#but i interned at a wellness center for a while and they were a bit kooky there

[hyunrun]

feeling hungry between 5pm and 5am feels so delicious but i feel like I'm dying if I'm hungry between 5am and 5pm T-T

[rxmye]

" 𝐌𝐘 𝐌𝐔𝐒𝐄 "

𝐘𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐄!𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐈𝐒𝐓 𝐗 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐄𝐑 — For so long, he found art in his surroundings, nature was his muse . . who would've thought that he'd be able to find another muse, within you.

gender neutral reader / yandere oc x reader / obsessive / unhealthy themes / I guess the reader is his 'hater' / perfectionist yandere / kind of egotistic yandere / he has a praise kink frfr / maybe a bit self centered . . / kind of unedited / also might appeal to ppl with a savior complex

masterlist | requesting rules | character info . . . a/n: I feel like Lore takes up a good chunk of this fic, but enjoy . . also might be one of my longest fics . .

He was a calming presence, and a thoughtful friend to all he called his own. Elegance took a human form, in Xavier Wilson—A beautiful work of art indeed . . Born presenting a talent that could rival many others in the industry.

From a young age, Xavier presented himself as a man of the arts, often drawing out vivid tapestries of his dreams or memories. He would often lose himself in the pages of his notebook, scribbling away with intricate drawings and stories, his mind was his own magnum opus.

However—people was never his strong suit. It left a bitter taste in his mouth, surely if he was as magnificent as those around him expressed, he'd most certainly be able to recreate the portraits of those around him?—But no, none of his portraits could compare to his various other works.

As he got a bit older, his mother decided to enroll him in classes that could help expand his talents, which ranged from various music lessons, theater (didn't end well), art history—etc . . .

Xavier let out a breathy sigh, staring at the keys of the grand piano absentmindedly—his gloved fingers gently glide over the keys, tired would be the best way to describe him as of right now—his professor had left an hour ago, yet Xavier couldn't find it in himself to move.

Truth be told, Xavier wasn't a fan of music, he preferred quiet solitude—and though he had long since gotten used to the sound of the piano, violin, and any of the other ridiculous instruments his mother was so keen on getting him to play—he still preferred the silence over all.

Over the course of time, Xavier disinterest towards music dimmed—Alongside his distaste towards instruments . . He figured the reason he disliked it so much was due to his inability to play as perfectly as his professor . . Xavier was a perfectionist, and anything he couldn't perfect was simply 'wrong' in his eyes, and as he reached his teen years, he accepted that fact wholeheartedly.

Xavier stood still, as his mother fixed his tie for him—he could do it himself but he let her enjoy this moment, she always disliked watching her son 'grow up so fast'—"are you nervous?", she asked softly, gently holding his hands, smiling so brightly.

'Am I nervous?—' he thought, clearly not. He felt calm, neutral even. It was his first big show, yet internally he knew that things would end well for him, he could feel it. He's always been lucky, in fact his father's nickname for him as a child was quite literally 'Puer aureus' which translated to 'the golden boy' from Latin.

He clicked his tongue, a common habit of his—especially when he wasn't being exactly truthful—he paused for a moment as if to think, then he smiled at his mother, "Just a bit, but I'll be fine" he spoke calmly, gently squeezing her hand to reassure her. "Don't worry, I've prepared well for this . . Haven't I?"

Praise, he adored praise, and that day he received quite a lot of it—not just from his parents, or acquaintances . . .—but crowds of people. Honestly, it stroked his ego, quite a bit . .

By seventeen years of age, Xavier's talent was known worldwide, his rise to fame quite massive and fast . . He had to attend class, while also hosting live performances and art galleries. (such a struggle, really . . .)

University admissions were coming around, and most of his friends had chosen what schools they plan on applying to—what path they plan on going into—what school they hope to go to the most, the conversation was an eye opener and yet it all felt so bitter.

Xavier tapped his pen on the table, zoning out from the conversation his friends were having . . only to zone back in when Neva spoke, "—so Xavier, have you decided where you'll be applying too . . ? I'm sure you'll get in."

He clicked his tongue in response, closing his eyes absentmindedly as he spoke, "To be honest, not really . . probably something arts related?", Xavier was about to speak up again but stopped himself, starring down at the table, a sigh escaping his lips.

"That seems like a waste of money", he looked up, starring at Oliver with questioning eyes, and Oliver quickly explained himself, "Art school is great and all—But it won't really make much of a difference for you, in fact the rules could restrict your talent . . It could be better for you to just try something new? You're good in school a degree outside of your comfort zone may be something good for you!"

He hated that his friend was right, he hated being wrong. He prided himself for always knowing what was best for himself and his abilities, and in a spur of pettiness he found himself taking art anyway, trying to prove his friend wrong . . even though he was well aware his intentions were pure in all ways.

Xavier had done well in his courses so far, and with his fame, he was breezing through classes—and yet, when the topics of portraits came up . . he found all that floating out the window.

None of the models they had for class, felt right—none of the art he did, felt authentic . . felt like himself, when it came to art, Xavier took everyone to paradise, his art felt like peace . . his art was calm . . his music was soft, lulling almost . .

Yet now, as he stared at his canvas, covered in mixed harsh colours, a vibrant mess of paint, his brushes wrecked, paint dripping from the easel . . It felt like anything but calm.

And that's when he dropped out, a question to his perfection would wreck the fragile image of himself he had created in his mind, a man so perfect and lucky in his own right a humbling experience like that was to never see the light of day.

Xavier found himself turning to something different, just like Oliver suggested, his alternatives were selective, yet he kept many paths open, Photography, fashion, and business were his top picks and things he found himself surprisingly enjoying . . Surely if he could paint and create melodies of such wonders, then he can stitch some fabric together, solve a few equations, and take a few photo's here and there just fine . . right?

A few years had past, and Xavier was now running his very own Luxury fashion line, he still hosted art galleries here and there, and composed music on the side, but his business took up most of his time.

But on his free days he'd turn to photography, taking pictures of things he sought comfort in . . and people, he'd often take pictures of unsuspecting people, pretty ones . . people not so pretty as well, just to try and recreate the life they had on a canvas . . yet somehow always failing to do so.

The moment Xavier found himself close, he'd reach a dead end . . and that destroyed him, internally.

Over the years, he accepted the small flaws in his behavior, and tried his best to reform them, presenting himself as the perfect public figure. He did go to therapy in the past, but when things started rising up, he quit entirely.

Xavier laid back on his office chair, and scrolled through his recent posts comment section, and as expected almost all of it was praise . . some of envy, but that only fueled his ego more . . Until he found a comment that set him off, "His art is so melancholy, it feels a bit sad . . His previous works were brighter, like more happy but now it kind of feels sad . . Like the life in his work isn't there anymore."

Xavier stared at the comment dumbfounded, never had he received that kind of feedback . . portraits he drew were indeed lifeless, but his other art was always regarded as lively, and that was what he always strived for . . Curious, and in a fit of rage . . he clicked on the commenters profile, and saw you.

You, you . . You were what he was looking for, his muse. So, full of life . . He scrolled through your page, and couldn't help but feel the urge to draw you, and paint you . . and paint you he did. . Because soon his entire studio was filled with pieces inspired by you . . so full of 'life' . . .

Yet at some point, he had reached the end of your posts, and it just wasn't enough . . he needed you . . He wanted your feedback, he craved your praise . . like no other, he wanted input . . he wanted to know if his work was truly still lifeless . . he wanted you.

After all, a artist isn't complete without his muse.

@ rxmye , do not repost, plagiarize, translate, or adapt my work/theme without prior permission and or confirmation.

[cuubism]

as a certified horse obsessed freak i'm obliged to have an equestrian au so here's an equestrian au. make it olympics flavored for relevance. but there will be no sex in hay!! EVER!!!

it is smutty though.

--

Dream Endleas’s reputation for being difficult preceded him. His critical eye, his adherence to perfection, his crisp turnout and refusal to ever appear the slightest bit disheveled even after competing in the summer heat; his family, his money, his luxury-brand sponsorships—Hob had seen enough videos of Dream’s Grand Prix tests to be prepared for all of it. But he wasn’t prepared for the force of seeing it in person.

Dream in person was somehow even more perfect and posh than he appeared on video. Hob hadn’t actually spoken to him yet, had only communicated through his groom, Matthew, while getting the horses settled in—but God, he looked like such a prat. He looked like the type of snotty kid Hob had seen around the yard growing up, the type who thought they could ride because their parents had bought them a fifty-thousand pound pony. The type that persisted into adulthood, rolling up in a Range Rover to get on an already tacked horse, later handing their fancy horse back to the groom before stalking back out of the stable in pristine white breeches, leaving all the care to others.

Hob might have had a bit of a chip on his shoulder about that sort of thing.

It would have been easy to hate Dream, except that, fancy horse or not, he actually could ride, exceedingly well at that, and—and Hob was feeling very betrayed by his dick on this one—he was also blisteringly hot.

Dressage competition wear was, by and large, not one’s first choice of clothes that would be considered “sexy.” The combination of “business formal” and “cavalry officer on parade” wasn’t exactly giving come hither, but Hob took one look at Dream stalking down the center aisle of the barn in his clean white breeches and his high boots and his black coat with its little fucking Union Jack embroidery and he wanted. It was a good thing thoughts were an internal situation because it was embarrassing how quickly he went to I want those skinny little thighs wrapped around my head. Mortifying, really.

He was thinking about it so hard he didn’t immediately realize Dream was coming for him.

“You,” Dream said, stopping before him. “You are the stable manager.”

“That’s me,” Hob agreed. Regretting it more every minute, too. Managing the horses for the Olympic team had sounded like a good gig in theory…

“Why have the horses not been turned out?” Dream demanded.

“Aren’t you competing in—” Hob checked his watch— “an hour? Why are you asking me this now?”

“Because it came to my attention that things were mismanaged,” Dream said, unrepentant, then stood, waiting for his answer.

Hob sighed. “They didn’t provide us any turnout space.”

“They did not provide—” Dream started, then stopped, apparently flummoxed. “That is unacceptable.”

Hob had to grudgingly admit that it was to his credit that he cared. Not everyone did. “Tell me about it. But if you hadn’t noticed, we’re in a several hundred year old stable and they weren’t about to revamp the entire situation for us.”

“As per usual, horse welfare comes last,” Dream said, narrowing his eyes. Jesus Christ, Hob thought, he’s wearing eyeliner. “Be advised that I will be paying close attention going forward—” he looked at Hob’s name badge— “Hob Gadling.”

And with that ominous statement, he turned and stalked off.

“Good luck with your test,” Hob offered, half-heartedly, to Dream’s retreating back. Then, to himself, “Really? That prick’s the one you want?”

He could hardly be angry with Dream for being upset about it, though. Hob certainly had a bone to pick with the organizers about the horses being stalled 24/7. But he doubted that the people who managed The Palace of Versailles gave a fuck what he thought.

It did mean less for Hob to do, though. So once he’d done another round of their team’s wing of the stables he headed out to the arena to watch Dream’s test. There was no way Hob was going to miss watching him ride after a performance like that. If you were going to live up to your reputation of being rude and difficult you had damn well better live up to your reputation for skill as well.

Unfortunately for Hob, Dream did in fact live up to that reputation. He and Jessamy were gorgeous together. She was a smaller and lighter horse than many of the others and seemed to practically float across the ring. Dream made it look so easy when Hob knew damn well it was not. Hob could have watched him for hours, though of course the test was only a few minutes long.

In addition to watching Dream’s test, he was keeping an eye on the horses going in and out of the stable, keeping up to date on any injuries or soreness, though each had its own groom who was responsible for the horse’s immediate care. At the conclusion of Dream’s test, Hob expected him to hand Jessamy off to Matthew, but instead Dream just dropped his stirrups, letting Jessamy steer on a long rein as he wandered off towards the grassy area past the border of the dressage arena.

“Oi!” Hob called, catching up to him. “Where are you going?”

“I am going for a hack,” Dream said, hardly sparing him a passing glance.

Hob followed the direction he was headed. “On the cross-country course?”

“They aren’t using it,” Dream said, uncaring. “We”—presumably he meant himself and the horse—“are sick of being in the stable.”

So saying, he started off again, Jessamy’s ears pricked forward in interest as she picked her way across the grass.

Hob doubted he could stop him. And he had to admit it was probably more entertaining for the horse to go for a walk than to sit in her stall. It seemed a strange thing for Dream to do, though, wander off across the grass, legs swinging free out of the stirrups, instead of maintaining a strict training regimen in the arena.

Dream stopped before he was too far away, turning over his shoulder to call out: “I will be back before the final test is complete. If scheduling concerns you.”

So there was some recognition of the fact that it would be Hob’s neck if the horses weren’t where they were supposed to be when they were supposed to be. “Don’t worry about it,” he said, waving a hand. “Though given your score, I’d imagine you want to be back before they announce the medals.”

He got a half-smile from Dream for this, and then he was wandering off again, sitting comfortably in the saddle with the reins long, Jessamy’s tail swishing away the summer flies.

Hob watched his retreating back for a long moment, then turned back to the ring to keep an eye on the rest of the horses.

As Hob had predicted, Dream did win gold. He showed up just in time for it, finally giving Jessamy back to Matthew to take inside. She’d picked up some grass stains on her white socks, though Dream’s clothes were as pristine as ever. He seemed immune to dishevelment. He accepted his medal with predictable stoicism and bore the obligatory photos with grace and poise but what seemed to Hob like resignation rather than enjoyment of the attention.

Hob didn’t see where he ended up next. He had horses to feed and water and tack to be sure was in order for tomorrow’s events. In fact, he doubted he’d see Dream again at all. It should have been a good thing, for all Dream was a source of frustration for him. Instead, he found himself feeling disappointed. 

Hob was always the last one in the barn at night. Partly out of obsessiveness, partly due to the fact that unlike the riders, his lodgings were actually on the stable grounds. So he did his final round looking in on the horses at around 9 p.m. Not that there was much to do—check water, throw a little hay, make sure none of the horses had managed to keel over in the last two hours since he’d seen them—but it was a soothing ritual, making sure everything was shut up tight before going to bed himself.

Or it would have been soothing, if there wasn’t somebody else there.

The distant sound of a stall door sliding open had Hob immediately on edge. No one else had cause to be here this late, and at such a high profile event, he couldn’t rule out the possibility of ill intentions—or just of a horse getting out past an improperly latched door. He walked quickly towards that wing of the stable, though there had been no more sounds since—

Oh. It was Jessamy’s stall. Hopefully that meant it was Dream, or at least Matthew, because otherwise Dream would be royally fucking pissed.

Hob peered around the door where it was cracked open. And then just stood there, frozen, because it was Dream, crouched down in the shavings cleaning the grass stains from Jessamy’s leg—but not Dream like Hob had ever seen him.

For one, he was wearing shorts. Actual jean shorts that fell to mid-thigh, legs bare down to his paddock boots. Legs which were just as wiry and pale as Hob had imagined under his breeches, but covered in dust, with a streak of mud across one knee and a small bruise on the other thigh of the type you inevitably get when you spend enough time in the barn. Instead of his crisp white shirt and black jacket of earlier, he was wearing a loose black t-shirt spotted with water across the chest—watching the way Jessamy was sloshing about in her water bucket, now full of hydrating additives, Hob could just about guess how that had occurred. Dream even had a piece of hay stuck in his hair.

It was all so shocking Hob didn’t realize Dream was calling his name until he’d said it a second time.

“Hob Gadling. Do you require something, or can I be left in peace for the first time today?”

“You’re wearing shorts,” Hob said, dumbfounded.

Dream raised an eyebrow. “It is very hot out, if you hadn’t noticed.”

“I just— I can’t imagine you in shorts.” Or covered in dirt, for that matter. Dream was so pristine, so refined. Except for now, when he was at least fifty percent dust.

“Do you imagine me frequently?” Dream asked, and Hob was grateful that the low lighting disguised the way his cheeks flushed.

“No, I—” he did, though. He’d imagined Dream constantly since first seeing him. Since first learning they’d be crossing paths at the Olympics, really. “Maybe.”

Dream smirked, and stood, stepping out of the stall and perching instead on his tack trunk in the aisle, latching the door behind him. “What about me makes you think I do not own shorts?”

Hob was definitely blushing now. “You just. Always look so put together. And now you’re���” he gestured to the various bits of grime sticking to Dream.

“Of course I am put together at a show, Hob,” Dream said, rolling his eyes. “You could hardly expect me to show up to the Olympic final with mud smeared across my face.”

This was a good point, actually.

“I did not intend to be seen like this at all,” Dream added, giving him a pointed look.

Hob found it charming, though. The fact that Dream’s relative familiarity in being sticky with sweat and hay dust meant he did at least some of his own horse care regularly. The fact he didn’t just show up to get on and off.

“Why are you here so late?” Hob asked, glancing over at Jessamy. “I think she’ll survive with some grass stains until tomorrow. You’re done competing anyway.”

Dream’s brow pinched. “The amount of socializing at this event is stressful. And there is no reprieve in my rooms.”

This made Hob grin. “Not having fun in the Olympic Village?”

Dream wrinkled his nose. “I do not like having a roommate,” he said, and Hob had to laugh at the disgust in his tone. “I considered booking my own hotel room, but was informed this was not demonstrative of team spirit.”

“Oh no, you had to be part of a team at a team event, that’s terrible,” Hob said, still grinning. “Poor Dream.”

Dream’s lips twitched into a half-smile, but it did reach his eyes, Hob saw it. “Terrible,” he agreed. “Hence, I am hiding in the barn.”

“And you wanted to check on your horse,” Hob guessed, softening. He had finally reached the conclusion that he had been wrong about the type of horseman Dream was likely to be. And shouldn’t have assumed it in the first place.

“I worry about them overheating,” Dream said. “This barn has poor airflow.”

“You’ve got better at your place back home?”

“My horses live outside,” Dream said.

Hob had really been wrong about the type of horseman Dream was.

“Now you will tell me they will break themselves in the field,” Dream sighed, apparently well-used to the argument.

“Nope,” said Hob. “So do mine.”

Then, Dream looked at him in surprise and, if Hob wasn’t mistaken, a new hint of grudging respect.

“Mine aren’t as expensive as yours, of course,” Hob teased. He could only guess at the price tag on Dream’s Grand Prix dressage horses.

“They are insured,” Dream said, dismissively. “I care little for how much they cost me. They are happier out of their stalls.”

Hob smiled, and felt the softness of it on his own face. Goddammit. Now he wasn’t only finding Dream hot, which he could maybe have coped with, but going soft on him, too. “I really am sorry about the turnout situation here. There’s just not much we can do about it. I did ask.”

“It’s no matter.” He’d apparently decided to give up on his annoyance with Hob about it. “I may bring her home early. Though I doubt they will let me leave until the end.”

“No one’s ever been less excited to be at the Olympics than you, Dream,” Hob said, laughing, and Dream cracked another smile. He was very pretty when he smiled. He was pretty when he was stern and focused, too. Really, all of him was doing it for Hob.

“I am not very good at dealing with people,” Dream admitted.

Hob felt abruptly bad for him and the reputation he’d developed. Not that Dream hadn’t done anything to justify it. But it couldn’t make it any easier to make friends. He looked so much smaller, too, sitting on the tack trunk in his shorts and t-shirt, covered in dust and hay. Far from the stern and unapproachable Dream Hob had seen earlier.

“Come take a walk with me,” he suggested. “We’ll finish checking in on the horses and then, I don’t know. Get a drink or something.”

It felt too bold a suggestion as soon as Hob suggested it, but Dream sighed and stood, dusting off his shorts. “I suppose I should try not to sequester myself.”

“That’s the enthusiasm I like to see,” Hob said, and got another smile out of Dream. He was quickly becoming addicted to getting those smiles.

Dream followed as Hob checked in on the remaining horses, helping him top off waters and throw hay. By the end Hob was just as covered in dust as Dream, t-shirt drenched in sweat, and had tied up his hair in a bun to get it off the back of his neck, not that it helped much. Dream had been right, the barn was poorly ventilated, and they were both suffering the results of that.

When he turned from tying up his hair, he found Dream watching him, gaze tracking the movement of Hob’s hands, the fall of his hair, then back to his face.

“What?” Hob asked.

“I—” Dream swallowed, throat catching. “Was I. Wrong. To think I caught you looking before?”

Somehow Hob knew exactly what he meant. He probably should have felt embarrassed about it—but it was hard to when Dream was looking at him like that now. Dust sticking to his hair, sweat gleaming along his neck, and he was looking at Hob like he’d suddenly found something very compelling to cut through the weariness of the day.

“No,” Hob said. “Did it bother you?”

Dream shook his head. “No one looks at me like that.”

“Seriously? But you’re gorgeous.”

Dream’s mouth popped open, and even in the semi-dark Hob thought he saw his eyes dilate. “Am I?”

“Maybe they’re all just too intimidated by you to show it,” Hob said, taking a step closer to him.

“And are you?” Dream asked. “Am I so terrifying?”

“I think I can handle it,” Hob said, and closed the remaining distance between them, sparing one moment to think I can’t believe I’m fucking doing this before he took Dream’s face between his hands and kissed him.

Dream whimpered into the kiss, clutching at Hob’s wrists. He opened his mouth to Hob, head tipping back. Dream had such a strong presence that Hob hadn’t realized there was a slight height difference between them, but he took full advantage of it now, pressing him back, letting go of his face to catch him around the waist.

Dream pulled away long enough to take a breath, then dove back immediately into the kiss, sucking on Hob’s lower lip, digging his fingers into Hob’s hair. Hob steered him back, half-blind for kissing, until they stumbled into one of the empty stalls being used to store extra tack, where he pushed Dream down to sit on one of the tack trunks.

Dream’s breath caught, his pulse hammering where Hob set his lips and teeth to it, sucking a mark into his throat on his way to kneeling between Dream’s spread thighs. “I was thinking about you as well,” Dream admitted, once Hob had detached from his neck and dropped fully to kneel on the floor, grinding dirt into his knees. “Seeing you. Carrying bags of feed over your shoulder like they weighed nothing. Mmm. Your shoulders.”

“Oh, yeah?” That was heady to think about, Dream watching him like that. Hob undid the button on his shorts, skimming them and his underwear down and off over his paddock boots. This revealed Dream’s pretty pink cock, already plumping up as he leaned back on his hands on the tack trunk. Hob nosed at the base, taking in the sweat and musk of him, hearing Dream’s breath hitch. “You know what I was thinking about?”

“What?”

“Doing this.” Hob took the head of Dream’s cock in his mouth, pulling a wrenching cry from Dream as he twitched where he sat, thighs trembling. Hob bobbed his head, sucked up the length of him, pulling off with a pop and saying, “This is exactly where I wanted you.”

“Indeed?” The word was shaky. Dream’s fingers twitched on the wood of the trunk.

“Go on,” Hob told him, and Dream’s hands went to his hair, pulling it from its bun, directing Hob back down onto his cock. Hob took him deep, pressing his nose into the hair at the base of Dream’s pelvis. The weight of Dream in his mouth was addicting, and then Dream’s legs shifted and he tucked them up and over Hob’s shoulders, thighs pressing in against his head—yes, perfect.

Dream pulled him close, thrust his hips up into Hob’s mouth, hesitant at first then bolder when Hob hummed in encouragement. Dream’s fingers combed through his hair, not quite pulling but tugging and tangling in little pinpricks of delicious pain, and Hob closed his eyes, surrendering to the experience of satisfying him, so hard in his own jeans but ignoring it for now—it only made everything feel more vivid, anyway.

“Hob,” Dream cried, cock twitching, pre-come spilling over Hob’s tongue. Hob didn't let up, only took him deeper, Dream bumping against the back of his throat as he swallowed.

Dream cried out as he came, hands clenching to the point of pain in Hob’s hair, legs tightening around Hob’s head. Hob nearly came himself at the feeling. Instead he swallowed again, sucking on Dream’s cock as it softened until Dream whimpered from overstimulation, and then Hob carefully let him go, finally able to take a full breath as Dream curled around his head, thighs trembling against Hob’s cheeks.

Hob turned his head to kiss his thigh, grazing his teeth over the small bruise he’d seen earlier, making Dream gasp. He uncurled himself from Hob, letting go of his death grip on Hob’s hair to instead caress his cheeks, run his thumb over Hob’s wet lower lip. Hob looked up, met his gaze, nearly perished at the look of blown-out pleasure there. He could live on that look, he thought, feed himself on it every day.

“Come here,” Dream ordered. Hob was helpless but to obey. He let Dream draw him up, disentangle them so Dream’s legs were around his waist instead of over his shoulders, and Dream plucked open the button on Hob’s jeans, pushed his underwear down far enough to take him out. Dream took him in hand, humming in appreciation.

“Like what you see?” Hob teased, but it came out far breathier than he intended, all of him going taut with Dream's hand on him. Dream only smiled slowly, stroking Hob, slow but firm.

“I do,” he said, and drew Hob in with his other hand wrapped around the back of Hob’s neck, sticking in the new sweat that had beaded along his skin, letting Hob rut into his fist. Hob kissed up the side of his neck, leaving marks, breath catching when Dream hooked a leg around the back of his thigh to pull him even closer.

“So perfect for me,” Dream praised, hand sliding up to curl in his hair while his other kept expertly working Hob’s cock. “Mmm. Later, I want you to fuck me properly. I want that gorgeous cock inside me. I know you will fill me so well. I want to feel you.”

All it really took was Dream’s sweet words to send Hob’s arousal boiling over. He gasped into Dream’s throat as he came, hips stuttering into Dream’s fist. Dream pet his hair as he came down from the high, wiping his hand off on his shirt. Hob kissed the side of his neck once more for good measure, tasting the sweat there, before finally pulling away.

“You really want me to fuck you?” he asked. “You going to—”

Dream laid a finger over his lips. “If you make a joke about me riding you I will walk out of this stable and never return.”

Hob broke down laughing, pressing his forehead against Dream’s shoulder. “You get that one a lot?”

“Constantly.”

“I’ll bet.”

Dream was chuckling, too, chest rumbling against Hob’s body. Hob liked the sound of it.

“Cross my heart, I swear I won’t make any jokes,” Hob promised.

He liked this. Leaning against Dream. Touching him. Sharing a soft moment. He liked it a lot.

Dream tipped his face back up with a fingertip under his chin. “I do still want you to fuck me,” he said, watching Hob with dark eyes. Hob swallowed hard. “Will you take me back to your rooms? For we are certainly not going back to mine.”

“Don’t want to involve your roommate?” Hob teased, and Dream sighed.

“Don’t make fun of my indignities,” he complained, and Hob laughed.

“I’m sorry, darling. You suffer so much. Your life is terribly difficult.”

“And you are making it worse by making me wait,” Dream complained.

Hob certainly didn’t want that. So he stood, tucking himself away again, and rearranged Dream in his shorts, helping him up. He paused then, wondering just how far this burgeoning thing between them went, before deciding, fuck it, and pulled Dream in for a soft kiss, hands light on his lower back. Hob was feeling very fond of him right then. He might as well show it.

Dream hummed into the kiss, sinking into him. When they separated, his lips curved into a soft smile.

“Perhaps you might make me breakfast in the morning, too,” he said, taking Hob’s hand.

“If you’re willing to wake up at six,” Hob said. “Because that’s when the horses get breakfast.”

Dream groaned dramatically, but didn’t let go of Hob’s hand, and as Hob tugged him out past the stall door and towards his lodgings at the far end of the stable, he was smiling, eyes bright. And Hob thought waking up to him before sunrise might be very beautiful indeed.

[bnhaobservation]

Did Enji atone to Touya (and his family) and stepped up on his role as a father?

Boku no Hero Academia has a grave 'flaw'. The fact that's strongly tied to Japanese culture and Buddhism makes it a very interesting work but also makes it a hardly international work because way too many cultural things are left unexplained because they're assumed to be a given. Only they're not when the work is read by foreign readers. And this lead to confusion.

The Todoroki plotline is an example of this.

In the west many feel Enji did nothing for Touya or did too little because the little he did is a given in the west. The point is... it's not a given in Japan. In Japan is a BIG DEAL. So let's go though it.

First, the fact that he doesn't want to kill Touya even though he's a criminal

Todoroki Enji ‘Ore wa ikinobite mo... ENDEAVOR wa shinda. Tairyō satsujinsha (read: musuko) to tatakaenai.’ 轟炎司「俺は生き延びても...エンデヴァーは死んだ。大量殺人者（むすこ）と戦えない。」 Todoroki Enji “Even if I survived... Endeavor is dead. I can't fight against a mass murderer (read: my son).”

Let's compare it to these two scenes of "Death Note" and see how Yagami Soichiro, a policeman, is taking the idea his son might be a killer and how, although Misa protests, the story doesn't present it as him being crazy but as it being his duty.

That's why Hawks doesn't want to send Enji, who's on an atonement path, to face Dabi, because Enji might end up in a situation in which he would have to kill his son and he would refuse... which is more or less what happens.

Second, Enji acknowledges that what Touya said is true, Touya is his son and Enji did what he did. In such a situation many would lie. Dabi's video proves nothing. He is a Villain, they had a doctor in the team who could create Nomu, the paternity test could be fake, even if Dabi were to provide a sample of his blood or skin they could insist that's fake.

Society didn't want the truth, they don't want Enji to confess, they wanted him to reassure them, they even commented he should have lied because yes, that's what's done often.

Basically he put his honor on the chopping block. A public apology like this one is a BIG DEAL in Japan. It's much more serious than in western countries and he does it when he could have spared himself and say Dabi lied but that would have meant to deny his son.

Third, it connects to the first in a way. While Enji is unwilling to kill Touya, he's willing to die with him. It's ‘shinjū’ (心中 Lit. “Mind/heart center/inside” but more likely means “oneness of hearts”, probably reflecting a psychological link between the participants) and it’s a word used in common parlance to refer to any group suicide of two or more individuals bound by love, typically lovers, parents and children, and even whole families. People who commit shinjū believe that they would be united again in heaven, a view supported by feudal teaching in Edo period Japan, which taught that the bond between loved ones would continue into the next world, and by the teaching of Pure Land Buddhism wherein it is believed that through shinjū, one can approach rebirth in the Pure Land. By volunteering to die with him, Enji is basically agreeing to remain with him in their next reincarnation.

For us it's crazy, it's Enji giving up on saving him. In Japan it sounds like 'I love you and I want to be with you'.

Forth, he'll apologize to Touya. As said before it's a BIG DEAL, especially since Enji is the family head and, although for us most of what he did is wrong, in Japan most of what he did is well within what he can do. Marrying a woman you don't love in a combined marriage to expect the child who'll be born from it will fulfill your ambitions and not really bothering to raise it because that's a mother job, well, things are changing in Japan but none of the above is a crime. In a not so distant past it was actually the norm. Yet Enji apologizes even though normally a family head wouldn't.

Fifth it's a bit in the first point and in the second but it'll drag on through all the story, Enji won't reject Touya. He's the only one (except Fuyumi who however doesn't get to say much) who never calls him Dabi after the reveal, and he won't strike him out of the family register but will keep on considering him his son.

Look at the Tobitas instead and at how they kick their son out.

Don't think Hawks is cutting strings with his parents solely because they were abusive, the Tobitas show us how you should just cut strings with a criminal. Same as the Togas.

Have "Theseus no fune" in which a man accused to be a murderer, send a birthday gift to his son and watch the reaction of his wife.

They don't want to keep contact with a criminal. It's scary because they'll be mistreated if they are discovered to be related to him.

And, in this vein, the fact he wants to go see him, that he'll keep on seeing him till the end instead than turning his back on him, is seen as important. It's seen as him being his father.

To many of us it seems as if he's forcing his presence upon Touya. Actually, from a Japanese perspective he's instead not abandoning him like many others would.

And since Touya is dying, very likely the talking will be the talking that's done in a Buddhist culture when someone is dying. Death should occur in a calm and peaceful environment, with close friends and family in attendance. Together they should reflect on the good deeds the dying person has done throughout their life, in the hopes it will help them in their next reincarnation. Additionally, family and friends can perform good deeds on behalf of them, which they believe will be of merit to the deceased.

So, since Touya is dying he won't get a scolding like Chisaki, they'll all only tell him nice and soothing things so he'll die peacefully.

Now... in the west all this is absolutely way too little, and in some points even feels wrong. Dying together instead than insisting in trying to save him? Deciding unilaterally to show up every day? Not our thing...

We can totally say 'thanks, I hate it' because we grew up with Darth Vader who instead gave his life to SAVE his son. All this accepting that Touya instead is going to die so Enji can at best die with him or keep him company until he does... well, it's mostly not our cup of cultural tea.

In in Japan though, all Enji does is important. Enji is doing something for Touya as a father, something important many fathers wouln't do for their sons.

Does it would satisfy a Japanese audience? They'll get the message better than us... but things are changing and anyway it can still feel too little. "Death Note" is dated 2005/2006 and back in it Misa was already questioning the idea of a father killing his son and then killing himself. BNHA is more innovative as Enji doesn't think to kill Touya but he still goes for the 'let's die together' route... and Horikoshi subtly criticizes it by having the rest of the family decising they'll try to stop the fire before just giving up. They're willing to die, but not before trying.

Enji represents plenty of old theories after all, which Horikoshi acknowledges were moved out of wrong beliefs, not moved by mean intents... which, is possible, would still not be enough for Japanese readers either because among teenagers, the target audience, there's an increasing number of teen who, in Japan, are forced to leave home (the Toyoko Kids) and often ends up committing crimes to survive and the league seems to be based on all the kind of homeless people Japan has.

While for a kid at home with a loving family being told that your father will die with him if he messes up instead than just dumping him might be comforting... for a kid that was abused and forced to leave home this might feel not enough.

People want to be saved, being told it's too late to save them, might be a lesson for those who hadn't done anything wrong yet so that they won't do it, but it's surely not a hopeful message for who instead got himself into troubles.

But well, that's something for the Japanese audience to ponder.

There's also to point out that, even though the message is not hopeful, Horikoshi is seeing the homeless people and acknowledging they should be helped.

Japan in regard to the Toyoko kids is mostly like the old woman who pretended not to see Tenko but that, in the end, helps that new boy.

I think Horikoshi's message desperately wants to be hopeful even for them, that he wants BNHA be like Midoriya's final stand, something that will push people to acknowledge they exist and reach out to help them.

It just that... it gets lost in what I'll call the 'litteral translation'.

No one explains us how we should jusge the scenes and, since we lack the cultural background, to us they are perceived differently because to us things work differently.

And, personally, even when I think I figured out the author's intent and can see the positivity of it, the cultural filter is still too tick and the picture gets blurried.

It's like being beginner at speaking a foreign language and having to constantly translate it in your head. The message loses its natural beauty, get simplified and not fully grasped.

I think I understand how Enji's atonement work in regard to Touya... it still doesn't feel fulfilling to me. But enough about Touya.

'Now,' you might rightfully say, 'fine, I'll bite, let's assume what Enji has is an atonement arc for Touya. It doesn't work at all in the west but let's give it a pass. What about his other kids?'

Natsuo and Fuyumi's wishes are in conflict.

Fuyumi wants the five of them to be a family (at the time she doesn't know Touya is alive), Natsuo doesn't want to be part of a family with Enji.

Enji's solution is giving Fuyumi a house in which she can welcome her mother and live with Natsuo (and Shouto when he comes home), while he removes himself from the equation. The solution fulfills Natsuo's wish of not seeing Enji because it makes him feel bad. It only partly fulfil Fuyumi's wish because it'll allow her to have her mother back (Rei couldn't bear meeting Enji either) and to stay with her siblings... but Enji takes responsibility for it, he doesn't tell her it's due to Natsuo that he can't live with them, so, in theory, it won't be Natsuo the one who's stressed to be at home when Enji is there and the one who has to leave home because he can't stand the sight of Enji.

There are many things I can say on how this is not a good solution (it doesn't make Natsuo feel better, it just stops him from feeling worse), but there are two points to consider. The first is that Enji is getting old and it would be his children's duty, due to filial pity, to take care of him, instead he's basically giving them the means to leave and take his wife with them.

Actually, since Natsuo is now the oldest MALE, it should fall on him specifically. Yes, Enji always intended to have Shouto inherit his mantle but this doesn't free Natsuo from his duties. Instead Enji is letting all his children free.

Even with Shouto, he doesn't insist anymore for Shouto to learn Flashfire Fist as his heir but just as an intern.

I take this is big in Japan.

Here again, not so much, especially in the countries in the west that think kids should leave their parents' home as soon as possible and we don't think our children are obliged to inherit our mantles.

Note how the story implies that this was meant to be the end for the Natsuo/Enji arc.

Natsuo made clear he didn't want to meet Enji again, he does it solely because they've to stop Touya and, once they've stopped Touya, he makes clear he doesn't want to see him again.

If we want though, the fact he's leaving the family can be seen as a concession in a way.

Since apparently Rei wants to stay with Enji (and likely their old house was devasted because that's what happens to relative of criminals) Enji can now move with Fuyumi and Rei and Natsuo won't have to see him because he'll leave home... to make his own home.

As for Shouto... Horikoshi answered his request by basically showing him Enji being a father for Touya and then promising he would protect them from the fiery fallout, which Horikoshi doesn't show at all because it's another thing that's a given in Japanese culture, it'll be hell for Enji to protect them, but not for us.

Just to get an idea of the fiery fallout here are some images from "Theseus no fune" again showing you how bad is this sort of thing.

Back to Enji, Horikoshi gives us verbal confirmation that Enji is now being a father by being willing to do this, by having Natsuo, who never called him as such, calling him father for the first time.

For Horikoshi that's Enji being a father.

Again, we've no idea of which hell Enji will suffer because that's not part of our culture. I've posted above screencaps of "Theseus no fune", that's how the fallout should be so not pretty at all.

So the fact that Enji will try to protect them from it is, again, BIG.

So yeah, Enji did do BIG things to atone and keeps on doing them and if he'll ultimately get forgiven by Natsuo (the rest of his family wanted to forgive him way before he were to do something), that's up to Natsuo... Horikoshi likely left this as open ending because he wanted to let it up to readers so as not to make them feel they were forced to forgive Enji.

In the general hopeful theme of the manga and with Natsuo acknowledging him as a cool father I guess his idea is that Natsuo too will eventually forgive him because he's kind.

I don't want to say that Natsuo forgiving Enji would be a culture clash because there's people even here that forgive their horrible parents and that's valid. Forgiving is a personal choice and one has the right to make it even if said horrible parent did nothing to deserve it.

It's up to you.

But sure is, if again we take the story at face value and not in its cultural contest, we can't see what Enji does to atone, because for us is nothing big.

It's even made worse by how Horikoshi doesn't show at all the hell Enji will go through (as for him is a given) so for us IT DOESN'T EXIST. We see Enji as having it easy, talking big but not having to face anything at all.

Honestly though... I think this is a bit of a flaw of the manga as a whole.

Way too often it prefers to focus on the good than on the bad so that the bad gets sidelined to much to the point people forget it.

There were horrible Heroes who committed crimes and had no intention to repent or stop... and we never met them. Nagant killed them off but we never met them.

Mountain Lady, who became a Hero for money and fame, then sticks to the job even when it's bad. Desugoro, who left the job when it turned bad, then came back to help. Enji is on an atonement path and, anyway, on work he was always a good Hero.

In the same way Horikoshi prefers not to show Enji's hardship but focus on how he'll have the support of his sidekicks, driver and Hawks... partly also because it ties in so well with the general message of everyone reaching out.

The result is that the Midoriya plotline of everyone reaching out becomes more important of the Enji atonement arc and overshadows it.

Enji's atonement arc ends in 426, chap 430 doesn't feel the need to tell us if Enji is keeping up with it despite the hardship, nor how his family is doing. It feels the need to reassure us that people will reach out for him even if he's in hell, that even if he had to give up on his family, he now as a new found family.

It's thematically consistent with the theme of reaching out but... the fact it overwrites the atonement arc honestly FOR ME doesn't work so great.

I think it's an overall problem of the 'reaching out message'.

While in itself is beautiful... it saves nothing I was lead to care about.

In Enji's case I was interested in his atonement arc, in how he could help his kids. I wanted more of that, partly because his atonement arc is so far from my culture, partly because it touched characters I cared about, I wanted to be reassured he would keep on working on it and that his family would be well.

Yes, he should be in hell, but the story didn't really work hard on trying to make me worry for him as it established already a support network for him. The story made me worry for the kids, for Touya, who was dying, for Fuyumi, who wanted back her family and won't have it, for Natsuo, who's marrying an unknown character so young, for Shouto, who has to cope with the loss of the brother with whom he wanted to connect.

I don't really care Burnin, Onima, Kido and Hawks are willing to continue to protect Enji, to reach out to help him, I knew they would, I wanted to be reassured Enji's kids are safe, well and protected. I wanted to see ENJI reach out and help them.

In this vein I don't really care the old grandmother saved a nameless abused kid, or, at least, not as much as I cared for Tomura to be saved. It's nice she saved him, it's nice he gets to live the life Tomura was denied but honestly, he's a mob character with a super tragic backstory created deliberately to force us to emotionally connect to him.

The message he now will be saved is good, but my emotional investment to him is too little.

The same applies to Uraraka's Quirk counsueling program, we knew next to nothing about the Quirk consueling previous program beyond that it didn't work (a real problem in Japan as they have a school consueling program that didn't work... and changes are in progress) and that now it supposedly does.

To how Shouji now solves peacefully plenty of conflicts caused by Heteromorph discrimination, which Horikoshi tossed in later and never really showed how to solve (and, don't take me wrong, it's not solved even by Shouji, he just solves peacefully the conflicts, how is up to everyone's speculation).

Long story short, I think Horikoshi worked really hard for BNHA to have an optimist, hopeful message... but part of it goes lost in cultural differences and part of it goes lost in how the story didn't try to get me invested in the things it's now saving.

So yeah, I'm still sad for this little panel in chap 430

I guess I'll eventually get over it. Today though, it's not that day.

On a positive note... if we count the pages of all the chapters that should go in vol 42 they're only 132. The chapters that were meant to go into Vol 39 had 165 (which yes, Horikoshi further expanded once the volume was released).

So yeah, unless Vol 42 will be slimmer than usual or that he'll add to it some sidestory or extra story, it's possible we'll get more plot in terms of epilogue. We'll see.

(also yes, I'm not touching Rei in this post. Rei is another can of worm entirely and one, I fear, Horikoshi doesn't care about. The poor woman doesn't even get a profile while Ikoma Komari does. And really, I do think Rei is much more important than Ikoma Komari)

Last, but not least, since someone seems to get the wrong idea, in case it wasn't clear enough, I'm not Japanese. I research on this. Through books, through the net and yeah, since I like to read manga and anime also through them which I often use as a source of comparison because they're easy, accessible to many and represent the same kind of media BNHA is so they more or less move according to the same or similar rules. I might have messed up somewhere. I encourage you to also research on the topic and take everything with a grain or two of salt.

[ferrstappen]

max the extra wag l Max Verstappen

a/n: this is so bad im sorry but it just came to my mind! I hope to post the second part of the Lando break up series tomorrow, hopefully after he gets on the podium!!!!

pairing: Max Verstappen x female reader

genre: fluff

FIND THE REST OF MAX THE WAG SERIES HERE

summary: you can't keep up with all the drama outside the track, but your boyfriend keeps you updated.

It's not like you didn't check social media or that your algorithm didn't show you edits of your boyfriend driving, trauma dumping, looking cute and hot as always, but after a couple of weeks being exploited as an intern, you didn't really have the time to keep up with the usual gossip from Max's work.

Monaco GP, 2023

It was great to be home. The best of the Monaco Grand Prix was that you could sleep on your own bed, you and Max could walk back home hand in hand, stopping to buy things you may need: sweets to fill your purse to binge while sitting on the garage, the special herbal blend Max liked to have before going to bed, condoms because the last box was almost empty.

Adored and precious routine. almost.

You had to admit Monaco made you a little more nervous, not only because of the narrow streets, but a lot of important, well-known people were all over the place, and Max was the center of it all. Even after years of relationship, you still felt nervous when he looked at your with glowing eyes.

This is my girlfriend, (y/n). She has this great internship because she's the best of her class. I'm sure you've met before.

When all that was over, you chatted a bit with known photographers from the paddock, and right when you were speaking to one of them, you noticed the special white and red look of Charles Leclerc, walking hand in hand with a girl.

It didn't catch your attention immediately, but when you were back home, comfortably sitting on your bed reading an article for work while Max viewed the photographs of the day, the image sneaked in your thoughts.

"You didn't tell me about Charles and Charlotte!" you released the statement a bit harsher than expected, Max's eyebrows furrowing.

"Tell you what?" Max was confused and his face showed it, it was funny.

"Charles Leclerc? Charlotte Siné? Sounds familiar?" you said playfully rolling your eyes.

"I know who they are, schat, but I don't know the thing I was supposed to tell you about? They broke up months ago, they even announced it on instagram, although it was completely unnecessary if you ask me," The last sentence painted a smile on your face, recognizing the change of the tone of his voice, posture and facial expressions, he was ready to gossip.

"But I saw them walking together today! They were walking towards the Ferrari garage, they were holding hands and everything!"

Right in that moment, you observed how his expression changed before realizing a chuckle, his loud and gorgeous laugh that instantly made your insides flutter because it came from his stomach, his lungs; the purest laugh, your favorite.

"She is his new girlfriend, babe," Max told you and your jaw dropped. "Checo said the same thing to me and Daniel when they walked in together for the first time, Checo was sure it was Charlotte until Charles introduced us before the press conference," Now he was in full gossip mode: sitting straighter, phone left behind, blue eyes open wide.

"I'm speechless," you told him, repeating what you saw in the morning over and over again, but your feelings suddenly deviated from surprise to betrayal, playfully hitting Max's thigh. "Honey, why didn't you tell me that sooner?!"

Barcelona GP, 2023

Today you entered the paddock alone, coming straight from the hotel room after landing just an hour ago. You were sad to miss Friday, but your boss said it was vital for you to be in the office on Friday, insisting the meetings couldn't be held on Zoom.

You knew it was because he's a Mercedes fan and hoped Max would be distracted without having you there.

As if. your presence wasn't very vital during the weekend and you were well aware of it.

Admiring the amount of fans cheering for their favorite drivers, a sea of red Ferrari merchandising and flags, you walked by the Ferrari garage to greet Carlos, letting him know you (and Max) were cheering for him to get P2.

P1 belonged to your boyfriend, always.

Quickly scanning the drivers lounge you noticed the Sainz family, very close to each other, Carlos Sainz Sr. listening to everything the engineers were saying about his son's strategy and car.

But something was missing, and it was easy to notice because every friend and family of Carlos was there.

With that idea roaming, you reached your destination, grabbing a sugar free Red Bull before finding your boyfriend with his suit hanging from his hips, tightly hugging him from his waist while carefully extending your neck to meet his lips.

Max was required to stay longer on the track, Christian letting him know they added a meeting to discuss strategy because of the changing wether.

This left you with almost an hour to kill; your head resting on his thighs as he carefully juggling.

"Max, have you heard anything from the party last week? after the gp?" this got Max's attention, already knowing you had a piece of information.

"I know Lando almost hooked up with a girl from Latin America, from Chile I think? but nothing happened because his brother was staying on his flat. Charles and... ex girlfriend 2.0? made it official. Checo didn't go anywhere because last year still haunts him..." Max was mentally remembering every piece of information he'd heard during the week. "Oh, and I think Carlos was with a girl that wasn't his girlfriend? Christian said they didn't do anything, but Max Fewtrell said they left together,"

"Interesting because you know who's not in the Ferrari garage? at his home race? Isa," You told Max, which caused him to drop the colorful balls he was juggling.

"No! So it's true? he cheated?" He whisper shouted.

"Maybe they've been broken up for some time, now that I think about it I haven't seen her since testing?"

Neither Max nor you heard when someone walked in, calling for Max. Because now Max's head was resting on your legs as your fingers caressed his hair, his hands moving around as he came up with a possible theory, tying loose ends and trying to remember anything he'd heard.

The subject was forgotten once you arrived to the hotel room; lights off, eyes almost closing, but Max gasped when he remembered something Alonso mentioned during a press conference, apparently after hearing Lance talking with Esteban.

"Lance said Esteban and his girlfriend are over, do you think it's true?" Max asked you, and this brought up another thing.

"Did you hear anything about Lance cheating or whatever at his sister's wedding?" now you asked him, bodies coming closer to each other.

Now sleep was long forgotten and the only important thing was the gossipy whispers, the loud giggle leaving Max's lips when something sounded too ridiculous, and the security of knowing you'd never be the subject of those rumors.

[mariacallous]

“There are only so many books on Ukraine we can review each month,” an editor from a major British newspaper tells me at one of the country’s largest literary festivals. He looks a bit uncomfortable, almost apologetic. He wants me to understand that if it were up to him, he’d review a book on Ukraine every day, but that’s just not how the industry works.

Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, I’ve had a glimpse into how several industries work: Publishing, journalism, and the broader world of culture, including galleries and museums. Even before the big war, I knew more than I wanted to about how academia works (or rather doesn’t) when it comes to Ukraine. A common thread among all these fields is the limited attention they allocate to countries that do not occupy a place among the traditional big players of imperial politics.

Cultural imperialism lives on, even if its carriers often proclaim anti-colonial slogans. It thrives in gate-keeping, with editors and academics mistrusting voices that don’t sound like those higher up the ladder, while platforming those who have habitually been accepted as authoritative. “We’ve done Ukraine already” is a frequent response whenever you pitch an idea, text, or public event centering the country.

The editor who can’t keep publishing reviews of Ukraine-related books walks away, and I pick up a copy of one of the UK’s most prominent literary magazines to see their book recommendations. Out of a handful of reviews, three are on recent books about Russia. It seems like the space afforded to Russia remains unlimited. I close the publication to keep my blood pressure down.

Keeping my blood pressure down, however, is challenging. When my social media feeds aren’t advertising another production of Uncle Vanya, they’re urging me to splash out on opera tickets for Eugene Onegin. What happened to the dreaded “cancelling” of Russian culture? The Russia section in most bookshops I visit in the UK is growing daily with everything from yet another translation of Dostoevsky to accounts of opposition figures killed or imprisoned by the Kremlin.

The international media focus on the August 2024 release of Russian political prisoners was yet another example of how the more things change, the more they stay the same. While these released prisoners were provided with a global media platform to call for an end to “unfair” sanctions on “ordinary Russians,” there was no mention of the thousands of Ukrainian civilians who continue to languish in Russian jails.

The ongoing international emphasis on all things Russian goes hand in hand with a reluctance to transform growing interest in Ukraine into meaningful structural changes in how the country is perceived, reported on, and understood. Although there has been some improvement in knowledge about Ukraine since 2022, the move is essentially from having no understanding to having a superficial grasp.

Each time I read a piece on Ukraine by someone not well-versed in the country’s history and politics, my heart sinks. The chances are it will recycle historical cliches, repeat Kremlin propaganda about Russophone Ukrainians, or generalize about regional differences. And to add insult to injury, such articles also often misspell at least one family or place name, using outdated Russian transliterations. A quick Google search or a message to an actual Ukrainian could prevent these errors and save the author from looking foolish. Yet aiding this kind of colonial complacency seems to bother neither the authors nor the editors involved.

I often wonder what would happen if I wrote a piece on British or US politics and misspelt the names of historical figures, towns, and cities. How likely would I be to get it published? And yet the same standards do not apply when it comes to writing about countries that have not been granted priority status in our mental hierarchies of the world. We can misspell them all we like; no one will notice anyway. Apart from the people from those countries, of course. And when an exasperated Ukrainian writes to complain, I can almost see the editors rolling their eyes and thinking, “What does this perpetually frustrated nation want now? We’ve done Ukraine. Why are they never satisfied?”

It is not enough to simply “do Ukraine” by reviewing one book on the war, especially if it’s by a Western journalist rather than a Ukraine-based author. It’s not enough to host one exhibition, particularly if it is by an artist or photographer who only spent a few weeks in the country. Quickly putting together a panel on Russia’s war in response to a major development at the front and adding a sole Ukrainian voice at the last minute doesn’t cut it either. This box-ticking approach is unhelpful and insulting.

It is important to acknowledge that some Western media outlets have significantly enhanced their coverage of Ukraine over the past two and a half years. They have typically done so by dedicating time and resources to having in-house experts who have either reported from Ukraine for many years, or who are committed to deepening their knowledge enough to produce high-quality analysis. However, many of these outlets still seem compelled to provide platforms for individuals entirely unqualified to analyse the region. Surely this isn’t what balance means?

Since February 2022, more than 100 Ukrainian cultural figures have been killed in the war. According to the Ukrainian Ministry of Culture, by May 2024, over 2,000 cultural institutions had been damaged or destroyed. This includes 711 libraries, 116 museums and galleries, and 37 theatres, cinemas, and concert halls. In May 2024, Russia bombed Factor Druk, the country’s biggest printing house.

When I attended this year’s Kyiv Book Arsenal, Ukraine’s largest literary festival, each panel began with a minute of silence to honor the memory of colleagues killed in the war. All this is in addition to mounting military losses, many of whom are yesterday’s civilians, including journalists and creatives who have either volunteered or been drafted into the army. This is the current state of the Ukrainian creative industry.

To save time for Western editors, publishers, and curators, let me clarify what all of us perpetually frustrated Ukrainians want. We would appreciate it if they turned to actual Ukraine specialists when working on Ukraine-related themes. Not those who suddenly pivoted from specializing in Russia, or who feel entitled to speak authoritatively because they discovered a distant Ukrainian ancestor, or those who have only recently shown interest in Ukraine due to business opportunities in the country’s reconstruction. We would be grateful if they took the time to seek out experts who have been studying Ukraine long before it became fashionable, who understand the country in all its complexity, and who care enough to offer Ukrainians the basic dignity of having their names spelt correctly.

I like to fantasise about a time when editors of top Western periodicals will choose to review books on Ukraine not simply because the country is at war and they feel obliged to cover it now and again, but because these books offer vital insights into democracy, the fight for freedom, or the importance of maintaining unity and a sense of humor in times of crisis. I hope for a day when galleries will host exhibitions of Ukrainian art, not just because it was rescued from a war zone, but because the artists involved provide fresh perspectives on the world.

I also dream that we, the perpetually frustrated Ukraine specialists, will eventually be able to focus on our own scholarship and creativity rather than correcting the mistakes and misleading takes of others. This will happen when cultural institutions, publishing houses, universities, and newspapers acquire in-house experts whose knowledge of Ukraine and the wider region extends beyond Russia.

Dr Olesya Khromeychuk is a historian and writer. She is the author of The Death of a Soldier Told by His Sister (2022). Khromeychuk has written for The New York Times, The New York Review of Books, The Guardian, Der Spiegel, Prospect, and The New Statesman, and has delivered a TED talk on What the World Can Learn From Ukraine’s Fight for Democracy. She has taught the history of East-Central Europe at several British universities and is currently the Director of the Ukrainian Institute London.

[commodorez]

If the Commodore 64 is great, where is the Commodore 65?

It sits in the pile with the rest of history's pre-production computers that never made it. It's been awhile since I went on a Commodore 65 rant...

The successor to the C64 is the C128, arguably the pinnacle of 8-bit computers. It has 3 modes: native C128 mode with 2MHz 8502, backwards compatible C64 mode, and CP/M mode using a 4MHz Z80. Dual video output in 40-column mode with sprites plus a second output in 80-column mode. Feature-rich BASIC, built in ROM monitor, numpad, 128K of RAM, and of course a SID chip. For 1985, it was one of the last hurrahs of 8-bit computing that wasn't meant to be a budget/bargain bin option.

For the Amiga was taking center stage at Commodore -- the 16-bit age is here! And its initial market performance wasn't great, they were having a hard time selling its advanced capabilities. The Amiga platform took time to really build up momentum square in the face of the rising dominance of the IBM PC compatible. And the Amiga lost (don't tell the hardcore Amiga fanboys, they're still in denial).

However, before Commodore went bankrupt in '94, someone planned and designed another successor to the C64. It was supposed to be backwards compatible with C64, while also evolving on that lineage, moving to a CSG 4510 R3 at 3.54MHz (a fancy CMOS 6502 variant based on a subprocessor out of an Amiga serial port card). 128K of RAM (again) supposedly expandable to 1MB, 256X more colors, higher resolution, integrated 3½" floppy not unlike the 1581. Bitplane modes, DAT modes, Blitter modes -- all stuff that at one time was a big deal for rapid graphics operations, but nothing that an Amiga couldn't already do (if you're a C65 expert who isn't mad at me yet, feel free to correct me here).

The problem is that nobody wanted this.

Sure, Apple had released the IIgs in 1986, but that had both the backwards compatibility of an Apple II and a 16-bit 65C816 processor -- not some half-baked 6502 on gas station pills. Plus, by the time the C65 was in heavy development it was 1991. Way too late for the rapidly evolving landscape of the consumer computer market. It would be cancelled later that same year.

I realize that Commodore was also still selling the C64 well into 1994 when they closed up shop, but that was more of a desperation measure to keep cash flowing, even if it was way behind the curve by that point (remember, when the C64 was new it was a powerful, affordable machine for 1982). It was free money on an established product that was cheap to make, whereas the C65 would have been this new and expensive machine to produce and sell that would have been obsolete from the first day it hit store shelves. Never mind the dismal state of Commodore's marketing team post-Tramiel.

Internally, the guy working on the C65 was someone off in the corner who didn't work well with others while 3rd generation Amiga development was underway. The other engineers didn't have much faith in the idea.

The C65 has acquired a hype of "the machine that totally would have saved Commodore, guise!!!!1!11!!!111" -- saved nothing. If you want better what-if's from Commodore, you need to look to the C900 series UNIX machine, or the CLCD. Unlike those machines which only have a handful of surviving examples (like 3 or 4 CLCDs?), the C65 had several hundred, possibly as many as 2000 pre-production units made and sent out to software development houses. However many got out there, no software appears to have surfaced, and only a handful of complete examples of a C65 have entered the hands of collectors. Meaning if you have one, it's probably buggy and you have no software to run on it. Thus, what experience are you recapturing? Vaporware?

The myth of the C65 and what could have been persists nonetheless. I'm aware of 3 modern projects that have tried to take the throne from the Commodore 64, doing many things that sound similar to the Commodore 65.

The Foenix Retro Systems F256K:

The 8-Bit Guy's Commander X16

The MEGA65 (not my picture)

The last of which is an incredibly faithful open-source visual copy of the C65, where as the other projects are one-off's by dedicated individuals (and when referring to the X16, I don't mean David Murray as he's not the one doing the major design work).

I don't mean to belittle the effort people have put forth into such complicated projects, it's just not what I would have built. In 2019, I had the opportunity to meet the 8-Bit Guy and see the early X16 prototype. I didn't really see the appeal, and neither did David see the appeal of my homebrew, the Cactus.

Build your own computer, build a replica computer. I encourage you to build what you want, it can be a rewarding experience. Just remember that the C65 was probably never going to dig Commodore out of the financial hole they had dug for themselves.

[b4ts1e]

▀▄▀▄▀▄First Meet Ups▄▀▄▀▄▀(𝚐𝚗!𝙼𝙲)

𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚝𝚎𝚛'𝚜 𝙸𝚗𝚌𝚕𝚞𝚍𝚎𝚍: 𝙽𝚊𝚔𝚎𝚍 𝚃𝚘𝚊𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚀𝚞𝚎𝚜𝚝 𝚗𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚘𝚠𝚕 𝚡𝚢𝚡 𝙼𝙲 𝚂𝚘𝚌𝚒𝚎𝚝𝚢𝙱𝚘𝚢 (𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚎𝚍)

𝚆𝚊𝚛𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐: Some are a tad bit more suggestive than the rest, just a heads up.

𝙽𝚊𝚔𝚎𝚍 𝚃𝚘𝚊𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚛

Anxiously he stood in the airport lobby, being in public spaces has never been their greatest strength- social anxiety sucks ass. However that wasn't the only thing he was anxious about- they were just about to meet up with MC. The two of them had been planning this for months, and now that MC has quit their old job (honestly it was about damn time) because they refused to grant them their vacation days- the two were finally able to be in each other's arms after seven months.

His phone lit up with a new notification, followed by another and another. The shit connection from the airport had delayed their arrival times.

"Landed, going to baggage claim.""Gods I'm nervous, but super excited!" "Toasty, where are you?" "Toasty" "Toast?"

Quickly they respond, foot tapping on the floor as his anxiety peaks. MC was in the building. They were so close. Excitement bursts through his chest, while the anxiety that they just couldn't shake- twisted their stomach into knots. What if he wasn't what they were expecting? What if they regret agreeing to come? The thoughts made him feel much smaller in the room crowded with people.

"Let me know when you get to the lobby, there's too many people here for me to get to the baggage claim."

MC had shot back a quick thumbs up emote, most likely focusing on their current task of retreiving their belongings. NakedToaster stood there, back to a beam, their foot tapping the ground faster now as he looked back and forth between the escalators that people were coming down from baggage claim on. When he saw an all too familiar person, typing away at their phone while going down the escalator before he got a notifcation- they knew it was them.

Carefully but also instinctively he navigated through the crowd, eyes locked on their target before he stood not even two feet away. "MC?" he spoke, reaching out and tapping the person's shoulder gently. They looked up shocked before a grin spread across their face, dropping their suitcase before jumping to pull the 6'4 giant into a hug. "TOAST!" they shouted happily, their grip tightening around his shoulders as they slowly return the embrace and a smile grew on his lips.

"H-Hey!" he said, internally beating themself up for stuttering like a fool. "C'mon let's get out of here. Too many people." they said before grabbing MC's bag for them and guiding them to the exit quickly, getting to his car. Once inside the vehicle he began to calm down a bit, "You alright? I know you don't do well with crowds hun, but I didn't think it'd be that bad. Do you want me to drive?" MC said quietly as to not overwhelm him, taking his hand gently and rubbing their thumb over the backside of it.

NakedToaster shook their head gently, offering his partner a soft smile as they blush slightly- giving their hand a gentle squeeze. "No, thank you though... I- I love you." he said softly, blush blooming farther across his cheeks and ears. MC giggles softly before Toast groaned loudly and rested their forhead on the driver's wheel. "I love you too Toast. But look at me for a second, please?" they asked, scooting closer to the center consol of the car. He picked up their head and looked towards his partner still flustered but curiously. "What gonna embarass me mo-" he started before being cut off softly as MC leaned over the console and kissed them gently.

It took a moment for Toast to register what was happening before they melted into the kiss, bringing a hand to cup MC's jawline gently- hand shaking from nerves. When the kiss broke, they both were blushing. "I- woah." he muttered softly, resulting in MC nodding softly in flustered agreement with a shakey smile before backing away to sit back in their seat.

With what just happened- Toast knew that once the month long visit was over, it'd be extremely difficult to let them go back to their house. But right now? That didn't matter to either of them.

𝚀𝚞𝚎𝚜𝚝

MC paced around their house, rearranging everything to be perfect for his arrival. They needed something to do so that their nerves didn't swallow them whole, after all- Quest was coming to their house. He was going to be here, alone, with them- in all of his tattoed glory. Just the thought alone brought a small blush to MC's face before they shook the (possibly sinful) thoughts of him from their mind and contiued patting down the banket thrown over their coach for the fifth time in the last thirty minutes.

Suddenly the doorbell rang, the pre-set jingle flowing through the house- stunning MC to a stop. He was here. Quest was right outside the door, waiting for them. Quickly they take a breath, hoping to calm themself down at least a little bit more before answering the door. Wiping down their clothes from any excess dust, they take one last moment before opening the door- revealing a 6'0 man standing there in a dark blue turtle neck, a black cover up, matching slacks and a bundle of fresh red roses in his hands.

"MC! For a second here I thought I had the wrong house!" He said with a nervous chuckle, making them laugh a bit as well as they moved aside motioning him inside. "Come on in Quest, sorry I took so long opening the door. Was in the middle of something." they explained with a smile, fiddling with either hands nervously- being in person was way different then seeing this absoulte unit of a man in person.

He entered the house, looking around a bit before his eyes fall to MC's nervous form- closing the door behind them. "You alright? You seem more nervous then when SoceityBoy was in the Bloomic server..." he said softly, reaching out a free hand to them but not touching them- just in case. "Oh! I'm alright, just- it's different having you here. In my house. Rather than through screens... I- don't know exactly what to do first." they say with a small laugh, slowly guiding him towards the living room- him noticing the excessive preening the smaller of the two had done before he had gotten here.

"Well, let me try then. Here- I brought these for you." he said, extending the flowers to MC gently with a soft smile on his face. Graciously they accepted the flowers, giving them a quick whiff before looking back up to the tall man with a smile. "Thank you Quest, you really didn't need to get me anything- but this is...very sweet of you." they said, looking around for one their stored away vases to keep the gentle flowers in.

"I wanted too, after all..." he started before he gently pulled MC closer to him by the waist and leaned down towards them slightly. "I'm getting to see the most amazing partner in the entire world in person for the very first time, it felt like a necessary thing to do." he said lowly with a small smirk intergrating into his smile as he observed the blush that radiated off of MC's cheeks at their proximity.

Carefully, Quest put the flowers on the counter behind MC so they wouldn't get crushed before pulling them even closer. "Is this okay?" he asked softly, his flirtatious front falling as he took their comfort into account. After dealing with a terrible ex-boyfriend like SocietyBoy, he didn't want to make any moves that could hurt them in anyway- guess that's the Xander in him. They nod softly before their eyes flit between meeting his and his lips before they gulped softly- avoiding eye contact, but the nervous acts did not go unnoticed by Quest as he gently brought his lips to theirs. It was soft, but intense at the same time- all of the built up love and affection of six months of long distance crashing down on the two of them.

When the kiss broke, MC found themself instinctively following after him- not ready to be seperated just yet, and Quest happily obliged to his lover's desperate need for closeness. When they reconnected, the kiss was far more heated as MC gripped tightly at his turtleneck and he seemed to pull them ever closer to him as he pushed them against the counter. When it broke again, MC putting their hands gently against his chest as they looked down- catching their breath and trying to still their racing heart.

"I love you MC." he said through baited breaths. "I love you too Quest, thank you for coming." they replied with a smile, nuzzling into his chest and hugging him tightly.

𝚗𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚘𝚠𝚕

He was excited, having finally been granted permission to leave his college campus for good- shown by his architecture degree that was carefully framed and packed away in his suitcase that stood right beside him by the curb. Nightowl wasn't the type to enjoy driving, but lucky enough for him he has a loving partner in the same state that just so happens to be willing to drive for hours to bring him home. Some would call it 'going to fast' but it felt like it took too long for him.

It has been three months since he'd met and gotten together with MC, sure it was definetely a fast growing relationship- but it worked for both of them. And now? He was moving into their house, just to be closer physically. As a sleek, black Hundai Genesis G80 rolled around the entry corner he felt his excitement grow- despite the tinted glass he could see his lover in the driver's seat. When the car pulls to a stop by the curb in front of him, he started to grab his bags but paused when he heard the car door open and rushed speedwalking.

"Darling!" they said with a grin, wrapping him into a tight hug quickly before he could properly react. When the shock died down he laughed cheerfully and hugged them back just as tightly, "My love! Thank you for coming to get me, it feels so good to have you in my arms..." he said, nuzzling his face in between their shoudler and neck- memorizing their warmth and smell. MC laughed a bit, being slightly tickled by his hair brushing against their skin gently.

"It's no problem, it was an excuse to see you for one AND you're moving into my house so might as well." they say, putting a hand into the boy's hair letting him stay there as long as he felt like it. A comfortable silence erupted between the two, only the hum of the car's engine persisting. The feeling of his lover finally being in his arms was euphoric, and he couldn't stop his tendancies as he started to gently pepper kisses across the skin availible to him on the neck and shoulder space.

MC's breathing took a swift halt, the gentle kisses making their skin shiver- it had been so long since they were given this level of affection in person. It felt both foreign and familiar- but in the best way possible as they let out small shaky breaths. "Hun- we...we should get your bags into the car." they said shakily before nightowl raised his head and gave them the puppy eyes, letting out a light whine. "But gorgeous!!! I just wanna shower you with affection, pleaseeee??? A few more minutes???" he asked, puffing out his bottom lip a bit to intensify his pouty face.

MC laughed lightly at his silly shenanigans, cupping his face and placing a light peck on his nose before breaking from his grasp and grabbing his bags off of the ground to put them in the trunk. Nightowl stood there stunned for a moment before literally shaking his head like a puppy, a blush on his cheeks "H-Hey! You missed!" he practically shouted, making his partner laugh lightheartedly. "The sooner we get home, the sooner you can get an actual kiss birdy. I promise." they said with a playful smile before slipping into the driver's seat.

With a happy grin he got into the passenger side of the car, excited by the prospect of their house now becoming both of their home. Even as he sat down and buckled up, he couldn't sit still- his excitement evident and making MC chuckle a bit as they started the long drive home, a soft hand resting on his thigh the whole ride home.

𝚡𝚢𝚡

Xyx was focused, being more careful then usual on his motorcycle as he sped towards their designated meet up point- he was just moments away from the love of his life, MC. A grin spread across his face as he sped up a bit more, hoping to get there faster- he needed them close sooner rather than later, after all...it's been nine months since they've gotten together and they've never even within physical range of each other. Not once did he get to feel their delicate skin against his own, nor did he get to see their face bloom a beautiful red as he teased them directly and not through a screen.

Cat sat in front of him, strapped to his chest with a custom made helmet on their little head- they were also excited to see MC. After all, they now meowed at the screen everytime they realized Xyx was on call with them- pawing gently at the screen, trying to get to them. Eventually, he pulled to a stop in front of an apartment building, a temporary living arrangement they've made until they find a place they can both mutually agree on.

Quickly he got off the bike, turning it off and taking the keys from the ignition- putting the kick stand down and pulling off his helmet as well as Cat's. He entered the establishment quickly, carefully unstrapping cat from his chest as he approached the elevator- he knew which room he was going to already and had been given instructions for once inside the building. Apparentally, the staff at the establishment aren't permitted to show people to rooms without them having proof of rooming there- privacy and legal contracting stuff. Luckily they didn't question him as the elevator closed, and he went to the top floor- the bought out apartment he insisted on was of course the suite, only the best for the best.

He approached the door, setting Cat down on the floor before knocking and adjusting his backpack strap. The door swung open swiftly, revealing MC grinning excitedly bouncing on their toes and before Xyx could get a single word out Cat meowed loudly- pawing at their shins, making them giggle. "My two favorite beings are here! Hi hi!" they said excitedly, picking up the cat and pulling Xyx inside the suite. "So Cat gets a hug and I don't? I see how it is." he teases, pulling off his bag and leaning against the entryway wall.

"No no no! Hold on! The baby was just- she got to me first." MC defended quickly, hugging the feline to their chest and nuzzling into their fur. "Oh so it's a competition huh?" he says, a devious smirk on his face as his eyes showed he was planning something. "Y'know what? Yeah. Yeah it was, Cat just loves me more." they say turning around, acting overly sassy for show as they pet Cat's head gently- the feline releasing calming purrs.

Suddenly Xyx wrapped his arms around MC's waist, making them squeal as he picked them up from behind and walking to the couch- gently tossing them down, making Cat scurry off to explore. "H-Hey! X you could've hurt Cat!" they said playfully glaring at their boyfriend before he crawled over them, putting his face in their chest and holding them close. "She's fine, but right now? You're mine. If I have to prove it, I will. Mine." he muttered into his partner's clothed chest- his cheeks heating.

MC chuckled a bit, blush spreading across their cheeks. "How exactly would you prove that huh? Gonna make me wear a collar like a cat or something?" they tease with a laugh. He groans into their chest before lifting himself up, a soft blush on his cheeks and ears before he leans back down- face in the crook of their neck. It was a moment later that he was biting down gently on their skin, leaving soft red marks behind. "I'll think about that collar, but for now these will do." he says teasingly, kissing each one softly.

MC laughed fullheartedly, despite being flustered they found it adorable how he felt the need to show off that they were exclusively his. "You're a big softie under that memeable surface, and I love it so damn much." they say, hugging his head into their chest again. "Only for you." he muttered into their chest as he cuddled into them, listening to their heart beat- studying it and trying to match his own to it. "I never thought I'd get to say this to someone- but I love you MC." he said quietly, listening to their heart race slightly faster afterwards- making him smile. "I love you too Xyx, all of you." they said quietly in return.

The two stayed bundled up like that until Cat returned and hopped onto Xyx's back, curling into a ball and chosing him as her new bed for the moment- making him unable to move. It was a small family, but it was perfect for them.

𝚆𝚘𝚛𝚍 𝙲𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚝: 2,942

[jmdbjk]

Cannot wait...

Still a month away from watching these two be their adorable goober selves together:

I keep telling everyone around me I'm going to be insufferable for a while, with Jimin and Muse coming soon and then these two together, week after week ... makes me giddy. Sorry, not sorry.

We'll get teasers. I'm going to squee over all of those as well. Again, sorry, but not very sorry at all actually.

All of it takes me back to when I realized JK's 2022 Vlog was going to be centered around camping. Honestly? I was a little surprised. He has never come across as the outdoorsy type to me. But he'd never had the chance to express much of what interests him outside of BTS and outside of what we saw on various content through the years either!

This series of vlogs helped us see each member doing things they chose to do on their own and helped kick off the "solo" era in 2022.

Jungkook's delight in stopping at Korea's version of Buc-ee's and buying gas station food and eating to his heart's content was oddly satisfying. Maybe because I take great pleasure in doing such simple things too, after all, the best part of a road trip is stopping to buy snacks along the way, am I right? The service area where they stopped is called the Gapyeong Service area on the Seoul-Yangyang Expressway (60). These places are like a food court/mini mall. Just like Buc-ee's.

I am already laughing at the thought of he and Jimin stopping at a grocery store to buy deli pizza in Connecticut... IT'S GOING TO BE WOEFULLY SUBSTANDARD I FEAR!

In his 2022 vlog, Jungkook helped set up the camper he slept in and cooked and sat around the campfire drinking. And we know in past Bon Voyage seasons and other content, they've pitched tents and slept outdoors. All of these things he must have immensely enjoyed if we might be seeing them again soon with Jimin.

Then there's the recent story going around about someone spotting he and Jimin returning their rental car in Japan and learning Jungkook was driving... Jungkook got to drive on the "wrong" side of the road in Japan! He put that international driver's license to use finally!

From the preview clip the other day, it appears Jungkook also got to practice his motorcycle handling skills. Handling a Harley Davidson is a bit trickier than handling a smaller motorcycle. Those things are heavy. And it's a little different when you have a passenger sitting behind you. The two Harley helmets we saw sitting on the edge of his sofa last year... yep, he's had practice.

TMI: I was today year's old when I learned that motorcycles are banned on major roadways in Korea.

Are we going to see how Jimin scraped his knuckles while snorkeling on Jeju?

And that nekkid-in-bed live when Jungkook was begging him to come over and Jimin told him to look at the photo he sent... did Jimin get a black eye from being elbowed when they were sleeping?

And as I was running through my blog posts, I realized all of these things I previously said last year:

Me wondering if their trip to Japan was unstructured and spur of the moment...

I wondered if Closer Than This was a pre-release to an upcoming album...

I'm thankful to Tae for bringing JK along with his Wooga friends to that ski resort back in 2022. We can't know if JK had ever snowboarded before that but it appears he loved it enough to want to stick around long after they left him there. And now he had the chance to do it again with Jimin! I know they had so much fun together. At the beginning of this year, I pointed out some fun facts about Sapporo...

Skiing? Snowboarding? All of the above?

And save this for future reference, it's the onsen resort image we heard about and I mentioned in a weekly Bangtan report this past February....

Maybe none of the above will be accurate, but thinking about how much fun they had anyway has me very excited for August 8.

[artificialbreezy]

Please please please please more dom! Noah. You seem to know bdsm well from looking at old posts on your blog and I just love your take on everything

girl i had too much fun with this. it’s kinda. a long one. buckle up

nsfw under the cut

• “You’re so pretty, baby. Can’t believe you’re mine.”

• “I know you can’t reach that; why not ask for help little one?”

• Lots of hugs from behind

• Idk man i just feel like he’d be needy but not like needy in a bad way. Needy as like, he wants to be near you all the time (except when the workaholic parts of him are front and center)

• I don’t think he’d would like neglect you when he’s working on an album but i definitely see him being a little distant

• Like he wouldn’t plan dates as often or his calls would be later than usual

• but when you were at his house he’d have you with him while he's working. Showing you what he's working on.

• He gets in his head sometimes, he needs a reminder from his partner that he’s okay.

• That he’s loved and he’s never a bother to you

• He is 100% a dom

• Sometimes a mean dom, sometimes a soft dom. I feel it really depends on the day

• Like did he wake up annoyed with the world? Mean dom Noah is heeerrreee

• Did he wake up and look over at his little baby and just stare in awe? Soft dom day.

• Let's talk about soft dom Noah first

• i definitely think daddy and sir are the most common names he chooses to go by

• I mean cmon listen to his lyrics, he's got that whole hierarchy thing going on.

• size kink = daddy kink

• they go hand in hand for noah

• he’d put his hand on your stomach and say “can feel myself in your tummy baby. taking my cock so well”

• the first time you call him daddy is when he’s just being relentless, you have tears in your eyes and you don’t have any thoughts just “daddy please”

• man would lose it internally. he didn’t know he’d like that, that much. but here he is.

• “what was that baby? say it again for me yeah? can you do that? can you say it again for daddy?”

• now punishments for dom noah? they range from writing lines to harsh spanks to overstimulation

• his favorite is overstimulation bc seeing you cry from all the pleasure he’s giving you really gets him going

• “awe baby cmon, you know daddy only gives good girls what they want. beg for it.”

• if he’s gonna spank you, he’s gonna do it when you’re least expecting it. he doesn’t want to give you time to prepare. he wants your raw emotions right then and there

• he’ll be sitting on the couch all spread out and you’ll walk by and he’ll just grab you and pull you over his lap

• “ya know why i’m doing this right baby?”

• if you DONT respond he’d send a warning hit that causes a big jolt

• “that’s a warning, now answer me.”

• when you miss count he stops and sends a lil warning smack to your pussy. “start over angel, you know the rules. where’d my good girl go?”

• now let’s get into the soft dom every day Noah that’s outside of the bedroom

• big ✨daddy✨vibes

• he loves watching you color while he plays his game.

• warms his heart to see you on his bed with a stuffed animal next to you and a big ole coloring book in front of you

• really warms his heart to see your tongue hanging out of your mouth a lil bc you’re so focused on your picture

• whenever your done with it, he hangs it up on his wall bc “awe baby look at this! you’re a natural artist!”

• he loves taking you on little picnic dates.

• he’ll get you dressed in your cute little dresses and pack your favorite lunch and hold your hand the whole way there and then take you to the park afterwards bc he knows you love the swings

• he 100% fills up your cups

• need more soda? absolutely not “daddy said you need water now angel. don’t argue”

• and you’d pout a lil bit at the end of the day you know he just wants what’s best for you and your health

• he LOOOOVES when you drag out his name when you want something

• “daaaaaddddyyyyy”

• he’d just smile down at you “what do you need little one? how can i help you?”

[insxghtt]

reschedule — bella ramsey x reader

All you wanted was to go back in time.

warnings: hurt/comfort. i used they/them pronouns for bella (bc i see that it's what pedro uses) and it was kind of difficult bc english is not my first language so if i got anything wrong i apologize. also bella said that they don't rlly care abt pronouns so i guess if i use she/her or he/him is ok right? idk let me know in the comments.

this was based on two requests: "hi babe can you write bella ramsey x reader where reader and bella are in a relationship but reader believes bella will leave them and bella reassures reader that they love them sm" / "bella and reader have a massive fight and reader thinks it’s a breakup but then bella comes and they makeup?"

You and Bella had been together for three years and not even once you doubted that you wanted to spend the rest of your life with them. Bella was everything you’ve ever wanted. They were kind, funny, beautiful, and most importantly, they always made sure to make you feel loved. 

You knew how important their career was to them and you respected that. The Last of Us was a huge success and Bella was out a lot, doing interviews and even getting new jobs. You were so proud of them and just seeing that sparkle in their eyes was enough to make you forget any problem you had going on. 

Well, you had a few problems going on. You just released your second book and the book launch was awesome, except for a little detail. Bella wasn’t there. 

It’s okay, you thought. They were busy with work. It happens. But just because it happens doesn’t mean that it didn’t hurt a bit. Especially when you found out that they didn’t show up because of an interview. Interviews can be rescheduled. Especially when it was someone like Bella. Pedro rescheduled an interview two times a while ago just because his sister needed some help with the children. He said that family always comes first. 

It was your second book. You had been writing it for two years, working every single detail of it. It was a big deal. Maybe she didn’t see you as family, you thought. That was when all the problems became to appear. All your insecurities, all your internal conflicts. You spent the whole book launch overthinking every part of your relationship. 

When you got home, you knew Bella would be there. They had your key and asked if they could go to your place after the interview. You said yes, of course. Didn’t matter if you were slightly hurt, you just wanted to be with them. 

“Hey! How was it?”, Bella smiled when they saw you walk inside the apartment. 

“It was good”, you smiled back and gave them a big hug. “I missed you so much.” 

Bella laughed at how muffled your voice was because of the way your face was hidden on the curve of their neck. “I missed you too, darling.” 

You let them go and they gave you a quick kiss. “I’m hungry. And really, really, tired.” 

“I know. It’s why I ordered some pizza”, they pointed to the box on the center table in front of the couch. 

“Oh, you’re the best!”, you throwed your body on the comfortable couch and sighed. “Is it pepperoni?” 

“Yes...”, they sat next to you and grabbed one piece, giving it to you. 

“Thank God... I mean, I know you’re like, a hater of meat eaters, but...” 

“I’m not a hater!” 

“You are kind of a hater. It’s why I appreciate this”, you grabbed the slice of pizza. 

Bella grabbed one slice of the other pizza, the one without meat, and looked at you. You two smiled at each other and toasted the slices before eating it. 

The time went by and considering how hungry the two of you were, it didn’t take long for the pizza to disappear. Between one bite and another, you told Bella about the event. You told everything, like you wanted them to see it. You really wanted them to see it. And when Bella realized it, they felt terrible for not being there. 

“I’m so sorry I wasn’t there.” 

“You already said that”, you laughed and held their hand. 

You were with your head laid on their shoulder and you felt them kissing your hair. 

“No, I mean it.” 

You raised your head to look at Bella. “It’s fine, you were working.” 

“You’re not mad at me?” 

“No!”. 

You were a little mad, but it would pass. There was no reason to ruin that moment with a stupid argument. They were sorry, that’s all that mattered to you. 

“At least you read my book, it’s more than what my own mother did, so...”, you joked. 

But Bella didn’t laugh. In fact, they gulped. 

“You read it, right?” 

The response was the silence. All the walls you used to hide how disappointed you were collapsed right there. 

“You didn’t even read my book?”, you dropped their hand. 

“I was going to...” 

“I gave it to you, like, a month ago.” 

“I was going to read it, I swear! It’s just that there were so many things going on that I...” 

“Oh my God”, you stood up from the couch. “You really don’t care, do you?” 

“What?”, they stood up as well. “Of course I do!” 

“Yes, of course you do, but never as much as you care about your own work!” 

Both of you were angry now. Bella was feeling offended. It wasn’t like they were terrible all the time, Bella was always doing the best to make you happy. 

“Are you kidding me?” 

“No, Bella, it’s just the truth.” 

“Imagine if I told you that every time you say no when I invite you to an event, how would you feel?” 

“It’s different, Bella. You’re great at what you do.” 

“And so are you!” 

“It’s not the same thing!”, you yelled. “People love you. You’re successful.” 

“So what? You want me to not be good at my job?” 

“No, damnit! What I'm trying to tell you is that we’re different. You’re on, like, a thousand tv shows”, you pointed at her and then at yourself. “My biggest achievement was a book written three years ago and after that, all I do is sit and watch while the world around me continues to move.” 

Bella stood silent, waiting for you to finish with tears in their eyes. 

“The one thing that kept me going was this stupid plot I had in my mind during a shower, a stupid plot that I worked so fucking hard for two years. You were there, you saw it! I fucking cried myself to sleep wondering if I would ever do anything good again”, you dried your tears with the sleeve of your sweater. “And I finally did it! I did it, and it’s so good, and I wanted you to be there so you could see how good I am. I wanted to give you a reason to be proud of me!” 

When you were done talking, Bella didn’t say anything. They didn’t even look at you. 

“I think I should go”, they said. 

“You’re going to leave? Really?” 

“I just...”, they sighed. “I need to be alone now.” 

Bella gave you no time to say anything. They grabbed their bag that was on the corner table next to the door and left. 

“Yeah, that is really fucking mature, Bella!”, you yelled before the door was closed and they were gone. 

The morning after that night was awful. You and Bella never had a fight like that. You tried to call them 2 times since you woke up, but it was useless. At first, you thought they were asleep, that’s why they haven’t answer. But the day went by, the night came again, and they still gave you no answer. Talking to their mom, you found out where Bella was. 

“Locked in their room”, she said through the phone. 

“Okay, can I talk to them?”, you asked nervously. 

“Did you guys have a fight?” 

“Ah...”, you were not sure you wanted to talk about this. 

“Alright, you don’t have to tell me”, she calmed you down. “Bella asked me to say that they’re busy, if anyone called.” 

Shit, they were going to break up with you. 

“I though Pedro and Bella were supposed to be on a tv show today.” 

“Bella rescheduled.” 

Okay, so whatever Bella was doing, it was more important than you, apparently. 

“Oh...” 

Bella’s mom sighed. She knew the two of you enough to tell that something was off. 

“Honey don’t worry”, she said. “I’m sure you guys will figure this out.” 

It didn’t feel like it. 

“Okay”, you agreed. “Thank you, I'll try to call them again later.” 

“Bella loves you very much, you’ll be fine.” 

You thanked her again before hanging up. Not a second after that, you got a message from Pedro, answering one of your texts asking about Bella. 

“They didn’t say anything to me. Just that something came up and that it was urgent, so we had to reschedule the interview.” 

You couldn’t stop a tear from rolling down your cheek as you typed. 

“I think they’re gonna break up with me” 

Pedro was fast to answer that one. 

“Bella is crazy for you. Shut up.” 

You let out a sad laugh. Pedro was so sure of it that you were a bit jealous of that confidence. Bella never did that before. Honestly, it felt like it was already done. You could imagine them coming to your apartment to pick up their stuff and you could see yourself begging for them to stay. Were you being dramatic? Maybe, but it felt real. 

You laid on your couch, curled up in a ball of blankets that smelled like Bella. It was funny how much you missed them, considering that you saw each other last night. But this was different, this time they didn’t say the ‘I love you’ that they always said before leaving. No, they said ‘I need to be alone’. 

That was it? Three years of relationship thrown away because of a book. 

The sound of the doorbell brough you back to earth in a flinch. You stood from the couch and stared at the door. What if it was them? You didn’t want to hear it right now. You couldn’t handle it. Not now. 

“I know you’re in there, the lights are on.” 

Shit. It was Bella. Trying to be silent, you reached for the light switch and turned it off. 

“Did you just turn the lights off?” 

“No...”, you answered, soon closing your eyes and hating yourself for being so fucking stupid. 

With no other options, you walked to the door and opened it. 

“Why did you kill him?”, Bella asked. 

They had dark circles around their eyes and on their hands, was the book you gave them. Your book. 

“What?”, you were still trying to process it. 

Bella entered the apartment without even asking. “Why did you kill him? Do you know how sick and twisted this is?!” 

“What are you talking about?” 

“Your book!”, they pointed at it. 

You closed the door and continued to stare at them without having any idea of what was going on. “You read it?” 

“I read the first two pages last night and just couldn’t stop”, they said, gesticulating every word in excitement. “Why did you kill him? Do you know how much I cried?” 

And then you realized. She was talking about the main character on your book. 

“Well, I...” 

“I mean, do you have a problem with happy endings? This is the best book I've ever read, and you had to kill my favorite character?” 

You didn’t know what to say. “How did you finish it so fast?” 

“I was up all night.” 

Oh, so that’s why... 

“And you didn’t even think of, I don’t know, check your fucking phone?”, you yelled. “I thought you were going to break up with me!” 

Bella finally stopped talking and looked at you with confusion in their eyes. 

“Why would I break up with you? I love you.” 

You breathed in relief and closed your eyes. “You dumbass”, you whispered before wrapping your arms around their waist on a tight hug. 

Bella was still confused, but they hugged you back and ran their fingers through your hair. “I’m so sorry I made you think that.” 

You raised your head to look at them. With all the tenderness in the world, Bella touched your cheeks and kissed you on the lips. All the worries, all the sadness, it was all gone. When they pulled away, their arms were still around your neck and your faces were still close. 

“So that's what you were doing?”, you asked with the smile on your lips that Bella loved so much. They nodded. “And you cried?”, Bella nodded again. “Good.” 

Bella laughed and gave you another kiss. “I should’ve been there. And I should’ve read it the same day you gave it to me...” 

“It’s fine.” 

“Shut up, let me finish”, they interrupted, and you let out a laugh. “I am so proud of you. You’re so good at everything you do and this book...”, Bella sighed. “This book is just heartbreaking, perfect, sad, beautiful, thrilling...” 

“Yes, I got it”, you giggled, already blushing from so many compliments. 

“Exciting, original, sensational, fantastic...” 

“Okay!”, you covered their mouth with your hand. “You loved it, I get it.” 

Bella tried to say something, so you removed your hand. 

“Are we good?”, they asked. 

You answered it with another kiss. 

“Okay, I think we’re good”, Bella smiled. 

“Yes. Yes, we are.” 

[freesia-writes]

Ch 33: The Waterfall

Master List ~~ Previous Chapter ~~ WC: 3.4k Fanart by @acryliccassetteart and @the-little-moment!

I can't stop giggling at this mood board but it just captures the vibes of the chapter so well. ;)

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“Come on, Hunter. Let’s just see what happens,” Omega begged, directing her most winning smile at him as he stared flatly from across the table. They were enjoying a late breakfast on a lazy day, and her curiosity about the mysterious blossom he’d discovered a while ago had taken front and center stage. He didn’t want anything to do with it, despite the baffling way it had come to him; it was too tightly wound around painful memories that he’d done his best to stuff away.

“You take it, if you want,” he offered, but she shook her head immediately. 

“It had to be the ‘recipient’ or whatever word it was,” she corrected. “It might turn me into a frog if I try.”

“That could be interesting,” said Hunter, eyes sparkling with a bit of mischief. It warmed Omega’s heart, not having seen his brighter side for nearly a month now. He’d been fairly upbeat during his wild adventures with Luciana, but after his overindulgence on Plata, and more so after the recent wedding, he’d seemed weighed down with an internal conflict that he refused to share. 

“I’ll try it if you come along,” she smiled, lifting her chin slightly as she became fairly certain she had him convinced.

“Alright,” he said, softening considerably as she beamed in enthusiasm. Her internship year had come to a close, and upon the completion of all of her evaluations and reflections, she had decided to take two part-time jobs to further narrow down her interests as she prepared for the Advancement Ceremony, after which she would officially be free to craft her life however she saw fit. One of the current pursuits was with a group of engineers on one of the neighboring islands, and the other was in one of the shops in The Cobbles, where she was learning about natural remedies and holistic healing methods. She was equally drawn to things requiring mental acuity as well as the tender-hearted care of others, and Hunter realized he didn’t often take time to fully appreciate how incredibly well-rounded she was. He was, however, continually amazed at her impervious optimism, and it had encouraged him many times over. 

He brought up the coordinates that Tech had sent for this “magical waterfall” and put the flower in his backpack, handling it carefully even though it had been secured in some kind of stasis orb that kept it perfectly suspended within the round shell. Omega threw in a few snacks as well as a couple of packable towels that would expand when the seal was broken, and the two of them set off.

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Artwork by @acryliccassetteart <3

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The walk was thoroughly enjoyable – a leisurely stroll punctuated with happy conversation and periods of quiet. It reminded him of Lyra, so he started thinking about all of his recent dates with Luci instead. It seemed that they’d spent every free moment they had in each other’s company over the last few weeks. If she wasn’t at work, she was visiting his shop, and if she had a day off, they had plans for workouts or adventures. He’d been out hunting increasingly longer, blaming the bountiful season of herd migration, but it was also the only place he was able to enjoy solitary time in a peaceful setting anymore.

The waterfall came into view, tucked deep within The Forest between two craggy mountains that were covered in trees. A single flat area was etched into the otherwise steep terrain, and the water poured into a pool from the flowing creek above. Omega was bouncing with excitement as they drew near, dropping their bags and inspecting the sight before them. 

“Well, go on!” she encouraged, opening his backpack to remove the orb. “Take it out and let’s have a go.”

“Calm down,” he smiled, pulling his shirt over his head and leaving his swim shorts on. The sun was filtering through the trees, providing some spotty places of warmth, but the rest of the space was mostly shady, which wouldn’t feel great if the water were as cold as he sensed. 

“There’s that beautiful sight again,” Omega teased, pointing at the half-skull butterfly tattoo on his ribcage. He sighed, shaking his head, and she patted him on the back. “You could probably go somewhere to have it removed easily enough.”

“I know. Travel just hasn’t been at the top of my list.”

He flipped a tiny switch on the protective orb, and it split open with a hiss, allowing the blossom to drop into Omega’s outstretched hand. It was no longer glowing, but still maintained an ethereal creamy white color, the runes still barely visible along the edges of each graceful petal. 

“You go in here, I think,” she said. “I’ll climb up to see what’s at the top.”

“Be careful, the rocks look crumbly and–”

“Hunter.”

“Alright.”

She made her way nimbly up the mountainside, aided by tree trunks that were conveniently placed to allow for solid steps, and she planted herself on a strong foothold as she peered over the ledge that held most of the flow before it crashed down the waterfall.

“There’s a little pool up here. The water seems to move slowly through all these rocks,” she called down to him. “So I’ll throw it in when you’re ready!”

Hunter sighed, wading into the chilly water down below. His body tensed more with each passing step that sank him in deeper until the bottom evened out as he neared the waterfall. Shielding his face from the spray, he glanced up to Omega, squinting as he saw her thumbs-up, then watched her lob the flower over her head into the pool above. He waited for a moment, staring at the water coursing down, but nothing seemed to change. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath and sensing everything he could. There was nothing extraordinary about the scents or sounds, and the vibrations emanating from everything both living and dead felt the same as always. So he stepped all the way beneath the waterfall, shivering as it splattered over his head and shoulders. 

He was grateful that it wasn’t a very big flow, otherwise it would have been significantly more difficult. But as it were, he turned to face away from the rock wall, tilting his head back and running his hands over his hair as it washed away from his face. He didn’t feel anything other than the crisp refreshment that came from the cold water, and he rubbed his eyes in his hands.

Then he gasped in surprise.

Behind his closed eyes, a colorful vision was coming to life. He furrowed his brow, squeezing his eyelids together as it developed before him. He was able to make out a graceful curve of the edge of something fibrous, and at its edge were hundreds of things that looked like tadpoles. The whole image glowed blue and green, some of the tadpoles radiant with activity. 

Then suddenly, he was walking in a large meadow; some sheep were grazing nearby, and the scents and sounds were so realistic that he felt an anxiety rising in his gut. Distracted by the appearance of a fox that bounded toward from the forest, he stopped, watching the creature as it wove through his legs, brushing against his calf before cavorting playfully through the grass and flowers. It rolled onto its back, revealing its soft belly, and he bent to pet it. The fox closed its eyes, as content as could be, and Hunter found a smile on his face.

Without warning, the fox snapped at his hand, sinking its teeth into the side of his palm with a sinister gleam in its predatory eyes. He yelped, clutching his hand to his chest, feeling the pangs of pain there as well. He rose to his feet, taking a step back to kick the animal as hard as he could. Suddenly, everything froze except for a gentle gust of wind that reached from the sea with glowing tendrils of bluish green that danced gracefully through the air. They settled on the fox, also unmoving, and swirled around it a few times in loving caresses, then disappeared inside of it. 

Then he was free to move again, as was the creature, who got up, shook itself off, and, without a single look back, trotted back into the forest the way it had come, tail swishing pleasantly as it vanished with a carefree frolick. Hunter stared after it, perplexed and hurt. One of the sheep at the edge of the herd, with an older-looking lamb beside it, was watching them, ears flicked forward in alert vigilance and body tensed in apprehension.

The vision darkened, returning to the original image of blue and green tadpoles lined up around a curve. But now the same blue-colored breeze from the meadow swept through, its graceful wisps flowing freely through the fibers of the starkly-contrasted colors of the shape. Somehow, though, it was all changed; the tiny wiggling things were receding from its edge, and they were no longer glowing. 

“You alright?” Omega called, slowly making her way down the side to watch him curiously, a touch of concern in her voice as she saw his head in his hands.

“Fine!” he yelled, unable to open his eyes as he studied the mesmerizing pattern before him, committing it to memory as best he could. It slowly faded into darkness, and he couldn’t feel a single hint of peril, rather an overwhelming sense of peace and warmth as the entire thing dimmed to nothing. Now it was a simple idea that surfaced in his mind, something that one of the Xyloans had said at the tiki bar a while ago: the island was sentient in a way. It protected itself and those who lived upon it. There would be struggles and dangers, but only those that served an ultimate good. It was an odd sort of reassurance that settled in his core, as though he were being beckoned to trust the planet itself, and then it was gone. A wave of tingly energy ran over him as he stepped out from beneath the water, sucking in a deep breath as he reeled from what had happened. 

“So?” Omega pressed, face tightening in concern as he drew near. His eyes were large and he seemed to be unable to suppress a small shiver that would tease his shoulders every few seconds. She tore open one of the towel packets, shaking it out as it expanded once freed from its vacuum-sealed pouch, and tossed it to him. He climbed out of the pool, picking it up from the rock where it lay, and vigorously rubbed all of his limbs before moving to stand in the brightest beam of sunlight.

“I don’t know,” he admitted, turning to her with a shrug. “It was something about glowing tadpoles, then some animals in a field… a fox bit me while a sheep watched… then the tadpoles were fading… ” He cringed at the words coming out of his own mouth, suddenly self–conscious about all of it. “But then again, maybe I was just rubbing my eyes too hard,” he chuckled. 

“Well… do you feel different?” she asked, tilting her head at him intently.

“Other than cold, no.” 

“Hm. Well let’s see what Tech has to say about it.”

“We don’t need to–”

But she was already trotting down the mountain. 

Hunter didn’t even have time to change before he was plopped on the couch at Tech and Phee’s. Having air-dried on the hike back, he reclined into the plush cushions as his brother sat in a chair across from him, leaning forward with his hands together and his knees on his elbows. 

“I’m not a med bay patient here, Tech,” he warned, apprehensive at the intensity with which his brother was studying his every move. 

“No, you are not. However, I am highly curious. May I proceed with some questions and take a few samples if necessary?” Tech sat back, lips pressed together tightly as he waited for Hunter’s consent. He knew that, once given, it would prevent the stubborn clone from protesting every next move he would make. 

Hunter sighed. “Fine.”

“Excellent. Please recount the vision as accurately as you are able.”

Hunter repeated it, watching Tech typing into his datapad with flying fingers. Flickers of insight and satisfaction danced across his distinctive features as Hunter finished, sitting back and scratching his forearm. 

“It seems rather obvious, but I would like to ask some additional questions before venturing a hypothesis.”

“Obvious?” Hunter sighed. “Naturally. Anyway, what?”

“Are you able to recall the specifics of our second mission to Pantora?”

“I mean… We disabled the weapons research facility…?”

“Correct. Let’s continue.” Tech proceeded to interrogate him on a seemingly random array of events throughout their past, everything from the previous day to his first memories of existence, and Hunter felt his brain slowly turning to mush as he did his best to answer as much as he could. Eventually, he was at the end of his rope, and he flopped back on the couch in exasperation. 

“Can you just tell me what you’re getting at?” 

“Yes. Your description of the ‘tadpoles’, which is a creative amphibious equivalent… for a child… reminded me of a recording taken of the brain while an individual accessed specific memories. The fact that the vision showed some sort of withdrawal suggests memory loss, however, it does not appear to be yours. As for the part about the animals in the field, I would advise you to take some time to meditate on the potential metaphorical applications of the scene you observed.”

“Cryptic as always,” Hunter muttered.

“I am being as straightforward as possible,” Tech protested.

“No, I meant this island stuff. Should have happened to Phee.”

“According to whom? The entire saga has not yet been completed. Perhaps the resolution will be highly favorable to you.” It was Tech’s version of empathetic encouragement, and Hunter decided to take it to heart. 

“Well I won’t refuse that.”

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Fanart by @the-little-moment -- go give the post some love!!

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When Hunter finally got up to make the short trek to his home, he had only made it to the edge of town when he noticed a familiar figure on the road ahead. It was dusk, a time when the fading light played tricks, making everything blend together or seem to be all on the same plane. Fortunately, he was more adept than most at discerning the visual cues of this particular hour, and yet he felt the energy from the person ahead even before he fully recognized who it was. 

“Where were you?” Luci exclaimed as he approached, the urgency in her voice laced with anger rather than concern. Hunter felt a barricade rising in his chest even as she rushed to him and grabbed his hands tightly.

“Went on a hike,” he deflected. “With Omega,” he added in response to the quick flash in her eyes. “Then I went to Tech’s. Why? What’s the issue?”

“I was just worried! I told you I had this afternoon off so I figured we’d hang out,” she admitted, voice softening while the tension remained. 

“Sorry,” he said placidly. “We didn’t have any plans.”

“I know. I tried to comm you!”

“Ah. I must have forgotten it at home.” Nonchalance met affront as his eyes met her own, and he felt a nagging sense of conviction at his casual lie. She took a deep breath and shifted, eyes growing large and round. He’d seen this look before; she employed it when trying to manipulate someone into whatever she desired them to be in that moment.

“Alright. Sorry,” she said, deflating to her usual, much more tolerable self. “I just… I kinda missed you,” she admitted sheepishly, leaning into him and tracing a finger along his collarbone.

“Since this morning?” He wasn’t trying to be snarky, he just genuinely couldn’t comprehend it.

“What can I say?” Luci teased, nuzzling in to plant a kiss on his neck. “You’ve got me wrapped around your finger.” Her words sent a shiver down his spine as she spoke against his neck. “Anyway…” She pulled back, regarding him fondly. “I’ve got the best date plans ever for tonight.”

“Ah, I need to change… and it’s getting a little late…”

“Nope! Not a care in the world, babe,” she interrupted, raising a triumphant finger in the air. “I’ve got you. It’s a treat for both of us. Nothing crazy, just some special time to relax because I care about you.”

Hunter was getting tired of being dragged around by everyone who wanted something from him, and he realized with a flash of self-hate that he was doing precisely what he’d accused Lyra of: placating others with no regard for his own needs or preferences. But rather than be riled up at the insight, his shoulders slumped a bit, and he closed his eyes as Luci leaned in for a kiss. 

“Trust me,” she whispered against his lips.

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Lyra banged the pot against the stove, cursing her own clumsiness as she straightened it and returned to her chopping. She felt particularly cozy that night, lighting a few candles around the kitchen to add to the warm glow from the fireplace, and she was throwing together a last-minute dinner after having dozed off on the couch and lost track of time. As she sliced through the vegetables, she thought she heard a creak on the front porch. She slowly lowered her elbows, holding the knife still against the cutting board. 

Nothing. 

She continued her work more quietly, ears perked for any further sound.

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Hunter took a deep breath where he lay, flat on a massage table with a heavy blanket draped across his legs and nestled around his waist. Warm oil was spread across his back and arms, and the massage therapist’s skilled hands glossed across muscle and bone, kneading and stroking. He felt like a puddle, having finally given in to simply relax and enjoy it after an internal struggle of how odd it all seemed. Luci was in a room next to him, receiving the same treatment, and then they would have some time to soak in the nearby hot springs. It was a clever setup at this particular spa, where patrons could opt to be alone or with those they came with, and Luci had been notably understanding in offering him all the space and solitude he might want. 

She had been much more clingy of late, and he kept sensing a frenetic energy when it came to his whereabouts. He was surprised at the petty jealousy she’d succumbed to – she’d seemed all too willing to share him in the past and had appeared to be completely secure in his affections. Perhaps she’d been shaken by his withdrawal after Plata, but it had been fanned into a larger flame when Lyra returned. He didn’t feel as though he’d given her any reason to doubt, and she had even encouraged him to be friends with Lyra despite his assurance that he had no interest in doing so. 

The calming music slowed as the track came to an end, and in the silence before the next one began, Hunter was lulled by his own heartbeat, echoed by the masseuse’s, and he paused his thoughts, centering himself in his senses and taking it all in. The building felt empty, he was surprised to note, and he suddenly became aware of a rhythmic vibration from his pack where it lay on a chair in the corner of the room. 

“Sorry, I have to get that,” he said quietly to the massage therapist, who nodded with a smile and slipped out of the room. He sat up, pulling the blanket around his waist as he shuffled to his bag, and his pulse was racing now as he emerged from the blissful fog of relaxation and realized the source of the sound. 

The emergency beacon.

Where was Omega–

No.

Lyra.

The emptiness of the rooms around him sent a jolt of electricity through him as he pulled his clothing on as quickly as possible. Leaving a handful of credits on the table by the bottle of massage oil, he left immediately, murmuring a quick apology to the masseuse as he fled.

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Song: It's My Life - Bon Jovi (Lyrics) 🎵.

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[baby-alien11]

Surprise Visit (Y/N Ulrich Universe)

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What started as a nice morning with an early visit to the gym, turned out a bit weird when in the way home, your dad called you to let you know that there were guests waiting for both at your house, which left both of you confused since none of you talked about visiting any of your friends

"Last chance to guess who is inside the house", you sighed once Jack's car stopped in the front yard next to yours

"I still don't have any idea of who could it be", Jack sighed turning off the car, "I mean, we already texted all of our friends and all of them denied to be here"

"I hate that dad didn't tell us anything"

Grabbing Butters who was on your lap, while Jack got the two gym bags, both of you walked towards the front porch to open the door, hearing small sounds in the kitchen, which made the two of you even more curious, and even more when a small girl who both of you knew well ran towards you hugging you both

"Sweetpea", you exclaimed in surprise hugging her with your free arm, "What are you doing here?"

"We came to surprise you", Penelope responded while passing to hug Jack

"Who's we?", Jack frowned

"Hi!"

Hearing that voice, the three of you looked at that direction to see Max standing next to the cat tower where Tatum was watching him with curiosity

"It's not that we aren't happy to see you again, but, what is happening?", you asked

Before Max could answer, there was another voice speaking from the kitchen

"Guys, the pancakes are almost ready"

Intrigued about the situation, all of you walked more into the house to see the entire grid in the kitchen, almost all of them preparing breakfast, while others where cleaning the dishes or others just sitting there

"I think we need context", Jack said which gained the attention of all of them

"We're making breakfast for all", Carlos responded putting the pancakes in a big plate

"Yeah, that's clear", Jack nodded still surprised

"Why don't you guys go change and leave your things while we finish preparing everything?", Fernando suggested

"Wait a second", you spoke before going upstairs, "Did my dad just let you in without arguing?"

"He just asked why we where here, we answered, he let us in and then he left", Alex responded

"He gave me a hug, and said he was proud of me", Logan mentioned with happiness, "And also that it doesn't matter where I go next year he will be supporting me"

"He saw me and laughed at me", Lando added, "And kept laughing until he was out of the house"

"Wonder why", George snorted

Still processing the madness in the kitchen, both of you left Butters in the cat tower with Tatum before going upstairs to your room where you closed the door inmediatly

"What the fuck is going on?", you exclaimed sure that Penelope wasn't going to hear the bad word

"It's summer break, they're supposed to be on vacation, Zandvoort is next week, use your last days free to go to the beach or something", Jack also exclaimed leaving the gym bags in your vanity chair, "What are they doing here?"

Still panicking about what they were doing in Los Angeles, specially in your house, both of you started to pace around your room, until realasation hit both of you

"When they returned us here they were fighting which garage we should stay for Las Vegas", Jack remembered

"Shut the fuck up", you murmured sitting in your bed, "This is going to be madness"

"At least we can laugh at them while they do this... I don't know what to call it"

"And they prepared breakfast", you concided, "I hope those who burn food or doesn't know how to do a thing didn't touched my kitchen tools, or anything"

Changing from the gym clothes to something more comfortable, both of you grabbed the gift for Penelope's fifth birthday to return to the first floor where several plates of international food where waiting on the center counter of the kitchen

"Sweetpea, we have something for you", you smiled at what the small girl did the same, "We know that your birthday was a few weeks ago"

"And since we couldn't be there, we bought you a gift that we were planning on send to you", Jack continued, "But since you are here, we decided to give it to you"

Putting the box in front of her, Penelope smiled hugging both of you before openning the giant box in front of her pulling out plushies of an ikran, an ilu and a giant Cinnamoroll (that left Max wondering who was going to lose the seat in his private plane for the white plushie)

"I love them", Penelope exclaimed trying to hug the three at the same time, "Thank you"

"How I'm going to get that giant thing on the plane?", Max questioned looking at the dads of the grid

"Just put it inside a bag", Checo responded at what Kevin and Nico nodded in agreement, "It will save space"

"And it will be easy to carry around", Kevin added, "Where did you got the giant plushie?"

"Build-A-Bear", Jack responded, "We made a few calls and got it early"

"We need to go there before leaving", Nico said to Kevin at what he agreeded

Aproaching the kitchen, plates and utensils were distributed and everyone grabbed a bit of everything, and even Tatum and Butters got some of what they can eat in their plates

"You guys have an impressive garden in there", Lewis said refering to the cultive garden

"Thanks, we started working on it since we got the house", you responded, "And that is since early two thousands"

"Seb would like it", Lance commented

"That just made my day", you smiled, "By the way, how is going to work this "activity"?"

"Each team created slide shows with pretty convincing arguments of why both of you should be in the garage for Las Vegas", George explained, "Which is also Jack's birthday"

"So, like an audition?", Jack questioned

"Exactly like that", Yuki nodded

Sharing a small glance, you and Jack got closer to start whispering about the whole thing for a few minutes before returning to look at the others

"We'll accept this, but we have one condition", you said

"We'll hear all the things you had to say, but all of you have to watch the movies and series we're in", Jack continued, "That includes Avatar: The Way of Water, Retribution, Scream, the last chapter of Riverdale, and even Avengers: Endgame"

"You are there?", Esteban exclaimed with surprise

"He's the kid in the bycicle that looks at Paul Rudd", you informed at what the french started to slap Mick's arm with emotion, "So, we have a deal? We also going to watch our rendition of the Scream'd Musical Parody"

Nodding in agreement, the breakfast continued normally with small talk, and when it ended, the ones who didn't cook washed the dishes used while the rest prepared the slide show in the living room

"I feel like we are going to hear a lot of nonsense", you said to Jack once seated in the couch with Penelope (and her new plushies) in between

"I'm kinda afraid of what are we going to hear", Jack agreeded at the time the cats jumped on the couch to lay on the back of the couch, "This could be absolutely funny or ridiculous, no in between"

"We are ready to start", Mick anounced interrupting the conversation, "Since I'm a reserve driver for Mercedes and driver for Alpine in the World Endurance Championship, I'll be the mediator in this, so, the order on slide shows is based on the championship and we have sheets with all the teams so you can write comments"

Stopping for a little, Mick gave you and Jack clipboards with sheets that at the top had the names of the ten teams, along with pencils

"And there's no limit time for the presentations, and gifts are allowed", Mick said before sitting in the couch, "Red Bull first"

Stepping to the front, Max and Checo put their presentation on the TV

"Our first argument, and advantage, is that both of you stayed in my apartment and in our garage during Monaco, both of you have cats and dogs, I have cats and Checo has dogs", Max started to yap with a slide full of pictures of what he was saying, "This whole thing and friendship started with the nepo babies interview, and what did you say? Both of you are Red Bull fans, and also fans of both of us, and now we are friends, we also have a Spice Girl on the team, who is Geri, also known as Ginger Spice"

"We also know that both of you love kids", Checo continued moving into the next slide that had pictures of both of you with Rogue and Penelope, "And we have the most kids combined in the whole paddock, with five"

Proving that point, the next slide was family pictures of the kids

"Also, my documentary is in Disney Plus", Checo continued, "What is also in Disney Plus? The Avatar movies, and who is in Avatar? Jack"

"Yeah, we can't watch the documentary", you interrupted, "It's not avaliable in the US"

"I'll see what I can do", Checo assured

"And the gifts that we brought for both of you are stroopwafels, mexican candies and snacks, tequila, two boxes of the future merch and more Red Bull which is already in the kitchen", Max followed putting the said things in the center table, "That's all, thank you"

While the change was being made, you and Jack took the oportunity to write the comments about the presentation

"McLaren is next", Mick anounced, "This is going to be fun"

"First of all, we'll have the best arguments that you'll hear in this lovely day", Oscar said, "The purpose of the trip to Las Vegas is for Jack's birthday, who has been saying for a while that he is a McLaren fan, and both of you also spent half an hour in our hospitality during the race in Monaco, and we are seeing right now, Y/N has an orange cat, and also, my second name is Jack"

"Strawberry blonde with a bit of carrot, but okay", you commented

"Now, while we were planning on doing this, we found a very interesting connection, that is very logical", Lando spoke passing to the next slide who had a very confussing diagram, "In her new album 'The Tortured Poets Department', Taylor Swift has a song called 'Florida', and what happenned in Florida? I won my first race, and who has several pictures with the trophy? Y/N and Jack, returning to Florida, the themed park of Avatar is there, franchise of which Jack is a part"

"But we have a strong disavantage", Oscar took the word again moving into the next slide which was the messages occupying the whole screen which made everyone laugh or cringe, "This unfortunate messages sent two years ago by none other than my teammate"

"Mate, I thought you were on my side", Lando whined

"I am, but I can't ignore this thing", Oscar justified, "The gifts that we bring are the LEGO set of our McLaren, clothes from the McLaren and Beiss colaboration along with the regular ones and a box of every flavor of Monster Energy, which are in the kitchen"

"Please chose us, thank you", Lando finalized

"Next", Mick exclaimed

Doing the same routine, you and Jack wrote the comments in the sheets at the same time the next ones prepare everything

"Sweetpea, when you grow up, if you ever recieve a message like the one you saw on the screen, do not answer", you said to Penelope who was playing with her new plushies, "Understood?"

"Yeah", Penelope nodded

"Perfect", you smiled

"Good morning, we are here representing Scuderia Ferrari, the most iconic team in the history of Formula One", Carlos started to speak, "Since the beggining of our history, we had iconic and amazing drivers and moments, but today we are here to convince our dear friends to be in our garage for Las Vegas"

"Our main reason will be the color red, not only because is the characteristic color of Ferrari, red is the name of a Taylor Swift album and song, is the color of Jack's car which you can see outside, is the color of the blood poured in the Scream saga, red is the color both of you had wore multiple times", Charles said

"Also I made the pancakes for breakfast, I've been a friend of yours since april, Ferrari is part of your top three favorite teams, we know both of you went to see the Ferrari movie because you posted about that on your Instagram stories", Carlos continued, "And for the pets we have Piñon and Leo"

"And before we move to the gifts part, Jack, since you are basically Ollie's american twin, I want to adopt you"

As Charles finished saying that, you bursted into a fit of laughs while the rest got confused about what the monegasque said

"First you need to talk with my mom about that", Jack mentioned when your laughs calmed down

"Don't worry, I will", Charles smiled, "Now for the gifts, the freezer is now full of every flavor of Lec ice cream, matching vintage Ferrari jackets and the collection for Monza and Miami, and APM Monaco jewerly"

"Thank you", Carlos finalized

Doing the same as last time, you and Jack wrote your comments, seeing Lewis and George in front with their presentation

"All of the arguments you've heard until now are going to sound lame after you heard what we have", George started putting the first slide, "The others might said about the movies, streaming platforms, horrible messages, fan of teams and more, but we have something more important, as we all know, Avatar: The Way of Water had the premiere at London on december 2022, during which Y/N and Jack hard launched their relationship, but what they don't know is that Carmen and I were there, and we loved the movie, it was amazing, Spider was our favorite character"

"Let's not forget the MET Gala", Lewis continued with the next slide, "The three of us met before walking the steps, we had a nice chat, we became friends and spent some time together at the event, also Y/N has said that I'm one of her fashion icons and she drives a Mercedes"

"That photo was taken today?", you asked seeing the picture of your car

"Yeah, when we arrived", George nodded, "Also, Y/N has mentioned that one of her favorite persons in F1 is Susie, who is sometimes at our garage, and Doriane is also sometimes with us, and let's not forget that in the movie Retribution where Jack, our future Oscar winner is part of the cast, several Mercedes vehicles are part of the movie"

"Lastly, for the gifts, we have Tommy Hilfiger exclusive clothes that aren't out yet with handwritten letters by Tommy, four bottles of Almave for each of you and IWC matching watches", Lewis ended as he and George put the gifts in the table with the previous ones, "Chose wisely"

"So long, London", you said as the change was made and you and Jack wrote the comments

"Is there going to be a small recess?", Jack asked Mick

"Yeah, after Aston Martin", Mick nodded

"It's finally our turn", Lance exclaimed, "Our arguments for both of you to be in our garage are that we are friends since the day of the filming of the interview, we have a nice green for team color, and returning to Taylor Swift, and not going to the rumors, in her new album, 'The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology', has a song named 'imgonnagetyouback', and what does the song says? 'I'm an Aston Martin that you steered straight into the ditch', which is the name of our team"

"And I want to point out that even thought both of you were born in 2004, I won my two world championships in 2005 and 2006, but you were babies when that happenned", Fernando continued, "Now it's time for the gifts"

"That was everything?", Mick frowned

"Yeah, we think that's enough", Lance nodded, "For the gifts we have a free year of all the products you want from Tim Hortons and this"

Handing them small boxes, everyone watched with curiosity as you and Jack opened them to reveal a set of car keys, surprising everyone but mostly both of you

"What's this?", you asked without taking the keys out of the box

"The keys for your new cars", Lance exclaimed, "Aston Martin Valour, they are limited edition, only 110 in the world and now you own two of them, Y/N has it in lightning silver and Jack in ultramarine black"

"Doesn't matter if you don't chose us", Fernando spoke, "You can keep them"

"Was that allowed?", Pierre exclaimed

"We didn't put any rules", Fernando shrugged his shoulders

"Okay, time for a break", Mick anounced, "Fiftheen minutes"

Writting the comments about the presentation both of you considered leaving the clipboards in the highest cabinet but since Esteban who was the tallest of the grid was there, your room was a better option

"I can't believe those twenty are millionares who drive in weird shapes for work", you sighed before returning to the living room, "Those are the shittiest arguments I've ever heard"

"The gifts are also insane", Jack nodded, "The cars are another level of crazy, like, we knew Lance was like a Richie Rich, the cars were unexpected"

"Is going to be fun to explain to our families", you mentioned, "Not only the cars, but all the gifts, and of course your adoption"

"That was your favorite part, right?", Jack smiled with fun

"Yeah", you laughed

Taking advantage of your distraction, Jack took you in his shoulder and start spinning at what you hold thight on his back and shirt even though he was holding your thighs and waist firmly, stopping when you started to tap his back putting you on the floor carefuly and brushing a few strands of your hair in order before holding your cheeks and share a kiss, at what you smiled in the kiss hugging him by the waist

Unfortunately, the kiss was interrupted when a truck was heard close to the house confusing both of you

"Guys, your cars are here", Lance exclaimed from the first floor

"No fucking way", Jack sighed

"It's strange having millionare friends", you commented

Leaving the clipboards in your room, both of you returned to the first floor to see most of the teams in a frenezy talking in their phones, except for the Red Bull boys who were drinking the energy drink along with Penelope who was eating some fruit in the kitchen island, and the Aston Martin guys who were already outside

"What is happenning?", you asked aproaching the Red Bull duo

"They are calling their bosses to try to get cars for the two of you", Checo responded, "They have been like this since you went upstairs"

"By the way, P was a bit hungry so I got a bit of fruit from the fridge", Max mentioned, "I hope that's okay"

"Yeah, it's fine", you nodded

"Where are the cats?", Jack asked not seeing them in the cat tower or the couch"

"Alex is holding one and Zhou the other", Max responded

"The cars are ready", Fernando exclaimed from the front door, "Bring the keys"

Taking the keys from the center table both of you stepped outside to see the two new and exclusive Aston Martin cars in the front yard

"This feels like christmas again", you commented aproaching the silver car, "But in a weird situation"

"My mom is going to freak out when she sees this", Jack mentioned next to the dark car

Unlocking the doors, the two of you got into your respective cars turning on the engine

"I'm definately going to arrive to my tattoo appointment tomorrow in this", you exclaimed with excitement reffering to the small tornado tattoo you were going to get on your right inner arm above your elbow

After admiring the cars a bit more, the break ended, at what all of you returned to the living room to continue with the presentations, but before starting again, you and Jack stood in front of the TV

"Guys, before continue with your interesting slide show, we'd like to say something regarding of the recent gift", you said holding the clipboard, "As we are thankful for the new cars, we don't need another one"

"Yeah, we are perfectly fine with two cars, we don't need more right now", Jack nodded, "But we appreciate that you care about us and want us to have a big car collection"

"It also lifts up our ego", you joked, "Anyways, let's continue"

Sitting again in the couch, this time Penelope decided to lay down in the sofa with her head on your lap, at what you covered her with a light blanket

"We start with Visa CashApp RB", Mick anounced

"Hello everyone", Daniel greeted in front of the TV with the slideshow ready, "We have very good reasons of why both of you should be in our garage, the first one is that when Max came to LA to got you for Monaco, I was in the plane, also in the interview that started everything, Y/N said that Yuki was one of her favorites"

"We also noticed that the two of you have a height difference just like us, and Avatar: The Way of Water in Japan made 29.5% of the total recaudation, so you´re welcome, and also both of you have been spotted in Nobu in several ocasions"

"And the Taylor Swift factor, I'm a swiftie, and let's see this photo that Jack posted from his trip to New Mexico which kinda reminds of how I enter the COTA circuit in a horse", Daniel continued, "And for the gifts we have Enchanté merch, products from Yuki's collection, snacks from both of our countries"

"And when I open my restaurant you'll have your meals for free", Yuki said, "That's it, thank you"

"We should order Nobu for lunch", you commented to Jack while writting the comments, "What do you think?"

"It's a good idea", Jack nodded, "We just need to ask the others"

"Hey everyone", you exclaimed, "Who wants to order Nobu for lunch?"

"I don't eat fish", Lando mentioned while the others agreed to order from the japanesse restaurant

"We know", Jack responded, "Just grab some frozen nuggets from the fridge"

"But we need one of the dads to supervise him while using the air fryer, please", you asked

"It's Haas turn", Mick anounced, "My first team in F1"

"Hello everyone, we are Haas, some people call us the Haasbands", Nico started, "We are the perfect enemies to lovers friends"

"Who taught you that term?", you interrupted

"Egle", Nico responded, "Returning to our presentation, we are the only american team in F1 right now, and even though we don't have many achievements, we have a pole position thanks to Kevin, a win and podium thanks to Chloe in F1 Academy"

"We also had some memorable moments like you can see in episodes of Drive to Survive, and our cars might not be the best, but can survive fire, why are we mentioning fire? Because as we knew a few days ago, the third Avatar movie is called Avatar: Fire and Ash", Kevin continued, "And we are also dads, and that Haas a NASCAR team, and Y/N grandad and uncle were NASCAR drivers, by the way, congratulations on your uncle entering the NASCAR Hall of Fame"

"Thank you", you smiled

"For gifts we brought the latest collection of Palm Angels, cards with discounts for Chipotle with two years of guarantee, traditional candies from Germany and Denmark, and crochet clothes from Egle"

"Remember that our team is american", Kevin finalized

While the change was being, you and Jack wrote your comments, also noticing that Penelope was already asleep

"Alpine's turn", Mick anounced, "I'm also part of them for WEC"

"Hello, we are Alpine, the complete french team, for the rest of the year, of course", Esteban started, "And let me tell you, we have a lot of reasons for you to be with us, the first one is Marvel, I love Marvel, Ryan Reynolds aka Deadpool is one of our investors, and Jack is part of the MCU even if it's for less than a minute, and our cars and suits had an design inspired by Deadpool and Wolverine during the Belgian GP"

"But Ryan isn't our only investor", Pierre continued, "We also have Travis Kelce, tigh end of the Kansas City Chiefs, who is also dating Taylor Swift, and Kika and I went to her concert, which was amazing, and since we are here, we'll anounce that Jack Doohan will be our driver for next year, and you are the first to know, and conditentialy he and the Jack in front of us have the same name"

"And we bring amazing gifts", Esteban exclaimed, "Clothes from our brands, Chiefs shirts with Travis and Patrick numbers, and we are giving you the option to chose whatever you want from our investors"

Looking at each other, you and Jack started speaking in whispers for a few minutes until both of you nodded in agreement before looking at the french drivers

"Tickets for the last date of the Eras Tour, if we meet Taylor even better, also tickets to see a Chiefs game", you said

"Also watching the Deadpool trilogy with Ryan Reynolds, and him doing the Bye Bye Bye dance from Deadpool and Wolverine, even though we know he didn't performed it", Jack continued

"And we also want to see the two of you fighting using baguettes as weapons", you finalized, "That's it, thank you"

Hearing all of the petitions, Pierre and Esteban were shocked for all the things requested, while the rest laughed softly and both of you wrote the comments

"Next is Williams", Mick anounced

"Let's start by saying that even though we only have four points at the moment, we have a huge advantage in this small competition", Alex started with the presentations, "The others mentioned one or two pets, but we have the Albon Zoo, that consist in twelve cats, two horses and a dog, and I think that Tatum and Butters could get along with them"

"Don't forget that I'm the only US citizen in the entire grid, just like both of you are USA citizens", Logan continued, "And that I'm the favorite driver of Skeet Ulrich, Y/N's dad, and also my brother was in NASCAR, and 'Florida' isn't only a Taylor Swift song or where Lando got his first victory, is also my hometown, and of course the Avatar themed park is there"

"The gifts that we brought are the entire collection of Albon Pets including mini helmets, clothes from the Williams store, two of each piece, personalized golf balls from Lily, and autographed mini helmets from both of us"

A/N: I didn't put american because America is a whole continent, not only USA

"We hope that you enjoyed our presentation", Logan finalized

Feeling relieved that the silly slideshows were ending, you and Jack wrote the comments on the clipboard

"And finally, Kick Sauber", Mick sighed, "This thing took longer than I expected"

"We might be last team in the constructors championship without points, or a good car, but we have vibes", Valtteri started, "And a colorful car, and I would like to mention that as someone who has the best mullet on the grid, Jack has the best mullet in the entertainment industry"

"Also, there is a Dior connection between me and both of you, as I am a Dior ambassador and both of you wore Dior for the MET Gala, and in several ocasions", Zhou continued, "And we also got very special pets, for my part I have Sweetcorn"

"And I have a reindeer called Rosa", Valtteri continued, "And remember that this year we are known for our social media content, and Y/N also is a social media content creator"

"For gifts we bring Lululemon clothes and accesories, also some things from Dior, baking books from China and Finland"

"And also brand new calendars for 2025", Valtteri finalized, "We hope that you enjoyed our presentation"

"I'm not going to open that calendar at all", you sighed writting the comments on the last page

"And with that, we end with the presentations", Mick anounced before turning to look at you and Jack, "Guys, you need to chose"

Leaving the giant group in the first floor, both of you along with the cats went upstairs to your room closing the door so they don't listen and sitting on your bed

"I've never heard such idiotic arguments in my entire life, even though I studied with Kira and Bethany", you commented, "Which garage you want to go?"

"I thought we were going to take the decision togheter"

"I mean, that was the idea at first, but since it's for your birthday it's best if you chose it"

"Okay, I think the best will be if we eliminate the ones that are staying the same next year"

"That would be Red Bull, McLaren and Aston Martin"

"And I really like them all, but it would be the best if we reduce it to our favorite teams that we haven't eliminated which are Ferrari and Mercedes"

"Both are historic teams, pretty iconic"

"It's a tough choice"

Thinking how you were going to chose between the two teams, an idea hit Jack who was quick to stand up from your bed to go to your closet (which was now a little disaster of boxes of clothes to organize in your new closet) and grab two hats, one Ferrari and one Mercedes, to leave them in your bed and then grabbin both cats who were cuddling in the fluffy chair next to the window

"Our children will take the final decision", Jack sentenced putting them a bit far from the hats

Giggling of fun because of his idea, you watched as both cats wandered around the bed for a while until Butters walked to the hats and Tatum followed him smelling the two hats until they settled in one of them playing with it

Having the decision, both of you left the clipboards and took the cats in arms to return to the first floor where all the drivers plus Penelope were waiting

"Not going to lie, it was a difficult decision", you said standing in front of them with Tatum in your arms, "Most arguments were pretty pathetic, and we are not afraid to say it, but since my F1 race birthday already passed, Jack took the decision himself"

"Before saying the decision, we would like to say that we apreciate all the gifts that you gave us", Jack continued with Butters in his arms, "And as a four time World Champion once said: everybody is a Ferrari fan, even if they say they're not, they are Ferrari fans"

After hearing the phrase that Sebastian Vettel once said in his Ferrari days, the duo of the red team cheered so loud before running to both of you to hug you and Jack, thankfuly you two put the cats on the ground before the bone crushing group hug

"We have Ollie's american twin and hermanita", Carlos exclaimed without breaking the hug

"We promise to not let you down", Charles smiled, "We are going to have so much fun"

"Does this mean Jack is my brother now?", Oscar asked once the group started to spread around the first floor

"I think so", Logan nodded

Finally after a few minutes, the drivers released the two of you allowing you to breathe

"We are paying for all the food", Carlos anounced with happiness, "Everyone chose what you are going to eat"

"Our presentation was a success", Charles celebrated

"Should we tell them that the cats were the ones chosing?", you asked Jack in low voice

"Nah, they doesn't need to know", Jack laughed

"We're evil", you giggled

"I mean, we are Ghostface", Jack shrugged

The rest of the day was spent eating what was ordered from Nobu (Lando ate chicken nuggets with the help of Checo to use the air fryer), the other part of the deal watching the movies both of you said, during which Penelope took a nap in your room during the horror movies, and finally leaving the house at high hours of the night

[swarvey]

paper rings | harvey x f!reader

You think back to when Harvey was your best friend; Harvey reminisces on how he fell for you.

ch. 1 | ch. 2 | ch. 3

paper rings masterlist

chapter two: so high school -> "tell me 'bout the first time you saw me."

Harvey woke up with a groan, rolling over to turn off his blaring alarm. He rose from his incredibly comfortable bed while keeping his eyes shut, not ready to face the day just yet. The birds outside his window sang loudly, as if they were reminding him of something.

His eyes shot open, scrambling for his glasses and checking the date on his phone.

Spring 1.

He couldn’t believe it. How had time passed so quickly? He swore he felt like he’d just spoken to you on the phone. He began to pace around his apartment, hands running through his hair as the realization began to sink in.

He was going to see you.

He was going to see you, in front of him, for the first time in years.

Harvey wanted to scream. No, he wanted to crawl back into bed and pretend nothing about his life was any different. 

In reality, he knew he didn’t want to do any of that. If anything, he wished he had the confidence or the courage Elliott had spoken so passionately about so he could spill his heart out to you.

He sighed. If only he had the capability of doing any of the three options he’d presented to himself. Instead, he took a few deep breaths to center himself, trying his best to stay collected. What was he so anxious about, anyway? It’s not like he was talking to any other person, it was you , the person he once considered his closest friend.

More specifically, the person he once thought he could spend the rest of his life with.

Just then, Harvey’s phone rang, your name lighting up the screen. He cleared his throat and chugged the glass of water on his nightstand before answering, reminding himself to sound calm.

“Y/N, good morning!”

“Good morning, Harvey.” God , he swore he could listen to you say his name all day. He shook his head; what in the world was wrong with him? “I know it’s a bit early, I hope I didn’t wake you.”

“No, not at all. I’ve been up for a bit now,” he said, ignoring the fact that he was still in his pajamas. “You’re moving in today, aren’t you? What time will you be here? I’ll make sure to clear my schedule as much as I can.”

“Oh, right! I forgot to tell you, I actually got here last night,” you replied, voice bright as ever. "It was late, though, so I figured I would get some rest before unpacking.”

Harvey blinked, slowly processing your words. Maybe he should have downed a cup of coffee, too. “So, you’re here?”

You laughed. “Don’t sound too excited. Come over whenever, okay? I’m going to start unpacking in a few minutes.”

“Right, I’ll be over soon!”

Harvey got dressed into his usual outfit, even remembering to spritz on some cologne before leaving his home. He figured if he was panicking internally, he might as well try to look put together on the outside. After making sure he didn’t have any appointments throughout the day, he locked up the clinic and put up the ‘Closed’ sign, making sure to leave his phone number on the door in case of emergencies.

“Harvey! You’re up early.” Pierre waved, making his way over to the front of the clinic. He glanced at the sign. “Closed for the day, huh? I’m guessing you have errands to run?”

“Well, uh, I promised the new farmer I would help her move in,” he explained, trying not to cringe at the thought of how he reacted in the store the other day. “You remember Y/N, don’t you?”

“Why, of course! You two were running around the town before Pierre’s even existed.” Pierre sighed, a wistful look taking over his face. “I was in my early twenties then. Caroline and I had just started dating, but I was already thinking about what kind of ring I was going to get her. We were so in love.” He paused, frowning. “I wonder when that changed.”

Harvey cleared his throat loudly, desperately wanting to escape the awkward topic. “I should get going, I don’t want to keep her waiting.”

“Of course. I’ll see you around, Harvey!”

“See you! And remind Abigail to set up her check-up appointment with me!” Pierre nodded knowingly and waved goodbye, turning back to start opening up his own shop.

Harvey let out a breath of relief as he turned away, suddenly racing to get to your farm. Once he got to the entrance, though, he stopped in his tracks, waves of memories beginning to flood his thoughts. Sure, the farm was more beat up than he remembered, but for the most part, everything was where it had been all those years ago. He especially recalled the times when he had slowly fallen for you more and more, his sentiments only growing stronger as the two of you got to know each other better over the years. 

As he slowly made his way to your front door, he reminisced on the first time he realized he cared for you in a much stronger way than he initially thought.

-

“Y/N, wait up!” Harvey couldn’t make out what you yelled back as he ran to catch up to you, the farm animals unamusedly watching him through their fences. You had been so excited to show him all the “secret spots” on your grandfather’s farm. 

He’d only caught up to you after you tripped over a rock jutting up from the ground, scraping your knee. You looked up at him with big, watery eyes, lip trembling.

“Grandpa’s gonna yell at me,” you mumbled, wiping your eyes on your sleeve. “He always says I’m too clumsy.”

Not entirely sure what the right thing to do was, Harvey opted to squat beside you, shrugging off the small backpack full of “emergency supplies” his mother always made him carry around. He took out the mini first aid kit, grabbing the ointment and a bandaid before delicately treating your knee.

“You know,” he started, trying to distract you from the stinging of the medicine, “I’m going to be a doctor when I grow up.”

Your eyes widened, suddenly inspired. “Really?” He nodded. “Wow. How’d you think of that?”

He gave a small smile as he stuck the bandaid on. “Then, I can always help you whenever you get hurt. You’ll always have someone to take care of you!”

You grinned before tackling him with a hug, wrapping your arms tightly around his shoulders. Harvey’s face was burning, though he blamed the heat of the sun.

“You’re my hero, Harvs,” you stated confidently, your hold on him unrelenting.

-

Your hero.

He huffed a laugh to himself at those words, shaking his head. Well, at least he kept his word — after that summer, he’d gone home and begged his parents for books on how to become a doctor. His medical career had begun before he’d even reached middle school, much to his mother’s delight.

Just as Harvey was about to make his way up to your porch, a glimpse of blue caught his eye. Squinting to make sure he wasn’t mistaken, he peeked below the stairs, wondering if an animal had gotten stuck.

Instead, he was met with the face of a small, blue . . . blob? 

No, that was impossible. They couldn’t be real, could they? Harvey had only ever read myths about them.

As he leaned closer to double-check his hypothesis, the blob jumped toward his face, letting out a small squeak as it disappeared right in front of his nose.

He let out a shout and jumped backward, tripping on a thick clump of weeds and landing on his back with a thump. He groaned, readjusting his glasses as he sat up and rubbing the back of his head. 

He didn’t even notice you were standing in your doorway until you let out a laugh. 

-

You continued to laugh as Harvey stood up quickly, dusting off his clothes as he rambled on about some blue spirit he saw under your porch. You raised a brow — his excuses were becoming more and more creative. You spared him the embarrassment of calling out his ridiculous comment, deciding to walk over to him instead and fix the collar of his shirt.

“It’s good to see you,” you said, smiling up at him. Harvey stared at you for a moment before nodding and looking away.

“It’s good to see you, too,” he replied shyly. “It’s been about four years, hasn’t it?”

“Try five,” you corrected. “You left the city after med school, remember?”

His eyes widened. “That’s right. You were working while I was finishing up, weren’t you?”

You pursed your lips and nodded, thinking back to the period of your life when you had just begun working for Joja.

“Thinking back on it now, I should have just done more school, too,” you confessed. “Working for that damn company sucked the life out of me.”

Harvey laughed. “You think? You know, most people are overjoyed when they receive a promotion — you were miserable.”

“You remember that?”

“How could I not? You were in tears in the middle of the restaurant we were eating at.” 

- 

You slumped in your chair, eyes burning with threatening tears as you looked at your childhood friend. 

“I’m doomed, Harvs,” you sighed, leaning forward to pick at your uneaten meal. “Is this what my life has come to? Working for some company that’s probably killing the earth as we speak?” You laughed, dropping your fork miserably. “At least one of us is doing something right for the world. Maybe you can share some of your good karma so I won’t be doomed in my next life, too.”

Harvey looked at you with an almost distraught look on his face. He hadn’t fully grown out his mustache back then, stubble trailing from his chin to his cheeks. You vaguely remember thinking facial hair would suit him.

“Y/N, please, we’re still young,” he pleaded. “It’s too early to be talking like that. Besides, everyone has different paths in life, and you never know where yours will take you.”

Sniffling, you’d shrugged, unable to get over the fact you were profiting from a company like Joja. Hell, you’d done such a good job that they’d given you a promotion, not that it was something you felt any pride over.

“Maybe we can run away,” you’d suggested idly, not noticing how Harvey choked on the soup he was eating.

“Wh-what was that?”

“Let’s move to a different country,” you suggested, smiling at the absurd thought. “Then, I can open a cafe, and you can open your own clinic right next to me. I’ll trade you coffee and cookies for free monthly check-ups.”

He’d laughed, though he wouldn’t meet your eyes for some reason. “That sounds like a plan. Now, you have to eat. I can only imagine the amount of sodium your usual diet of cup ramen consists of.”

“Hey!”

-

You coughed, a bit embarrassed at your dramatism in the past.

“That wasn’t a great moment in my life, was it?” you admitted, shaking your head. “Well, now that I’m on the farm, I’m sure I can earn back all the good karma I lost working for that evil place!”

Harvey smiled, nodding. “I’m sure you’ll more than makeup for it.” He glanced at the singular box left on your porch. “Is this . . . all you brought?”

You laughed, turning and gesturing for him to follow. You opened your front door to reveal the cozy cabin your grandfather used to stay in, several boxes already piled up in the living room.

“So, I’ve already moved in some of the simple stuff,” you started, moving some of them aside, “but for the life of me, I can’t get a good grip on that last one, it’s a bit too heavy. One of the ladies in town helped me carry it to the porch — Robin, I think it was?” The redhead and Mayor Lewis had greeted you the evening before, going over some basics and helping you carry some of your belongings from the moving truck. 

“Yes, Robin! I’m glad you met her, I’m sure the two of you will get along.” Before you could reply, Harvey easily lifted the box off the porch, carrying it inside and placing it in your living room. 

You blinked.

Had he always been that strong?

“What’s in this one, anyway?” he wondered, looking at you curiously.

You put a pin in your thought and walked over to him, opening the box with a smile. After taking out the fragile items you had placed at the top, you revealed what you’d shoved to the bottom as cushioning. Harvey’s jaw dropped, amusement lighting his eyes as he laughed.

“I can’t believe you still have this,” he said, picking up the giant stuffed animal. “I thought you would’ve given it away by now.”

You gasped, feigning shock as you grabbed the weighted bear away from him. “You thought I would betray Mr. Biscuit? How could you!” You looked at the toy affectionately, placing him next to your bed. “We won him together, after all.”

Harvey cocked his head. “We did?”

“Is that not how you remember it, big guy?” you joked.

“Well, not exactly,” he said, laughing nervously. “You won him after beating one of those carnival games, didn’t you?”

You hesitated, looking at the ceiling as you thought. “I guess I did,” you stated, “but I like to think of it as a team effort.”

-

You smacked your forehead as you pitifully watched Harvey struggle to win the game once again, the younger kids around him giving him smug looks. 

You felt a bit guilty; this was your idea, after all. Harvey had been adamantly against going to the Stardew Valley Fair that year, claiming he had to regain his focus since school was starting the following week. 

“Junior year is critical when it comes to getting into colleges,” he’d explained. “I can’t mess up my applications because of some festival.”

“Harvey, come on,” you had begged, clasping your hands together. He frowned and looked away, trying not to give in. “Please, let’s just go! Think about it, when is the next time we’re going to go to the fair together?”

“Next year! After we pass our classes!” You rolled your eyes, knowing that “passing” for him meant acing every course he took.

“Fine then,” you huffed, crossing your arms and looking away. “I’ll go by myself and tell everyone about how you left me there, alone.”

“Y/N, don’t be ridiculous.” You ignored him, opting to look at the shape of your nails instead. “Stop this act, you know I’ve been planning on going home today for weeks. My parents are expecting me.” You hummed, wondering if you should clip them or let them grow out. “Fine, fine! I’ll go, just . . . let me call my mother,” Harvey sighed. You grinned, bubbling with excitement next to him as he reluctantly took out his phone.

After watching him play the games, though, part of you wished he had given up. Sighing, you stormed up to him, pushing him away and snatching the slingshot from his hands.

“What are you—”

Without hesitation, you began shooting at the targets in front of you, easily hitting them and just barely winning against your opponents. The kids groaned in disappointment, sulking away as you excitedly picked out your reward.

Harvey simply looked at you in amazement, unable to speak.

You showed off your new prize, barely managing to hold it properly. “Look at what we got! Wasn’t this worth it?” He nodded slowly, still in awe of both your performance and the size of the stuffed toy. You shoved it into his arms, laughing at how he nearly toppled over. Before he got the chance to steady himself, you were racing off to see the booths nearby.

“Come on, let’s try the other games!”

“Y/N, slow down!”

-

“We can go again this year,” Harvey blurted. You looked at him in surprise. “I mean, we could, if you want to,” he corrected, composing himself.

You smiled. “We should,” you agreed. “We can win some more prizes. For now, though, want to help me unbox my things?”

“Of course. I guess we got a bit sidetracked.”

It didn’t take long for the two of you to have everything in place. After an hour passed, your house was finally starting to feel a little more homey — plants lined the corners, and your old rug was spread in front of the TV. Harvey helped you dust and mop the floors, opening all the windows so it could air out. The sun reached its peak in the sky when you finally decided you were done, leaning your back against the wall for support as you took a breather.

Harvey wiped the sweat off his forehead with his sleeve, setting the mop in his hand to the side. He had abandoned his jacket a bit ago, left in his white collared shirt and loosened red tie. You realized how grown up he looked. You darted your gaze away when he turned to you, looking accomplished.

“Looks like we’re just about done,” he said, looking around the room. “What do you think? Feel like home?”

“Just about,” you replied, taking in the amount of progress you’d been able to make with him. “Thanks a bunch, Harvs, I really owe you one.”

He shook his head, waving his hand. “It was my pleasure. Besides, take this as me making up for not keeping in touch all this time.”

“It was a two-way effort.” You grabbed his jacket and handed it to him, smiling. “We should sit down sometime and seriously catch up,” you suggested. “Are you free for dinner tomorrow?”

He looked at you for a moment — as if he didn’t realize you were talking to him — before nodding eagerly.

“Yes, I’d love to,” he said, pulling on his jacket. “There’s a place in the center of the plaza, the Stardrop Saloon. Does that work?”

“Works for me. I’ll buy you a drink,” you promised. You walked with him out the door, noticing how he glanced under your porch as he walked down the steps. “I’ll see you tomorrow, then?”

He nodded, smiling. “I’ll see you, Y/N.” You sighed as you watched him leave the farm, brow raised and arms crossed.

“Yeah,” you decided, walking into your new home, “he totally doesn’t have a girlfriend.”

[seleniangnosis]

Mid Year Check In 💗🪽

Pile 1 Pile 2 Pile 3

Hi everyone 💌🧁! My life is keeping me quite busy, and away from the tumblr tarot community for a while now. I've done this spread for me yesterday, so I decided to share it with you as well.

The reading is intended to provide you with some help and answers on how you've been progressing this year, and a bit of what to expect next 🤍. Pick the picture/pile you're most drawn to and feel free to discard any information that doesn't resonate with you. Enjoy! And reblogs are highly appreciated

Pile 1

Hello pile one and welcome to your reading 🧁🤍

You've entered this year with a goal in mind. Whether be it personal growth and development, topping your class , or building on your finances, you were ready to do whatever it takes to get there. You might have been a bit stubborn with your plan, even to the point where you neglected other life aspects, or for others, you've been very driven on changing the circumstances you've found yourself into for a long while.

You seem to have been extremely diligent with your plans, following them trough, or created a very structured way to get you where you want to be. For those who have jobs, or were job searching, this year has been spent for sure on achieving some sort of financial abundance, or create a foundation for your career, this part is highly similar to my own reading and I can say I truly worked hard this year, so pile 2 congratulations on your hard work, and I hope you're enjoying the fruits of your labour.

You've got so many pentacles cards here pile 2 ,so yeah a lot of focus on personal development, finances, and stability.

Something you've learnt is how to be consistent in your work, life , studies etc, rely on yourself, and how to manage ideas, or maybe a situation when something doesn't go the way you planned it. Some of you might have been focused on creating business connections or just create some stable new connections in regards to work / workplace, or maybe you were focused on finding a workplace where you felt like you can grow and develop your skills.

Something that you'll have to pay more attention to, and might serve as your next lesson is related to some self introspective work, and spending some time with yourself. You seem to have been all on the grinding mindset, so much that you kinda forgot about yourself. Good work ethics are great, but I get the impression that you were overworking yourselves, and you got the results, but detached from yourself and some self care.

If you have a certain goal set in mind, go for it, but not on the expense of your health. I got an intresting mix of cards, which leave me with the idea that you're highly aware you're stressed and have been working your brains out, but you keep going because you already have your mind set on something and only after you get that thing done you'll be able to relax.

Whatever it is pile 1, I'm proud of you, but please don't forget to tend to your needs as well 🤍💌.

Pile 2

Hello pile two and welcome to your reading 🤍🧁

The message of this pile seems to be again centered around money, finances, staring a new job / moving to a different job, work. Some of you might have started as an intern in your first job, or changed your career. You might have felt a personal call to change your orientation and start something new. I'm getting that energy of " should I stay ? should I leave ? What if I get into a much worse situation if I leave this place?" . Maybe, for some of you, your workplace was toxic and no longer suitable, but you were afraid of what could happen if you don't find a better one , or none at all.

Some of you might have took a break and some time to reflect and redefine their goals. I feel like even though you were getting some reward and results, they were not worth the mental exhaustion, the stress , and what you were putting yourself trough.

It's highly possible for you to still be in this energy/ situation, because as the next lesson the universe has in store for you I got something about facing what you're afraid to face. You seem to be caught too often and too tight into your own thoughts, that you're blocking your rational thinking, so you keep yourself away from reaching that freedom. Pike 2 , how stressed you are rn? You're thinking about making a move, making a plan, you get distracted by illusory thoughts, you're back to square one.

You should start looking at the good side of the things as well, not only what can fail or go wrong. Have more faith in yourself pile two 🤍💌!

Pile 3

Hello pile three and welcome to your reading 🤍🧁

The page of pentacles showed up in all 3 piles, but for this one, the energy is centered more on self work and development. For you I'm not getting much about money, work and finances, but about new start and goals around personal development. Your year was more of a journey in the search of what works and what doesn't for you. What improvements can you be making in terms of how you think about yourself, how can you change your mindset and find more fulfilment, rather than resenting yourself for things that didn't work out. Maybe you've even been unsatisfactory with who you were , and spent time improving yourself, making better decisions that bring you healthy benefits, and enjoying the journey of these small new beginnings. You learned to have more faith in yourself, in the fact that you're capable of improving yourself.

As something that you are still about to learn, well when I picked the cards I got " committing to yourself ", so ... commit to yourself. Maybe you feel guilty about how you've changed, and even though it's a positive change for you, others might make you think you're selfish, or a bad person. Maybe you were too tolerant in the past, and now that you've learnt to take better make better decisions, others see you as too self preoccupied.

For the rest of the year your goal should be yourself. Creating stability for yourself, and share it with those like-minded, who appreciate your presence in their lives💌🤍.

[allsouls-emma]

could you maybe write an imagine with Leon and like his childhood best friend who became his girlfriend and they are just private but he mentions her during an interview and everyone on social media etc turns mental because of that ( for the face claim maybe Alexandra saint mleux ? )

✧The Quiet Confession✧ Léon Marchand x Y/N, Face claim, Alexandra Saint-Mleux.

Hello Anon, I Adore Alexandra so i was very excited to write this fic, Enjoy!

Warnings: Unrealistic Time line and settings, No knowledge of either peoples personal lives and mature themes.

The studio was buzzing with excitement as Léon Marchand took his seat across from the interviewer. The gold medal draped around his neck glinted under the bright lights, a tangible reminder of his recent victory. Léon was no stranger to interviews, but today felt different. It wasn’t just about the race or the medal—it was about opening up in a way he rarely did.

The interviewer, a seasoned journalist known for her ability to get athletes to reveal more than just stats and training regimens, greeted him with a warm smile. “Léon, thank you for joining us today. Congratulations on your incredible win! How are you feeling?”

Léon smiled back, his easygoing demeanor evident as he adjusted the medal around his neck. “Thank you. It’s still sinking in, to be honest. I’m just trying to soak it all in.”

The conversation flowed smoothly, covering his training, the pressures of competition, and the support of his family and teammates. But then, the interviewer shifted gears slightly, her tone more personal. “Léon, you’ve been a public figure for some time now, and your fans really admire how grounded and humble you are. What’s your secret? What keeps you centered amidst all the success?”

Léon paused, his expression softening. He knew this was coming, and while he was usually private about his personal life, something inside him felt ready to share just a bit more. “Honestly, it’s the people who’ve been with me from the start. My family, of course, but also… someone very special who’s been by my side through everything.”

The interviewer’s eyes lit up, sensing a scoop. “Someone special? Can you tell us more?”

Léon chuckled, glancing down at his hands as if gathering his thoughts. He could picture *Y/N* in his mind—her smile, the way she had always been there for him, from the early days of swim meets to the long nights of training. She was his anchor, his constant in a world that often felt overwhelming.

“Well,” he began, his voice filled with affection, “she’s actually been my best friend since we were kids. We grew up together, and she’s always been my biggest supporter. Over time, that friendship turned into something more, and now, she’s my girlfriend. We’ve kept it private because, well, it’s nice to have something that’s just ours.”

The interviewer tried to keep her composure, but the excitement in her eyes was clear. “This is the first time you’ve mentioned a relationship publicly. How does it feel to share that?”

Léon smiled, a mix of nerves and happiness washing over him. “It feels good, actually. She’s been such a big part of my life, and I think it’s time people know that. But we’re still going to keep most of it private—she deserves that.”

The interviewer nodded, clearly understanding the balance Léon was trying to strike. “Of course. Can you tell us her name?”

Léon grinned, shaking his head slightly. “I think I’ll keep that part to myself for now. But yeah, she’s incredible.”

---

As the interview aired, the internet erupted. Social media platforms lit up with fans reacting to Léon’s quiet confession. For years, there had been speculation about his personal life, but now there was confirmation—and everyone wanted to know more.

Twitter was abuzz with excitement. “Did Léon Marchand just casually drop that he has a girlfriend???” one tweet read. Another user posted, “Léon’s been hiding a whole relationship and we didn’t even know! Who is she?! #LuckyGirl.”

Fans began scouring the internet for clues, dissecting old interviews, and poring over any photo where Léon might have been seen with a girl. They found pictures of him at various events with a childhood friend, a girl who had always been in the background, quietly supporting him. The speculation intensified—could this be the mystery girlfriend?

Instagram was filled with posts tagging Léon, with fans expressing their excitement and curiosity. “We need to know more about her!” one comment demanded. Others were more supportive, understanding why Léon had kept his relationship private. “Respect their privacy, but OMG, I’m so happy for them!” one fan wrote.

Back at their apartment, Léon and *Y/N* sat together on the couch, scrolling through the reactions. *Y/N*’s heart raced as she read the tweets and comments. She had always known this day might come, but seeing it unfold in real time was overwhelming.

“I didn’t think it would blow up this fast,” *Y/N* said, her voice a mix of amazement and anxiety. She looked at Léon, who was calm as ever, his hand resting on her knee.

“I knew people would be curious,” Léon admitted, scrolling through his phone with a small smile. “But I didn’t realize they’d go this crazy.”

*Y/N* chuckled, leaning her head against his shoulder. “You just casually mentioned me on national television, Léon. Of course, they’re going crazy.”

He laughed, wrapping an arm around her. “Yeah, I guess I did. But I’m glad I did. I’m tired of hiding how much you mean to me.”

Her heart swelled at his words, but there was still a part of her that felt nervous. “Are you sure you’re okay with all this? With people digging into our lives?”

Léon turned to her, his expression serious but loving. “I’m more than okay with it. We’ve been through so much together, and I want people to know how important you are to me. But if it ever gets too much, we can handle it. We’ve always done things our way.”

*Y/N* nodded, feeling a bit more reassured. She had always admired Léon’s ability to stay grounded, no matter what life threw at him. And now, she realized, he was offering that same strength to her.

As the night wore on, the buzz online didn’t die down. Fans continued to speculate, creating theories about who *Y/N* was and sharing their excitement over Léon’s revelation. But inside their cozy apartment, Léon and *Y/N* found peace in each other’s company, away from the noise and the frenzy.

“I guess we’re officially out in the open now,” *Y/N* mused, looking up at him with a smile.

Léon grinned, brushing a strand of hair away from her face. “Yeah, we are. And you know what? I wouldn’t change a thing.”

*Y/N* leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. “Me neither.”

They spent the rest of the evening wrapped up in each other, the world outside their windows a distant hum compared to the warmth they shared. Léon knew that life would get crazier from here, but as long as he had *Y/N* by his side, he was ready for whatever came next.

And so, as the world buzzed with excitement over Léon Marchand’s quiet confession, the couple at the heart of it all remained steady, secure in the knowledge that no matter what, they would face it together.