#there was always strong pressure in my family to like what they considered ''good'' music like classic rock

[shoechoe]

playing rap/hip-hop for family members who like making fun of your music taste and are that "i hate rap i don't consider it real music" type really spotlights how much they do not know anything about or listen to rap and their "criticisms" for it are a bunch of garbage that they wouldn't say about any other music genre

[piastrionpole]

Timeline of Lewis & Nicole

Disclaimer: this is all taken from various websites but may not be 100% factual, however it is fun and not at all serious. most of this is impossible to fact check (lmk if you can correct smth) so just consider it all alleged for your own peace of mind

2007

Lewis was introduced to Nicole and will.i.am at an afterparty for the MTV Music Awards in Munich

2008

Lewis and Nicole went public about their relationship at the Monaco Grand Prix

2009

Nicole explained to journalists that her and Lewis were great together (and "spiritually aligned") despite the 7 year age gap

"We are very similar and can relate to one another a lot. We are both driven people who are serious about our work, so we are very supportive of the time we do have together."

2011

Nicole's father seemingly confirmed their engagement which the couple had to deny as "misquoted"

"Lewis and I woke up this morning and read we were engaged! Sorry to disappoint u all but its not true:)"

Lewis and Nicole briefly broke up

2013

Rumours surfaced that Lewis was going to propose, again

2 weeks later it was confirmed that the pair had broken up again

Nicole broke down in tears on the X Factor, seemingly about Lewis

She was also rumoured to have had a fling with Harry Styles

Lewis also struggled during this break up

"If you've found that special someone, don't EVER let them go no matter what!!! Nothing in the world is more important..."

Lewis also later dedicated his win in Hungary to Nicole, despite still being separated

He rented out a beach house in California where he apparently cleared the terrace to set up a table for two surrounded by candles and flowers in order to win her back

2014

After getting back together, Lewis was asked if he had proposed to Nicole, which he denied

He also said that he had been receiving pressure from family to propose but he felt they were happy as they were at that moment

He did suggest that he saw marriage as their endgame

2015

Lewis and Nicole split for good with this statement from Nicole

"I’m devastated that it didn’t work out. It was the hardest decision we had to make, but we made it together. I love Lewis and I know he loves me. We wish nothing but happiness and the very best for one another. I’m trying to stay strong in my faith right now.”

Some sources suggested the break up was due to the long distance, like their previous breaks, whilst others said it was due to their differing timelines for marriage

Lewis posted a gushing message about Nicole on her birthday, following the break up, alongside a photo of them as a couple

He was seen out with a mystery blonde a week after the break up announcement and was soon rumoured to be dating Gigi Hadid, Kendall Jenner, and more stars

Sources said this was really upsetting Nicole but when she reached out to ask him to tone it down, he responded that he was just letting his (nonexistent) hair down

"Lewis feels he should be able to have friendships with other women without feeling he constantly has to justify himself to her."

2016

Nicole said her and Lewis are not on speaking terms but that she still thinks he's the best driver and wishes him the best

"I think that he is the best driver since Ayrton Senna, and I think that he's probably going to win this year and I only wish him happiness and success."

A glamour model who claimed to have had a relationship with Lewis said he would call Nicole names, say she was unsupportive of his music ambitions, and always talked about wanting threesomes

She also stated that Lewis told her they broke up because he didn't want to marry Nicole yet

Lewis was connected to Rita Ora, Winnie Harlow, and Barbara Palvin this year

Lewis, however, told Ellen DeGeneres that he wasn't dating anybody

"No I’m not. I was in a long-term eight-year relationship, so I’m focused on my racing and trying to win the championship this year. I don’t have any plans [for romance]"

2017

Lewis continued to be linked to Winnie Harlow after more nights out and they were seen getting cosy at a party

He was also briefly linked to Sofia Richie

2018

Lewis arrived at a TommyXLewis launch party with Nicki Minaj and didn't confirm nor deny a relationship, but Nicki stated their was a new man in her life

2019

Lewis hinted busy work schedules and travelling constantly were to blame for the relationship breakdown with Nicole

An intimate clip of Lewis and Nicole from during their relationship was supposedly leaked

Lewis and Nicole also took a photo together so things seemed to have been smoothed over

2020

Nicole started dating Thom Evans after meeting him in 2019 on X Factor: Celebrity

2021

Lewis was rumoured to be dating Camila Kendra and she supposedly posted photos from his Colorado home

2022

Lewis told Vanity Fair that he hasn't been in a serious relationship since Nicole and is focusing on himself

"I really wanted to go through a growth process of getting myself to a point where I'm happy on my own, comfortable in my space. So that if I ever do meet someone, it's an addition, rather than 'I need you in my life'."

2023

Nicole got engaged to Thom Evans

Shortly after articles more strongly linked Lewis to Shakira, although they had been spending time being "fun and flirty" together for a while

[tomorrowxtogether]

TOMORROW X TOGETHER’s Beomgyu Is Finding Joy Everywhere

Beomgyu reflects on how TXT has evolved over the years and life in the spotlight

“It’s been a perfect day so far,” Beomgyu announces as he takes his seat in an Osaka, Japan hotel room. It’s a sunny day, near lunchtime, and while the members of TOMORROW X TOGETHER don’t have a concert the day we meet, there’s still plenty on the agenda for the bandmates (this solo interview included) as they prepare for tomorrow’s show.

If the day’s schedule feels daunting at all, Beomgyu, who is essentially the middle child of the five-member group, doesn’t show it. He seems genuinely happy to chat, happy to be on tour, and happy to reflect on the factors that coalesced to get TXT to this point in their career. In fact, the longer the day goes on, the more enthusiasm Beomgyu seems to have.

Beomgyu was known as the “mood maker” of the team for a long time, a phrase mostly used in K-pop to designate a group member who can be counted on to energize everyone around them. “I always think I should pay back all this energy and love,” he says, nodding as he speaks, his shaggy black hair swishing in front of his eyes. “So I try to do that.”

These days, though, he doesn’t feel as much responsibility to set the tone. “The joy that I get the most in my everyday life is my members,” he explains. “Recently, all the members have become mood makers.” Beomgyu notes that his fellow TXT members (Soobin, Yeonjun, Taehyun, and Hueningkai) tend to see each other more often than they see their biological family these days. “I think we were close to being best friends before, but now I think we are a true family,” he says with a smile.

The group is on the road right now for the “ACT: SWEET MIRAGE” tour (secure tickets here), and Beomgyu shares that prior to 2022’s “ACT: LOVE SICK” tour, he didn’t get nervous in the moments right before the band steps onstage, when the crowd’s anticipation reaches thunderous levels. This year, though, the scale has increased: “Now, since the stages got bigger, and the venues got bigger, and I have to fill up a bigger stage, I think there is more pressure. I try to change the pressure into good nerves.”

Like the mood maker aspect of TXT’s group dynamic, the members share responsibilities musically, too; they each sometimes sing and sometimes rap, and all are very strong dancers. Beomgyu’s deeper, huskier voice is easy to identify in the mix. The story goes that when he first appeared on the radar during a talent search, staff members at the former Big Hit Entertainment (now HYBE) were willing to travel to Beomgyu’s hometown of Daegu, South Korea to complete his audition since he was nervous about missing school. They weren’t going to let a talent like this get away, even during exam week.

There’s a concept in K-pop called “duality,” and Beomgyu is considered a prime embodiment of this phenomenon. The term refers to the switch some artists can pull off between their onstage and offstage personas; Beomgyu’s reputation when spending time with his members is sillier and goofier than the sharp, poised identity he can assume in front of audiences or the camera.

What’s even more fascinating is the way he can transition back and forth between the two: During the concert at the Maruzen Intec Arena in Osaka, Beomgyu sections off part of the crowd near him and leads them in spontaneous choreography with their bright, glittering lightsticks. To an outsider, the audience members appear so coordinated that they might assume Beomgyu had planned this moment ahead of time; in reality, the onlookers are just that locked in when he stands before them. They’d follow him anywhere. Moments later, still giggling as the next song begins, Beomgyu slips back into professional mode without batting an eye.

Beomgyu clearly finds joy onstage, but he also revels in the magic of songwriting. He’s not the sort of creative that keeps a notebook of ideas, he explains, but rather the kind that has to let inspiration strike. “I have to walk the corridors or watch the sunset, and then I go into the studio right away and do all nighters for two or three days,” he shares. “I someday want to write a song that solely has my story and my vibe.”

Throughout the “ACT: SWEET MIRAGE” tour, the members have been performing a currently unreleased song called “Blue Spring,” which Beomgyu says “incorporates the stories of all the members.” By the end of the global trek, as audiences continue to familiarize themselves with the song, he’s hopeful that the crowd will be singing the lyrics back at full volume. In the meantime, though, his priorities are set: “I just want to pull off a really perfect show with my members,” he says.

As for what Beomgyu envisions beyond the working world in which the five members are so enmeshed, he’s content taking it day by day. “My goal is living happily and finding small happinesses,” he says before pausing, thinking about a time even further down the road. “Maybe one day I can open my own coffee shop and live quietly.”

[asteria7fics]

I see like no Wendy content😔🙏 can we pretty please have headcanons abt her😻

🏳️‍🌈 A sexuality headcanon

🏳️‍⚧️ A gender headcanon

🧸 A headcanon about their childhood

👻 A headcanon about what scares them

🎶 A headcanon about music

👽 A headcanon about a weird quirk of there

💝 A headcanon about their love language

🫂 A friendship headcanon

💔 An angsty headcanon

🪢 A headcanon about their family

📓 A headcanon about their hobbies

👗 A headcanon about their clothes

🔪 A headcanon relating to fighting/violence

🌟 A headcanon about their desires/wishes

🍫 A headcanon about food

🎭 A headcanon about what they lie about

❤️‍🔥 A romantic headcanon

💄 An appearance headcanon

🖕 A headcanon relating to anger

😬 A headcanon about the worst thing they’ve done

😶 A random headcanon

(I’m srry for giving u so many‼️) -😨

Wendy is SO under represented in the fandom!! Outside of her relationship with Stan at least, but I personally think she’s too interesting to be reduced to his future housewife (or just an obstacle for Kyle)!

Barely spoilers for EWILY under the cut, just including this in case anyone wants to go into the fic totally blind.

🏳️‍🌈 - Wendy is a severely closeted bisexual, with a strong preference for women. You’ll probably find that I head canon most of the kids as being either bi or pan, but with specific leanings to either end of the spectrum. Just some of my personal view on sexuality that I won’t get into here ahaha

🏳️‍⚧️ - Cis woman, though I do think she would lean into some degree of flexibility in her gender expression as she gets older.

🧸 - Wendy had a very happy and healthy childhood, all things considered. I do think she went through a phase of wanting a sibling when she was maybe 6 or 7, but filled that void pretty quickly via her friendship with Bebe.

👻 - Failure, and not being good enough. She’s constantly being made aware of what an uphill battle it will be to become a successful woman in our extremely patriarchal society, and she’s under a lot of pressure to prove herself. Truthfully, having to deal with Cartman has probably been great practice for her! But I think this fear also speaks to why she struggles to let Stan go; by not still trying to help him, she feels like she’s failing him.

🎶 - Though growing up Wendy listened to whatever was popular, as she’s gotten older her music taste has gotten a little pretentious. Lots of indie artists on her playlist, and I think she probably enjoys jazz and classical inspired sounds the most.

👽 - I’m not sure if it qualifies as a quirk, but Wendy does very few things casually. She’s the kind of person that will annotate a book she’s just meant to be reading for fun, with detailed analyses of the book’s themes and recurring metaphors.

💝 - Wendy is a mixture of quality time and acts of service. You may be able to gather why she and Stan break up so damn often.

🫂 - I think Wendy maintains friendships very well, and can jump social circles without much issue. However, her best friend in the whole world has been, and always will be Bebe. They’re pretty different people on the surface, but they have a bond that runs so deep it would be extremely painful to separate them.

💔 - She hides it fairly well behind a pretty smile and good grades, but Wendy is a MESS!! Like, if you guys think the Style angst in EWILY is rough, you just wait till I get around to writing Wendy’s side of the story. I-… don’t wanna say any more than that, heh.

🪢 - Wendy’s pretty close with her mom, but I think she’s not as close with her dad. Partially because he isn’t crazy about Stan (for understandable reasons) and partially because he strikes me as kind of a dick, in only the way that dads can be sometimes. They still love each other though, and their relationship will improve as she gets older.

📓 - I don’t get to explore this much in EWILY, but Wendy stays very busy! As I said previously she does read for fun, and she’s also a bit of a cinephile (something she and Stan bonded over, to an extent), but I also think she would participate in tons of other after school activities to keep herself occupied. Student government obviously, on top of cheerleading, field hockey, glee club, the list could go on. And of course, when she’s not doing all of that she’s hanging out with Bebe and the girls! Or Stan, I guess.

👗 - Dark academia queen, with a hint of twee I fear. Lots of pleated skirts and v-neck sweaters, Peter Pan collared dresses with tights, sensible sneakers or penny loafers. Hints of pinks and yellows, but her favorite color to wear is purple.

🔪 - Look, she can’t afford to get anything put on her permenant record so Wendy left her fighting days in elementary school. However she WOULD fuck a bitch up if tested, but nobody really messed with her after that whole fight with Cartman… and the, uh, entire war where she beat the shit outta several boys with her silly plastic sword.

🌟 - Wendy is very focused on proving herself, and I don’t think she truly stops to consider what it is she actually wants until she’s out of high school and able to thrive in a new and more comfortable environment. Her largest goal in life though is to make meaningful change that benefits humanity. Awww what a good kid.

🍫 - While not picky per se, Wendy does her best to be healthy. She’s a really athletic and busy person, so she gets up early to make herself a balanced breakfast and will sometimes bring her own lunch to school if what’s on the menu is particularly unhealthy. She does, however, never pass up Taco Tuesday.

🎭 - Being happy with Stan :-) And being straight :-)))))

❤️‍🔥 - As much as she tries to be highly logical, she’s a total hopeless romantic. Loves love, and loves to be in love. Sometimes it becomes a bit of a distraction for her, but she gets better at balancing these parts of her life with age.

💄 - I haven’t gotten a chance to post any of the sketches I’ve done of Wendy yet, but I picture her as being fair skinned with soft, delicate features. She’s pretty slender, and on the shorter side compared to the other girls. She also probably wears minimal makeup, maybe just some concealer to hide when she’s had a sleepless night. Oh, and she’s kept her hair pretty short ever since The Great Chop during The War of Trojans.

🖕 - Oooh Wendy is second only to Kyle in the anger department, let’s be so honest. And maybe Cartman? Though 9/10 times he’s the reason anyone’s pissed off in the first place, so we’re not counting him here. Wendy’s a passionate rager, meaning she gets pissed off about things that matter deeply to her, or when she sees blatant injustice in the world.

😬 - Aaahahaha, breaking Stan’s leg wasn’t great!! But, well, I think perhaps her most selfish move is yet to come. Stay tuned!

😶 - Sometimes when she’s sleeping alone she still cuddles with an old stuffed animal, especially when she’s feeling especially lonely (i.e. on the tail end of another messy breakup). She would never do this in front of anyone though, not even Bebe. She’s a little embarassed to show anything close to a sign of weakness, or a reminder that there’s still a little girl in her.

Whew!! Alright, I’m pretty sure I got them all, but let me know if I missed any! I really had to think about some of these, so thank you for giving me the chance to explore Wendy more than I’ve been able to!

Also, if you enjoy the way I write Wendy then hopefully you’ll enjoy a little something I’m cooking, just for her! (It’s in the crock pot though kids, slow cooking for as long as possible!)

Thank you for sending me more of these!!

[purplesurveys]

1841

What's the most worthwhile thing you've done in the last year? I've mentioned it to death at this point, but traveling to Thailand with my friends and seeing Yoongi in concert before he went off to military service. It was the first accessible tour BTS had (the previous ones were all in the US), and my friends and I needed it to happen for us.

What foods make you want to gag? I have a strong stomach when it comes to food and typically have no problem with textures, smells, all that stuff...my biggest issue is not liking fruits, but they're not necessarily something I gag over. I just don't like how they taste.

Do you consider yourself to be organized? Like what I've said before, I'm a messy kind of organized so idk where that falls under. I can be careless when placing things but I always remember where everything is.

Have you ever made out with someone? Yes.

What time do you get sleepy? Usually around 1 or 2 AM.

What music do you listen to? I nearly exclusively listen to K-pop these days.

How old were you when you started to walk? I would guess a little over 1 year old, since I have home videos from my 1st birthday party and those clips would show that I was still struggling to keep myself up. Kinda surprising and I would consider that delayed, since I have cousins who were able to walk at like 10-11 months old.

Which member of your family do you get along with the best? My sister. We have the same sense of humor and we generally have an excellent silent understanding of each other's moods.

What cheers you up when you're sad? My dogs, BTS, and wrestling. But I'm also generous towards myself - if I'm in a really down mood, I don't force myself to cheer up anymore.

What do you sleep in? My designated lounge clothes, which is really just a collection of thin, short, and airy pieces. Can't be all covered up in this tropical climate.

Have you ever tanned topless? I wouldn't want to do that. Even if you tell me I'd have an island to myself, I think I'd still be too shy to go topless.

Wear jewelry? I used to have a necklace constantly on, but I took it off a few months ago. It's sitting on my drawer for now.

What's something you've been told you're good at? Writing. And planning, in the sense of crafting PR pitches - which tbh is just an offshoot of writing as every presentation deck needs a strong and compelling narrative.

How much can you eat? Not a lot in one go; I have a very small appetite and rarely finish a full meal, unless I'm at home.

What's the furthest away you've ever traveled? Just around Southeast and East Asia.

Are you a cat or dog person? Dog!

Have you ever done drugs? Only once.

What does your room look like? It's certainly a lot homier and cozier than it used to be - a year ago we had some renovations done and upgraded my bed to a loft-style one, which was able to save a ton of space. That meant I could add some more stuff in my room that would help make it a comfier spot, so right now I have a loft bed with my work station under it, and dedicated shelves for all my K-pop merch. I also have a makeshift couch where I can hang if I don't feel like climbing up to my bed.

Recommend a really amazing book. I'd just recommend the last one I read since I don't read frequently - Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982.

Recommend a really amazing song. Wild Flower by RM or First Love by Suga. Amygdala by Suga is also good.

Recommend a really amazing movie. Steve Jobs.

Who's your favorite actor/actress? Kate Winslet and Audrey Hepburn.

Have you ever run away from home? No.

Do you exercise ever? The lack of exercise I do I make up for by walking as much as I can and as far as I can. I recently learned that I have low blood pressure, so that has explained a lot for me as far as why I seem to hate exercising so much.

Do you like your hair, the way it is and the colour? It has its good days but admittedly it's something I've been neglecting. It's way overdue for a new dye job and a major trim.

Do you have any friends named Baloo? Or is he just in the Junglebook? I don't know anyone named Baloo.

Are you a Disney movie fan? I'm not a superfan by any means, but I have my share of Disney movies that I really love.

Do you eat seafood? Yes. I had a ton of it just earlier.

When was the last time you cried? Couple of days ago, but they were good tears.

Do you have good working habits? I like to think so. I've slowed down in the last year or so and while that might give off the impression that I'm not as good as I used to be, the fact of the matter is I overworked myself to death when I was just starting out, and have simply learned how to strike the balance between setting boundaries while still performing at the quality I should be delivering.

So where the hell do you want to go in life? I just want to continue being responsible with my savings while not forgetting to enjoy life. I don't want to push myself on a leash, but I don't want to go out of bounds with my means either.

Contentment. It's a cliché answer but it's what I'm perfectly okay going for.

What are your boundaries? The only boundaries I can think of now are all work-related, but I'm glad to say I've been learning to keep those walls up and to not be a slave for my job.

What are some of the funniest things you can think of? I recently remembered the existence of the WWE musical chairs segment, and that was a treat to unlock from my memory hahaha.

What are two quirky little things about you? Thinking of 'quirky' things kinda makes me feel self-conscious, and it might be better asking someone else. What's quirky for me might just be otherwise normal without me knowing hahaha.

Are you claustrophobic? Nah not really, I don't have a lot of problem with being in cramped spaces or super crowded spots. If anything it just makes me annoyed hahaha.

Do you like getting wasted? I like getting a good amount of tipsy in that I become more extroverted and energized than usual, but I've graduated from blackout drunkenness. Not something I'd want to experience again.

List three things that you look for in a friend. Low-maintenance, on a similar wavelength humor- and vibe-wise, is talkative and likes to share stories and ask questions.

Do you prefer Angels and Airwaves or Rhianna? Rihanna.

What religion are you, if any? I haven't identified with any religion in nearly 15 years, although I was baptized as Roman Catholic and technically that's what I am.

If your house was on fire (and your family escaped), what would you save? If family already includes the dogs, I'd simply go for my phone before making my way out.

Do you have any sash belts? No.

What do you have on right now? Include everything, nail polish, makeup, etc BB cream, hair serum, t-shirt, culottes, a hair tie, glasses.

Does caffeine make you hyper? It keeps me awake and focused, but not hyper.

[writingwithcolor]

I have a black character who comes from a family of politicians (Mother and Father). I'm writing a plot where he feels a certain pressure to follow in his parents footsteps, but he really wants to do something else. Are there any specific "dream careers" i should avoid for him? I was originally thinking of making him love animals to the point of wanting to be a vet, or maybe enjoying the science side of things, or maybe wanting a career in philosophy, since that's a big part of his character.

Career Choices for your Black Character

All your ideas are great. Career with animals, STEM, philosophy…any of them would be wonderful. I feel as if there isn’t a lot of representation of Black people in those mentioned careers. Pick what you think best suits your character.

When choosing a career for a Black person, there is very little to “avoid” outright in my opinion. Whether you make them an artist, chef, explorer, plumber, doctor - whatever career you think of, I can bet there’s probably not a lot of representation there.

Now, there are a couple exceptions. These careers are not off-limits, but there’s some context to understand.

Careers to choose thoughtfully 

Hospitality 

There is a trend of typecasting Black people in caregiver roles. Think nanny, housekeeper, janitor, etc. This typecast often affects Latine people and other POC as well. Such careers may also draw comparisons to servitude. 

Historically, these careers hold power dynamics - aka being “the help” for, most often, well-off white people. There were times when these were the main jobs Black people could get. 

And it was take it or leave it, if you wanted to support your family.

Takeaways

Yes, there is nuance and power dynamics to consider, but these are still valid careers for anyone. 

These jobs require an array of hard and soft skills. There’s a talent for cleaning or properly caring for children. So when portraying people in these roles, it should be given the proper respect. These aren’t easy jobs!

Some of these jobs can pay well. Of course, this may vary by region and employer. Personally, I know a couple of janitors (Midwest, USA) who do very well for themselves. 

Such roles and power-dynamics balances out even better when you have folks who can answer for themselves, can or are empowered to accept or reject jobs, and aren’t at the mercy of disrespectful clients. 

For example: 

Business owners (Perhaps someone who owes a housekeeping company, a daycare etc.)

Self-employed individuals 

Directors, leads, managers, or supervisors

Employees at companies that don’t follow “the customer is always right” like policies

Do not define characters by their jobs. Just because they serve people for work doesn’t make them subservient or that they live to serve in all areas of life. People have lives and personalities outside of their job. 

Physical labor jobs

Roles related to physical strength and labor, such as carpenters, construction, contractors, laborers, may have similar connections to servitude with the addition of aiding the Strong Black Person role, typically aimed at men in this case. 

Takeaways

The details I used to describe in hospitality roles can apply here. 

Despite any “snooty” social associations, these are in fact skilled jobs that require a lot of talent, bodily-kinesthetic and spatial intelligence. 

It’s another job type that folks can make good money in (again, may depend on location, roles, etc.). Either way, the skills that come with their work are highly admirable, sought after and needed in our societies.

Again - What you’ll want to avoid here is making someone their job. Just because they do physical labor in their jobs does not mean they’re “Strong” in every other way. People are not invisible and without emotional vulnerability.

Music and Entertainment

When people want to create a successful Black character, the first thought is often the entertainment industry. That is, creators and entertainers of all kinds. From athletes, comedians and musicians. 

This is where the line between stereotype and culture can get confusing. For many Black people, creativity and striving for excellence in these areas is inherited. There’s cultural significance to many art forms that is passed down through generations and stoked by the community. Let’s take the appreciation and talent for music as example. Songs and spirituals are historically part of the culture. It involved over time into many styles, and you’ll see the touch of Black excellence in so many music genres! So overall interest is passed on and cherished, leading many Black folks predisposed to flourish in these talents.

Takeaways

Like the other roles, It’s okay to portray Black people in these roles. Oftentimes, there’s a certain cultural / community appreciation that is fed, leading to many talented Black artists of all kinds. 

This isn’t to say everyone is musically, athletically or overall creatively gifted. So, as always, you shouldn’t equate being Black for the reason someone is gifted or meant for any role (e.g. He’s Black, so he has to be naturally good at basketball!)

I must reiterate yet again: People are not their jobs. Just because someone’s a performer doesn’t mean they lead their lives to entertain and create for others at all times. 

A note on sports

I did want to mention sports related careers, such as football and basketball players. There’s a bit of Black people are Strong / naturally athletic “Positive” typecasting that happens here. This makes athletes a go-to role for Black people, particularly men.

Avoid choosing such roles simply because you think they are the only ones that should naturally a Black man or person. While there’s plenty of athleticism there, which again, may be encouraged and fed by society, it doesn’t define a whole race or race/gender.

Overall takeaway

1) The job is not the person

When choosing a career for your Black character, the important thing is that their personality and life is not defined by the role. 

Just because you’re in a hospitality role doesn’t mean you’re subservient or submissive, no matter what you do for the job (in exchange for money, at that). And just because your job requires physical labor doesn’t mean you are invincible and emotionally strong at all times.

2) Don’t typecast your character

Do not give any role to a character of any group because “it makes the most sense because they’re Black / Chinese / Insert race here!” No one group is a monolith. So while I don’t feel there’s off-limits careers for Black characters exactly, just keep in mind that you’re choosing a career that suits the person. Not what you think should suit them because they’re Black.

It’s great to explore roles that Black people are underrepresented within, in real life and media, instead of the ones we tend to see in abundance or because they fit what we're told is the natural role for certain people.

~Mod Colette

[spacegayover]

Victoria De Angelis translated interview with Elle magazine

13th may 2021

what bothered you when you were a child?

Strict distinctions between boys and girls didn't sit right with me: when I was six I started to reject all "feminine things": I went skateboarding, I had short hair, I dressed up as a tomboy. I didn't wear skirts, not because I didn't like them, but because I wanted to claim the chance to be myself. Rock music embodied that burst of freedom.

a bass player must have a slightly subversive soul

Kim Gordon and Sonic Youth inspired me: at the time rock music was a male world, she didn't care and destroyed all stereotypes of beauty. There was something aggressive and rough in his way of being on stage, but she won the heart of thousands of people through her instrument.

"Avete vent'anni" it's a new album with more than 100 millions streams, the first tour dates are sold out. Too much pressure?

Before I let myself be scared of the commitments and sense of responsibility that took me away from my home and friends and my routine. It made me anxious to know that many people were counting on us. now I know how to handle anxiety better, even because this life gave me something I always dreamt about: indipendence

someone says that behind the scenes the leadership is yours

Everyone has their role, but we exchange them, we aren't competitive. I mean, I am, but only in board games: In order to win, I cheat too.

strong is the new pretty: do you agree with this slogan?

Some people see in a strong or powerful woman a kind of ransom, the answer to an idea of fragile feminity, but is the alternative really its opposite? A strong woman is a good sign but I think there is space and beauty in every morale/mood and condition.

do you like yourself?

I'm working on it. I have my moments, like every adoloscent. I was once more insecure. Makeup and dresses help me feel more comfortable, cooler, but I also have moments when I'd stay in overalls all day. In those cases I try to give myself strength and remember that I can have a nice day even without makeup and with messy hair.

without the need for masks?

I consider myself a sincere person, at ease with all my flaws. I wear them on stage, makeup and costumes. With the lights and the stage they help to create an imaginary: we work hard on it.

behind the mask not even a crack?

I have learned not to hide the things that make me suffer the most

which ones?

Panic attacks. I was a carefree girl, but when I was 14 y.o. I found myself not wanting to leave the house anymore, I missed a year of school. There was something broken inside of me and I didn't know how to fix it. Before I was ashamed, now i don't need to hide it anymore.

how did you get out of it?

Thanks to therapy, my family and friends, but it's still alone that you learn to manage certain chasms.

did the music and the band help you?

Of course. We are a group, we are friends and we live everything together. But we are four different individuals: everyone has their own fears and ambitions.I consider these professional and personal achievements first and foremost mine: I've been dreaming about them since I was little

how do you see yourself in twenty years?

Damn... Better at playing bass?

[floraltypes]

Old Beginning Pt. 2

pairings - aaron hotchner x reader, jethro gibbs x reader

chapters - one 

summary - the news of a dinner party arrises, but there are some little challenges before the actually night

wc - 3k

an - sorry this took awhile, my summer is over and my writing schedule will be a little wonky now. i’m taking a break from answering requests, so I apologize if I haven’t answered yours, but i eventually will

Penelope and you both looked back at Aaron, taken back by his repeating of the word ‘boyfriend’. You didn’t plan on telling people so soon, considering he was your boss from your old line of work.

“I want to know everything about him, you have to invite him!” Penelope quickly went back into her loud chatting, attracting other faces at her comment. “I also may have mentioned to some of the team that you do have a boyfriend, it just slipped! You know I can’t keep secrets!”

“It’s okay, Pene,” You smiled softly. “I can’t invite him though, you know, since I’m not the one holding the dinner event.”

“You can invite your partner, everyone else can as well, considering it is a catch up,” Dave walked over, a cup of coffee in his own hand as he used the other to scratch at his stubble. “I’ll even invite the woman I’ve been seeing. Feel free to all bring a plus one, I have enough room and everyone deserves a taste of my Italian dishes, will change their lives.”

“Thank you, Rossi, but I simply can’t. It’s so soon, and he’s such a busy man,” You laughed, waving your hand. “It was a kind gesture though.”

“L/n, don’t tell us you’re embarrassed to show your new boyfriend to us?” Derek walked back over, poking your shoulder. “Penelope told all of us down here, just wanted to wait and see when you would tell us.”

“I’m not embarrassed, that’s absurd. He’s truly busy.”

“Invite him, I’ll make sure Will comes and hire a babysitter for Henry, so that we can truly have a adult night,” JJ chuckled. “Everyone is bringing a date, so it would be odd if you didn’t.”

“Actually, I don’t have a partner at the moment due to how invested I am in my studies and the factors of that many young woman my age only focus on the factor of conventional attractiveness rather then the complexity of brains and deep-”

“Don’t worry, Spencer, if you don’t have a date, then I’ll just bring two,” Emily joked. “You don’t need a date, I’m not bringing one either, but Y/n is for sure.”

“I’ll be like the tw-”

“You are dating someone, we aren’t, so you’ll bring that someone. Come on, L/n,” Emily continued on, grabbing your hand and pulling you away. “I’ll walk you out,” She turned back to wink at her coworkers, leading you to the elevator and soon the parking lot.

“Aaron,” Rossi looked towards his friend, a man who had his glare fixated on your exiting figure. “Will you bring Beth, the more the merrier.”

“Yeah, I suppose I will,” He answered, retrieving his cellphone from his pocket, pulling up her contact picture, thumb hovering over the call button. “Let’s finish up this work, so we call all get home.” He shoved it back in his pocket, commanding everyone else while moving back up the stairs to his office.

Meanwhile, you were outside of your car, looking at Emily still was right by your side.

“Bring your boyfriend,” She commented, watching as you fished for your keys and unlocked your car. “I want to meet him, I haven’t really talked to you in a long time.”

“We’re both so busy. Him as well.”

“Seriously, Y/n, I’m not gonna ease up on you. I’ve noticed the new tint in your eye, new considering the last time it was severely dulled. It’s amazing to see your real smile again, you closer to your old self despite the past losses. He really has helped you, so I want to meet the man who helped my dear friend so much.”

You contemplated her kind words, getting down to the point that everyone probably was happy to see you again, yourself physically and mentally.

“I’ll call him, see if he can come. Can’t promise anything, his work is very important to him, so if it needs him he’s there.”

Emily smiled widely, leaning over to kiss your cheek before you moved to open the front door and start your car.

“Great, I’m actually bringing someone. Poor Spencer might be the only one.”

“Aaron is as well?”

“Hotch, yeah,” She laughed. “Meet her at some track meet he had, Jack really likes her.”

“That’s good, I’ll see you soon then,” You smiled, shutting the door as Emily watched you back out, waving a small goodbye.

Leaving the facility, while at a stop light, you found your flip phone, finding the contact of Jethro and quickly dialing the number.

“Gibbs,” He answered.

“Hey, are you on a case?”

“No, are you driving?”

“Yes, safely. What are you doing? Building a boat,” You chuckled, imagining him in the basement with the tool and sweaty shirt.

“Yeah. Did you meet up with your old team today?”

“Mhm, all surprised to see me today. It was humorous in a sense. But, Rossi invited me and everyone to a dinner, telling us to bring a partner.”

“Who are you planning on bringing?”

“You.”

“So, we’re being more public with our relationship?”

“Just with the old team, my old team, they don’t have contact with anyone apart of NCIS, or at least not personal only professional.”

“I thought you were going to come and see me, instead of making me drive,” You could almost sense his smile on the other line, a mocking one.

Gibbs would obviously accept the offer, the man truly holding a strong affection for you, a soft spot personally for you, so he would agree to drive the hour or two.

But just because he would, it doesn’t mean he didn’t have to mess around a bit, act like he wouldn’t.

“I know, but then you can see my new apartment. And after this weekend, who knows when we’ll be able to see each other again. Both of our jobs involved sporadic cases that start and end at no specific time, hard to plan around. And, everyone is pressuring me to meet you.”

“I’m already popular, huh?”

“I suppose,” You huffed, rubbing your temple, exhaustion starting to take over you, wanting to get some rest, a calming bath to combat earlier feelings that seemed as if they were creeping up once again.

“I’ll come, don’t worry. Get home safe, call me when you have the address and date.”

“Okay, bye.” You hung up, tossing the phone onto the empty seat as you continued to drive, playing the music from the CD already inserted in your car.

Time leading up to the dinner seemed to fly by, especially considering that it wasn’t much time and you weren’t having to work. You decided to take the free time to get fully settled in, figure out your nerves, make a phone call to your therapist, and even read. Trying to get prepared for all the days that are to come.

Your hair was now being changed from its normal du to a new one, fancier in a sense. Applying a nice coat of makeup, new lip color, trying a new pallet and the old eyelash curler that hasn’t been used in a while, you finished ‘upgrading’ your face. A outfit was simple, considering you didn’t have many fancy ones, so with not much to choose, it was a quick decision.

Sliding that on and fixing the straps to be a bit tighter, messing with the bra to fit correctly, and pulling it down a bit, you grabbed your go to purse, shoving needed materials a into it as you moved to the kitchen.

Within the kitchen, there was a certain door within the wall of the pantry with a password. Quickly typing in the combination the door swung open, choosing between a small but handy knife, you put in the pocket of your bag.

You weren’t too worried about dangers at the dinner, but with years of catching/fighting murders, specific people after you, and even very powerful assassins, you carried certain weapons for safety.

Hearing the sturdy knock of someone’s knuckles on your front door, you rushed to shut the the secret door in the pantry, heading to your front door where someone was waiting.

A quick peak through the hole, your eyes widened in surprise and opened the door, allowing the man to walk in.

“I wasn’t expecting to see you, till uh, later tonight,” You mentioned, looking him up and down to see him more dressed up. “Are you not able to attend anymore?”

“No, I’m still going,” Hotch denied, sliding off his shoes and following you to the couch. “I just wanted to chat before than, a chance for just the two of us.”

“Is something wrong?” You walked over to your teapot, filling it with water, and placing it on your stove, heating up the water. “This is very unexpected.”

“Nothing is wrong. I just want to talk to you, see the apartment, hear what’s new with you.”

“Things,” You shrugged. “Obviously I’ve had a new job experience, similar in ways and also not. Grew closer with a new group of teammates, people, lost a few. Yeah, lost a few,” You repeated, remembering Jenny Shepard, even Kate, both amazing women, who did amazing things.

“That’s always hard, I guess my most recent loss was Haley,” Aaron hummed, soon the kettle making a high pitched noise, you rushing to take it off and grab some tea bags.

“She was also a amazing woman. Wonderful mother, cared so much for that little boy.”

“She really was.”

“Did you come to chat about her, it’s been a while since we had. Last time we really talked was five months after she passed, after the funeral.”

“It really has been that long?” Aaron questioned, taking the tea that you time handed him. “But it’s not the reason I came. I should have made more of a effort to keep in touch, after your transfer, after your loss.”

“You stayed with me for three months, allowing to lose some time with your son so you could change my dirty sheets and pick up all my snotty tissues,” You laughed, sitting down across from him with your own cup. “You had to get back to your family, make up for loss time.”

“You still helped me with my divorce during that time, and I still saw Jack,” He reminded you.

“I could’ve moved in with my father, but you allowed me not to do that.”

“Your father is a good man, but might not be the best to live with,” He laughed, a deep chuckle, something you didn’t see much. “You look nice.”

“Now you just notice,” You chuckle, taking another sip. “Thank you, you look nice as well. I was actually just going to call Jethro and tell him to meet me there, a bit of a drive and he isn’t happy about having to find a new team,” You spoke freely, feeling comfortable with the old friend, one you used to spill everything to years ago, him ranting to you too.

“Jethro? He has his own team? Sounds like a boss of some type.”

“Uh, technically. It’s complicated. I need to get going, to make it to the dinner on time and, finish, um, cleaning up my room before leaving.”

“I could take you there.”

“No thanks, I’ll see you there, bye.” You helped guide him to the door, a curt wave before he exited and shut it, locking it in a rush and moving back to the dining room table to clean the mugs.

You didn’t want to tell him all that, always insecure due to Gibbs being the prior boss of you and how people looked at that. Rumors were always spread about your and Aaron’s relationship, mostly about it being romantic.

Joining the team, you two easily hit it off due to your personalities. Always being filled with determination and stubbornness, refusing to give up till everything was done and right, even with files. Eventually you joined together, talked, spent most days with each other due to cases, and truly gained a very close friendship.

When rumors were getting around, glares were thrown your way, comments, left out by members who weren’t your immediate teams. People thought you were the cause of Haley and Aaron’s divorce, somehow word got around quickly, drama always does.

It was frustrating, already dealing with many different things at home, and even being in a relationship, it put so much unneeded stress and anxiety onto you.

So, getting into a relationship with Gibbs was a very reluctant thing on your part, he expressed his feelings first, but it was hard to accept them, despite the nerves he faced to do it.

Locking up the apartment, having all of your items with you, you made your way out the door and too your car, starting the drive to David’s house.

Upon arriving, you could hear light chatter in the home, lights on, and soothing music playing in the background. It sounded like everyone was having their fun, you couldn’t make out all the shadows of everyone indoors, just waiting outside for Jethro to arrive.

“Y/n?” You turned around at the sound of his voice, keys jingling in his hands as he walked up to you with a sly smile, shoving them in his pockets to place his arms around your waist. “What’s wrong, love?” Be snaked them around, a kiss to your somewhat clothed shoulder.

“Nothing, just a bit nervous to introduce you to everyone,” You smiled back at him, he squeezed a little tighter, catching your lips in a quick kiss. “Looking at your team, yet?”

“Nevermind that,” He grumbled, removing his hands to now interlace your left one with his right. “We should go in, right?”

“Maybe we could head back, to my place, say you are sick or something?” You looked back at him with a pleading look, to which he just chuckled at, starting to move to the front door, pressing the doorbell as you groaned a little.

“You’ll be fine,” He looked back at you as Rossi answered the door, cheerful smile on his lips, glass of scotch in hand as he moved out of the way to let you in.

“Ah! Y/n!” He cheered, leaning over to kiss your cheek and then pulled back. “Glad you made it! This must be…”

“Y/n! Oh where is the man?” Penelope rushed in, coming right by you with her own fruity drink, then leaning to whisper in your ear. “Is this him, oo!”

“Uh, Jethro that’s David,” You pointed to the man who first greeted you, him and Jethro shaking hands. “This is Penelope, the one kind of like Abby,” You smiled, as she gave you a little look, turning back and enveloping him in a little hug. She quickly turned back to you.

“He looks a little intimidating,” She whispered as you just laughed.

“For sure,” You nodded.

“Can I offer you a drink?” David turned to you two, gesturing to the one in his hand. “Something like Garcia for you Y/n, and what about you Jethro?”

“Just call me Gibbs, and yeah that’s fine,” He corrected Rossi, taking your hand as the two of you walked more inside of the magnificent house.

It truly was so well designed, very expensive, and the appetizers adorning the oak wood table looked very delicious. You wanted to go and grab a bite, before you were actually led to the living room where everyone was currently sitting.

“L/n, finally made it,” Derek laughed, beer in his hand as he pointed at you with a little chuckle. “You always know how to be a bit late.”

“Fashionably late, I believe that’s what it’s called,” JJ corrected them with her own wine glass in hand, Will sat right besides her on one of the couch as most of them in that room joined in laughter.

“What can I say?” You laughed, walking over, feeling less nervous with the factor of introducing your boyfriend, taking a seat on another couch in the large room, Jethro automatically sitting right besides you.

“So, introduce us,” Emily motioned over to Jethro, sly smile playing on her lips.

“This is Jethro, but he goes by Gibbs, and, uh, this is the team,” You started to name everyone off while pointing to them, leaving off a few names due to your members introducing their own partners to you.

Emily, Derek, and JJ had all brought partners. Spencer and Penelope decided to ‘go together’ as if they were partners, and Hotch hadn’t arrived yet. Rossi also had his girlfriend helping him cook in the kitchen, making drinks for you and Gibbs now.

“So, you work at NCIS, right?” Spencer questioned. “The Naval Criminal Investigative Service, very interesting considering the type of crimes you investigate. I would love to hear more about some of your cases and how you went about it,” Spencer smiled, a small notebook being pulled out of his pocket with a pen.

“Yeah,” Gibbs just nodded, looking at you a little questioning, which you just chuckled at.

“Why should we talk so much about work, it’s something we all do too much of,” You joked, everyone laughing, as Dave came back out, handing some drinks.

“Fine, fine, what do you do for fun Mr. Gibbs?” Derek asked, putting a arm over the couch and pulling his girl closer to his side, the woman just on her phone.

“I like to build boats, a type of hobbie I’ve been doing for years.”

“Building boats? Where?” Will wondered, intertwining his fingers with JJ.

“My basement, a private workspace.”

“How do you get it out then?” Penelope inquired, now back by Spencer and her face in her hand, leaning closer to show her interest in Gibbs statement.

“I’d be no fun if you knew that,” He shrugged, taking a drink with a small smile as Penelope gasped, Emily mouthing how ‘I like him’. It was sweet how everything was going well.

They all continued to converse with Gibbs, easily accepting him apart of the conversation, it was sweet and you were now on your second drink, practically all nerves gone.

“Sorry we’re late,” A voice mentioned in the hallway, dressed in a fine suit with a beautiful woman standing besides him. He shrugged off the last of his coat as he hung it up, taking her hand and walking into the hallway a little.

“This is such a nice place, Aaron. Oh! Your friend, wow, so grand,” The woman admired, now truly getting in your line of sight.

“Yeah,” He mumbled, eyes interlocking with yours before falling onto Gibbs. “I’m Aaron, call me Hotch.”

“I’m Gibbs,” Your boyfriend stood up, moving over to the other man with his hand stuck out. “Call me that.”

You had a feeling this evening wouldn’t be as smooth as you hoped.

——————

taglist - @wolviesbabes @hotch-meeeeeuppppp

(comment to be added, or a tag list for all my gibbs post)

[eerna]

When I first played botw back in 2017, I was actually scared that once you reached the castle and beat ganon, Zelda would also be a ghost like the champions, this idea was so heartbreaking to me, and I also kept thinking what it would mean for Link being the only survivor, his only connection to his past and memories, the voice that first guided him to his journey, and his only hope at the end of his difficult adventure to have been gone all along...I always felt while playing that Link must have been so ecstatic and nervous at the idea of meeting the girl of his memories, having remember bits and pieces of her personality and their relationship all along his journey through Hyrule, like an Ariadne's thread and even if he doesn't remember everything, she's the only alive person that can understand his grief, about losing their friends, their families and their kingdom as they knew it, their whole roles and lives have been turned upside down, living out of their time. And she's probably the only one that can provide him some answers about his past.

But the sad truth too is the fact that the calamity causing the downfall of the kingdom and its pressure, and the loss of their "officials" positions as the Princess and as the Hero, is possibly one of the only ways they can actually be truly free and happy, I mean both Link and Zelda were suffering pre-calamity, Link stopping to express himself completely and Zelda taking out her frustration, buckling under all this pressure and expectations, I'm glad that in the end they could share their burdens together and support each other before the calamity hit, sorry I lost track a little bit but as you can see I have a lot of thoughts about these sweets children haha...

Anyway, considering all of this, this supposed ending would have been heartbreaking for Zelda, struggling so hard to reach her powers almost all her life, facing so much pressure, being forbidden to pursue her research on sheikah tech the only thing she enjoys and feel good at, and then losing everyone, betrayed by the very technology she studied, and it took almost losing Link for her powers to manifest, then right after, having to reach all alone the castle while crossing through the devastated Hyrule and Castle town, and then fighting and being stuck with a demon for an hundred years, she's honestly so strong ! Please this girl deserves an happy ending ! And just imagining Link who wrote inside his journal how much he wants to see her smile again and who listened to Kass' song, being so ecstatic to finally meet her in person after hearing so much about her, ending up all alone...

Of course he met friends throughout his journey and made connections, but he also had to remember everything that he has lost, he had to remember his friends, then going into the divines beasts with an once of hope only to find them already dead, and he also had to face everything that he doesn't remember and the fact that he must have felt grief without understanding where it came from at first and having a really big responsability uppon his shoulder as soon as he woke up...

And I think it's also part of the beauty of botw, this game make you truly enjoy the beauty of the wild, of liberty, and of life in general, a journey of rediscovering life and travelling the country, meeting and helping peoples as best as you can while also having fun shield surfing from time to time but it's also bittersweet, because this liberty is also the result of loss, and it's a constant throughout the game... The bright happiness and joyfullness is underlain with deep sadness and sorrow... And the music of the game is perfect for conveying these feelings, I just think it's truly beautiful ! Honestly if anyone tell me botw lack story, I will come for them, because the story is everywhere if you think and search enough, I don't know if it's just me but throughout the game I always imagined how Link would feel and react to everything, dialogues, memories and such, but anyway back to my first point, I was so scared to finish the game for this very reason, and I was holding my breath during the last cutscene, I'm very glad this didn't happen haha ! Zelda and Link deserve everything honestly, please Nintendo let them be happy during the sequel !

Anon, you said it all so well!!!! BotW is the epitome of contradiction. The beauty of the nature is the result of the apocalypse which caused the green to retake the carved stone. The freedom is caused by everyone who would care about titles or roles being dead. I too was terrified Zelda was going to be dead- heck, that shot in the end when she appears shrouded in light almost stopped my heart haha. They deserve to be happy and I love them and this game so much

[sunfoxfic]

Alya, Nino, and/or djwifi sugar because they own my heart

Did someone say all three?

Alya:

She's got such an eye for justice and long-term problem solving. Where Marinette looks for quick fixes, she finds solutions that will work for years to come, and in many cases tries to prevent disaster altogether. Looking for Ladybug's and later Hawk Moth's identity was born out of her trying to make things better, and she was willing to dig deep for that solution.

She's incredibly fair and patient when it comes to logical matters. When her emotions overtake her, well, there's not much to be done about that, but Alya looks for the right way to do something and sticks with it, even if she doesn't believe that's right.

Her commitment? Unparalleled. She finds something new that she likes and sticks with it until she feels confident in her knowledge. If she says something, you know she's saying it because she knows it's true.

Nino:

Look. This boy is nervous. But when it comes to Alya, he is super calm and reassuring. He always does his best to let her know that it'll be okay, that she won't be alone. And because he's there, he's always right.

He's super creative!! Boy does not get enough credit in the fandom for that! He's often characterized as a slacker or as less competent as the other core four, but honestly he seems just more selectively driven. Cinematography is hard but every project we've seen Nino working on, he seems to have a confident, strong vision for what he's doing. Boy is going places!

He also seems to pay a lot of attention?? Like, he knows Marinette's favorite music, he seems to understand more about Adrien's trauma than Adrien himself and Adrien's crush on Marinette, and he seems to know what to say to talk Alya off the edge in Lady Wifi, despite the fact that they barely know each other then. Nino is the type of person who would sit unnoticed in the back of the room because everyone underestimates him but then he comes out with Netossa in that one scene of SPOP telling everyone about their weaknesses because he knows.

DJWifi:

Every time they're together they genuinely seem to enjoy spending time with each other!! I love them! And their relationship isn't perfect as seen in Rocketear but they like each other's presence and that's what makes it so difficult for them to be breaking under pressure. Honestly it's such a nice change of pace; they have a good relationship because they like each other, and they still have problems because they're human and humans have problems, but just from looking at them you can tell how much they care for each other.

Also no one talks about this but the Fox and Turtle Miraculous seem to be, like, exact opposites? In a really nice way? The Fox creates illusions, which seem so real but aren't really there, while the Turtle creates shields, translucent, almost fake-looking, but undeniably solid and real. I feel like their powers together might be. Very strong.

And their powers seem to really balance each other out because -- wait okay I might be onto something here -- they like. So in the real world Alya seems to charge straight into things all the time even when it's directly dangerous to her. But as Rena Rouge, and especially as Rena Furtive, her best bet is to not do that; to stay out of things, to keep to the shadows. She has to learn to be indirect and sneaky. Whereas Nino tends to stay out of things, to hide or act indirectly, except as Carapace there's really no benefit to that. He has to be in the action or else his power is not useful.

That got slightly off topic so I'll do a bonus teaspoon of sugar <3

Alya and Nino are just. In sync. Constantly. They can predict what they'll do and they trust the other to be there entirely. And you just know that they spend all the time they can together, which <33 it honestly may not even be that much time, considering that they have school and families and superhero duties and all that, but they still know each other in and out and I just. Love it.

[holocene-sims]

List 5 facts about a favorite sim of yours, and send this to 10 simblrs whose sims you adore ♥♥♥

(you know i had to send this right back to you, love reading your musings on your characters 💕)

ahhh thank you for sending me this 😭❤️ and thank you for all the love for my characters! i really do appreciate it (and appreciate you, too, of course!!) 💕

i think i'm going to go a different route and take the opportunity to give some information about grandma aoife! she and grandpa joseph are both fully developed characters with entire backstories (most of which i played out in game heavily inspired by the historical legacy challenge) but sometimes idk how much i should post about them since i don't know how much people care about them 😭

bringing back this pic don't mind me

i think it comes across in the story but she's extremely caring and sweet and her biggest love language is probably acts of service tbh! she very much grew up in a household where she was constantly responsible for someone or something (either because she was the second oldest child and oldest daughter out of twelve kids or because she was tasked with helping around the house or with the grueling dairy farm work) and she has a lot of difficulty letting that part of herself go. she always feels like she should be doing stuff for people! making them food, taking care of their errands, throwing family parties, etc. trust me, she LOVES to take care of other people! she has no qualms about doing it! but she does not know how to relax

on a related note, she's always been considered by practically everyone to be the perfect daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, etc. and tbh she is probably as close to perfect as you can get, but in reality, i think she has a lot of doubts about her capabilities and does struggle with putting too much pressure on herself. related to her upbringing, clearly she was parentified but she was also raised just to be a tough, strong, unshakable woman and to not let things bother her. but she's very sensitive and emotional and things DO upset her easily. so it's difficult for her to forgive herself when she feels like she's made a mistake and she often blames herself when her loved ones suffer. a good example of this pretty much just comes from the fact that her first and oldest child (mary) grew up to be such a monster. even though that's not aoife's fault, she has blamed herself every single day for decades and she's constantly trying to figure out what she did wrong and how to make up for it. and as you might imagine, she's also eaten up with guilt about how grant and his sisters grew up, and she 100% blames herself for that as well.

light fun fact but she never changed her name when she got married and joseph was completely supportive of that! but for her, it was more of a cultural thing than caring all that much about the name itself or family ties. she just didn't want to give up her beautiful fully irish name and exchange it for an americanized one. she refers to herself often as being a callahan but she will be aoife ní shúilleabháin until the day she dies

she's very musical! she has no idea how to play an instrument but she does know how to sing and she's always been good at it. given her very traditional upbringing, of course her music/singing style of choice is sean-nós (which is absolutely gorgeous music and i 100% recommend giving it a listen 🎵)

a more ✨ fun ✨ fact is that i think she would love watching stupid reality TV shows like 90 day fiance 😭 like many cool iconic grandmothers, she does like her gossip and what is better for gossip than reality TV?! she absolutely would chat up her grandkids asking them if they saw the last episodes and what they thought about x, y, and z scenes and it would be a serious and very lively conversation

[hellcatrising]

Hi! I wanted to submit my info for a Bleach matchup

Personality: INTJ 3w4. I tend to act very arrogant and cocky as a defense mechanism. I don't like being vulnerable with people because it's not their job to worry about my problems. I come across very calm and collected and people rely on me for advice but can't let myself depend on anyone. I'm really analytical and am good at finding loopholes and working around problems under pressure. I'm not good with emotional support and can come across a little cold because of that. Under everything I think I'm very kind but feel like I burden people with my presence a lot of times. I'm a very eye for an eye perso and the way I treat people entirely depends on how they treat me. I'm not that expressive (outwardly at least because I'm actually really emotional I just hide it well) and have a hard time relaxing or enjoying things because I've been conditioned to always consider how it will look on mine and my family's reputation. I'm a perfectionist and hold myself to very high standards. I look intimidating but I'm actually just socially awkward and suck at small talk (because it seems kind of pointless to me). I also have a short temper but there's only certain specific people that can get me to actually lose my patience and explode. I don't cry or break down in front of people and people usually think I'm perfectly fine. I constantly chase perfection for myself and try to be the most idealized version of myself. I tend to act completely different in different situations because I know what personality is going to get me the best results and praise. It's exhausting but I'd be worse off if I didn't hold myself to these standards. In order for me to like or fall in love with someone I first have to actually have a certain level of respect for them which must be earned. In the “get to know" stage I subtly test the person a lot to see how they react or respond to certain things. It's like a test they don't know his happening but that will determine if our relationship is gonna go further. My love language is giving gifts but I'm not sure what my love language to receive is. Some negative traits are I try to handle everything alone, I have a big ego, and and I can be kind of mean. If I’m really invested in a competition all bets are off and I will literally do whatever I have to do to win because I believe things don’t just happen within the bounds of the rules. If I’m smart enough to bend the situation in my favor it’s fair game. Whoever I’m with is just gonna have to be able to handle that tho because even though they’re objectively negative traits, the only thing I see as negative is things that make me feel weak. I know my limits but under no circumstances can I appear weak. Since I was raised to value strength the most (if you’re strong you deserve to exist -my dad LMAO) that feels like the worst possible thing that can happen to me. I have to be the smartest and strongest person in the room always. I’d rather be hated than be weak. Whoever I end up with will also have to be very emotionally intelligent and persistent because I have a habit of pushing people away especially if I like them so it’s gonna take some work to get me to not be so prickly and guarded anymore. I kind of have a guilty until proven attitude when it comes to live so I always assume the worst and don’t trust people.

Hobbies/Likes: I love fashion and I've been a model since I was 14, I used to do pageants as a kid, I make my own music and music is probably the thing I love the most. It's really what I use to process the world so music is definitely the way to my heart. I can't play any instruments but I can sing and do digital music production. (I've always wanted to be in a rock band) I'm a good artist but I don't like doing it on a deadline (I took an AP art class back in high school and didn't draw for 2 years after it cuz I hated being forced to draw. It's like when something you like becomes a chore) I've gotten back into drawing recently tho. I've also been doing martial arts since I was 7 + fencing. I'm good at chess and poker and made money from playing/betting on games when I was younger. I also love reading.

Dislikes: Misogyny (when people especially men undermine my intelligence and experience and end up making a mistake I warned them about only to listen when another man repeats the same thing l've been saying since the beginning), big egos with nothing to back it up, people who can't keep up with me (I wouldn't want to be in a relationship with someone whose hand I have to hold all the time. They need to be on the same level/wavelength as me and not drag me down), being a coward and not standing up for your own beliefs/motives, people that are way too nice (whoever I end up with has to have a mean streak because it shows they are able to take action when needed), being self absorbed and not considering the consequences of your actions. People who have a moral superiority complex that think they're better than me for not wanting to break rules to get what they want. People who can't take responsibility for what they do (Everything I do is on purpose so even if it's a bad thing I'll admit to it because whatever happens as a result is no one's problem but my own). Although I will say there's sometimes an exception to these things depending on the person and situation.

Alright I’m sorry this took me a while to get to.... I struggled with this one. I went back and forth on it so just hear me out ok.... I’m actually a tiny bit jealous that I matched you with Byakuya  JUST HEAR ME OUT ok.........

It did NOT work out at first. I can see you HATING his guts at first because the two of you are very similar... In good ways and bad ways...But if you don’t know him, he’s literally everything you hate until you understand him a bit better. Neither of you really cared for each other’s company. He didn’t really mind being around you, but his coldness and the whole superiority thing he’s got going on.... Yeah, didn’t work. But social situations eventually forced the two of you to interact. Because you’re so much alike, other people have a similar way of avoiding the two of you - because both of you seem like you would be intimidating.  Not in a bad way, just in a way that demands respect. So this meant a lot of awkward moments together....alone. Byakuya couldn’t deny that he’d seen similar qualities in you that he had in himself after a while of working with you and once he slowly let down his walls and showed you what was inside and what his true intentions were, things started to take off. Talk about a SLOW BURN though. He’s pretty cut and dry and to the point so he could see through the tests you put out really quick and he addressed it fairly quickly. This forwardness could be taken either way, but from reading what you’ve written, I don’t think you would be taking it the wrong way? Byakuya appreciates the fact that you have a more mature way of going about things and he can certainly appreciate someone who holds themselves to a high standard, just don’t over do it to the point of exhaustion. He will make sure you get proper rest. He also appreciates your interests, music isn’t something he does, but he enjoys yours and he certainly enjoys your art. He likes to sit and do his calligraphy while you draw, this is quality time and it’s most certainly one of his love languages. He’s built up some pretty strong walls so every now and then he catches himself, being too distant or not communicating very well, and when he does catch himself he is quick to apologize to you.

[endlich-allein]

Promo "Rosenrot" (2005), Olivier Riedel and Till Lindemann — Interview by Phil Lageat and Olivier Rouhet, 05-09-2005 (Rock Hard #048)

Rock Hard : [...] At the time of interviewing Till Lindemann (vocals) and Oliver Riedel (bass) - Paul Landers and Christoph Schneider are also present, but answer other stores - several questions are bothering us... because we are worried. We start by taking news of the band, which recently canceled dates in Asia and South America.

Oliver Riedel : Till injured his knee during the concert in Gothenburg (Sweden) during a collision with Flake, hence the cancellation of the Asian dates. Then Flake caught a childhood illness. He is currently confined to a hospital bed with mumps. Not exactly dramatic, but he could only hear with one ear, which was rather annoying. So we had to postpone the South American dates. Nothing serious...

RH : The fact of recording in Berlin, and not abroad, as usual, in a short period of time, has put on the shoulders of the musicians an increased and useless pressure ?

Oliver : Yes, absolutely ! It's the first time we've recorded in Berlin, at home, and I'm not sure, looking back, that it was a good idea. Our families living nearby, we might tend to look at our watches whenever we had a break : What am I doing ? Do I take the opportunity to drop by home ? As a result, we were necessarily less focused and it was almost impossible for us to be there 100%.

Till Lindemann : More pressure ? Yes and no. Usually we like to work in a relaxed and mellow atmosphere, which we did when recording Reise Reise in Spain. In Berlin, it was quite different, because we worked 12 to 14 hours a day. And we did feel time pressures. It was a pretty intense creative process, which is why this album is quite special and out of the ordinary. I wouldn't say I'm proud of this record - it might be a bit too much - but I'm very happy with it nonetheless.

RH : [...] It seems that this extreme fatigue is not just physical. Admittedly, lately, they do a lot of albums and concerts, but we remember the tensions born during the gestation of Mutter. How can we not think, for a moment, that the Rammstein machine did not exhaust the friendship that bound the members of the group, to the point that they feel the occasional need to no longer see each other ? Have they learned to manage their friction in order to get off to a better restart ?

Oliver : It's true, I admit, we are washed out, burnt out. This is the reason why we are considering this prolonged hiatus... During the Mutter era, we did face some personal problems and we had to distance ourselves from each other. Then, we got closer and managed the conflicts that opposed us. Today, the atmosphere within the band is excellent, but we want to take this break to rest physically. In theory, we're looking at a hiatus of almost a year. But, who knows, maybe we'll meet beforehand to rehearse if the urge arises. And it is already planned that we meet to shoot two or three music videos which should illustrate the next singles of the album. To summarize, these three days of promotion, a few videos, and basta ! I love surfing and I am thinking of going around the beaches with my little van, just to see the country. Is it still possible that we go on vacation together ? (smile) No, I don't think so... Two or three of us, yes, but not the others.

RH : But let's stop complaining, and let's go back, along with Till, to his texts, often encrypted and regularly tackling “taboo” subjects (homosexuality in “Mann Gegen Mann”, our primary instincts in “Zerstören”, etc.)

Till : Journalists always want to know what is the deep meaning of my texts. Personally, I find it much more interesting that my words appeal to the imagination of listeners, that they interpret them in their own way. It is for this reason that I don't wish to submit my point of view : it would then be rehashed, no room would be left to the imagination. But back to "Rosenrot" : it is a very old word. "Reise, Reise", which dealt with the life of sailors, was also intended to be a reference to Herman Melville's novel, Moby Dick. Our choruses are always composed of simple words, but very strong, like "Sehnsucht" or "Du Hast". "Rosenrot" is color as a sign. With the Brothers Grimm, it is about a girl : in the song, the latter drops a rose from a cliff and asks her lover to go and get it back so that he can prove his love to her. But the unfortunate falls... and kills himself. Outside of Rammstein, I write collections of poems. It has nothing to do with writing song lyrics. It's not going to sound very serious, but I'm saying it anyway. Writing a poem is actually quite simple : you just have to drink a few good glasses of wine and let your imagination run wild (laughs). Writing the text of a song is much more difficult : your lyrics must stick with precise stanzas, a chorus, a metric that is imposed on you. And a guitarist just has to tell me "wait, I'm going to slip three more notes over here, so you need three more words!" And everything has to be redone... It may be that these three fucking words require me three months of work. Poetry is pure pleasure, the text of a song is real work.

RH : If there is one title that emerges from Rosenrot, it is the excellent "Te Quiro Puta", sung in Spanish. Does Till have a soft spot for South American music ? The answer may surprise :

Till : Not that I like a particular song, it's those popist salsa beats that go straight into the blood, that your body can't resist, that I like. What artists like Joachim Sabena and Manu Chao are doing is fantastic. The others like it less, but recently, in backstages, I was making them listen to Sonora Palacio, classical Chilean music, with trumpets and everything. And gradually, I ended up making them totally addicted... When will a song in French ??? Very soon, I hope ! (laughs)

© Felix Broede & Mat Hennek (2005)

[tundrainafrica]

Hi Sav. Sorry for this rather personal question, but I’ve always find you a very wise older sister. I remember you saying that you change career? I did that too, I left a very well prestigious career to another one that I felt more at ease. Have you ever regret your decision? I sometimes still think of the what if. Also, did your parents got mad at you? Do you have any life advice for this nervous mess of a person? Haha

Thanks for the question! Don't apologize for that. I'm actually touched people are actually curious about this so brace yourself for a bunch of bull shit about my life.

I remember you saying that you change career?

LMAO MY LIFE IS A MESS.

I graduated with two degrees, economics and environmental science and I decided last minute to apply to law school. Then I did a human resources job for a few months then I decided to drop law school to focus on work cause I had a job already that was offering me higher than what I would have gotten with law then I realized I kinda hated human resources and thank god they laid me off.

But here's the thing, if your first job gives you a good salary, it's pretty much smooth sailing from there because every job after that will usually do their best to beat the your first salary.

I work in business development, tech support, software testing etc. It's a job which wears a lot of hats?

And I kinda still make use of my econ degree since I trade stocks on the side.

But about environmental science, I opted not to continue with environmental science cause given the current situation in the country, I'm probably gonna get shot.

Have you ever regretted your decision?

Yes but I think given my own thinking habits, it’s kinda normal for me to think really hard about everything? Like I constantly feel like I would have done better in every single other job but you know it's that type of sadness where I'm all like sad for five seconds, I take a deep breath and I just move on.

I applied to medical tracks and law tracks even when I was in high school. I just opted not to pursue those either. I considered taking the talent test for piano in the music conservatory and I started preparing for that already and I opted not to pursue those either.

So I think about how easily my life would have changed, if I just did something differently but I don't feel really strong regret if that's what you're asking.

I wouldn't have met my boyfriend for example if I didn't take my environmental science degree. I wouldn't have joined the chess team or met my friends there if I didn't take an economics degree because the one who introduced them to me was my economics classmate.

And, yeah I probably wouldn't have gotten into Levihan in the first place or written any fanfiction if I pursued law school.

I wouldn't have met the amazing people in my company if I didn't pick that job so everything just seems to work out in the end, and when I try to assess the decisions I COULD have made, I realize, those decisions wouldn't have been me anymore because a lot of the weird decisions I have made are the reason I'm here today and I'm pretty okay with where I am.

Also, did your parents got mad at you?

My parents aren't the type to get 'mad.'

They get disappointed and they just would be glaringly not excited about what I do if I do something they don’t want me to do.

They really wanted a doctor in the family and they really wanted a lawyer too. My sister is already a doctor so there was no big pressure for me to end up a lawyer. It does kinda hurt when I hear my parents talking about all eight of their kids being successful (except me) and how they spend so much money on the education of my siblings because they HEAVILY support all their hobbies and their general fields of study.

Do you have any life advice for this nervous mess of a person?

Know what you want.

THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT. I CANNOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH. Because the last thing you want to do is be really miserable where you are. It's difficult to know what you want but I found, you can easily summarize it to something comprehensible.

Think to yourself, what is the most important things to you and rank them: Money? Family? Career? Friends? Love? Freedom? Hobbies? Bucket List? And from there, that's when you decide what type of job you're going to take or what type of field you want to get into or your plans for future studies for example.

Because unless you're REALLY lucky, you can't really have all of them, usually just one to two at a time since we all have 24 hours a day, a very mortal body etc.

And then people ask, what is the barometer of success? Money? Career? Family? Love?

It's achieving what you want and being satisfied with it. I think a happy and satisfied middle class person is miles more successful than an angry and overly resentful millionaire.

So if you wanna be successful, know what you want and value.

Have a good relationship with failure.

I think a lot of what influences people's decisions is a fear of failure or a fear of making the wrong decision but I personally found that a lot of things end up working out anyway if you just focus on the process of doing instead of the actual result.

Because all of us fail at something anyway and besides, when has nervousness or fear ever made us better decisionmakers?

Don’t be stupid with money

Do you need millions? No not really but I think how much money or savings you have will definitely impact your power to make decisions or pursue your interests or to just save yourself from completely fucking yourself over in the future so I think it's worth mentioning.

Build a credit rating as quickly as you can. Buy stuff on credit even if you know you can afford it and pay your debt on time so you can build a relationship with banks because these will be the people who will be lending you money for your house or your car. You save more money borrowing from the banks than paying off installments straight to companies.

Have money in stocks, mutual funds or other monetary instruments. Inflation happens every year and the value of the money you keep on deposit WILL go down. Your wages will not get higher as quickly as inflation applies to money so if you can, try to put money on investments if you have disposable income. My rule of thumb is try to earn at least 10% a year from monetary instruments to offset inflation

That's pretty much it, if you actually read this haha, thanks for reading I guess?

[tooruluv]

Kozume Kenma x F!Reader x Tetsurou Kuroo ( part 1 )

❝ i’m right here, when are you going to realize that i’m your cure, heartbreak girl? ❞

description: kozume kenma didn’t know the exact day in which he realized that he was in love with you. he knew very well that it was sometime after your first “hello”, but the exact moment got whisked away in the many memories that included you. the problem was, though, that you were in love with and in a serious relationship with the boy he claimed as a best friend.

genre: angst, pining, unrequited love, (characters are aged up as the story continues)

word count: 2,373

warnings/notes: hey all! this one doesn’t really have any warnings, just strong language and lots of angst. i changed up my writing style just a bit for this one, and i’m quite proud of it so please leave me as much feedback as possible!! let’s start another journey, this time with kuroo and kenma ;)

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masterlist

“ i’m right here, when are you going to realize? ”

┏━━━━━⋇⋆⋆⋇❦⋇⋆⋆⋇━━━━━┓

Kozume Kenma couldn’t pinpoint the exact day in which he realized that he was eminently in love with you. He knew very well that it was sometime after your first “hello”, but the exact moment got whisked away in the many memories that included you.

The problem was, though, that you were eminently in love with and in a serious relationship with the boy he claimed as a best friend.

The first day that Kenma met you, he had to take several seconds to process. You were the only person, the only girl, that made him have to catch his breath at the mere sight. You were brighter than the sun, shined blue like the moon. You were stunning. 

And you had your arm wrapped around Tetsurou Kuroo’s.

“Kenma!” Kuroo had called from across the room, waving at his friend. Kenma complied, phone in hand and moving through the crowds without so much as lifting an eye.

Kenma was dragged to a party with the volleyball team. It isn’t that he hated people, nor was he shy. He just didn’t see the point in pretending to enjoy something that wasn’t his thing. He never understood the desire most teens had in wanting to do stupid things and interact all of the time. It sounded exhausting. 

“Kenma, this is my girlfriend.” Kuroo introduced you. And Kenma looked up to meet your eyes.

“Hello!” You greeted with a smile. You had to talk a bit louder than normal over the party’s music. “I’ve heard a lot about you. I’m glad we finally get to meet!”

“Same.” was Kenma’s reply. Though he wanted to say more. 

As Kuroo continued to talk to the both of you, Kenma couldn’t help but watch you from his peripheral vision. You were, in simple terms, the most beautiful person he had ever met. How you managed to be so utterly taken with Kuroo he would never understand. 

You kept one hand on Kuroo’s arm the entire time. Kenma could only define his feelings as jealousy.

Of course, he pushed those feelings down. Because he couldn’t possibly be in love at first sight. To his best friend’s girlfriend, of all people. No. Absolutely not.

When Kenma retreated to a corner of the house later that night, it was you who found him and sat beside him on the floor. He looked up from his game.

“Don’t stop on my account.” You told him, pulling out your phone. “Not one for parties?”

“Never have been.” He brought his head further down to shield his face with his hair. “I’m always dragged here by the team.”

“Yeah, I’m only here to meet Kuroo’s friends.” You admitted. He didn’t know if it was true or if it was a way to initiate conversation to get on his good side for your boyfriend. Either way, he turned his head to catch your (beautiful) eye. “But he decided that trying to beat Bokuto at the keg is his mission for the night.” 

“Ah.”

With that, the both of you became closer. You met up with them at lunch, called him over discord to play games while both of you were at home. And Kenma felt himself falling harder and harder.

Oh, and he became your shoulder to cry on.

Because Tetsurou Kuroo might’ve been an amazing guy, a great team leader and captain, and an incredible friend; but he was a terrible boyfriend.

You were his first girlfriend, so there was room for learning and growth and improvement. But there were also faults in trying to build something that had no foundation.

A couple of months passed, and the honeymoon stage had come to an end, was the first fight.

The reason behind the fight was long forgotten by now, but it had to do with communication. A joke turned into seriousness that it hadn’t meant to be, and it ended in a heated argument between you both. He had ended up calling you an awful name, so you left. 

Kuroo called after you, instant regret and apologies rushing off of his lips, but you were already gone. 

You ended up at Kenma’s. You knocked on his door with tears in your eyes and on your cheeks. How could he have said no?

With a small voice, you asked, “Can we just play games, please?”

“Of course.” Kenma replied without asking anything else. 

He sat on his bed and you sat in a beanbag as you played a game on his TV. He didn’t say anything when he watched you cry silent tears. Instead, he handed you a juice and bag of chips. 

You accepted, pretending that there weren’t tears streaming down your red face. Because he knew you, and knew that if you didn’t want to talk about it, he wouldn’t pressure you to. 

“Mario Kart?” He offered. 

“Oh, you want to lose?” You quipped. A quirk in the corner of your lips. 

Even a small smile from you made him feel better. And fall harder. 

When you returned home that night, Kuroo stood in the exact spot you had left him in. He immediately sent you a thousand apologies, voice choked. You forgave him before he even spoke 

All relationships are rollercoasters, to say the very least. They have their ups and downs, their fast and slow parts, their beginning and end. Your relationship with Kuroo was definitely one of twists and turns. 

Kenma sat on the sidelines and watched it all with a knot in his stomach. He held it down, further and further with each passing day.

Immediately after one intense game that they inevitably won, Kenma searched for you. You rushed from the crowd and into your boyfriend’s arms, congratulating him and giving him a kiss on the cheek. Kenma wondered if the two of you had kissed at that point, you had been together for a month. He had to stop himself from going down that rabbit hole. 

It was when you turned to him that Kenma’s entire world was put on pause. You were the only thing that could move. 

“Congrats Kenma!” You cheered, bringing him in for a hug. Kuroo chuckled beside you as Kenma just stood with his arms at his sides, completely paralyzed. “You were amazing! What the fuck! That last play…”

Your voice was drowned out. You pulled away to talk more about how great he did during the game. But he couldn’t listen to the praise coming from your tongue. He just couldn’t.

Once you were out of earshot, Kuroo turned to him. With a big dorky smile on his face, Kuroo asked, “She’s the best, isn’t she?”

“Sure.” Kenma replied, but he wanted to go on and on.

Becoming very good friends with Kozume Kenma resulted in a lot of third wheeling. Not that you would ever intentionally exclude him. In fact, you tried to make sure that he was a part of everything the two of you did. Even if it was just something as little as an invite.

The third wheeling mainly consisted of Kenma’s aching heart as he endured the presence of the two of you. Every time that he would catch a glimpse of your hand in Kuroo’s, or Kuroo’s hand on your thigh, or a quick kiss on the cheek, Kenma couldn’t help but wish that it was him instead.

Kuroo caught him staring, once.

He was dragged to a bonfire with the team, and he dreaded every second of it. He never understood why people would enjoy sitting around a fire and being eaten by bugs. He also didn’t like marshmallows.

You were sitting on Kuroo’s lap on a lawn chair, legs draped over his and your body curved into his side. Kenma couldn’t help but watch as he said something into your hair and you laughed, smacking Kuroo’s chest.

Kuroo found Kenma’s gaze. He sent him an oblivious smile and waved him over, thinking that Kenma was feeling awkward about sitting on the sidelines. Oh, how close he had been to the truth.

“Hey, Pudding Head.” Kuroo teased. “How are you doing?”

“I’m fine.”

“Are you sure?” You asked. You looked up from your position on his lap, and Kenma thought of a million things at once.

“Yeah.”

Kuroo offered the seat beside him, and Kenma accepted. Kuroo knew him better than anyone, this was something that he knew for certain. He wondered if his feelings for you had been obvious. Kuroo never brought it up.

The rest of the night consisted of Kenma pretending to not be affected by your whispering and giggling with his best friend.

Kozume Kenma remembers one specific moment of his love more vividly than the rest.

You were at his house, hanging out on a day off. There were no tears, no anger or sadness towards your boyfriend. It was just a good time with just the two of you. Kuroo had something with his family, so he wasn’t present.

He didn’t remember exactly how the two of you ended up in this position, but he would not complain.

Your head laid in Kenma’s lap, hair fanned out along his thighs. You were watching him beat this game he just got, eyes focused on the screen. Kenma sat against the wall on his bed, arms on either side of your head with his controller in his hand in his best attempt to not touch you.

“Why don’t you like to touch me?” you asked him.

The question caught him off guard, and he had to hide the surprise on his face. “Hm?”

“Don’t pretend I haven’t noticed.” You shifted to look up at him. Kenma had to adjust his legs to hide something he didn’t think you wanted to see. “I figured that you might be a germaphobe or something, because you always seem to keep your distance or freeze up when I grab your wrist or hug you. But I don’t think you are one, considering you play volleyball with a bunch of sweaty men.”

“I. Um.” Kenma paused the game and looked down at you. Searching for excuses, racking his brain for any fake plausible answer that he could give you instead of I’m pretty sure that I’m in love with you and every time that the two of us make contact I feel like a firework about to explode (and it goes straight to a different part of me that I do not wish to discuss with literally anyone). Because that would go over well. 

With the little thoughts he could muster, he lied, “I’m not used to girls voluntarily touching me.”

You accepted his answer, nodding with your head still against his thighs. He looked down to see that you were already staring back up at him. “What?”

“I was just wondering why girls weren’t throwing themselves over you.” You sent him a smile. He wanted to die. “You’re a catch. I promise I’ll be more careful if me touching you makes you uncomfortable.”

“It doesn’t.” Kenma quickly added. Maybe a little too quickly. “This,” he gestured to the current position the two of you laid in. “This doesn’t make me uncomfortable. I guess some things just take time.”

You smiled at him again. That stupid, gorgeous smile. “One day you’ll be so comfortable with me that you won’t even notice if I kiss you.”

The world was testing him. The gods were playing a game with him. He returned his attention to the game, hoping he wouldn’t collapse on the spot.

One night, around half a year into your relationship, Kenma received a call at the asscrack of dawn. Groggily, he answered without looking at the caller.

“Hello?” He asked, voice heavy in sleep. Who would call him at this time? On a school night, no less.

“Kenma.” His ears perked up at your voice. He sat up. “Kenma, please give me some advice.”

It was the first time that you had ever wanted to talk about a fight. True, it was only the third time, but it meant the world to him that you wanted to talk about it. Even if the sun wasn’t even up yet and he had several hours left to sleep.

“What happened?”

A sniff. He was going to kick Kuroo’s head, he decided.

“I just… how do you deal with someone who refuses to talk to you?” You paused, as if you were trying to put together your words. Kenma waited. “Kuroo is great most of the time, but he leaves me hanging so much. I can go the entire weekend without so much as a text. And today something had happened, I knew it the second I saw the look on his face. But he just won’t talk to me. And today,” Another sniff. “Today, I brought it up and he was really dismissive and told me that I didn’t need to be so clingy. Clingy.”

Kenma had to stop himself from saying something like, if you were with me I would love it if you were clingy.

“Kuroo’s an idiot.” Kenma told you. “He doesn’t know how to talk about things that he actually needs to talk about. Next time you talk to him, tell him how his actions make you feel rather than what he needs to change. You’ll get into his brain easier, it’ll click with him.”

You paused again. Taking his words in. “Thank you. Thanks for being a friend.”

“Of course.”

Friend. Because that was all he would be, all that he could be.

[thefinalcinderella]

Kaze ga Tsuyoku Fuiteiru Chapter 8 - Winter Comes Again (Part 5)

Hakone finally starts in the next chapter, which is like, 80 pages long

Full list of translations here

Translation Notes

1. Kamaboko is a type of fish cake and Odawara is well known for its high quality Kamaboko

2. Zouni is a type of soup that contains rice cakes and is usually eaten on New Year’s Day

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That night, Kiyose was planning to explain the Hakone Ekiden entries as well as hold a drinking party. After training and jogging, the residents gathered one after another in the twins’ room.

Kiyose had gone off somewhere after training. Nico-chan and Jouta were in charge of cooking; they were probably making something to serve as an accompaniment to the drinks. Thinking he should help, Kakeru was just about to leave the twins’ room and go down to the kitchen when his phone rang. It was his home phone number in Sendai.

His parents hadn’t contacted him once since he had moved to Tokyo. He had sent them a postcard with Chikusei-sou’s address, but that was it; just transferring the money for school fees and minimal living expenses into his bank account was enough for him. His parents had wanted him to go to university on a track recommendation because they had had high hopes for their son as a well-mannered track athlete.

When he pressed the button to answer the call, he heard the nostalgic voice of his mother say, “Kakeru?”

“Mm.”

“You were written up in a magazine, weren’t you? We told you so many times not to do anything that would make you stand out. Your father is very angry with you. Are you listening?”

“Mm, sorry.”

“Please put yourself in our shoes, living here. Okay?”

“Yes.”

“What are you doing for the New Year’s holiday? Are you coming back?”

“No, I’m going to be in Hakone, so I don’t think I have time to come home.”

“Ah, yes,” his mother’s voice took on a distinct note of relief. “Okay, then. Take care.”

Clutching his now-silent phone, Kakeru stood in the middle of the stairs for a while. In a daze, he belatedly noticed Yuki’s presence at the door.

“Oh, sorry,” Yuki said. “I didn’t intend to eavesdrop.”

Yuki was holding a bag from a record store in Shimokitazawa. No matter how busy he got, he never lacked music in his life. “No problem,” Kakeru answered, and walked down the stairs to stand in the hallway with him.

“Was that a call from home?”

“Yes. They got angry at me for standing out.”

“You’re the man of the hour, after all,” Yuki laughed. If it was Yuki, he might be able to tell him—Yuki was so far the only one not happy about being interviewed. He wanted someone to hear out his painful feelings, so Kakeru deliberately confided in him as though it was no big deal.

“I don’t get along well with my parents.”

Yuki was silent for a minute.

“I see. It’s the same for me,” he said. “In my case, I guess you can call it being overprotective. My mom remarried. The guy’s not a bad person, and I have a little sister who’s a lot younger than me, and she’s pretty cute, I guess, but… It bothers me when I’m told 'we’re your new family now' and get fussed over a lot. To be honest, I don’t want to get too close to them.”

“How old is your little sister?”

“Five.”

“Eh, so she’s more than fifteen years younger than you, Yuki-senpai?”

“Yeah. My mom’s doing her best,” Yuki pushed his glasses up as though to say, Good grief. “It’s a given that family members would bother you. You have to not expect too much from them and keep a reasonable distance.”

Yuki walked towards his room—it seemed that he had given his advice. “Okay,” Kakeru answered, and then went to peek in the kitchen, which had been noisy with the sound of running water and pots falling from a short time ago. Then, Yuki returned to the hallway.

“That’s right, Kakeru,” he said. He beckoned him to a corner of the hallway. “When I was coming back, I saw Haiji at Seijo Station.”

Is he doing some shopping? Although it was a station where express trains stopped, Kakeru and the others didn’t go to Seijou that often. If anything, they usually went to Soshigaya-Okura Station, which had a folksy and mixed atmosphere.

“He went into an orthopedics clinic in front of Seijo Station.”

Kakeru jerked in surprise. There was an old scar on Kiyose’s right shin; even after the qualifiers, he had looked like he was having a hard time. Kakeru had completely forgotten about it in the commotion of training and interviews.

“I don’t know much about the injuries of track athletes.” Yuki knitted his brows. “But maybe Kiyose’s isn’t completely healed.”

In any sport, the best athletes all had some sort of injury, and track and field was no exception. Hard training and risk had always gone hand in hand with each other—the more you trained, the sharper and more delicate your body became.

“If he’s seeing a doctor, they’ll stop him if he gets too reckless, so that actually makes me relieved, but…”

“Would Haiji listen to the doctor? Especially at this time.”

That’s true, Kakeru thought. The fact that he had gone to the doctor meant that he must be feeling some kind of discomfort, maybe even distinct pain. Even if he requested a prescription to suppress the pain, Kakeru had a feeling that Kiyose would not listen to the doctor’s advice.

“I understand. I’ll ask Haiji-san later,” Kakeru assured Yuki.

Kiyose returned to Chikusei-sou before they knew it. Kakeru carefully twitched his nose around Kiyose to see if he could smell a poultice, but he couldn’t find any evidence.

“You’re a strange guy.”

That was all Kiyose said to him.

“There’s been a lot going on lately,” Kiyose said, looking around at everyone gathered in the twins’ room. “Well, don’t worry about it. We’ll get our answers through our running.”

“Haiji-san, you’re so cool!”

“’What do you want with our Kurahara?’”

The twins, who had already been drinking, made fun of him. Ever since the incident with the Shinjitsu Weekly reporter, the twins seemed to have recovered their trust in Kiyose.

“The month of November is finally coming to an end. There’s no time left until the Hakone Ekiden,” Kiyose continued, ignoring the twins. “From now on, taking care of your physical condition will be the most important thing; be careful not to get injured at the last minute.”

At the word “injured,” Kakeru couldn’t help but exchange a glance with Yuki.

“Kakeru, explain the entries for Hakone,” Kiyose said, and Kakeru shook off his worries for now. The gazes of the residents, sitting in a circle, were focused on him.

“The first step is to submit the names of up to sixteen people per team to the organizer on December 10,” Kakeru began to explain. “At this stage, who will run which leg will not be revealed. Next, on December 29, it will be the leg entry, where the sixteen runners will be narrowed down to fourteen, and ten of those people will declare which leg they are running. The remaining four will be treated as alternates. Changes in leg entries are allowed on the day of the Hakone Ekiden. The final runners will be announced before the start times of the outward and return trips. However, once a runner is removed from a leg, they cannot be entered into another leg.”

“I don’t get it. What does that mean?” Jouji asked.

Kakeru thought about it a little, then simplified it. “Suppose Rokudou’s Fujioka was entered into the second leg on December 29. This means that Fujioka cannot be assigned the fifth leg in the final entry change on the day of Hakone. If Fujioka isn’t feeling well on the first day, they have no choice but to put one of the four alternates in the second leg, and even if Fujioka recovers on the second day, he wouldn’t be allowed to run.”

“I see.” Musa nodded. “Conversely, if Fujioka-san is one of the four alternates, can we assume that Rokudou will change its entry on the day of Hakone?”

“That’s exactly right,” Kiyose said. “If there’s a strong competitor in the alternate slot, then they are either not feeling well or they plan on changing the entry of an important leg on the morning of the race as a secret weapon. After seeing the entries for each leg on the 29th, each university will consider its strategy and, trying to read their opponent’s mind, unfold a new strategy.”

“We can’t lose focus even right before the start, can we?” King seemed to feel pressured. “But we only have ten people, so that’s got nothing to do with us. We don’t have strategies or anything.”

“It’s true that we will be showing all our cards on the 29th.”

Feeling uneasy, Kakeru looked at Kiyose; Kansei had no alternates, and once they made their entries, it wouldn’t be possible to switch legs. He wanted to know what Kiyose thought about that.

“We’re not the only ones with a small lineup,” Kiyose said calmly. “Changing your entry on the day of the race can be a good or bad thing. After all, sometimes it won’t go well when you’re suddenly asked to run. In fact, there are many schools that have a policy of not changing the leg entries unless there is a serious problem. Knowing that there’s strategy regarding the entries, it’s better to know early on which leg you’re running so that you can prepare.”

“Haiji, have you already decided which legs we’re going to run?” Yuki asked.

“Yeah,” Kiyose said and straightened his posture. “Of course, if you have any objections, we can discuss it, but I think this is the best we can do for now.”

Kiyose took out a memo from his track pants and laid it out in the center of the circle. Everyone leaned in to take a look and let out cries of surprise.

Hakone Outward Journey (Day 1)

First Leg Otemachi to Tsurumi   Prince

Second Leg   Tsurumi to Totsuka   Musa

Third Leg   Totsuka to Hiratsuka   Jouta

Fourth Leg   Hiratsuka to Odawara   Jouji

Fifth Leg   Odawara to Hakone   Shindou

Hakone Return Journey (Day 2)

Sixth Leg   Hakone to Odawara   Yuki

Seventh Leg   Odawara to Hiratsuka   Nico-chan

Eighth Leg   Hiratsuka to Totsuka   King

Ninth Leg   Totsuka to Tsurumi   Kakeru

Tenth Leg   Tsurumi to Otemachi   Kiyose

 “Me in the second leg? I cannot do it.” Musa was trembling all over. “The second leg is the section for the aces, yes? Why is it not Kakeru then?”

“It’s pretty bold to put Prince-san in the first leg…” Jouji reservedly tilted his head.

Even Prince muttered, “What are you doing throwing the race from the start?”

Kakeru immediately understood what Kiyose was trying to do when he saw the lineup he had planned. Haiji-san is going to try to win the race in the second half. He’s seriously aiming for us to get seeded. No, if the race goes the way Haiji-san thinks it will, it won’t be about seeding—with these placements, we can aim for a much better ranking…!

They were such a weak club that they were in danger of not surviving next year. They were just a bunch of amateurs that had finally managed to crawl up this far, but Kiyose didn’t know the meaning of giving up; he was always looking upward, holding up dreams and goals, and firmly leading the residents of Chikusei-sou. Aiming for the heights of running. Aiming to reach the top of the Hakone Ekiden—the ultimate intermediary between individual and team competitions.

Seeing from the entry form how serious Kiyose was, Kakeru clenched his fists. If he hadn't, he would have gotten so excited that he would have ended up looking like an animal.

“Prince is the only one for the first leg,” Kiyose said gently. “Maybe it’s because you don't have any interest in the 3D world, but you’ve never been scared at the meets or qualifiers; you’re the most suitable person for the first leg, which has the most attention focused on it. You’re also tough enough to have kept up with the training until now even with your very slow times. I’m sure you’ll be able to hold your own in the race.”

He casually said something rude again, Kakeru thought, but Kiyose wasn’t lying about his expectations. Prince must have felt that as well, and a light came into his eyes.

“But in these past few years, the first leg has often been fast paced.” Yuki asked a question based on the data he had collected: “This time too, won’t each school choose a runner for the first leg based on speed?”

“There’s also a chance that it’ll develop at a slow pace in reaction to that. That’s a gamble,” Kiyose readily admitted. “But even if Prince gets separated from the others, he can still make up for it in the first leg. That’s why I chose a solid group of runners for the second to fourth legs, and there’s no one but Shindou who could do the fifth leg’s mountain climb, right? Musa and the twins should be able to steadily make it there.”

“It is too much for me to run in the ace’s leg.” Musa didn’t seem convinced.

“What do you think?” Kiyose turned to Kakeru. “Musa seems to want you to run the second leg.”

“No. I think Musa-san is the perfect fit for it,” Kakeru said with conviction. “Musa-san has been training while pushing aside all sorts of pressures. Even though he never did long-distance before, he can now run ten kilometers in the low 29-minute range. And Musa-san has always encouraged me.”

His effort and personality were second to none. Musa was an ace among aces.

“You are giving me too much credit, Kakeru,” Musa said, embarrassed. But it was unanimously decided that he would run the second leg.

There were no objections to the twins running the third and fourth legs, and they were very enthusiastic about it.

“The third leg is a road that runs along the sea. The scenery’s really nice,” said Jouta.

“Can we buy some kamaboko (1) in Odawara?” said Jouji.

The fifth leg was good with Shindou, but the problem was the sixth leg, which was Yuki’s mountain descent.

“Why am I doing the sixth leg?” Yuki asked Kiyose, looking for an explanation.

“On the trial run the other day, your posture was very stable. Normally, when people run down a steep slope like that, they’d be bent forward,” Kiyose glanced at Yuki’s legs, which were in a cross-legged position. “Also…you have thick legs.”

“What?”

“No, it was a compliment. Anyways, if your legs and loins aren’t solid, the sixth leg is out of the question.”

“It’s like sturdiness is my only good point. You say that, but what would you do if I get hurt?”

“It’s fine, isn’t it? You already passed the bar. You won’t have any opportunities to do serious track and field after graduation.”

“Oi oi, that’s irresponsible and cruel…” Nico-chan said, but Yuki was surprisingly calm and said, “You have a point,” accepting Kiyose’s words. If it made sense, he would swallow any cool-headed opinion. It was a method of persuasion that perfectly grasped Yuki’s character, and Kakeru was once again in awe of Kiyose’s ability to manipulate people.

“About Nico-chan-senpai in the seventh leg and King in the eighth leg,” Kiyose continued, “I think that when you get to this part of the route, the runners will start to break up, and there will be times when you’re running by yourself. You won’t be able to see the runners from the other teams in front or behind you. Even in situations like those, both of you will be able to run at your own pace without panicking or becoming careless. The battle to get seeded will intensify, so this is an unassuming but important section.”

“Are we planning on getting seeded?” Jouji nervously asked.

“Of course,” Kiyose decisively stated. “Now, for the last two legs, I entered Kakeru into the ninth leg, which is also called the ace leg of the return trip. As for the anchor, the tenth leg, I’ll be the one responsible for it, as I was the one who said we’re going to the Hakone Ekiden and got you guys involved.”

Kiyose only gave a brief explanation for himself and Kakeru. However, Kakeru thoroughly sensed Kiyose’s feelings for the Hakone Ekiden, and he also knew what kind of running they would have to show in the ninth and tenth legs.

Kakeru looked at Kiyose. Kiyose was silent, then nodded at him.

“That’s all. Are there any questions or thoughts?”

No one raised their hand. Pulled along by Kiyose’s conviction, everyone was finally thinking about the Hakone Ekiden as something concrete, and their fighting spirit was rising.

“Okay. Until the announcement of the entries for the legs on the 29th, what I told you is of course confidential. I want each of you to do your own image training and study the leg you’ll be running.”

Kiyose picked up his cup full of alcohol and said, Let’s drink. “With this team, it’ll definitely turn out well. Twins.”

Jouta and Jouji looked up when they were called.

“I’ll show you the top. No, we’re going to experience it together. Look forward to it.”

Kiyose smiled like a fearless king.

After the drinking party had reached its climax, Kakeru quietly approached Kiyose.

“Haiji-san, your legs aren’t doing well, are they?”

“Why do you ask?” Kiyose gently countered and poured himself another drink. Kakeru was at a loss for words—there was no way Kiyose was going to complain, however doubts swirled in Kakeru’s chest.

Haiji-san told Yuki-senpai, “You won’t have any opportunities to do serious track and field after graduation.” Isn’t he really talking about himself? Isn’t he going into this Hakone Ekiden with the resolve that he’s not going to be able to run anymore?

He was scared just thinking about it. Not being able to run was the same as dying for Kakeru. He believed it was the same for Kiyose. And yet, he…

“There’s nothing like what you’re worried about.” Kiyose smiled and spoke, “Come on, you drink too.”

Kakeru couldn’t say anything and drank the alcohol Kiyose served him in one go, full of anxiety. Kiyose was wearing that padded kimono jacket with the frayed cuffs. Soon, Kakeru would have spent all four seasons with the residents of Chikusei-sou.

Kakeru recalled the night he met Kiyose for the first time—the night when everything started.

A strange feeling like nostalgia and longing sprouted in his chest.

---

The residents of Chikusei-sou continued to train wholeheartedly even into December and had a quiet New Year’s Eve together in their rundown apartment.

On New Year’s Eve, they went to a nearby shrine to ring the temple bell, and on New Year’s Day, they ate zouni made by Kiyose. (2)

The tension was building minute by minute, but even that felt good. It was because he wasn’t alone; in Chikusei-sou, Kakeru could feel the presence of the people he had been training and living with.

He wasn’t alone—until he started running.

He had comrades who were always, always, waiting for him to start running, to finish running and to come home.

The ekiden was that sort of sport.

---

At last, it was January 2.

The Hakone Ekiden began.

It was the end of the year-long battle the ten of them had been engaged in. At the same time, it was the beginning of the first and last fierce battle of the ten, which would be handed down as long as there was a Hakone Ekiden.

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