

Soon, while in the middle of doing the chores, Yuki went into labour, and one of the girls told the matron about it. She went up to Yuki and brought him away to an ambulance waiting outside to send him away to the hospital.

Many hours later, Yuki delivered a healthy baby. He wasn't able to see or even hold his babies as the doctors and the nuns took the babies away from him, never letting him see them until much later after the post-birth medical checks.

Yuki returned to the home about a day later with his baby cradled in his arms, excitedly greeted by the other young parents in the home. He carefully cared for his infant the thought of adoption day looming over him as he tried to cherish as much as he could with them.

One day while sweeping the floors, he saw a couple walking past him with the matron, the woman was holding a swaddled baby that oddly looked like his. The matron pulled him with them to her office where he was about to sign away legal rights of his baby to the adoptive parents. He hesitantly picked up the fountain pen and with a sigh, signed doen the dotted lines, realising he's giving away his baby to a couple of strangers. He gave a small wave to his baby as he saw the couple walk away wuth them, his baby never to be seen again. Tears stream down his face as he walked out of the matron's office and back to his broom, having to finish his chores to atone his sins.

~~~

Many decades have passed since that tragic experience, and Yuki has since then started over with his life. He has re-entered higher education again, this time going to culinary school. Upon graduating, he moved to Faenza, Italy and started a popular fusion cooking restaurant, got married to a graphic artist named Liam Lawson.

One day Yuki told Liam that he wanted to find his long-lost child just before he gets too old and dies. Liam, who was well aware of Yuki's past, agreed with the idea and bought him a DNA testing kit. Yuki followed the instructions, and a few weeks later, got the results back. An email notification suddenly popped up on his phone and he saw that there was a match with him, sharing 50% of his genetics, denoting that must've been his now-grown-up child.

Yuki decided to send them a message, telling the other user that he must be their bio dad and told them his backstory. The other person sent them a reply saying that the story lined up with what their birth records state. With a sigh of relief, he sends them a message of where they live. Turns out, they live in Milan.

So Yuki and Liam set off on holiday to reunite with the long lost kid. When they arrived in Milan, they went to get lunch at a nearby eatery, and by sheer coincidence, they bumped into Pierre. He went up to Yuki and told him that he missed him a lot and wondered where he had been. Yuki got angry at him, yelling at him for having unprotected intercourse with him all those years ago and having to be forced to give the baby up for adoption. Pierre was shocked at hearing that statement come out of his mouth and Pierre gave him a long-awaited apology. Pierre asked them why they were in Milan and Yuki told him that the baby who he gave up for adoption lives here now. Pierre decides that he should meet up with the child as well because they deserve to know who their biological parents are.

So the next day, Yuki and Pierre headed to a cafe together, where they looked around and saw a person sitting drinking coffee. When they looked up and saw Yuki, they waved hello at him, inviting them both towards them. Yuki hugged them tightly and burst into tears, sobbing onto their shoulder and saying they're sorry for having to give them up all those years ago. Yuki introduces Pierre to their child and they all burst into tears, finally, a family reunited after so many years. Their child tells them all of their life stories, telling them that they had a wonderful childhood with many happy memories with their adoptive parents. Yuki and Pierre told them that they had since gotten married and had their own kids, Yuki had 2 while Pierre had 3. They exchanged family photos and phone numbers, hoping to create a big family reunion and many more happy memories with their child in the picture from here on out.

[its-all-papaya]

🛒 grocery list….. does oscar move in with lando or do they move in with oscar? do they live in monaco or london?

alsoooo far reaching but whats the financial situation when oscar becomes more integrated with emma and lando?

i love this universe so much!!! sorry for the number of questions haha

okay i couldn't keep milking grocery list so i cleaned my bathroom for this instead

assign me a chore!!

also both things i've thought about!!

i think for living situation it's like... mostly london. lando's family is around, emma's lived there her whole life, and they're the ones location matters more to bc oscar kind of just lives places bc they're convenient, not because he has real ties anywhere in particular. idk if oscar would move in with them or whether they'd get a new place or what, but like... yeah. england fs. i also think oscar would keep his own place in monaco though like half for appearances half for convenience. also bc lando and emma could go stay there in summer if they wanted... but yeah. wouldn't be formal for a bit anyway, oscar would for sure just start staying with lando all the time "bc it's close to the factory" and "so i can get up with emma and you can sleep" but also just bc he wants to be around them. and eventually lando would be like omg just move some of your stuff you're here like every single week.

finances idk bc i haven't thought deeply about lando's financial situation other than that it's not a primary worry for him. obviously irl lando's family is rich, so it's possible they just help him and emma out bc they can. it's also possible lando makes bank at his job. idk how government assistance/child support/anything works in england, but he is also a single parent so... not sure ! lando's also used to max paying for stuff a bit in this (golf, nights out, w/e) just because he wants lando there, and that doesn't bother lando, so i might have him feel kind of similarly with oscar? like if oscar wants to fly lando to the americas so he can be at a grand prix with oscar, that's oscar's prerogative and lando's not going to say NO. he's got the money, he can do what he wants with it. obviously as they get more serious down the line, their finances would naturally get a bit more entangled, but it's not like a primary plot point in this i don't think.

thank you and please don't apologize, i love yapping about dad lando!!!!!

[nicklloydnow]

“Surreal characters, simple controls and a catchy soundtrack turned the 2004 PlayStation 2 title into a masterpiece. Last month its sequel, We Love Katamari, which arguably perfected those qualities, was rereleased with improved graphics and new levels.

But Takahashi ended his involvement with the franchise and its publisher, Bandai Namco, long ago. He continues to live in the shadow of the katamari, experiencing the strange conditions of an industry where artistic creations become valuable intellectual property for companies. He says he does not receive any royalties from the sales of Katamari games.

“That is the nature of the business,” Takahashi said. “I am not important. The game is important. But myself? Who cares?”

Takahashi, 48, never intended to become a game designer; he originally trained as a sculptor at Musashino Art University in Tokyo. However, the young artist became disillusioned as classmates disposed of their creations after each assignment. “I realized that making art was not exactly useful,” he said.

That is why when a professor asked him to create a goat sculpture, he decided to turn the animal into a flower pot that drained excess water from its udders.

“I cannot forget that moment when everyone started laughing,” Takahashi recalled from his office in the garage of the San Francisco home where he lives with his wife, Asuka Sakai, a composer, and their two children. “That was when I realized what I should do, and I believed video games could provide joy and fun to people.”

(…)

A demo at the 2003 Game Developers Conference in San Jose caught the attention of industry leaders at a time when the market was mostly focused on multiplayer shooters like Medal of Honor and Halo. Here was something new and unusual for American audiences, invariably described as a “dung beetle” game or a “snowball simulator.”

(…)

“It feels like Katamari Damacy escaped Japan by accident,” said Paul Galloway, a collection specialist at the Museum of Modern Art who helped establish its video game program, which includes Takahashi’s debut. He added that “it presages a lot of aesthetics found during the 2010 indie gamer boom.”

(…)

But by 2009, Takahashi announced he was leaving video games, saying he would help design a playground in England.

“He is a very singular creator,” said Laura E. Hall, a game designer based in Portland, Ore., who wrote a book about Katamari Damacy. “And that is often at odds with the need to move units in the video game industry.”

Takahashi was coming off the self-described “beautiful failure” of a project called Noby Noby Boy, the one with the alien caterpillar, which received tepid reviews and had lackluster sales. The playground was also doomed; city commissioners were not too keen on the designer’s circular doughnut slide or the giant climbing frame that seemed to extend five stories in the air.

He returned to the gaming industry, but this time wanted more control over the creative process. He had left Bandai Namco because he did not think its other engineers were passionate enough.

“They were making games for the money,” he said. “And if I wanted to make a new project, I would need to hire staff from the company, which was super limiting.”

(…)

By the time Takahashi released Wattam, featuring the green cube, in 2019, Bandai Namco was already remastering his katamari games without his input.

(…)

Galloway said it was normal in the gaming industry, as in other design fields, that individual creators don’t own their creations. After all, games are a collaborative art form, typically requiring dozens of people to make.

“Someone can take Katamari and do something wildly different,” Galloway said. “But there is something that can be lost. Keita’s unique vision for Katamari was lightning in a bottle, and after a while it becomes a bit diluted when you milk the same formula over and over again.”

Takahashi does not want to repeat himself. “Recently, I realized that I don’t really know what a video game is,” he said, explaining his attempts to shed his preconceptions about what defines a good game.

His new definition is much simpler: Bring joy back into people’s lives.

(…)

“I know our lives are not so fun. They are boring. We do the same things over and over,” Takahashi said. “But we should be celebrating the good things in life. Then we can become better people. That’s my thing right now.””

“Katamari Damacy is a special sort of game. So special in fact, that it sidetracked me from writing this several times, playing the game in an absent-minded daze, marvelling at how 塊,the Kanji for katamari, already looks like a small prince rolling stuff up. It worms itself inside your brain by giving the mundane a unique sort of whimsy.

Whimsy, silliness and fun on first glance seem like something unrestrained and purposefully difficult to capture, but Katamari's game director Keita Takahashi made these feelings into substantial pillars of the design philosophy that informs all of his games. Katamari is meant to convey novelty, ease of understanding, enjoyment, and humour, all in a neat little package.

(…)

Yet most of the motivation comes from how you receive encouragement much more frequently than punishment. You're not told to hurry, all items you pick up are equally valid to build your clump with. The consequences of bumping into something are never catastrophic. The King of all Cosmos often reacts enthusiastically to your efforts and the nature of the things you roll up, which is understandable, given I'm generally just as overjoyed whenever I find a spare pound between the couch cushions. The wrath of your father the king is severe, but easily soothed by success. The knowledge that it was his drunken debauchery that nearly caused the collapse of the entire cosmos in the first place makes it difficult to take him seriously in his anger. This way, the king is a quintessential dad - a stern, occasionally threatening force on one hand, the guy who falls asleep with his mouth open at a rerun of "I'm a celebrity" on the other. (I'm absolutely not drawing on personal experience here.)

Narratively, Katamari could make a dire point about the dangers of consumerism and the fact that there really is quite a lot of stuff on earth, but as with every other aspect, it's lenient and careful not to hamper your enjoyment. There is a joy in collecting, after all, preserved all the way from collecting shells from the beach, shiny buttons or stickers as children. Why not virtual thumbtacks and cucumbers?

Nothing about Katamari Damacy would work quite as well, however, if it weren't for its laid-back visual aesthetic. With his background in art, Keita Takahashi isn't so much interested in games as he is in playfulness. You can immediately see influences like Taro Okamoto or Yayoi Kusama in the way he uses colours and shapes.

(…)

By not taking itself too seriously, Katamari allows you to do something that may not serve a distinct purpose. It invites you to look at something visually pleasing and hum a happy tune, to unite what by all accounts shouldn't be united into a satisfying shape. Takahashi's games are different to us because we already have an idea in our minds of how games work, how fun is facilitated and how you maximise engagement. Takahashi found his own answers to all of these questions and instead drew on ideas that are equally familiar to his players from other aspects of life.

Katamari Damacy is designed to appear mostly unconcerned with design, at least the right kind of design. Instead, it's something that simply feels good, and that feeling never goes out of style.”

“Katamari Damacy achieves all of its emotional weight without any complex story or characters, without surmounting any gameplay challenges. This simple game only occasionally deviates from your goal of making your Katamari as large as possible under a time limit.

(…)

Just like any mythology, this simple plot and characters themselves express a deeper network of meanings and associations. In Steven Reale’s Chaos in the Cosmos: The Play of Contradictions in the Music of Katamari Damacy, he notes that the King often dashes the Prince’s attempts to live up to his approval throughout the game. The King towers over the tiny Prince, and even when a level is successfully completed, the King still asks that next time, “we want a bigger one” (Reale, 2011). At its heart, Reale suggests the story of Katamari is that of the frustrations of childhood.

(…)

Katamari Damacy was often referenced by game content producers on YouTube, and its praise by some of my favourite reviewers is what initially piqued my interest. It was through the nostalgic lens that drives so many classic game enthusiasts that I learned an important lesson: the games that I played during these developmental years will have an unrivaled amount of cultivated memories associated with them. More importantly, this is worth celebrating and sharing with others.

(…)

Katamari Damacy captured everything that made childhood special, and more precisely, why it was so joyous to reclaim “play time” all to the tune of “Cherry Blossom Color Season”, one of the most powerful and serene tracks on the soundtrack. The game’s composer, Yuu Miyake even cited it as his favourite song from the whole series, a simple but powerful showcase of his ability to compose a song only with simple chords and melody (Napolitano, 2009).

The moment was pure bliss. I have never felt so completely and holistically happy playing a game, and I think Katamari Damacy achieves this moment by virtue of its simplicity, which consistently evokes a sense of childhood, imagination and free play. Miyake’s simple song was coupled with straightforward gameplay and tactile controls. Together, these elements created the sense of pure joy and discovery that comes with exploring levels and discovering hundreds of new objects.

(…)

In a 2009 Game Developers Conference talk, Takahashi confirmed that Katamari Damacy was about consumption society. This presented a problem: his goal to make things light-hearted, silly, and fun was wrapped up in work that expressed a cynical stance towards society. He stated, “I wanted to make more objects. If there are few objects, I feel lonely. If there are more objects, they will make things more colourful. But when they’re rolled up, they’re gone. I felt empty” (Welsh, 2009).

Takahashi’s dilemma was that the game presented his signature simple, soft, and colourful aesthetic, but it came from a place that was fundamentally cynical. He wanted to critique our desire to collect, consume, and progress. The gameplay necessitated that we participate in that consumption.

But even before this confirmation, critical commentators were already reading the game as an anti-capitalist, Marxist text. In Ryan Stanci’s Katamari Damacy – A Critique he argues that if the Marxist critique of art links that work to enforce or challenge the values of consumer society, then Katamari specifically comments on a culture obsessed with collecting and archiving (2006).

(…)

Despite Stanci’s conclusion that our desire to collect is what hits the right buttons for consumers, and our innate desire to collect it all, perhaps there is something inherently innocent about that desire, even if it can result in destruction. Stanci quotes Joseph Lewandowski’s Unpacking: Walter Benjamin and His Library, where he says the following about the children and collecting:

“They collect forgotten and ignored phenomena, they name “dead” objects. According to Benjamin, such an alternative world-view accomplishes a kind of renewal and rescue – children retrieve objects and stimulate life in a frozen cultural modernity; they re-enchant, albeit momentarily, a disenchanted world […] It is precisely in collecting as a child-like ‘mode of acquisition’ that a genuine collector emerges” (1999).

I believe that the childlike practice of collecting to re-enchant the disenchanted word is the ultimate achievement of Katamari Damacy.

(…)

While it is clear that Takahashi is critical of his own work, ultimately, I don’t think our experiences with his work are in conflict. Takahashi designs works to make people happy, even if it’s only for a brief moment. Katamari, to me, perfectly encapsulated the joy and the silliness of childhood, however brief that experience may be.”

[isabelwcna]

Change Your Career: Top CNA Classes in Rhode Island for 2023

Transform Your Career: Top CNA Classes in Rhode Island​ for 2023

Are you considering a ​career in ​healthcare? Becoming ‌a Certified⁤ Nursing Assistant ​(CNA) is an excellent way to ⁢enter ⁤the medical field, offering a fulfilling career‍ path ‍while making a ​positive impact on patients’ ‍lives. In Rhode‌ Island,⁢ there are numerous CNA classes available in ​2023 ‍that ‌can ​definitely help you get started. In this article, we’ll ⁣explore the top programs,‌ benefits of⁢ becoming a ⁤CNA, and essential tips to ensure success in‌ your training.

Why⁣ Become a CNA?

Pursuing ‍a career as a ‌CNA​ comes with a variety of benefits, including:

Demand for CNAs: The​ healthcare sector is always in need ‌of qualified nursing assistants, ⁣leading to job security.

Flexible Work Options: CNAs ⁢can work in various settings including ⁢hospitals, nursing homes, and private homes.

Personal ⁢Fulfillment: You’ll make a difference in the lives of patients and families every day.

Career Advancement: Experience ⁢as a‍ CNA can led to further education and opportunities in nursing and other medical fields.

Top CNA Classes in Rhode Island for⁣ 2023

Below are some of the top CNA training programs available in ⁢Rhode island:

Program‌ Name

Location

Duration

Cost

Rhode Island College

Providence

8 weeks

$1,200

Community College of Rhode Island

Warwick

6 ⁢weeks

$1,100

Lincoln Tech

Lincoln

4 weeks

$1,300

New England Institute of ⁤Technology

East Greenwich

8 weeks

$1,250

Southern New Hampshire University

Online/Hybrid

8 weeks

$1,000

What to Expect in CNA Classes

CNA training programs typically combine classroom instruction with hands-on clinical practise.Here’s a brief overview of‍ the​ topics you’ll cover:

Basic nursing skills

Patient care techniques

Infection control

Emergency response

Medical terminology

Case Study:⁢ Success Stories from Rhode ‍Island CNAs

Hearing from those who have successfully navigated their CNA ‌training can provide‍ valuable​ insights. ⁣Consider ⁤the story of Jennifer from‌ Providence,who completed her CNA classes at Rhode Island College:

“I was nervous ⁢about starting my ⁣career in healthcare,but the⁢ supportive ⁣instructors and hands-on training I received made all the difference. I was able to⁣ secure a job in just a ​few‍ weeks after passing my certification exam!”

-⁢ Jennifer, CNA

Practical Tips for Success in CNA Training

Preparing‍ for a CNA program involves more than just⁣ enrolling. Here are some practical tips to ensure your success:

Stay organized: Keep track of assignments, deadlines, and schedules.

Engage in class: Ask questions and participate ‌in discussions to deepen your understanding.

Practice regularly: Use study groups or practice⁣ time to refine your skills.

Communicate with instructors: Don’t hesitate to reach out for help ‌or clarification.

prepare for exams: Review ‍materials consistently and ⁣take⁢ practice tests when available.

The Certification Exam: What to Know

After completing your CNA classes, the ⁣next step is to pass⁣ the‌ certification exam. Here’s what to expect:

Written Test: This⁣ will cover general knowledge and understanding of nursing assistant​ responsibilities.

Skills Evaluation: You’ll demonstrate essential skills, such as patient care and safety protocols, in a hands-on test.

conclusion: begin ⁣Your⁢ Journey⁤ as a CNA in ​Rhode Island

With an ⁢increasing demand for healthcare professionals, now is the perfect time to take the first step towards a rewarding career ‌as a Certified Nursing Assistant.⁤ By enrolling⁤ in one of ‍the top CNA classes in Rhode ​Island for⁤ 2023, you will gain the necessary skills and ⁢knowledge to excel in this vital role. ⁢Make‍ the decision ⁢today‍ to transform your career and make ‌a ​difference in the ​lives of others!

https://coursescna.com/change-your-career-top-cna-classes-in-rhode-island-for-2023/

[alicevgcna]

Open Your Healthcare Career: Top CNA Programs in Maine for 2023

Unlock Your Healthcare Career: Top CNA Programs in Maine for 2023

If you’re considering a fulfilling career in healthcare, becoming a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) is a fantastic avenue to‍ explore. With‌ Maine offering diverse CNA programs in 2023, there’s never been a better time to get started. This guide will take you⁣ thru the top CNA programs in the state,the benefits of becoming a CNA,practical tips for success,and firsthand experiences from current CNAs.

Why‌ Choose a CNA Career in Maine?

Choosing ⁢to become a CNA comes with numerous benefits, especially in Maine. Here’s why this career path is worth​ considering:

High‌ Demand: Maine’s aging population creates a constant need for CNAs in⁢ hospitals, nursing homes, and other healthcare ‍facilities.

Job stability: With the healthcare sector continuing to grow, job security is a significant advantage.

Quick ‍Entry: CNA programs generally take a few months to complete, allowing you to begin ⁤your career swiftly.

Impactful Work: As a CNA, you’ll provide essential care and support to patients, making a real difference in their lives.

Top CNA Programs in maine for 2023

Here’s a list of some of the best CNA training programs in Maine. Each program is known for its comprehensive curriculum and hands-on training opportunities.

Program Name

Location

Duration

Cost

Southern Maine Community College

South Portland

3-4 weeks

$1,200

University of New England

Biddeford

6⁢ weeks

$1,000

Maine Medical Center

Portland

4 weeks

Free (with commitment)

Central Maine Community College

Auburn

4-6 weeks

$1,300

Washington County Community College

Calais

6 weeks

$900

Program Highlights

Each ⁤CNA program listed​ above comes with specific highlights designed to enhance your skills and ⁢employment opportunities. Here are some common offerings:

Hands-On Training: Many programs feature ​clinical rotations that provide practical experience.

Flexible Schedules: Weekend and ⁢evening classes are frequently enough available for those ‍working full-time.

Job ⁤Placement Assistance: Programs may offer resources to help you secure a job ⁤after graduation.

Benefits​ of CNA Training Programs

Engaging in⁣ CNA training programs brings numerous advantages:

certification Preparation: Training programs prepare you thoroughly for the state⁣ certification exam.

Skills Development: Gain essential skills ‌such as patient ⁢care,⁢ dialog, and time management.

Network Building: Connect⁢ with instructors and⁤ fellow students who will be invaluable throughout your career.

Practical Tips for Aspiring CNAs

To successfully navigate your CNA training and subsequent career, consider⁣ these practical⁢ tips:

Stay⁣ Organized: Keep track of assignments, ⁣study materials, and exam schedules.

Practice Empathy: Developing a caring attitude toward patients⁤ can enhance your work experience.

Ask Questions: instructors are there to ⁢help; don’t hesitate to reach out for clarification or assistance.

Firsthand Experiences: What CNAs Say About Their Journey

Understanding the on-ground reality is vital.‍ Here are experiences from two current CNAs in Maine:

Ava R., CNA at Coastal Healthcare

“My CNA program was eye-opening. The hands-on experience was crucial. I learned how to handle real-life ⁣scenarios and developed a strong bond with patients.” – Ava R.

john T., CNA at Pine Tree ‍Nursing Home

“I love my job. The training equipped‌ me with necessary skills. What I enjoy most is⁤ making a difference in the lives of others daily.” – John⁢ T.

Conclusion: Your Path to a Rewarding career

Embarking on a​ career as a Certified Nursing Assistant ⁣in Maine is an excellent choice for those aiming to make a positive impact in the healthcare field. With the top CNA programs available in 2023, aspiring CNAs have ample⁣ opportunities for training and growth.By choosing the right program and⁤ following the tips provided, you can unlock a rewarding career that not onyl supports patients but also enriches your life. Begin your journey today, and embrace the fulfilling experience that a CNA career offers!

https://cnaclassesonline.net/open-your-healthcare-career-top-cna-programs-in-maine-for-2023/