#vanity tbt.

[ditchghost]

[herbalremedied]

You're beautiful.

QUESTIONS  TO  BE  SENT  ANONYMOUSLY.    ——   ( event edition )

        ❝ Oh? Have I an admirer? And here I’d been thinking I had surely seen some better days. ❞   Even as unwell and weary as he was today, it seemed the doctor still had room for—albeit honest—humor.   ❝ Nevertheless, whoever you are, you’ve certainly raised my spirits. ❞

        ❝ For that, I thank you. ❞

[mydisenchantedeulogy]

Sweet Decadence || Part 1 of 2 || Bi-Han/Sub-Zero

A/n: This is the sequel to 'The Bitter Truth'. I have separated it into 2 parts for my reasons, but I want to thank those who read TBT and supported the story.

Please enjoy.

Warning(s): obsessive behavior, female reader, reader uses magic, kidnapping, fights, sequel, post-game.

No Minors Allowed!!

There is something magical about the rain that makes the colors of nature seem much more vivid to you. Though perhaps it is just the blissful mood you are in, altering your perception of things. A rare sight these days, considering how inconsistent your thoughts have been since your heated run-in with Bi-Han.

Hiding away in your room at the newly set up Shirai Ryu compound, you stare out at the forest beyond your balcony in a dazed state as the summer rain pelts the trees and earth. 

It feels like nothing but a dream now, and to be honest, you sometimes yearn to close your eyes and return to that moment again. You do not want to be reminded of the past; of the anger and the betrayal that comes with it. No. You just want to remember the feeling.

He was right, that much is clear now. 

“You are in denial. It's clear to me where your loyalty lies, and until you come to terms with the bitter truth, I'll leave you with that reminder.”

A phantom pain seizes you, but you ignore it. Just like your morals at the moment. No, you are not an idiot. You know what Bi-Han desires is immoral, but you can not put aside your sentiments for him; sentiments that became clear when he fucked you. 

For fuck’s sake. That sounds bad. 

It is true though. Not a day has gone by since then that you haven't thought about him; about the way he made you feel, unintentional or not.

Tilting your head back, you rest it against the doorframe and stare up at the ceiling with the sound of the rain in your ears. Your mind is a labyrinth and you do not necessarily care. This ebb and flow of thoughts proves that you have not yet lost your standards. 

So long as you avoid Bi-Han in the future, you should be fine.

A sudden knock pulls you from your thoughts and you tilt your head to the side, glancing at the door to the far left of you. 

“It's unlocked,” you announce. 

A moment later, Harumi Shirai saunters in. You sit up to address her properly, but she raises her hand to stop you. 

“There is no need for such formalities, not when it is I who came to see you.” 

You grin. 

“As the soon-to-be wife of my Grandmaster, it is indeed needed.”

It is strange to address Kuai Liang as Grandmaster, but after all that he has been through and done to build the Shirai Ryu, he deserves the title. He even found time for love. 

Harumi offers you a kind smile. 

“It is our secret.”

She wanders across the room and sits in front of your vanity.

“Are you faring well?”

You hum.

“For the most part.”

After you came back from the fortress you reported to Kuai Liang about your run-in with Bi-Han, though you opted not to mention the fact you fucked him. The brand he left was hard enough to explain, but it could not be avoided; you needed medical attention. 

Kuai Liang viewed it as a failed attempt to lure you back to Lin Kuei, but it was apparent that he was curious about what dark agenda his brother had regarding you. 

In truth, you should be dead for denying him. 

“And your wound? I can have someone take a look at it if it still pains you,” Harumi mentions. 

You decline her offer. 

“Though appreciated, that is not necessary.” You subconsciously rest your hand against the brand on your side. “The pain went away months ago…yet it sometimes still burns.” 

Harumi frowns. 

“If it begins to bother you, I suggest you tell me.”

You snort. It is no wonder Kuai Liang loves her; she is considerate, yet stern.

“Yes, Madam.” 

Harumi nods her head in approval and then stands. 

“I will see you at lunch. You missed breakfast.”

You are aware. But you suppose that is what warranted this visit. 

“The rain has put me in a strange mood,” you lie. “But I will be there.”

Harumi seems unsure, but she does not voice her concerns. Instead, she wishes you a good morning and leaves you to your thoughts again. 

You understand. Kuai Liang and Tomas are worried about you. But it is not their problem, it is yours. 

Your obsession with Bi-Han is yours to bear.

Shifting your eyes, you stare in a haze at the forest again. Perhaps soon this fixation will pass. For your sake, it had better. 

–

At noon, you tear yourself away from the comfort of your bedroom, following the briny scent of fish to the dining room. A spread of rice and vegetables accompanies it, making your stomach twist in hunger. 

Before you sit across from Tomas on the left side of the table, you bow in respect to Kuai Liang, who nods his head. 

“I am pleased to see that you joined us.”

You grin and turn your eyes to Harumi beside him. 

“I was encouraged to.”

Kuai Liang glances at her, then returns to his lunch. You follow suit, however, you notice that in attendance, there are only the four of you. 

“Where are the others?” You ask as you pick up your drink.

“Running exercises,” Tomas answers. “Though some are spread out in the nearby villages.”

An unsure look from Kuai Liang makes you pause a moment. You raise a curious brow. 

“What is it?”

The Grandmaster sighs. 

“Nothing concerning as of yet…but we have heard rumors of hostiles.”

Hostiles. A neighboring clan perhaps. This is the first time you have heard about it, but you suppose the brothers have their reasons.

Focusing on your lunch, you hardly notice the injured ninja stumble in until he collapses to the floor in a bloody mess. In shock, you rush over to him, followed by Tomas who carefully checks over his wounds. He is in bad shape, but thankfully alive.

“Who did this?” Tomas asks in anger. 

The ninja raises his trembling hand. You notice a thin metal plate in the palm of his hand and upon further inspection, you notice a familiar symbol etched into it. Your stomach churns in dread. 

“Lin Kuei.”

Here of all places.

Tomas widens his eyes and takes the plate from you. He stands just as Kuai Liang approaches with a healer, handing the plate to him. 

“Where?” Kuai Liang asks the injured man. 

“W-West,” he manages to say. 

Clutching the emblem in his hand, he shifts his eyes to Tomas. 

“We shall go.”

Without a word, the latter rushes off. You feel a bit shaken, but despite this, you stand. 

“Grandmaster–”

“If you are unwell, then stay and protect Harumi,” Kuai Liang interrupts.

You understand his concerns, but you can not just flee from the cryomancer’s shadow every time it threatens to consume you. 

“I can fight.”

He gives you a nod and with a bow, you rush back to your room to change clothes. With your gear on, you retrieve your mask from the vanity, looking at yourself in the mirror. The sanguine look in your eyes is not something to be proud of.

A short while later, with the brothers in tow, you arrive in the village to the west. The earthy scent of petrichor mixed with death permeates the air. Multiple bodies are strewn across the dirt road, all Shirai Ryu. You find it strange. How is it that there are no Lin Kuei among them?  

A scream echoes through the but before the three of you can move, a pair of Lin Kuei descends from the rooftops of the nearest house. Their appearances are unfamiliar.

“Is that armor?” You hear Tomas ask.

It is. Each of them is decked out in similar armor akin to what Sektor and Cyrax wear, albeit they are dressed in Lin Kuei colors. Why, though? What is Bi-Han thinking? 

Another scream from the far side of the village rings out and Kuai Liang grunts irritably.

“We must aid those in need.”

You agree with a nod.

“I can take these two,” you suggest. 

Tomas looks unsure but Kuai Liang seems to agree. He places a comforting hand on your shoulder. 

“Be on guard.” 

You nod. This should be no problem. You have dealt with the Lin Kuei before. Suits or no suits, it makes no difference. Tomas and Kuai Liang separate, leaving you alone with the two assassins. 

“Two-on-one seems kind of unfair,” you state. 

Neither of them comment. That's fine. You adjust the plates on your mask, then take a deep breath, releasing a sonic scream that should disorient the two. However, it has no effect.

What the hell? 

One of them suddenly teleports behind you and kicks you in the side, knocking you to the ground. It feels as though you have been hit by a truck. And to make matters worse, the assassin struck you right where the brand is. 

Fine. If they want to play rough. 

You stand and take a fighting stance. The assassin lying in wait teleports behind you while the other aims a kick at your chest, but you manage to dodge them by shifting to the side. Grabbing the latter by the plates on their shoulders, you yank them off balance and use their momentum to sweep them off their feet.

Lying on their back, you raise your leg in an attempt to axe-kick them in the face, but the other assassin grabs you around the chest and holds you in place as the one on the ground stands. It lifts its hand and an intense heat sizzles from within. You can feel it on your skin. 

It has a flamethrower. 

You grunt in annoyance and lift your lower body, using your feet to push off the fire-wielding assassin, striking them hard in the face and chest. The one holding you falls back onto the ground from the force, giving you the chance to free yourself and roll into a squat above them. 

Adjusting your mask again, you increase the volume of your voice. Then with a deep breath, you release a sonic scream point-blank into the assassin’s face. The metal vibrates at such a speed that it short-circuits, sending bolts of electricity shooting out. The smell that follows is nauseating. You wave away the plume of smoke that pours from the mask, but you are not given a moment to rest as the fire assassin shoots a jet of flames at you. 

Barely able to escape its range, you roll out of the way and onto your feet. Heat licks at your leg, but you manage to put some distance between you and the assassin, hiding behind a house, before you put out the small flame. 

These suits are no joke. You hope the brothers are faring better than you. It is like they were built to withstand your magic. You are not even certain there is anyone inside the suits. But how else are they moving?

When the flames stop, you dart out from behind the house, but to your shock, the assassin is gone. Before you can search for them, the whir of jet boosters catches your attention, and when you look up, you see a familiar warrior in red armor hovering above you.

“Sektor.”

What is she doing here? 

“This is a sight, running into you like this,” she states. “I should be upset that you managed to demolish one of my suits, but there is always more room for improvement.” 

You turn up your nose as you look at the smoking hunk of metal lying on the ground. So she is the one controlling them. 

“Bi-Han let you make that thing?”

“The Grandmaster has thoughtfully embraced my ideas for the future,” Sektor states. 

You snort.

“I'm sure he rewarded you well too. Tell me, does he like it when you spit or when you swallow?”

Sektor laughs.

“You are just as direct and spirited as ever. It’s too bad he considers you a waste.”

It shouldn’t have but her words make your blood boil. Your defiance must have switched the cryomancer’s opinion of you.  

“Your potential is wasted with Kuai Liang.”

The brand he left on you felt spiteful, a mark of shame.  

“Let's see who is the waste.”

You take a fighting stance but to your irritation, Sektor flies off toward the far end of the village. Where is she going? You tighten your jaw and chase after her. Her defeat will deal a massive blow to the Lin Kuei, should you catch her. 

Chasing her around the side of a nearby house, you do not consider calling for backup. All that is on your mind is beating Sektor within an inch of her life. But as you cross in front of a side alley, something akin to a net shoots out and seizes you, knocking you hard to the ground. 

You groan in pain, arching your back as the rock-littered street bites into your skin. What the hell? You struggle but the neon yellow net will not loosen. 

“Do not fight it. The energy net will only grow tighter,” a feminine voice orders.

You tilt your head to the side to see a familiar figure in a yellow suit approach from the side alley. 

“Cyrax. I should have known,” you sneer. 

She is never far from Sektor. You did not think that in your pursuit of her, she would ambush you. It is irksome.

From above, Sektor flies by and then lands beside her. Both of them ignore your attempts to test the net. 

“Are we done here?” Cyrax asks. 

“I have all the data I need,” Sektor answers. She pauses, then motions with a finger toward you. “All that is left is dealing with our friend here.” 

What is that supposed to mean? 

Cyrax removes a spherical gadget from her chest plate and approaches you. 

“This isn't personal,” she states, sounding as if she is about to put an end to you. 

Leaning down, she yanks off your mask, much to your displeasure, and then presses a button on the side of the gadget. 

So this is it. You sneer at her. 

“Tell Bi-Han he can rot in hell.”

“You can tell him yourself,” Cyrax states.

Before you can figure out what she means, the device beeps and then pops open. From inside, a sweet colorless odor sprays out and consumes you. Instantly your throat tickles, making you break out into a fit of coughs. You attempt to hold your breath but it does no good. Whatever the gas is, its fast-acting properties take effect and everything fades to black.

[violetthekiller]

You think Z will go to the vanity fair Oscar party

probably. and to make it even more fun i’ll say that Tom will head over after TBT gala and go as well 🤓

[slvt4bruce]

👁👄👁.........

welp......guess it's time 😔

-BROZONE FINDING OUT ABOUT STARS HAIR-

(Imma do it separately since my dumbass doesn't know how to write a fic 😘)

(also......THIS IS NOT SELF SHIPPING, STAR IS 16, THIS IS JUST FOR MY AU (brozone and star are friends :3)

(this is after TBT)

uhhh color code or whatever 👉🏾 Star JD

huge tw: cringe lil bit of self hate and (maybe) angst???

JD

Star was getting ready for her next concert, 5 minutes till show time, slightly excited because it's the first one she's held one at Pop Village ever since she had came back 2 years ago

she looked out and saw the whole village, cheering and waiting for her to come on stage "ok, makeups done, outfits ready, and now....... hair......" she turned her head to see the wig, laying there on the vanity "wish they didn't see me as a freak, but it is what it is...." Star faced the mirror, looking at her white hair and then sighed until, a voice called out "2 minutes until showtime, lil cuz!" Star's manager, Anthony said

"I'll be out in a sec!" she yelled back, Star breathed in and out as she put the wig on and gave herself a pep talk "just smile, dance, and sing then nobody will judge you and you'll be just fine"

then it was finally showtime, she stepping onto the stage and the crowd went wild and cheered for her, singing along to the songs and having a good time

right when Star was singing her last song of the concert, while doing her choreography she accidentally tripped, tripping hard enough to make her wig fall off (she forgot to glue it on 😔)

everyone gasped as they stopped singing along and began whispering amongst themselves "what happened?" "I thought she got rid of that" "didn't she dye her hair?" the comments got worse and worse until

Star couldn't take it anymore so she quickly got up grabbed her wig and ran off the stage, humiliated and embarrassed

but what she didn't know was that JD was attending the concert and had felt bad for Star but also curious onto how her natural is white.....

that next morning, JD had went to Stars pod to talk to her "Starlight!, are ya in there?" after a few moments of silence, Star finally opened he door with tear stained cheeks and puffy eyes from crying all night "hey Star, is it ok if I come in so we can talk?" silence "um..... sure" after letting JD in, he decided to get straight to the topic "Star, how come your natural hair is white, and didn't you tell me or any of the bros?"

Star immediately froze and her eyes went wide "....w-wait....YOU were at the concert?" "yeah Starlight, and when I got back I told the others about it and they were shocked" there was an uncomfortable silence until Star finally spoke up "well..... I.... I don't like talking about it" Star said, avoiding eye contact as the memories of being trapped in that bottle flooded in her head "look Starlight, I'm not gonna judge you I just wanna know why you didn't tell me and the others" JD said while holding her chin so they could maintain eye contact 'cmon Star if they find out the truth themselves, theyll never forgive you for lying to their faces' Star told herself in her head, feeling guilty if JD and the others had to find out the real reason why her hair is white

"but I'll get going, me and the bros gotta practice for our concert next month" JD said getting up and almost exiting the pod before saying "and just so you know, I'm always here whenever you need me Starlight" he told Star leaving the pod, trying to hide his concern and worry for her

"I hope this doesn't end bad"

-end-

a/n: I actually think this turned out very good, lmk what you think!!! and pt2 with Bruce is coming soon!!!! :3

💫thanks for reading!!!!💫

[calistoneartisansinc]

Novak Teak Bathroom Vanity with Taj Mahal Countertop and Glamour Iridescent Sky Blue Shower Walls. #longbeach #interior #tbt #designer #tile #subwaytile #remodel #kitchen #decor #reel #kitchendesign #reels #naturalbeauty #home #homedecor #beauty #natural #homeimprovement #homeinterior #interiordesign #design #homedesign #fyp #homerenovation #cali_stone_artisans_inc

[eddieredmayneargentinablog]

#tbt "The Aeronauts" - Eddie Redmayne plays "Six Degrees of Separation for Vanity Fair" at TIFF 2019.

* You can also watch Eddie playing "Six Degrees of Separation for Vanity Fair" , at TIFF 2022 for the premiere of "The Good Nurse". Video here from @occamyeggshells blog

[rmfantasysetpieces1]

En nomine stade , et pele et spiritus mane.. garrincha

thank you nwsl, the college draft is one of the most financially and organizationally corrupt while perfectly legal actions in usa sports

totally criminal in nature and essense

ARTICLE

The NWSL is scrapping its collegiate draft because it's the only sports league out there with sense Story by Mike D. Sykes This is For The Win’s daily newsletter, The Morning Win. Good morning, Winners! Welcome back to the Morning Win. Thanks so much for rocking with us today. We appreciate you giving us a bit of your time. Folks, somebody has finally done it. There's a league out there who finally had enough courage to say, "You know what? We don't need a stinkin' draft!"

It's the NWSL.

The burgeoning soccer league unveiled its new collective bargaining agreement on Thursday morning, with changes that I'd argue make it the most pro-labor CBA in sports today. But the biggest change was this: Eliminating the collegiate draft.

Like most American sports, the NWSL brought in talent through a draft system. Like most other drafts, the selection order was based on team record at the end of the previous regular season. The worst teams pick first.

Now, players entering the NWSL will enter free agency immediately upon entering the league and pick their teams, as they should. This is how it's supposed to work, folks!

Look, I know you're probably bristling at what I'm saying here. We love our drafts. They're great theater! Leagues like the NFL, NBA and NHL essentially turn them into pageants for us all to consume and we eat it up.

From the countless super-early mock drafts to the scouting combines that can get creepy and uncomfortable to the ceaseless reporting on rookie workouts and team trade negotiations, we lap it all up.

All that aside, the NWSL had to do this. The league was losing out on talent to leagues worldwide that didn't have drafts. This and other pro-player provisions in the CBA should theoretically curtail that.

Plus, drafts are unfair to players. That's not how entering the workplace should be, right?

I could bore you here by discussing the free market principles drafts violate, but I won't.

Instead, imagine this: You graduate from college at the top of your class. You're on your way into the world and ready to go to the coolest company you've been looking at. It's located in a city you've dreamed of living in for a long time.

But, surprise! You get a phone call from another company. Definitely not a cool one. But they just drafted you. Get ready to learn not-cool-company, buddy. That's where you're headed. It's not over. On top of that, you have to talk about how it's a dream come true to work at this precious company you had no desire to work for yesterday.

I'm sure some of you will yell at me about how this impacts parity in sports and how bad teams will never be good again because all the good players will already go to the good teams. But that's not exactly true!

Different players have different desires. Some players will want to play for good teams, sure. But not every good team has enough playing time available for you.

For example, Brianna Pinto of the North Carolina Courage told Vanity Fair that she may not have gone to Gotham FC if she had the choice as a rookie because she didn't get enough playing time.

“Maybe there were other opportunities to get on the field right away,” she said. Those are the things incoming rookies will have to make decisions on and those decisions won't always lead to stacking the decks on a particular team.

Sometimes, it might! But, in the end, it's the player's choice. And that's what matters most. Shoutout to the NWSL for recognizing that.

The rest of the American sports leagues should pay attention. https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nba/the-nwsl-is-scrapping-its-collegiate-draft-because-it-s-the-only-sports-league-out-there-with-sense/ar-AA1pfMuV?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=TBTS&cvid=05fe2e58b21d49bf9745baedd7c21591&ei=59

IN AMENDMENT collective bargaining agreement of the nwsl is arguably the most pro labor in usa sports, even over legendary baseball https://www.vanityfair.com/news/story/national-womens-soccer-league-agreement-draft#:~:text=Under%20the%20new%20CBA%2C%20which,choose%20which%20team%20they%20join.

#rmsoccer

[anxietyworns-a]

STOP THIS

[leilanisarchive]

Anyway, in case some of you haven’t seen me tonight from my safe and warm corner. I look kind of cute or whatever. I hate dresses, but I do what I can.

[bananaofswifts]

jessetyler : Throwback to this wild girls night. 🤪

[pspettigrew]

♫ for both the girls

For Emma:

For Nicky:

[glendajchittock]

♫ for Elliot!

[mallslain]

𝙸𝙽  𝙲𝙾𝚁𝚁𝙴𝙲𝚃  𝚀𝚄𝙾𝚃𝙴  𝙶𝙴𝙽𝙴𝚁𝙰𝚃𝙾𝚁     feat.  evie  d’entença  /  @vanitys​

[ofcelestialstories]

@firewvlker​ || Emma for Sirius

.｡.:*☆ “Who’s there?” Emma was gripping her wand tightly while looking behind her back several times in a row. She was almost always on the edge, afraid the Death Eaters had been following her to this place to get her.

“Listen, asshole,” She called when hearing noises again that sounded like heavy footsteps. “If this is some creepy stalker shit, you better come out now! I am not in the mood to play stupid games like this!”

[pistolslinger]

/ / / show a little skin.

@vanitys said:  ❦ - Changing clothes facing away, showing off their back

     it’s a cramped space, barely enough room to stretch his legs out properly, and he’s stuck trying to get changed in the same cloistering space.  whatever romance author tried to convince the world that this is sexy lied, jesper thinks, irritably.  this is the furthest fucking thing from sexy.

     as he shucks off his own rain - soaked shirt, he remembers belatedly that he ought to offer her something to change into, as well.  evie did not strike him as a woman who got caught unaware — not by other people, not by random mishaps, not by the elements.  if she didn’t have a back up outfit at the ready, he’d eat his hat.  but . . .  on the odd chance that the downpour had foiled her plans for the day, jesper would feel horrible if she caught a chill in those soaked clothes.  

     he doesn’t turn around, yet.  he wants to give her privacy.  it’s the reflection in the greyed window that betrays him; all he can see is a reflection of her back as she removes her bodice.  jesper inhales sharply, quickly averting his gaze.

     who the hell did that to her back?  even when he closes his lids, the scarred reflection is burned into his memory.  he shouldn’t have looked.  he didn’t want to have seen it.  now, now when he tries to sleep, he’ll be riddling with the anger that anyone could do something like that to her.  he’ll be plagued by the size of the marks, the multitude.

     “ you alright back there, gorgeous? ”  he calls, over his shoulder, refusing to take his eyes off his shoes.  “ er, look — i dunno if you need clothes while yours dry . . .  but i have a spare shirt, if you want it.  might be a little long on you, but — hey.  you wouldn’t need to wear anything else, ”  jesper keeps his tone light, flirtatious, not wanting to betray even a second of the discomfort.  “ i’d hate for you to catch a cold, y’see.  the rain’s gonna have us stuck here a while. ”