#puma court

[freshthoughts2020]

[sacredartcircle]

End x Puma 'Claycourt Retoucher - Chris Wilson Photographer - Adam Thirtle https://www.adamthirtle.com/home Menswear Stylist - Elliot Adams Womenswear Stylist - Lucy Davis

[thethief1996]

700 Palestinians were killed in the last 24 hours and the airstrikes are more violent each night. Gaza's hospitals have fuel left for two more days. Israel only allowed aid into Gaza on the condition they didn't carry fuel. The Indonesian hospital has shut down already, because doctors have no supplies and no choice but to let the wounded die. They're calling it a collapse but the term doesn't do it justice.

Over a 100 incubator babies are at risk. There are 50.000 pregnant women in Gaza right now, and 5.500 due to give birth this month. Menstruating people are taking pills in order to stop their periods, because they do not have pads or water to maintain hygiene. Surgeons are operating without anesthesia. Water is not reaching Gazans because there's no electricity or fuel for water pumps.

There's no excuse for this. Israel justifies the airstrikes by saying they want to destroy Hamas infrastructure and release the hostages, but they have refused to negotiate for their release. Hamas informed Israel they wanted to release two elderly women without anything in return, and Israel refused. Netanyahu said they wouldn't take their own civilians back because it was "mendacious propaganda." When the hostages were finally released, Netanyahu prohibited the hospital from giving press releases. Yocheved Lifshitz went behind their backs and talked to the press anyway, saying she was treated very well by Hamas, but the government abandoned them. They're being used as straw men. Israel is conditioning the entry of fuel to the release of hostages and yet, according to The Wall Street Journal, when Hamas proposed to exchange 50 hostages for fuel they denied. IDF officials have said they fear the release of more hostages because that might withhold the order to their ground invasion. They do not care as long as they can use the hostages as a pretext for their slaughtering.

There's a turning tide for Palestine in public support. Support for Israel was built through decades of propaganda and we are making a dent into it. Zionists are desperate, holding zoom meetings to promote zionism, but we have to do so much more. We have to shame people in power into supporting the Palestinian cause.

Keep yourself updated and share Palestinian voices, looking to inform yourself from the sources. Palestinians have asked of us only that we share, tweet and post, over and over. Muna El-Kurd said every tweet is like a treasure to them, because their voices are repressed on social media and even on this very app. Make it your action item to share something about the Palestinian plight everyday. Here are some resources:

Al Jazeera

Anadolu Agency

Mondoweiss

Boycott Divest Sanction Movement

Palestinian Youth Movement

Mohammed El-Kurd (twitter / instagram)

Al-Shabaka (twitter / instagram)

Mariam Barghouti (twitter / instagram)

Muhammad Shehada (twitter)

Motaz Azaiza (instagram) - reporting directly from Gaza

Take action. You can participate in boycotts wherever you are in the world, through BDS guidelines. Right now, they are focusing on boycotting (don't be overwhelmed by gigantic boycott lists. Only boycott additional brands if you can):

Carrefour

HP

Puma

Sabra

Sodastream

Ahava cosmetics

Israeli fruits and vegetables

Push for a cultural boycott - pressure your favorite artist to speak out on Palestine and cancel any upcoming performances on occupied territory (Lorde cancelled her gig in Israel because of this. It works.)

If you can, participate in direct action or donate. Palestine Action works to shut down Israeli weapons factories in the UK and USA, and have successfully shut down one of their firms in London. Some of the activists are going on trial and are calling for mobilizing on court.

Call your representatives. The Labour Party in the UK had an emergency meeting after several councilors threatened to resign if they didn't condemn Israeli war crimes. Calling to show your complaints works, even more if you live in a country that funds genocide.

FOR PEOPLE IN THE USA: USCPR has developed this toolkit for calls

FOR PEOPLE IN THE UK: Friends of Al-Aqsa UK and Palestine Solidarity UK have made toolkits for calls and emails

FOR PEOPLE IN GERMANY: Here's a toolkit to contact your representatives by Voices in Europe for Peace

FOR PEOPLE IN IRELAND: Here's a toolkit by Voices in Europe for Peace

FOR PEOPLE IN POLAND: Here's a toolkit by Voices in Europe for Peace

FOR PEOPLE IN DENMARK: Here's a toolkit by Voices in Europe for Peace

FOR PEOPLE IN SWEDEN: Here's a toolkit by Voices in Europe for Peace

FOR PEOPLE IN AUSTRALIA: Here's a toolkit by Stand With Palestine

FOR PEOPLE IN CANADA: Here's a toolkit by Indepent Jewish Voices for Canada

Join a protest. Here's a constantly updating list of protests:

Global calendar

USA calendar

Australia calendar

Here are upcoming events:

CANBERRA/NGUNNAWAL, AUSTRALIA – Wed Oct 25, 11 am, National Press Club. Info: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cyh1xy1BMrU/

OXFORD, ENGLAND – Wed Oct 25, 12:15 pm, Cornmarket. Info: https://www.instagram.com/p/CykroKeInz3/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

SMITH COLLEGE (US) – Wed Oct 25, 12 pm, Chapin Lawn. Info: https://www.instagram.com/p/CymT8f5vnHN/?img_index=1

ST CATHERINES, ON ( CANADA) – Wed Oct 25, 6 pm, 61 Geneva St Info: https://www.facebook.com/events/889319005528757/

TORONTO, CANADA – Wed Oct 25, 5 pm, Sidney Smith Hall. Info: https://www.instagram.com/p/CyjVbpGvva8/

SANT CUGAT, CATALONIA, SPAIN – Thurs Oct 26, 6 pm, Davant l’Ajuntament. Info: https://www.instagram.com/p/CynL834tgg9/?img_index=4

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – Fri Oct 27, 7 pm, Federation Square. Info: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cyhyd0vhP8t/

LIVORNO, ITALY – Sat Oct 28, 2:30 pm, Piazza Cavour. Info https://www.instagram.com/p/CyiWJ06MXpM/

MINNEAPOLIS, MN (US) – Sat Oct 28, 1 pm, Lake Street and Minnehaha.

ROME, ITALY – Sat Oct 28, Rome. Info: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cyi7ey-MMs1/?img_index=1

ROME, ITALY – Sat Nov 4, Rome. Info TBA: https://www.instagram.com/p/CyndKUitnMU/

WASHINGTON, DC (USA) – Sat Nov 4, 12 pm, White House. Info: https://www.instagram.com/p/CyiecRtr9-B/

Wollongong: Rally at Crown Street Mall Amphitheatre on 21 Oct at 1 PM

Melbourne: Blak and Palestinian Solidarity Rally at Victorian Parliament House Steps on 25 Oct at 6 PM

HOUSTON: Thursday, October 26th, 5:45PM, Rice University, Central Quad

VANCOUVER: OCT 28 at 2PM, Vancouver Art Gallery

KITCHENER: Wednesday October 25th at 5 PM at CBC Kitchener

SANTA ANA: 20 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, CA 92701, October 25th at 5:30 pm

TORONTO: WED. OCT 25 at 7PM at Queen's Park

[CAR RALLY] WASHINGTON D.C: Wednesday 10/25 outside the US State Department on the 23rd Street side

Feel free to add more.

[globalatomic]

PUMA x BATMAN Court Rider 2.0 Basketball Shoes

Basketball shoes are forever pushing the culture of sport and streetstyle forward. And these shoes continue that tradition. But it's not all style with these shoes: they provide some serious comfort thanks to the full-length Rider foam in the midsole. Plus, you can count on superior grip thanks to the full-coverage rubber outsole. On the court or off, these make a true statement.

DETAILS

Low boot

Lacing system around forefoot runs from lateral midfoot to medial forefoot

Full-length Rider foam in midsole

Full-coverage rubber outsole with high-abrasion rubber for enhanced durability and traction

DETAILS

RS Technology on midsole

Bulky silhouette

Leather and suede overlays

Embossed textile heel piece

RS-X branding on tongue webbing

Plastic puller

[elliotsblunt]

Girl in New York | FINAL PART

pairings - art donaldson/reader | challengers au!

"__"= Y/N

masterlist | last chapter

sypnosis - Art gives you an ultimatum.

warnings - none, angst

authors note — this is the last part!!! i hope everyone enjoyed this short fic. it was a fun journey to write a complex character such as this one. enjoy the last chapter and stay tuned for my other works in the future! (NOT PROOFREAD)

word count - 1.5k

© elliotsblunt 2024. do not repost, modify, or

You didn’t get to see your friend June before her game, so you took a seat in the front row and anxiously waited for her match. It hadn’t been your first time at a tennis event, and you very much enjoyed the sport. But the only reason you felt a strain of dread building within you was because of who else was playing today. But you tried your best not to think about it—you were sure Art had already played. Well….

…..you had hoped.

It was considerably sunny outside. The sun shined without mercy onto your slightly damp skin. Sunglasses perched on your nose, you took a sip of water to cool your nerves and throat.

And then a voice ran throughout the court on a microphone announcing the first set. A very thin man who was so pale you he was translucent walked into view. He must’ve been the one to go against your friend. You didn’t like to judge books by their covers, but considering he tripped while walking onto the court—you didn’t worry to much for June.

Speaking of her, she made her way onto her side of the court, wearing a cute lavender two-piece skirt set. You noted to ask her where she got it from before the game started. Her eyes briefly swelled the crowd before landing on you. You held your hand up and smile, in which she returned the gesture before beginning the game.

Her strokes were exquisite. You had suddenly remembered how talented she truly was. Apparently teaching academies for professional Tennis teams reach out to her to train the newbies—and that Puma uses her as one of their sponsors.

It was a quick game. After about thirty minutes, you had assumed correctly. She didn’t only beat him, but kicked his ass.

It was now the next set’s turn. June jogged off the court, smile beaming, as she wiped her sweaty sunkissed skin with her own white tiny towel. “Oh my god, _ _!” She pulls you into a sudden hug as you stand up. “I’m soooooo glad you made it. There’s this guy I wanted you to meet. He’s like, god level. I think he’s playing right now.”

You laugh, wind blowing your hair out your face. “I’d love to—but I doubt he’s better than you. I mean…you totally killed it out there for sure.”

June had pretty brown eyes, almost as if she was a bunny or baby deer. Very soft and youthful looking. She was really popular with the guys when you two trained together, even the instructor himself. You wouldn’t doubt the guy you’re about to watch flirted with her already. At your compliment, she grabbed your hands whilst her smile grew even bigger if possible. “I’ve missed you so much. We should def hang together more often! Once again, you don’t understand how much it means to me that you came.”

You smiled at June before the match begun. The announcer had already introduced the players whilst June and you were talking—so when your eyes fell upon a certain blonde…

…..you didn’t know if you could do it anymore.

It was him. The person June had personally wanted you to meet—who was amazing at Tennis. It was Art.

“I’m sorry.”

Your hearing was muffled, as the blonde boy walked solemnly onto the court. Your fists balled at your sides, standing up onto your feet, June looking up at you with a confused expression. It seemed impossible to look at him for another second—so as you tore your eyes away from him, Art spotted you in the crowd since you were stationed close to the front.

Before turning to walk away, you glanced at him again. His eyes were already trained onto you, his lips slightly parting as the wind kissed his hairs. Your throat grew dry. Why did you feel so betrayed? Damn him. He was a parasite that had burrowed into your brain, and had completely taken over your senses and thoughts.

He felt so far.

So far.

You couldn’t believe he had bad mouthed you.

You turned to walk away, muttering to June you were going to the bathroom. But in reality—you were going to go home and end up calling her telling her you threw up or something. You don’t know, all you knew is that you had to get away from there. From that stupid building with that stupid fucking man.

As you’re about to exit the hallway, and make it to the front entrance, a hand wraps around you and yanks you back. You gasp, hitting a rough chest, locking eyes with the devil himself. Shock hit you like a freight chain. “Art…you’re supposed to be playing.”

Subtly glancing down at his hands, you noticed bloody nail marks indented into his palms. Something twitched in your heart as Art released a shaky breath. Dropping your wrist, his chest heaves. “I’m sorry, _ _. I’m sorry for being a fucking idiot. You’re more….important than a match. Please just—meet me at our place tonight. If you wanna give us a chance…and if you don’t…then I’ll get the hint.”

His words were frantic and incredibly vulnerable. He looked completely hopeless. Biting on his lip, he watched as you gulped before slowly nodding. His nostrils flared before you turned around and walking away, Art’s words sinking into your brain.

“You’re more important than a match.”

It was growing closer to nightfall. You sat by your window in your bedroom, blowing another life of your cigarette out the window.

June hadn’t been mad about you taking off. She said she understood and actually wanted to get together soon again. You agreed with the idea and thankfully saved your friendship. But as bad as it sounds, you didn’t even fret about the situation with June today. Your mind was consumed about Art’s offer.

“If you wanna give us a chance…”

Didn’t he have a girlfriend?

Did they break up?

Did Art…break up with Tiffany…for you?

Because of the things she said?

Your heat pounded in your chest. Deciding to call up Pat, you dialed his number before hearing the line ring. In a few moments, it picked up. “Hey bitch. Bad time—I’m eating toaster strudels right now.”

He earned an irritated eye roll from you. But he couldn’t see it, so instead, you scoffed. “Food over your cousin? Fat ass. And no…I need advice.”

You heard him laugh on the other line, snickering before random shit cluttered on the other line. It sounded like he was re-adjusting before his voice popped out again.

“Okay okay. What happened?”

Jesus. What didn’t happen?

You picked at your nails anxiously. “There’s this guy I’ve been hooking up with—“

“Art? Oh—honey that’s old news.”

Your eyes bulged, “What? How?”

“Because he basically drooled whenever he looked at you. I also caught him getting hard and checking out your ass literally every thirty minutes.”

Your face twisted, the sound of it being nice but not from your cousin. “Gross. But yeah…he asked me to meetup with him tonight.”

“What about Tiffany?”

You shrugged, but realized he couldn’t see you.

“I dunno. He didn’t mention her.”

He hummed on the other side. “I think you should do what feels right. If you like him, then yeah.”

It was odd. When he mentioned you liking him, you didn’t shudder in disgust as usual. Instead, something warmed up in your chest and made your cheeks bloom.

“And if you ask me, I think you do. But I know you don’t do relationships so.”

And then you make a decision. Just from that sentence.

“Pat. I gotta go. Thanks. Love you.”

“Loveuwyou.” His voice was muffled, sounding like he had been chewing. The phone line clicked as you hurriedly grabbed your keys and leave your house. It was peculiar how excited you were, hastening your pace and already on your way to the tennis court.

The night was calm. Clouds were clear from sight, the full moon shining brightly in the dark sky. Your fingertips drummed on your steering wheel as you made sharp left and right turns, humming lightly to the random tune on the radio. Your mind flashed with images of the first time Art and you had kissed. It was when it had been raining, the image of him soaked with wet hair covering his eyes making your throat hitch.

And as if on cue, drops began to hit the surface of your windshield. A shocked laugh escapes you, shaking your head. You hoped he showed up.

Slamming your car door shut, only wearing some sweats and a long sleeve. Your hair instantly got drenched as rain soaked the strands on your head. It felt as if cold needles kissed your flesh. Wiping the water away from your eyes, you jogged to the spot.

"I hate how you make me feel. You're like a parasite for fucks sake-“

"Fucking dreamed about this," he groaned, watching you cry out as his teeth pierce the flesh of your nipple. Something flashed in his eyes at the sound-grabbing your throat with his hand and looking you dead in the eyes.

"Get in the fucking backseat now."

"Art-"

"Fucking mine," he growled out, your other hand gripping onto his chest. His hips stuttered as you began to twist your wrist towards tip of his cock.

His words were a fire in your brain, and with every gas filled thought, it continued to cascade as you grew closer to him. You weren’t cold at all, the adrenaline keeping you warm as you finally make it. As you walked up, you saw him….

….standing there under the rain…..

….looking at you.

You did something that shocked the both of you.

You smiled.

THE END .

[writting-stuff-sometimes]

Fake it till you make it - Charles x fem reader

AN: After all the posts about Charles and A from this weekend, I got this idea. Honestly, I just care about that situation because I'm nosey but don't have any real interest in it, just wanted to write this idea that popped into my head. I have no idea how tennis and sponsorships work, clearly. I lost the first draft which I liked better so I might edit this one if I remember details I missed.

Warnings: Mean social media, a bad word here and there.

Synopsis: Y/n is a talented tennis player, but has a reputation of being a party animal and that scares sponsors away, so if she wants to attend Wimbledon she's going to have to fake a relationship with a recently single golden boy.

____________________________________

"You guys need to stop the bullshit and make this shit work" You always thought of this situation as a stupid game, but seeing Loraine's forehead vein about to burst reminded you that there was a lot on the line.

"But..." Charles was about to say something, from the redness on his face you knew he was as mad as the PR agent scolding you.

"No buts Charles, this is something to help you both, you knew what you were signing in to and you agreed to do this, we have 8 more months and we need this to work, so after today all I'm asking is for you to do what you're requested and stop being childish, agreed?"

You wanted to say no, maybe Charles had agreed to do this damn PR game but you were forced into it and found it stupid and insulting from your team to think that you needed to fake a relationship with some posh "athlete" to improve your image.

"I'm sorry Lor, but this is useless, we have nothing in common, ok? He drives in circles, how am I supposed to show interest in something I don't give two shits about?"

"Well, you're going to have to find a way if you want Puma to sponsor you, they're very concerned about the number of pictures of you partying and fooling around with guys all over the internet"

"They're my friends and I'm 25, they should care about what I do inside the court and not in my free time"

"And I wish I could spend the rest of my days enjoying the sun on a Spanish beach drinking margaritas but we can't all have what we want, can we?"

You were about to speak again when your "boyfriend" stood up swearing under his breath.

"Fine, whatever" he said before slamming the conference room door behind him.

Loraine let herself fall on the chair in front of you holding the bridge of her nose, it had been a long day and she was sick of it.

"Please, y/n, I wish I didn't have to do this either, but if you want to attend Wimbledon next year you're going to have to do this" She had been your pr agent for a little over a year now, and you had become friends, but this situation was idiotic.

"I just don't get it, why we couldn't do it with one of my friends? It would've been easier, at least they care about me, this guy couldn't care less, yesterday when we rode together to the track he said two words to me, "the seatbelt" and then complete silence the whole fucking ride"

"Yeah, well, the day he tried to invite you to train together you rejected him saying you were a real athlete and you didn't need him to get in the way of actual training"

You bit your cheek at the memory, in your defense, you were pretty hungover that morning and couldn't be bothered with this pr shit.

"Please?" Loraine looked at you with pleading eyes.

"Ugh, I'll try but I'm still not ok with this"

"I know, it's just until Wimbledon, you win that and this is all done"

"I don't like you right now" You stood up and walked to Charle's driver's room.

"Why should I be suffering when I'm not the one behaving like a toddler in a sugar rush?" Charles's voice made you stop as you were about to knock on his door.

"They want you to focus on your performance after the breakup"

"And me dating some brat is going to help? We need better strategies and upgrades"

"I know, and that's the team's job, but right now we just need you to focus on driving and try to convince the media that you're happily in love"

"It's going to be easier to win a fucking race in a tractor than look in love with her"

You weren't attracted to him and had no interest in having an actual relationship with the driver but his words felt like a cold punch to your chest, you couldn't be that bad, could you? You didn't want to hear any more of his rant and knocked on his door taking a deep breath trying to pretend you hadn't heard a thing.

"Come in" his dry voice made your skin crawl.

"Hi, can we talk?" His features softened, he feared you had heard him.

"I'll meet you in the garage" Andrea stood up and gave you a smile when he walked past you.

"Please" Charles stood up signaling for you to take a seat on the small sofa he had been sitting on.

"I think there's no way out of this"

"Seems like it" He leaned against the door in front of you.

"Look, I can't promise I won't say mean things, that's kind of my thing, but I will try to be nicer so we can make this work, ok?"

"I know I haven't been the best either and I'm so sorry about my behavior yesterday, I will try to do my best too"

"Sounds like a plan" You tried to give him an honest smile that probably looked more creepy than friendly but you were trying.

From that day on you two kept your word, you started easy and training seemed to be the one thing you had in common. But your gym selfies with Charles "accidentally" in the back didn't seem to convince the media your relationship was real, so you took it up a notch and started having date nights, he took you to his favorite restaurants in Monaco and the different cities during the GP's, and you tried to teach him how to cook, always uploading "candid" pics where your stuff and his were visible in the back this new plan seemed to be working little by little.

It was "date night" at your place and you were sitting on your couch scrolling through TikTok waiting on Charles when another "Charles and Y/n" edit popped up, you would usually scroll past them since you had no interest in what people had to say, if Loraine was happy it meant everything was good, but for some reason you let it play, photos of you and him musicalized with some taylor swift song playing in the back, they were mostly pictures of the beginning of the "relationship", you walking a couple steps away from him, sitting all alone inside the garage or the Ferrari hospitality and some others of you and Charles with a sour face on the way in and out the track, this pictures where surrounded by mean texts, and as if it wasn't enough, you clicked on the comments, they were even worse than the one lines, half of them claiming this was fake, the other half saying how ugly, boring, tacky and unworthy of him you seemed to be and juts a couple of them supporting the relationship.

A knock on the door startled you, you turned to look at the door as a pretty loaded Charles entered the apartment, you had given him a spare key to your place since him having to wait downstairs for you didn't seem very couple-like.

"Hi! Are you ready for the best fake date...what's wrong?" he asked worried when he saw the pained look on your face.

"Um, nothing, hi, you're early" He left the grocery bags on the kitchen counter and walked towards the sofa.

"What happened?" he asked steadily.

"Nothing, I'm fine"

"Let me see" he placed his hand in front of you and you immediately understood what he meant.

"Charles..."

"Please" If you had learned something from him this last couple of months was that he was stubborn as fuck and fighting him was pointless, so you ended up unlocking your phone and passing it to him. He looked at the screen and immediately a disgusted look covered his face.

"Why are you watching this?"

"I don't know, I usually don't but... I don't know"

"You know they're just talking out of anger and jealousy, right?"

"Well, you were on their side a couple of months ago, remember?"

"I've apologized about that, I was a dick"

"I know, and I know it's dumb that stupid comments affect me that much, I might be hormonal or something"

"Y/n, look" He threw the phone to the side and squatted in front of you taking your hands in his "This might be a fake relationship but I do care about you, and I don't want you to ever feel bad about what people say online, I'm willing to do whatever it takes to make this work, but you need to promise me that you won't let this kind of people get to you, I won't keep with this if what my fans say hurts you, it's not worth it."

You felt your eyes start watering and you swallowed the knot that had formed in your throat before answering him.

"Ok, I promise" you said in a low whisper.

"Good" He let go of your hands, he stood up pulling you up with him to hug you hard against his chest. "Don't let them hurt you" he said against your hair and then kissed your forehead. "Let's go, we have pasta to make"

He pulled you to the kitchen and started arranging all the ingredients.

"Instagram time" he said as he set his phone against a vase and took a picture of you for his social media.

CharlesLeclerc and Y/Naccount You are the best thing that's ever been mine. #datenight #imagreatchef #pastacrocante

LeclercLover I still don't buy his, worst PR stunt ever

16LoverCha I knew he was a Swifty!!!

CharlesandY/nluv Stop being jealous bitches and let them be happy.

ForzafFerrari I'm sorry but she seems dull and boring, what are you doing with her Baby?

You knew this post would let all hell loose for several hours so you turned off your phones and enjoyed the night together,

"It's getting late and we have an early flight tomorrow" he said taking the last sip of wine from his glass and picking up your empty plates.

"You know you can stay, right?"

"Are you sure?"

"Of course, plus, I got new sheets for the guest room"

"Ooohh, fancy"

You helped him with the dishes and then went to show him his room, he had never stayed the night, normally he would sneak out of your apartment and you would do the same when you went to his, but after the amazing night you have had, him staying seemed like a good way to finish it off.

"Here, need anything else?" You said leaving a towel on the bed.

"All good"

"Thanks" you hugged him and he hugged you back.

"No problem, don't ever let them make you feel bad"

"I won't" He kissed your head and you went to your room.

The next day you landed in Suzuka and it felt as if you had shifted realities, the fans were being nicer and more respectful, and some of them even brought gifts for you, maybe the plan was finally working.

The remaining months went by easily, and you and Charles developed a nice friendship.

"How do you feel?" Charles asked from the little bench inside your locker room.

"I'm shitting myself" Your statement made him laugh, he had become a big fan of your bluntness.

"You're going to be amazing, I know" he stood up and hugged you.

"Hello, am I interrupting?" Pierre peeked through the door, a white rose in his hand.

"Baby! you made it" You rushed to the door and hugged the French driver.

"Of course love, how could I miss it" He handed you the rose and took your face to kiss your lips softly.

"Hey! She's still my girlfriend!"

"Sorry mate, couldn't help it"

A month or two after the scolding session with Loraine you started hanging out with Charle's friends and he started hanging out with yours, one of those days you met his best friend Pierre, and you hit it off right away, it was crazy how perfect you were for each other. You knew it was going to be madness the moment you broke it off with Charles and announced your relationship with Pierre, but you couldn't care less, by then you would have had win Wimbledon and shown how talented you were, so who cares what the media and the fans thought.

"Y/n, you have one minute" your trainer said from outside the locker room.

"You can do it" Pierre kissed you softly

"Thanks, baby" You kissed his nose and turned to look at Charles

"Go kick some ass" he hugged you and kissed your hair.

"Thanks, boyfriend,. See you on the other side" You took your bag and rushed to the court, ready to be done with all this nonsense.

As always, feedback it's appreciated, and let me know if you want to be added to the tag list :)

Tag List: @wtrmlnsgr94, @ricsaigaslec

[f1-giuki]

ello lovie! here with a prompt suggestion for you!! you tagged your post with ‘lestappen prompt’ so my i request Them 🫶🏻 my song vibes are either bellissimissima by alfa or welcome to st tropez by dj anthoine. two very different vibes, so you choose which you prefer!!! 🩷

HI SWEET DARLING ANGEL<3<3<3<3<3<3<3 i loved the alfa song, so i went for it!!!! I did some lestappen fluff!! It's a bit longer than previous drabbles, but I was very inspired!!!! Hope you like it💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖

bellissimissima - prompt post

-

Max likes Padel. Scratch that, he should rephrase it. Max “likes” Padel. Fuck, no, not even this works… Max likes Padel only because Charles plays with him. That's the truth. Sue him, he likes to see Charles smile in those little Puma shorts of his, is this a crime? Max is sure many people, including the entire Italian population, would agree with him.

He hates the bloody sport, if he has to be really honest, with those ugly courts with walls, the small rackets, the balls, which to him are just a stupid more expensive copy of a tennis ball. Max likes tennis, and Jannik Sinner lives in his building, the floor right below him, so he happily listens to the Italian Sinsplaying (?) matches and shots, so it feels familiar. Max feels like he has to protect his ginger neighbour from Padel players.

But let's be clear, Max likes to watch tennis, there's no way in hell he'd embarrass himself on a clay court for the whole world to know. He already has the padel courts for world-class embarrassment.

Unfortunately, Max also likes Charles, even if he keeps denying it and avoiding Checo's death stares after too many third-wheeling sessions, so once a month, when they're back in Monaco, he has to succumb to his heart's desires.

That's why he's currently in a town the size of a post stamp, with a stupid padel bag on his shoulders, listening to Charles charm his way into getting a padel court for the day without a reservation or giving any names. Max would like to know what the Monegasque is doing, but he has a better time staring at Charles' ass in his tie-dyed heart jeans. And he doesn't know French.

Charles also drove them there in his Alfa Romeo Stelvio. Max feels really useless.

“He said we can have the court, nobody plays padel here, the last couple of players apparently died!” Charles says, nonchalantly, leading Max to the locker rooms.

“They what?” Max asks, pushing the door open and raising a brow.

“Oh, shit, not like that! They were two old men! Anyway, nobody has come here since then, so we can have the court for ourselves!” Charles says again, taking off his t-shirt and standing in the room half-naked. Max wants to die.

“Ahah, fun,” Max shrieks, making Charles laugh. He's so fucked.

Max changes in a nanosecond, praying God Charles hasn't seen him trip on his feet and nearly fall down as he pulls his shorts up.

“Ready?” Charles asks with a soft smile after Max ties his shoelaces. He nods and they walk out to the court. 

The facility is empty. Ghostly so. Max can fill it with his embarrassment and his humongous crush, there could be enough space for those two.

They get inside the court and Charles drops his bags down, taking his racket, and six balls, and putting them on the ground. He looks at Max and grins as he starts running around the court, to warm up. Max sits down and pretends to do his usual stretching session. That's obviously an excuse to stare at Charles. 

That motherfucker is so pretty. Extremely pretty. Illegally pretty. He's so soft and kind, with fluffy hair, Dorito-shaped. Charles smiles at him every time he passes by and Max blushes, as Charles giggles.

After another lap Charles stops and stands in front of him, hands on his waist. His eyes are right at crotch level. Max wants to die. Charles' shorts are really short today.

“Wanna play padel or you're going to stare at my pretty face all afternoon, uh?” Charles jokes.

Max chokes on his spit and starts coughing, making Charles laugh. “Ah, fun, yeah, coming! Let me grab my racket!” Max shrieks, voice breaking in the middle of the sentence, and does his little walk of shame to his bag.

He takes out his racket and as he turns around Charles is standing right behind his back. Too fucking close for Max's liking, he can see all the moles on his face, he could do something stupid, like kissing each one of them.

“If you win today, you can take me out to dinner,” Charles says with a teasing grin.

Max likes this, even if he's blushing like a maniac and his ears are ringing loudly.

“A or V, Leclerc? I'm going to destroy you!” He mumbles, feeling as competitive as if he was on a race track.

“V, Verstappen,” Charles giggles, winking with both eyes at Max, who rolls his eyes.

“Game on, baby!”

[richincolor]

We've found quite a variety of books being released today. There is romance, fantasy, music, murder, and more in the pages of these books. What will you add to your TBR pile?

Wild Dreamers by Margarita Engle Atheneum Books for Young Readers

In this stirring young adult romance from award-winning author Margarita Engle, love and conservation intertwine as two teens fight to protect wildlife and heal from their troubled pasts.

Ana and her mother have been living out of their car ever since her militant father became one of the FBI’s most wanted. Leandro has struggled with debilitating anxiety since his family fled Cuba on a perilous raft.

One moonlit night, in a wilderness park in California, Ana and Leandro meet. Their connection is instant—a shared radiance that feels both scientific and magical. Then they discover they are not a huge mountain lion stalks through the trees, one of many wild animals whose habitat has been threatened by humans.

Determined to make a difference, Ana and Leandro start a rewilding club at their school, working with scientists to build wildlife crossings that can help mountain lions find one another. If pumas can find their way to a better tomorrow, surely Ana and Leandro can too.

Saint-Seducing Gold (Forge & Fracture Saga #2) by Brittany N. Williams Amulet Books

The second book in the stunning YA historical fantasy trilogy that New York Times bestselling author Ayana Gray called “nothing short of spectacular”

There’s danger in the court of James I. Magical metal-worker Joan Sands must reforge the Pact between humanity and the Fae to stop the looming war. As violence erupts across London and the murderous spymaster Robert Cecil closes in, the Fae queen Titanea coerces Joan into joining the royal court while holding her godfather prisoner in the infamous Tower of London. Now Joan will have to survive deadly machinations both magical and mortal all while balancing the magnetic pull of her two loves—Rose and Nick—before the world as she knows it is destroyed forever.

Off With Their Heads by Zoe Hana Mikuta Disney Hyperion

Fans of Chloe Gong and Judy I. Lin will devour this Korean-inspired Alice in Wonderland retelling about two very wicked girls, forever bonded by blood and betrayal . . .

In a world where Saints are monsters and Wonderland is the dark forest where they lurk, it’s been five years since young witches and lovers Caro Rabbit and Iccadora Alice Sickle were both sentenced to that forest for a crime they didn’t commit—and four years since they shattered one another’s hearts, each willing to sacrifice the other for a chance at freedom.

Now, Caro is a successful royal Saint-harvester, living the high life in the glittering capital and pretending not to know of the twisted monster experiments that her beloved Red Queen hides deep in the bowels of the palace. But for Icca, the memory of Caro’s betrayal has hardened her from timid girl to ruthless hunter. A hunter who will stop at nothing to exact her On Caro. On the queen. On the throne itself.

But there’s a secret about the Saints the Queen’s been guarding, and a volatile magic at play even more dangerous to Icca and Caro than they are to each other…

Lush, terrifying, and uncanny, Zoe Hana Mikuta—author of Gearbreakers and Godslayers —takes a delicate knife straight through the heart of this beloved surrealist fairytale.

Kill Her Twice by Stacey Lee G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers

Los Angeles, 1932: Lulu Wong, star of the silver screen and the pride of Chinatown, has a face known to practically anyone, especially to the Chow sisters—May, Gemma, and Peony—Lulu’s former classmates and neighbors. So the girls instantly know it’s Lulu whose body they discover one morning in an out-of-the-way stable, far from the Beverly Hills mansion where she moved once her fame skyrocketed.

The sisters suspect Lulu’s death is the result of foul play, but the LAPD—known for being corrupt to the core—doesn’t seem motivated to investigate. Even worse, there are signs that point to the possibility of a police cover-up, and powerful forces in the city want to frame the killing as evidence that Chinatown is a den of iniquity and crime, even more reason it should be demolished to make room for the construction of a new railway depot, Union Station.

Worried that neither the police nor the papers will treat a Chinese girl fairly—no matter how famous and wealthy—the sisters set out to solve their friend’s murder themselves, and maybe save their neighborhood in the bargain. But with Lulu’s killer still on the loose, the girls’ investigation just might put them square in the crosshairs of a coldblooded murderer.

Punk Rock Karaoke by Bianca Xunise Viking Books for Young Readers

When life gives you guitars, smash them!

School is out for summer and Ariel Grace Jones is determined to make it one for the books! Together with their bestie bandmates, Michele and Gael, Ariel believes they’re destined to break into the music industry and out of Chicago’s Southside by singing lead in their garage punk band, Baby Hares.

But before Baby Hares can officially get into the groove, the realities of post grad life start to weigh on this crew of misfits. Ari begins to worry that it’s time to pull the plug on their dreams of making it big.

Just when all hope feels lost, a fellow punk and local icon takes an interest in their talent. It seems like he might be the only one Ariel can rely on as frustrations between bandmates reach at an all-time high.

Punk Rock Karaoke is a coming-of-age tale that draws upon the explosive joy of the underground scene, while raising questions about authenticity, the importance of community and what it means to succeed on your own terms.

Song of the Six Realms by Judy I. Lin Feiwel & Friends

Xue, a talented young musician, has no past and probably no future. Orphaned at a young age, her kindly poet uncle took her in and arranged for an apprenticeship at one of the most esteemed entertainment houses in the kingdom. She doesn’t remember much from before entering the House of Flowing Water, and when her uncle is suddenly killed in a bandit attack, she is devastated to lose her last connection to a life outside of her indenture contract.

With no family and no patron, Xue is facing the possibility of a lifetime of servitude playing the qin for nobles that praise her talent with one breath and sneer at her lowly social status with the next. Then one night she is unexpectedly called to the garden to put on a private performance for the enigmatic Duke Meng. The young man is strangely kind and awkward for nobility, and surprises Xue further with an irresistible offer: serve as a musician in residence at his manor for one year, and he’ll set her free of her indenture.

But the Duke’s motives become increasingly more suspect when he and Xue barely survive an attack by a nightmarish monster, and when he whisks her away to his estate, she discovers he’s not just some country noble: He’s the Duke of Dreams, one of the divine rulers of the Celestial Realm. There she learns the Six Realms are on the brink of disaster, and incursions by demonic beasts are growing more frequent.

The Duke needs Xue’s help to unlock memories from her past that could hold the answers to how to stop the impending war… but first Xue will need to survive being the target of every monster and deity in the Six Realms.

Blood Justice (Blood Debts #2) by Terry J. Benton-Walker Tor Teen

Cristina and Clement Trudeau have conjured the impossible: justice.

They took back their family’s stolen throne to lead New Orleans’ magical community into the brighter future they all deserve.

But when Cris and Clem restored their family power, Valentina Savant lost everything. Her beloved grandparents are gone and her sovereignty has been revoked—she will never be Queen. Unless, of course, someone dethrones the Trudeaus again. And lucky for her, she’s not the only one trying to take them down.

Cris and Clem have enemies coming at them from all directions: Hateful anti-magic protesters sabotage their reign at every turn. A ruthless detective with a personal vendetta against magical crime is hot on their tail just as Cris has discovered her thirst for revenge. And a brutal god, hunting from the shadows, is summoned by the very power Clem needs to protect the boy he loves.

Cris’s hunger for vengeance and Clem’s desire for love could prove to be their family’s downfall, all while new murders, shocking disappearances, and impossible alliances are changing the game forever.

Welcome back to New Orleans, where gods walk among us and justice isn’t served, it’s taken.

[mugentakeda]

(the original post was getting pretty long so im starting a new writing bit thread (??) to not clog yall dashboards lol… it picks up right off where the last part ended)

-

hes sitting crosslegged in a gloomy corridor. theres light peaking through cracked open double doors across from him. nonsensical chatter and the wet wailing of a baby. it reeks of smoke and afterbirth. theres a toddler whining and squirming in his lap.

theres a woman dragging the front of a wooden bassinet in front of him, and hes pushing the back of it with one hand. he can hear the pitter patters of a barefoot toddler running alongside him to keep up, quietly babbling cheerfully. his other hand is cupping the head of a very, very small head with feathery hair. he can feel the shift of a sling wrap sliding back and forth against his silk shirt as he moves.

hes stumbling down stairs with soiled sheets bunched gingerly between his thumb and index finger. he can see a faint small shadow on the wall following him, sniffling quietly. theres gentle vibrating coming from his own chest as he makes his way to a mystery destination, a familiar tune. the floor is cold against his bare feet. the only reason why he hasnt slipped is because of the moon’s gentle beams peaking through the windows along the spiraling staircase.

his clothing is heavy with cold water and theres sand between his toes. hes holding a shivering child. he can feel the small hammering heart and the deep gulps of air the kids taking in against his own chest, ocean water and vomit being spat down his shirt and in his hair as he continues to pat the kids back firmly. sniffling and soft sobbing in his ear. he can hear a woman shouting, but its distant and muffled, like hes covering his head with a pillow.

theres the scent of ink and lit candles, tea sitting near him with a welcoming spiced scent, he can feel scroll paper and warm wood against his elbows, his surroundings are lit up in shades of pink and gold from the windows. theres a firm weight pressing down on his toes. little hands fiddling with the cuffs of his pants.

theres theater masks and throw blankets repurposed as capes slung all over his bedroom floor. carved wood dragon toys with small wheels attached to a string. salted yolk moon cakes and jasmine tea. a lisp to go with a cheerful little voice. hes diving in a pond in his nicest court robes and plucking out a hissing pygmy puma with his bare hands, startled turtleducks squawking and fluttering away, all at the shrieking demands of-

zuko.

[xariarte]

I've decided to share my stash of Canadian NBA player research! This is a LONG masterpost containing articles, videos, interviews, ranging from long reads to fun facts. I've tried my best to avoid paywalls (if there is, there will be an * to indicate).

I'll be updating the list as time goes on, and posting snippets and clips from some of the links (eventually).

P.S. Don't be afraid to ask for recs from me! 💖

the national team core seven

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander long form overview article on him as an OKC Thunder the Ringer on how SGA became one of the best in the NBA Micheal Grange waxes poetry about SGA's Canadian sports legacy SGA for Dazed: Fashion + Basketball Slam Magazine on the rise of SGA's career (2018) the Ringer on how SGA gives the Thunder options (2020) Shai talks about himself and his Mercedes AMG G 63 SGA reviews his Tunnel Fits with GQ Sports Shai is the next Converse Hoops athlete* SGA on the TBU podcast Shai on playing against his cousin, NAW SGA and NAW take over NBA IG

RJ Barrett 17 min read on RJ's Team Canada journey his friendship with Andrew Nembhard here + here + here RJ Barrett and his father, an Canadian Olympic basketball icon RJ's Slam Magazine cover story the Knicks react to RJ's old Team Canada photos Steve Nash explains why his godson RJ is so great

Luguentz Dort an article on Dort's non-profit organization Oren Weisfeld on Lu Dort Velveeta Cheese Twitter account's love for Dort OKC Thunder on Dort's personality (+ Shai and other players) Lu Dort on the TBU podcast Lu's Haitian Pride Benn and Lu Dort's Friendship

Dwight Powell Dwight is Team Canada's Most Important Player Micheal Grange on how tragedy shaped Dwight's life Dwight goes to Egypt (photos included)

Kelly Olynyk how Kelly grew up around the Raptors because his mom was the team's scorekeeper Kelly gives brutally honest reviews of NBA cities' restaurants Oren Weisfeld on Kelly Olynyk's career

Nickeil Alexander-Walker Oren Weisfeld on NAW's long journey to the NBA how NAW carved out his current role on the Timberwolves Nickeil Alexander Walker's fashion + interview Nickeil on playing against his cousin, SGA NAW and SGA take over NBA IG

Dillon Brooks** a brief overview written by Oren Weisfeld via the Guardian a 44 minute video essay on how he became a villain (derogatory) an article from 2018 about his loyalty to Team Canada (complimentary) FIBA on his villain to hero Team Canada arc (complimentary) Brooks is snubbed from All-Rookie Team Brooks and Murray excited for their NBA future Oren Weisfeld on Brooks' defense Michael Grange waxes poetry on Rockets' Dillon Brooks (complimentary) TSN Original: Who is Dillon Brooks? (recent...complimentary) **a controversial player...most of the stuff I've linked here might be complimentary because Canada adores him somehow

various Canadian players

Jamal Murray how Jamal Murray was raised to be a star Jamal's Player Tribune from 2016 Feature Documentary on Jamal Murray via NBA Murray and Brooks excited for their NBA future

Chris Boucher sports illustrated article on his Oregon Ducks journey an eight minute video on how Boucher went from homeless to NBA champ an interview discussing him signing with PUMA + fun facts

Bennedict Mathurin overview of how Benn made his way to the NBA draft Benn's Player Tribune from 2022 Complex Canada interview from All-Star Weekend 2024 Benn and Lu Dort's Friendship* Montreal's Lu Dort, Benn Mathurin + Olivier-Maxence Prosper's NBA Journeys TSN Original: For All of Us (Bennedict Mathurin mini documentary) Canada's Bennedict Mathurin's Road to NCAA Stardom Pacers Impressed by 'Feisty Bulldog' Mathurin the Benn Mathurin you don't see on the court

Andrew Nembhard Nembhard's NBA draft journey Oren Weisfeld on Nembhard's career his friendship with RJ Barrett here + here + here

[gent-illmatic]

WinnieXPUMA #PUMA Cali Court Leather collection

[thethief1996]

For the past 100 days, Israel has been waging a genocide campaign in Gaza without any sort of reprieve from western countries. Palestinians are suffering from a human-made famine, surpassing the scale and speed of any other famine enforced in the past 75 years. Healthcare professionals are being cornered into Rafah by constant airstrikes, sniper attacks and bombardments at hospitals, forced to leave patients and medical supplies behind. Unmaned quadcopters opened fire on the maternity and ICU unities of Al Aqsa Martyrs hospital and killed 8 civilians. Yesterday, the hospital ran out of fuel and the babies in incubators might die anytime soon. Only 127 aid trucks are being allowed into Gaza of the 500 allowed before the war, under "normal" blockade conditions. The distribution of food and water is made basically impossible by the destruction of communications and the looming threat of executions against people gathered to receive it. Just today snipers killed 3 people in line to receive food in Gaza City and Israel officials have the gall to say the problem is that humanitarian organizations, whose volunteers are being executed at unprecedent rates, aren't putting in enough effort. The IDF drops leaflets telling desperate refugees to flee and then station tanks on the roads or bombs the safe zones.

Ever since I read South Africa's submission to the ICJ I can't stop thinking about how they label it as the demication of Gaza and its people. On every sphere of the government, there are statements calling for the anihilation of the people of Gaza (pages 59 to 67). The Prime Minister has directly adressed the army telling them to wipe off the amalekites (page 60), and South Africa showed tiktoks of the soldiers repeating his speech word for word before committing massacres. And yet they have the gall to come to the world and say they haven't targeted hospitals, they haven't withheld aid and that the statements are "random assertions." To prove that Netanyahu isn't a blood thirsty pig, they pasted a statement he made ONE DAY before the hearing started, which is frankly ridiculous we're supposed to believe isn't a PR stunt (page 34).

No western outlet streamed the highest stake court hearing in the 21st century, but you can rest assured they streamed Israel's pathetic defense. And Canada, Germany, the UK and the US, countries which have in no way reckoned with their own genocidal pasts, have come forward in defense of Israel like they have any moral high ground to patronize the world about genocide.

Take action, for their sake. Motaz has said "Don't call yourself a free person if you can't make changes. If you can't stop a genocide that is still ongoing". We need to fight in any way we can to stop their massacre.

Keep yourself updated and share Palestinian voices. Muna El-Kurd said every tweet is like a treasure to them, because their voices are repressed on social media and even on this very app. Make it your action item to share something about the Palestinian plight everyday. Here are some resources:

Al Jazeera, Anadolu Agency, Mondoweiss

Boycott Divest Sanction Movement

Palestinian Youth Movement is organizing protests and direct action against weapons factories across the US

Mohammed El-Kurd (twitter / instagram)

Muhammad Shehada (twitter)

Motaz Azaiza (instagram) - reporting directly from Gaza.

Hind Khudary - reporting directly from Gaza. Her husband and daughter moved South to run from the tanks but she stayed behind to record the genocide. The least we can do is not let her calls fall on deaf ears.

You can participate in boycotts wherever you are in the world, through BDS guidelines. Don't be overwhelmed by gigantic boycott lists. BDS explicitly targets only a few brands which have bigger impact. Right now, they are focusing on boycotting the following:

Carrefour, HP, Puma, Sabra, Sodastream, Ahava cosmetics, McDonalds, Disney and Israeli fruits and vegetables

Push for a cultural boycott - pressure your favorite artist to speak out on Palestine and cancel any upcoming performances on occupied territory (Lorde cancelled her gig in Israel because of this. It works.)

If you can, participate in direct action or donate.

Palestine Action works to shut down Israeli weapons factories in the UK and USA, and have successfully shut down one of their firms in London.Some of the activists are going on trial and are calling for mobilizing on court.

Palestinian Youth Movement is organizing direct actions to stop the shipping of wars to Israel. Follow them.

Educate yourself. Read into Palestinian history and the occupation. You can't common sense people out of decades of propaganda. If your arguments crumble when a zionist brings up the "disengagement of Gaza", you have to learn more.

Read Decolonize Palestine. They have 15 minute reads that concisely explain the occupation (and its colonial roots) and debunk popular myths, including pinkwashing.

Read on Palestine. Here's an amazing masterpost.

Verso Book Club is giving out free books on Palestine (I personally downloaded Ten Myths about Israel by Ilan Pappe. If you still believe in the two states solution, this book by an Israeli professor debunks it).

Call your representatives. The Labour Party in the UK had an emergency meeting after several councilors threatened to resign if they didn't condemn Israeli war crimes. Calling to show your complaints works, even more if you live in a country that funds genocide.

FOR PEOPLE IN THE USA: USCPR has developed this toolkit for calls, here's a document that autosends emails to your representatives and here's a toolkit by Ceasefire in Gaza NOW!

FOR PEOPLE IN EUROPE: Here's a toolkit by Voices in Europe for Peace targeting the European Parliament and one specific for almost all countries in Europe, including Germany, Ireland, Poland, Denmark, Sweden, Netherlands, Greece, Norway, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Finland, Austria, Belgium Romania and Ukraine

FOR PEOPLE IN THE UK: Friends of Al-Aqsa UK and Palestine Solidarity UK have made toolkits for calls and emails

FOR PEOPLE IN AUSTRALIA: Here's a toolkit by Stand With Palestine

FOR PEOPLE IN CANADA: Here's a toolkit by Indepent Jewish Voices for Canada

Join a protest. Here's a constantly updating list of protests:

Global calendar

Another global calendar (go to the instragram of the organizers to confirm your protest)

USA calendar

Australia calendar

Feel free to add more.

[halfpintpeach]

RIVALRY SAME TEAM!!!!! - @jtl-fics

HELLO BESTO FRIENDO I give you a some same team rivalry :)) for WIP Wednesday 8/23/23

The whispers continued, shared over necklines, and passed around like an opponent’s line-up stats. Neil pulled his jersey over his head and grabbed his helmet. He was a few steps from the door to the court when the doors on the other side opened. Andrew strolled in with a large, new Denver Puma sports equipment bag over his shoulder. The coach was just behind him, clipboard in one hand and the other lifted for silence. He didn’t need the gesture, the locker room had done mute when Andrew had walked in.

“I’m going to repeat some of this later in our debrief, but you all will now be sharing a locker with Andrew, I don’t want to hear about any funny business.” He looked around the players. “We’re all adults and professionals, alright?”

There were mumbled replies of agreement and Neil waited until the coach caught his stiff nod before shoving through to the court. Only a handful of other players were on the court, Allison was still in the locker room. Shoes squeaked behind him and Jodie appeared at Neil’s side.

“Well, how do you think the scrimmage is going to go?” Jodie hummed.

Neil looked out at the court. Andrew’s uninformed early arrival was clear grounds that he was operating on the dramatics of it all. Neil stopped at the edge of the inner wall and dropped his forehead onto the plexiglass. The dull thump of his impact vibrated along the acrylic. 

The wall was hard under his forehead. “It’s going to be brutal.”

There was no way Andrew would let a single ball into the goal if he could help it—and he could.

More for this WIP can be found on the tag or here

[in-case-of-grace]

THIS WEEK'S GOOD NEWS

The UK supreme court ruled that AI cannot be listed as the inventor for a patent. (If other countries take this same stance, this will avoid a potential CASCADE of patent filings that could gum up the works.)

https://ground.news/article/ai-cannot-be-patent-inventor-uk-supreme-court-rules-in-landmark-case

Rudy Giuliani filed for bankruptcy, in the wake of losing his defamation suit!

https://ground.news/article/giuliani-files-for-bankruptcy-after-judge-rules-georgia-election-workers-can-collect-148m_090475

Puma is terminating its sponsorship of Israel's national football team. They claim it is a total coincidence this came out now, in the midst of the boycott, and that this decision was totally made before the current situation haha don't read into it guys! (Have hope! This proves that boycotts WORK- you have power when you hit them in the profits! We may see other business targeted by the BDS movement follow suit in the coming weeks!)

https://www.reuters.com/sports/puma-terminate-sponsorship-israels-national-football-team-ft-2023-12-12/

Idaho's trans healthcare ban has been blocked by a federal judge! We're seeing this story play out state after state lately!

https://ground.news/article/idahos-ban-on-gender-affirming-medical-care-for-minors-on-hold-as-judge-issues-ruling_0a2c6a

The New York Times sued OpenAI and Microsoft for using its articles to train their AI. This is one of the first big lawsuits over the use of copyrighted datasets!

https://ground.news/article/new-york-times-sues-microsoft-chatgpt-maker-openai-over-copyright-infringement_e5fd67

The UN voted to increase humanitarian aid to Gaza. The US abstained, instead of vetoing, this time.

https://ground.news/article/un-security-council-passes-resolution-to-boost-aid-to-gaza-after-us-abstains_e784d7

--- Why not reblog and share other bits of good news you’ve seen this week? My own exposure is limited and I’d love to see stories I missed!

[female-buckets]

Who is the biggest trash talker in the league?

Four years ago when The Athletic conducted its first WNBA player poll, Diana Taurasi was the clear favorite in this category, earning 35 percent of the vote. Her dominance here has only increased. As we learned when collecting stories about Taurasi to honor her 10,000-point milestone — when she was lovingly described as a “demon” — players feel comfortable using some wild language to describe her, and that’s because she dishes it out first.

In their words

• “Are you kidding me? Is that even a question?” (Answer from a Taurasi voter.)

• “Kelsey be trying, but Diana.”

• “My rookie year, she was talking about my Pumas. She’s like, ‘Are those things gonna last you in the second half?’”

• “I got switched on her, and the ball was on the other side of the court, and I was still pressed up on her. She’s like, ‘You’re not going to be in help, Rook?’ I was like, ‘Nope.’ She’s like, “All right, smart move.’”

• “Diana is for sure the best trash talker because she’s talking out of her ass to anybody and their mama. When it’s not toward you, it’s hilarious. Diana is ruthless.”

[coochiequeens]

Money and privilege isn’t enough to protect women and girls from sexual abuse. Content Warning: descriptions for child sexual abuse

High-fashion brand Gucci is owned by Balenciaga's parent company, Kering, and heiress Alexandra Gucci Zarini came forward in 2020 to allege she was sexually abused by her stepfather for many years—and the Gucci family intentionally covered for him instead of protecting her. 

Balenciaga's name has been dragged through the mud for the last few weeks after the high-fashion brand released a campaign featuring young girls holding bondage teddy bears and standing on top of court documents from a Supreme Court case about child pornography. Ever since the brand was forced to apologize and remove the campaign, investigative journalists and everyday social media users have been digging deeper into the roots of Balenciaga and its parent company Kering. 

Balenciaga and Its Parent Company Kering Have a History with Pedophilic Content

The S&M teddy bear photo shoot was just the tip of the iceberg. The very next campaign that Balenciaga released featured art books that glamorize pedophilia, cannibalism, and the occult. Some of the images look very similar to the kind of photo shoots that artists like Marina Abramovic, who is known for hosting "spirit cooking" events with powerful people in the fashion and political world, have done with fashion magazines in the past. And many of the paintings depict dystopian, disturbing scenarios in which adults are leading around young children in occult-like costumes with their heads and faces covered fully in hoods, naked toddlers covered in blood playing with severed human body parts, and young children standing around a rodent presumably getting ready to sacrifice it for an occult ritual. It has left many people wondering why on earth a fashion brand would willingly display these types of books in a fashion campaign.

But of course it doesn't stop there. Balenciaga's parent company Kering is associated with some extremely disturbing content too. The CEO of Kering, François-Henri Pinault (who is married to actress Salma Hayek), owns Christie's auction house, a famous auction site that sells a series of pedophilic art. Brothers Jake and Dinos Chapman created multiple child sex mannequins that are extremely disturbing and predatory. There is one piece of art in particular that is labeled F*ck Face. It's a male toddler with an erect penis in place of his nose and an anus in place of his mouth. The piece of art shows the boy walking with a large brown t-shirt on and purple sneakers. It sold for $140,000. This is just one example of many similar mannequins. 

It's important to note that Kering also owns the following luxury brands: Adidas, Bottega Veneta, Alexander McQueen, Yves Saint Laurent, Puma, Montblanc, and Gucci. And a Gucci heiress came forward a couple years ago to allege that she was sexually abused by her stepfather while the Gucci family covered it up for years. 

Gucci Heiress Alexandra Gucci Zarini Was Allegedly Sexually Abused by Her Stepfather and She Says Her Family Covered It up for Years

Alexandra Gucci Zarini, 37, came forward in 2020 to allege she was sexually abused for years at the hands of her stepfather, Joseph Ruffalo. Zarini is the granddaughter of industry titan Aldo Gucci, and she says from the ages of 6 to 22 she was sexually abused by Ruffalo—and even worse, her mother, Patricia Gucci, and her grandmother, Bruna Palombo, knew of the abuse and groomed her for Ruffalo. She alleges they allowed him to videotape her naked in the bathtub while he hit her, in addition to a slew of other physical, sexual, and emotional abuse. Zarini says both women were pressured to stay quiet by Ruffalo. 

Zarini filed a lawsuit in a Los Angeles court in 2020, alleging that her mother would hit or try to choke her, and then Ruffalo would step in and act like her rescuer, only to abuse her in even worse ways. She said she knew the abuse was coming because she could hear the ice clinking in his glass of scotch, which meant he was headed to her bedroom. He allegedly also encouraged her to use cocaine and crystal meth. The lawsuit alleges that Ruffalo would get into Zarini's bed naked and digitally raped her and rubbed his genitals on her. Palombo allegedly told her "to keep quiet" and cover everything up. 

“If you think this doesn’t happen here in Beverly Hills, then you should know that my perpetrator still lives in California, spends time at the Bel-Air country club and volunteers in your children’s hospitals,” she said in a video.

“What he did to her is inexcusable and I was devastated when she disclosed everything to me at our family doctor’s office in London in September 2007. I immediately initiated divorce proceedings against Mr Ruffalo and set about healing my family through counseling," Zarini's mother Patricia Gucci said in a statement. However, she said that her allegations against her and Palombo were untrue. “I am equally devastated by the allegations against me and her grandmother, which are completely false,” she said.

These dark, disturbing allegations really make you wonder why these Kering luxury brands are associated with so much child abuse and pedophilia, whether it's pedophilic art, child sex abuse allegations, or predatory campaigns featuring minors with bondage teddy bears. At some point, you have to acknowledge that these can't all just be coincidences. What else are these brands hiding? What else is hiding beneath the surface?