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r-o-s-e-f-i-r-e · 1 year

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idk i’ve been thinking for the last day about modern day corroded coffin, semi-successful in the local music scene, did a self-funded tour through six states last fall where they all lived in the van together and didn’t shower for four weeks, has a standing gig at the dive bar next to the highway and the strip club, they’re established, they have a small but dedicated local following, they —

“can’t play a WEDDING, are you fucking with me?” eddie says, when gareth shows him the text from his cousin who’s getting married in two weeks and who, as of last night, has no wedding band because they accidentally double booked themselves and gareth’s cousin had sent the deposit in late.

“i’ve explained to him so many times,” gareth says, furiously texting his cousin back, “we’re not that kind of band—”

except gareth’s cousin, instead of responding directly to gareth’s text outlining the musical thesis of corroded coffin or watching the youtube link gareth sends to the show last month where eddie got a black eye in the pit from someone in an inflatable garfield costume, just sends back —

“holy shit,” eddie croaks, looking at the string of zeros on the end of the number gareth’s cousin offers me to pay them in exchange for saving his ass and his wedding and his marriage, since his fiancé was demanding a live band. “that’s—”

“three months of rent for each of us,” gareth says, awed. “that’s buy actual fresh vegetables money. that’s go to the dentist money—”

“yeah, okay, give him my number,” eddie says.

so they spend the next two weeks practicing every white people wedding song they can think of. there’s no way they’ll be able to do, like, get low, tragically, but they can pull off the classics, especially after they bring chrissy onboard for vocals and keyboard. there are places where eddie draws the line — no fucking journey or especially insipid top 40 — but they can do some whitney. abba. fucking — mr. brightside. a lot of it is pretty simple, when you get down to it, “and people will be wasted anyway,” jeff reminds them. there’s an open bar at the six figure venue gareth’s cousin booked. hopefully everyone will be too hyped just hearing the opening baseline to i want you back to notice if they fumble anything hard.

rehearsal montage, chrissy takes the boys to the mall to buy suits montage (except for gareth who, like most transmasc dudes, already has a custom fitted and tailored suit ready to go in his closet; instead he makes catty remarks about brian’s tie choices.) chrissy makes eddie put his hair up and eddie makes jeff shave the experimental mustache he’s been growing and eventually the day of the wedding arrives and they load up the van and drive 45 minutes to the six figure waterfront reception venue.

they riff for about ten minutes while the whole wedding party makes their grand entrance into the massive tent set up on the lawn, ending with gareth’s cousin and his new wife dancing in, the whole crowd screaming and clapping. it’s cute, eddie thinks, vamping as long as he can while gareth’s cousin’s best man takes the mic and introduces the new couple and directs everyone to their seats for dinner.

and meanwhile: best man is frankly one of the hottest dudes eddie’s ever seen. he’s got longish brown hair that he keeps pushing out of his eyes, full lips, an insane shoulder to waist ratio, big hands. eddie sneak looks at him while they play a bunch of low key jazzy standards for people to eat their expensive dinner to. he’s sitting with his arm around the shoulders of a girl with shaggy auburn hair, and they keep leaning in to whisper to each other and giggle, so. oh well. but it doesn’t hurt to look, eddie thinks, watching the guy take his suit jacket off and roll up his sleeves and make a toast to gareth’s cousin and his new wife’s long and joyful marriage.

once most people have had their plates cleared away jeff turns to eddie and the rest of the band and nods, once, and while chrissy plays the opening synth chords to i wanna dance with somebody, jeff turns his front man showmanship deal all the way up.

it’s good. people are fucking hyped, so they throw themselves into it, feeding off the crowd’s energy, and almost no one is more hyped than mr. best man. he’s jumping up and down, his arms around gareth’s cousin and his wife. he knows every word to dancing in the dark (hot). when they transition into robyn’s dancing on my own he turns to the girl with auburn hair and points at her and screams. cute, eddie thinks, watching best man pick her up and spin her around while she downs her wine and shouts along. okay, really fucking hot, eddie thinks, when he finally pulls his loosened tie all the way off and unbuttons the top two buttons of his shirt and eddie can see a hint of chest hair peeking out.

they slow it down for the first dance. it’s the leon bridges one everyone always does, but it’s perfect in jeff’s range, and there is not a single dry motherfucking eye in the audience. they do a couple more slow ones, throughout the night. best man dances with his girlfriend and then gareth’s grandmother and then with every child under the age of 10, letting them stand on his shoes while he twirls them around. how is this guy fucking real, eddie thinks, which of course is when best man notices eddie looking right at him and their eyes meet. best man looks a little flustered, at first, and then grins at eddie, right at him, before spinning the flower girl around in dizzying circles.

jesus christ, eddie thinks.

they’re closing out the night on the only other request gareth's cousin gave them: the one from the end of dirty dancing. jeff thanks the crowd, offers his congratulations to gareth’s cousin, and then goes right into it. except as jeff sings the first line everyone absolutely loses their shit, turning to best man and jumping around him and one of the bridesmaids. what the fucking hell, eddie thinks, keeping one ear on jeff and chrissy’s duet and one ear on the crowd piling around best man “—you guys HAVE to, dude, you’ve GOT to—“ but whatever it is he has to do is not immediately apparent to eddie. best man dances in a circle with the rest of the wedding party and auburn hair and the bride and groom, shout-singing along, and then during the build up to the second prechorus gareth’s cousin’s wife and her bridesmaids start pushing everyone to the sides of the dance floor, so there’s a long space in the middle, so the bridesmaid with curly dark hair is at one end and best man is at the other end and oh my god is he actually going to —

the bridesmaid runs and then launches herself at best man, who lifts her perfectly, right on cue at the peak of the second chorus, his hands steady on her hips while she floats her arms out in front of her just like jennifer grey. they hold it for a few moments while everyone loses their fucking minds and takes a thousand pictures. eddie actually takes his hand off his guitar for a minute. he thinks his mouth is open. he can see the muscles in best man’s arms flexing under his white button up shirt as he carefully lowers the bridesmaid back to the ground, laughing, his eyes scrunched up in joy.

eddie is maybe a little bit in love.

they close it out. the whole crowd whistles and stomps and applauds for them, which feels pretty good, eddie’s not gonna lie. as they start packing it up and high fiving each other and a couple people come over to ask if they have a card, if they’re still booking for next year or the year after (what?) gareth’s cousin comes over and hugs every single one of them, almost in tears, and then adds another 2k to the check he writes for them. eddie pulls out his cigarettes right then and there.

“steve, come meet the band,” he yells, when steve and auburn hair walk past. “gareth saved my whole ass, oh my god —“

“you guys were fucking incredible,” steve says, grinning, shaking gareth’s hand. “best wedding band i’ve heard in years —“

“they’re not even a wedding band!” gareth’s cousin shouts. “they’re like metal — moshing — thrash, i don’t know, LOUD—“

“whoa,” steve says. he pushes his hair out of his eyes and then turns that blinding smile right on eddie. eddie feels struck by it, wants to stagger back like he’s taken an actual blow. “cool, so you guys — play locally, or —?”

“oh my god,” his girlfriend says, rolling her eyes; steve elbows her in the side.

“i like your guitar,” steve says, gesturing at the warlock eddie’s still holding in his non-cigarettes hand.

“oh, uh, thanks,” eddie says.

“it’s a cool shape,” steve says, stepping closer, flicking his eyes down and then back up to meet eddie’s. there’s sweat gathered along his hairline, dampening the ends of his hair. behind him, his girlfriend coughs something loudly that sounds vaguely like slut.

eddie feels his eyebrows go way up.

“uh, thanks, shapes are. you know. shapes are great,” eddie says, nonsensical. he sees gareth shoot him an incredulous look out of the corner of his eye.

“can i bum one?” steve says, looking down to the cigarettes in eddie’s hand.

“totally,” eddie says. “let me just—“ he holds the warlock aloft and gestures to the open guitar case.

“sure,” steve says. he waits around while eddie hustles through getting his shit sorted out and then turns away politely while eddie has a silent desperate telepathic conversation with the rest of the boys, who roll their eyes and make their way over to the still open, still free bar.

where auburn hair is standing and talking to chrissy, putting a hand on chrissy’s arm while she laughs at something chrissy says.

hm, eddie thinks.

“so,” eddie says, walking out from under the tent with steve, down towards the water, awash in the moonlight. he holds out his cigarettes. “you like springsteen?”

#here have some dumb shit #steddie #stranger things #yes the joe keery dirty dancing lift video is playing in my head 24/7 #mine

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lottins-only · 1 month

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I love you, it's ruining my life | Part III

pairing: Kylian x black!Reader

warnings: some nsfw (?) content

word count: 6.9k

part one, part two

A/N: this one is a bit long 🫠 Thank you to those who read the first two parts, and to those who sent me sweet messages🙏🏾Inbox is open, so please do let me know your thoughts !! <3

III. December 2022

“What are those for?”

Y/N followed Ethan’s inquisitive gaze to the top of her tote bag . She quickly shoved down the bags of candy peeking out, trying to conceal their abundance. She knew she’d packed way too many, but more meant better options, she’d reasoned. Especially since the person they were meant for had the sweet tooth of a 5 year old.

“Oh, you know me, I always have to have snacks on me” She lied.

Ethan looked at her like she was a madman, then shook his head before turning his attention to his phone. They were sitting outside at a luxurious hotel that served as the base camp of the French National Team for the duration of the World Cup. With the final only a few days away, the FFF had organized a “fun day” for the players to unwind with their loved ones. There were bouncy castles and inflatable slides littered around the lawn for children, while the irresistible aroma of barbecue wafted through the air. Kylian was somewhere entertaining his niece and nephew, and was hanging out with his parents as well. Y/N and Ethan, introverts as they were, spent most of their time chilling on the lounge chairs drinking mojitos (Virgin mojitos for Ethan; he’d tried to convince her to let him have a try from her drink but she’d refused).

Y/N was enjoying herself. Truly savoring every moment. A one month-long, all-expenses-paid trip to watch her best friend play in the World Cup? She couldn’t have submitted her PTO request fast enough.

“It’s probably only going to be 2 weeks though” Kylian had said to her half- jokingly when he’d proposed the idea over the phone. He was referring to the “winner's curse”, the jinx that often saw past winners exit the tournament in the group stages. But against all odds, France was once again in the final of the World Cup.

She opened her phone, dismayed to find zero new messages from her boyfriend of 8 months, Lucas. They had met when she moved to Madrid straight after graduating from university. She’d found a job at a small public health non-profit, and Lucas had been one of the few people working there that was her age. They’d quickly struck up a friendship, and he’d immediately asked her out after he left that job a few years later. It was a no-brainer for Y/N to say yes. He was good looking, charming, and made her laugh. Besides, it was well past the time to move on from Kylian.

For his part, Kylian had been ecstatic when she’d returned to Europe. They had grown closer after both of their moves, despite the distance. They facetimed at least once a week, and it sort of became a tradition for Kylian to give her a quick call before games. They’d text regularly too, their conversations meandering from trivial topics to deep confessions. Once, she’d mentioned that she used “Study with me” YouTube videos for her study sessions, as it was a way to keep herself accountable.

“I could do that with you, you don’t need stupid youtube videos” he’d said confidently over the phone.

She’d laughed. “You can’t shut up for 2 minutes if your life depended on it, Ky”

“No, I can” he’d said seriously. “I want to, for you”

And so they’d formed another tradition. They’d sit silently on facetime for hours and hours, Y/N poring over her books and notes, and Kylian in his room alone doing god knows what. He’d check in on her every once in a while, always encouraging. She knew that he had a busy life and few precious hours to himself, so she was grateful that he’d decided to spend that time with her, doing something that had no immediate benefit to him whatsoever.

They’d opened up more about their love lives as well, as they’d promised to each other back in Monaco. She didn’t volunteer any information herself, because it was still a little weird, but she’d answer questions if he probed. It was a lot less easy for Kylian to hide things from her, thanks to his growing fame. She’d only have to scroll through her explore page on Instagram or go through gossip websites to find detailed information about any woman who so much as breathed next to him. He’d continued dating people after the breakup with Sophia, which had happened only a month after her visit in Monaco. But much to her relief, it was never serious with anyone. She’d once seen pictures of him in the stands at the Parc des Princes with a blonde actress, and that old feeling of jealousy had snuck up on her like it had never left. But just two weeks later, Kylian informed her that it was over.

She had mentioned Lucas to him pretty early on in the relationship. Like she expected, he’d made a bad joke out of it. Something about HR needing to be alerted. She’d reminded him, rather annoyed, that Lucas no longer worked at her workplace. He didn’t say anything after that, quickly changing the subject. One day, however, Lucas mentioned something that gave her pause.

“You know something crazy that happened to me today?” He’d laughed. They were lounging on her couch in her apartment, watching a movie. “Kylian Mbappe liked a picture of mine on Instagram, from like 6 years ago”

She’d furrowed her eyebrows. Lucas was a huge football fan, but Y/N still hadn’t mentioned her friendship with Kylian. It had only been a month of them seeing each other, and about 3 days after she’d told Kylian about him.

“Yeah, look” Lucas brought out his phone and showed her a screenshot. Sure enough, Kylian’s username was under a picture of Lucas’ dated December 2016. Lucas was a regular poster on Instagram, so Kylian must have scrolled far back to find that picture. She raised her eyebrows in surprise.

“I know right?” Lucas had said. “Funny thing is, it disappeared just a few seconds after I got the notification. So random.”

She imagined THE Kylian Mbappe in his bed late at night, lurking on Instagram, accidentally liking an old picture and then hurriedly unliking.

“Yeah” she had said, a smile tugging at her lips. “Random”

As Y/N’s thoughts drifted back to the present, she glanced at her phone again. Still empty. After a rocky couple weeks of arguments, Y/N and Lucas decided to go on a break. Lucas had grown distant and less affectionate. He was less present when they spent time together, and was generally making less effort in the relationship. It had been a punch to the gut when he’d forgotten her birthday two weeks ago. She hadn’t said anything; he’d only realized when he saw the huge bouquet of flowers from Kylian sitting on her dining table.

That was also another sore spot in their relationship; Lucas was not at all comfortable with her friendship with Kylian. He hadn’t mentioned it, and she had made a point to tone down the constant texting and calling as soon as they became official, but she could still see it in the way he behaved. The World Cup trip was the tipping point. She couldn’t blame him; Her male best friend, who was one of the most famous footballers in the world, was bankrolling a one month trip for her to watch him play on the world’s biggest stage. It would be a hit to the ego for any man. But frankly, she was tired. She was tired of him, and she wanted time away from him. And so the break began.

She did not miss him, if she was being honest with herself. Yet, she couldn’t help checking her phone to see if he’d reached out. Lucas was the only person she’d been seriously interested in, besides Kylian. Maybe it wasn’t wise to give up on something good over a bad month or so. A tiny, insecure part of her told her she’d never find someone who liked her just as much as Lucas.

“Hi there” A deep voice cut through her thoughts. She looked up to see a very handsome face.

He stood tall in the dark blue tracksuit of the French national team, smiling at her broadly. She recognized him immediately.

“Hi” She responded shyly, having never spoken to Kylian’s national team teammates before.

“Saw you from over there” Aurelien Tchouameni pointed to the mini basketball court, where some other players were shooting hoops. “And you’re really pretty”

Straight to the point, then. Ethan snorted from across the table.

“Uh.. thanks” She said nervously. “I have a boyfriend though”

Aurelien glanced at Ethan, then at her. Realization dawned on his face, and he held up his hands apologetically. “Oh, you’re Y/N! I should’ve realized… So you and Kylian finally got together, huh?”

“W-What?” She blabbered. Ethan was now laughing. “No, we’re not dating. Just friends”

“Oh” Aurelien said, his eyebrows furrowing. “Sorry. It’s just that he always talks about you”

“Really?”

“Yeah, whenever we talk about shows and music and stuff, he’s always like Y/N recommended this, Y/N said that”

“Yeah, he basically stole my entire personality” She deadpanned, trying to feel less awkward.

He laughed, nodding in agreement. “Well, you guys have fun. And sorry about that, I just had to shoot my shot”

He winked and walked away as quickly as he’d appeared.

She turned to Ethan, who was no doubt opening his mouth to tease her. She held up her hand. “Don’t even”

*************

Y/N unloaded the contents of her tote bag on the bed, spilling out every type of candy Kylian had ever enjoyed. She turned to him, smiling proudly. “There you go, Monsieur”

Kylian’s eyes lit up as he grabbed a bag of M&Ms and tore it open. “Thank you” he said with a dimpled grin.

He’d texted her the day before asking her to grab him some candy, and she was happy to oblige. Kylian was the most disciplined person she’d ever met, but everyone deserves a cheat day—especially someone who’d made it to his second World Cup final at 23. She’d waited until they were alone in his room to give him the treats, careful to not be seen by any of the coaching staff.

She leaned back on her chair and opened her phone, once again checking for new messages.

“Stop that” Kylian scolded.

“Stop what?” She asked innocently.

“I know what you’re doing” he said. “I can’t believe you’re the one who’s hung up on him while he’s the asshole. It should be the other way around”

“I’m not hung up on him” She said, flustered. “I’m just…”

“You’re checking your phone every 5 minutes” He cut in. “You deserve someone who gives you their full attention and consideration, you know”

And why can’t that person be you?

The door burst open and Ethan walked in, his eyes immediately landing on all the candy.

“I knew it!” He pointed at her, accusatorial. “I knew it was for him”

She shrugged apologetically.

Ethan happily opened a bag of Haribos, and turned to his brother, a mischievous look on his face. “Did she tell you about Tchouameni?”

“What about him?” Kylian responded absentmindedly, his attention on his phone.

“He hit on her” Ethan said grinning “And then when he found out who she was he said he thought you two were dating”

An idea unfurled in Y/N’s head. “He’s so hot” she said. “Maybe I should ask for his number. Might as well, right? Since Lucas and I are basically done…”

“No” Kylian’s voice rose slightly. “No, don’t do that.”

“Why not?” She asked “You just said I deserve someone who gives me attention. Aurelien seems like the type”

He was fidgeting now, irritation clearly written on his face. “Athletes are assholes, haven’t you heard that before? Also, it would be weird for you to date my teammate”

“Are you saying you’re an asshole?” She asked

“No, but.. Just trust me” He turned his attention back to his phone, clearly uncomfortable.

*************

Y/N wasn’t much of a football fan, but she knew that the match she just witnessed was one of the best ever played. The highs and lows, the split second moments that changed the trajectory of the whole game, the sheer unpredictability of the whole thing. Every single movement made by the players felt like the tipping point. The atmosphere inside the stadium was electric, a living, breathing entity fueled by the passion and excitement of the fans watching. By the time the Argentinian player had kicked the final penalty to seal his country’s win, she was overwhelmed by a deep feeling of sadness. So much so, that she felt tears prick her eyes. She looked down at Kylian, only a small figure from her seat in the stands. His shoulder was slumped, his entire body deflated. He had given his all, and yet he had lost. Teammates and coaching staff alike kept coming up to him to comfort him. She desperately wanted to go over to him, to hold him, but she knew she couldn’t enter the pitch until after the medal ceremony.

She saw him and his teammates retreat into the tunnels just as Messi lifted up the World Cup to the cheer of thousands. She turned to his family and friends, with whom she’d been cheering in elation at Kylian’s equalizing goal just a few minutes ago.

“Go” his father urged her “The only person he’d want to see right now is you”

She didn’t need to be told twice. She weaved her way through the stadium, flashing her VIP access lanyard when met with security, and asking for directions once or twice. She passed through the final set of security before finding herself outside the French team’s locker rooms. She informed the guard outside who she was looking for. He went inside, and moments later, came back out with Kylian.

Her heart nearly shattered at the sight of him. He kept his head down, but she could see his eyes were bloodshot. Without a word, she wrapped him in a tight hug, feeling him shake silently in her embrace. She had never seen Kylian cry before.

“Hey” she murmured softly. “It’s okay”

He buried his face in her shoulder, his breath hitching with each silent sob. Her own tears slipped down her cheeks. He gently let go a few moments later, and they sat down on the floor, leaning against the hallway wall.

“I thought we had it” He said, his voice cracking.

“ I know you did” She said gently, wiping a tear falling down his cheeks. “ You gave your everything. Sometimes it just comes down to luck, Ky. There’s nothing you can do about it” She took his hand and squeezed it reassuringly.

Kylian nodded, but she knew he didn’t believe her. Knowing him, this night would haunt him for a long time.

“Thank you for being here” His voice was steadier now. He leaned his head on her shoulder.

“Always” She whispered.

They sat there for some minutes, watching the hallway slowly become filled with the families of the other players. Her heart warmed at the sight of Griezmann’s daughters comforting their father. Her thumb was slowly caressing the back of Kylian’s hand. Turning slowly, she kissed his forehead. She wondered if they looked like a couple just then, with their hands joined in her lap and her lips on his forehead.

***************

It was 2 days after that disappointing night in Qatar, and two nights since Y/N had been unceremoniously dumped over the phone.

The weight of the defeat had lingered that night, sucking the energy out of everyone. By the time Y/N and the Mbappes returned to the hotel, the atmosphere was thick with sadness and disappointment. She’d gotten the call just as she’d walked into her hotel room. Lucas’ voice had been calm and detached as he’d delivered the news she had dreaded: their relationship was over. The entire conversation was a blur, but there were bits and pieces that stung so much it still echoed in her head. “ I don’t feel that connection anymore” to “I’m clearly second choice here” and “you’ve been lying to yourself all this time”. She’d cried herself to sleep, overwhelmed by a storm of heartache and confusion.

She had planned to go straight to Madrid after the final but decided to hide out with her parents in Paris for a couple days. It was now the 20th, Kylian’s birthday. She hadn’t spoken to him since coming back to Paris, caught up in her own heartbreak, but she’d received an invitation for a birthday dinner via his assistant. It took everything in her to drag herself out of bed and to get ready.

The restaurant was one of the most famous in Paris, and Kylian’s personal favorite. He’d reserved the entire space for his friends and family. It was cozy, with dimmed lights and ambient music blending in with the chatter of the guests. A single long table stretched across the room, dotted with candlelight.

As Y/N made her way through the room, she greeted everyone – Kylian’s parents, his brothers, his closest teammates, his close friends, and other acquaintances. To her embarrassment, she’d been the last guest to arrive. His assistant guided her to the only open seat left, right next to Kylian.

“No one wants to sit next to the birthday boy?” She quipped as she took her place.

“Was saving it for you” He replied. He looked handsome in a blue Dior sweater and black denim jeans. His tan from Qatar was already fading, and he had a small smile playing on his face. They chatted for a bit, asking each other about their respective heartbreaks, before becoming engrossed in the lively conversations surrounding them.

At one point, they caught each other’s eyes. The candlelight was casting strange shadows on his face. She smiled at him, and without thinking, poked at one of his dimples. “I’m really glad you were born, by the way”

“ I know” His eyes sparkled with amusement. His arm was draped casually over the back of her chair, their faces close. He gently tugged at a single braid of her hair with his other hand and murmured, “I like your hair like this. It’s new right?”

It was indeed new. She’d decided to try boho braids for the first time.

You deserve someone who gives you their full attention and consideration, you know.

Someone cleared their throat, and they sprung apart. It was the waitstaff, ready to serve appetizers. They spoke sparingly as they ate. Kylian, the menace that he was, kept reaching for bites from her plate. She elbowed him whenever he did, but she didn’t hesitate to steal from his plate as well.

After everyone had eaten and all the food was cleared, a huge cake with 24 individual candles was brought out. She made sure to take a video of Kylian smiling as everyone sang Joyeux Anniversaire, giggling at how awkward he looked.

“Make a wish first!” Someone called just as he was about to blow out the candles.

He paused, his gaze locking with Y/N’s over her phone screen as he playfully pointed a finger at her. He continued blowing out his candles, never breaking eye contact with her. A chorus of laughter came from the guests at his antics, and Y/N felt her face burn as she put down her phone.

“He’s so down bad for her…” She could hear Tchaga snigger. Another ripple of laughter broke out from the guests at his comment. She wished the ground would open up and swallow her at that moment.

The laughter and celebration gradually tapered off after some time, and Y/N and some other friends were invited by Kylian to his apartment for some drinks. He had training the next day and didn’t want to do some heavy clubbing.

The sound of easy laughter and the clinking of glasses filled Kylian’s apartment. Y/N and Kylian were sitting on the couch in his living room, their bodies close together despite them being the only occupants. They were reminiscing about the time Kylian had tried to convince her to play in a school tournament. There was a rule that the teams had to be mixed, and not a lot of girls wanted to play. He’d begged Y/N to join, and she’d reluctantly accepted on the condition that he’d buy her a teddy bear if they won. They were playing for a plastic trophy that cost 2 euros, yet Kylian treated it like it was life or death. They won, and Y/N got her teddy bear.

“I still have that teddy bear, you know” she said.

“Yeah?”

“Uh-huh. It’s probably my favorite gift I’ve ever received”

He hummed, clearly pleased. She didn’t know when and how, but her leg was slung over his. His hand was on her, his fingers softly tracing lines up and down her calf.

“So, I’m your birthday wish huh?” She knew she wouldn’t be bold enough to say those words any other time, but here they were. The physical proximity was like a promise of something greater happening.

“Yup” He met her eyes confidently, his eyes shining.

“Maybe you should’ve started small though. Like a kiss?” She tried her best to sound flirtatious.

He laughed, “Ok. Let me redo the wish”

He cleared his throat and closed his eyes, a small smile still playing on his lips. He put his palms together as if in prayer and said in a deep, affected voice, “ Dear Universe, for my 24th birthday, I wish to receive a kiss from Y/N”

Without skipping a beat, she leaned in and slanted her lips over his. She could feel his breath hitch, like he hadn’t expected her to do that. It hardly took a second for him to kiss back though. It was slow, sensual. Tender and exploratory. His tongue brushed her lips before slipping inside, and she welcomed him with a soft sigh. The hand that had been on her calf quickly moved to her hips, and his other hand gently cupped her face. Her stomach was a puddle, and she was glad that they were sitting down because she was sure her knees would’ve given out if they were standing. The kiss deepened and went on and on and on, until they had to break away for air. He looked dazed, his lips glistening from her shiny lipgloss.

He quickly put his lips back on her, but Y/N pulled away.

She pressed her lips over his ear and murmured, “You need to tell everyone to leave. Now”

Kylian quickly waved Tchaga over and whispered in his ear urgently. Y/N didn’t feel a trace of shame when Tchaga shot her a knowing, teasing look. She was just happy that he was making quick work of announcing that the party was over and ushering everyone out of Kylian’s apartment.

No sooner had the apartment emptied and the door slammed behind Tchaga that she climbed his lap. She was able to get one sloppy kiss in before Kylian pulled away breathlessly. “We need to get to my room”

And so he hoisted her up and effortlessly walked them all the way up the stairs and into his bedroom. They kissed fiercely as he gently put her down on his bed. Kylian scrambled out of his sweater as she unbuttoned her shirt. He helped her out of her skirt and then her tights.

She rolled over and climbed on top of him, finding him as ready as she was. Lustful brown eyes stared openly at her pale pink underwear. “Do you have?” She asked frantically.

“Yeah, in the drawer”

She leaned sideways, stretching her body to reach the bedside drawer. She found the box pretty easily and grabbed one from it. He was still staring at her hungrily. With shaking hands, she unhooked her bra and took it off.

He kissed her neck, her breasts, her stomach. Her hands caressed his biceps, his chest, his torso. This was years of desire she’d harbored, finally unleashed. His mouth brushed over her lower torso before his fingers deftly removed the last remaining piece of clothing on her body. She unbuckled his belt buckle and removed his jeans and boxers at the same time. His breathing was shallow and rapid as she ripped the foil open and rolled it on him. She lowered herself onto him slowly, and they both gasped.

They were chest to chest, their hearts drumming together. They moved together in a steady rhythm, watching each other, checking in on each other with their eyes. Is this okay? How about this? And this?

She wanted him closer, deeper. It was never enough. They breathed into each other's mouths, tongues meeting sloppily. Breaking apart, their foreheads met. Their eyes said a million little things at once. Time and space had no meaning anymore for Y/N. There was only Kylian.

* **************

It turned out that if you’d wanted something badly for a very long time, and then you finally got that thing, it didn’t necessarily mean that you'll have enough of that thing. Sometimes, it could leave you wanting more and more. Case in point: Y/N.

They woke up midday with bodies hot and sweaty and limbs tangled together in the sheets. They had laid there for an hour or so, kissing languidly. He somehow already knew what she liked, the moves that made her moan and gasp.

“I could do this forever” he’d murmured as his lips softly trailed after hers. But his alarm rang out just then, a stark reminder of real life. They both sighed reluctantly as they pulled away. He had to get up and get ready for his afternoon training.

She laid there, silently watching him get dressed. She was mesmerized by every movement of his beautiful, lean yet muscular body. Her own personal Adonis. It was a wonder she’d been able to keep her hands off him. He caught her looking at him and smirked, winking at her. She just rolled her eyes.

Once he’d gotten ready and packed his bag, he came over to her on the bed and showered her face with affectionate kisses. “I’ll come back in the evening. Feel free to just chill here.” He said between kisses on her forehead, lips, cheeks, chin. “I’ll leave a spare key by the door though”

She nodded happily, giving him one last tender kiss. He stepped out, and she was left to bask in the lingering warmth of his affection. Her mind replayed the memories of the night before, and she felt like the happiest person alive. Now that she got a taste of him, she wanted more of him. As if on cue, her phone pinged with a text.

Ky: I miss you already 🙁

She giggled, quickly typing out a I miss you tooo before getting up and hopping in the shower. It was only when she got out that she realized she didn’t have a change of clothes, and unless she wanted to walk into her parents apartment dressed the same way she’d left it yesterday, she needed to put on something else. She walked into Kylian’s closet and grabbed the nearest T-shirt and sweatpants, as well as some slippers. She quickly snapped a mirror pic after changing and sent it to Kylian, typing heading to my parents for a bit.

The reply was almost instant.

Ky: 😍 😍

Ky: don’t forget to grab stuff you need.

She smiled, loving the implication she’d spend the night again. At her parents, she grabbed Kylian’s gift that she’d forgotten to take with her the night before, as well as a change of clothes. She came back to Kylian’s place and answered work emails and completed other miscellaneous tasks concerning her job.

He was back in the early evening, just as promised. The passion of the night before had faded and the afterglow of the morning had subsided, meaning there was nothing to embolden either of them. Thus, they treaded lightly around each other. Their looks were furtive, their touches tentative. Kylian, the least shy person she’d ever met, had somehow turned uncharacteristically quiet. Yet, they were both undeniably giddy. She could see it in the way he broke into an inexplicable smile whenever he caught her eye during dinner, and in the way she was in the best mood she’d been in for a long time.

This illusion of coyness evaporated as they settled on the couch after dinner, Kylian turning on a tactical video the PSG staff had instructed him to view. The video was on for less than 2 minutes before their focus shifted entirely and they began to make out.

“You’re too distracting,” he said between kisses as she giggled.

“Yeah?”

His lips shifted to her neck. “I think kissing you is my favorite thing to do”

He was biting there, sure to leave a mark.

“Well second favorite” he corrected himself.

She took off her T-shirt and straddled him. He continued, his hands softly gripping her waist “Second place is kissing you. First place is obviously playing football—”

He was momentarily interrupted as she took his own T-shirt off. “—tied with fucking you”

His shit eating grin was the last thing she saw before he flipped her over and sent her sprawling comfortably on the cushions.

***********************

It was unfortunate that they had a game on new year’s eve, but Y/N liked the ambiance at the Parc des Princes. The stadium was buzzing with a special, festive energy for Kylian’s first match after the World Cup final. She was seated in the VIP section along with his parents, brother, and Tchaga and had jumped up and down when Kylian scored the last minute winner. He’d never say it, but she knew he needed that confidence boost.

In the past week, she’d gotten to know a completely different part of him – one her lovesick teenage self could only have dreamed of, and that her more cynical young adult self had never thought she’d experience.

For example, she’d always known that he loved taking care of his loved ones, but she hadn’t spent a single dime during her stay with him. Any purchases she thought of making, he insisted on paying for. He’d even surprised her with a package containing everything from her wishlist after he saw her browsing her favorite store online. His generosity extended to small things like sharing food (which he was notoriously known for disliking), and thoughtful gestures like arranging a work space for her in one of his spare rooms. He endearingly loved using pet names, alternating between “bébé” and “chérie”, and her heart did somersaults when she heard him use those in everyday conversation.

She learned intimate details too, thanks to their newfound physical closeness. The birthmark on his lower back that she loved pressing kisses to. How scratching his head would put him to sleep almost instantly. She learned about his preferences as well; he was most definitely an ass man – it was evident by the way he never passed up a chance to feel her up when they were by themselves. Now, she committed everything she learned to memory, seeing Kylian in hues she never thought existed.

The days after his birthday were perfect to her, it felt like she was living a dream. Lucas and Madrid were so far from her mind that it was as if the break up had happened a year ago. The person she’d been pining after for ages seemingly liked her back. She was at her happiest.

There was one issue that gnawed at her, however. It bothered her that they had never spoken about what they were, or where their relationship was heading. She’d thought that the fact they had slept together was a mutual admission of serious feelings, that they had an unspoken agreement. Yet, the more she thought about it, the more she realized they hadn’t actually talked about it. The first two days or so, she’d been on cloud 9, swept away by the euphoria of it all. But now, as reality set it, it was torturing her.

A buzz of excitement filled the VIP lounge as a small crowd gathered around the entrance. She suspected it was Kylian and his entourage; he’d promised to come up to the lounge after the game. Sure enough, in walked Kylian’s bodyguards, followed closely by the man of the match himself.

He made the rounds first, meeting all the important people in the room, taking pictures and making small talk. He finally made his way to his family and friends. He came to Y/N last, and there was an awkward shuffle when he went in for a peck on the lips as a greeting, and Y/N instinctively aimed for his cheek. They laughed it off, and she gave him the kiss he’d wanted. Ethan let out a loud “ew!”, and Y/N flushed, looking at the ground. So far, none of their family and friends had had visible reactions to the recent developments in their relationship. No one had said anything when they’d shown up holding hands at Kylian's family Christmas party a week ago; it was almost like they expected it, as if they believed this was the natural culmination of Y/N and Kylian’s 10+ years long friendship and not an unexpected turn of events.

“ I have something for you” she murmured after it was just the two of them speaking, indicating a small gift bag she was holding.

He raised his eyebrows. “Oooh. What’s in there?”

“It's your birthday gift” She said as she handed it to him. “I was supposed to bring it to dinner but I forgot. I brought it to your apartment the next day but it slipped my mind again”

“And here I was thinking my gift was the mind blowing sex” He said grinning.

She shoved him playfully, rolling her eyes. As he reached to open the bag, her stomach started fluttering.

Someone slid up to him just then, whispering in his ear.

“ Give me one second, I’ll be back” he said apologetically as he dropped the bag on the nearest table and was whisked away, no doubt to meet some other important person that was there to see him.

She sighed, her shoulders slumping. The gift was a scrapbook she’d made herself, chronicling their long friendship. She’d hoped it would help open up the conversation about their current situation.

“Fancy a drink?”

It was one of the waiters, holding a tray of colorful looking drinks. She graciously took one.

“New here? I’m never seen you in the lounge before”

He seemed polite enough. “Uh, yes. I’m here with…my boyfriend” She tested the word on her lips, her eyes on Kylian across the room.

The waiter followed her gaze and snorted. “He has a girlfriend? I’d sooner believe Macron quit the presidency to be a mime”

He blanched as soon as he realized she was serious. “I- I meant-”

“What?”

He looked at the ground. “He just- I see a different model every other week here. They're almost always his guests”

She opened her mouth, but he beat her to it. “Look, just forget I said anything. It’s not my place.” He looked at her pleadingly. “Please don’t get me fired”

He scurried off before she could say anything.

She glanced at her gift bag, left forgotten on the table. He was now taking pictures with a group of older people. Her eyes started to well up, and she walked out of the room. She kept going until she found herself outside, ordering an Uber. She sent him a text as she got in the car:

Y/N: going home to deal with some stuff, think I’ll spend the night there

She closed her eyes, tears now sliding down her cheeks.

*******************

She barely slept that night, spending hours on her phone looking up the many women Kylian had been linked with. She went through their instagrams, her mind treacherously comparing each one to herself, as if she could measure her worth against their curated, seemingly perfect lives. She came across photos of Kylian on yachts, laughing with bikini-clad blondes. The comments on the photos only twisted the knife deeper – some criticized him as a “playboy” , while others mocked him with a dismissive “typical footballer”. Each photo was like a dagger to her heart.

But it was the final blow that left her breathless: blurry photos of Kylian leaving a club with a girl, taken just a month ago, in November. It was that recent. It all made sense now, why he’d never made an effort to have a serious conversation about their relationship. He liked his current lifestyle, focusing completely on football while indulging in a fleeting series of flings from time to time. She was nothing special, just another name on the long list of women he entertained.

What shattered her the most was that he had no consideration for their friendship, that he could throw it away just like that for some sex. He had traded something she deeply cherished for something else he considered transient, meaningless.

By the time dawn broke and the first light filtered through her curtains, she was resolute. Dragging herself out of bed, she made her way to the kitchen and was shocked to find her parents sitting and laughing with Kylian.

His face brightened as soon as he saw her. “Morning chérie” he greeted, the pet name failing to make her stomach flutter this time.

“Dropped by to check on you” he continued. “You weren’t answering my texts”

It was intentional, of course. Seeing the tired look on her face, her parents moved out of the kitchen to give them privacy. She sat down beside him slowly, and his face twisted into concern.

“Is everything ok?” He went to grab her hand but she snatched it away quickly. She didn’t miss the hurt look on his face.

“I- uh. I’m ok” She didn’t know how to approach the conversation. “Did you finally open my gift?”

"What? Your gi- oh. Yeah. I did” She could clearly see through the lie.

“Kylian” She warned, her tone sharp.

He rubbed the back of his neck, looking guilty. “I’m sorry, I completely forgot. But it still has to be there though, no one will take it”

“What the fuck, Kylian?” her voice rose, frustration spilling over. “You didn’t even take it home with you?”

He frantically reached for his phone. “I’ll call and get someone at the club to look for it. I’ll get it back, I promise”

She snatched the phone out of his hand, her eyes blazing “I spent a lot of time on it. I can’t believe you did that, it's like you don’t even care”

He looked at her earnestly. “You know I care, I care about you a lot”

“Is that what you say to every girl you sleep with?” She couldn’t help it.

“What?” He looked at her incredulously. “ No. This is different. You’ve always been different”

“I find that hard to believe, Kylian” She muttered, her voice quivering.

“Why?” He challenged her, his confusion mingled with frustration. “Why would you think that?”

“Because” her tears spilled over “You’ve been uncommitted forever”

“Well maybe that’s because the one person I would’ve liked to be committed to was in another country, wasting her time on some asshole”

“Then why not now?” She spoke through tears. “I’ve been sleeping in your bed for a while now, Ky.”

“I was trying to give you time” His voice shook. “You broke up with that idiot literally 3 days before we hooked up. I thought you weren’t ready”

He looked at her pleadingly, his eyes desperate.

“I don’t know, Kylian” She laughed bitterly. “you said it yourself, don’t trust athletes”

She saw a tear falling down his cheek, and she was struck by the sight. She never thought the second time she’d see him cry, it would be because of her.

She weighed the possibility of making it work – a long distance relationship, with her in Madrid and him in Paris. They’d see each other infrequently, her being tied to Madrid with work and him to Paris by the relentless demands of football. They’d miss birthdays, anniversaries. She’d never be able to take him to an office Christmas party. Maybe she’d be able to go with him to things that mattered to him, like award ceremonies, but only because his career would take precedence over hers. She’d hear whispers about his potential infidelities, but she wouldn’t say anything. Until the resentment feels so suffocating it bubbles up, and she’d have no choice but to end it. It would happen, whether months away or years down the line. And then they’d have to cut each other off forever. She didn’t want that. She loved him too much. She’d rather have some of him than nothing at all. Perhaps if she ended it now, their friendship could be salvaged.

She couldn’t meet his eyes. “I’m sorry, Kylian. I don’t think… I don’t think we should do this anymore”

They sat there silently for a few seconds. Then she heard a sniffle, and then the sound of his chair scraping as he got up. She heard footsteps retreating, and then the sound of the apartment door open and slam shut. Only then did she let herself fall apart.

Her mother hurried into the room, looking very alarmed. “Y/N, what’s wrong?”

“Maman” she choked out between sobs. “I need to book a flight back to Madrid”

#kylian mbappe imagine #kylian mbappe x you #kylian mbappe fanfic #kylian mbappe fluff #kylian mbappe x reader #kylian mbappe x y/n #kylian fanfic #kylian x you #kylian imagines #kylian x reader #kylian mbappé imagine #kylian mbappe smut #Kylian mbappé smut

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b-00-biez · 2 years

Text

What's it like getting festive with the slashers🎄

Warning:none just pure fluff

Characters: Thomas hewitt, Bo sinclair, Lester Sinclair, Michael Myers, Brahms Heelshire

Thomas Hewitt

You for real know that their family celebrates thanksgiving and its Thomas' favorite

They all get together at one table and eat but this time it's with you 🥺💕

Yeah he has work and all but its a holiday give him a break Hoyt

YOU CANT CONVINCE ME THIS MAN DOES NOT WEAR A MATCHING SWEATER WITH YOU

Omg and he helps Luda Mae with the cooking and it's *chefs kiss*

He can't buy presents for you but he makes them just for you🥺

But like if you got married and had a kid. He would have a santa costume

Like those trends where parents plant evidence that santa is there

Big foot prints, Someone ate the milk and cookies etc.

ITS GOING TO BE THE CUTEST EVER

PROTECT HIM AT ALL COST

Bo Sinclair

Not really a festive guy so it's going to take a lot of convincing to get him to join in

#thegrinch😒

"Dress up as Mrs. Claus and maybe I'll join in on the fun🥴"

SMACK

Nu uh he needs to behave this christmas or else santa doesnt give him a present

Although he's not festive, he still supports his brother in celebrating it aka Lester

Like he would help him put christmas lights around the house, inflate santa claus and set more decorations up

You gave him a toy truck

A toy truck.

ITS THE CUTEST THING HE HAS EVER SEEN

Yeah he feels offended that you bought him a kid's toy but like you told him it reminded you of him.

He says he doesn't like it but you see the toy just sitting on his truck at the front.

But he gives you a red lingerie from Christmas😒✋ cant complain though it does enhances your body

Lester Sinclair

"ITS CHRISTMAS"

The Christmas enthusiast

He would clearly have the most colorful house around town

He is the one who plans fun activities on Christmas

OMG HE HAS THE BEST HOT COCOA EVER

Like my god it felt like heaven when you took a sip

AND HE DRESSES UP HIS DOG

Like a little elf outfit 🥺

He actually gives you something you like unlike Bo 😒

Like makeup? sure. A squishmello Certainly! ANYTHING

You gave him an Advent Calendar and he was squealing like a lil kid

"omg Y/n you gave me a present!"

He's such a bundle of joy honestly

He also helps Vincent cook

Yes He and Vincent know how to cook in this house

He bakes little sugar cookies with you to complement the hot cocoa he made

OMG I LOVE HIM SO MUCH AAAAAAA

Michael Myers

he doesn't know why you want to celebrate a holiday like this

He cant kill people cause they're all together but does he give a shit no but its an inconvenient for him

If you persuade him until he gives in

He might join in

You have to do all the cooking sorry

This man doesnt like cooking a lot especially if it's just the two of you

PRESENTS OMG

He is the actual grinch

He steals presents and a fucking christmas tree qhen you asked him to buy one

No , hes not going to buy one its expensive😒

So now it's like a surprise since you dont know what you get from the presents he stole

It was mostly toys and some were a bit expensive but nonetheless you thanked your boyfriend for participating

HE REFUSES TO DECORATE THE OUTSIDE OF THE HOUSE

Nu uh hes not going to put christmas lights

Inside is okay like lil ornaments around

But OUTSIDE?! No

His favorite activity in the holiday is just to cuddle with you beside the fireplace

Brahms Heelshire

Is excited for Christmas internally

He gets what he wants and sometimes it gets boring once you get it all

so most of the toys hehad growing up is either displayed in his room or somewhere else in the attic

He is happy when his mother was opening presents for him like a little kid

When he was a kid he would honestly stay up just to see santa claus but falls asleep

He forgot that innocent feeling once he got older

You told him they could make a snowman and honestly

Little by little you restored his childhood

Opening your presents was a fun thing for him

He probably gets another book or maybe just maybe he gets a cellphone or a PS5

Yes you want him to just be aware what is happening to the world outside of his manor

He sometimes sneaks a few orders on Amazon to get you a gift or

This little bastard gives you missing items that are yours!

He gave it back but once Christmas is over he is going to take it again

#slashers x reader #slasher imagines #slasher x you #slasher fucker #brahms heelsire x reader #slasher headcanons #thomas hewitt #brahms heelshire #bo sinclair #lester sinclair #house of wax #leatherface #michael myers

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bellarosethefangirl · 2 years

Note

May I request La Squadra x reader who wants to go on a special trip? Could be for valentine's day or some other occasion it would just be fun to see where they take reader and what they do! Thank you! 💗

La Squadra x Reader Valentines Headcanons

Taking their S/o on a Special Trip

Oooo I like this 💓 Had fun typing these up! Sorry these are late! Took me a while to think up places. I don’t write for Melone and I couldn’t think of anything for Pesci.

Somewhat Nsfw themes ahead 🔞

Ghaccio

He'd take you on a Alaska cruise. The sights are so beautiful and he adores the cold. There is plenty of new beautiful scenery and much to do on the cruise. He'll be sure to pick a very nice one with delicious food and fun performances he knows you'd enjoy.

This cruise would be one week and it so happens to be for Valentines. Since the holiday is around the corner he is picking a very expensive room for you both.

He'll have Valentine's planned out. He prepared his present for you and will take you to the Broadway-style shows. If you're not into it there's also a casino and bar you two can go to.

The room service is absolutely amazing. All meals on board including 24-hour room service aside from specialty restaurant dining but he'll take you to eat at the restaurant if you really want to.

He gets a bit bashful about how cute you look in winter clothing. Especially if you barrow his scarves or clothing

The Onboard activities, fitness center and pools will be fun for the both of you to enjoy. Exercising would be in the mornings or afternoons if you're into it. The heated pool will feel like a spa and much needed after being in cold weather if you two decide to visit the rest areas the cruise stops at.

Spa treatments or gaming is also available so you two get to enjoy them. Ghaccio loves the spa treatments more so than the gaming. They leave him so relaxed afterwards. If you two game together he’ll have such a great time.

When you two go to the towns to look at all the beautiful scenery it's very nice to see a new place and take pictures together. Ghaccio loves your winter outfits so much. He will take so many pictures with you

For Valentine’s Day he’ll get plan to get off the rest stop And travel in the area with you. He’ll give you his present he saved you. Depending on you he’ll either take you to the restaurant or somewhere you’d enjoy like a skiing trip or activities on the ship.

Iluso

He'll take you to a Cancun Resort for three days. The last day would be Valentine’s Day. He’ll book the most expensive room with the most lovely view too.

You two will spend so much time together on the beaches. He’ll flirt it up with you depending on what swimwear you decide to wear.

You two will get to enjoy the indoor hot tub together in the hotel. The luxury spas and all the fine dining the hotel offers.

The beaches are breath taking and make for such a romantic atmosphere. Illuso will appreciate the views and stay quiet as he watches. He’ll most likely be tanning or walking along with you on shore. If you’re into swimming he won’t mind joining you but he’ll lay on something inflatable as you do.

The area might have shopping and different restaurants you two visit. Illuso happily uses his stand abilities to steal anything your heart wants. Dining and dashing will also be done through the use of his stand.

On Valentines he’ll take you to the spa and beach where you two spend the rest of the day together. At night you two will bathe together and make love all night long after drinking a bottle of expensive wine.

Risotto

He would want to go somewhere haunted but interesting with plenty for you two to explore and enjoy together. There are many haunted places on his bucket list but a nice place he remembered wanting to visit is Bar Harbor in Maine. It is one of the nicer places to visit since some of the views would be nice and good food will be available.

Pirate shipwrecks, Indian burial sites, and unsolved murders all play a part in the spooky past of Bar Harbor, Maine. Many of places in the area are said to be haunted. Which would attract Risottos interest the most. If you’re scared Risotto will protect you and remind you how deadly his stand is. He didn’t earn his title in la squadra for no reason.

While you both travel to these places you two will take pictures together. Risotto will want to keep it in a scrapbook for all the haunted places he wants to travel on his bucket list.

Tours of the haunted areas are also offered. Such as the red cloak tour and walk around the town’s Old Burial Ground, or inside the haunted Art Deco Criterion Theatre, and the guide telling of scary Wabanaki indigenous tales. Risotto is interested in all of these tours. Though haunted they’re still interesting to the curious eye and the setting is still beautiful despite the haunting past. Plus you’ll feel safer with all the other tourists in such a tour as well.

Risotto will want to go to all the tours and haunted areas so you two will be spending a week there together.

Outside of the haunted areas the picturesque town of Bar Harbor, Maine has earned a reputation as one of the best summer vacation destinations in the U.S. For good reason too as you’ll see along with your tall goth boyfriend. The harbor has so much to offer for you both traveling as a young couple together.

The town has delicious seafood restaurants, artisan shops, and Penney of water sports one could enjoy in the waters nearby. Risotto will only do so if you’re interested in these type of active sports.

If you’re not sporty and prefer to travel around the area there is a seaside village northeast of the harbor. Many of the richest families live in the area so amazing sight seeing is welcomed for the ocean facing mansions, and glamorous yachts lining the harbor. Risotto will think it’s nice but he’s more interested in what the area offers such as the stores and restaurants.

This exclusive neighborhood is extremely walkable, full of delicious restaurants and chic boutiques to explore. Plenty of fancy restaurants are in this area and a very nice jewelry store. Risotto will happily have his stand steak for you. He’ll go to any restaurant you want no matter how expensive it is.

On the day of Valentines he’ll take you to the lovely nature filled areas of the land offering the absolute best view. Colorful trees, flowers everywhere, and clear water. He’ll take you on a picnic and ask how you’re liking the trip. You two will spend a lot of time together and he’ll spoil you during the trip. All in all it’s a wonderful experience.

Sorbet and Gelato

A couples retreat where you will enjoy spa treatments and relaxation by a beach. These two are going to spoil you rotten on this trip. Atleast three or four days together will be spent during this vacation.

The beach is absolutely gorgeous and you’re happier the room you’re all staying in happens to be a fancy beach house. The bar and spa treatments add to the paradise.

Sorbet and Gelato will compliment you so much during this vacation. They’re also going to be looking their best too since they’ll both be coming onto you left and right.

On the beach all three of you will swim or relax in the water. Tanning or enjoying yourselves under an umbrella is welcomed.

They’ll spend a lot of time at the bar ordering their favorites or having you try new drinks thy recommend. If you don’t drink alcohol they’ll tease you but want some of your drink (mainly Sorbet).

At the spa they’ll want massages while you receive a facial or massage of your own.

On the day of Valentines both have an expensive gift for you such a jewelry or designer clothing. If you get them something they’re both eager and get lovey dovey. A threesome is happening that night too.

At night or morning time, one or the other is trying to get in your pants especially if you wear little clothing.

The whole trip is so fun and enjoyable. All three of you will miss it. On the way back to Naples Sorbet and Gelato will have a conversation about what the next trip should be.

Proscuitto

He's taking you to Vegas and the hotel is going to be the Bellagio hotel and casino. It's an elegant Italian-inspired hotel and casino. He'll book a 3 day stay.

Inside the hotel you’ll notice the fancy and over the top decor. The huge fountain inside will greet you two upon entering.

The room is going to be the most expensive one offered to couples. It’s incredibly luxurious with a nice window view. The suite also offers alcohol and an oversized tub.

You two may bathe together here or there while he smokes or reads a magazine holding your waste. If it’s late he’s drinking whiskey.

He may or may not seduce you throughout the time you’re in the suite with him. Especially after you two spend time in the casino.

He’s good at gambling so you’ll be beside him with your own drink as he’s smoking and gambling. If you’re into gambling he’ll let you be but come to your after a couple hours.

You two will be doing a lot of shopping together. Outside the hotel you two will go to different restaurants in Vegas. If you’re interested going anywhere he’ll gladly take you. He’s happy as long as you are.

Prosciutto is spoiling you during this trip so enjoy all that you can through your time in Vegas with him.

On Valentine’s Day he has roses and room service for you in the morning. Afterwards he’ll present you a gift and offer to take you to a restaurant later. He’ll have you pick and pull some strings to get a reservation with his ties to the mafia. He’ll want to make love once you’re both back at the hotel.

Formaggio

He doesn't want to be cliché and take you to a couples hotel so he'll take you somewhere fun out of the country. He'll take you to a water park, Knotts Berry farm soak city. Let’s say for this trip he promised to take you here since it’s only open during particular seasons. Meaning on the actual day of Valentines you two spend the day together in favor of saving money for a trip in the warmer seasons instead.

On Valentines he bought you chocolates and you two went out bar hopping then had plenty of sexy time together at home.

There is much the water park offers. He won't book a hotel near the park since he wants sexy time at a hotel. The hotels at the park have families so he won't want them hearing you two. Your hotel will be far from the park but he rented a car so you’re both good. Parking does take a while but it’s worth it since you two go when the park opens.

You two spend four days at the hotel and two of them is spent at the park. At the park you two enjoy all it has to offer.

Plenty of water slides with huge floaties to ride on as you slide down them. Water rides involving floaties and giant slides.

A river of floaties for you two to travel on down the current in enjoyable relaxation under the sun. You two will talk and play around together.

There’s plenty of stores and places to eat. You two will enjoy frozen treats and junk food together laughing as you walk along through the park in sandels.

He’ll flirt it up with you and compliment you constantly. If you’re both in line or beside eachother as you sit or enjoy water his arm is around you.

At the wave pool you two will play and chat for hours. At the giant slides where it requires more than one person, he’s going to be behind you laughing and hollering as you two descent down the slides together.

The two days you’re both not at the park you’re at the hotel. The first day is to settle in and plan for the day tomorrow at the park. The final night you both have plenty of sexy time together so you get to sleep in before the trip is over. You’re both definitely eating at a restaurant not familiar to Italy so you can enjoy new food together.

All in all it’s a wonderful couples trip to a fun water park with lots of memories. You might return depending on how much your prefer it over other types of trips. Formaggio enjoyed it very much and was happy you two took pictures together so he could put them on the fridge.

Taglist

@noaltbruh @syntheticseraton1n @danielle-marie @shxftxng @fugos-lil-fork

#la squadra x reader #thanks for requesting!#requested #la squadra headcanons #ghaccio x reader #prosciutto x reader #risotto x reader #sorbet x reader #illuso x reader #gelato x reader #formaggio x reader #formaggio was the best #valentines fic

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ukrfeminism · 7 months

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Domestic abuse charities and centres dealing with sexual violence say council budget cuts will have a devastating impact on support for women, warning that entire services will have to close as local authorities strip back to basics.

Charities said that most aspects of the services were non-statutory, meaning councils do not have a legal obligation to keep funding them and are likely to cut them as they try to balance their budgets amid a nationwide funding crisis.

“Violence against women services are really among those most at risk,” said Mary-Ann Stephenson of the Women’s Budget Group. “As local authorities are cutting to the bone, there is basically nothing left to cut, so everything that is non-statutory is going.”

Women’s Aid, a federation of about 180 domestic abuse services across England, said services in areas where local authorities have issued a section 114 notice, effectively declaring bankruptcy, were bracing for the worst.

“We’re hearing from members in those areas that entire services will have to close and many of staff members will have to be made redundant,” said Lucy Hadley, the head of policy at Women’s Aid.

“These things will be the first to go. Coming on top of a decade of funding crisis, many of our members are really concerned this will just have a devastating impact on continuing their services.”

Hadley said the cuts were happening at time when domestic abuse and coercive control was being aggravated by the cost of living crisis. A Women’s Aid survey found that three-quarters of women in a relationship with their abuser, or financially linked to them, were unable to leave because of the rising cost of living.

Some aspects of domestic abuse services, such as refuge and accommodation are statutory, but Hadley said members had raised concerns that funding for them was being diverted elsewhere as a result of councils’ desperate financial situations.

“Sadly, this is not an issue decision-makers prioritise because it’s not something that affects everyone in their community. It’s not the bin services, for example, that they get lots of letters about,” Hadley said. “We absolutely feel this is a priority for government to fund and to ensure that councils are meeting their duties on.”

Andrea Simon, director of the End Violence Against Women (EVAW) coalition, said many services have already had to close their waiting lists because of rising demand and costs.

“Local authority budget cuts not only impact the funding they can provide for vital women’s services, but leaves these services to pick up the pieces when local authorities and other agencies turn them away,” she said.

In Coventry, where the city council has said it is making some “very difficult choices” to balance its books, the Coventry Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre (Crasac) is losing £195,000 of council funding and has closed its waiting list as a result.

Its CEO, Natalie Thompson, said she was “gutted” by the council’s decision.

“We know demand is growing year on year, but we’re really struggling to keep up the pace because with inflation, especially in the last few years, everything’s getting more expensive,” she said.

“So we’ve just had to close the waiting list because the knock on effect of this [funding cut], as well as austerity. It’s not safe for clients or our staff any more.”

The council said in a statement that it was not cutting the service, but had decided not to renew its contract with Crasac because it was “not addressing increasing waiting lists”.

“We will work with various partners to address the prevention of sexual assault and rape, and assist partners in the health and care system to commission improved services for this important population,” it said.

Stephenson said pressure was mounting on councils as they move to set their budgets for the next financial year, and that there needed to be increased awareness of how important the services were.

“There are women whose lives are at risk if they can’t safely leave violent partners who need domestic violence services, and there are women who are suffering severe trauma as a result of sexual violence,” she said. “These services should be securely funded and somehow they’re treated as nice to have that you can cut.”

#articles #mvawg #law #Finance

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shmowder · 1 month

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Any ideas on Vlad jr one sided love hcs? Or any other character of your choice?

I wasn't sure if you meant from the Vlad's side or the reader's, so I'm going with Vlad Jr.

Vlad the younger views love under a more pragmatic lense, a mutually beneficial affair, something he can earn, or least bargin for.

Your lack of romantic feelings doesn't deter him, especially if you were already good friends and shared an intimate friendship. If it's a place in your heart he seeks, then he has already earned it and more by becoming someone important in your life.

He's a little too optimistic in his approaches, thinking if he explains his case plain and simple and directly ask you what he can do to make you fall in love with him or consider him as a romantic option, then you'll surely understand.

His ways have little considerations for the range of human emotions or the possibility of you misinterpreting his earnesty as a request to "buy" your love. He's shady by nature, which puts his genuineity at risk often. Not to mention his tendency to assume everyone must think and hold the same ideals as he does, right?

Vlad will accidentally make himself look like a sleezy douch who can't take no.

Because he operates on the general assumption that people are always on board with his method, that the world works exactly like how he thinks it does in the idealistic version within his dreams.

The version where it's normal to invite someone out for lunch and hand you a resume detailing why he'd make an excellent partner for you, the interests and goals you share in common and all the ways he could provide and excel as a lover as if this was a job interview.

His parents fell in love at first sight in a grocery store, give him a break. Romantic fairytales were all that his dad had ever read to him before bedtime.

So it's easy to understand where he's coming from. Following his line of thinking that if he has fallen in love with you, then surely you must feel the same? And if you don't, then it's a matter of time. And if it's taking too long, then he needs to speed things up by showing you all the good traits he has and expecting you to fall into his arms.

It's... not blaoted ego or inflated pride. Don't get him wrong. He is earnest about his feelings. Each and every attempt was genuinely from the heart.

Vlad is just extremely bad at not coming off as arrogant with his confidence.

He actually thinks the key to your heart must be hidden between the pages of one of those "how to woo someone" book guides. He tries to adapt to your taste, show interest in your hobbies, go above and beyond.

That his efforts must speak for themselves.

He rarely, if ever, has been told no in his life, spoiled by his father and adored by his mother. Even his little sister was his biggest fan as a toddler.

Even when he stepped into the real world, it was with the Olgimskay name acting as both a shield which protected from all repercussions and a sword which intimidated all those around him into agreement.

A privilege he is so accustomed to, a blindspot in his worldview, the one thing that keeps him a utopian utop the mountain.

Each problem he has ever had was easily solved by either making his argument, cunning wit, bribery, or hiring the right people to make that person disappear. It's just the way of the world, rotten yes, but a necessary evil.

His father handled most of it, the corruption and rotten work. Shielding his son from shouldering that responsibility, a vain attempt to keep his child's hands clean from the family business sins as long as he lived.

So many aspects in his life moulded him into the man he is today, the one who's looking at you in confusion when you reject his third courting gift for this week because it's "too expensive"

He tries to understand your views, your worlds are just too far apart. A miscommunication is doomed to happen. He enjoys your friendship and he wants to maintain it whilst starting a family with you.

The way the mere sight of you is enough to make his heart flutter.

The jealousy he buries down each time you express interest or throw a flirty comment towards another. Never making his emotions your problem, repurposing his envy into determination, a feul to do better, work harder and earn your affection before someone else does.

That's the problem. Your heart to him is something to earn. A precious gem to own and lock away in a safe.

Vlad is unawarly putting your friendship through a great strife, a trial of patience and trust as he wears your nerves thin.

When he truly never meant to, when he really thought he was doing what he was supposed to.

For the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

#♧Vlad #♧unrequited love #♧angst #♧romance #♧x reader #vlad the younger x reader #x reader #pathologic x reader

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nuklearis-sutotok · 2 years

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Some Tips For College:

On Books:

Always check your book prices at other places, college bookstores are ridiculously inflated and they will eat you out of house and home. Amazon can be much cheaper but isn't always the best deal either (Do take advantage of their student prime). Sites like Abebooks and Ebay can save you a bunch. Check with the professor to see if older editions of the text will work (I saved an absurd amount of money on most of my psychology books by getting the previous edition which was essentially exactly the same as the new one).

Likewise renting textbooks will not always save you money.

Check places like Harvard, MIT, Opentextbooks, archive.org, gutenberg.org, libby, and other websites to see if they have your books online for free. Your local library may have access to materials too!

DO NOT carry all of your books. This can weaken your back, neck, and shoulder over time and can lead to permanent nerve damage and injuries years later. Regardless if you feel fine now. Very seldom, if ever, will you need most of your books in class. Try to find some place to store them if you need a lot of the heavier ones.

Digital textbooks can be your friends but be mindful of code errors. Keep your receipts. Always.

Citing and resources:

Your local library may have broader access to websites like ebsco than your college may have. Reference librarians are your friends.

The Purdue Owl Citation tool is also your friend and has tips on how to cite in all formats. Citation rules change regularly, it's good to be up to date on them while in the field.

When doing papers check the backs of your books to make sure the books you are citing are not just citing each other. It's absurd how common this can be, especially in history. If they cite multiple authors it's a little better.

Speeches:

The first rule of order is don't panic. Everyone is nervous, even the guy who is pretending he isn't. Even the people who do this for a living. Try to have some fun with it! It's not the end of the world.

Keep your speeches and your papers concise, list who, what, and where, and be careful of your citations. Use visual aides if you can. Summarize at the end, listing your key points again. 70~ hours from now all your audience will remember is the key points and whatever jokes you told. Two weeks from now all they're going to remember is the summary. Keep it clear.

Move around a little but don't be distracting, just relax, try to keep yourself straight and enunciate your words clearly, make full use of your mouth to accent your projection, you want to be heard but you don't want to seem like you're screaming at people. Typically screaming at your audience unless you're in a play acting the part or being murdered on stage is frowned upon.

Watch speeches. Seriously. Go watch historical speeches on youtube and archive sites, take a glimpse of everybody and the speeches that get remembered. Presidents, movement leaders, world leaders, politicians... Take a look and see what it is that they're doing that is keeping the audience's attention so focused their speech is remembered decades later.

Health:

Try not to stress. Yes, you are here to learn, yes, you are paying money and putting in time for your future, you want good grades but not at the expense of your life. The colleges I attended all had the same motto for this, you are paying them, have them help you. If you need something related to the class, e-mail your professor, talk to your advisor, make use of tutor labs, ask your classmates. Not everyone will be helpful but that doesn't mean help is in short supply. It's supposed to be exciting. Do this for you and try not to overburden yourself. If you need to take less classes or drop one until a following semester or find a different teacher don't beat yourself up about it.

Join something fun, the college paper, the theater, the choir, a sports team, anything that gets you connected and a bit of a social life, even if you only hang out with these people in class. Usually they are 1 credit classes that take place in the evening or early mornings so they rarely conflict, but they get your blood plumping, get you some exercise, and can do more for you than you think, just as you can contribute to them.

#college tips #I don't know why I felt the need to write this but I did so here it is #college #university #university tips #higher education #freshmen

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unhinged-and-wellread · 11 months

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2023 in Books: Severance, Ling Ma

Book: Severance by Ling Ma (2018)

Completed: January 14, 2023

My rating: 4.5/5

Summary: Meet Candace Chen. She's a 20-something who coordinates Bible production for a publishing company. She keeps the wheels turning — even when the world is literally coming to an end. When a pandemic causes the apocalypse, she stays her course until that's no longer an option. We follow Candace before, during, and after collapses. We watch what it means to survive through it all.

Capitalism in the End Times

Prescience. That's the most shocking part of Ling Ma's Severance. A pandemic story written in 2018, Ma's novel mirrors COVID-19's near-global experience.

When the pandemic starts in the novel, there's speculation over how brief lockdowns would be. We see characters get takeout and relish in the opportunity to get out of the office. Businesses start to shut down.

Through it all, young professional Candace Chen continues to labor. She takes a special assignment as the last one to physically work from her Manhattan office.

Why?

She needs the money, and the payout is too good to refuse.

Throughout the book, we see infrastructure collapse. Candace joins a survival group and deals with its power dynamics. One set of superiors is replaced by another. The world moves on but in a way much worse than before.

During the pandemic, I, like many other people, continued to work. The job provided stability and health care during an "unprecedented" time. I worked from home. This was a huge privilege.

But I started to notice something: My hours started creeping up. As members of my team were let go, I started working 10, 12, 13 hours a day. I worked weekends. If I wasn't watching television or cooking, I was at work. It became both my structure and my everything.

Those with a similar experience during the height of the pandemic will be able to empathize with Candace. Now we know, in a way more acute than before, that capitalism's demands continue and intensify in times of crisis.

As pandemic restrictions lifted, we witnessed a K-shaped economic recovery. The people who were already well off, especially those in less-impacted industries, continued to thrive. Those in worse economic conditions struggled.

In many ways, this is the aftermath we currently live in. Inflation went (and is still) through the roof. Housing is expensive. Global tensions are high, with conflict from Ukraine to Palestine.

And yet, I clock in and pay bills. I produce, in much greater volume than pre-pandemic. I look out at the world — often with hopelessness — still very aware of the material demands that must be met. So I work to meet them and do what I will with the trimmings.

Severance is a read that made me feel seen. If you're a burnt-out workaholic, feeling like a cog in the machine, this book will speak to you too.

#severance ling ma #severence #bookish #booklr #book review #book recommendations #reading #thoughts #ling ma

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bookishwenchmeltha · 1 year

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Textbook are insanely expensive

I teach. I get absolutely no say in what textbooks my students need to buy in college over 98% of the time, and it bothers me tremendously that the mark up on textbooks is so high that a large portion of my students no longer get the books and instead try to learn everything without a reference. Twenty years ago, $250 would buy a semester of textbooks. Today, in most cases, that won't even buy the books for a single class. The price has about tripled, conservatively.

In the classroom, I can do absolutely jack about this. I'm not even allowed under my contract to mention that there are other options than the campus bookstore. I receive absolutely NO kickback on the textbooks, so please realize, most professors HATE what's happening to textbook prices and LOATHE feeling like we have no options.

So, the following is a list of ways to get around buying the damn hyper-inflated pricey textbooks that most of us will turn a blind eye to.

If it's a popular book, which can happen especially in lit courses, go to a library and see if they have a copy. For some reason, students totally forget that libraries might have the book they need. Even if you have to return it late at the end of the semester, the late fee is going to be a lot less than the price of the book. If your library doesn't have the book, ask a librarian to do an inter-library loan for you. In a lot of states, this means you have access to it, for free, from any library in the state or possibly any other state.

If you prefer studying off of paper because you like taking handwritten notes, get a bunch of students in the same class together and chip in to buy one book. Then go to the library or a copy place and run off the pages you need for that week. Do the same thing the following week. If the book costs $250.00 (and some of them are a LOT more), a copy is usually 10 cents. You would need to make 2,500 to equal the price of the book, and I guarantee you your textbook is not 2500 pages long. Five people splitting the cost of the original text books for $50 can photocopy 200 pages of textbook for $20 (that can actually be 400 pages if you can fit too pages on one copy). The one way this can go wrong is if you get library staff or a copy center employee who objects to you photocopying copyrighted work. This is understandable with a living author. It is far less understandable when you are photocopying someone who died 400 years ago. Unfortunately, they can get you in trouble or toss you out, which is why I strongly suggest making only ten or so photocopies at a time. If however, you mange to copy the whole dang thing, or scan it, you can now sell it back, possibly during the return window.

This one, no one can stop you. Chip in with a few people to buy a copy of the textbook. Then pull out your phone and take a picture of the pages you need. Either keep it on your phone or download and print it. The one drawback here is a lot of professors do not like students to have their phones out during class. Again, if that's the case, print it out. It's going to look a lot less suspicious printing stuff from your phone at a copy place than trying to make multiple of a textbook in the middle of a library or copy joint. Again, you can space this out and print the pages when you need them.

A few words of caution: if the book is already reasonably priced, it's better to buy it from an ethical standpoint. This lets bookstores and publishers know that this book is popular and keeps it from getting "retired." Using the Internet for some works is great, but it doesn't provide the same page number, or sometimes even the same line numbers, for citations. Online works can also have problems with censorship, removing so-called offensive sections without the reader even realizing (I've seen this happen with a website of Poe's work that purported to be full and unabridged and was most certainly not). Sometimes, footnotes or author/editor commentary will also be missing, different, or even just plain wrong. If humanly possible, use the same edition as the rest of the class.

One last thing: if the professor wrote the book, you're basically screwed. Buy the book.

One final thing that is highly unlikely by still worth knowing: keep an eye on used books for sale in unlikely places: garage sales, second-and book shops, etc., especially near colleges or universities. I've seen the latest edition of $400 textbooks for sale at a library book sale for $2. Just make sure the edition matches because it's common practice among publishers to change the exercises with each new edition. That insures the older editions can't be reused or sold for a lower rate; it's awful, and it also means if you have to turn in homework, an older edition will not help you.

#how to deal with textbook prices #textbooks #the publishers are extremely greedy #most faculty are angry too

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mermaidsirennikita · 1 year

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i couldn't tell from your post if 14.99 was a lot or too little for a book, from your tags i gather it's too much and let me tell you in my country they cost 2, 3 times that much (regular not on kindle) and that's just paperback not even hardcover, those can cost up to 4 times that much. so yeah it's real bad. i'm with you used bookstores and libraries all the way.

Yep! I do want to be clear on one thing, though. I think that $14.99 actually isn't unreasonable for non-MMPB (mass market paperback) books as "hard copies" (not digital), especially with inflation being what it is. In the US, an Avon MMPB (and to be clear, these are smaller books, which would theoretically take somewhat less to make) dropping this November (Vivienne Lorret's "It Had to Be A Duke") is $9.99. That's from a big 5 publisher that has the resources to get things more cheaply. Often, indie books will be even more expensive--I paid around $20 a pop for a few indie books this past March, from the author directly. And that's fair; the books are made to order, and for that matter I bought them at an event, so she'd invested in those copies in advance and would be at a total loss if they didn't sell.

A trade (that's the bigger book, more expensive to make) also historical romance, is going to be $19.99 from the same publisher in March 2024 (Sophie Jordan's The Duchess).

While I don't think the pricing is GREAT, and I definitely prefer mass market paperback for that reason--again, inflation is real, so it's not surprising that the cost of "real books" is going up. In a different economy, that would be ridiculous. And on a large scale, I do think this will price some readers out; the price of YA novels is especially ridiculous if teens are truly the target audience (...).

However, the price I was talking about was a Kindle copy--it's digital, and the publisher is not investing in as much in terms of "hard" materials (paper, the labor involved in making the hard book, etc). Additionally, when you buy an ebook you're not really buying a thing. You could lose that digital copy at any point; it could be retroactively changed as well, without your permission. I think it's totally valid to pay a premium for physical media, but ebooks are not comparable in value, on a pure cost of labor/investment level. So the pricing shouldn't be comparable either.

The thing is that the publisher is most likely doing this on purpose to trigger the impulse in the reader to buy the paperback as opposed to the ebook; if the paperback is only ~$5 more than the ebook, then you might as well just buy the paperback, right? But that adds up, and the publisher can reap huge rewards. They're also trying to outgambit Amazon on that level, and the reader pays the price very literally.

But yeah, I feel a lot better about the prices being high when I buy from indie authors; and I will totally invest in buying from an author I know I love. Otherwise... I'm a used book/library girl a lot of the time. And I'm just not going to pay that much for an ebook, I can't justify it; the value isn't there. It's not the book being lesser, it's me not truly owning the book.

#romance novel blogging

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thessalian · 2 years

Text

Thess vs All Manner of Food

Welp. Now both parentals have been able to see a Particularly Bad Pain Day (tm). Welcome to why I hate my mother’s insistence on reserving tables in restaurants.

See, between Sunday’s grocery shenanigans and yesterday’s “I have to take out a lot of trash and recycling because I haven’t been able to get to the bins in over a week because icy conditions”, today was ... not great? I knew it was going to be “not great” going in, but at least I didn’t have to commute. Much. Issue being, Mum had arranged for us to go out to dinner today because we missed out on it before she headed for North America, and she booked a table. It’s one thing to say “Can we skip tonight? I hurt” when there’s not a reservation, but another to say “I know you booked a table but can we skip tonight? I hurt”. One’s just ... easier than the other. But I had to give my mother her birthday gift anyway, so off I went. The fact that she brought me back maple syrup from the Canada leg of her trip, and the fact that I was going to go home with a lot of leftover curry? Bonuses.

At least the conversation went well ... partly because a lot of it was a status update on my intellectually disabled aunt back in Montreal. I mean, it’s a win overall, the whole thing. Just took a lot of work and a lot of annoyance to get there, given moving to new living space with new carer. And at least my aunt’s new carer is a lot nicer than the last one, who thought that heavy medication was the solution to all ‘problems’ (and by ‘problems’, I mean ‘things that actually obliged her to deal with any mood but “placid acceptance” from any of her charges ever’). Just ... honestly, moving from a larger space to a smaller one is difficult at the best of times. Especially when you have to replace furniture. But moving from a smaller space to a larger one when dealing with The Sibling Thing (as much as you love them, sometimes they just dance the Mashed Potato on your last damn nerve) on top of that whole “The Maternal Side Of My Family” Thing, which translates to a piquant blend of stubborn, opinionated, varying degrees of bossy, easily frustrated by distractions during time-sensitive or otherwise vexing tasks, and sentimental when it comes to belongings, at least in this scenario.

(No, I do not exempt myself from this. I just have somewhat better coping mechanisms than most of my family.)

Interesting the bits you pick up in passing, though. While inflation and the like is particularly bad over here, it would appear to be not much better in Canada. My mother picked up the maple sugar I asked for - in the really big tin flask, which is just a nostalgia trip and a half for me, because I’m pretty sure I went to sugaring off parties at the place that makes that brand - and I presume it was at the duty free because her comment to me was “It cost nearly as much as the liquor”. She was very quick to tell me to not feel bad, and I don’t really, because she could have just not got it because I did understand that it might not be possible. Still, it being that expensive where they make the stuff is scary. So yeah, things be getting expensive.

As you can see, it was still a nice dinner, even though I hurt a lot during most of it. We went to the Indian place I always order from when I’m doing takeaway; I introduced my mother to the place last time she invited me out and now apparently she and my stepfather also get takeaway from there. I have a feeling that Mum ordered big and ordered a fairly filling appetiser so that I could take home as much of it as possible home as leftovers, largely because “She’s clearly in pain, that’ll probably take awhile to die down, not having to cook for awhile will help, so ... ALL THE CURRY”. That’s going to be a theme for the rest of the week, as well; Mum really took the fact that I’m not really a fan of turkey to heart and there’ll be turkey for them and duck for me again this year, and I’ll likely be taking a lot of leftovers home from that as well, and on top of that, Mum apparently wants to offload some of the Boxing Day leftovers onto me as well--

Oh. Yeah. I should explain that one. The parentals both have kids from the previous marriage, and that always makes the holidays complicated. So the basic agreement seems to be that Christmas Day is for the kids to spend with the parent who had primary custody. So my stepsibs and I get our respective mothers over Christmas Day, and on Boxing Day, my stepfather gets his kids, my mother gets the closest thing to grandkids she’s ever going to get through my stepsiblings’ kids, and I get some peace and quiet. Seems to work for everybody. Anyway, since there’s going to be a lot of food around Boxing Day, there’ll be more leftovers than the parentals know what to do with. So ... curry leftovers, leftovers from the lamb breast I had planned for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day leftovers, and potentially Boxing Day leftovers. I’m starting to wonder if I’m going to need to grocery shop at all this month.

Honestly, this is no end of good. Maybe if I just eat my curry leftovers and maybe do the tuna lemon broccoli pasta thing over the next few days, the pain flare will have died down and I’ll be able to actually cook the lamb breast. And also the various bits of treats I’m making for the parentals for Christmas. Then again, I have to commute on Thursday, so maybe not. I’ll do my best.

#Thess cooks #Thess has parental units #Thess has fibromyalgia

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skippyv20 · 2 years

Text

Tea

. I would also bet they're reviewing the promo budget right now with the reception the Netflix mockumentary is getting.

Plus Markus Dohle, the head of Penguin Random House, Harry's publisher, quit several days ago, just a few weeks after PRH's hugely expensive acquisition deal fell apart. He had overseen the attempted purchase of Simon & Schuster for $2.175 billion, which the Justice Department successfully sued to stop on antitrust grounds. The ruling cost Penguin Random House and its parent company Bertelsmann more than $200 million. Especially early on in the pandemic, big publishers like Penguin Random House had a big jump in book sales that led to record-breaking profits. Even last year, publishers did VERY well -- Penguin sold 700 million copies of its books and reported record revenues in 2021. So not a coincidence that they announced Harry's memoir and book deal in July 2021, when everything was looking very sunny for publishing (which has been an industry in turmoil for a long time). But things have changed a lot in the last year -- book sales have softened, and publishers are dealing with inflation and supply chain issues, like paper. I saw in a NYT article about Dohle's resignation that adult nonfiction (Harry's category) has been "relatively weak". Two of Penguin's recent books, from bestselling authors Michelle Obama and Marie Kondo, were expected to be huge holiday bestsellers, are doing well but not living up to their expectations. And at this point, "not living up to expectations" is H&M's brand. How much of a promo budget will there be for Harry's book after the Netflix mockumentary? How much of an appetite will there be among book buyers for version 6,723 of Harry and MM's whingeathon? I hope Archewell still has money and warehouse storage space, because they're going to have to buy a ton of Harry's books lol. Also, this new article, "The Murky Path To Becoming a New York Times Best Seller", is a very good read and helpful to understand how Harry's book will magically become a NYT bestseller : )

The Murky Path To Becoming a 'New York Times' Best Seller

Publishing insiders tell Esquire why they find "the list" so frustrating—turns out, it's a data project full of contradictions.

www.esquire.com

100 million deal for Netflix. 100 million deal for writing books. According to the sugar fanatics and some media, you are looking at 300 million . Funny addition, huh. Really, when it comes to these deals, it is not as if Netflix, Spotify, PenguinRwnfom House wrote out blank checks. Yesyesyes,Sussex did receive BIG MONEY MILLIONS,TENS OF MILLIONS however contracts have clauses. Total deal is x amount, but only if, when and if x brings in the signed for ratings, number of books sold,etc, Megan got some big named women to sit for her podcasts. Ratings were ok to good to soso. People who follow Sussex only want the good, juicy gossips. People who do not like them only want the gossip. Media only wants the gossip. This Netflix first part was a good teaser. Next part has to bring on lies, more lies, good gossip. Harry’s book has to repeat, reheat it from his words and add

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flexible-student-accommodation · 8 days

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Challenges of Finding Accommodation for International Students in the UK

The UK is considered by many international students to be a place of treasured academic journeys, thus choosing the country for their studies is always a dream come true. The fact that students will live in a country where the universities have a good reputation, the culture is quite different, and there is a possibility to gain knowledge in academic fields that may not exist in their home countries are among the driving factors for these students. Nevertheless, the moving itself is a mere book cover of the problematic situation that most of the international students are subjected to and in the midst of it all is the hitherto unresolved problem of finding a suitable accommodation. It may look like a slight logistics matter, but in practice, it is a challenge-ridden procedure. But why do so? We are to unveil the main obstacles and discuss the effects that these barriers have on students.

The Supply and Demand Dilemma

It has been observed that there has been a significant increase in the number of international students in the United Kingdom over the last ten years. 680,000 students from outside the UK were already studying in English in the 2022-2023 academic year. This presented a 32% upsurge in comparison to the last year. Such a rise in demand causes a deficit in student accommodation. Major cities like London, Manchester, and Edinburgh are living examples of such migration where the rental market has become overheated on the back of the arrival of students. As a result, the quality of housing facilities provided has been reduced.

Even though in-campus accommodation is among what universities offer, they are still short of that provision for all students. A study by the National Union of Students (NUS) gave a figure of about 20% of the international students who got university accommodation from their universities. The other 80% remain tangled in the messy private rental industry, which is indecipherable. The lack of unity of supply and demand leads to inflation; thus, the students cannot avoid the financial pain.

Rising Rental Costs and a Limited Budget

Absolutely one of the most dramatic financial predicaments experienced by international students is the very high cost of rent in the UK. London tops the list and is known globally for having extremely high property rates, with the average rent for a student room reaching £1,000 per month. Even in less costly areas like Bristol or Brighton, their rents can still be unattainably expensive for students hailing from countries with backbone currencies. The majority of international students come from regions with unfavorable exchange rates which means that their financial belongings, their purchasing power, dwindle more quickly than they had anticipated.

This undertaking is not confined to just larger cities. Escalating price levels across the UK are prompting students in the smaller cities and towns to suffer as well. A case in point: a recent survey conducted by the Save the Student organization revealed that more than 70% of international students said that they were experiencing a “shortfall” in their housing costs by the end of the term. While scholarships and financial aid handouts are the two available options, they rarely manage to cover the entire cost of living, thus making the students take a double workload of studies and work, which is a further obstacle in an already demanding academic environment.

Language Barriers and Navigating the Rental Market

Different countries, especially in foreign countries, bring about a sense of ambiguity concerning rental and housing markets. Jargon such as legal ones, rental contracts, and negotiation with the landlord can cause students a lot of trouble, particularly so when they are not fluent in English. While the majority of universities render students to help, such as providing legal advice and assisting in the housing search, students are still so scared to feel overloaded.

Imagine a student from China studying in Manchester as an example. She is from China, where rental agreements are easy to understand, Manchester becomes harder for her—she faces run-ins with the law and is bewildered by not getting her rights as a tenant right. For some students, with no local support networks to aid them, this problem even becomes more serious. In addition, international students often face difficulties in getting a place to live. Some landlords are cautious about giving rent to such students, intimidated by visa issues, guarantor demands, and linguistic barriers.

Guarantor Issues and Upfront Costs

One particular difficulty consists in the use of UK-based guarantors. Most of the time landlords prefer a UK-based guarantor, the one who promises to take a loan for a tenant when he is unable to pay. International students are commonly separated from their families in the UK and, hence, they do not have a person to vouch for their tenancy. So they are misfits. Consequently, some of them have to pay six to twelve months’ rent which can be up to thousands of pounds.

The Housing Hand firm is one of the companies that can be used as a guarantor, but there is also a fee for the service which is already another significant financial burden. Some students have been lucky to short-circuit the requirements through more permissive landlords or by opting for special student accommodations, but the latter is quite expensive and not so easily accessible as private rentals.

Cultural Differences and Expectations

Lodging is the only thing that the students could be worried about. The way that people rent in foreign lands is intensely affected by the local expectations and customs, which can change a lot even in the nearby countries. In many Asian countries, one has to live with the whole family while, in some cases, students stay in the dormitories. On the other hand, the UK rental market usually gives more liberties to the individuals sharing an apartment, which is seen as a step to confusion in the event of disputes related to communal areas, privacy, or shared household duties.

Just like, Muslims, who might be paranoid about living with people of the opposite sex which is very unfamiliar in the UK many students who come from the Middle East face the same problem. Their situation is worsened tenfold when new peers and academic stress get combined, and a sense of detachment or homesickness is usually more pronounced.

Accommodation Quality and Safety

One of the things to watch for is the quality and safety of the students' housing. The UK housing system is well-regulated, but many students, mainly those in the private housing rental sector, often end up living in low conditions. Dampness, mold, inadequate heating, and broken appliances are the common complaints. Students who do not know much about their rights as tenants sometimes find it hard to be assertive when landlords are not addressing those issues.

A case worth noting is in 2021 when a group of students rented a house in Birmingham from private landlords and reported living in a house that had fire safety hazards and inadequate insulation. The landlord, though, after multiple complaints, did not fix the situation and this, in the end, left the students hanging in the balance. These incidents demonstrate the vulnerability of foreign students who often lack the resources or knowledge to confront the landlords and thus, face difficulties in the UK housing market.

Potential Solutions and Future Outlook

The obstacles must be solved in a versatile manner. Universities are increasingly aware of the housing difficulties international students face and have started to expand their on-campus accommodation. Some institutions have done so through their partnerships with private developers to develop student housing which is specially oriented completing student purposes at the cheapest price. Nevertheless, this act by itself is not likely to be the solution.

Moreover, there are petitions for stricter government supervision of student housing, mainly in the private rental sector. Some of the measures such as the addition of more affordable student-specific rental properties, better protection for tenants and the right to tenant rent, and the introduction of more support services for international students may be potentially influential.

But will these solutions be enough to meet the growing demand? There is a good chance that the number of foreign students will rise in the future because UK education is recognized globally. Students are likely to encounter more and more difficulties in finding lodging if some policies are unchangeable. In the next few years, universities and governments will have to work together to ensure that accommodation does not become a problem in the UK which is known for its top-quality educational services.

A Challenge Worth Solving

The issue of looking for accommodation in the UK as a foreign student is a highly complex problem that is difficult to solve. A lot of factors related to ever-diminishing rental spaces in some locations, the language barrier, a completely different culture, and extremely poor housing conditions are contributory to the problem of students in finding a place to live.

Meanwhile, online platforms such as Uninist are doing what they are meant to be doing. By the way, Uninist is a student housing provider that seeks to facilitate the search for dwellings by international students, its list of what is available includes apartments catering to those looking for different price options, and the like. It represents a step toward the right direction, but there is still quite a way to go in the journey towards truly affordable student accommodation in the UK.

#flexible student accommodation #international students #short term student accommodation #student apartments #student rooms #student housing #student accommodation #Higher Education #Studying Abroad

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