#sc: proposal

[pilferingapples]

there's so few adaptations that even have named Amis besides Enjolras and even fewer that have names for them beyond Grantaire TOO, and yet I swear all of them have a different Enjolras/ non-Grantaire Ami OTP

[e9g7videos]

Chanyeol, Chen, Baekhyun, Sehun and Kai

[appropriatelystupid]

it’s always so easy to tell what i’m watching at work by the au ideas my brain presents…

anyway supercorp sweet home alabama au…

[simpletoymaker]

[valentinecsims]

Salem Proposes to Octavia

They are my OTP fr. He is absolutely a house husband (okay he's a star athlete actually) while Octavia kicks some ass in the military all day. Salem is one of my favorite sims I've created. He is so masculine while also being the most loyal hype man you can ever meet for his wife and his step-brother. Huge golden retriever energy. Miss this mfer so much.

[fairykazu]

NOT-SUPER-SECRET-CRUSH FT. SCARAMOUCHE contents: fem! reader, friends to lovers, requited love, highschool au, zhongli is ur dad, modern au masterlist | series masterlist | part two | part three

it was too early for this, the flickering fluorescent lighting overhead, snapping scaramouche's tired eyes awake. it was obvious he didn't get much sleep as his eyes were sunken in as much as he tried to hide it with concealer. putting his head down in his arms, yawning as ms. yae's aggravating voice rang in his ears. "scaramouche, lift your head up. you of all students need to pay attention." scaramouche took a deep breath as he rolled his eyes, what was the point of dissing him in the class when there's a student named itto who regularly skips this class? "scaramouche."

"ok." he lifted his head up, his hair disheveled. miss yae walked closer to the end of the classroom, her heels clicking with each step. "mr. raiden, don't make me call your mother."

scaramouche hissed back, "you would like that wouldn't you."

the silence filled the room as the pink haired teacher looked taken back. "just because of that, i'm calling her."

"whatever." after his last word, the class spilled back to normal as scaramouche felt as if he had to peel his eyelids back just to pay attention. but the noise was overwhelming as the lesson yae is making is coming out of one ear and out the other. trying to fight back the urge, he pinched himself but fell victim of falling asleep in the boring english class.

school wasn't the greatest for you because you're failing the two requirements to pass. math and science... screw the people who created this topic. if school was solely history and english, you would be flying out of the teyvat with rainbows, and you'd become the nyan cat or something.

when you arrived at your class, slightly late, miss guizhong greeted you with a smile, motioning you to come closer to her. she announced to the class to check their answers for homework as it was on the board. she turned to you, "name, you are not surviving this class."

"i know..."

"im not sure how you're not grasping this concept even if i had given you one of my best students to tutor you."

to be fair, haitham wasn't the greatest. he was the best student in your class, but he spent most of the tutoring with his not-boyfriend, bickering at any chance he could get.

"i know." it's really tiring to hear this even though you know you're failing, and you know you should get better by now. after all you are a junior now. but it's hard after years of getting used to being the bottom of the barrel. you tried to joke with yourself, 'at least, i have english and history!'

"if you know, scaramouche raiden, then you could ask him. he's one of the top students for these subjects." guizhong said, jotting down his name on a post it notes, giving you the yellow-colored paper.

oh wait, you forgot that scaramouche was a student that is soaring in the skies in this subject. maybe he'll help.

it was break and you spotted the familiar purple haired male from afar. you ran after him, attacking him from behind by pulling back on the lash tab. halting his way to his spot, scaramouche only turned his head to you. he was greeted by your smile, you tugged on the lash tab again, "hey, scara, can i ask you something?"

letting go of the back of the backpack when scaramouche turned fully to you, he rolled his eyes, as his friends walked ahead, assuming he'll catch up, "you did."

"haha, you're so funny." you glanced back at him, his face only told you to "get to the point."

"um, can you help me with ms guizhong's math class and miss nahida's bio class..."

scaramouche scoffed at the idea you just proposed, helping you? why would he even help you? you noticed how his face is not changing from his resting bitch face. you feared that you had to resort to older measures. "scaramouche, pleasseee! if you don't help me, my dad's going to kill me."

"how would mr. morax kill his favorite kid?" scaramouche raised a brow. "'cause, i'm literally failing like ... some of my classes... especially the class, my auntie is teaching...." you admitted, sheepishly. scaramouche's eyes widened, the daughter of one of the best teachers are failing. either you're really stupid or she sucks at his job. if he's being honest, it's probably the former. miss guizhong was great at her job.

seeing how scaramouche's porcelain poker face break, you took this as a chance to jab him where it hurts. you know that scaramouche isn't particularly good at the subject of english, especially when his teacher was literally his mom's girlfriend. "can you please help me with math and biology?" you began to whisper, "after that, i can help you with english homework from ms yae."

his face scrunched up as you could tell he was breaking resistence to your idea. itching the spot on his neck, he sighed, "fine. i will."

"alright! when do you want to meet up?"

"for?"

"the tutoring stuff."

"i did not agree to tutoring you."

"yes you did." you played a recording of scaramouche saying yes to the convo. just to annoy him, you started at the beginning and played his voice slower, a masculine voice going, "fine. i will." in reverb, basically catching the male red handed.

"you're insufferable."

"i know." you giggled as turning the opposite direction of scaramouche, not even looking back. unbeknownst to you, scaramouche was hiding a small smile.

[smilingcrittersthingig]

So I wanna try practicing writing by making oneshots

Problem is I have very lacking ideas for ships to use for said onehsots

So I would like to propose a deal

You give me a SC ship you want me to write about and what you want them to do

and

I give you the oneshot

Deal or no deal?

[dalbit0]

spy x family x sangcheng

+ sc proposal scene under the cut hehe

[circyexistforcontent]

I saw that you're accepting requests. Would it be okay if I ask for a SAGAU with Alhaitham teaching a reader about the Akasha Terminals?

SAGAU AL-HAITHAM BLURB + EXTRA KAVEH HEADCANONS

❀ synopsis: what the hell is an Akasha System?

❀ notes: I'M SORRY THAT I HAVE BEEN DEAD FOR SO LONG-

Depending on the date and time, Al-Haitham will be willing to teach you about the Akasha system and how it works. He will even use his own Akasha terminal as an example to help you understand it better. He would be a bit surprised if you ask him to teach you since, y'know, you're the Primordial one, anyone would assume you have all the knowledge of Teyvat. But since you asked nicely and he has the time he will teach you.

"Wait, it can give you the wrong information?" "Yes, that is possible." "But how?"

If you're like me who hasn't made it to the Sumeru Archon quest you will have a hard time understanding how it works. And because of that, Al-Haitham will recommend some books about the Akasha Terminals. It can range from their history to their legal terms and conditions if you are to ever own one. And if we're talking about Yandere SAGAU Al-Haitham he will use this to his advantage so he can monopolize your attention. Arranging meet-ups so that he can test you about what you've learned in the books.

In those "tests," he will become one of those teachers who will ask you questions about topics you never studied for. And then he will scold you about not studying harder and that these study sessions are going to be scheduled more frequently. If this also includes my paperwork concept in SAGAU then you might possibly disintegrate right then and there just by the mere thought of filling your schedule up even more.

Both Non-yandere and Yandere Al-Haitham won't treat you any differently just because of your title and species as a God. He does have a certain respect for you if you play your role well, but that's it. Yandere SAGAU Al-Haitham will see your status as a hindrance to your future together so he looks for alternatives. He would just try to win your favor by giving you a sense of normality whenever you're around him. It's already in his personality that he treats everyone the same, and by being greeted and treated by everyone like your God (which, in a way you kinda are??) you will grow to appreciate Al-Haitham's indifference to your title.

Yandere SAGAU Al-Haitham is greedy with his time alone with you, so he will do his best to hide the fact that you visit him from everyone in the Akademiya, hell he will hide it from everyone who lives in Sumeru. The moment someone finds out he has connections to the Almighty God? Non-stop pestering from the Paparazzi will be the result of it.

With that being said, his main threat in this situation is Kaveh.

It's not surprising to know that Kaveh is one of your more fanatic worshippers. Whenever there is a Charity hosted by you he makes it his goal to be your top donator, most of the time he doesn't because *cough* the Fatui *cough* TARTAGLIA *cough* But he ends up as one of the highest donators. Aside from donating he also dreams of being your head Architect and working alongside you. Knowing that Al-Haitham has been talking to you behind his back will definitely make him burst a blood vessel.

The argument will be heated, the apartment will be wrecked, and there will just be a lot of bad blood between the two now that you are involved. Al-Haitham thinks that Kaveh's image of you is idealistic and he doesn't see the real version of you, while Kaveh thinks that Al-Haitham is being selfish about your time and that it's not fair that he has you all to himself.

The moment Kaveh finds out about the unfair test and study sessions Al-Haitham offers to you Kaveh will propose to be your second tutor, which Al-Haitham will strive to take down. If you ever agreed Kaveh will be overjoyed while Al-Haitham will be distraught. You already have him as your tutor, why do you need him?

Pro tip if you're ever in a SAGAU scenario: Don't visit Sumeru. Just don't.

[republicansaredomesticterrorists]

☠️🤢🤮

[mariacallous]

Republicans are thrashing around trying to get themselves out of the abortion ban they have tried to win for so many decades. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) was the first. In the fall of 2022, just months after the Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade, he proposed legislation calling for a national abortion ban after 15 weeks. So far, this bill has gone nowhere. Then, in 2023, gubernatorial candidate Glenn Youngkin of Virginia put the 15-week abortion ban at the center of his campaign to help the GOP take full control of the Virginia legislature. Rather than holding one house and picking up the other, he lost both. Recently, former President Donald Trump—who often brags about appointing the three Supreme Court justices who made possible the repeal of Roe v. Wade—offered his own way out of the thicket by applauding the fact that states now can decide the issue for themselves. And in Arizona, the Republican Senate candidate, Kari Lake, is trying to rally the party around the notion of a 15-week ban instead of the 1864 near total ban their court just affirmed, even though she’s facing criticism for this on the far right. Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal came out with a poll showing that abortion was the number one issue—by far—for suburban women voters in swing states.

In each instance (and there will be more) we find Republicans desperately trying to find a position on the issue that makes their base and the other parts of their coalition happy.

It doesn’t exist, and here’s why—abortion is an integral part of health care for women.

Since 2022, when the Supreme Court eviscerated Roe in the Dobbs case, we have been undergoing a reluctant national seminar in obstetrics and gynecology. All over the country, legislators—mostly male—are discovering that pregnancy is not simple. Pregnancies go wrong for many reasons, and when they do, the fetus needs to be removed. One of the first to discover this reality was Republican State Representative Neal Collins of South Carolina. He was brought to tears by the story of a South Carolina woman whose water broke just after 15 weeks of pregnancy. Obstetrics lesson #1—a fetus can’t live after the water breaks. But “lawyers advised doctors that they could not remove the fetus, despite that being the recommended medical course of action.” And so, the woman was sent home to miscarry on her own, putting her at risk of losing her uterus and/or getting blood poisoning.

A woman from Austin, Texas had a similar story—one that eventually made its way into a heart-wrenching ad by the Biden campaign. Amanda Zurawski was 18 weeks pregnant when her water broke. Rather than remove the fetus, doctors in Texas sent her home where she miscarried—and developed blood poisoning (sepsis) so severe that she may never get pregnant again. Note that in both cases the medical emergency happened after 15 weeks—late miscarriages are more likely to have serious medical effects than early ones. The 15-week idea, popular among Republicans seeking a way out of their quagmire, doesn’t conform to medical reality.

Over in Arkansas, a Republican state representative learned that his niece was carrying a fetus who lacked a vital organ, meaning that it would never develop normally and either die in utero or right after birth. Obstetrics lesson #2—severe fetal abnormalities happen. He changed his position on the Arkansas law saying, “Who are we to sit in judgment of these women making a decision between them and their physician and their God above?”

In a case that gained national attention, Kate Cox, a Texas mother of two, was pregnant with her third child when the fetus was diagnosed with a rare condition called Trisomy 18, which usually ends in miscarriage or in the immediate death of the baby. Continuing this doomed pregnancy put Cox at risk of uterine rupture and would make it difficult to carry another child. Obstetrics lesson #3—continuing to carry a doomed pregnancy can jeopardize future pregnancies. And yet the Texas Attorney General blocked an abortion for Cox and threatened to prosecute anyone who took care of her, and the Texas Supreme Court ruled that her condition did not meet the statutory exception for “life-threatening physical condition.”

So, she and her husband eventually went to New Mexico for the abortion.

Obstetrics lesson #4—miscarriages are very common, affecting approximately 30% of pregnancies. While many pass without much drama and women heal on their own—others cause complications that require what’s known as a D&C for dilation and curettage. This involves scraping bits of pregnancy tissue out of the uterus to avoid infection. When Christina Zielke of Maryland was told that her fetus had no heartbeat, she opted to wait to miscarry naturally.

While waiting, she and her husband traveled to Ohio for a wedding where she began to bleed so heavily that they had to go to an emergency room. A D&C would have stopped the bleeding, but in Ohio, doctors worried that they would be criminally charged under the new abortion laws and sent her home in spite of the fact that she was still bleeding heavily and in spite of the fact that doctors in Maryland had confirmed that her fetus had no heartbeat. Eventually her blood pressure dropped, and she passed out from loss of blood and returned to the hospital where a D&C finally stopped the bleeding.

These are but a few of the horror stories that will continue to mount in states with partial or total bans on abortion. As these stories accumulate, the issue will continue to have political punch. We have already seen the victory of pro-choice referenda in deep red conservative states like Kansas, Kentucky, Montana, and Ohio; and in swing states like Michigan and in deep blue states like California and Vermont. In an era where almost everything is viewed through a partisan lens, abortion rights transcend partisanship.

And more referenda are coming in November. The expectation is that at least some, if not most, of the pro-choice voters likely to be mobilized by the abortion issue will help Democrats up and down the ballot. As a result, Democratic campaigns are working hard to make sure the public knows that Republicans are responsible.

[sahyoluvr]

absence - cho miyeon x femreader

genre: break up angst, make-up sex/smut

warnings: nsfw

(requested by 2 anons)

____________________________________________

“my heart hurts, miyeon,” tears poured from your eyes, “i cant do this.”

“yn-” miyeon breathes quickly, her face in sudden, deep fear, “please i-”

you look at her with a deadpanned face, cheeks shimmering from the streams of tears. you take in a deep breath.

“you’re never home, always out, you don’t go near me; no hugs, no kisses, we’ve stopped having sex,” you sigh, you hiccup from the lump in your throat, “i know you’ve been busy with promotions, and i don’t doubt that you don’t have as much time spend with me, but you need to communicate; you aren’t even ever near me, let alone talk to me, it makes me question if i’m disgusting or somethings wrong with me.”

“yn i would never-”

“miyeon,” you struggle to keep your confident composure, “save your words.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

it had been weeks since your parting with miyeon. you hadn’t relocated from your room, lost your appetite and had a hard time sleeping. you had cut off contact not only with miyeon but almost everyone you knew; friends or relatives with relatively close contact.

the deep onset of your depressive attitude worsened at the realisation that not a single person had recognised your absence. the only person had contacted, or at least tried, was miyeon.

she called almost every moment of the day. morning, midday, evening. you proposed she called when she awoke, called when she had lunch and called after work. there was also a multitude of text messages rotting away in your phone. you hadn’t the energy to look, yet answer them.

though the lack of miyeon’s presence had since made you realise just how lonely is was to be without her, despite the lesser time had spent towards the end of the relationship. the though made your heart sink, end.

as much as you hated to admit, you felt guilty, regretful for things you had told her. you felt as though you had been harsh, too harsh for someone already under the pressure of being a renowned idol in the industry. you missed her; her infectious smile; her touch. god, you were deprived of her touch.

you stared at the ceiling in silence, for hours on end. dried tears stuck to your cheeks making your face feel immobile for any further emotion.

you heard the door bell ring.

thinking mindlessly, you get up to answer the front door. you stand frozen from the scene before you.

the love of your life, crying hysterically, clutching onto a small bouquet full of flowers, lily of the nile; your favourite.

before you have time to think of anything, miyeon’s trembling hands let the bouquet drop, as she comes stumbling towards you, embracing you in a suffocatingly tight manner. you don’t hesitate to squeeze her back. she inhales your sweet scent deeply with the interruption of hiccups, breathing out in a low satisfied sigh.

“i don’t think i can live without you, please forgive me.” miyeon, eyes you with remorse.

her request is delivered with a deep kiss to her lips.

in the bedroom, miyeon frantically pulls over her top and repeats the action on you. the deprived touch of her skin against yours made you moan loudly in eagerness.

your hot mouths meet, with wet messy kisses, miyeon’s hands shake trying to hold you on your face and neck. seemingly both of you have tears still streaming down your eyes. at each kiss and lick of the mouth the taste of gentle salty water meets your tastebuds.

in no time, miyeon was the one lying on the bed in nothing but a bra and g-string.

you scoff at the sight, “pillow princess.”

her cheeks flush from the comment, but doesn’t attest it, knowing you’re correct.

the hot kisses progress further down to her neck and you you push miyeon’s boob out of her bra, fingers to rubbing circles to her nipples, hardening them. she whines from the sensitivity of the touch and squeals when you pinch them. she grips onto the skin on your back scratching down in need to clasp on something. you find out later she leaves large red streaks on your back.

her pants have already been discarded onto the floor and you hook a finger in her lace g-string. when you pull them off they’re soaked. with ease you slide fingers in which eases miyeon’s tension. you use your thumb to lightly circle her clit.

you continue for only minutes she cries and arches her back, tipping over the edge, but you continue to overstimulate her just a little bit. she pants from the high, whining your name for you to get up and capture her lips again.

after settling down she holds onto you lovingly, rubbing your back. it’s nothing but sweaty.

“i’m sorry. i was stressed and thought only about myself, not the person who means the most in my life,” she starts, “i love you more than anyone, yn, i want you to know that, please forgive me.”

sweat beads rest on the hairline of your forehead, you laugh, “i’m sorry if i was hard on you, you must’ve been going through a tough time, but i’m here to talk to you if you need it. i love you and forgive you with all my heart.”

____________________________________________

an: idk if i like that, but hear me out the first time i wrote it, it was better but i didn’t save the draft and i deleted all my work and i couldn’t remember everything a wrote. anyway anons hopefully this somewhat resembles what you wanted in reqs :)

[youvebeenlivingfictional]

Proposal

Part One of Three Years

Masterlist | Year One

Pairing: Nathan Bateman x Reader

Rating: Explicit - 18+ Only.

Length: 4.3K

Notes: ....Hi! This is the first of 2-3 fic drops. I'm hoping to push all five chapters of this fic out this weekend. Also I started writing this before the current AI market explosion. Not beta-read. Never beta-read.

Warnings: Cursing; angst; enemies to enemies who fuck; tech-talk; angst (I know I said it before but really); Nathan being Nathan

Summary: He’s shorter than you thought he’d be.

Nathan Bateman isn’t unattractive, or short, even, he’s just…Shorter. 

Of all of the things that you thought you’d feel about Nathan Bateman’s visit, surprised wasn’t what you thought would be first. Shit-scared, sure. Insanely nervous, absolutely. Surprised by his height? Not on your list.

“This could be huge for us.” 

Jenn looks at once desperate and wild-eyed as she paces in her office. You watch her closely, taking in the dark circles under her dark eyes. Her typically California-tan skin is pallid from her recent late nights, and her days spent indoors. The company is running her ragged—and this potential seed money from Nathan Bateman is throwing her into the craziest tizzy you’ve ever seen. She sweeps her hands through her frizzed auburn hair before she raises her nails to her mouth.

“I mean,” She mutters, continuing to pace, voice muffled as she chews her nails, “If we get Bateman’s backing, that’d be great, but if I can get him on the board.” She stops finally, turning to face you, lowering her chewed nails from her mouth. “That would send us into the fucking stratosphere.” 

“...Okay,” You sit up a touch. You don’t want to be a buzzkill, but you need to bring Jenn down from the fucking stratosphere. “Nathan Bateman has scheduled a meeting. Okay? A meeting. One,” You raise your finger. 

“He’s having his team go over our numbers—” 

“I know that. He’s doing the due diligence that anyone coming in would be expected to do. Just, don’t put all of your eggs in one basket when we haven’t even gotten the basket yet.” 

“Come on,” Jenn groans. “I could be the next Steve Jobs!” 

“Yes, you absolutely could. But if you keep putting your focus on the idea stuff and not on the structure and application stuff, you’re going to be the next Elizabeth Holmes. And honey, I love you, but you do not look good in orange.” 

Jenn deflates just a little, slouching back against the windows that stretch from the floor to the ceiling. 

“...It clashes with my hair,” She grumbles. 

“I’m not saying don’t be excited at all," You insist, "I’m just saying…We’re bringing him in to talk about financing. How freaked out would you be if you went on a first date with someone and instead of asking for a second date, they said, Hey this was fun, let’s get married.”

“...Pretty freaked.” 

“Right. And asking someone to join the board is like a business-y 3.5 carat pear cut diamond on an infinity band. So. Let's schedule an All Hands, give the team a heads up, get them prepped. Before that, though, we need to get you some fucking lunch and some sunshine.” 

“You’re my sunshine.” 

“Awww,” You coo before you get up, adding, “Seriously. Get your phone and your sunglasses, we’re going out.” 

“But I have an email from prod—” 

“Production about the user profile settings set to drop at the end of the week. I know, I answered it already. Phone. Sunglasses. Lunch. Let’s go.” 

"You'll be here, right?"

You frown, shaking your head in slight confusion, and Jenn clarifies: "For his tour. You'll be here?"

You consider, glancing at your phone. If you can get the time off—but that's no guarantee.

"I'll try."

--  

When Jenn started Sc(ai)le three years ago, you’d had no idea that it would take off the way it would. You knew that Jenn was brilliant, you’d never had a doubt about that. But you couldn’t have anticipated how quickly varying industries moved to scale AI. Jenn had assembled a team of engineers, scientists, and sales reps. She trusts her teams, and they work hard to keep the company in motion.

But Jenn still insists in being very much hands-on everywhere she possibly can, sometimes to hers and the company’s detriment. She needs a Chief Knowledge officer, a Chief Information officer, and a Chief Marketing officer. She has a Chief Tech officer, a Chief Financial officer, a Chief Compliance officer, a Chief Data officer—all incredibly knowledgeable in their fields. She wants a board, too, but you’re worried that the company may still be too young for it. 

You work with the SVP of Marketing now and again, helping her to manage the way marketing materials are created, where they’re stored, and how they’re distributed. You’re working with Sc(ai)le part-time, on a temporary basis (though it’s technically been ‘temporary’ since the company started). Jenn needs an official team, with people that can work with her full-fucking-time. You have a full-time job at a separate tech company, one that’s well away from the AI space. You’d been worried their hackles would be raised when you informed them that you’d be taking a part-time position elsewhere, but they hadn’t even flinched. 

Hell, your manager had asked you if you’d be able to get them an employee discount. You may just have to take a few days off for Bateman’s visit.

You don’t blame Jenn for being so excited, or so nervous. 

Nathan fucking Bateman? This is huge. 

But if both of you have your heads in the fucking clouds, neither of you are gonna make it out of orbit. So you’ll keep yourself grounded, and bring Jenn back down to Earth if you absolutely have to. 

-- 

He’s shorter than you thought he’d be.

Nathan Bateman isn’t unattractive, or short, even, he’s just…Shorter. 

Of all of the things that you thought you’d feel about Nathan Bateman’s visit, surprised wasn’t what you thought would be first. Shit-scared, sure. Insanely nervous, absolutely. Surprised by his height? Not on your list.

You glance over at Jenn to find her tipping her chin up, slapping on her I Should Be On the Cover of Forbes smile. It’s the smile that’s brought every other investor on board. It’s the smile that’s brought on every single team member in the company. Now, you can only hope that it’ll bring Nathan Bateman into her coffers.

Where you’d typically leave Jenn to finesse any other investor, you stick close by. You trail Bateman and Jenn by a few steps as she directs him around the offices, and the facility. 

He asks a fair number of questions. A few are unexpected, but for the most part, they’re things that you and Jenn had anticipated. The three of you come to a stop overlooking a row of engineers. You don’t want to appear nonchalant, but with Bateman and Jenn focused elsewhere, you allow yourself to lean back against the wall, eyeing the room. It’s then that you see an engineer flagging you down, a harried look on her face. You glance toward Bateman and Jenn’s heads and make sure they’re distracted before you push yourself off of the wall, skirting around the two and walking over to her as calmly as possible. 

“What’s up?” You ask, crouching down beside the engineer’s desk. 

“The marketing team sent through a brief about the user profiles—” 

“Uh-huh—” 

“And there’s an error regarding the, uh—The functionality.” 

“Okay. Where’s the problem, what’s the fix?” 

“Our systems are starting at Mac- or Blue-OS compatible.” 

“But not Windows?” 

“Most of the companies we use don’t touch Windows OS anymore.” 

“But we have got a few clients that do.” 

“Yes, we’re—We’re working on it. But this can’t go out like this, it’s not correct.” 

“Okay,” You nod, mind racing through the possible, necessary fixes. “Okay. Could I use your laptop for a second?” 

“Sure.” 

The engineer starts to stand, but you wave her back into her seat, just turn the laptop toward yourself. You hurriedly log into your email on a web page, and tap out an email to the marketing SVP. 

“Mac and Blue only,” You reiterate as you type. 

“—But not Windows, yep.” 

“Do we have an expected date on Windows functionality?” 

“Q2 of next year—Maybe Q1, but—” 

“We don’t wanna over-promise and underdeliver,” You shoot the engineer a smile. “I appreciate the honesty.” 

The engineer nods hurriedly. You feel her casting a glance behind you, but you’re already turning back to the laptop, practically hammering the keys as you send out the message. You lean back, reading and rereading the message before you CC your work email, Jenn’s, and the engineer in question. Then you send it, straighten up, and sign out of the email. 

“I’ve put myself and Jenn on the email, we will take it from here. Thank you so much for flagging that—And if anything comes up, please text, email, slack me. Anything.” 

“Thank you!” 

“No, thank you,” You insist, patting her shoulder. You straighten and turn, and freeze immediately at the sight of Jenn and Bateman standing just behind you. You swallow thickly, fighting to keep a straight face. 

“I didn’t mean to hold up the tour,” You apologize. “You guys could’ve moved on, I would’ve caught up.” 

“Everything alright?” Bateman asks, nodding toward the engineer. 

“Yes. Just a little communications update.” You give them both a reassured smile. “Why don’t we continue?” You add, nodding down the hall. 

--  

“What are you doing for dinner tomorrow?” 

It’s a question that he should be asking Jenn, and that’s why your mouth works wordlessly, your brow furrowing heavily. It’s a bad look—Nathan Bateman has asked you a simple question, and you’re floundering like a landed fish. 

“Uh—Shoving something in the microwave, probably?” You manage with a shaky laugh as you put your laptop into your bag. You haven't been able to take the time off as much time as you’d hoped, and you’ll have to make up what time you have taken to keep yourself on track. “I’m working a double, so, I’ll get off shift around one in the morning.” 

“A double.” 

“...Yes? It’s when you work two shifts at—” 

“I know what a double is.” 

Jeez, of course he does. 

“Right. Sorry. You seemed—...Anyway.” 

“I seemed what?” 

Confused is the wrong word to use with this man. 

“Inquisitive?” You offer. Nathan’s brows tip impossibly higher, his chin angling down to gaze at you over the tops of his glasses. 

“One,” He finally confirms. “How’s 1:30 for you?” 

“For what?” 

“For dinner.” 

“I—I don’t think I’ve ever eaten dinner that late in my life. I don’t even go out that late anymore.” 

“But you’ll make an exception?” 

“Do I have to?” 

When he smiles, you know that you will have to. 

“I’ll send you the details.” 

That’s it. He breezes away from your desk space. He doesn’t offer to walk you to your car; he doesn’t ask you any questions about what you want to eat, or what you like to eat. He just walks away. You look after him for a moment before you look down, taking up your laptop chord and wrapping it with a mutter of, 

“Dinner at 1:30 in the morning? Not in fucking college anymore…What’s even gonna be open that late for fucking dinner?” 

You think, and then giggle. 

Maybe Nathan Bateman is going to take you to McDonald’s. 

--  

“You ever been here before?” 

“Uhh…” You peer down at the menu. It’s timeworn, and splattered with what look like gravy stains. At least—well, you hope it’s gravy. “Nope, can’t say I have.” 

The diner has a vintage bent to it. The seats are all coated in robin’s egg blue vinyl; the floor is tiled like a checkerboard; the walls are pepto-pink. There’s a jukebox in the corner, but the oldies being played in the diner are coming from a few recessed speakers in the ceiling. You glance up again as you hear Bateman shifting in his seat. He’s lounging back in his seat like he owns the damn place. 

…Maybe he does own the damn place. 

It could explain why they’re open so late, at least. There are a few other people in the diner, a ways away. Now and again, an explosive swell of cackling laughter will pass over your way before one of their party hurries to hush them. You glance back curiously as you hear one of them add, 

“Dude, you’re gonna get us kicked out again.” 

“So how long have you known Jenn?” Bateman asks. 

“Oh, gosh,” You turn back to him. “Since Kindergarten. She’s my oldest friend.” 

“You two seemed pretty close during the tour yesterday.” 

“Did we?” 

“Insomuch as you were her shadow.” 

You close your mouth, reaching for your water. You had shadowed because Jenn had asked—but you’re in no position to quibble with this man. You’ve no need, either; he goes on: 

“How was your double?” 

“It was fine.” 

“What are you working on?” 

“I work at a company that produces technical books and longform guides for—” 

“I know where you work, that wasn’t my question. What are you working on.” 

The bored, irritated tone in his voice raises your hackles, and it leaves a bitter taste in your mouth. But you swallow your annoyance in favor of giving a straightforward answer: “Right now, a quantum software engineering roadmap.” 

“Are you enjoying it?” 

“The writing can be a little dry, but the subject matter is interesting.” 

“Hm…” Bateman nods, his eyes sweeping your face curiously. You fight the urge to shift or fidget under the scrutiny of his gaze. 

Can you ask questions? Are you allowed? Why does this man make you feel like you’re in a damn interview? Your gazes break as a waitress comes over, a pad in hand and an expectant smile on her face. You instinctively offer her one in return as you order. You don’t really hear what Bateman orders; you’re too busy wracking your mind for things that came up on yesterday’s tour—pain points, questions that Jenn promised she’d get back to him on. 

“So,” Bateman’s voice snaps your focus back to him, and you arch your brows as you meet his eyes again. “In your opinion, what’s the company lacking?” 

It’s a slap of a question. Your brows manage to inch higher. Oh…God. No wonder he didn’t want to do this with Jenn around.

“Uh…” Is your initial succinct answer. You clear your throat, taking your glass up for another sip, gathering yourself. You could say that Jenn has everything she needs, save for capital. You could say that the team is rowing as one one, your little unsinkable ship, the Sc(ai)le. 

But Nathan Bateman is a genius, and a billionaire, and a man with a low tolerance for bullshit. 

“She needs a complete C-Suite,” You admit firmly as you set your glass aside. “She needs a solid, knowledgeable team behind her. We’re doing the best that we can now, and the Chief positions that she has filled are pushing the company in the right direction, but the ones that she doesn’t are slowing down growth. We need a CMO and a CKO and a CIO, like...Yesterday. We have a lot of data, and we have a lot of marketing materials—and the seniors VPs in those positions are doing the best they can, but you can only fill a leaky bucket so many times before the handle breaks. The company doesn’t have the capital to bring those positions on, and until it does, the company’s going to continue to grow at half-speed because the plane’s being flown while it's still being built."

Bateman doesn’t react for a moment. His silence makes your stomach twist with nerves; your palms are sweating. 

“I didn’t think you’d say that,” He finally says. You can’t help but laugh a little. 

“Look—I could tell you that we’re all one happy family, and that the only thing wrong is the fact that bluebirds don’t land on our shoulders and code for us—” Your stomach flips as Bateman’s lips twitch with a smile, “But you’ve already been inside. You’ve looked through our books, you’ve seen the facility. And if you’re going to go in on investment, you’re going to see the dirty laundry anyway. I may as well show you where the hamper is.” 

“You like your metaphors.” 

“It’s the writer in me.” 

Bateman’s brow quirks a touch as he nods. 

“...Why aren’t you full time?” He asks. That question throws you for a loop. You shake your head a little—like it’ll knock an answer loose. But the answer—the truth—is that you and Jenn haven’t worked well together in the past. Sure, you’re part-time now, but you hardly ever interfere with her day-to-day unless it’s to coax her out of her office to get some air or a meal. You prefer to take your time with a project, and Sc(ai)le is in a growth period where time is of the essence. 

“...It’s not…” You start, brow furrowing as you grapple for a reasonable answer, “What Sc(ai)le does, it isn’t what I do.” 

“The company has technical writers.” 

“...Yeah—” 

“It needs someone that knows how to compile the information, translate it for the average consumer—” 

“But—” 

“Just tell me they can’t afford you.”  

Your chest twinges with indignation. 

“That’s not true,” You insist. 

“So they can afford you.” 

“That’s not what I—” 

“Which one is it?” 

“You’re twisting my words, and I don’t appreciate that.” It leaves you more harshly than it should, and you damn your tone immediately. There’s no way scolding this man is gonna bring him on board. You realize that your shoulders have scrunched defensively and risen toward your ears, and you force yourself to relax them. But Nathan’s lips just twitch again, his eyes bright with amusement. 

“...Why aren’t you full-time?” He repeats. 

“I told you. This isn’t what I do.” 

“It could be.” 

You don’t want to make the concession, but the look on Bateman’s face tells you that he’s got you pinned. So you give a small, begrudging nod. 

“Hypothetically.” 

His smile widens at your confirmation. You want to smack him. 

But that really won’t bring him on board. 

--  

You expect Jenn to grill you for your time with Nathan the second you get in, but she’s grabbing your hand and hissing, “He’s here, and he’s waiting.” 

“What?” You ask dazedly, pulling your sleeve back to eye the watch face where it rests on the inside of your wrist. “He’s not supposed to be here for another two hours! I didn’t see an email—”

“He didn’t send one! He just showed up!”

You pull Jenn to a stop in the hall, slowing her with a gentle, “Whoa, whoa—Okay. Look at me.” 

Jenn stops, eyes wide, head shaking minutely as she tries to continue walking toward the conference room, insisting, “We’re already late—” 

“Slow down!” You urge. She looks stricken, and you immediately feel guilty. You take her hand in yours, giving it a squeeze before drawing in a deep breath. Jenn hesitantly does the same, pushing it out when you do. You draw in another, and are relieved as she copies you, some of the tension melting from her face as she closes her eyes. You watch her pull in and push out one more deep breath before she opens her eyes slowly, nodding. 

“Thank you,” She breathes, patting your hand before she tugs down the hall again. 

--  

“I like what I’m seeing.” 

Bateman’s assertion shouldn’t surprise you, but it does. Sc(ai)le is a good company, something that would make sense in his portfolio. But he’s so steady and calm as he peers out of the office of Jenn’s window. 

You don’t like how he’s commandeered the space behind her desk. She shouldn’t be sitting on the other side of it with you; she should be behind it, with him—or he should be on your side. 

Still, Nathan pushes himself off of the window, turning to face Jenn. His gaze flickers to you before he looks down at something laid out on the desk. 

“Your initial proposal was…Whadda we got here…” Bateman tuts as he turns a page. You think he must be dragging it out for suspense—there’s no way he doesn’t have those numbers memorized. Sure, it must be chump change to him, but it’s still a big fucking number. “One million for a fifteen percent stake in the company.” 

“That’s right,” Jenn nods. 

“I’ll give you four.” 

“...Four?” Jenn repeats dazedly. 

“Four million for what percent?” You ask before she can leap up, kiss the man on the lips, and accept. 

“Fifteen,” Bateman affirms. Your eyes narrow at him. This doesn’t feel right. He adds, “I have one condition, though.” 

“Name it,” Jenn nods. You glance at her nervously. You’re certain that if he told her to strip naked and run through the office covered in spray cheese, she’d do it right this second. 

“You come on as CKO, CIO, and CMO.”

Your brow furrows as Jenn turns to you. Who comes on? Jenn? She’s already CEO for fuckssake—

And then Jenn turns to you, eyes wide and insistent as she nods toward Bateman. Your head snaps to him, stunned. He’s waiting with that same patient, bored expression that he'd given you with all throughout dinner. 

“You want me to take on three C-Suite positions?” You ask, brows raising. “Are you that strapped for cash that you won’t spring for two more people?” 

Jenn hisses your name in warning. You know it’s the wrong thing to say, but to your surprise, Bateman just smiles and leans against Jenn’s desk. 

“Hear me out,” He waves your irritation off. “I want to roll the positions of CKO and CIO into one. Chief Knowledge and Information officer.” 

“And add Chief Marketing officer on top of them.” 

“That’s right. You’re much quicker on the uptake than you were the other night. No, it’s alright—I’m sure the double shift and the late dinner had you off your game.” 

You want to argue, but Nathan is already turning his attention to Jenn. 

“Four mill for a fifteen percent stake,” He reiterates before nodding toward you. “And her.” 

What would Jenn get if you didn’t come on? One million at fifteen? Two million at thirty? Nothing at all? You can’t bring yourself to look at Jenn just now—you know you’re getting a pleading expression. So you keep your eyes on Bateman, and his expectant expression. He knows he’s got you backed into a corner. 

“...Does this condition have a term limit?” You ask. Bateman purses his lips, seeming to think for a moment. Then he levels you with an ungodly answer:

“Three years.” 

You feel like you’ve been punched in the gut. You only just manage not to double over with it. Three years. Three years inhabiting two positions that you never wanted or asked for. Three years working with your oldest friend on her passion project, knowing that you will lock horns on approach. Three years of Nathan Bateman hanging over your head. 

You can’t face Jenn. One look at those hopeful, doe-like eyes and you’re going to fold like a house of cards. You can’t look at Bateman. One look at him and you’re going to lunge in, slap him silly, and ask what the fuck is wrong with him. 

You look down at your lap. 

Three years. Three years or what? Nathan pulls his backing? Asks for repayment? That could level the company, and everything that Jenn has worked for would disappear overnight. 

Three years. 

You don’t ask about the pay. You don’t care about that. You’re not doing badly as it is. Two C-Suite positions (well, three) would surely pay you more than you make now, but still. 

Three years. 

You’ve been considering leaving your current job. You’ve been chugging along happily, though you’ve started to get too settled, too bored. Too complacent. But you've been ducking away from management positions at job after job because you just don't want to be in charge of people. You want to be fully in the action, working on the words, not floating above them and giving them a thumbs up or a thumbs down. This isn’t like anything you’d consider throwing yourself into. 

Three years. 

This is bigger than you and Jenn. Pumping more money into this company would give Sc(ai)le the chance to expand its staff, upgrade it's tech, bring on a more comprehensive QA team.

You draw in a deep breath, giving a small hesitant nod. 

“Alright,” Leaves your mouth before you can talk yourself out of it. 

“You’ve got yourself a deal,” Bateman bats back without missing a beat. You can hear a note of triumph there, one that makes you want to reach into his throat and rip out his layrnx. Jenn is springing out of her seat, pumping Bateman’s hand enthusiastically and telling him that he won’t regret it. You’re staring down at your hands, your head and chest feeling hollow, like you’ve just been jailed for three consecutive life sentences. 

Three years. 

Bateman’s hand enters your field of vision, outstretched and patient. You eye it for a moment. 

You could still tell him to go fuck himself. But you glance up at Jenn, and find her beaming down at you. Her eyes are bright with joyful tears; her hands are clasped to keep from visibly shaking. 

You can’t tell him to go fuck himself, and he knows it.

So you suck in a deep breath and raise your hand, shaking Bateman’s without meeting his gaze. 

“We should grab a drink to celebrate,” He insists. You let go of his hand and push yourself up shakily. 

“I—Have some things I need to sort out. You two go on,” You add, slapping on an encouraging smile and turning to Jenn. 

“Sure,” Bateman concedes. “You have a letter of resignation to write.” 

You pat Jenn’s shoulder on the way out, hardly meeting Bateman's eye as you go. You get into your car, and drive back to your apartment. You mechanically unlock your door, drop your keys in the bowl by the entryway, kick your door shut. You don’t bother to turn the lights on. The sun is streaming in through your front window with a vengeance. You walk over to your bar cart and take up a bottle of whiskey. You don’t bother with a glass. You just plop into your favorite armchair and curl up. You don’t cry. You don’t scream. You just stare blankly at the wall. 

Three years. 

Next Part: Year One

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[pessimisticpigeonsworld]

The Tragedy of Rhaenyra Targaryen

Rhaenyra Targaryen's story is one of tragedy, she is put into a series of impossible situations and finally was killed for the crime of being a woman and wanting her birthright. This fact is something that TG stans are obsessed with trying to minimize or completely erase. Since they're usually exclusively show fans, I'm going to go through show Rhaenyra's life until we hit the end of season 1 (this is a long one so bear with me).

Rhaenyra spent her entire childhood being told she was less than for being a girl and her father killed her mother in pursuit of a son because of this belief. When Viserys finally recognizes her worth, she then has to deal with the misogynistic lords and their lack of respect towards her. Her ideas and opinions are dismissed in the SC, including Otto who fucking suggested making her heir, and they outright send her off like a child when she becomes too unruly for them.

Then after all this, Viserys marries her only friend, thus removing what's left of her support system after Daemon is banished. Alicent also went behind Rhaenyra's back to seduce Viserys. Sure, it was what her father told her, that doesn't mean it wasn't a shitty thing to do. Especially since she let Rhaenyra believe Viserys was going to marry Laena, thus causing her to be massively blindsided by the announcement. Of course Rhaenyra felt she couldn't trust Alicent, of course she felt betrayed, and Alicent never explained why she did it. This obviously drove a massive wedge in their friendship.

Things only get worse for Rhaenyra when Aegon is born. Now the lords who had no respect for her, including the fucking Hand, are clamoring for Rhaenyra to be disinherited. Sure, Viserys keeps her as heir, but does little to reinforce to HER that he isn't considering replacing her. He practically ignores her for the majority of episode 3 until he gets angry with her for not wanting to be his political pawn. Alicent isn't helping matters by never acknowledging the change in dynamic in their relationship, she's the queen consort now, a position she worked to get behind Rhaenyra's back. No things aren't the same, they never will be, Alicent acting like Rhaenyra should just treat her like normal is unrealistic and totally dismisses Rhaenyra's feelings.

Rhaenyra has a completely understandable fear of marriage and childbirth, considering what happened to her mother. Yet Viserys is insisting she marry, and sure, she can choose her own husband, but from her perspective that's basically being allowed to choose your own execution method. And there is also an underlying caveat: Viserys has to approve the match.

In the midst of all this, Daemon finally returns, the one person who completely understands Rhaenyra. He offers her the first scrap of true consideration and then expresses actual interest in her at the brothel. However, he leaves her in the brothel, so, drunk and alone, she stumbles into the arms of her only remaining friend. A man who willingly and eagerly slept with his drunk charge and thought that it entitled him to marrying her. After this, we see that caveat I mentioned come into play when Viserys rejects Daemon's proposal without consulting Rhaenyra, if he truly meant for it to be her choice, he would have let her have the final say.

So now her uncle is once again taken away, her former friend now hates her for not telling her a potentially damaging secret, and her former protector hates her for rejecting to run away with him. And to top it all off, she's now being forced to marry her openly gay cousin to fix the mistake Viserys made when he married Alicent. Then at her wedding, Alicent finishes of what's left of their friendship by declaring war on her and Criston kills Laenor's lover and allies with Alicent.

During the time jump, we know Alicent constantly undermined and abused Rhaenyra. She flouted her power at every turn, factionalized the nobles, taught her sons that Rhaenyra and her sons were beneath them, and shot down any of her opinions in the SC even to the detriment of the kingdom. We know from a deleted scene that Rhaenyra pursued a relationship with Aegon, yet she doesn't have any kind of connection to her siblings later on, meaning that someone must have put a stop to any bonding. After all, why would Aegon and his siblings be willing to usurp Rhaenyra if they had a good relationship? We also know from Laenor's "I thought we were past this" in ep six that Alicent constantly pressed the bastard issue even though Laenor, Corlys, and Viserys acknowledging them as legitimate made them so.

The issue of the Velaryon boys clearly shows how Rhaenyra was thrust into an impossible situation: she needed heirs and Laenor couldn't provide. By choosing Harwin, Rhaenyra was able to have three sons and have a loving relationship (as far as we know). But of course, this small happiness didn't last, as Harwin was sent away and murdered alongside his father by Larys. Before this, Alicent's abuse finally drives Rhaenyra to Dragonstone, by the way, Viserys never did anything to help Rhaenyra against Alicent.

Things finally seem to be looking up for Rhaenyra when she marries Daemon after Laena's funeral. She at last has a steadfast ally in the face of the greens and someone who genuinely loves her. She has two sons by him, her other children are growing up safe and happy alongside her stepdaughters who have integrated well into their new family.

Alas, after six years, she is dragged back into the greens' shit show when they decide to bring up the resolved matter of the Driftmark succession. This marks the beginning of the end for her happiness. Viserys dies and the greens usurp her crown, the news of which sends her into an early labor, killing her daughter. Now Rhaenyra is faced again with an impossible choice: go to war for her throne or bend the knee and risk being killed alongside her children (something the greens were already planning). We know which one she picks, and she's right in this: it's her throne, the greens are usurpers and traitors, end of story. But the greens then murder her son, Lucerys, when he was on a peaceful mission as a messenger.

Rhaenyra has now lost two children to the greens, and in the ensuing war, loses Viserys II (though he was alive unbeknownst to her), Jacaerys, and Joffery. Her stepdaughter, Baela, becomes a captive of the greens, Rhaena is being sheltered in the Vale, and her husband dies killing Aemond. The war takes away everything she loves except her son, Aegon III. She then has to flee KL after six months due to the rioting small folk and betrayal among her council (Corlys is a bitch). When she arrives on Dragonstone, she is seized by her brother's men and burned and eaten alive in front of her son by her usurper brother.

This is the story of a woman tormented throughout her life by the fact that she is a woman. She is undermined and abused as heir, usurped, and killed all for the crime of her gender, plain and simple. TG can try to deny it, but the story is clear, despite Condal and Hess' meddling. And if I see anyone saying that Rhaenyra is bad because she isn't a feminist, that doesn't matter (and that's not a true assessment), her reign sets a precedent for female inheritance in the Seven Kingdoms, that's still important in the long run. She is a tragic character, GRRM has made it clear the usurpation would have happened no matter what Rhaenyra did, she was doomed from the start.

[ruth-westside]

For the peoples saying that nobody asked for the upcoming Global Horse Store, may I propose a concept for consideration?

Non-Star Rider is a category of players that exists.

Non-SRs can only reach Moorland, Fort Pinta, the zonies at the circus, the pony championship, and most events that have portals in one of those areas.

They used to have access to Ferdinand's Horse Market, full of ancient models that are relatively affordable, but they have been deprived of that for quite a while now. Non-SRs have to wait for the bazaar to have a similar, if slightly more expensive, setup.

Those who can't buy lifetime, or even a monthly subscription, also have to depend on the rare SC codes SSO gives out. So they may pull together enough SC to get one horse after 2-3 years, if they're extremely frugal.

Having a global horse store that will have every horse, hopefully including Ferdinand's, is a dream for a non-SR. They'll finally be able to get a breed they want and in the color they want.

Certain breeds/coats may still be locked by player level/rep, just like the tack and clothes in the current global store, but at least non-SRs will get some of what they once had either way. _

No, having a global horse store will not discourage exploration all that much, if at all. SSO and players alike already forget that Dino, Mistfall, Redwood, and Wildwoods exist. Players who don't like the GHS can do the same thing as players who complain about Instagram comments they don't want to see: Practice self-discipline and not click the button that would reveal it.

And no, it will not screw up reputation-building because older/less popular models already get moved to higher-level areas like Epona. SSO nullified the logic of it themselves. _

TL;DR please think a little bit less about "nobody asked for it" and a little more about "what kind of players might benefit from it." I hear being inclusive is a good thing to do.

[ilyasorokinn]

my lover ― carlos sainz

note, this is my first f1 piece, so what better way to join the f1 community on here than to write about my bestie bf mr. smooth operator. anyways, i'm mixing my two loves, taylor swift and f1 together for this. also, i made my first twitter edit and i had fun, so expect more coming soon. another note, i haven't been to the eras tour yet (seeing ms. swift in august :)), so this might be inaccurate. i don't want to watch videos because i see tons of tiktok and i want to least be a little surprised, so this is how i imagine it going :) summary, carlos and y/n go to a taylor swift concert where he has some tricks up his sleeve. warnings, mentions of sc**ter br*un (*barf emoji) word count, 643 words (a shorty but a goodie)

with races happening so frequently, you were worried you wouldn't be able to see taylor swift, but carlos made time. he cleared his schedule for 48 hours so you two could enjoy yourselves.

"carlos," you passed, your eyes widening as you took in the stage you had only seen in pictures.

carlos couldn't help but smile as he watched you take everything in. you had worked hard to get the tickets for the show and he was just happy to tag along and be your photographer and videographer for the night.

you were wearing a replica of one of her outfits while carlos wore a basic black shirt with a scooter on it but it was crossed out. when you first showed him, he was confused.

"why don't we like scooters?" he asked. you laughed and explained the story of scooter.

"carlos sainz?" you heard a couple of fans gasp as they noticed who was sitting next to them.

carlos smiled, giving them his full attention as she talked to him, then posed for pictures, "hey, can i ask you for a favor?" he stopped them before they went back to their conversation.

"of course!" the girls were freaking out. carlos sainz was talking to them!

"during lover," they knew automatically what his question was and they both melted, "i was planning on proposing to y/n." he whispered, glancing back at you, but you were already deep in conversation with the girls next to you and trading your friendship bracelets.

"do you think you could record it?"

"of course! oh, my gosh!" they gasped and carlos chuckled, "early congratulations."

"well, she hasn't said yes yet." he scratched the back of his neck.

"she will." the girl nodded.

carlos thanked them again before turning back to you. your arms were now covered in beaded friendship bracelets and he was confused about how it had happened.

"how did that happen?'

"well, i'm just very popular i guess." you shrugged, "look, this one's my favorite." you showed him your favorite one.

"beautiful, amor." he beamed, wrapping an arm around your shoulders and kissing your head.

as the clock ticked down, you had gravitated from your seat up into a standing position. once the clock was at 0, you were screaming with everyone else.

lover was the first album of the songs she sang in the setlist, so the girls sitting next to you were ready to record the second lover started.

carlos could feel his heartbeat begin to pick up as the first notes of lover started. he felt around his pocket for the ring box and let out a breath when he found it.

"you okay?" you asked, glancing from him then back to the stage, afraid to miss anything.

"yeah." he nodded, swallowing hard for a second before looking you in the eyes, "i love you."

"i love you, too." you smiled.

"and i don't want to say much because this love explains everything i feel for you. i would love to do life with you and i hope you say "yes" to the question i'm about to ask." he pulled the ring out of pocket and the girls filming squealed, garnering the attention of everyone around you and they all whipped out this phones and squealed.

"will you marry me?" he asked, bending down and opening the box.

you covered your mouth in shock as your brain tried to catch up to what was going on in front of you, "carlos, oh, my god, yes! of course!" you bent down and cupped his face, kissing him.

everyone around your squealed, jumping up and down excitedly. he pulled away and slid the ring onto your finger, "you big romantic." you gasped, punching him jokingly in the shoulder.

"only for you." he kissed you again, hugging you as taylor continued to serenade you with music.

+ this :)

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