#luckily for me who i want to win next season and who i think will is the same person. go impulse go.

[fogwitchoftheevermore]

since season 5 is probably shortly on the horizon, i thought this could be fun! to be clear, don’t vote for who you WANT to win, but who you think is most likely. i might make a “who you want to win” poll later idk.

i didn’t include any past winners, of course, nor mumbo or lizzie because i don’t expect them to return. i am operating under the assumption ren is gonna return because i miss him.

[miloformula123fan]

Could you do fic for Toto Wolff with wife reader? He opted to hold her hand during the celebration of the Merc's double podium because there were too many people. "Move through the crowd while holding hands so as to not lose one another – and not letting go afterwards". Just something fluff and comfort. Add something if it's not right. Tag me later!! Thanks :)))

sorry it's so short! but I loved writing this fluff, and honestly churned it out in like 1 hour.

also if you have older requests i am working on them, I am just also working on school work.

luckily, all my assessments are nearly done, and holidays are next week so yay! more updates :)

Please keep requesting - y'all have awesome ideas we agree on a lot of stuff :) - my guidelines are here, and if you want some prompts, they are here.

also feel free to come in and start chatting to me in my asks, would love to get to know y'all better

and if you want to be added to my taglist lmk :)

toto wolff x wife!reader

“AND THAT IS A MERCEDES 1-2 TO THROW THIS CHAMPIONSHIP WIDE OPEN AT THE SAUDI ARABIAN GRAND PRIX AND 3 YEARS AFTER WINNING HIS LAST GRAND PRIX HERE, LEWIS HAMILTON HAS WON HIS 104TH CAREER VICTORY AND WHAT A WAY TO DO IT IN HIS LAST SEASON WITH MERCEDES.”

The rest of Crofty’s speech was drowned out by the cheers of the garage around Y/N as the team who had gone so long without winning, especially Lewis’ side of the garage cheered and yelled and as the pit mechanics came back from where they’d been on the fence yelling and contributed to more noise.

Y/N felt a little overwhelmed. She hadn’t really been in the garage since 2021, due to her husband’s tensions during the year and her wish to continue to just focus on her own career. She tried to insist she was the team’s bad luck charm after Abu Dhabi, until people had pointed out that she’d also been there during the dominant 2020 season. And as she had spent 2022 and 2023, which also were not great years for Mercedes, she’d agreed to do a lot more of her work remotely and come to the grand prixs. She insisted that she was bad luck at the first grand prix, and Toto had basically dragged her along to Saudi.

Maybe she was their good luck charm, she thought, as the garage exploded when Max and Sergio had crashed into each other, making both the red bulls retire. The Ferrari’s had been having problems all weekend but no one truly hoped even when they were sitting in a 1-2.

At least until they’d crossed the line. And then they’d had hope. And then the celebrations had begun. Someone had already found champagne and begun spraying it around, no one thinking about the podium, until all of a sudden everyone was and they were all rushing around and Y/N was all caught up in the rush and being pushed around by everyone, trying to find Toto until she felt a hand slip into hers.

She jumped back, not wanting some strange man holding her hand until she looked up and realised that it was in fact her husband who was trying to hold her hand.

“Sorry…didn’t realise it was you.”

“That’s okay Liebe. I’ve got you. Now lets go watch Lewis on the podium, okay?”

The second she nodded in agreement, Toto slipped his hand back into Y/N’s as he tried to push through the crowd again. Being tall and the team principal helped, and as they weren't coming for the pre podium celebrations, which is where everyone else was rushing towards. As the drivers were hugged and yelled at again by the mechanics (honestly how were they going to have voices tomorrow, and how were the red bull mechanics’ voices not very raspy after doing this practically every week for the past few years). Y/N thought she was going to have to cancel her meetings for the next few weeks as she would just be unable to talk.

Toto pushed through the throng of mechanics, pushing through the Mercedes and Williams colours everywhere, trying to get a good position at the front, and then the announcers began, and Toto and Y/N were wedged against the barrier and they decided to stop and watch the podium.

Y/N watched as Albon mounted the podium, grinning to the feral screams of the Williams mechanics to her left. She’d ended up wedged between James and Toto, smiling at James’ excitement on Alex being on the podium. She smiled at him as the noise from the Williams side of the podium celebration. He smiled back, almost bouncing up and down by the excitement of what Williams was achieving. And as Lewis, George and Bono bounded onto the podium, bringing up a round of screaming and even Y/N raised her hands. And as she raised her right hand, she could feel Toto’s hand, still intertwined with hers. She smiled, locking eyes with Toto.

His eyes twinkled as he smiled down, before his attention was brought back to the podium and yelling at the drivers.

The German and British anthems blared out, and while Y/N knew most of the words of the British anthem (it was mostly just the same words on repeat ‘god save our king’). And while Toto was able to sing the German anthem while Y/N butchered it here and there. She loved listening to her husband singing or talking in his natural language. It was very hot, if Y/N had to admit it.

As they left the podium to go back to the garage, Toto had still not let go of her hand as they continued winding between what felt like millions of people crowding the pit lane.

When they finally returned to the Mercedes garage, and walked up to Toto’s office, Toto finally let go of Y/N’s hand and started to gather up his work and laptop to get ready to return to the hotel.

“Hey, toto?”

“Yes liebe?”

“Why were you holding my hand?”

“Well, I didn’t want to get lost, and I didn’t want you to get lost, liebe.”

“Yeah, but why didn’t you let go of my hand when we got to the podium”

“Do I need an excuse to hold your hand, darling?”

“No but…”

“Then I kept holding your hand because I wanted to keep holding your hand. Is that a good enough excuse?”

“Okay Liebe.”

Toto put all his files and laptop in his left hand after shrugging on his overcoat, and then offered his right hand to Y/N.

“Can I keep holding your hand liebe?”

“Of course you can darling.”

---

taglist: @leosxrealm, @pear-1206, @tallrock35, @wolf-knights, @janeholt3

[zyonsay]

Wildfire, Chapter Two MV1

Fem aligned people may read but not f3tishize my work!!

Summary: You almost scored a win, but Max wouldn't let that happen. The McLaren boys want to take your mind off of things!

Warnings: Swearing, Max is a bit of an asshole,Reader has anger issues, Slight Violence, Alcohol, Ki ki ki rah sweat sweat

Now playing: 'Monaco' by Bad Bunny

AN: This was a STRAIN! School is beating my ass recently and it's really difficult for me to get anything done BUT i really want to write this fic!

(Here is the previous chapter)

(Here is the next chapter)

The race season was in full swing, and you’d been doing well. Max had, as per usual, always taken the victory, but most of the time you were on the podium next to him. You were a great new asset to Red bull, and many of the fans seemed to like you. You started discovering more and more memes about you on Instagram and Twitter that would make you chuckle. (Or X? Man idk)

People saw you as a two-sided coin, since your charismatic, silly moments were accompanied by boiling, blood red rage when something messes up the race. Numerous fans compared you to Max when he first entered F1, calling you a “Smaller version of Mad Max.”

You guys’ interactions felt like witnessing two proud stags smash their antlers against each other. No full-on fights have ensued yet, but the tense feeling between you two can be felt by everyone from miles away. It was like the calm before a storm, electric energy surging through the air, waiting to strike when things get any more heated.

Your sassy, provocative nature could bring his blood to a boil easily, often causing him to glare at you from far away or leave some snarky remarks while passing by. This dynamic wasn’t optimal for Redbull, having two drivers who clash off the grid might also clash on the grid. As long as the situation wouldn’t get worse, they’d let you two entertain the fans bit more, but Christian kept a close eye on both you and Max.

Usually your bickering was harmless,

But today you could’ve strangled him right then and there in the paddock after the race. Luckily Horner got a hold of you and dragged you away, you felt like an angry dog being put on a chain outside the house by its owner.

What happened a few minutes before angered you deeply. Max profoundly refused to let you pass him, even if you had to brake to not crash into the rear end of his car. You could’ve had the first place if it weren’t for him blocking your way. Saying you were enraged was a pathetic understatement. You were steaming with rage and wanted to smash his head against a wall.

You, Lando and Oscar were strolling towards an Ice cream truck that Oscar had found on google maps. The race weekend was over but many of the drivers decided to stay a bit longer in the beautiful city. Tough it was extremely hot, which was the reason why Oscar and Lando wanted to go for Ice cream, what they didn’t tell you tough is that they wanted to distract you from your conflict with Max.

After paying for your Ice cream, you three made your way to a bench, sitting down and enjoying your refreshments. You chose pistachio ice cream, savoring the sweet, nutty taste. “Have y’all heard about the party tonight?” Lando glanced at the buildings nearby, enjoying the fancy exterior, thinking about snapping a pic for his .jpg account. “I mean, we all know that there will be one, but I didn’t catch any specifics.” Lando now looked at you and Oscar. “Danny told me about it, it’s in the grand Casino at eleven O’ Clock. I really want to go, but I wanted to drag you both with me. Are y’all coming?” He mustered up his best puppy eyes and began pouting. A hearty laugh escaped you, almost causing you to drop your ice cream. “Sure dude! I can’t wait to have some fun.” Oscar grinned, agreeing with what you said. You guys spent some more time shopping and checking out some must-see sights of the city. Lando bought Oscar a little Koala plushie with sunglasses calling it "Oscahs Doppelgänger.” You really liked hanging out with the two McLaren boys, spending time with them meant lots of joking and messing around.

“Hurry the fuck up Y/N, its almost eleven!” Landos voice rang over his obnoxious banging on the door. You rolled your eyes and checked your outfit one more time in the mirror before heading out. You were greeted with a friendly smile from Oscar and Lando who looks like he’ll bounce around the walls like a gummy ball. He could’ve well exploded on the spot with excitement. He and Piastri were both a tiny bit older than you, but Lando was still a kid at heart.

Lando, Oscar and you walked through the city, heading straight for the big, fancy Casino. Even from far away you spotted a familiar, smiley face. “Oi! Danny!” You waved at him, gaining his attention. He was smiling broadly as usual, walking up to your little group. “Hey guys! Looks like Lando managed to drag you along, eh?” He was obviously wearing one of his flash banging party shirts, it wouldn’t be Daniel Ricciardo if he wasn’t wearing something obnoxious, right?

The four of you chitchatted for a while, when Oscar asked: “Were you waiting for someone?” Daniel looked down at his wristwatch; it was already five past eleven. “I was actually. Me and Max wanted to meet up at eleven. Don’t know where he is, maybe he already went inside.” He shrugged, glancing you way as he noticed you tensing up at the sound of the Dutchman’s name. You definitely haven’t forgotten the race earlier that day. The guys stayed quiet for a few moments as the chilly night air blew around your legs, contrasting with the warm weather during the day. Lando was the first to break the silence. “Can we finally go in?”

Once you entered the gigantic building, colorful lights and the smell of overly expensive alcohol flooded your senses. A few familiar faces were dancing, drinking, and laughing, but there were also many you didn’t know. Daniel led the group towards the bar, buying you all a round of shots. “Gotta start the night the right way!”, he laughed before downing the burning liquid. The vodka fueled the sparks in your guts and turned them into a fire. You were going to have fun tonight.

Suddenly a loud voice appeared behind you. “Hey Danny!” You froze for a second before turning around and facing the man you’ve been wanting to murder since this morning. “Oi, Max! Thought I’d never see you!” Daniel abandoned the bar stool to pat Max on the back. Oscar, who was sitting next to you, turned in your direction and whispered. “We don’t have to hang around with him. Let’s just leave- “, you interrupted him, “No. Its ok.” You were too busy glaring at Max to notice Oscars worried expression, not that he thought you’d attack Verstappen out of nowhere, but he was concerned that a teasing comment from Max was enough for you to snap. As he later would find out, it was.

Max didn’t pay any attention to you, obviously not feeling as irritated as you were. The casino was warm from the sheer number of people inside, the loud music mixed with laughing and chatting. Daniel was going on about some experience he had the day before while exploring the city. You were halfheartedly listening to your friends rambling while you were observing your friends’ mimics. Your eyes landed on your fellow Redbull driver. He was listening carefully, asking a question every now and then. He then glanced at you quickly, catching you looking at him. Max then quickly looked away again.

After a while, Lando pulled you away from the bar and towards the dance floor. He was definitely drunk by now and was all giggly and happy. “C’monnnn, dance with me!”, Lando slurred.

It must’ve already been a few hours since you arrived at the Casino, but time flew by so fast. Oscar stated that he was getting tired and wanted to go home in the next hour or so, while Lando was as lively as ever and could go the whole night. You agreed with Oscar though, since you were tired and had an appointed Press conference for tomorrow. Daniel and Max wanted to stay a little longer but agreed to accompany you outside to say goodbye. Once outside, a cold shiver ran down your spine. The city was illuminated by bright lights and a howling wind was brushing through its streets. Daniel stopped, facing the rest of the group.

“We definitely gotta go out together more often!” Lando nodded enthusiastically, glancing your way as if inviting you to go out with him more often.

“Yeah, once Y/N doesn’t hold a grudge against me, I saw those glares.” Max laughed, but you couldn’t help but judgingly glance at him. His face was red and his posture a bit wobbly.

“You’re the one complaining about me during Interviews.” The venom in your voice was very apparent, you made no effort to hide your disdain. Max looked hesitant for a second before his expression hardened. Daniel seemed to feel awkward, not exactly knowing how to deal with you two firecrackers. Max focused his eyes on your face, not wincing under your glare. “And you were the one crying around about me winning this morning?”, he laughed again, seeking eye contact with the others as if to justify his words. The McLarens Aussie next to you looked deeply worried, as If he already suspected what happened next.

The blood in your veins began boiling, you could literally feel it. A heavy push from your side caused Max to stumble back. “Don’t fucking go there you dick. You just couldn’t handle me winning, right?” Your fellow Redbull driver was now shaken awake, glaring at you with a bitter look on his face. “Don’t get mad at me because you lost, fucking Dickhead.”

You were SO ready to ruin his stupid face with a good punch.

…but before you could actually get violent a certain Honey badger stepped in. “Lads, calm your tits! I think it’s best if we all go to our hotel rooms now.” Oscar was holding you back, worrying what would happen if he’d let go of the raging man in his arms. The other McLaren boy was standing next to you guys, unsure what to do. Daniel gave Max a heavy pat on the shoulder and gave him a serious look. “Let’s go get some sleep, buddy.” Max’s eyes never left yours, like a hunter stalking its prey.

But you won’t budge under him.

[buckrecs]

Do you have any bucky x reader college au fic recs please?

idk if you’re accepting requests rn but if you aren’t you can just ignore this <3

College AU

masterlist | req masterlist

college au is one of my favorite aus because i feel like it brings out the 40s bucky🥺

ONESHOT

college nerd!bucky x reader by @sanguineterrain

“Take my jacket, it’s cold outside.”

cuffing season by @sinner-as-saint

Late at night, you’re at the campus library finishing up a paper. And it’s freezing. Like actually freezing, to a point where you’re not even sure if the heaters are working anymore. You’re still trembling in a dark corner of the study area when the cuddliest man you’ve ever laid eyes on walks up to you. When he sees you trembling like a leaf, the blue-eyed stranger offers to sit next to you and keep you warm for a while. Then, one thing leads to another and you soon find yourself walking home with him. And one thing is for certain, you want more than just his body heat. 

If It Were Summer by @pellucid-constellations

You met Bucky in Italy—a summer abroad with sweet gelato and even sweeter words. You never thought you’d see him again, and you were right. Because the Bucky at this frat party, the one with the smirk and the wandering eyes, was nothing like the one you knew. That didn’t mean he wasn’t still completely in love with you.

i’m special by @b6cky

y/n and bucky were always bickering, bucky loved to tease and make fun of y/n, y/n didn’t enjoy it as much as he did though. but bucky does something stupid and reckless much to y/n’s surprise.

the eggs benedict to your mass production by @mediocre-daydreams

“I’m not as good as you think I am.” X “Maybe, but you’re everything to me.”

Pretend by @buckyalpine

The perfect solution to a nagging problem 

Flirting and Football by @lovelybarnes

Bucky barnes and a college au where reader is the only one who isn’t interested in him basically

Anger Issues by @hailhydra920

You’re the only one who can calm Bucky down.

My Everyday by @pellucid-constellations

Bucky Barnes was aggressive, annoying, and—worst of all—a hockey player. Not your type. At all. But, unfortunately, your roommate. 

Lucky Day by @elixirfromthestars

Bucky, your childhood best friend, takes you to a baseball game to thank you for helping him with his chemistry class. However, between bets and kiss cams, luck seems to be the real game being played. 

Flirting and Football by @lovelybarnes

reader is the only one who isn’t interested in him

A Little Superstitious by @jadedvibes

The school's football team needs a win and a certain blue-eyed player could use a kiss for good luck to help make that happen.

What do they know? by @bucknastysbabe

My Everyday by @pellucid-constellations

Bucky Barnes was aggressive, annoying, and—worst of all—a hockey player. Not your type. At all. But, unfortunately, your roommate. 

Post-It by @crazyunsexycool

Time to Study by @navybrat817

Bucky told you he needed help with his studies, but you should have known he just wanted an excuse to kiss you.

pear conditioner and pretty scary movies by @spideysquake

you fall asleep on your best friend’s shoulder during a movie night, and it has him feeling some type of way.

Under The Sheets by @vanderlustwords

Bucky spends more time out of his dorm than in it with how much his roommate amorously makes love to his girlfriend. Luckily, his cute across-the-hall neighbor is generous about lending her place to him. Bucky’s unsure if he wants to hug or kiss his roommate for putting him in the situation he is in now.

Liquor and Loose Lips by @vanderlustwords

There are countless times Bucky has shared drinks with you. No matter how much he drinks, he’s always careful with guarding his feelings close to his chest. Maybe it’s the cocktail, maybe it’s the way the moon looks tonight, maybe it’s the way you look under the streetlight. Whatever it is, Bucky can’t hold it in anymore.

SERIES

Cuddles & Cocoa by @sparklefics

"I take it you’re here cause you read my letter." & "I'm sitting here, with this stupid pen in my hand, and damn I can't believe you have me writing right now."

For the Love of the Game by @pellucid-constellations

Bucky Barnes was a menace. NYU’s top baseball player, he was used to girls falling at his feet and could smooth talk his way out of just about anything. You hated him. He couldn’t figure out why. So when the novelty of weekend parties and quick hookups finally wore off—and his feelings for you began to grow—he made it his mission to fix it. 

Ladykiller by @mymoonagedaydream

By now you were pretty skilled at recognising players, but for some reason you just couldn’t fucking stay away from them.

No Such Thing by @sanguineterrain

You’ve been assigned to write a column for your school paper on the team’s spectacular running back. You don’t care very much for your university’s football team; you just can’t understand the hype, okay? Turns out your distaste for football bigheads was exactly on point: James Barnes is insufferable.

Passing Notes by @nastybuckybarnes

You sit at the same table ever day at the little café down the street from campus, each day with a different book. Often poetry. And Bucky Barnes is always in the table next to you, usually doing the same thing. He either reads, writes, or sketches. One day, a dropped notebook leads to... something? Will that something turn to dust after an eye opening realization?

relationship tutor by @samingtonwilson

Bucky, a relationship novice, asks for your help in dating your friend. Unable to say no to him, you agree despite everyone and everything telling you not to. 

Relax by @kinanabinks

Things with Bucky are easy, and he's the sweetest guy you've been with. But when you throw in a bitter roommate and untold secrets, things get real hard, real fast.

Save Me by @espinosaurusrexex

Bucky Barnes has never had it easy, which ultimately turned him into a caveman-like introvert with no desire to see the positive side of life. But what happens when the clumsily charming art student, Y/N, stumbles to his rescue, determined to show Bucky how truly wonderful the world is?

trillogy by @buckycuddlebuddy

he was toxic. most of the time you were with him, you were used for pleasure only, you knew that, and he wasn’t hiding it. maybe it was how good he made you feel that made you fell in love with him, or maybe it was the fact that he somehow made you feel like you were someone ─ but you fell in love with him. although you knew in the beginning that you shouldn’t have, it was way too late for that, now. you were in too deep. 

two thousand, five hundred and sixty-nine by @kinanabinks

you and bucky have been best friends since you were kids, but ended up going to colleges thousands of miles apart. your student experience begins terribly, but bucky is having the time of his life - you can't let him know the truth. because if he did, you know he'd drop everything to come and save you.

we’re fools. by @achillieus

for all bucky barnes knows, he hates clichés. and this thing between you two, happens to be the biggest one. 

Winter Canvas by @sebbytrash

Reader is an Art Major and needs a life model for a major assessment. The catch? It’s gotta be a stranger. Then you gotta remind yourself that it’s just an assignment...right?

Like I Want You by @tmpestuous

you and bucky have been best friends your entire life and it’s never been anything but platonic. so why do things get so bad when he gets a new girlfriend?

Cosmic Love | 2 by @jobean12-blog

You and Bucky are taking the same astronomy class and become study buddies and the rest is history.

Carnations by @viollettes

It’s a simple concept: Students can buy flowers for each other at the carnation sale. Red flowers are for love, pink flowers are for friendship, and white flowers are for expressing secret admiration. A carnation fundraiser, an iota of possibility, and a longtime secret crush on your hot best friend - what could go wrong?

[purplephantomwolf]

Love in Motion

Chapter Three

Synopsis: Lydia gets a wrong number text from Lando Norris.

Note: This is not an accurate portrayal of how the real people in this act. I do not know them personally, so I will not be portraying them accurately.

Warnings for this chapter: None

Previous Chapters: Chapter One, Chapter Two

Next Chapter: Chapter Four

Masterlist

April 5, 2022

6:30 pm

     My phone vibrates, pulling my attention away from the lab report I’m currently working on. I smile as Luke’s name flashes up on the screen. 

Luke: Good morning, Lydia

Me: Good morning, Luke

Luke: Did you sleep well and have a good day? 

Me: I did! Did you sleep well and have a good day as well? What did you do during the day?

Luke: I did too! I spent the day putting some finishing touches on an event for this weekend. Did you watch any more F1 during class today?

Me: No, I was a good student today. But I’ve got a Monza quali on as I work on my lab report. 

Luke: Ahh, that was an exciting weekend for McLaren. 

Me: Shhhh! Don’t say anything! I don’t know the results!

Luke: Sorry! My lips are sealed. 

Me: I know that Max obviously wins the championship, but that’s literally all I know about the season. I’ve managed to not see any of the results. 

Luke: How have you managed that? 

Me: I know literally no one who watches F1, so no one to spoil it for me. 

Luke: Well, now you have a friend to talk to about it. 

Me: I do! You’re going to get a bunch of texts on Saturdays and Sundays about it. 

Luke: That sounds good to me. I won’t be able to respond to them because those are my busy days. 

Me: Sounds good. I’ll try to not overwhelm you with texts then. 

Luke: Alright. Do you want to continue our game of 20 questions? 

Me: Sure, it was your turn to ask a question!

Luke: Okay, going to go deep here. What’s your biggest fear?

Me: Damn, that is deep. But I think it’s not being able to find someone. I fear that I’m going to end up alone, with no friends, no significant other. My turn to go deep. What do you do to cope when things get hard? 

Luke: I go to my family and friends. I talk to them about what’s going on and what I’m struggling with. What’s your favourite thing about yourself, physically and not physically?

Me: Physically, my eyes. Not physically, probably my ability to get along with everyone. What’s your biggest pet peeve about social media?

Luke: The hate that everyone dishes out because they’re behind a screen. It’s awful to see the things people comment on posts of the drivers and their friends, just because they’re behind a screen. 

Me: I’m sure. I personally dislike social media, so I’m not really on it. I’m only on TikTok and Discord. 

Luke: No Instagram? No Twitter? 

Me: Not even Facebook. 

Luke: Damn, I wish I could do that. I have to do it for my job. 

Me: Yeah, it’s nice not having to worry about putting up a facade for my fellow college students to hate on. 

Luke: Yeah, that’s nice. So, photography. Your photos are excellent. How did you get so good?

Me: Well, my grandpa was a photographer for a while. I used to spend a lot of time in his studio, so I kind of picked things up from him. Then I took some classes in high school. I’ve luckily managed to find time each week to take photos in college, so I haven’t lost my skills. 

Luke: That’s awesome. You mentioned that your parents won’t let you do photography. Why don’t you find a job in it and then move out? 

Me: I’ve thought about it. But there’s no jobs that I’ve seen that I would be interested in. 

Luke: That sucks, I’m sorry. 

Me: It’s okay! I’ve been keeping an eye out though. 

Luke: Okay, so what got you interested in Formula 1? 

Me: I saw a TikTok of one of the drivers one time and was like “He’s kinda cute and funny, wonder what he does.” Which led me down a rabbit hole that ended in an obsession with learning everything I can about the sport.

Luke: Interesting. Which driver was it?

Me: It was Charles, but then I was watching some old McLaren content of Carlos and Lando the same day, and Lando became my favorite. 

Luke: So Lando has always been your favourite?

Me: I’d say that yeah. What got you into the F1 world?

Luke: I had a friend that was in karting when I was a kid. He got me interested in the industry, and I thought it would be fun to plan the events for the drivers and fans. 

Me: That’s fun! As much as I’d love to continue this conversation, I should go be a good student and work on my homework. 

Luke: Oh! Sorry for distracting you!

Me: It’s okay! I’ll talk to you once I’m done with my assignment?

Luke: Yeah! Sounds good to me!

Me: Perfect! Talk to you later!

Luke: Bye Lydia!

     I put my phone down and focus back on my assignment. I groan seeing that I still have five questions left. I hunker down and start making my way through the questions. 

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

9 pm

Me: I am back. I have completed the god awful homework. 

Luke: That’s a win. So, tell me a little about yourself. 

Me: Well, what do you want to know?

Luke: Anything you want to tell me. 

Me: Well, I’m a 20 year old chemistry college student. My birthday is May 17. My favorite color is purple. I love watching YouTube, specifically Smii7y. I absolutely love music, I’m always listening to it. I like art and creative activities. Tell me a little about yourself now. 

Luke: Well, I’m a 21 year old event manager for McLaren F1 racing team. My birthday is November 13. I love traveling the world and taking photos, too. I love hanging out with my friends and family.

    I yawn as I read Luke’s message. I rub my eyes, trying to stay awake to continue the conversation. 

Me: I am currently fighting sleep so hard. 

Luke: Go to sleep, Lydia. We can talk tomorrow. 

Me: Okay, sounds good. Good night, Luke. Talk to you tomorrow. 

Luke: Good night, Lydia. Talk to you tomorrow.

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

Taglist: @dilemmaontwolegs @copper-boom @ironmaiden1313 @ophcelia

[kagejima]

pairing: msby jackals + gn!newbie manager

mood music: the call - backstreet boys

author's notes: look, i don't know what to tell you. one day "the call" by backstreet boys came on shuffle in my library and i have not been able to listen to it since without picturing msby doing chaotic karaoke to it. i had to do 160 edits to this, if I missed something, I will come back to it later fhdjfas

author's notes part deux: i will bite your ankles if you trash talk the other older members of MSBY, chomp chomp. y'all forget writers can see every tag.

content warnings: alcohol consumption; the song is about cheating on your girlfriend (just in case); mild daddy kink; mild size kink; mild sex mentions

It’s just a job. 

They are just your co-workers. 

That’s what you keep telling yourself. 

But it’s difficult to remember that when the members of the MSBY Black Jackals have invited you out to a night of karaoke… And every single one of them is so attractive that your heart feels like it’s going to beat out of your chest anytime they talk to you. 

How many other little managers in the past have been tortured by their good looks? With their smiles? With their flirting?

It’s a tradition!

That’s what Kotarou tells you, and you wonder if he means it’s a tradition for them specifically or a tradition for every team. 

It’ll be fun! 

That’s what Shugo tells you, but it’s hard to believe him. It’s only been two weeks since you started as their manager, so you think they’re just trying to have you included in things — a bonding thing with them as a team. 

But you wonder how it could possibly be fun for you when you’re the only non-player on this outing right now. 

Or maybe… 

Maybe that’s exactly how they wanted it to be.

After a couple of drinks and some chit-chat, they try to get you to go on stage in the crowded bar, but you refuse to. You don’t know what song you’d even sing, for one, and you don’t want to embarrass yourself in front of all of them, for two. 

With all of their encouragement, you still won’t budge, so they all start their own separate conversations with each other. 

However, you still can’t get them to tell you something you desperately want to know. 

“So what’s this song that you all are keeping a big secret?” You ask Shugo, who’s sitting next to you, and he only grins at you before taking a sip of his whiskey.

“I can’t tell you that, baby. Then it wouldn’t be a surprise. But I have to say, it’s fun to see the looks on everyone’s faces every year when we do it.”

“How come that makes me more nervous?” You squint at him.

Shugo only shrugs, still smirking, and it’s driving you nuts. 

Luckily Kiyoomi comes to your rescue. 

"They did it two days before an important match one time, and we ended up winning. So now they do it before the start of every season." Kiyoomi explains, albeit vaguely, and takes another swig of his vodka tonic.

“Can I at least know who sings it?” You ask, trying to think of every popular karaoke song off the top of your head.

Kiyoomi is about to give it away, but Atsumu clamps a hand over his mouth. The glasses rattle around on the table because Atsumu has shot up from his spot and lunged over the table to do so.

“Ya can’t ruin the surprise!” Atsumu whines, his hand pressing harder against Kiyoomi's mouth, “Don’t do it! Don’t do it!!”

Kiyoomi glares at Atsumu, but he obeys him. 

You’re about to try and trick Kotarou or Shoyo, thinking surely you can get the information out of them the easiest, but “Shugo plus party of 8??” comes through loud and clear on the speakers and they’re all downing their drinks before they make their way up to the stage.

Kiyoomi is the only one who stays seated with you.

“You’re not going up too?” You ask him, because it’s definitely not you included in the party of eight.

“I’m not needed until later.” is all he says.

…

Whatever the fuck that means.

When everyone sans Kiyoomi is situated on stage, a phone rings, and an incredibly familiar voicemail message starts playing. You look up at the stage and they all are vibrating with excitement like the voicemail is taking forever and a half.  

It’s a song you remember that your cousin was obsessed with back in the day, and it’s confusing to you that they’re getting excited over a song about cheating on your girlfriend.

But you digress. They all look like they’re having a fun time. 

You honestly don’t know whether to be happy or embarrassed since they’re all well past tipsy. Even with the alcohol coursing through their system, they’re all miraculously remembering who’s in charge of what lines. 

It’s quite a sight to see Alexander in the middle holding his microphone at stomach level with Shoyo and Shion on either side of him so they can actually use it. Alexander is new to the team, just like you, but he looks like he’s having the time of his life up there even though he doesn’t know the words like the others do. 

Atsumu and Kotarou are fighting over who gets to hold the microphone they have, tugging it back and forth because they’d rather have Ushijima beat them in an arm wrestling contest than not have all eyes on only them right now. 

Shugo, Adriah, and Oliver are as pally-wally as they can possibly get. If you didn’t know better, you would’ve thought they were actually brothers. Blissfully unaware of the chaos of Atsumu and Kotarou on the other end of the stage, Oliver is holding the microphone while Adriah and Shugo are on each side of him, their hands on Oliver’s shoulders and body as they throw their heads back and shout along to the chorus. 

You think that it can’t get any funnier, cheering along with the crowd as they are getting towards the end. 

But then the chair next to you scoots back in your peripheral vision. You watch Kiyoomi as he gets up and makes his way towards the stage, and everyone on the team is hyping him up, like they did this just to see Kiyoomi do… whatever the fuck he’s about to do. 

It’s almost like you’re experiencing a fever dream when you see Kiyoomi take the microphone from Atsumu’s hands and he belts out “GOTTA GOOOO-OOOO-OOOO” before the second to last chorus starts up. 

And then acts as if absolutely nothing happened before coming back to your table and sitting back down. 

When they finish, it’s met with wild applause, and you can’t help but join in on it yourself. You’re thankful their professional job is volleyball and not singing because they’re by no means stellar at singing - but that isn’t the point of karaoke. The point of it is to have fun.

When they all come back to the table, they all try again to get you to go sign up for a turn, and you reluctantly agree. Why not? They’ll probably be too drunk to remember you making an ass out of yourself.  

But you want to talk to someone first before you do. 

KOTAROU has golden retriever energy, through and through. He was the first one you met on your first day. You thought you would be meeting the captain first, but Shugo was running late. Kotarou made you feel more comfortable since you were slightly intimidated by it being your first real job. 

He was the first to ask you if he could have your phone number ("For… for work… purposes?" His lie was obvious with the way he was wincing and rubbing the back of his head, but you thought it was sweet). 

He was also the first to have to hide a boner from you. 

SHOYO reminds you of your younger brother. If your younger brother was jacked… and could jump scary high… and never stopped talking. You think he's adorable, and you think it's cute how strong of a bond he has with Kotarou, almost like he's Kotarou's little brother. 

You also think it's cute how he looks in your direction whenever he pulls off a fancy new move in practice. "Didja see!! Didja see me??" 

You have to reassure him that, yes, you definitely did watch him pull it off. You didn't though. You were too busy staring at him and wondering what his stamina would be like in bed if he were this way on the court. 

ATSUMU is the type of guy you had a crush on in high school. Even though he isn’t in school anymore, something about him still screams jock. Maybe it’s the hair or the way he carries himself. Maybe it’s the way everyone and their mother fawns over him, but he just gives you jock vibes still. 

Or maybe it’s how he kissed your hand and introduced himself to you at that first practice (half of the team groaned at this). Perhaps it’s the way he made a cute nickname for you the following week, or maybe it’s the way he only has eyes for you. 

It’s almost like you put a spell on him, and he's hopelessly in love with you. So much so to the point that when Osamu came to drop off food at a practice, he literally shoved him out the door so you wouldn't fall for him instead. 

KIYOOMI makes you giggle with his comments when the others are getting out of hand. He thinks he isn’t heard, but he fell for you because you paid attention to him. Every sly remark that passed his lips, all the sarcastic commentary he thought he was getting away with about the other teammates, never got past you. It was like a little secret between the two of you. Little inside jokes.

He’s also the one who wants to get to know every little thing about you that he can. You keep hearing from the others that he can be blunt with how he speaks, but he’s never spoken that way to you. Instead, he’s always been very kind and thoughtful, never rude at all. There’s something sweet to you about him and how he awkwardly asks you questions about yourself to get to know you better. 

SHION is your little partner in crime. Sort of. Kotarou made you feel more at ease, but you feel like Shion just got you when it came to pranks and silliness. It’s usually Shion that’s brainstorming the tricks, and you wonder how long he’s been thinking about doing things like this to his teammates. It’s almost like he’s doing it just to keep himself sane from the chaos he has to put up with on a daily basis. 

So you’re a little surprised when “We should get together for a date!” comes tumbling out of his mouth, and he quickly backtracks. “I mean… I thought of something hilarious we could do to Atsumu next practice. But we should get together to… umm… discuss it. Is that a date? Is that weird? It doesn’t have to be a date if you don’t want it to be.”

SHUGO knows. He knows all the things that only someone with experience knows. You want to look inside his head because there is no possible way he knows all the right things to say in every scenario. He’s too good to be true. 

And you still hate that after one practice, you were delivering the freshly laundered uniforms and saw him slip his shirt off, and you just stood there. And instead of saying his actual name, you called him Daddy. 

He still hasn’t let you live it down. 

You have to regularly converse with him since he's the captain, but he takes every opportunity he can to watch you squirm. Like how he'll bring you something you asked for - a notebook, a pencil, your phone - and he gives you the biggest shit-eating grin as he stands there and says, "Aren't you forgetting something?" 

He lives for your reactions when he leans closer to your ear and says, "Aren't you going to say 'Thank you, Daddy'?" 

ADRIAH has older brother energy. He’s the one who is always helping Shugo reign in the others (especially Kotarou and Atsumu when they get pouty). He’s asking how you’re adjusting to managing the team when there’s a break. 

He’s nice. Almost too nice. It’s to the point where you’re wildly suspicious of his motives when he talks to you. “Just tell me if you need anything!” is what he’s always telling you, a cheerful smile on his face. You do write it off as he’s just nice though a couple of days later when you can’t find evidence not to trust him. 

But you don’t know. 

You don’t know he goes home and hopes someday you’ll tell him, “You. I need you.” You don’t know he goes home and touches himself to thoughts of you. You don’t know that he’s plagued with dreams of you whimpering his name and begging him to fill you up, seeing pretty little tears spill from your eyes as your legs shake around him.  

OLIVER is big. At 6’10”, everything about him is enormous. His laugh and his smile are what caught your eye the most though. If Adriah has older brother energy, Oliver has your best friend’s goofy dad energy. And a man of that height? Others would find him intimidating, but he’s not. The very opposite. He's the most good-hearted person you've ever met.

Like when he asked you how your friend was doing after her surgery and he sent flowers to the hospital. Or the time he walked you home from practice because it was too dark out. 

"Do you want me to carry you?" He had offered because practice was grueling that day, and you had been running on very little sleep.

You don't want to talk about how you realized you maybe had a size kink that night, with how his big strong arms carried you all the way back to your house like you were nothing to him (You weren't). 

ALEXANDER is the kind of dreamy and rich lead you read about in your books. His taste in clothing, accessories, and fine dining is absolutely divine. You’ve made plans with him a week from now to go shopping and to a new restaurant you both are dying to try. 

He’s traveled much more than the others, which is saying something. He always has fun little anecdotes to tell. And you love listening to him speak. You could listen to him for hours with his voice - deep and smooth. You keep telling him he would be good at ASMR content, but he almost replies… shyly… almost submissively, when you tell him this. 

Sometimes you wonder if his voice would have the same quality if you were to be on top of him. 

You look at the men all around the table, most of them having their own conversations, but a few of them have been watching you, dying for you to look at them so they can talk to you. 

And really, they all are more than willing to give you their undivided attention. 

The only question is… 

Who has your attention for the rest of the night?

[changingplumbob]

Villareal: Chapter 6, Part 13

Next season of ZBB begins filming

CW: Low level sim spice. Content Warning Guide

For ease of reading if the toddlers are trying to say real words I'll put the English in brackets. Luna (mummy) and Devin (mama) use some German and Italian. Amore (Italian) Love Buongiorno (Italian) Good morning Ciao (Italian) Hello/Bye Schnucki (German) Sweetie but doesn’t have an exact translation

Devin wakes up and kisses her yawning wife. After checking that the boys are still sleeping she ducks in the shower so she can have breakfast with Luna. On her way to the breakfast table she runs into a madly grinning Joey who is scoffing his food.

Devin: Ciao

Joey: Buongiorno. Tuesday is coming over before work so… don’t barge into the gym okay sis?

Devin: *laughs* someone woke up in the mood

Joey: Having a spin before work stops me flirting with interns so everyone wins

He rushes out as Luna comes in smiling. She bends down to grab far back in the fridge and Devin realises her own needs are bubbling up.

Devin: Buongiorno amore mio. Te amo

Luna: Are you trying to seduce me Mrs Villareal

Devin: I know, I know *sighs*  you’re married and you love her

Luna: Well I do

Devin: You know… today is your day off

Luna: Maybe but you’re needed at set at 9

Devin: That gives us at least an hour by my calculation. If you wanted to have a little… breakfast in bed

Luna laughs as the toddlers potter around the couple getting their plates of food. Seeing the toddlers are happy she stands and grabs Devin’s hand, pulling her back to their bedroom. They were too exhausted after trying to bolster Max and Miriam to have any fun last night but now they have time together.

Luna: Schatz… promise me we won’t end up like my brother and his wife

Devin: I can promise I’ll love you forever amore mio, how’s that

Luna: Deal

Luckily Devin gets her satisfaction in before set time. Once again actors from all productions are on lot and she has large doubts about the management that schedule the use of the lot. Before she heads in however she takes care to take a selfie for simstagram and update her followers with “ZBB Season 3, let’s go!!!”

First stop, as always, hair/makeup and wardrobe.

Devin: Damn Emily, this jacket is nice

Emily: It may not be post-apocalyptic authentic but who are they to say your character didn’t pillage a mall after the bugs wiped out the humans inside

Devin: Thanks Em

Then she pops back to show Rudolphus the finished look.

Rudolphus: Oh I do good work, look at you! Thank the watcher you didn’t smudge getting into that

Devin: Selfie for the album?

Costume sorted Devin goes to practice her monologue. When she had a small role in the first season the prevalence of monologues worried her a little. It’s not often in TV nowdays that the protagonist talks to no one, normally there’s some kind of animatronic or ball you’re meant to treat like a cgi creature. But Norah knows her stuff and it really sells the medium as sole survivors amongst the fallen.

She’s interrupted by a producer who lets her know Norah wants a word with her before shooting begins s she heads to the main stage to find her old friend.

Norah: Thank goodness you’re here, I think some of the other stars are going to riot

Devin: What do you mean

Norah: You know how we have to film a death scene for everyone so that word can’t get out about who is really getting killed off

Devin: Yeah…

Norah: Some are considering themselves above such “cheap stunts” and are refusing to do it. Apparently they object to being treated as "dispensable"

Devin: *gasps* but… we can’t risk it getting spoiled

Norah: I know, I know, this season is banking on "no one is safe". Could you do your death scene first? I’m thinking if the artists see one of the fan favourites is on board with the plan we can bring them around

Devin assures her friend that she’s happy to go first and will treat it as seriously as if her character were actually dying. Honestly, Norah faced this kind of pushback too much. It’s so hard for women to break into directing. Walking the set to get a feel of it she’s glad to see Connor isn’t here, she’d have been disappointed if he was one of the ones pushing back.

Norah: Villareal death scene, QUIET on set

A hush descends as the regulars and guest stars notice their most famous face has taken the stage. If Norah was using her real name instead of the character name she was making a point. Devin wouldn’t let her make it alone.

ACTION

Devin: Oh… oh I feel… I can’t be pregnant… wait…

She pauses and looks directly into camera.

Devin: It’s the bugs… they’ve woken up inside me…

She freezes in place, contorting her face in a vision of pain. She pretends the bugs are winning and spasms to her knees. She acts as though she is trying to speak, trying to get a last message out, but it’s too late. She buckles sideways and lays motionless.

CUT

Devin: Was that good? Did we get it

Norah: Perfect Mrs Villareal! Now… who’s up next?

Devin shuffles off stage as one by one the actors put on their game faces and play through their own death scenes. The grumbling on set ends, the point has been made. No one is indispensable in TV.

The rest of the shoot goes well. Devin is used to the set now, it’s becoming a familiar playground for her. She does fight scenes and flirting scenes alongside the guest stars, and the shoot wouldn’t be complete without a guitar solo.

Back home Devin hangs outside with Luna and the twins. While Luna is in charge of teaching numbers Devin is in charge of playing pirate! Alfred is first on the ship while Rilian focuses on the flashcards.

Luna: This number is first…

Rilian: One?

Luna: That’s it schnucki

After Alfred finishes playing he gives Devin a big hug before going to ask Luna for his turn at flashcards. Rilian waddles over to the ship and gets busy steering!

Rilian: Mama

Devin: Yes Rilian

Rilian: Did you think about me pool

Devin: *laughs* I did. You better thank your Mummy as well

Rilian: *smiling* you mean…

Devin: One kiddie pool coming up!

Devin grabs the plastic pool from inside and fills it up while an excited Rilian dances. When it’s deep enough Devin helps him in and he goes to sit down.

Rilian: MAMA *splashes*

Devin: Are you happy caro

Rilian: YES *splashes*

Devin and the toddler play around splashing each other while a studious Alfred works on his numbers with Luna. It’s a warm autumn day and Devin has ever seen her son smile so wide.

Previous ... Next

[teresalace]

🥵The Bastard Takes You Home (Courtin Cowboys the bastard x G.N Reader)

• Words: 4.2k

• Triggers: Usage of word Member, non consensual humping, In the woods, Minor spoilers, Ditzy reader

Author notes: WHere's the bastard x reader fics at?🍳👄🍳Back from My long ass hiatus and now it's studying season for abit, going to work on unfinished stuff for yall, hope you enjoy guys! (tho this isn't the most satisfactory story I've written so far personally 🥴🥴 Or maybe I wasn't in the mood anymore) As always, minors beware AND SUPPORT @ffishstickks COURTIN COWBOYS!!!

~~~~

It's 1863 and you're on a journey with an old friend to the western town of Summerfair.

Luckily or not for your incredibly charming friend, they managed to win every heart from left, right and center while you were settling down and becoming a decent inn's cook. Last thing you heard from your dear friend, landing themselves in some love scuffle before ending up with a dopey shepherd, was having an all lovey dovey time in that barn. . . 

The clink of a beer infront of you pulled you from your thoughts, full and chilly when you grabbed it.

Downing it immediately, the noisy world around you came bubbling back to life. The bar, ever so lively with patrons chatter and piano tunes, made you feel less alone. 

"Thanks bartender," you smiled with a bright buzz, "I'll cook you up something good next time for the free drinks." HIC.

You stood from the bar seat. A solemn head nod from the bartender bids you farewell.  

Out of the saloon you went, a pleasant buzzing throughout your body, still in the middle of the quiet town.

Just as you walked a step to balance yourself, something below stopped you. Looking down at the ground by your shoe, you couldn't believe it!

You picked up the 100 coin pieces, quickly pocketing it into your pouch and gave it a pat. A cheerful smile making it's way on your derpy face.

What a good omen! 

Maybe it could mean it's time for you to find somebody to spend the rest of your days with. Good omens don't always come your way. 

.   .   .

Hah, what funny things were you thinking now, the sun has barely set. 

The loneliness must've begun to sink in after overhearing a married patron brag about one of the multiple lovely times he's had in the saloon. Oh how suddenly you wished to be living in those romantic stories, to be the one held sweetly underneath moonlight and stars. 

It would be so nice, you thought wistfully.

In your slightly drunken walk down town, head high in the clouds, you smacked right into a charming familiar face who you haven't seen in a while of a week.

"(Name)! Great timing, I've got so much to tell you– What are you doing daydreaming outside the inn– you'll get all sweaty and red." Not waiting another second or for a response, they dragged your bubbly-self into the shelter of the inn. 

Your body felt cooler already, calming you down as both you and your friend plopped on the reception seats. The buzz in your blood slowly going away. 

HIC. 

"Thanks, buddy," you pushed down an incoming burp from ruining whatever you wanted to say. "Thought you were busy loving that Shepherd."

"I was, just LAST night." They chuckled, looping their arm around yours. "But never too busy to visit my dearest friend, so tell me, what's gotten you looking so glum? I hope this town hasn't bored you yet." Oh no this town was the most exciting thing to you since you weren't close to anyone besides your friend and the friendly inn keeper (who provides rare ingredients for your cooking per request), barely boring but then again you were simple to entertain.

The one and only friend loyal enough to stay with you through hard times while disappearing into thin air when not needed. The friend you needed right now to make a life-changing decision, drunk as can be.

HIC.

"I've been wanting to settle down you know. Maybe in this town or the next one, I don't wanna keep–" A large burp from your guts interrupted your heart-to-heart talk.

"Burping?" Your friend teasingly finished the sentence.

"–Being alone after a long day."  You breathed out a sigh as they watched, sobering up slowly. "It sounds nice enough to imagine having somebody to go back home to." You hoped you didn't sound ungrateful to them but it just isn't the same anymore, you couldn't always rely on your friend for emotional support. Both of you knew that. 

A short pause. 

Giving their earnest attention to you, your dear friend pulled your hands into their lap and held them. "I truly hope you find what you're looking for, (Name), take  your time and see what or who life can surprise you with!" 

When they comfort you like this and talk sweetly, it's no surprise they've got the whole town smitten for them in an instant. Even though you were generally known as their best friend, it still came with some advantages– free drinks sometimes– and more if the time of day was right. You were proud to have a wonderful friend like them and hope to have an equally amazing partner too. 

Wishing that day came sooner.

"(Name)," their voice brought you back to earth and to a pair of concerned eyes. "I think you need to down a cup of water or two, you must've had too many drinks." 

Smiling unashamedly, "only one but guilty." Your answer was followed by a snort response from them. 

Your friend's eyes twinkled like an idea popped in. "I'll tell you what, after you have some water, why don't we go fishing together? Might as well when the weather is lovely and the sun is still out." You took a brief minute to think. Fishing wasn't the most fun activity, you've tried before and preferred to buy your fishy ingredients from the market but with your friend as company? It started sounding not too bad of a plan.

"Hmm. Alright, let's do it," you agreed, shrugging. What could possibly go wrong other than feeling boredom and being sprayed with water or slapped by some fins if unlucky. They cheered loudly and shook your hands together in theirs, earning a glance from the ever-smiley handsome inn keeper.

"Don't you worry, it'll be fun!" They grinned enthusiastically, getting to their feet and pulling you up along. "A warning, you'll need some patience and a strong grip because some of those fishes are slippery fellows." Too late to back out now when you heard that. 

"Great. I could use a challenge now and then," was what you said until both you and your practically beaming friend left the inn, following the forest path and arriving at a creek they discovered in the woodside of the town. 

Fresh minty breezes, vibrant greenery and shrubs surrounded you in every inch though you didn't expect for the fishing spot to be at an unimpressive small creek. 

"This place is where I usually fish! You can even forage some of them delicious berries if you walk a bit and turn right." They squeal showing you, delighted and setting down their basket full of fishing supplies near the creek edge, not too close to be worrisome.

Its deep and calm blue waters glittered in the sunlight while both you and your friend settled down on the flat grassy patches (that you assume have been made by their many trips here), under the cool shades of the forest. 

Curious, you stared at the creek then asked them. "If you've been fishing here a lot of times then there's no way there'd be any fish left, right?" They turned their head to face you, giggling as if you said something funny, pointing to the basket.

"You'll see, (Name). Just give it a try and wait, this town never seems to run short of anything. Really." That felt like they weren't referring to the fish anymore but something else entirely you couldn't understand. 

Moving on from that before the small talk ate away the remaining time before sunset, you and them began unpacking stuff, each person equipped with a sturdy, metal fishing pole in both hands. Looking back at the waters then to the wriggling worm on the hook of your fishing pole, some part of you doubted this would work and be a waste of time. 

Sure you couldn't see through into those unclear waters but could there really be fish swimming in there? 

The answer, a shocking yes with a side of boots and weeds. 

No kidding patience was important, you fished more junk than actual fish whereas your friend beside you managed to capture the most. 

"Really wasn't expecting this much fish, wow," you exclaimed at the sight of the bucket full to the brim with a colorful variety of fish, some you've never seen before in all your years of cooking. 

"What did I tell ya?" They set side their fishing pole, grinning, barely a drop of sweat on their shining face.

"You were right." 

"Psh, of course I'm right," they teased, leaning against a tree. "Told you to go exploring the town some time, there's plenty of surprises to experience. But a word of caution, don't go exploring at night. There's nothing much to see than maybe a pervert here and there doing their business."

"Yeah, I'll keep that in mind."

Everything was peaceful, with your friend relaxing beside the full bucket, you laid on your side on the soft cool grass, bare feet pointed towards the creek. 

"Remind me to bring more buckets next time we go fishing," you slurred, lips slowing down in movement.

"Hah, will do, (Name)." Their giggles fading into the breezes.

Gentle rustling of bushes lulled you to doze away and drape your eyes from the world, no longer hearing the shrills from the birds overhead. 

It felt like nothing could ruin this perfect day. So you decided to fall asleep, waving off your persistent friend to go on back without you, trusting that they would leave some fish behind for tonight. Though fishing alone wasn't fun, they were right about the weather being lovely, almost too lovely to not take a nap.  .  .

Unfortunately the short nap you originally intended for, lengthened to an hours long coma. Only when the sudden burst of froggy croaks and loud crickets chirp disturbed your sleep, did you realize the sun had been replaced by the brightest full moon. 

You hugged your form, waves after waves of chills beginning to settle in your bones. 

That was one dangerous nap, to be waking up at near midnight in the woods. Nope, you got to head back to the inn and fast.

Rustle. Rustle.

Instinctively you held your breath, paused in the middle of pushing yourself off the bitter-cold ground. It could just be the wind? Or an insect hopping about. Yeah, yeah it must be. 

Convincing yourself that it was nothing, no, it had to be nothing, was a tough feat but somehow you managed to carefully get up. 

The tip of your shoes accidentally kicking over something nearby, oh- it was the bucket of fish! How nice of your friend to not leave you without some company. 

It was too dark though, you put aside the urge to bring along the bucket and opted to only placing it in your spot. Hope the fishes wouldn't spoil at sunrise. 

Then off you went, towards the inn.  .  .

There was a small problem in your navigation skills when everywhere you turned to appeared to have the same vaguely shaped trees, it was black as the night sky above too but fortunately you walked out of the creek area. 

You think the hard ground beneath your shoes feel familiar, that is, until mud and softer patches of soil messed with your senses. Great, you stood there in silent frustration.

Maybe you should've explored the woods like your friend suggested before as now you surely were lost. Not that it was their fault for leaving you behind. 

Rustle.

.   .   .

RUSTLE. RUSTLE. 

Louder now, you heard it, the rough shaking of bushes close by. Your heart pounded. 

That wasn't nothing. 

Loud enough to freeze you in place, just as you looked in the source's direction– 

Something heavy tackled you to the ground from behind, the side of your face smashing against dirt and mud as that thing landed on your back.

–Oh no, bear. A huge bear in these woods and no warning signs in sight about it?! Your friend would've told you, scratch that, would've not even mentioned fishing had there been a wild animal–

"Grrrrr." 

Hot air fanned the nape of your neck as it sniffed you over like you were its next meal. 

Frozen and taking in shallow breaths, your mind was focusing too hard on the sharpness of its talons pressing against your arms. Almost warning you to stay still, not that you could successfully struggle against its monsterous weight before being crushed to death.

Wait, did bears know how to cage people? 

"Grrrr," its breath leaned down and edged the curve of your ears. Please get it over with, you were awaiting, hopeful for, a quick and painless death at this point.

Panting over you, in the silver of moonlight you caught a side-glance at the wild animal or at what you initially assumed to be that had you pinned down. 

It was no animal but a humongous bare chest man, canines glinting as he grinned down at you.

Long shaggy pitch black hair that resembled fur than human hair, earthy toned skin that faded to an inky black down his forearms. 

Was half of his body covered in mud? 

Ah, your neck ached from trying to get a better view of him. Surely even a beast of a man like himself would help if you explained yourself, right? 

"Uh– excuse me, sir." Huffing, he dragged his gaze from your body to your eyes as you managed to turn your face with small relief. 

"I uh just went fishing and lost my way from the pathway to town, could you please help?" It never hurt to attempt for anything but you had a moment of regret as the stretching silence that followed was less than helpful. 

His claws, or sharp nailed hands, shifted from your holding down your arms and now dug into the sides of your waist. Maybe he didn't intend for it to be painful but his weight wasn't one bit comfortable.

"Heh." 

Low and rusty, the beast, ops you meant, man let out a gut-busting laugh before removing his weight on top of you. Finally you could gasp for a lungful of air, for how long you laying there for the former freezing soil under you felt warm. 

The man hadn't spoken anything but It must be a good sign! 

"Oh thank you, sir!" Just as you gathered strength to push yourself up, a big hand forced you down hard. Admittedly it wasn't your first time dealing with an unexpected kissing to the ground. 

Thankfully none of the mud or dirt made in your mouth but why on earth did he? 

"Uh sir, weren't you going to let me go?"

A mightier growl escaped from him, showing teeth this time around, scaring you in place as your voice gave out. Again. 

In that second, you remembered this man was no friend, a practically nude stranger who roamed the woods, clearly not dressed to make any good impression. But at least you were given some breathing room, so he wasn't evil. You think. 

Another low growl, this one directly over your head. 

Staying silent became the best option. 

He must've sensed something changed as the sound of him sniffing you grew louder, stopped, and with an unimaginable swiftness you heard an audible long rip in your outfit. 

Chilly air instantly flooded the areas where fabric used to be, your skin felt sensitive. Your eyes flew wide, more opened and shocked, heart trembling at the noise.

RIPPPPPPP. 

Another long tear by no doubt his claws. Oh no no no, your poor overalls, your trousers! 

Your thoughts sizzled, face flushing when his claw-like hands ran down your exposed skin, like in search of something– 

The jingle of coins startled you. No, oh no, he was aiming for your money all along! 

In horror, you watched as he picked a few coin pieces out of your pouch and pocketed it somewhere, tossing your still full pouch away out of the moonlight.

Your fear changed to actual frustration. The nerve of him! To be robbing you in broad moonlight, why, you ought to teach him a lesson and give him a good head smacking. . . If only he didn't have his hand and knee pressing down on your back.

 .  .   .

Wait a second, you felt his knees shift near your legs. Then finally in your delayed mind, you came to a terrifying realization that the hard thing pushing against your lower back was most likely a gun– 

"Uh sir! Please let me get up, surely you're satisfied?" You spoke in a pleasing tone, trying to move a tiny bit under his body weight. Heart thumping.

 He had better be satisfied after taking a piece of your precious money. 

He didn't move off you. Still staying there on top of you, sniffing? Looking around the moonlit forest as if he had forgotten your existence being squashed beneath him. The cold ground painfully pebbling your nipples against the ground, evident of how long you had been in that darn position.

"H-Hey! Could you please get off–" Something hot and stiff poked at your waistline, long and harder than any boulder. He shifted his body or must've crouched over you as his gigantic shadow covers you whole.

The hard poking grew in size and so did the fear in your heart. Wait, how did you even feel that, this almost entirely nude man has no pockets to carry a gun, it didn't feel metallic in the slightest so what was poking you– Oh.

Oh dear no.

Don't look down, don't look down– 

"GRRR." Oh what was he growling about this time?! He already took your money, what else was he going after now. You stilled.

Then he began moving it, slowly rubbing his hardness in that one spot below your lower back. Like he didn't know what he was doing but you weren't going to correct him. 

Already uncomfortable just lying there being used as some scratching post for an animalistic man who robbed you not so long ago. . . Wait, in this position, a strong heat radiated from his lower body and grew closer and closer- 

He began rubbing himself on you, soft as if testing the waters at first than harder. Vigorously humping himself against your exposed buttocks, warming up the cool skin and pressing you into the earth further. 

Breathless and at a lost for words, you shivered while struggling to stay put. Heart wildly beating in your chest like it was screaming for help, so loud you'd think the entire forest could hear it. 

He wouldn’t hear it, he kept going, the hardness of his member cutting into you and you felt it.

A slimy slick spreading across your bottom, thick globs of heaviness sliding down and sending tingles in between your thighs. The tingles grew everywhere, and you became aware of a throbbing, not from the man’s flesh, but yours, as if your body was enjoying this terrible torment forced on you. 

Please let it end. 

He would slow down to your momentary relief, only to speed up at an alarming rate and burn you from behind, skin to skin. The smell of the earth and everything became a blur.

The rumour of the beast in the woods was no exaggeration, like an animal he wouldn’t stop pleasuring himself on you and all the while you silently prayed for it to end as it felt like hours had gone by like this. 

Kept going and going, barely any drop of sweat on him all the while you felt like you were being cooked from the inside out, sticky, clammy skin, and out of breath.

The persistent throbbing, hot and needy, inside of you couldn’t cease to stop craving. . . Touch, any kind of touch to relieve this ugly tension fully other than being kneaded into the ground. After this ordeal you were going to ask the pretty saloon lady for help, you won’t be able to last another night without some help.

Finally his rubbing slowed down, hardness swelling impossible hot against your ass and as if his throat was caught on a fishing hook- a deep grunt expelled from his chest and like dread, you felt it, almost a bucket load of slime spilled over you, your hips and down your thighs.

"Now could you move, please?!" That must've sounded more aggressive than you intended it to be but it worked, he crawled off you but the stickiness remained. Before you could muster up the energy to give him a piece of your mind, he slowly growed before bolting into the shadows. 

You were alone again, thank goodness.

Sluggishly, you rolled onto your side, flinching at the disgusting globs of slime slide off of you and pool underneath. Taking a moment to rest and mostly to catch your breath, lungfuls of air expanding your chest, feeling crumbs of soil stuck to your skin. The moon was blinding you by the second the longer you stayed there in the open. . . Exhaustion and the cold lulled you to almost dozing off but it was too dangerous out here, you slowly rose, grabbing your pouch of money, swaying like a brittle leaf in the wind as you walked on the path back town. 

.  .  . 

Maybe because you hadn’t been seen by them in a while, your friend instantly burst out of the inn and instantly spotted you, supporting your weight and walking you to the bathroom as you confided in them about the attack.

“How horrible! What a disgusting thief,” your friend spat while helping you change out of the torn pieces of fabric that used to look like an outfit as you quickly covered yourself, hiding the slime on your skin from being seen. They continued ranting, dissatisfaction written all over their face. “I’ve had the same experience weeks ago, it’s always the money that they want. I even told the sheriff about it but there’s been no news yet, shucks.” 

You nodded agreeing, not that you told them exactly all the details but enough to draw the conclusion that you’ve been unwillingly robbed. Worried about you, your friend promised to stay the night and went to visit the sheriff to give your account. The innkeeper was a trustworthy fellow who wouldn’t let any criminal in.

After a long, long much needed bath, the heat within your body eased down to a tolerable simmer, especially places where that beast’s release reached. Like where your holes twitched and- Ah, stop you shouldn’t be thinking of that! Huffing out a frustrated sigh, you stomped past a mirror into your room, not feeling brave enough to take a look at your no-doubt reddened face.

It felt like heaven being comforted by your dear friend and sleeping together in the same bed, your curiosity popped out again- wondering what became of that beastman- if just giving the sheriff a report was enough for his capture. Maybe you should do something, see if you could mark a spot in the woods where that man would visit, it would be a ton better than waiting around for good news. Right! 

Determination filled your blood and forced you onto your feet, heart thumping fast in almost excitement.

The moment you stepped out of the inn, it felt like a terrible idea. With no plan in mind, you snuck away from your snoring friend in bed and proceeded on the moonlit path towards the dreadful forest. 

You heard a hurt groan before you saw the source. A man who should’ve already fallen dead, the naked beast with a weapon deep in their forehead spilling blood. Black blood trailing down his rough face, dripping onto the ground. 

Witnessing something incomprehensible had you rooted to the spot, it was a scene out of those horror tales your gram would tell to get you and the other children to sleep, of a monster impossible to defeat. You should've never curiously followed a beast of the woods. Now you would never be able to escape his territory, entirely roamed by him. How could you even attempt to stop him from carrying you when you see not even a dagger lodged in his forehead deterred him from staying alive. 

Could you call him a beast? He sniffed the air like one.

Even beasts can be killed but not this man. 

He froze like he heard or smelt something.

What was far worse than a beast is an unkillable one, and worse than that- was a beast who has found its prey. You. 

It didn’t take long for you to sprint away out of instinct but it was too late, he had seen you, and with one long arm he caught you mid-air and carried you on one broad shoulder, whimpering and struggling to no avail. Deeper into the woods where you’d never be able to escape, where only wisps of light and fireflies lit the mornings and darkness reigned the rest of time to come. 

Deep below the neck of the woods, rumours of the dangerous beast have now changed due to the rare sightings of him not only alone- there was another one who stood by his side, a beast more humane looking yet scared and equally as nude. No one dared to overstay in the woods anymore, not wishing to join those monsters or become their next meal.

~~~~~~~~~~

[yankstrash]

october 13

boston colleges first home game of the season

three days since gabe and amelias third date

and their first kiss

it had been on gabes mind to invite her to the game, but he didn't want to pressure her

there is no pressure.

you've kissed her.

and been out multiple times.

and already have a fourth date planned.

but alas, he did not ask her to come to the game.

so imagine his surprise when he looks up during warm ups and sees her in the stands

he had never done such a hard double take in his life

he saw her.

and she knew he saw her.

amelia was bumped in the ribs by her friend standing next to her

"he sees you." she whispers in her ear

amelia rolls her eyes but can't fight the smile

"i can't believe i let you drag me to this game. he's probably going to think i'm stalking him or something." amelia says

her friend gives her the most 'are you serious?' look she's ever received and says, "stalking him? really?? after what he did to get you to go out with him? showing up at your job until you said yes? i mean don't get me wrong, romantic and honestly hot as hell, but you should not be worried about him thinking you're a stalker, meel. i'm sure he's flattered."

and flattered he was.

gabe couldn't wipe the grin off his face after he saw her

she was at his game.

without him asking her to come.

was she here to see him?

well, who else would she be here to see.

or maybe she wasn't here for anyone at all?

she does like hockey.

ish..

maybe she just wants to support her school

..or maybe she is here to see him...

~

throughout the game, gabe tried his absolute hardest not to look up at her

because everytime he did, his mind wandered and his dopy grin broke out

he just needed to see her.

the game did not start the way bc was hoping for but it sure did end that way with a 4-2 win over long island

as soon as the teams were done shaking hands, gabe was bolting to the locker room

no one even had time to question his sudden burst of speed as he whipped past everyone and raced to his stall

he pulled his phone from his hockey bag

from: gabe

"you should meet me by the locker rooms."

luckily, his text was sent just in time.

amelia and her friends were just standing up to leave when the text came through

immediately, they all knew who it was.

"that was quick!" one of them grinned

amelia bit her lip as her mouth tugged up as she read his message

she looked up to see all her friends smirking at her

"go see him." one of them said, giving her a little shove

"but-"

"GO!"

"GO GO GO!"

"meel you better get your butt down there and see that boy."

she had no choice now.

"go tell him good game and we will see you later."

amelia slowly nodded her head, letting her legs move for her

by herself, she slowly made her way down by the locker rooms

after waiting for a few moments, players finally started to trickle out

her heart sped up as more and more guys filed out

"this is a bad idea. he is going to think i'm so weird." she thought to herself

but really, who is the weird one here? this was basically what he did to her. except only now, no one will be turned away with a rejection.

finally, gabe appeared in her eye sight

and holy hell, he looked good..

so good...

he was dressed in a navy blue plaid suit with a white button down underneath

her mouth opened slightly at the sight of him in his game day outfit

she swallowed, pushing herself off the wall she was leaning on and walking towards him

"what a nice surprise" he says as he reaches her

his arms went around to her back, pulling her in to his chest

"came to see me play?!" he asks, grinning widely

hereee we go.

amelia pulls back a bit and shrugs

"my friends dragged me" she tries to sound casual

"yeah? you didn't come to see me play, hmm? you could just tell me you wanted to see me play." he says

she smiles and playfully rolls her eyes

"it was just a bonus" she says

"mmhmm, sure it was"

she looks up at him and shakes her head

"good game though"

he smiles at her compliment

"thank you. saw you cheering up in the stands"

the grin still hasn't left his face.

she shrugs, "i can get into hockey games when i want to"

"and you wanted to tonight because you came to watch me"

she smacks his chest lightly

"i did not"

"you did too!"

she shakes her head

"you're never going to let this go now are you?" she asks

he slowly shakes his head

"nope.."

they fall silent for a moment

still looking at each other

"so.." gabe breaks the silence "you said i played good?"

amelia nods her head

he smiles, "do i get something for that?"

she pulls her bottom lip between her teeth

"what do you want?"

he grins at her question, lowering his head a bit

"this." he whispers against her lips before connecting them

her hands go to the back of his neck, keeping him close

"that's what i wanted." he pulls back a bit and says

amelias lips tug up in a grin, her eyes meeting his

"i like your suit" she says, rubbing his arm up and down "looks really nice on you"

"you like it?" he asks, smiling

"mmhmm" she hums, nodding her head

"then this is my new favorite game day suit."

[total-drama-shark]

Do you have a favorite romantic relationship from each season?

Yoo it's been a while since I've been asked for my td thoughts :) I answered an ask this before that you can check here but I’ll provide additional info in this one.

TDI

I have to go with Duncney in this one, their dynamic is strong and their storyline is very well handled IMO, Gwent was a more long term and endgame couple for this season but the issue with them is that their relationship status always seemed to reset every episode regardless of how much development they got in individual episodes, so it felt like it wasn’t going anywhere when it should, they liked each other since ep 1 but by the start of ep 16 they were still at that exact same status. With Duncney though the development they get in an episode carries on to the next, making it all cohesive and neat :)

TDA

I don’t think I was a big fan of many canon couples this season, Duncney was very hit or miss, Gwent broke up, Bridgeoff was hitting constant bump in the roads. I’d say Lesharold but I’m not sure if they count given they weren’t an official couple, and I preferred them in TDWT even though they had less screen time there. So I guess that really leaves us with Nizzy, but again I prefer them in TDI and TDWT. Guess TDA just isn’t my season.

TDWT

Aleheather my beloved, we love an enemies to lovers and a WT Heather W (Heather’s win is canon to me). While I admit the writing wasn’t perfect when it came to consistency, one episode Alejandro flirts with Heather to tease her while another he doesn’t want people to think he like her, it’s our first properly well done endgame relationship in a season IMO. Seeing their constant complicated conflict is an absolute treat and it’s one of my favorite canon couples period.

TDROTI

Sometimes I wonder if I like Zoke because they’re cute or I can project so much onto them, that doesn’t matter though because my fave this season is Samkota! Dakota’s development learning to be less superficial in her judgement, learning to care for people, and finding someone in her life who not only actually likes her and cares for her as a person, but loves her? My heart <3 Sam starting out awkward messing up while trying to compliment her or finding things they have in common to being able to successfully swoon her is also adorable :)

TDAS

Unpopular opinion? I love Scottney, both how the season started presenting it as sorta like a Duncney 2.0 with Scott being the bad boy to Courtney’s uptight good girl, but also how they later go about it with Scott actually just being a mess with no experience in romance and Courtney somehow still being charmed by him despite knowing just how pathetic he is at trying to be romantic. It’s cute, it takes me back, I wish it last longer.

TDPI

Jashawn is considered the saving grace of Pahkitew by various people in the fandom, and while I enjoy the season more than your average td fan, I do admit it’s a highlight. They’re sweet and cute and it’s an a character screwing up and having to reevaluate their life viewpoints and priorities to be able to truly learn how to love someone and make up for their mistakes is a great development and one I don’t think we’ve seen before! The best we’ve seen the show handle couples having interpersonal conflicts I think.

TDIR

Rajbow is an obvious one here, like even if I didn’t love them what other couple was there? Chemma? Hah, no. But luckily I do love them! I’m glad TD’s first queer characters/couple are mlm, since in the earlier seasons the mere idea of queer dudes was the butt of a joke rather than actual representation, it feels like this is making up for that. Bowie’s confidence and smarts contrasting and bouncing of Raj’s himbo energy and his still discovering his sexuality is very nice to see and very enjoyable. I hope to see them develop this couple further next season :)

Thank you again for the ask anon! I love answering asks like these :D

[ummick]

Mick’s Diary: 2024 Plans, Final Races of the Season & More

Time for one final check-in of the 2023 Formula One season. Here’s the last chapter of Mick’s Diary for this year. Catching up with our Reserve Driver, Mick Schumacher, to hear all about the final races of the season, what he made of Las Vegas and his plans for the winter. We also hear from him on his 2024 plans now that they’ve been officially announced. Hi everyone. It’s been a busy couple of weeks, so there’s plenty to update you on for my last diary of the 2023 season. It’s been a very long season for everybody, and we’re going to have a longer one next year. Everyone is bracing themselves for it. On the other hand, it’s good to know we’ve completed the year with a successful learning path and securing P2 in the Constructors’ Championship. I’ve also learned a lot over the season and my knowledge base. Every time I went in the car I felt like I did take steps forward. Obviously the simulator work helped with the development of the W14, so I’m excited to see what next year holds. All of the races at the end of the year have been flyaways, so I’ve not been on the race support like I am for the Europeans. It’s a very different approach to the weekend, as for flyaways I am there from Thursday onwards so I am much more involved on the ground, but for most of the Europeans I’m in the simulator and only get to the track on Saturday. But both have their charm and have their individual way of learning and taking what’s important from the weekend. We’ve finished the season with an intense run of races. You can never really combat all the travel and the time zones; you just have to survive it, really. Probably one of the most difficult parts of F1 is switching time zones. Vegas was a tough cookie. I unfortunately got sick when I arrived there and I didn’t really recover until the end of the weekend. Luckily everything’s all good, but from what I saw of Vegas the schedule was quite tough, but there were lots of positives and I’d never been to Vegas before, so it was an interesting experience. As a team, we win and lose together and when things are difficult you definitely feel that. All I want to do is help the team to success and we all worked very hard to try and get the car back up to speed. Especially now with the W15 already in the works, we all are 100% focused on trying to have a successful 2024. It’s a great opportunity to stay with the team for next year as the Reserve Driver and keep on learning, keep building on what we’ve achieved this year. I think we’re all very keen to get started and on track with the W15, so it will be very nice to be part of that process. I can also continue to build on all the relationships with the team. It’s been good to spend so much time with everyone and get to know, also, the people who have been here when my dad was. It’s a very special team and a very special bond that they have. I’m also really excited to be back racing in the World Endurance Championship with Alpine. I’m a racer, I always was a racer, so I’ll be racing next year and that’s what I do best. Not racing this year was tough, so I’m just really looking forward to being on the road and fighting. In between we have a bit of a break, so I’ll be recharging my batteries; get ready for racing next year and try to build on what we’ve done in 2023. I wanted to say a big thank you to everyone who’s read these diary entries through the year, but most importantly thanks to all the fans for sticking with me. It’s been a tough year and we never give up. We always try to give our best. Thank you for being there every step of the way, and I’m excited for what next year holds. Believe me, I’m still working hard on also the step to hopefully being back in F1.

[quackle]

What’s your overall opinion of Disventure Camp All Star as for now? And what do you think of the final 3 and who do you think will win?

gonna ramble under the cut (per usual), but the tldr version is i like it for the most part, the final 3 are pretty cool, and I Do Not Know 😭

i know people cannot stand this show at this point (some for understandable reasons), but i'm honestly okay with it right now!! it's still pretty fun for the most part. (i personally just don't care at allll for the whole trevek/kristal/emily thing going on, but luckily that plot stays around for like. idk 3 minutes at most.)

and i like the final three we have, even if i do side eye the narrative choices that brought us here lol. it's about who wants it most, so i'm waiting to see who will come out on top. ally, jake, and riya were some of the lassssst people i guessed would make it this far, so it's so wild to see. i won't be able to have a full opinion until the season ends, but for now, i like em!

as for who will win... i'm not sure really. mostly because i could see any of them winning, and idk which idea i like more lmfao. i've seen people make some really good theories about certain people winning:

ally: a lot of ally's game has been spent with her stressing over what others think. even when she claims she doesn't care about that anymore, she obviously does. she's been training herself more with her stretches + she can't seem to let go of her goofy, silly gamer nature that antis of her tend to complain about. so a win for ally could include her learning to accept herself, or at least starting the journey to do that. because she as a person can win, even if people don't like her; she just has to believe in herself.

jake: similar to ally, ake's start to the game was extremely rocky due to his insecurities/jealousy issues. and even though jake has grown throughout this competition—gaining a friend in aiden, learning to trust more people, etc—he's still got some growing to do, as evident by this recent ep with the whole connor situation. a win for jake could show a win for those who still have a ways to go but are trying their best day by day.

riya: i know most people don't think she'd win because she's a villain, she's been to the finale before, etc etc. but ever since i saw a theory that this specific win could be a controversial sort of win, i've been thinking more on it. dcas has been making moves writing-wise that has less to do with "who deserves it" and more to do with "who wants it most." i've read that a riya winning plot could include her grinning at the end, finally winning this game... but then she realizes all she's lost: friends, love, etc, all just for money and fame. it'd be a tragic addition to her tragic narrative, and depending on how onc goes about this, it could be brilliant. idk i just love fake people LMFAO so this interests me too.

not to mention that throughout the entirety of this season, i have been struggling to guess what could possibly happen next. the finale is the biggest question mark for me. who will be the helpers for the finalists? what's the challenge gonna be like? these will all determine who has a better chance of winning. so. for now, my answer to who i think will win is a big ass question mark

[alexhornefan]

Taskmaster’s 15th season starts on Channel 4 next week. Here, Greg Davies and Alex Horne talk about this year’s batch of contestants, starting with Frankie Boyle.

People may be surprised that Frankie signed up.

Greg:  I think that’s a perfectly reasonable thing to be surprised about. He’s on it because his children like it.

Alex: He sometimes seems surprised that he’s on it as well. It’s unusual to see him without his dignity and not being in charge but he completely threw himself into it, partly because his kids are big fans, as Greg says, and partly because he really likes the show and I think he trusts us, luckily. But he had to wait 14 series to really be sure that we’d look after him and agree to do it! He’s got friends, people like Sophie Duker, who helped persuade him. It was really nice to see him be his normal self. He brought his kids into lots of conversations during the studio shoot so you see a tender side of him, which was nice.

Greg: I make a lot of jokes in this series about him not caring whether he wins or not but,  he really entered into the spirit of it. It’s not that he was sitting there going, ‘Who cares?’ He tried, and was often bad. It’s nice to see someone like Frankie being incompetent.

Alex: He’s always competent with his mouth though. The things he says are so brilliant.

Greg: He restores his dignity with every analysis… It’s kind of awkward having Frankie in the room to point out the facts. I might bluster over certain things sometimes, then people like Frankie come in and check the facts. But dictators need to be checked.

Alex:  These five actually feel like a really intelligent five. I don’t want to say that they’re more intelligent than others, but …

Greg:  But you are.

Alex: I am, yes. They’re much cleverer than anyone we’ve had. They’re led by Frankie, I think, when they’re arguing.

On the other hand, you’ve got him running around in his pants in one task.

Alex: That was all his idea. I think he was keen to put a stamp on the show. I think he decided: ‘Right, if I’m doing it, I’m doing it.’

Greg: It shows a different side to his creativity as well. His normal act is not a natural conduit for some of the things you see him doing and being naturally funny.

What about Ivo Graham: he’s quite chaotic and anxious, isn’t he?

Greg: Wilfully so.

Alex: He fits a bit into the David Baddiel or Mark Watson ‘intelligent man doing badly with practical things’ but he’s also got a real playful side. I think he’s in control of his badness.

Greg: He’s not cartwheeling out of control; he knows exactly what he’s doing. I don’t think he’s being bad on purpose – but when it’s evident that he’s being bad, he welcomes the chaos. He revels in his mistakes.

Alex:  He was desperate to win it because he knows the show inside-out. Most of his mates have done it and that desperation meant going charging into the tasks and then realising it was too late. He got all giddy and excited and never stopped to think. But he’s a really thoughtful person generally, so that was surprising.

Greg: I think he makes an assertion, he comes up with a plan, and he follows that plan through regardless of new information that might come in.   It’s a Bomber Harris approach to Taskmaster.

Alex:  When he does get in too deep, that’s fun. He’s prepared to go the extra mile more than anyone. He has quite a physical reaction to it. He’s a peculiar character. There have been moments of sadness with him but he has got his dignity as well.

Greg: It’s remarkable. He’s so naturally funny. He does a thing where he throws away a point wilfully in one of the live tasks. It’s one of the most surprising and funniest things I’ve seen on the show. That really wrong-footed me, that.

Alex:  Me too. He’s technically an unbelievably clever comedian.

And then there’s Ghosts star Kiell Smith-Bynoe​…

Alex: I think he’ll surprise people. He’s known as an actor, not as a comedian, but he’s thankfully a really funny person. And he’s got a face that lights up, a real twinkle.

Greg: I always say he adds value in some way to every task. There’s always a shimmy or flourish. He’s showbiz.

Alex:  Yes, he’s a showman. Even the clothes he’s wearing. He’s very likeable. 

Greg: He’s very competitive.

Alex: He’s had a problem with me as well on several occasions, which I found quite funny.

Greg: Which I’ve really enjoyed as well. They turn on me normally around show six, and my judgements get called into question. But he really has had it in for you since the beginning.

Alex: I don’t think I’ve done anything wrong. I have dobbed him in, but that’s my job. I could see you were getting beguiled by him and I had to stand up for justice. He did a few things badly but he managed to get things under the radar by being a bit showy, so I had to make sure you get the full picture.

 How would you describe his approach to tasks?

Greg: Route one.

Alex:  Yes. He’s got such a confused face.

Greg: And there’s a lot of fury.

Alex:  I think he thinks it’s all against him. He doesn’t realise there’s four other people doing it too.

 And Jenny Eclair?

Alex:  She had the time of her life, both in and out of the studio. The whole show is meant to be doing stuff you did as a kid that you don’t do any more. She’s really throwing herself into it.

Greg: You can really see the inner child in her, and I found it so gleeful. There was one task where she just went, ‘fuck, yes!"’I think there’s genuine glee there. It’s not performance. She’s doing it for herself.

Alex:  She’s quite anti-establishment as a person, so this is a good way of breaking rules and not giving a shit.

Greg:  She’s very, very funny and quite chaotic.

Alex: If you say to her, ‘What do you think of the Nissan Micra?’ she’ll have a story about it, in the same way Greg often has a story for most occasions. She’s got an amazing memory for details.

 Do you think people will be surprised by her?

Greg: I don’t know how people have perceived her in more recent years.

Alex: I’m just really pleased that people will see her being funny on telly, because she should be on telly more. You’re seeing the true Jenny, I think.

Greg: And carefree. Not being associated with being grumpy and menopausal. What she is on our show is someone who loves life. She spends a lot of time laughing.

Alex: She had a grandchild during the filming. It’s quite nice when Taskmaster fits around people’s lives, and you can see their lives in the show. Her grandson has come up to the show a couple of times. I do like that.

Finally, Mae Martin…

Alex:  Yes, they’re quite hard to pin down because they had a really good approach to the tasks, almost more than anyone. They read it and think, ‘Yes, I know how to do this.’ They sometimes think they’re taking it too seriously.

Greg: But we like that, don’t we? They’re quite forensic in the way they approach tasks. But then there are flashes of mischief: understated mischief. And they’ll often throw in a very clever call-back or a very witty line.

Alex: They’re very good at bending the rules and going the extra mile. Also, it’s worth mentioning they were much better by themselves than with the team. They found it quite frustrating to be with their team. And that was really funny. Also Mae is really good friends with Charlotte Ritchie and Kiell, so it’s good to see someone who’s had history with the show and came in with a slight mindset. I like that.

[little-cereal-draws]

Major Shadow and Bone season two spoilers

OK BUT WHAT WAS THE REASON???? WHAT WAS THE REASON??? WHY DID DAVID DO THAT??????? IT WAS SO UNNECESSARY!! SOBBING

ok and now that i've got that out of my system, I actually do problems with how his death was treated.

It felt so... unnecessary. Putting aside my love for David, it felt so weird from an in-story point of view. I genuinely don't know why he did that. There was enough room for them both in the elevator and what on earth was he supposed to do against a being made of shadow? There was no tension of "what's going to happen to David" bc there was no way for him to win. I think he was supposed to be sacrificing himself so Genya could escape and be safe but honestly if he wanted to protect her, it would be better to live. He could seal doors to keep monsters out, he was studying how these creatures work at the beginning of the season so maybe he knew a secret weakness or smth, or at the very least they have a better chance of surviving if they stick together.

Locking her in an elevator is so stupid too bc he could have been dooming her. What if the elevator got stuck/broken and she couldn't get out? She would have suffocated or starved. What if a monster got in and she was boxed in? Literally no way for her to escape. Like it was such a stupid decision. Luckily neither of those happened but they very easily could have. (And then the fact that we don't see where the elevator goes or her getting out bothers me but that's not what this post is about.)

And this next thing may be a moot point bc the last two episodes were so busy and I'm not quite sure how to fit them in, but I wish we got to see at least a little bit of David fighting the monster. I know I said before there was no way for him to win but I at least want to see him try. I want to see David, a shy, introvert who has never been anywhere near the front lines, fight with everything he has to get back to Genya. He has no training, no idea what to do, nothing but the idea that he needs to get back to her. His death was already sad but this really would have pushed it to a new level. The way they had it, I already knew he was going to die bc the odds were so against him. But if they showed him trying to fight, it would have given the viewer a bit of hope and make it that much worse when he loses.

The last shot that we see of him is him standing in front of the elevator looking determinedly at the monster while Genya screams for him. I'll be honest, I actually did have a bit of hope for him here. We just saw this Durast saint in Shu Han kick everybody's asses; all these expert soldiers and criminals that we've seen win over and over, and she did it like it was nothing. And Jesper even had a very minor arc abt using his powers more and in more unconventional ways and I was hoping to see it reflected in David. We know he's an amazing Durast, one of the best ones in Ravka, and unlike Jesper he actually has training and knows how to use his powers. We last saw him standing in a workshop, surrounded by tools and materials that he knows how to use, and I was really hoping that he would figure out a way to use them in battle. Idk if he could actually hurt the monster but it would still be so cool and develop his character in a way we haven't seen before. Or at least he could make a flash bomb or smth like the ones Wylan uses and escape. But nope. I put too much faith in the writers to think they would do that.

Lastly, his death didn't advance the plot in anyway. If they wanted it to develop Genya, I really don't think it was the right choice. Over the course of this season, she's been mutilated, disabled, kept as a prisoner, thought she lost the love of her life, and confronted her abusers. She has already been so developed so much since season one, adding David's death doesn't really do anything. I think they did it just for shock value. And the way it was written didn't really make sense either? She's upset when she can't find him after the battle, she's upset when she finds the ruby in his coat, and then the next time we see her she's fine? She's laughing and smiling and hanging out with her friends. And I'm not saying that ppl who are grieving can't do those things, but it was just such an extreme 180 that happened so quickly, both in the episode's run time and the in-show timeline, that it felt jarring and like she didn't care anymore. And this is not hate on the actress ofc, she was amazing this season.

Idk I just think they handled David's death very poorly. But we didn't see his body so maybe he's still alive. I hope so, I love him so much.

[veryace-ficrecs]

Criminal Minds Fanfic Recs

This list will include all ratings and tags, so read at your own discretion! :)   

He Was Left on the Steps of the FBI in a Basket by schrijverr - Rated T

Maybe not a basket, but sixteen-year-old Dr. Spencer Reid suddenly shows up at FBI headquarters claiming that his mother has been kidnapped. The BAU isn’t certain first, but the case he sets them on proves to be an interesting one, wherein they get to know the young doctor until he’s practically family. 

Shuffle the Odds by schrijverr - Rated T

Spencer is a Vegas boy, who's game is poker, no matter what others might believe. The team slowly catches onto it.

Following Spencer from when he started at the BAU till season 7 with poker as red thread.

Dr. Spencer Reid's First Case by boredom - Rated T

Derek Morgan wasn't sure he trusted Gideon's judgement. After all, who allows a 23 year old who can't even pass the academy's physical exam to become a field agent? Luckily for him, Reid is about to prove just how competent (and badass) he can be.

Trigger warnings: blood, violence, mentions of school shootings, death, lack of respect towards people suffering from mental illness, and other things you would normally find in a Criminal Minds episode.

Bite Your Tongue (Choke Yourself To Sleep) by drspencerreid - Rated G

reid tipped his head back and leaned it on the shoulder behind him, making it look like he was just putting on a show. he whispered, "i swear to god if you hold what i'm about to do against me, i'm sending garcia the baby pictures your mother gave me."

••

or the one in which spencer has to go undercover in a club and his friends are far too smug

Gotta Live Before We Get Older (Nothing To Lose) by drspencerreid - Rated G

the silence that followed in the next few seconds was eventually broken by prentiss loudly exclaiming, "i'm sorry, what was that?"

•••

or the one in which spencer surprises everyone with his view on tattoos

The Times They Forget by Ena2705 - Rated G

Spencer Reid is a genius, anyone can tell you that. But sometimes people forget that his head wasn’t always buried in books, and there was a time when he did something other than catch serial killers. 

These Are My Friends (I Love Them) by drspencerreid - Rated G

"as much as i have enjoyed learning all these new sides to the kid, i should start going too. i'm very slightly starting to get old, and i really shouldn't have tested it with all those shots."

"very slightly starting to?" spencer repeated. "rossi, i think you surpassed that like sixty years ago."

••

or the one in which spencer gets drunk and honest

Dumb and Ditzy by TimelessTears - Rated T

AU. Years of being bullied for his smarts left him dreading when people figured out he was a genius. What better way to throw them off then by acting stupid? Enter: Dumb Blond Spencer Reid. 

Supernatural:

Monsters in Your Closet by AlbusCorvus - Rated G

Series: 2 Works

When Castiel goes on a hunt alone and is caught by a particular FBI team, the brothers do something they never thought they’d have to. They kidnap SSA Spencer Reid to make an exchange. But being kidnapped by delusional serial killers is nothing like Spencer thought it would be. 

Monsters are Real by WhiskyBoys - Rated T

'Monsters are real, and ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win.' Stephen King.

The kid sitting in the interview room swings on the rear legs of his chair, throws back his head, and at the top of his lungs, sings a painfully off-key version of 'Wanted Dead or Alive'. Hotch looks at Morgan with one eye-brow arched in question. "You think he's your unsub?"

No Difference by The_Bookkeeper - Rated T

Derek has been in a lot of bad situations. This one easily makes the top five. Or would, if Dean and Sam Winchester were actually acting like the sadistic psychopaths he expected them to be. Instead, Dean is referencing Star Trek, Sam is comforting Reid, and Derek has never been more confused.

Batman:

How... Did I Get Here? by PurpleMango - Rated T

Spencer Reid gets transported universes, happens along Batman, and ends up with a job as the resident quirky profiler to the Bat Family

[richardsphere]

Leverage Log: the Lonely Hearts Job

Well with a name like that, im expecting this to either be about con-artists cheating people on E-harmony, or a legitimately tragic story about love and/or loss...

---

Ok so Rich man arrives with armed goons (heck of a way to make a fist impression) and is crying within 2 minutes of the episode starting... I've said before that i want to see more of the marks' humanised so this promises to be an interesting episode. Nate: "There's no evidence of wrongdoing, She left you" Sophie (to nate): "thats harsh" Wellesley the fourth: "no it isnt".

This is a guy who knows how it looks, understand that it looks that way and acknowledges it openly. Its nice to see us go from last episode's overly naive Hurley to one of the more competent clients we've seen so far. "Whatever you want... its yours. Just find my wife".

I wonder whats going through Nate's mind in this moment. Here's a guy he's been scouting as a mark begging to be taken as a client...

Gut feeling: The second wife (the one who is missing) was actually the type of golddigger it looks like, but accounting for episode name. Its gonna be one of those "the mask grows to fit you" situations where they actually fell for the guy.

---

So Hardisons analysis implies this guy is like, legit as clients go. He's inherited old money not new money, which is the difference between "evil billionaire CEO" and "Born with privilege, gonna use it how I can". Basically: His great granpa would've been a Leverage mark, but he himself is a legit philantropist.

Meanwhile missing wife may in fact be a black widow. (luckily this client has his own goonsquad to protect him, so we dont need to leave Elliot behind to protect him)

---

Parker extremely annoyed she's not allowed to steal any of the rich folks' jewelry at the auction. The Boys deciding to have an auction-shaped dick-measuring contest.

Hardison wins the bid, we are reminded that one of Sophie's aliases is a duchess.

Ok so its an entire army of Sophie's.

Need to fight the ringleader, "pick a fight with Hardisons date". Well she did what you asked her to!

--- "I promise next time, i'll use the word argument instead of fight." Clear Comunication! If only people IRL would learn this lesson.

And once more the little Parker moments "what's a Hohe Minnie?", she's consistently the only member of the Young Thieves who takes an interest in the other people's jobs in the cons they're running. She's definitly being primed as Nate's eventual replacement (wether permanent or temporary).

---

Nate's pajama's. Sophie is loving the idea of a con where Nate has to "pretend" to wine-and-dine her.

I agree with Elliot, the moment it turned out they were grifters, the bet was off. But also, like that we once again get a nod at his cooking skills. "do you want me to teach you about the wines again?" "thats hurtfull and presumptious... but yes."

--- I love the way that Elliot punching the guy out is framed as a shot, good transition. Elliot bribing the guitarist, photographers commentary is great. "I picked you", such a simple statement, Every other member of the group was recruited by Dunevich, but Nate brought Sophie.

---

They found the wife. Suprisingly she isnt dead. (Meredith seems competent enough to tie off that loose end, and i think she could've exposited on the similarity to Nate falling in love with "The Duchess". But then, without recovering the wife Nate doesnt get to have a Favor for use in the season climax)

Seeing the gifts... Im 100% certain Elliot improv'd the guitar as well, that wasnt actually a Nate plan. Just Elliot.

Final tease with Latimer, he's a bit too much of a nothing-character to be truly intimidating, which means either the showrunners are making a mistake somewhere, or he's about to take a big fall to sell the credibility of the guy who he just called. Wait.... i just got a brainniggle. The story he tried to spin to Nate: "Someone stole a guy's patents", thats the same lie used in episode 1 of season 1. This in the same episode that had a reminder about the difference with Sophie and the other members of the team (on the subject of how they joined the team)

Is Latimer working for the Episode 1 mark? Or is my brain just doing that "i've connected the dots" meme?

Guess i'll see in time.