#all of them deserve all the success and opportunities they're getting

[jean-dieu]

All my protag from Dragon Age!! An idiot, an idiot, a sweetheart.

With very important informations regarding them of course.

Below the cut is just me rambling about them with actual informations, you can ignore LMAO

Artemis Tabris is a city elf with a fierce personality. Extremely stubborn, he refuses to stay silent in front of whatever discrimination he and his people can face. He's extremely protective of his friends and his family. Of course, it was only a matter of time before he would do something that would put him in big troubble. When his wedding day is interrupted in the worst way possible, he seeks vengeance for all the women, not caring for the consequences. He was glad to become a grey warden, as he thought it would give him the opportunity to finally be properly respected and to protect his family more than ever. He did lack the proper discipline though, often just doing whatever he wanted to do. His main past time is annoying Alistair, mostly by rubbing his relationship with Morrigan in his face. It started as more or less of a fling, but he grew very attached to her in the end, even going as far as searching for her despite everything. In the end, he gives up, and ends up with Zevran instead, and the two men manage to find happiness in life.

"Nacht" Hawke will never say his real name because he thinks it's lame. No, he's a hero, he's the main character, he's so cool, so he gets to name himself. He's a sarcastic piece of shit. He loves to annoy Carver, and the two of them doesn't go along. Despite his many flaws, he values friendship more than anything. Varric is his bff for life, and at this point they probably have matching tramp stamps tattoos. He's fiercly pro-mage, not exactly like Anders. Nacht's point of view is just "I was born like this and I just think I deserve the right to live". He's in general very against people in position of powers and in favor of the common folks. There's not a day that goes with him and Fenris fighting then kissing right after. He resented Carver when he chose to join the Templar, but they both made peace in the end, agreeing that they'll never manage to get along, but accepting to protect each other because they're family.

Aloysius Lavellan would gladly do anything else instead of being the Inquisitor. Still, the weight of the world on his shoulders is too overwhelming to ignore, and he's doing his very best to lead the organization to success. What he lacks in leadership and charisma, he makes up with determination. Cullen is coaching him for public speaking, and Josephine to polish his public image. Aloysius is in general too soft and too gentle to be a leader. He's shy, introverted, anxious, and always wondering if he did the right thing. Still, with a bit of help, he actually manages to become a worthy leader, respected for his humility and overall kindness with his men. He still doesn't know how he managed to secude Iron Bull but he's very happy about it and he loves him so very much. He tends to be kind of naive but he's very knowledgable on the world. He knows everything about plants and can rambles about them for hours. He's friends with every companion. He's a great mage, and he's always eager to improve his skills and magic, and he's not the type of man to rest on his laurels.

[aquareegia]

do you guys think Vessel is freaking out internally right about now? do you think he ever expected all of this to happen? suddenly blowing up out of nowhere? playing in the biggest festivals worldwide? selling out almost every venue in a few minutes? playing in a huge arena and all that in the span of one single year? it must be so overwhelming but also so rewarding. haha... i think i got something in my eyes.

[golden-moony]

king of my heart | pt. 2

pairings: lando norris x fem!reader | pato o'ward x fem!reader

warnings: love triangle? kinda.

author's note: go get some popcorn cause we have some drama here🍿... and it's a long part, so enjoy!!

part 1 | part 2 | part 3 | part 4

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

yourusername

liked by charles_leclerc, isahernaez, frosenqvist, and 79,121 others!

yourusername Miami GP over and out ✅🏁 No words could ever explain just how grateful I am for all of you and for the opportunity that I get to cover this amazing sport with such incredible people by my side. Thank you for everything Miami, I hope to see you again soon! 🌴💖

user1 the power she holds 🙌

user2 she's really living my dream 🥹

lissiemackintosh so happy to be able to share this with you!! love u❤️

yourusername we really need to do this more often😘 love u too! user3 y/n and lissie hosting track tv together is my new roman empire fr user4 SLAY QUEENS!! user5 the queens are thriving user6 i wanna be friends with them so bad 😫

user7 omg girl you're STUNNING

user8 BEST F1 WAG

user9 facts facts facts user10 she's not even a wag lol it's so obvious lando just keeps this nobody around for when he's bored and horny user11 user10 this "nobody" has done SO much in terms of women representation in motorsport, she's hardworking and a lovely woman. meanwhile, you're just a sad little person who's jealous of her because she's successful and close to your crush, who doesn't even know who you are. so get a life and stop embarrassing yourself. user12 user11 SAY IT LOUDER 👏 user13 user11 PREACH!!!

user14 i don't know if i wanna be her or be with her😩

user15 this is such a mood tbh

landonorris so proud of you, boo😍

yourusername 🥰🧡 user16 YNLANDO NATION WE WON user17 we love a supporting boyfriend 🤩 user18 i want what they have, your honor user19 is this considered a soft launch or what? user20 y'all are delulu😂 it's so obvious they're just friends user21 user20 girl being delulu is the solulu 🙌

user22 so when are we gonna talk about felix liking the post?

user23 i'm lost sorry, who's felix? user24 user23 he's pato's teammate in indycar and one of his besties user25 if felix liked then WHERE'S PATO user26 user25 doing more important things than being focused on this girl.

lilymhe such a pretty girl 💗

alex_albon should i be jealous? yourusername you should indeed. can u fight? user24 the friendship i didn't know i needed 🥹 user25 MY FAV WAGS INTERACTING YAY

user26 f1 is so lucky to have you!!!

user27 LOOOL why would they be lucky to have her?😂😂😂 she's nothing special user28 user27 and yet she's still rising 💅 user29 user27 then why are you even on her post? lol obsessed much?

user30 my role model ❤️‍🩹

📞 incoming call

[y/n; normal] [pato; cursive]

"...Hello? Did you butt-dialed me or something?"

"Uhm, hi. It's not a butt-dial. I-I actually just wanted to talk to you. Hear your voice, y'know. I've been kinda missing you."

"Oh really? And here I was thinking that your cold behavior toward me over the past three weeks meant that you didn't want anything to do with me. Silly me, I guess."

"I-I'm... [sighs]. That's what I wanted to talk to you about, actually. About the way I've been treating you. I'm sorry, y/n. I really am sorry. I know I've been a total jerk-"

"Yeah, you can put it that way."

"...I've been a total jerk and I regret it very much. You didn't deserve it at all. I just- I'm not trying to excuse my awful behavior but I just think I got- Uhm..."

"You got what?"

"Well... I saw Lando's instagram story when you went back to Monaco, as you've probably already figured it out. And I think- Well... I got jealous. And I know it probably sounds stupid now but at the time it felt like a punch in the face."

"Pato..."

"I know I didn't and still have absolutely no business to be jealous about you and Lando, cause you and I are not dating or anything and you don't owe me any kind of explanation about the type of relationship you have with him. But after the great time we spend together in Long Beach... I don't know, it just hurted seeing you with him. But that doesn't excuse anything and I just regret so much the way I've been treating you since then, it hasn't been fair to you at all."

"And it didn't cross your mind that we could have had this conversation way before now? I mean, you waited three weeks to finally talk to me like a decent human being, how-"

"I know and I'm so-"

"Let me finish."

"Sorry, go on."

"However, I do appreciate that you're finally acknowledging all of this and communicating with me like an actual adult. I know it's not always easy to do. And although I don't owe you any kind of explanation, I just want you to know that there's nothing going on between Lando and me."

"So you and him...?"

"We're friends and that's it. We care for each other but there's nothing going on."

"Oh... well, thanks for clarifying that for me."

"Yeah, yeah. You'll have to work harder for my forgiveness, anyway. I appreciate the call but it won't be that easy for you."

"Is that so?"

"You've heard me."

"In that case, what would you say if I invite you for a few days to come here to Punta Mita? Maybe that'll help me a little to earn your forgiveness."

"... I'm sorry, what!?"

"You've heard me."

"You're joking. You have to be joking."

"I'm not joking. You're still in Miami, right?"

"I am..."

"Great! My brother in law is in Miami too and he'll take the jet tomorrow morning. If you want to, you can join him and come here with him! We'd be thrilled to have you here too."

"Oh my God... Pato, I don't know what to say!"

"Say yes and you'd make this birthday boy the happiest man in the world. You'd even make my sister happy, I've been telling her a lot about you and now she's eager to meet you."

"I hope you've been telling her good things about me, then."

"Only the best. She's even on your side, y'know. Said I was being a giant cabrón and needed to make things right. She wasn't wrong tho."

"[giggles] Fine. I'll go, but I'm only doing this for your sister."

"I'll take that anyway! I'll let Brett know you'll join him and I'll send you the details, okay?"

"Okay!"

"Now go and pack your bags for tomorrow."

"Hey! Don't get bosy with me, mister!"

"[Laughs] Fine. Take care, I'll see you tomorrow."

"See you, birthday boy!"

patriciooward posted to his story!

[caption 1; 🦈] [caption 2; beautiful views]

yourusername posted to their story!

[caption 1; para-para-paradise 🌞] [caption 2; in his sharkboy era] [caption 3; 🐶❤️]

paddockgossips

liked by magui_corceiro and 84,091 others!

paddockgossips Among the alleged "breakup" between y/n and Lando, the McLaren driver was photographed last night having fun in a Monaco club in the company of Max Fewtrell and other friends. Some sources have said that Lando seemed very cozy with a blonde woman at the party, whom he later left with. However, we cannot verify this information in any way, so it remains a rumor.

user1 I HAVE A CHANCE AGAIN (i'm delulu)

user2 so this confirms ynlando is over?? 😭

user3 girl i'm devastated 😭😭😭 user4 i'm still in denial user5 well they were never together to begin with user6 user5 THIS!! people act like they were a couple when they NEVER confirmed anything 😂

user7 "blonde woman at the party" "it remains a rumor" and magui goes and like the post LOL

user8 she's so desperate for attention🙄 user9 who's magui??? user10 user9 she's kika's friend and she was dating football player João Félix not so long ago (in fact, i thought they were still together lol) user11 user10 and don't forget she's a cheater. user12 user9 she's trouble

user13 yn >>>>>>>> magui

user14 user13 no need to compare them

user15 sorry but single lando it's so hot 🥵

user16 SO TRUE user17 FACTS he looks so good omfg

user18 in his heartbreaker era 😎

user19 in his reputation era 😎 user20 in his idgaf era 😎

user21 i'm a child of divorce fr

user22 i know y'all love y/n for some reason but i'm SO glad lando finally got away from her.

user23 SAME. and if magui makes him happy then great for him user24 stfu i'm mourning here

user25 y/n this magui that but max was, is and will forever be lando's true wag💅

user26 the one and only indeed

elbaoward posted to her story!

[caption1; off to dinner] [caption2; my love🤍] [caption 3; lovebirds!]

patriciooward

liked by landonorris, yourusername, brettkimbro, and 86,382 others!

patriciooward BDAY WKND DUMP 📸 thank y'all for all the love❤️‍🔥

user1 THE HARD LAUNCH IT'S HARD LAUNCHING

user2 OMG IT'S HAPPENING EVERYBODY STAY CAAAAALM

user3 he really said i'll give you what you want: thrist traps and y/n... and he's so real for that

user4 he really knows his audience user5 king behavior if u ask me user6 everybody say thank you Pato 🙏

user7 YNPATO NATION HOW ARE WE FEELING??

user8 I'M STILL SPEECHLESS user9 they're so perfect i wanna cry😭 user10 LOVE TO SEE🔥

user11 as a ynlando shipper i have to admit they're cute but ngl this still hurts 😩

user12 MOOD user13 ynlando will always be in our hearts 🥺 user14 ynlando >>>>>>>>>> ynpato user15 user13 girl grow up.

user16 THAT SHOULD BE ME

elbaoward where are my credits for the last pic? cuties🤍

user17 u literally gave us the cutest pic ever user18 elba thank you so much for your service🫡 user19 elba is ynpato's #1 fan and you can't tell me otherwise user20 elba is just like us fr user21 LOVE YOU ELBAAAAA 🩷

user22 MOM AND DAD

user23 can't believe how fast she moved on and got together with this dude lol lando really dodged a bullet with her

user24 how fast she moved on?? girl y/n and lando were never even together so stfu user25 ???? why are you even on pato's ig post? go away user26 user23 y/n is such an attention seeker and yet everyone loves her, i'll never understand it 🥱

user27 not to be that person but i would KILL to be that piñata😏

user28 MOOD

frosenqvist oh to be tanned, young and in love

patriciooward 😜 user29 IN LOVE??? FELIX BESTIE TELL US MORE user30 i don't know about y'all but this is all the confirmation i need about ynpato being real, bye user31 i think i can hear the wedding bells user32 user31 yesss and felix as pato's best man

user33 bestie don't be shy and drop more y/n pics 🫶

user34 i second the motion !!!

user35 NOT LANDO LIKING THE POST LOOOOL

user36 he is so unserious i love him user37 ICONIC BEHAVIOR TBH user38 yeah but i just know he's crying inside user39 user38 for what? lol lando knows he's so much better than this cheaper version of him. user40 user39 i'm so done with people like you who insult pato just because you cannot defend lando with good arguments.

yourusername magical weekend 💖

patriciooward with you there? always user41 STOP THEY'RE SO CUTE OMG user42 this is such an upgrade tbh user43 SO HAPPY FOR THEM 🥹 user44 what a bitch.

yourusername posted to their story!

[caption 1; back to reality✈️] [caption 2; I'm a high performance athlete. Athletes sweat. Sweat, baby] [caption 3; cutest model🧡]

paddockgossips

liked by magui_corceiro and 53,237 other people!

paddockgossips NEW WAG ALERT? 🚨 Magui Corceiro, the Portuguese model and actress, attended the Monaco GP after being seen a few days ago having lunch with Lando. It has been rumored that they could be in a relationship, especially since Lando and y/n apparently went different ways, and Corceiro's presence in the paddock has not gone unnoticed by anyone. Still, neither Lando nor Magui have confirmed or denied these rumors.

user1 A TRIGGER WARNING WOULD BE NICE NEXT TIME

user2 um let's hope there isn't a next time user3 user2 let's pray girl, let's pray 🙏

user4 "neither lando nor magui have confirmed or denied these rumors" well that's bs cause she just liked the post

user5 istg she's trying so hard to get attention user6 lando was asked about magui and he said she was just a friend... and then she goes and does this lol what a clout chaser user7 and people used to say that y/n was after lando's fame and yet she NEVER did anything like this user8 she's such a pick me girl

user9 everything i know of this girl has been against my will istg

user10 SAME

user11 oh good luck lando

user12 oh be prepared for the y/n fans and little girls that'll come attack magui when she hasn't even done anything wrong

user13 literally they're just mad at magui cause she's dating their fav driver loool user14 they're only jealous cause magui is a gorgeous woman user15 user14 she's gorgeous but she's still a snake

user16 i'd ask why lando would be with someone like her, but then i remember he's an adult and if he wants someone like her by his side then that's up to him. let's not treat him like a baby please

user17 say👏 it👏 louder👏

user18 weeeeell if this is the kind of people lando likes to have around then i guess y/n really dodged a bullet with him

user19 FACTS user20 i mean at the end of the day he's just another privileged white boy, so🤷‍♀️ user21 i really don't get all the hate that she's getting, is she really that problematic? user22 user21 girl google it yourself but yeah, she is

user23 I MISS MY GIRL Y/N WHERE IS SHEEEEEEEE??

user24 what is she even doing there?

user25 must be cause lando wanted her to be there user26 why y'all never asked the same thing about y/n? y'all are such hypocrites istg user27 user26 cause y/n was actually doing her job????? user28 user26 oh you're stupid 😂😂

user29 magui in the paddock, pato not being able to finish Indy 500... it really is a shitty day huh

user30 DON'T EVEN REMIND ME WHAT HAPPENED WITH PATO OMFG user31 I'M STILL SO MAD ABOUT PATO user32 the only good part is that y/n and his family were there for him ❤️‍🩹

see y'all in part 3!

taglist: @drunkinthemiddleoftheday @evie-119 @evans-dejong @minkyungseokie @noneofyourfbusinessworld @bernelflo @eiaaasamantha @ijustgomessitupx @honethatty12 @daemyratwst @f1fan65

(if you'd like to be tagged in the next part, just let me know in the comments!🧡)

[loveyourlovelysoul]

Choose a number 1-30 and read a sentence for you in time of needs. You can ofc read them all.

1- You're braver than you think. You can get through this too. Just take a breath and then start again. Do not give up.

2- You're not alone even if at times it feels so. Don't worry about being a burden or annoying others: ask for help, talk about your needs and feelings. You don't have to deal with all that by yourself. Keep asking even after being rejected. Someone will answer you.

3- Look inside and see your real worth. No one else can compare to you. You're you, and you're enough and deserving already as you are. Don't let others' harsh judgement make you think otherwise.

4- Life is made of light and dark and so are you. Find your balance again among the two and keep going. It'll be fine, no feeling is going to last forever.

5- Things look scarier and rockier cause they're changing (you're changing too). It's okay to feel uncomfortable and a bit loss or overwhelmed: give yourself time until you find a new balance in your new reality. It won't be bad, I promise.

6- Go slow, take your time. Nothing and nobody is rushing behind you. It's okay to take breaks, it's okay if you're taking a bit more time than you thought in doing something. Focus on the journey not on how much time you're using or thinking you're wasting. You're not wasting time when you use it for yourself. But worrying will make you lose a part of it and hurt you even more.

7- Try to believe that things can change. Be open to them, even if you cannot control this process and see how it is gonna be, chances are it will be great. Trust yourself too (not your fears though, separate from them).

8- You're on the road of success, whether you see it or not. Keep learning, keep welcoming (your feelings in particular): the more grounded and stable you will be able to be, the more opportunities you'll be able to see and make yours.

9- Always be kind and compassionate with yourself: the mistakes you made today won't ever be the mistakes of tomorrow. Making mistakes is a way of learning, not a confirmation of you not being enough. Nobody ever has made no mistakes while trying or becoming better at something. Be patient and give yourself another chance (and even more).

10- Remember the last decision in your life is always up to you: you're the protagonist of your life, don't let it pass you by. Even if at the moment you cannot see a way out, it will come to you. Keep staying hopeful. Keep focusing on what you can actually control, be it even just your feelings.

11- You're not responsible for anyone's feelings or emotions. Remember you cannot control how they react to you or anything really, and you don't have to necessarily make everything better for others. Respect yourself too.

12- Be confident in your abilities and knowledge. Do not second guess yourself cause you were somehow taught you're not good enough: you are. And you can be wrong here and there too and it won't change your worth ever. Trust yourself whether you're right or wrong and soon you'll be just right.

13- Remember that as you give, you also need to receive from others as much. Stay open to that. You don't have to just empty yourself in order to get crumbles or the bear minimum: that's not what healthy relationships are about.

14- Set your boundaries and stand up for yourself. You're not being selfish for this, as you're not imposing on or taking advantages of others. You're just putting yourself on the same page as them, you need as much respect and love as them.

15- Take care of you: stay hydrated, make your bed, take a shower, go for a walk, enjoy a nice book or video or movie, sing, dance, paint... prepare yourself a nice cup of tea and treat yourself with a little gift here and there. You deserve all this, especially when things get rocky and too much to bear with. Celebrate your little successes too.

16- Surround yourself with the right people for you. If you cannot get away from some negative people, try at least to build boundaries and find other people with whom you can share nice moments of peace and growth, and that can get your feelings too. It's important to communicate with people that can understand us.

17- If you feel alone, try to go out and go visit place where you may find like-minded people. Join a volunteering association, go to a movie teather, a park or a library, or start a course of something you're passionate about. Sometimes we need to be the one creating opportunities to ourselves instead of waiting for others to approach us first.

18- It's okay to feel lost while trying to figure out what to do or where to go. Take a breath when this happens and focus on just doing things you like. The more you'll get to know yourself and work on something you enjoy, the faster you'll get to understand more about the next steps to take. Ask to someone trusted for their advice as well: many times people around us can see us better than what we do. Just remember that not everyone can really do that anyway so trust yourself first.

19- You don't have to work on your fears anytime you get triggered or feel overwhelmed. Take a break, focus on something else and come back to it another day. Taking breaks is part of the healing process as much as working with your shadows and triggers, so take time to enjoy your present life away from that too.

20- Help yourself liberating from the excess of energy, caused by anxiety and overthinking, that you may have stored in your body. Move your body: walk, dance, do yoga or any little light exercise (as much as you body allows). Go back to yourself, get in touch with your body and release what is not serving you anymore.

21- Journaling can help you wording and throwing out your confused thoughts, in order to clear them from the inside. You don't have to write them reasonably, this will come later: just focus on freeing yourself first and foremost. At times we just need to pour emotions/events out to process them.

22- Trauma may have caused you to detach from yourself, so take time know yourself again. Know your values and what you can compromise on and why. List things you like and dislike, what you think are your strengths and what may be your flaws (be objective here, don't let others or your wounds decide for you) and so on... you make the rules. Making lists of pros and cons for something may also be useful.

23- As we never stop learning, we never stop making mistakes and growing. Share everything you got around you, keep welcoming and understanding yourself and the world around you. Keep spreading your talents: yes you do have talents, and no they're not negative ones. Allow yourself to try anything you want: who cares if others do it too? They are not doing it better than you, they're doing it differently. See yourself where you can get just by trying with no pressure.

24- You can also try something new and different from what you're used: getting out of your comfort zone can be very inspiring both for your creativity, your mind and your life in general (and in knowing yourself). Share your finds, share your passions. Don't be shy.

25- Having being judged so harshly during your life has probably made you more insecure and willing to close off from the world: please try and allow yourself to see that even if it hurt you so much, it wasn't on you. You weren't the real object of those judgement. It is always all in the head of the person judging, it's never on the object. Be nicer with you, you're worth much more than that.

26- What is really stopping you from trying what you have in mind? Fear of making or not making? Either way, take your fear by the hand and take it to see how is it gonna be for real. Our minds want to keep us safe and try to make things look worse than they actually are just cause they want to keep us in a known zone. But what if that's not where we're supposed to stay? Or where we want to stay?

27- Don't fear: you won't be let down forever nor you won't be alone forever. Your people are coming, try to get ready to meet them and let them in. You're not made for everyone and, if your past has been tough, you may fear not being good enough for the relationship (any type) of your dreams, but you are. And you'll have the chance to build it the moment you'll be ready for it.

28- You may not trust others much out of past hurt, but the fact is that it's never your fault what others do with your trust. You don't have to feel guilty or any less cause you trusted the wrong people. It wasn't your fault.

29- Take your time when you need to bring yourself closure about an event or a relationship. Go slow and try to welcome and nurture each of your emotions and feelings, of whatever type they may be. Ask for support, talk about how you really feel, write, and slowly go back to your passion. Act according on what you feel like doing. Do not make sudden decisions and also, take time to grieve and cry. Grieving is complex, you'll experience ups and downs: it's okay, give yourself time and space to deal with all that at your own pace and conditions.

30- Healing is not about not being triggered anymore and feeling like nothing can scare you: healing is about learning how to recognize your triggers before they hurt you and taking action so that these emotions won't overcome you as they did. It's about learning to not let your fears decide your actions, but taking actions even if not knowing the results feels really uncomfortable and scary. It's about learning to be in discomfort and not letting this ruin your whole life.

---

I hope these short texts can help you in your journey. I hope you take care of your whole being even if you don't really love yourself. I hope you can see yourself as someone you may end up liking after chatting a bit or as someone in need and that you may want to support. Start with that. And be open to see your good sides too, cause you have plenty even on your darkest days (they never disappear).

[moonsunmermaid]

Pick a Card General Advice from Spirit

Disclaimer: Please remember, this is just a general reading from the collective, apply how it might resonate and take in consideration that tarot readings are not 100% real, you have the power to change your life anytime. Also please, regarding any kind of health issues this is no game, go to a doctor, I or spirit will never give you any advice regarding you health in this blog.

Piles: 1 - 2 -3

Pile 1 - Hello Darling,

Spirit says you can achive your dreams, I feel you have at least one thing you want to achieve so much you have anxiety sometimes. Sometimes you even lie to yourself and decieve yourself by listening to those who say you can't do it, maybe you even might have tendecy to procastinate or sabotage your own desires. Spirit says you got this, you can do it! Fast enough you can leave all that behind and connect to your inner self. Meditate, take time to be by yourself, listen to your body, listen to your intuition. Your dreams are attaniable, you have the power of the empress in you, you deserve achieving your dreams.

Remeber you don't recieve what you want, you always recieve what you believe you can recieve. With this I don't say if you don't believe the universe won't give you opportunity, with this I say you won't believe your chances when they arrive and maybe you can leave them behind because you don't believe in yourself. Please believe in yourself, you got this, you can do it!

Pile 2 - Fairies

Pile 2, you've been working hard for a long time, and it seems the work seems to never end! take time to release all burdens and accept there's fight you cannot win and work you don't have to do. DELEGATE ON OTHERS PLEASE! Although there is things in the oven getting ready for you, finding some peace is the best. Please take time to rest.

I have the feeling there's people who don't have the best intentions near, try to not obserburden yourself just because they're there. The right time will come, there will be a trial, and you know how hard you've been working. Let go of what no longer serves, let go of these people and embrace what you learn. Set boundaries with them if you need to! don't let others take advantage of you!

Good things are comming, don't worry about that. Be present and find peace first, else you won't be able to enjoy the beautiful presents the universe has in store for you. You deserve all the good things in the world just because you breathe, there's no need to overload yourself with the work of others!

Pile 3- YingYang Kittens

Pile three balance is the key! it seems you have a lot on your plate and you struggled a lot. Spirit says you've done too much but justice will be served and you will receive your presents for your hard work,

Spirit suggests there's a lot more in accepting things as they are, you are light, you are magic and you don't need to be so hard on yourself. Where you see a little bit, spirit can tell how far you've come!

Sometimes we look at the final goal and we can't appreciate how much we changed since we started. Look back, some years ago, and compare to where you are, you will see victory and a great story of success. This is the proof you need to keep you going, release al burden and appreciate every small achievement.

Celebrate every minute, every small step, you derseve it!

[bouquetface]

Capricorn Rising

Accuracy influenced by ENTIRE chart.

Appearance:

Generally, cap risings can appear:

🧩 Stoic. Sharp and bold features - a few possible examples: high cheekbones or tall in height or jawline or eyebrow shape & placement. Their gaze as well. It's sharp and alert. They aren't likely to shy away from eye contact.

🧩 However, the above can change. EX: If aspecting planets like Neptune, they can appear in their own world. They may have traits that make them appear fragile or dainty - ex: short, big eyes, etc.

🧩 Intimidating/unfriendly looking. This can be due to various reasons - maybe due to resting bitch face or due to their status (EX: a person with authority).

🧩 In my experience, these people can be very self critical of their appearance. They may often look for ways to change or enhance their appearance. EX: Cosmetic surgery, fillers, don’t feel good or want to be seen in public without makeup. They are generally well groomed and styled.

Personality:

RARELY can people realize when a cap rising is making a joke. People take everything they say so literal. It's so easy for a cap rising to offend people. Maybe it's their sarcasm or dry delivery.

Feeling they don't deserve good things because they haven't done enough to earn it. They are very critical of themselves. The positive of this is they tend to be very hardworking. They create and find opportunities for advancement/improvement. Due to this it is likely they will find materialistic success.

However, not all cap risings are career orientated. For example, a cap rising with saturn in pisces or moon in pisces isn't likely to care about materialistic matters. Of course, just like everyone they would love to have a lot of money but they aren't in love with the hustle of making money. They're more likely to be/become artistic and/or spiritually inclined.

There can be a disconnect between how people see them and how they seem themselves. 10th H Libra indicates people see them as someone who is balanced, they have it all together. However, this creates a lot pressure from a young age to have it all together.

People assume they are capable and independent. Due to this, they get handed a lot of responsibility throughout life. 6th House of duties/responsibilities in gemini indicates being very busy and all over the place. Cap risings often have too much on their plate. They dislike asking for help and others are unlikely to offer help. People will assume they're fine and capable of doing everything on their own.

Cap risings will generally encounter 2 types of people in relationships (platonic or romantic):

🧩 TYPE 1: Moody people. People who are attracted to the Cap risings strong presence or status. They like that the cap rising appears stable and in control. They can want the cap rising to be like a parent or protector to them. These people may be sensitive, shy, insecure, withdrawn, clingy & demanding as well.

The person's neediness may make the cap rising feel secure in the relationship. The partner has an obvious dependance on them - making it unlikely the partner leaves them.

🧩 TYPE 2: These people are providers/nurturing. They may express this through domestic work like cooking or cleaning. These people are protective of the cap rising. They can have a hard exterior but are very sweet and soft on the inside. These people can be very sentimental and touchy/affectionate/like to cuddle with the cap rising.

The spouse of the cap rising can have a mix of type 1 & type 2 traits. The cap rising can behave like a mix of type 1 & type 2 in relationships.

This is all general info. This does not take into consideration apsects or placement ruling the houses. When looking at only one placement we can only get general/surface level insight.

[xxsycamore]

COOLDOWN

╰┈➤ 🖤You're feeling hot, and Ellis worries that it's a result of overworking yourself again. It's too bad that his methods of helping you have the opposite effect of cooling you down.

Ellis Twilight x f!Reader • rating: E (MDNI) • tags: Semi-Public Sex; Temperature Play; Oral Sex; Cunnilingus; Sexual Tension • wordcount: 1,927 • masterlist

a/n: A BELATED BIRTHDAY GIFT FOR @nightghoul381 !!! Happy birthday dear Ghoulie!! This is just a small thank-you for all the wonderful art and fics you've blessed us with, they're always living rent-free in my head. You know which ones I'm talking about. Wishing you many more fun moments on here, gacha luck, all the Ellis content... you deserve it all <3

Part of my Sexy Ikemen Summer Creation Challenge. Prompts: At the festival booth you're volunteering at + Go down on them with a cold tongue

"We're having a lot of customers! I had no idea running an ice cream booth can be so hectic!"

You place your hands on your hips and let out a sigh that does little to erase the liveliness off your face. Ellis finishes restocking one of the containers and gives you a look charged with just a bit of worry. He knows you've been enjoying yourself, but at the same time, even you are recognizing how tiresome this whole ordeal has become.

"You know we can close the booth now… Jude and Roger already took care of the thieves." Ellis reminds, his hand on your shoulder managing to startle you - it's only proof of how tiredness has dulled your reactions.

The mission given to you tonight revolved around catching the culprits behind the latest jewelry heist, expected to make their next big hit here, on the festival, allured by the shiny first-place reward for the competitions held during it. It turned out to be an easy job for your Crownmates, as the other pair consisting of Jude and Roger already reported to you and Ellis that the target had been neutralized.

While you ended up playing a key part in the mission, being on the lookout for the target the whole time from your strategically situated ice cream booth you volunteer at, you couldn't help but be a bit skeptical about, it in the beginning. While you fully understood that this was the safest option for you to help them out, it just sounded a bit ridiculous to remain here and sell ice cream…

This all changed when you realized how good of an opportunity this is to spend more time with your lover Ellis, especially since you both have been busy lately.

The booth's cramped interior keeps you in close proximity at all times, so much that Ellis' scent fills your head completely. He doesn't need to raise his voice more than a whisper for you to hear him, despite the noise of the crowd outside your little shared space. It's like there's a barrier separating you from the rest of the world, so you can't help but jump every time you snap out of your assigned crowd-watching between taking orders, by Ellis' hand accidentally bumping into yours.

You'd joke and say that the only reason your booth is so successful is because Ellis is quite popular with the town's people. He'd shake his head and argue that it must be you who lure them in, because of the happy smile you're able to put on their faces.

"It's alright! I can keep going a little longer. It's close to the end of the festival, might as well try to make it! Here, I'll have some nice cooling ice cream and replenish my energy in no time, just watch!"

Ellis smiles at your stubbornness, readily passing you the ice cream scoop. You feel his eyes on you, and it brings heat to your cheeks knowing that he's probably taking note of the flavors you mix, wanting to know your preferences as always. It's all the more reason to have your cool treat faster, before this heat can get the better of you.

"Mmm, it's so good. No wonder we have so much business! Here, try it too, Ellis!"

You lift the little spoon to Ellis, fully expecting him to take it from your grasp, but instead, he leans down and puts the end of it in his mouth. Your heart skips a beat at the unexpected dose of cuteness, and you barely survive it as he takes a moment to properly sweep it clean with his tongue and savor it thoroughly.

"You're right. It's delicious."

You nod and hurry to put some more ice cream in your mouth just as an excuse to remove your gaze from Ellis' dazzling smile… but you still feel his eyes on you.

"Are you feeling hot?"

Your eyes widen, spoon still in your mouth, as Ellis suddenly grasps the sides of your face, bringing himself closer to you.

"Here, let me. I'm worried that you overworked yourself and got a fever."

Before you know it, a pair of lips is pressing to your forehead ever so gently.

Ellis' lips are so cold… They feel good against your overheated skin.

"I'm afraid I can't judge properly. Should we get Roger? I think he might still be around."

"No, I'm fine! It's just…"

Despite being done with his little examination, Ellis doesn't stop holding your face in his large, roughened hands. There's no escaping from that twilight gaze, shimmering in question from your sudden protest.

"I'm feeling hot because… You're too close…"

In another second, Ellis' mouth opens in a small o-shape.

"Oh."

He removes his hands from you, taking a step back. "I'm sorry that I put my lips on you, then. I didn't realize."

"No, they were chilled from the ice cream and felt so good, actually…"

You said it without thinking, worried that you pushed Ellis away. It's the very truth but you'd rather keep it to yourself because…

"If that's so… Then it might help you cool down."

Because he'll never turn down an opportunity to make you feel better.

Ellis leans in close to you again, but slowly, giving you all the time to reject him. Heart hammering in your chest, you only turn your cheek to Ellis to receive his 'help'.

He plants a kiss on it, gentle as butterfly wings, and cooling as the air they're fanning into it.

It's only temporary however, because as expected, it only makes your blood pump hotter in your veins, receiving Ellis' attention after being in his presence for hours on end and not being able to be lovey-dovey with him.

He withdraws again before you can properly recover, and you see him retracting the poles that prop up the booth's shutter.

"Ellis…?"

"You're in need of a proper cooling down, so…" Ellis returns to you, and suddenly the room inside the booth feels as if it's shrunk drastically. He barely needs to encage you in his arms, but his scent flooding your lungs is so welcomed. The sounds of the crowd outside are a backdrop to Ellis' soft whispers, a sharp contrast between the intimacy and the reminder of where you are. He claims your lips next, and denying him is out of the question. Sucking on his plush lower lip, you want to rob him of all the sweetness and coolness lingering on it.

Once you're out of breath, Ellis lets go, taking in the expression on your face. He's smiling but his eyes are marked by a shade of lust now, and you're surprised to find him still playing along with the little game, taking another spoonful of the cold treat which has somewhat started to melt.

"Ah!"

Even if expected, the difference in temperature startles you when those mischievous lips find your burning nape.

"Here too… Let me kiss you."

His kisses begin littering the exposed surface of your skin, and once he runs out of it, he begins tugging down on the hem of your cleavage to cover more and more with his lips. Little shivers of shame run through you as your breasts spill out, but they're soon replaced with shivers of pleasure as soon as Ellis tongues at your nipples, just briefly enough to turn them into hard pebbles.

Quickly growing unsatisfied with his limitations, Ellis opts for finding the end of your dress and lifting it up instead, practically shoving himself underneath it just to kiss your belly.

The tickling sensation makes a few breathless chuckles escape your mouth, and you put your hands on Ellis' shoulders, though you're not even close to pushing him away.

"Hehe… Seems like we're closed for the day, actually…"

You come to the conclusion as soon as you realize Ellis is sliding his fingers under the waistband of your panties from both sides and dragging them down. There's no going back now, and despite the embarrassment lingering at the back of your mind, you're desperate to feel Ellis when you need him most.

"Ahhh!—"

"Does it feel good? You're being so loud already."

He doesn't have to ask - the combination of his skilled tongue and the enhanced sensation from the clash of the different temperatures makes your legs weak. Your back rests against the wall of the booth as Ellis is seemingly hard at work to make you lose your footing. The hands that caressed his shoulders are now clinging to the fabric of his jacket, each flick of his tongue making your nails sink deeper.

Ellis switches to sucking at your swollen nub, only letting go when he notices your legs beginning to tremble. He laps at the new flood of juices he coaxed out of you, and the hotness of your heat has already erased every memory of the chillness he brought to you.

You don't have the heart to tell him his little plan of cooling you down was doomed to fail from the very beginning, as every place touched by his mouth has only been lit in flames as a result. Or maybe he knew all along.

"Ellis, I'm—!"

"Don't hold back. Come now."

His calm yet sultry voice echoes in your ears along with the thump of your own heartbeat, and soon your vision is overtaken by hot-white. Ellis works you to a powerful peak, not pausing his ministrations for a second. His strong hands keep your legs open, and they're your only anchor keeping you upright. A broken cry of his name comes out of you in a series of moans that you're barely able to keep low in volume.

In your dizziness, you don't realize when Ellis raised to his feet again, carefully arranging your disheveled clothing, sliding your panties back in place. He holds you in his arms for a moment until you can catch your breath, even if his sweet kisses are slowing the process.

"We can open the booth again if you want to. There's still ice cream left."

You blink into Ellis' arms, considering his offer for a second, then letting out a chuckle.

"I wonder if it would cause chaos if we were to bring it back home?"

You certainly don't imagine yourself bribing the rest of Crown with sweets, that's Victor's job. You wouldn't want to take it from him. Though there's something else worrying you.

"But Ellis…What about you?"

He gives you another smile before busying himself with opening the booth once again.

"Don't worry about me. It was enough to see you enjoy yourself."

Despite his reassurance, the air in your lungs escapes you in a sigh. While looking at Ellis, you notice that he's doing a repetitive motion of swinging his arm back and forth, flexing it, sort of as if it's gotten stiff.

Oh.

Feeling the heat return to your cheeks, you feel very guilty about giving Ellis a boner he can't tend to at the moment, even if both of you knew it was gonna happen.

Still, the image of him having to do that instead of waiting it out is somehow terribly hot to you. Along with the show of his well-toned arms, with shirt sleeves rolled up. Blaming it on being lightheaded from what he just did to you, you know you too should focus on anything but the newly formed arousal that pools in your already damp panties.

You just can't wait to make it up to Ellis, once you return home tonight.

Taglist: @arsnovacadenza @kimi00twin @g-kleran @thesirenwashere @devonares @galaxyprison @sadshaxk @starshards26 @thewitchofbooks @acethephoenix256 @ikevamp-shrine-2 @nad-zeta @crystal13unny @lordsister @ikemen-banshou   @themysticalbeing @otome-scribbles @rhodolitesrose @coornn @kpop-and-otome @queen-dahlia @kisara-16 @chaosangel767 @ikemenlibrary @queengiuliettafirstlady @aurora-morning @ikemenlover24 @mcofthemansion @joy-the-reader @katriniac @ikemen-writer @tele86 @lovely-bubb1es @aria-chikage @babyblue0t7 @rhodoliteschaos @shrimpy-kitsune @nightghoul381 @xbalayage @lucyw260 @kittygrimm88 @lokis-laugh @natimiles @completelyshatteredbrokenmschf @groovylita @justpeachyteastea Let me know if you want to be tagged/untagged!

[dnpbeats]

Ive been seeing some big youtubers and creators announce (seperately) that they're going on tours, and a lot of of them are full on stage shows. These are people with tens of millions of followers each.

And then I think about the fact that dan and phil are the reason they can. Dan and phil completely pioneered the industry for online creators. They were the first youtubers to do a world tour of a stage show. First youtubers to show that they are actually professional enemtertainers and not just ameteur comedians. They were the first youtubers to have their own radio show in the uk. They were the success story that a lot of people built their success on the back of. If tatinof didnt work, it wouldve taken so much longer before online creators would've been taken seriously by venues as comedians/artists/entertainers. If internet takeover didnt work it would've taken so much longer for creators to be offered jobs in mainstream media, as tv/radio presenters, in documentaries, on gameshows etc.

Like yeah, it probably would've happened eventually anyway, but it happened a lot earlier than it would've bc of them. They were the first. And absolutely no one acknowledges that. No one even knows, except for them and us.

Even though dnp in 2024 are by far not the most prominent creators out there, I do think they have had one of the most successful careers of any youtuber/streamer out there. I think they achieved far more in terms of career success and opportunities with their 4-6million joint subscriber count than most of the people with 20million plus subs have, which is pretty cool. Their careers are not built on 5mins of fame. They have understanding of the industry, work ethic, and skill to ensure long careers, even if those careers morph over time. They wont be youtubers for ever, but they will be successful in whatever they do, that I am certain of.

Idk im just feeling emotions about them. Im proud if them. And im excited to see where they go.

NO NOTES ANON!!!!! this is all so true!

I have seen a lot of people mention the fact that d&p are not as popular as they used to be/don't get as many views as they used to as if it's a negative but I don't think it's bad at all, because of all of what you said. they were doing shit that no one else was doing! they paved the way for youtubers to break out of the yt sphere!! which is so amazing but also they were doing SO MUCH for so long. they were carrying the industry on their backs lmao. so now I'm so happy for them that they have the opportunity to chill out and just do what they wanna do. they're just making the content they wanna make and they aren't concerned with how many views they're getting or trying to remain relevant (which I think they still are, but yk what I mean), and they deserve that. because while everything they did was awesome and should absolutely be celebrated, I think it's great that now they have the opportunity to create more casually and they don't need to worry about doing numbers. like yes yt is still their livelihood but in a much more laid-back way yk? and I think that because they did so much, and like you said have understanding of the industry and a good work ethic, that's what allowed them to build a fanbase that has stuck around and that fanbase is why they can be more relaxed now

I agree they might not be youtubers forever but I'm also excited to see what projects they eventually move on to bc they'll slay fs

[boombox-fuckboy]

Hey. Could you rec any podcasts with sapphic couples as their mains? Or a sapphic story. And so on. I only really know about where the stars fell and Alice isn't dead.

You're off to a strong start. Here's 20, there's more out there, but I tried to pick a variety. I'm going to put a ★ next to the ones I think will fit best, but they're all good.

Arden: (Fictional "True Crime", Investigative, Comedy). On the 25th of December, 2007, heiress and young actress Julie Capsom crashed her car into a tree and fled into a nearby forest clearing, leaving a trail that seemingly vanished into thin air, and a dismembered torso in the trunk. A decade later, Bea, the first reporter on the scene, and Brenda, a detective on the case, are hosting a true crime podcast about it, and neither is remotely impressed with what the other has to say. Arden is also a retelling of various Shakespeare plays.

The Author's Anathema: (Horror) Looking for some extra cash, and with some help from her girlfriend Eleanor, college student Natalie takes a small job to narrate an audiobook for a reclusive anonymous author. The book being a horror wouldn't be such a bother, but the stories within are... Familiar. Too familar.

The Beacon: (Urban Fantasy) Bee is a perpetually anxious university student who discovers she has the ability to create fire, and decides to start a podcast to find others like herself. She quickly discovers she's not alone, but a series of bizzare animal attacks suggest superpowered freshers are far from the only strange thing on campus.

The Department of Variance of Somewhere, Ohio: (Weird Fiction, Horror, Sci-Fi) On day one of a new job at the Department of Variance, in the middle of her workplace orientation, Jasmine's new workplace goes into lockdown. Guided via walkie-talkie by Scarlet, an experienced security officer, Jasmine must make her way down 20-odd shifting floors of strange entities and experiments. Ideally without becoming one of them. As a disclaimer, this one is the only addition to this list that isn't actively romantic yet, however there are canonically sapphic characters, and I am fairly confident it's headed that way.

★ Elixir: (Urban Fantasy, Romance) Set in a fantasy world's equivalent of the american prohibition, lawmakers daughter Elsie approaches someone unexpected in search of her missing sister: Vera, an alchemist and propriator of the local now-elicit hush bar.

The Far Meridian: (Magical Realism) An agorophobic young woman wakes up to discover her lighthouse home has moved overnight. It quickly becomes clear this isn't a once-off, and she decides to use this as an opportunity to search for her missing brother, having some strange encounters along the way.

Interference: (Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Romance) Jacq is a D&D podcaster. Geneva is an orc scientist studying ancient human ruins the next world over. What happens when these women from different realities begin picking up each other's broadcasts?

Khôra Podcast: (Sci-Fi) Somewhere between adapted from and inspired by various greek myths, Khôra follows four women who deserved better (Atalanta, Echo, Medea, and Medusa) on a grand space adventure to find the golden fleece while keeping out of the reach of the olympians who own and run the galaxy.

★ Mabel: (Mystery, Supernatural, Horror, Romance). The live-in carer of a dying elderly woman attempts to contact her granddaughter, with little success. The contents of voicemails only get stranger, and what starts as a subtley creepy mystery-horror develops to poetic lesbian fae body-horror.

★ Midnight Radio: (Light Supernatural, Romance). Sybil McIntyre, host of the ever-popular 1950's nightly radio hour, begins exchanging letters with an old fan who has reluctantly returned to visit Sybil's beloved town.

Mina's Story: (Sci-Fi, Romance Elements) Still dealing with a major loss in her family, a young woman volunteers for a long-term cryonics project. The episodes are her audio logs after waking up each time, always the same place but centuries after she went to sleep. A story about grief, change, and the intersection of past and future.

Mirrors: (Sci-fi, Mystery, Supernatural). The audio journal of three women from different periods (past, present, and future) who seem to share little in common bar the strange inhuman, ghostly figures they have started seeing.

Night Life: (Supernatural, Noir) Utterly wacky one-episode story (more of a short audio movie) about an ex-vampire hunter turned private eye who finds herself dealing with the shenanigans of mafia and vampires in the wake of an upcoming mayoral election. Find it on the feed for The Lightning Bottler.

The Night Post: (Supernatural, Mystery). The conscripted couriers of Gilt City are both respected and shunned, integral to the city's function, but inexplicably tied to the supernatural. It's not something they like to talk about. When his husband goes missing on the job, Milo is called to take over. Clementine took over from her father a long time ago, yet recently someone else with her face has been delivering her own unsent letters. Val's not going to discuss how she ended up there, but she will absolutely open people's mail (filled with their own supernatural tales) to read aloud.

Palimpsest, Season 2: (Horror, Romance, Fantasy Elements). Set in the 1800s, a young woman becomes the maid to a supposed fairy noblewoman, who is being kept as one of many "denizens", living curiousities, in a large house. Each season is a different story, this is Season 2.

★ The Pasithea Powder: (Sci-Fi, Thriller?) The last major interplanetary war was full of atrocities, but none more infamous then the creation of Pasithea Powder, a memory altering drug which was used to horrible effect and landed it's entire team of creators in prison. So when decorated war hero Captain Sophie Green sees one of them wandering free, worlds away from his prison, she gets in touch with a very old, estranged friend: one Dr. Jane Gonzalez, who's behind bars for the very same reason.

Starship Q Star: (Sci-Fi, Comedy) The small crew of a tone-deaf space agency's attempt at a PR mission wake up at Mars to discover that they - and the one botanist abandoned on Mars base - are now the last surviving members of humanity. Co-captains and ex-girlfriends Aurelia and Sim must now dedicate themselves to protecting their crew and finding a new home, but they're rarely on the same page about how best to do it.

★ The Strange Case of Starship Iris: (Sci-Fi) When the shuttle carrying the crew of scientific research ship Iris explodes, Violet Liu finds herself stranded in space, the last survivor with no way out. Until her emergency broadcast is picked up by a passing ship. But the crew aren't who they seem to be, there's more going on here than anyone knows yet, and Violet must decide who she can really trust.

Unwell: (Supernatural). Lily Harper revisits her supposedly haunted childhood home to help take care of her aging mother. The house is weird, sure, but there's something far stranger haunting the town of Mount Absolm than simply ghosts.

Weaver: (Supernatural, Romance Elements). The musings of the entity within the old house about the girl she fell in love with (the only thing she can remember), and her two new coinhabitants, who do not yet know she exists.

[jo-harrington]

Corroded Coffin Fest - Day 14 - And the Winner Is...

Summary: Corroded Coffin wins their first award...

Word Count: 616

Rating: T

Warnings/Themes: Angst, brief FOI references, introduction of Phil the Manager, Wayne being the best uncle/dad in the world

Check Out the Main Post for @corrodedcoffinfest here! Even if you didn’t start on Day 1, you can still join!

Tagging: @the-unforgivenn at her request.

You can find my masterlist here.

Please do not interact if you are not 18+.

Enjoy!

It takes them a while before they reach their first award show.

A long fuckin' time actually.

Years.

They never expected to hit it big overnight; shit, Eddie had already almost been on that path once so he didn't expect fate to tempt him again. He was almost too happy to put in the work this time, instead of strike a vein of luck and "right place, right time."

"All of your victories will be much sweeter when you work hard for them," Wayne told him over the phone in the summer of '88, when they'd been boo'd at a show out in Muncie as they'd tried out a new original song. "Keep your eyes on the prize."

That was the same night they met their future manager, Phil.

The 90s saw the boys leave Indiana for Chicago, for a while at least.

It was the biggest city that Phil could convince them to move to, but it opened up a ton of opportunities for them.

"It's within driving distance of home," Wayne pointed out as they'd packed up the van. "In case you ever get homesick."

They still struggled. Still had to find second jobs to help pay the bills, but their performances were in abundance.

Bars and fests and a few weddings. That had been a weird gig but paid pretty well. And if it was an Italian wedding? They knew they were eating well and bringing leftovers home.

The best part about it all was that they had fun.

All of the pictures from their performances were bright and fun. Even Eddie's wild hair mid-headbang couldn't hide how big his smile was. It was their livelihood but it was never just a job to them.

Then they got their first song on the radio, and things started amping up.

Just one song. Not a full album, not yet. And only on some local stations in the middle of the night.

They still had some ways to go, but it got more people talking. Got some more fans. Sold some more shirts and buttons, got their name big enough to open for bigger bands, which led to even more fans.

Then it was a whirlwind, and it never stopped.

A contract, then an album, and then...then...then...

Then they needed to make some big decisions for the band. Some of the biggest decisions of their careers, of their lives.

"Gotta honor your roots in the Midwest," Wayne mentored them one night, on behalf of all of their families.

He'd driven up to Chicago from Hawkins at Eddie's call; he admitted that he was probably in over his head, but they didn't want advice from anyone else. Not even Phil.

"If you want to move out to Hollywood or New York or wherever...of course you can. Just don't forget where you came from."

"Like we're gonna sell out," Dave scoffed.

"Never said sell out," Wayne held his hands up defensively. "I said don't forget where you came from. You're good, salt-of-the-earth kids. You've worked hard, you deserve your success. I don't believe in much but...flashy places like that? They're filled with just as much desperation as potential. They're where the Devil waits for you to lose it all."

Word of wisdom.

But also words of inspiration.

Because it wasn't long after that conversation that they released a single that turned out very successful for them. Both with the fans and with the rest of the music industry.

It opened doors and skyrocketed them to success.

Into their dreams.

And into a handful of velvet-lined seats as they waited with anticipation.

"And the award goes to..." the presenter opened the envelope. "Salt of the Earth, Corroded Coffin."

[maxverstepponme]

max didn't post anything for Father's Day, it says a lot about their relationship if neither he nor his public relations team wanted to post anything. It really seems that Kelly is doing everything to keep Max away from his family. It shocks me that with all the free time he had, he didn't even go see his niece. he preferred the piquets. He really has no excuse, he's such a disappointment. Max has become as despicable and hateful as Kelly. I am less and less able to tolerate him. You will see, if his family does not come to the Dutch GP, Kelly will take the opportunity to put on her show, she will bring her whole family to show look, we are Max's real family. She has to do everything for that, she has to force it so that Max puts even more distance. I can understand Max's family wanting to distance themselves from Kelly and stop playing her game. It's better for them to distance themselves from Kelly's toxicity and preserve themselves. And given the way Max treats them, he gets what he deserves. I really don't understand Max and what's worse is that he seems to agree with all of this. It doesn't seem to bother him, he seems happy to distance himself from his family and be near the piquets. He doesn't care at all about his sister or his niece(fortunately victoria's children have uncles and aunts on their father's side who really care about them). He's just a hypocrite and selfish. he fell so low. People are really right, he's just Kelly's puppet. That's the only thing he is and people are starting to realize that, now they're starting to attribute all his success and titles to Kelly. Kelly Piquet's puppet, this is what Max looks like.

At the end of the day, they are only ones who are going to be there for him whenever this shit show ends and he sees her for who she truly is. He will come back to them with his tail between his legs.

[666writingcafe]

Exam Prep, Part One

Barbatos

"Your professor has informed me that lately you have been struggling with the lab portion of your seductive speechcraft class," I calmly tell MC, who sighs.

"I can block advances just fine, but actually trying to seduce someone is proving to be quite difficult," they explain. "I don't feel like I'm sounding genuine, if that makes sense. I mean, I never had that much luck with it in the human world, and it seems like I've not had to work super hard here, which still baffles me, but that's a topic for another day." Interesting. I didn't realize they were that introspective. Most humans aren't.

"If it's any consolation, you're doing better than some other demons."

"Like Levi?" I allow myself to smirk, amused by their observation.

"Exactly. Leviathan either can't bring himself to seduce anyone at all, or he pulls from existing media and provides out-of-context lines that don't fit the person he's talking to. From what I've heard, you at least are trying to be original. We--your professor and I--just think that there's room for improvement."

"Of course."

"So, for today's session, I want you to try to seduce me." Of course, that's the moment Diavolo decides to walk past the room MC and I are in. My back may be turned to him, but I can still sense his energy.

You may watch, but do not disturb us.

Understood.

"What?" MC asks, appearing both confused and terrified.

"I am one of the oldest and most powerful demons in the Devildom. If you can manage to produce some sort of effect on me, then you'll pass your exam with flying colors."

"But I don't know that much about you."

"A demon never has a lot of information on a particular human when they first encounter one, but they can use past experiences and context clues in order to be successful."

"I see." In order to ease their nerves, I kindly smile at them.

"Just try the best you can." MC closes their eyes and begins one of the breathing exercises that I taught them.

Why are you doing this? Diavolo just can't resist the urge, can he?

Their power is heavily tied to their emotions.

That isn't what I'm talking about, Barbatos.

Would you rather I have them seduce you, Young Master? Silence. Excellent.

MC opens their eyes, and immediately something seems different about them.

"You do so much for Lord Diavolo, the brothers, and the Devildom at large," they state. "Any other person would have gone insane from the sheer amount of responsibility, and yet you stand here before me with a cool, calm demeanor."

"Practice," I respond.

"You have most people fooled into believing that this life is easy for you, but not me. I know that you work a thankless job that forces you to put everyone before yourself." They're glowing, which isn't entirely unusual for them, but the color's different this time. It's not completely white like it normally is.

"Deep down, you want someone to take care of you. You have been forced to hold yourself up for so long, and you are utterly exhausted. You feel completely alone, like there's not a single soul in the entire universe that would want to take the time to get to know who you truly are." As they step closer to me, I can see spots of pink mixed in with their white light. I don't know how, but I think they've managed to tap into a portion of Asmodeus's power.

"I want to help you, not because I want anything in return, but because I care deeply about you. You deserve to have someone love you unconditionally." MC gently grabs my hand and leans closer to me. "All I ask of you is to let me in. Allow me to grow closer to you, Barbatos."

One might expect MC to take the opportunity to kiss me, but instead they remain still, staring into my eyes. My heart begins beating faster, and I find it harder to focus on my surroundings. In this moment, I finally understand why everyone seems so enamored with MC. I don't even have a pact with them, and yet my mind is begging them to give me an order to follow.

As MC steps back, the glow emanating from them begins dissipating. They're returning to normal.

Why can't I?

"Barbatos? Are you alright?" Shit. I'm on duty. They're not supposed to see me in this condition.

"You'll do just fine, MC." My voice sounds hoarse, and I have no idea why.

Someone's caught feelings.

I would appreciate it if you didn't tease me, Young Master.

But I'm not wrong.

That is irrelevant.

[twice-inamillion]

Jihyo’s Concern

1.7k words

Chapter 190 

(Important concerns that need to be addressed.)

The group has the day off, and most use this opportunity to rest after completing a successful comeback. The night before, Jihyo asked you for some alone time to clear her mind after a busy couple of weeks.

With Jisoo at her grandparents, the both of you have the afternoon to yourselves, so you decide to go for an afternoon drive. 

You drive on the road with a fantastic view of the coastline, the windows down, and the air blowing Jihyo's hair. You can't help but admire how beautiful she is, your future wife. "You look amazing, Jihyo. I'm the luckiest man in the world to have found someone like you."

"You're the lucky one. I'm the one that went after the pursuit; you had no chance, haha," as she gives you a loving smile. 

She grabs your hand and intertwines it with hers, "I'm glad we took this time apart from everyone."

"Good thing you asked, it's been a hectic these past couple of weeks, but it's finally over."

"Haha, we did a good job; thank you for Fancy, it's such a good song. From what I could see, Once loved the song."

"Really? I'm too afraid to check, so I haven't been on social media."

"Oh yeah, the group chat has been flooded with pics of Once's comments on the song. You really did an amazing job, Mr. Producer."

"It's only going to get better, I have other songs in mind."

"I know they’re going to be great."

"Thanks, also… I got the finalized song list for the upcoming tour, so you might want to tell the rest to freshen up."

"I'm so excited! I can't believe we are going on tour again but this time, its a world tour. Can you believe it, going abroad to sing in front of international Once!"

"It's to be expected, you girls work so hard; you all deserve the best."

"Thanks, but that has been making me thinking about what we are going to do with the babies. They're growing too fast and are more active than before. I don't think we can bring them with us; the constant traveling from city to city, I don't think they will be able to handle."

"You're right. Three of them are over a year old, and they are going to start to run and throw tantrums; it's going to be hard to hide them. There is also Da-eun, who's only a few months old, and she is still too small to travel internationally. It's one thing to Japan and taking them since it's so close but going to other countries, it's going to be hard."

Jihyo's hand begins to shake slightly. "What are we going to do, oppa? I don't want to leave them behind, but we can't take them either."

"We're going to get through this. The tour's first leg is around Asia, so we won't be too far out. Let's see; we have two days in Seoul, one day in Bangkok, Manila, and Singapore. They're spread out that we'll be back home. The only part that would worry me would be the North American concerts and the last leg of Asia. Maybe we can ask your mom to watch over them for the first leg."

“I can ask, but I also don't want to rely on them too much, you know. I feel bad because it's not just Jisoo this time; its four children. Plus, taking care of an infant like Da-eun with Jisoo and Ari, I don't think it's would end well."

"Hmm… I might have another option, but I don't know if you are going to like it." Jihyo sees your hesitation, "Come on, tell me, don't keep it to yourself. You already opened your mouth, just spit it out," as she smacks your arm. 

"Okay, but just keep an open mind."

"Yeah, I'll try."

"You know how I go to the company building for meetings, right?"

"The one in the mornings."

"Yeah, well… there are times when we have a long break in between or finish early, so I shop for groceries here and there. Well… I've bumped into Chaeyoung's mom several times, and we talk here and there. She's sweet and friendly; she even invited me for lunch and asked me about Chaeyoung and the rest of the girls."

"Oh really?” with a suspicious looked.

"Yup, she mentioned how lonely she is at home since her two children are adults and no longer live with her. I feel bad because she gets so happy when I stop by to the point that I even bring her groceries from time to time. She's even shown me some childhood pictures of Chaeyoung; she was so cute when she was small, haha."

"Seems like you have a lot of time on your hands," as she gives you a side eye. 

"No, it's not like that. I forgot my main point…" as you try to remember why you brought up the subject in the first place. "Oh yeah, during one of our talks, she mentioned how hard it was for her to raise chaeyoung and her brother as a single mother. She struggled a lot until she enrolled them in a nursery. She said that they liked it so much that she ended up as a volunteering at the nursery as well. I remember her saying that she still does it from time to time, so I thought that maybe we can ask her to watch over the kids since she's more than qualified."

You watch as Jihyo remains silent and gives it some thought. "You haven't told her about the kids, right?" 

"No, I haven't said anything. All we talked about was your life as an idols and Chaeyoung. Well, she did ask me if I had something going on with Chaeyoung, but I just said that we like to mess around."

"Wait, what do you mean by mess around?"

"Like playful things, you know, joking around that type of stuff."

"Hmm, okay. That's fine."

"So what do you think? Should we ask her?"

"Hmm, if you think she's qualified, then I don't think it's a bad idea. Will we need to talk to Chaeyoung about it and check if she's willing to do it."

"If not then we can ask Mina's mom. Mina has mentioned that she always asks about the kids, so she might be willing to do it if we ask."

"You're right; with my mom and Mina's mom, I think we can make it work. It would be a win-win situation on both sides; the babies get to see their grandparents and spend time with the grandkids."

"Okay, sounds like a plan. All we have to do is talk to the members about it."

As you reach the final destination, you park the car in a spot that has a perfect ocean view. Parking high on a cliff gives you the best view of both the ocean and the surrounding terrain. "It's been a while since we have been right, oppa." "Yes, maybe a year or two?" "You're right, even before Jisoo."

"Wouldn't it be nice to live near the beach?" as you look at the beautiful scenery. Jihyo reaches for the cooler in the back and gives you an ice-old soda and some snacks. "Here, I picked this up before coming here." The both of you stay silent as you take in the view. 

Minutes pass in silence until Jihyo says, "What do you think about moving?" You're surprised by her question, "You mean getting a new house?"

"Yes, the house we have right now is doable, but with Sana's pregnancy, it will be difficult. Mina, Dahyun, and I have our own room, but the rest of us share, so it will be hard once Sana gives birth. We don't have the space anymore."

"You're right. I've been thinking the same thing lately."

"I've been looking online for any houses with rooms for all of us or two houses next to each other, but I haven't had any luck," sulks Jihyo. You try to comfort her, "It's going to be okay; we just have to try a pick harder."

"Just thinking about it makes me so stressed; I just can't help it. Eventually, the babies will need a room when they grow up; it's not like they can always sleep with us. They are going to want their room once they're older." 

"This might sound like a crazy idea, but what if we build our dream house? We can buy our own plot of land and build it how we want. Just imagine this, a large house, plenty of rooms, a big kitchen, a backyard, and a playroom for the kids." 

The idea of having a house built from the ground up sounds like a dream. You watch as she is in deep thought, thinking of what her future house could look like. "Okay, let's do it. If I want to have a big house, enough for all of us to live comfortably."

With Jihyo in agreement, you tease her, "We can even have a room that we can use to have fun," as you wink at her. Jihyo immediately understands what you mean, "you dirty boy," as she smacks your thigh.

"Haha, I'm just joking." 

"No, maybe we should," as she looks at you with a lustful face. She slowly rubs your thigh, "We can have some fun and not worry about anyone bothering us," she said before pulling her hand away. 

"I would really it; maybe we can try for a second one," as you wink at her. "Stop, you're going to make me really want one. You know how busy we are right now, so maybe later when Jisoo is a bit older."

With a disappointed face, you accept your fate, "Okay. I'll get on the process then." The both of you enjoy the rest of your evening together as you walk by the beach. 

————

Jihyo and Jisoo take a bath together once they get home after a long day. You tuck them into bed, kiss them goodnight, and return to your room. 

You look online to see the requirements to purchase land in Korea and compare prices between locations like the city, countryside, and suburbs. While browsing, you remember your friend Samatha from college and give her a call. After a long conversation, she recommends you to a friend she worked with for her bathhouse. Your night ends with you making a list of potential requirements for the perfect home. 

[wyverningx]

people on The Internet Dot Com keep being absolute idiots about thea muldani so here is your reminder that she's a ravens success story — she grew up in an environment where she was asked to give her all and engage in incredibly unhealthy practices, but the result of such sacrifice was that she was rewarded for it with US court and a pro team. she was part of a cult and "left" in the sense of gaining physical distance, but all of her experiences reaffirmed that the toxic ravens environment was the most effective way to a successful exy career. it is fucked up that she believes others should go through the same thing in order to be "worthy" or "good enough," but i simply do not understand why so many people look at her and think that she should be crucified for being a representation of a finished, successful raven. especially not if she's unable to recognize abuse in others, which tbqh is something that is very common in cult-like settings. you don't want to look something-that-could-very-well-be-abuse-happening-to-others in the eye, because if they're being abused, then you could potentially be being abused, too, and what do you do with that? do you have any idea how hard it is to come to terms with that reality, especially when you are told day in and day out that this is the only way to get to the top? that this is how you make it in the sport? that someone who is being harmed by the coach or the team captain absolutely deserved it? that people who can't hack it are weak, but you're not weak, you're one of the best, you'll do whatever it takes?

is it extremely shitty that she blames jean for his own sexual assault? absolutely, yes. but she doesn't have the whole picture, and it's clear that jean intentionally deceives her (with the comment about him being fragile/clumsy, etc.) and lets her believe he had more agency in his sexual experiences than he truly did because it's a coping mechanism that also serves the purpose of letting her fill in blanks so he does not have to explicitly tell a lie. besides, if there is any singular raven that both kevin and jean view fondly, wouldn't they want her to believe whatever it took so that she didn't ask too many questions? wouldn't they both want her far removed from the reality of the moriyamas and human trafficking, because her uncovering the truth would put her entire life at risk?

people can have friends that are imperfect or do not understand them completely or that fuck things up sometimes. i get that jean's experiences put people on-guard when it comes to how he interacts with other characters, but god damn. she was his mentor. she taught him everything he knows about being a backliner. she made horrible and judgmental assumptions about his experiences. all of those things can be true at the same time. does she not deserve the opportunity to change upon receiving new information? does she not deserve the ability to take a step back, as ravens are dropping like flies and all eyes are on evermore and the perfect court, to consider that maybe she was a victim in all of this, too? that plenty of people are capable of making it to the top without calling another human being the master and turning a blind eye to the king beating his own men? that maybe kevin and jean and all of them were terribly wronged? why is she the only person in this series who's not allowed to grow as a person by developing a more nuanced understanding of rape and sexual assault and learning how to be a better friend to someone who had no choice?

also someone tried to "gotcha" me by saying thea and jean aren't friends because she uhhhh (checks notes) calls him a teasing nickname and says "i'm going to break your ribs" as though threatening your friends (especially ones you play a contact, violent sport with) is the worst possible offense ever in the same book series that people regularly ACTUALLY fistfight each other and pull knives on one another. i'd argue that these are actually huge indicators that they do like each other, because she's probably one of the only people in the world who he can express himself around and even say things like "i'm not from paris" exasperatedly. you know, like you do when people you care about tease or poke fun at you. those are actually probably some of the most normal interactions jean has pre-TSC, especially as she is not needlessly cruel to him like literally everyone else in the nest is. and not only is thea one of the only people who has any sort of comraderie with him and who makes the effort to see him after his injuries because she cares, but she also makes it past wymack and kevin and renee and neil guard-dogging him. does that seriously mean nothing? do you think renee fucking walker (who was ready to brawl on-sight at evermore) would have let someone like zane waltz into abby's house if kevin said a single negative word about him?

i have seen some incredibly wonderful and nuanced takes about most characters in AFTG, but at the same time, the way thea is treated and criticized in a more severe way than literal murderers in the series for her possibly-willful ignorance is utterly crazy to me.

idk. just some food for thought

[molsno]

I feel like it's foolish of me to fantasize about getting this job that a recruiter brought to me today.

it feels too perfect. my passion project for the past 5 years has given me the exact skillset they're looking for, after all.

the pay is unbelievable, beyond anything I've ever dreamed about. literally double what I was getting paid before, at minimum. on top of that, it comes with full benefits and unlimited vacation time. sure, it would require me to stay in this area, but would that really be so bad? how could I not fantasize about a job like this?

but part of me knows that no matter how qualified I am for it, they'll still find a way to turn me down. I don't have the privilege to deserve a life like that. even if they checked out my passion project and realized just how talented I am, I have a feeling that my hopes will be dashed. one interview is all it takes for an employer to realize I'm not what they're looking for.

can they see it in my features, I wonder? do I look a little too clocky for their liking? can they hear it in my voice? I genuinely can't tell, but there has to be something. there's no other explanation I can think of for why every time I get an interview, even when I think it went really well, I get ghosted, or if I'm lucky, I receive an email weeks later telling me the position has already been filled. I know it's not my skills that are the issue.

it's funny. people seem to think that people like me have "male privilege". that I'm a "tech bro" whose "male socialization" puts me ahead of the rest of the community. I wonder what they would think if they knew that my last and only job was a predatory contracting firm that forced me to move across the country with less than a month's notice under threat of legal action, and that I knew exactly what I was getting into when I signed a contract with them because it was either that or nothing. the best I could get as a tranny was the absolute bottom of the barrel in the industry I decided to dedicate my life to.

sometimes I think about how much easier it all would have been if I was a man. my accomplishments would be taken seriously, my appearance wouldn't be judged, my personality would be viewed as "eccentric" instead of "incompetent". I could be making even more than what this job offers me. wouldn't that just be wonderful?

sometimes I think back to when I was first considered the possibility that I might be trans, the sleepless nights where I was paralyzed with terror over how I would be treated. I was always told I had a future, but there I was, considering ripping it all away. I couldn't imagine why on earth I would give up my "male privilege", and yet I wanted to anyway.

the more and more I thought about it, in fact, the more I came to realize that holding onto it was a guarantee that I would have no future. I had already decided that I would kill myself when I turned 30, for no particular reason at all. maybe I could regain some economic opportunities if I detransitioned, but there is no belief I'm more certain about than the fact that if I did, I would end my life sooner than I originally planned to.

in other words, to me, the only privilege that would come with being male is that I would no longer have to live under capitalism.

so, maybe it's unrealistic to believe I could still attain such success. but I'm a trans woman. that's all I've ever been, and that's all I ever will be. and because of that, I have to believe that I have a future. transitioning was not an act of destruction. it was, is, and will always be an act of creation, the synthesis of life itself.

even if it's foolish to dream, I'll do it anyway. because that's what it means to be alive.

[mintasa]

CIRCUS ~ CHAPTER 8

Pairing: Hwang Hyunjin x OC

Genre: Circus AU, murder mystery, slowburn, enemies to lovers?

Warnings: Blood, injuries, mental problems

Word count: 4,2k

Synopsis: A series of murders in a successful circus disturbs the life of a young stylist. With no place to go, she is keen on saving the circus, even if that means risking her own life to do so. As if things cannot go worse, a group of newbies join the hawock, seemingly not knowing what they're getting themselves into. Can she figure out the motives of the murderer and keep her crew together? Can the circus survive under the growing pressure and distrust?

Note: This is the first story I am publicly sharing. It is a work of fiction, although it may not fit the criteria of a traditional fanfic (I physically cannot write in the second-person narrative). Therefore, English is not my first language, and while I'm pretty fluent, I still make grammar errors, so apologies in advance.

The story is vaguely inspired by Circus MV

"You were told to don't go anywhere alone, I believe," mumbles Hyunjin as he takes a seat next to Nadya on that goddamn bench she sat on before almost drowning.

Nadya wipes at her eyes frantically, hating the idea of Hyunjin seeing her like that. Some old wounds had been reopened and new ones accured. She doesn't cry much, but it's healthy to do so from time to time. Nadya jumped at the first opportunity of being loved. What did she expect in this world of ill-mannered people?

"Are you crying?"

He really had to point that out. Nadya crosses her arms on her chest. "I would never," she claims and looks off into the pond.

"Is this about the cop?"

Is it? Not really; she doesn't even miss him anymore; it was a temporary obsession. She didn't need him. "No."

"Then why?"

The girl shrugs annoyed at the questioning. "Because I can?"

"Not a valid answer," he argues once again, playing the hero. He wants information out of her, but frankly, all she has is unsolved problems.

"I haven't been able to sleep lately," Nadya mutters truthfully, hoping it would be enough to answer his questions.

"Because of your family?" Nadya turns to him dumbfounded, and he looks away in what seems like shame. "Jun said you're talking in your sleep about them."

Nadya is about to give Jun piece of her mind about privacy. "He can't keep anything to himself," she groans. No seriously, she's killing Jun when she gets back. "What else did he say?"

"Nothing. He just said that they are pompous assholes."

"Well, that's about it," she smiles at Jun's description. It is spot on.

"Tell me about them."

"Why?"

"Conversation."

"Were not good at that," Nadya mumbles, and he simply nods. The silence between them drives her insane, and she groans. "Fine, what do you want to know?"

"Anything?" He shrugs. "We actually did a background check on everyone here. Theres not much information about you."

Nadya nods in understanding; her parents were secretive. "Well, I'm the first child, so they were always strict and demanding with me. When I didn't live up to expectations, they wanted to marry me off for connections. That's all there is to know, really. I didn't take that well and ran away," she explains briefly. It's not like he wants to know he needs to connect the dots in her files.

"Did they look for you?"

"I'm sure they were happy I was gone. They always said, I'm a burden anyway." Nadya smiles bitterly.

"How did you become, you know, a secret agent?"

"The agency literally grabbed my hand when I was walking home with my mom. They offered me to join a training program; honestly, I didn't even know what I was getting into," he admits. "After you join, it practically fights for survival. You have to improve fast or you're dropped out of the program."

Nadya understands the training, but what she does not get is why a parent would get their child involved in such stuff. Every child deserves a childhood. "Were your parents against it?"

"They were, but they also saw it as an opportunity. I didn't grow up rich or overly smart. They thought it would help us get out of a financial hole," he mutters. Nadya smiles at her own thought; they are complete opposites. At least in the financial situation, maybe that's why they struggle to get along.

"Well, did it?"

"It did."

"Your parents must be proud," Nadya utters, realizing they are really complete opposites. He's a son his family can be proud of, and she's the daughter the parents are ashamed to bring up.

"They are," he answers. Nadya stays silent; there's nothing she can add really; she's just jealous. "Every child deserves a loving family," he mumbles, noticing the girls behavior shift at the topic.

Nadya simply nods at what seems like kind words. She didn't think Hyunjin was capable of being nice. "Well, my family is the circus, so don't ever ask me again to put them in danger."

It's early in the morning, and Nadya is wide awake. Her throat is dry, as if she had been screaming, so she rushes to the kitchen. There she hears voices, each of those hushed and secretive.

"Anyone got something to share with the class?" Questions Chan.

"Not really," Felix answers. So they're clueless about the case. Great Melissa brought incompetent agents.

"Nothing makes sense. At first, I thought they were trying to scare the crew because they weren't actively trying to kill anyone, but now I'm terrified for my own life," Han chimes. They are terrified?! So how is Nadya supposed to feel? They can at least defend themselves.

"There are still people who haven't had any interactions with the murdered," states Seungmin. And that's just a plain fact. Nadya almost scoffs out loud, revealing herself to the boys.

"Yes, Jiah, Jun, Taraji, Azara, Misha," lists Chan.

"Does that make them the main suspects?" Questions Jeongin, genuine quriosity visible in his voice.

"Not necessarily," says Changbin. "See, if I were the killer, I would try to get myself off the suspect's list," he explains. Now that makes Nadya reconsider wherever they are imminent. He has a point.

"Get hurt on purpose?" Questions Hyunjin, another valid point. One Nadya didn't consider it because who in the right mind wants to hurt themselves? Who wants to hurt anyone at all? If they settle on the idea, she's a suspect too. Do they really think she paid someone to drown her in a pond?

"Exactly."

"But we can't know that for sure," Seungmin disagrees. "It looks like the murderer knows what he's doing. He could be trying to throw us off."

"Well, is anyone behaving weirdly?" Chan asks again.

"Everyone?" Suggests Han, "They didn't take the fire well."

"Nadya has been acting off way before that," Hyunjin murmurs.It's suspicious that although she got attacked, she didn't get severely hurt. She's fine." Suddenly all the respect she gained for him the day before vanishes; he thinks what happened to her is light punishment.

"Well, she would be dead if you hadn't followed her. I don't think it counts," states Minho.

"She still goes out alone, although she knows it is dangerous," Hyunjin argues. Why is he so keen on proving to them she's the killer?

"Seems more like suicidal behavior than murderous," Minho disagrees. Nadya can't believe her own ears; the guys had made their assumptions about everyone, including her. They don't know what they're talking about yet having a heated discussion, and she is the star of it.

"Well, I talked to her last night. She said some," he pauses, "disturbing stuff." Nadya frowns at his words; one bad day doesn't make her a murderous psychopath.

"If she is the killer, it's really bad. She knows about us," Chan states. Not him acting like I'll stab him in his sleep; she would have already if she wanted to. Maybe not; she hasn't seen the guy asleep. He must run on batteries.

"Why did you even tell her? You could've lied," questions Changbin, theres clear annoyance in his tone. Nadya liked him; she was nice and positive towards her, but suddenly she was the public enemy of theirs. All because of one night.

"I don't know; I panicked, and at the time she didn't seem dangerous. She was a victim," Hyunjin rambles.

"No one is blaming you, but you should be more careful who you're trusting," Chan lectures. Somehow it feels like a lecture to her as well. They see her as a possible threat, which means she can't trust them either.

They quiet down, and Nadya takes that as a cue to step in. The stairs make creaking noise as the girl climbs in. The boys heads turn towards Nadya in what seems like shock; however, Chan is the first to react. He clears his throat. "How much did you hear?"

"Oh, I heard plenty," she says; she's not even angry at them, just disappointed. At one of them in particular. Her eyes focus on Hyunjin, who stares at her wordlessly. She scoffs at his guilty expression. "You lied to me. I told you everything about my family because I thought you were genuinely curious, and this is what you do? Call me crazy behind my back," she laughs dryly. What did she even expect?

"No, it's not like that." Felix starts, but Nadya doesn't let him finish.

"Then what is it like? I thought we were on the same page; I'm glad to find out we are not," she states sparingly one last glance at Hyunjin before walking out. "You better sleep with one eye open."

As soon as she leaves, she hears footsteps rushing to catch up to her. Hyunjin grabs her wrist and she immediately shakes it off. "Don't be like this," he mumbles once the girl once again attempts to run off. She stops abruptly. Nadya has heard that before. Orion.

"Don't follow me," she mumbles and walks off. He had proven multiple times that they were not friends. Why should she bother?

"You're giving me a good reason to call you crazy," Hyunjin shouts, his voice quiet due to the distance.

"Maybe I am crazy!"

Thats it. She's not going to trust any of the guys with anything. None of them are her friends; they just want to make use of her. Like everyone. Why did she even think it was a good idea to spill her heart to that princess? If she could turn back time, she would not only smack him but suffocate him with that pillow. Maybe then he would be able to understand what it is like to drown? To feel the lungs catching fire and begging for help.

Everyone but Nadya went to visit Allen and Miguel in jail. They left her with the guys, whom they barely know yet trust blindly. They don't know the truth about their arrival; they could be the killers, yet they left her to keep them in check. Frankly, they are fully grown men, and she won't be treating them like babies like Taraji does. Shes not a babysitter.

There's not much Nadya can do in her free time, and she wants to avoid any interaction. She's still sulky, so she chooses to clean up one of the storage wagons. They haven't been cleaned in ages. Maybe if they had been, she wouldn't be kneeling here and scrubbing as if her life depends on it.

It takes a second for Nadya to realize what's happening as a string wraps around her throat and digs into her neck. She throws her head back in an attempt to free herself and gets a chance to look at her attacker. Same person dressed in black. Their face is covered. She tries to pry away his hands without any success.

Purely driven by adrenaline, she uses drastic measures. She falls back into her captor, tripping them both in the process. Then Nadya rushes to her feet and runs. She darts out of the wagon to the train station. There are always people inside, so she screams, hoping to attract someone's attention. No one seems to be around. Suddenly she places a wrong step right in the crack in the grass, and sharp pain travels down her ankle. She falls face flat to the ground yet soon gets pulled to her feet.

Shes dizzy. Both from the choking and the fall. The captain is just a shadow when he pulls her towards the rails. Theyre slightly uphill, and the rails are buried a few meters in the ground. A train horn honks, and Nadya is suddenly hyperaware of what he brought her there for. She attempts to scream, but a hand covers her mouth, and the noise comes out mumbled.

People are shouting in the distance; she hears voices at the back of her head, but all her mind is filled with is pure fear. The person abruptly pushes her down. Nadya falls those couple meters like a rag doll. Her hand hurts and her head as well. She makes an attempt to sit up, but the world in front of her eyes goes black. Her side hurts too, as does her neck. She drags her fingers against it, and they're a deep shade of red. The string had cut through the skin of her neck. She's bleeding, yet another reason to explain the dizziness.

She rests herself on her elbows, letting her head fall backwards. Suddenly there is a shadow shaking her awake. Nadya attempts to crawl backward, but once she opens her eyes, she recognizes Hyunjin's face. He grabs her chin and moves her head around. His mouth moves, but Nadya doesn't hear a thing.

The train honks once again, much closer this time. She turns her head and sees the front of it in the distance. Nadyas panicked, eyes lolling over at the boy in front of her for a solution, but his expression matches hers. They are both dead.

The train is right up ahead. It all happens in a second. Hyunjin bodyslams Nadya to the ground, his body weight successfully pinning her down. They are lying in the middle of the rails. His body is pressed against Nadyas, his face buried in the crook of her neck. He's breathing heavily into her ear while his fingers dig into Nadya's wrists as he holds them down. Theyre chest to chest.

The train approaches them, and Nadyas breath hitches, but it passes right over their heads. Damn, Nadya didn't think Hyunjin had this in himself. The guys share one brain cell between them. Even when the train passes and the sound starts to slowly fade, neither of them dares to move. That's until Changbin's obnoxiously loud voice breaks the silence. "It's not the time for hugging," he shouts.

Hyunjin practically jumps up and scrambles to his feet. Nadya pulls herself up to rest on her elbows once again. It still hurts. Hyunjin grabs her chin and tilts it to look at the girl's neck and winces, "That doesn't look good."

Nadya is sure of that. No need to tell her. "I'm fine," she argues. Her voice comes out weaker than she intended to.

He rolls his eyes at her subtly. "Can you stand?"

Nadya stretches her ankle. It seems fine, but she still lets down her pride and lets Hyunjin help her up. She's standing one minute and another makes a mistake. One step and sharp pain in her ankle almost makes Nadya fall over. Hyunjin grips the girl as if she would try to walk again. She's not that stupid.

He sighs before wrapping a hand around Nadya's thighs. Suddenly she's in his arms being carried like a princess. She would protest in any other circumstances and be embarrassed, but right now she doesn't have the energy to care. Nadya, just let him do whatever he wants.

It is a quite long trip to the station. Only there can you find steps up. To her, it seems like a second before she's at the station and the boys are gathering around like hyenas. Chan takes the girl from Hyunjin and carries her inside her van.

Suddenly Nadyas room turns into a public bus. They're all there staring at her like shes some circus animal. Maybe she is.

Nadya closes her eyes and falls into her bed. However, the guys have different plans and make her sit up. There's Hyunjin in front of her, and Chan is sitting beside her, making sure Nadya doesn't lie down. Light coming from above hurts Nadya's eyes. "I'm definitely in hell because if I went to heaven, your face wouldn't be the first thing I see," she utters, staring at Hyunjin, who is crouching in front of her.

He smiles, or maybe it was her imagination. "You're still on Mother Earth, so you better start taking in coherent sentences. I don't want to call an ambulance," Hyunjin shakes his head.

"I knew going out this easy is too good to be true," Nadya groans and attempts to fall back, but there's Chan.

"You think we should call an ambulance?" Hyunjin looks back at Chan.

Chan glances at Nadya. His eyes roam down her body. Over her bruised side and neck. "We probably should," he answers.

Chan stands up and approaches Nadya. Her focus falls on him instead of Hyunjin, who sits down next to her, making sure she sits straight. "Does your head hurt?"

"I don't know everything hurts," Nadya mumbles.

Then Chan looks back at the other guys. "Could she have hit her head on those rails?"

"Probably," Changbin chimes.

Then Nadya rests her head on the nearest object and closes her eyes. She's tired, and they're not letting her sleep.

Nadya wakes up in a hospital. She doesn't remember much of what happened, but the headache doesn't let her forget that this isn't just a regular visit to the doctor's office.

The doctor comes into the room. He's pretty young for a doctor but definitely older than her, at least by a decade. "Nice to see you awake, Nadya; do you remember what happened?"

"Vaguely," the girl utters. She just woke up from sleep. Of course, she doesn't remember much.

"That's good news. How is your head doing?"

"It feels like it is about to explode," she tells him honestly.

"You suffer from a mild concussion that's pretty common in patients," he replies. Makes sense. Her head hurt a lot.

"When can I leave?"

"I'm afraid I'll have to keep you here at least for a day just in case. Otherwise, you're good to go," he replies. Nadyas eyes dart around the room. It's white and plain. She hates it.

Then she remembers her ankle. It hurt like a bitch, although she cannot feel it right now. "What about?" Nadya nods toward her ankle, making it obvious what she's referring to.

"Your ankle should be fine in a few weeks. For now, keep it resting, and I'll prescribe you ointment for the bruising," the doctor explains. "I'll take my leave now. Some people want to talk to you," he smiles at Nadya as he stands up and leaves.

Jun barges through the door, almost knocking it out of the frame. "I left you alone for one day," he starts and approaches Nadya's bed. She rolls her eyes at him. "And now you're in a hospital."

"I'm fine, really. You could talk a little quieter though," she mumbles. His voice is making her headache worse at the moment. He's loud. He'd fit right in with those eight.

"Well, I'm glad you're alive," he mutters.

"Come on. Don't go soft on me now," Nadya mumbles. Her comment sends him over the edge. He's on the verge of crying. Jun moves away to let Taraji, who was standing by the door, approach the girl.

She sits down on the chair beside Nadya and pulls a bag of cookies out of her bag. "I brought you these. Homemade hopefully will make you get better soon," she places the bag on the counter.

"Thank you, although I'm not hungry," the girl utters. Her throat hurts as well; she wouldn't be able to swallow a single piece.

"Nonsense. How are you feeling?"

How is she feeling? She simply shrugs and regrets that immediately. Her ribs must be bruised as well. "Been better," she answers.

Taraji nods. Chan is peeking over the door, not daring to come in. Nadya glances at him briefly. "Glad you're doing well," he says once their eyes meet.

Then Nadya notices some of the other guys as well. Jeongin is peeking over Chan's shoulder, and Felix's blonde hair can be seen in the back.

They start pushing forward, and Chan has to hold them back by force. He looks at Nadya apologetically. "I swear I can't take them anywhere."

"I can't believe it's evening already," mumbles Taraji. "I'm sad to leave you by yourself," she pats Nadya's head. Then she places a short peck on top of her head.

"Hyunjin is staying," Chan mumbles from the doorway. She didn't even know the guy was here; he hadn't shown his face like the rest of the guys.

"Well, that's great news," Tarji claps and rushes Jun out of the room. She looks back over her shoulder. "Alright, heal and be safe," she shouts.

Chan lets her through, inviting himself in for a second. "It's a shame you got hurt once again. I'm sorry for letting this happen," he tells Nadya. He does seem genuinely sad, unlike a certain princess.

Nadya neaches out to touch his hand. "It's not your fault. I should've been more careful," she tells him, but he doesn't seem relieved. He glances back.

"Hyunjin is staying for your safety. Don't bite each other's throats," he tells her and leaves with one last wave, letting the girl comprehend his words.

And there comes the devil. He enters the room and drags the chair to the side without even acknowledging her presence. She didn't expect much from him, but this was not it. He crosses his arms on his chest, and then their eyes meet for a brief second. There's nothing better Nadya can do, so all she does is observe.

He's pretty. Nadya accepted that fact ever since she saw him for the first time. But now in this dim lighting, with our only light source coming from the corridor, he looks different. He looks dangerous. Shadows illuminate his features; he looks sharp. Dang it, she in fact hit her head.

He clears his throat. "So how are you?"

That is really what he wants to talk to her about. "Besides the fact that I almost died?" Nadya questions but doesn't give him a chance to answer, "Fine."

"Glad to see your humor is still intact," he mumbles, barely audible. What did he expect? She's not going to start loving him just because she hit her head.

Nadya decides to ignore his comment and go straight to the point, "Why are you here?"

"To make sure no one kills you while you're defenseless?"

"No. I mean, why you?" Nadya points in his direction. It doesn't make sense why, out of all of the boys, she's stuck with him. Both curse and a blessing. At least she won't be pampered by him.

"Chan wants us to make up."

The girl scoffs at that. "Do you want that?" She questions after a brief pause.

"Do you?"

"I don't care," she mutters.

"I was thinking," he starts, but Nadya interrupts him.

"You know how to do that?"

"I swear to god I'm not always the problem in this relationship," he mumbles under his nose. It's quiet, so Nadya still hears him. "So as I was saying, I was thinking we should reveal everyone our identities," he states.

Nadya blinks a few times. Who hit whose head again? "Wouldn't that cause problems?"

"Well, the biggest problem right now is people getting hurt," he states. He doesn't look her in the eye, yet his posture reveals everything there is to know. Hes ashamed.

"I think you're the one that hit his head. What made you change your mind?" She laughs and regrets that as well. Goddamn ribs.

He hesitates, full of malice as always. "You." He forces out a single word.

It takes Nadya a minute to register. "Pardon?"

"I thought you'd die on me, and I don't want anyone else to die. Not because of my stupid choices," he utters. Now Nadya doesn't know how to react. She wants to gloat and tell him she was right all along, but then again, he looks missable.

She cannot see him properly in the dark, but she sees him slouching more than before. He's upset about what happened to her. Odd considering just a day or so, he didn't care a bit. He said all our lives are irrelevant compared to the task given to him. He was prepared to sacrifice all of them to catch the killer. She doesn't get him.

"And about that morning. I'm sorry, I just assumed the worst."

"You don't have to tell me all of this because you feel guilty. Did Chan force you? Do you even mean it?"

"I do mean it. I know that you think you are alone against the world, but it's not like that. Everyone from the circus was so concerned. I'm convinced even Chan and the other boys got overly attached to you. Everyone loves you," he tells Nadya, but she still finds it hard to believe. He had lied to her before.

Speaking about Chan. Chan is just a golden guy. He is like a labrador in the human body. He looks intimidating at first glance, but after a short talk, you realize he's a good person. The rest of the boys are like that too. They love the attention. That's why they loiter around her and her crew. She had already accepted them into the family. Nadya expected them to mourn her if she dies, but after that morning she doesn't know what to think.

She's at a loss for words. "Goodnight, you should rest too," she dismisses the idea of further discussions and pulls up her covers. She's sure she won't fall asleep any time soon, but she can't bring herself to talk to him. To be vulnerable in front of him. Been there, done that. Didn't end well.

"Goodnight."