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chukys-mouthguard · 4 months ago

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A Shot at Love: meet the 12 eligible bachelors

It’s time to reveal the 12 eligible bachelors on this season of A Shot at Love: an nhl dating show au!

Get to know our 12 eligible bachelors, and the special guest hosts of our show, below!

Remember to mark your calendars, A Shot at Love: an nhl dating show au premiers Friday July 19th at 7pm EST!

A Shot at Love is pleased to announce that this season’s hosts are Paul Bissonnette and Ryan Whitney!

These two characters are ready to lead our lovely bachelorette through the journey of finding a shot at love with one of our lucky 12 bachelors!

Be prepared for plenty of Pink Whitney shots, and shameless sponsorship plugs (these washed up guys gotta make money somehow, why do you think they took this gig?). They might even have a few special guests stopping by the mansion!

And now let’s meet the 12 eligible bachelors!

Nico Hischier | 25, from Switzerland

Captain of the New Jersey Devils. Sweeter than Swiss Chocolate. Like quite frankly might be the sweetest man on planet earth. Enjoys adventures outdoors, movie nights, and a good puzzle. Loves working out, but be aware he definitely will always have a better butt than you. Very patient as he deals with Jack Hughes all day long. Nico is looking for a forever music festival date.

Jamie Drysdale | 22, from Toronto

His on ice skills make up for those he lacks in the style department. But that’s where you come in, Jamie needs a girl who can improve his fashion sense (cause Trevor clearly didn’t do much for him). He takes pride in his flow, so you never have to worry about him making fun of your self care routine. Jamie enjoys country music, shoulder rubs, and puppies.

Matt Rempe | 22, from Calgary

You’ll never have to worry about being taller than him in heels, as he is quite literally a giant. He loves a good book, and is even the co-founder of the first ever Rangers Book Club with Chris Kreider. Not afraid to fight for you. Guaranteed to make you laugh with his silly catch phrases. Looking for a girl who isn’t scared to clean his battle wounds.

Vince Dunn | 27, from Kawartha Lakes

The best mix of cocky, sweetheart, and a little bit of airhead. Knows he’s attractive, but will still be a complete goofball. A connoisseur of alcohol, could definitely recommend a wine or two. He enjoys video games, nights out, and binge watching a good Netflix show. He isn’t afraid to show his tough side if it comes to fighting for what he wants. Vince is looking for a girl to travel the world in the offseason enjoying the cuisine every country has to offer.

Jack Eichel | 27, from Chelmsford

His real name is John, but he goes by Jack. Be aware he is always going to be the diva of the relationship. Loves any sort of competitive activity, but will never let you win, and will always whine if he loses. Has a big heart and enjoys philanthropic work. Jack will never fail to make you laugh, always having a funny story to tell about another teammate. Jack is looking for a girl who is up for Brunch on Sunday’s, with football on the tv.

Mat Barzal | 27, from Coquitlam

Unique already because he spells his name with one T and not two, Mat is an all around catch. He speaks French, is obsessed with vacations to Italy, and prides himself on his physique. He’s not afraid of designer clothes, and you can guarantee he will buy you nice things. Mat is looking for a girl who will ride scooters with him Italy, and have a cold drink waiting for him on the golf cart after he sinks a hole in one.

Trevor Zegras | 23, from Bedford

Fasten your seatbelt, because with Trevor life is always in the fast lane. Trevor is a ball of energy that will always keep you guessing. Quite possibly a 10 year old trapped in a 23 year olds body. Whether you laugh at his jokes or not, Trevor will always be laughing. He enjoys music festivals, video games, and running his mouth 24/7. If you don’t end up choosing him he’s got Cole and the Hughes brothers as backups.

Quinn Hughes | 24, Bloomington

Don’t be fooled by his demeanor, Quinn is a big teddy bear. Captain of the Vancouver Canucks, he’s got a good amount of pressure on his shoulders. So Quinn enjoys time at the lake house to relax in the off season. Whether it be time on the boat, a round of golf, or time with family, Quinn loves taking time to recharge. He may be shy or soft spoken at first, but when he opens up he’s the biggest goofball. Quinn is looking for a girl that doesn’t mind annoying younger brothers.

Auston Matthews | 26, from Scottsdale

Not necessarily familiar with winning when it counts, but he sure knows how to score. Auston enjoys a day spent outdoors, walking his dog, and is even a closet sewer! So no more trips to the seamstress for you! He is also friends with Justin Bieber, so your wedding singer is already on lock. Auston is looking for a girl who will stick by his side through the ups, but more importantly the downs (cause knowing Toronto there will probably be a few).

Cole Caufield | 23, from Mosinee

The biggest Swifty in the league, though he tries to hide his love for her. He bought a party bus for T Swift, imagine the things this man would buy for you. His smile could light up any room, and there will never be a day he doesn’t make you laugh. Don’t get offended if he occasionally needs time with his boys (Trevor and Jack), they might let you fourth wheel if you’re lucky. Cole is looking for a girl to laugh at all his jokes and belt out T Swift at karaoke after a few beers.

Luke Hughes | 20, Manchester

The youngest of the Hughes brothers, and the youngest in the race for love. Though Luke very much is mature for his age. He prides himself on his attention to detail and how much he’d learn about you from one conversation. Luke enjoys a relaxing Sunday where you stay under the blankets and watch trashy reality tv. He is soft spoken, but your one on one conversations is where he chooses to open up. Luke is looking for a girl who can keep him sane but also bring out his wild side.

John Marino | 27, Easton

Probably the smartest man in the competition, he went to Harvard for crying out loud. John is a big fan of Fall, so he will gladly enjoy all the activities it brings and support your fall girl aesthetic. His ideal night in when he has a day off would be board games or a movie with lots of snacks. He loves to brighten your day with random facts, half of them not ones you believed because they were so random. John is looking for a girl who knows of anything fun to do in Utah, because seriously what is this city boy supposed to do in Utah?

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marclvsf1 · 7 months ago

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LITTLE PILOT // Kimi Raikkonen

Kimi Raikkonen x wife!Reader

NOTA DEL AUTOR: mucho más corto que los demás, pero tenía ganas de escribir algo esponjoso sobre Kimi y aquí está.

(El inglés no es mi primer idioma, lo siento si hay errores de ortografía, las críticas constructivas son bienvenidas).

You met Kimi in 2014 during a trip you took to visit friends and family in Finland.

You had arranged to meet your group of friends that you both had in common for a drink, when to your surprise he was there too. You knew who he was, you had heard about him hundreds of times, both on television and from your friends, but you had never met him in the same place before.

And that day, more to your luck than your misfortune, the only place left was next to him, so you had no choice but to sit next to him and try to engage him in conversation.

To your surprise, you hit it off quite well from the very first moment, and he wasn't the ice man he was portrayed to be on social media and TV.

Just three days after that meeting, you received a message from a number you hadn't added inviting you to go to his house, a number that a couple of messages later you discovered belonged to Kimi, and you decided to accept his invitation, since at that moment you had nothing to lose, and if it went wrong at least you would have the anecdote.

But after many meetings and many messages shared even late at night when you should be sleeping, you decided to make your relationship official.

And now, 10 years and many experiences later, you were at the biggest karting track in Switzerland waiting for your eldest son, whom you had just a year after you made your relationship official, to make his karting debut.

Ever since your not-so-little boy was only 3 years old, it was clear to him that he wanted to be like daddy and become a professional racing driver when he grew up. So Kimi wasted no time, and when he was only 4 years old he gave him his first kart, which he had outgrown, but which you still kept in your house as a souvenir.

You were in one of the parenting zones waiting for your little one's race to start, when your now-husband's voice brought you out of your thoughts.

-Calm down, honey, he's well trained, nothing will happen to him.-

-I am calm-

-Your grip on my arm doesn't prove the same thing," he said mockingly.-

When he uttered those words you turned your gaze to where he had mentioned, realising that you were gripping his arm with much more force than normal, as your knuckles were completely white from the force you had been exerting.

-Sorry,- you said, removing your hand from his arm with flushed cheeks. -

-I don't want you to apologise for being excited about your son,- he said, putting his arm around your shoulders and then intertwining your hands, placing a kiss on yours,-Although it doesn't seem like it, I understand you, and I even think I'm more nervous than you are.-

You were about to answer him, when the sound of the engines starting up made you turn your gaze towards the track, or rather towards a certain kart bearing the number 91.

The qualifying laps had started with your son in ninth position, but as the laps progressed he was overtaking his rivals as naturally as if it was something he did every day. He had certainly inherited his father's natural talent, both on and off the track.

The qualifying laps were over, and the race was about to start with your son in fourth position, and although he wasn't in the best position, he had a good chance of making it onto the podium, and you knew that if he worked hard, with his talent and dedication, he could do it.

The race started with your son moving up a position at the start corner, bringing a couple of tears to your eyes at his determination.

The race went on for most of the time with the first three positions the same, when in one corner the boy in front of your son made a mistake, which your son took advantage of to move into second place, a position in which he finished the race.

You wiped away the tears that had sprung to your eyes with the back of your hand as you watched your little one step onto the podium and receive his trophy.

-We are proud of you,- you said, hugging your son as he came back to you.

-Your mother is right, we are proud of you little boy. And we always will be no matter what you decide to do when you're older,- said your husband, joining you in your embrace.

-we love you little one-

-I love you too isät-

#kimi raikkonen #kimi raikkonen x reader #kr7 #f1 x reader #f1 imagine #kimi raikkonen fluff #kimi raikkonen one shot #kimi raikkonen x you #f1 #f1 fanfic #f1 fic #f1 fluff

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csuitebitches · 2 years ago

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Guide to Building a Classic Wardrobe

I was asked a long time ago by an anon for a guide to build a wardrobe. This style caters to someone mature, slightly conservative, NOT fashionnova-esque, something that will last a long time in all fashion seasons, provided you look after your items well. I live in a relatively hot climate and the coldest temperature I’ve experienced when living in a place is like 10 degree Celsius, so I will admit that I am not very well versed with living in cold climates for a prolonged period of time (I don’t think a 2 week trip to Switzerland in the summer counts as “cold”).

I have purposely built with keeping neutrals in mind. I’ve learned that its best to first build a neutral coloured wardrobe in mind, then start adding colour to it. You might find this wardrobe boring, but if you work in a corporate environment/ somewhere where you can’t showcase too much colour or creativity/ if you come from a relatively conservative/ high profile-but-not-entertainment /modest culture, you’ll find this useful.

ALWAYS keep an eye on the material of the item you are buying. If you have to buy a sweater and you live in a cold climate, buy cashmere. Yes, it will be expensive, but it will keep you warm and last longer. If you live in a hot climate, invest in tops and dresses made out of pure cotton. Material plays a huge role in the climate you live in.

I do not endorse fast fashion or over-consumerism but I understand that it is affordable. I would therefore recommend you to buy things carefully and with consideration, not just for the sake of the environment but for your wallet. It’s better to buy 1 quality item than 10 horribly made, short-lasting items.

Never mix more than 3 colours in your outfit at a time. That’s something my father taught me, and I recommend you stick to it, especially if you’re new to building a serious wardrobe.

Lastly, do not be enthralled by what influencers buy or wear. I can guarantee you that the clothes they wear on Instagram aren’t even theirs half the time. Don’t fall into the trap of micro trends.

(Pictures for this post have been sourced from Pinterest).

Underwear

Nude bra + thong/ undie

Black bra + thong/ undie

White bra + thong/ undie

Strapless bra (black)

Strapless bra (nude)

2 sexy bra sets (optional, I have these in red, pink, blue)

Nipple pads

Tops

White silk cami

Black silk cami

White plain tee

Black plain tee

White tank

Black tank

Beige tank (or whatever suits your complexion - brown/ nude)

White shirt

Black shirt (satin/ silk)

Blue shirt

Pants

Navy blue trousers

Wine/ red high waisted trousers

White trousers

Beige trousers

Black trousers

Straight leg jeans (blue)

Another pair of jeans (not ripped, blue)

White jeans, straight leg/ mom cut

Skirts

White

Black

Red

Beige (a checked print, like Burberry)

2 maxi skirts

1 pencil skirt in black (work appropriate)

Shorts

Denim (not distressed)

Tailored white shorts

Tailored blue shorts

Tailored black shorts

Formal attire

1 maxi dress - red/ black/ a neutral colour

White/ black vest and trouser set

Everyday dresses

Knit dress in black/ cream/ brown (long)

2 summer dresses, short

White peasant dress

Outer wear

Leather jacket in black/ brown

1 cardigan in black/ white

A shawl/ silk scarf

Denim jacket

Long trench coat in camel/ brown/ beige

Blazer in white/ navy blue/ black

Sweater in black/ white/ red

Shoes

Black/ white/ brown leather boots

White/ silver heels

Black heels

Gold heels

Mules in black

Home slippers

Running shoes

White sneakers

Accessories

1 brown/ black leather bag

1 tote bag

1 clutch for parties

Hair clips

Tights/ leggings - sheer and opaque in black

Socks

Jewellery

Diamond studs

Everyday pendant

2-3 simple bracelets/ bangles in silver/ gold

Signet rings in gold

Chunky hoops

Devices

Hair straightener

Hairdryer/ Blow brush (i prefer the blow dry brush)

30 mm curling wand (for long, big curls)

#c suite #powerful woman #strong women #ceo aesthetic #personal growth #that girl #c suite aesthetic #working woman #empire #beauty #fashion #wardrobe #styling #capsule wardrobe #basic fashion #neutral #fashion guide

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pedripics · 4 months ago

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Pedri: "I think I'm a lot more dangerous as a playmaker"

(Mundo Deportivo - July 3, 2024)

De la Fuente said in the run-up to the European Championship that Pedri had to find himself. And he seems to have found himself.

"I'm feeling very well, with much more confidence, with a lot of desire and above all with the desire to continue in this dream of winning the Euro, which I think we have the team for it."

In order to find yourself again, you have had to make several changes.

"Yes, I changed my nutrition, my physical preparation, I started to do pilates and I've done a lot of different things to try to find something that suits me. I think I've found it."

And some ideas that Ferran passed on to you. Soak in ice-cold water for one minute a day.

"Yes, although I don't think it's really necessary here because it's so cold. In the mornings we always go into very cold water for one minute. It's good to wake up, to wake you up and to get you ready for the day."

It's been a long time since you've been with the national team. Has this change of context been good for you?

"Above all to get away from it all. It's true that in Barcelona I had injuries and relapses, but I wanted to come to the national team, to be here in a training camp with my teammates. I feel very comfortable and I'm getting better every day."

Playing more vertical.

"That's right. A lot of coaches throughout my short career have asked me to do that. They've told me to get into the box a lot more, that I have to score goals and give assists. In that position it's much easier. Also, here I can play with Morata, who fixes the centre-backs very well. For a '10', having a striker like that makes everything much easier. It's a spectacle to play with Morata."

Which attacking midfielders does he look at?

"There are players who may not play in that position but have the qualities of a playmaker, like Musiala, a player who may play as a winger but can play inside. Or Wirtz himself. They are players who have been playing at a very high level for many years and you learn from them."

Musiala and Wirtz. Both will be opponents on Friday.

"They are having a spectacular Eurocup, especially Musiala. Wirtz is also playing very well. Let's hope we can neutralise them in the best possible way. It's clear that our midfield is also very strong and I think we have the best player in the world in that position, Rodri."

Called to be, surely, the stars of the next decade. Pedri, Nico, Lamine, Wirtz, Musiala… They will face each other for the first time. Are you looking forward to it?

"Yes, it's going to be a match where the neutral spectator, the one who doesn't belong to either team, is going to have a great time. It's going to be amazing. It's going to be a match with a lot of magic, a lot of dribbling, a lot of possession. I think it's going to be a hard-fought match and hopefully we'll take it."

Dani Olmo and Pedri also complement each other on the pitch

"Yes, at the last European Championship and at the World Cup we met on the pitch many times.He is a player with whom I enjoy playing together and I hope we can do the same at this European Championship."

You must have heard about the curse of the host at the training camp.Spain have never beaten the host country.

"I've always said that there's a first time for everything and hopefully this is it. It's a curse that sometimes scares people, but not us. It motivates us a little bit more to try to put an end to that."

Beyond the cliché of an early final, are the two best teams in this European Championship facing each other?

"These are two teams that have been very consistent, both in the group stage and in the round of 16. We've always played the same way, the same football, scoring goals and winning games a bit more calmly. That's why it's going to be a spectacular game."

Is there any other team that has caught your eye?

"Switzerland. We knew beforehand that they were a difficult team, but they are having a spectacular tournament and they are a tough opponent."

Their group is usually made up of Fermín, Lamine, Nico, Ferran, Dani Olmo… At 21 years of age, he's already one of the veterans.

"I get into the rondos before Nico because I'm from November, imagine that. We are always together. With Ferran and Dani Olmo we like to banter, we like to joke around. But when the match starts, the jokes are over and we play."

#pedri #pedri gonzalez #spain nt #*euros 2024 #*interview #.gifs

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for-the-folk · 9 days ago

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So, You Wanna Know About?: The Evil Eye

The concept of the “evil eye” exists in virtually every culture worldwide, as do amulets such as the nazar and hamsa. It's a fundamental part of most folk groups' magic and culture, which is why we use it as a symbol for our server. But what do we know about this concept and the symbols and practices surrounding it? Let’s take a second and explore.

What Exactly Is The Evil Eye?

In simplest terms, the evil eye is “a curse transmitted through a malicious glare, usually one inspired by envy.” [1] It's believed that this glare can cause misfortune, illness, injury, death, and general misery. [3] Pregnant women, infants, young children, and animals are thought to be especially susceptible. [4]

The Evil Eye’s First Appearance

Historians are unsure of the exact date the evil eye and amulets used to ward them off were invented, however, we can find examples going as far back as ancient Mesopotamia. Texts have been found in Ugarit (located in modern-day Syria) attesting to the concept until roughly 1180 BC. [2] According to Dr Nese Yildiran, “The earliest version of eye amulets goes back to 3,300 BC … The amulets had been excavated in Tell Brak, one of the oldest cities of Mesopotamia – modern-day Syria. They were in the form of some abstract alabaster idols made with incised eyes.” [1]

The Evil Eye Travels

Various things across history such as trade, travel, colonization, and immigration have caused the evil eye to travel the world. It spread through the SWANA region at first, but soon traveled to all continents worldwide: “[The evil eye has] occurred in ancient Greece and Rome, in Jewish, Islamic, Buddhist, and Hindu traditions ... [and in] Indigenous, peasant, and other folk societies.” [4] Historians have found it difficult to trace exact lines of transmission of the idea, but it notably seemed to spread rapidly among the common folk or working class. [5] It wasn't long before its presence became known across all continents, though it has always varied across time and space. For example “In Roman times, not only were individuals considered to possess the power of the evil eye but whole tribes…were believed to be transmitters of the evil eye.” [6] This is very different from how the evil eye exists in the current regions of the previous Roman Empire, as these tribes no longer exist.

It Came With The Amulets!

One of the earliest amulets associated with the evil eye is the nazar. Its name comes from the Arabic “‏نَظَر‎” (naðˤar) meaning “sight,” with many other languages adopting this term or creating their own. [7] The blue eye-shaped bead most commonly associated with this particular amulet is “made of a mixture of molten glass, iron, copper, water, and salt, ingredients that are thought to shield people from evil.” [8] Its blue color may be because “blue eyes are relatively rare [in the SWANA region], so the ancients believed that people with light eyes, particularly blue eyes, could curse you with just one look. This belief is so ancient, even the Assyrians had turquoise and blue-eye amulets.” [9] A similar amulet adopted from the nazar is the hamsa, similarly originating in the SWANA region. [10] The two have become perhaps the most widespread and well-known amulets, though they are certainly not the only ones.

Evil Eye Across Cultures & Religions

NOTE: this is not an exhaustive list, but a jumping off point.

Judaism: The evil eye can be found across various Jewish literature, from the Tanakh to the Talmud, and even books like Pikeri Avot. [11] It’s known best as the “ayin hara” which is Hebrew for the evil eye, though it may have different names across diaspora (for example, in Jewish-Spanish languages like Ladino it might be known as “Mal de Ojo”) [12] There are various customs to protect one from the evil eye across the Jewish diaspora, such as neckbands worn by boys for their brit milah, in the regions of Alsace, Southern Germany, and Switzerland just to name one. [13] One of our Jewish server members, Yosef, says “I'm Jewish and have been all my life ... my family is eastern European and we have gone to orthodox shul and (no) evil eye and other related symbols are prevalent in my family's practice along with the practice of my synagogues ... as such I constantly carry around the symbol”

Islam: The evil eye as a concept in Islam, known as the “al-ʽayn” is common. It's believed to destroy one's good fortune or cause illness. [14] Various phrases including “Mashallah” (God has willed it) are used to ward off the evil eye – “The imperativeness of warding this all too evident evil eye off is common among local communities. Not only did the absence of a “mashallah” tempt fate but it is also believed certain individuals have the power to conjure up the dark forces of the evil eye.” [15]

Italy: The evil eye in Italian is known as the “mal’occhio.” [16] In some regions, the cornicello ("little horn") is an amulet used to ward off the evil eye. It comes from Naples and it’s usually made of red coral and pepper shaped. [17] According to Antonio Pagliarulo, “some families, depending on the region of Italy from which they come, will pin the amulet to a baby's clothing either immediately before or immediately after his or her baptism.” [18]

Ireland: In Ireland, the evil eye is known as “Droch-shúil.” [19] There are a few various Irish folktales about the presence of the evil eye that warn of its dangers. One example is the tale of King Balor. The tale goes that “Balor was a king of the Formorians, the ancient inhabitants of Ireland (before the coming of the Tuatha Dé Danann). He is often described as a giant with a huge eye in the middle of his forehead. This eye brought death and destruction [onto] anyone he cast his gaze upon. He had gained this power from peering into a cauldron that contained a powerful spell that was being created by some druids. The vapors from the cauldron got into his eye when he looked inside which gave him the power of his deathly gaze. The most memorable instance of Balor using his eye is the story of his death at the battle of Maigh Tuireadh. In this famous battle between the Formorians and the Tuatha Dé Danann, Balor fell in battle at the hands of his own grandson, the pan-Celtic god Lugh, when he thrust his spear (or sling depending on the telling) through the eye of the giant. His eye was blown out the back of his head, turning his deadly gaze on his own men, destroying the forces of the Formorians. A piece of Dindseanchas (meaning lore of places) tells us that the place where his head fell and burned a hole in the ground, later filled with water and became known as “Lough na Suil” or “The Lake of the Eye”. Interestingly, this lake disappears every few years when it drains into a sinkhole. Local mythology says that this happens to ensure that the atrocities of the battle may never be forgotten.” [20]

Germany: In German, the evil eye is known as the “Bölser Blick”, something that is cured by a variety of methods such as red string, prayer, salt, iron, and incense. [21]

Poland: In Poland the evil eye is called "złe oko" or "złe spojrzenie." [23] In some regions, they use amulets known as "czarownica" which are charms often made from herbs, metals, or stones, or specific gestures believed to ward off the evil eye. In many Polish homes, you might find them hanging on the walls. A ‘czarownica’ might also be a necklace with a pendant crafted from amber, which is believed to ward off negative energy. [22] There are also folk tales about the evil eye, such as “an archaic Polish folk tale that tells of a man whose gaze was such a potent carrier of the curse that he resorted to cutting out his own eyes rather than continuing to spread misfortune to his loved ones” [1]

Russia: In Russian the evil eye is called "дурной глаз" or just "сглаз." [23] Some Russians ward off the evil eye by bathing in running water, which carries the negativity away. Fire is also used, with young people jumping over a campfire to remove bad energy. Carrying salt or pinning the fabric of your clothing are also other simple ways to ward off the evil eye. [24]

Mexico: In Mexican culture, the evil eye (el ojo) is thought to be especially prevalent during November around the time of Dia de los Muertos, with children being particularly susceptible. There are various ways a child may get the evil eye such as from a stare of a drunk or angry person, or a person who is "caloroso," or overheated from working out in a hot environment such as under the sun or cooking over a hot stove. [25] Some may use an ojo de venado, or “eye of the deer” as a protective charm, which is only effective if “worn as an amulet around the neck at all times.” [26] As a quote from one of our staff members, Ezekiel: “I was raised in a very Hispanic area so we all wore evil eye bracelets most of the time woven from the flea market… In Mexico or some parts of Latin America, it is called El mal de ojo and it is believed that different colored evil eyes do different things.”

Rroma: The concept of the evil eye also exists amongst the Rromani people. For Rroma in Slovakia, the belief in jakhendar is prevalent, often being diagnosed and cured with jagalo paňi, or ‘coal water’ [27] Rroma in places like Brno are also thought to be particularly susceptible to the evil eye, leading to communities to find members to help protect themselves. According to scholar Eva Figurová, “This role, instead, is appointed to the village shepherd, blacksmith, or other person perceived by the community as gifted with the ability to heal, cure, and ward off the effects of negative forces, whether intentionally or not. Nowadays, among the Roma in Brno, the chanting of the zoči is a common ritual that does not require the presence of a specialist.” [28]

India: In many parts of India, people use a nazar battu to ward off the evil eye, or the buri nazar. [29] Other methods of warding off the evil eye include hanging a drishti bommai [30], mothers spitting on their children [31], or marking them with a black mark on the cheek. [32]

Ethiopia: In Ethiopian culture, the evil eye is known as the "buda." [33] It is thought to be wielded by certain people (i.e. metalworkers) and warded off by amulets created by a debtera, or unordained priest. [34]

Conclusion

This blog post only begins to touch the surface when it comes to the evil eye. The history across time and space is so expensive one can truly dedicate their entire lives to studying and still not know everything there is to know. We sincerely hope that we have provided some perspective and gave some jumping off points for further exploration.

Sources & Further Reading:

Hargitai, Quinn (2018). “The strange power of the ‘evil eye’”. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20180216-the-strange-power-of-the-evil-eye. Accessed 1 Nov. 2024.

Pardee, Dennis (2002). "VIII. INCANTATIONS: RS 22.225: The Attack of the Evil Eye and a Counterattack". Writings from the Ancient World: Ritual and Cult at Ugarit (vol. 10). Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature. pp. 161–166.

Ross, C (2010). "Hypothesis:The Electrophysiological Basis of the Evil Eye Belief". Anthropology of Consciousness. 21: 47–57.

Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "evil eye". Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Oct. 2024, https://www.britannica.com/topic/evil-eye. Accessed 3 November 2024.

Gershman, Boris (2014). The Economic Origins of the Evil Eye Belief. American University (Washington, D.C.). Online resource. https://doi.org/10.57912/23845272.v1

Elworthy, Frederick Thomas (1895). The Evil Eye: An Account of this Ancient and Widespread Superstition. J. Murray.

WICC Authors, (2023). Nazar (amulet). https://wicc2023.org/nazar-amulet/. Accessed 1 Nov. 2024.

Williams, Victoria (2016). Celebrating Life Customs Around the World: From Baby Showers to Funerlan, p.344.

Lynn, Heather (2019). Evil Archaeology, p.167

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Birth Culture. Jewish Testimonies from Rural Switzerland and Environs (in German and English). Basel: Naomi Lubrich. 2022. pp. 35–37.

Evil Eye - Oxford Islamic Studies Online.” Archive.org, 2018, web.archive.org/web/20180825110529/www.oxfordislamicstudies.com/article/opr/t125/e597. Accessed 1 Nov. 2024.

“Mashallah: What It Means, When to Say It and Why You Should.” The National, 22 May 2013, www.thenationalnews.com/lifestyle/mashallah-what-it-means-when-to-say-it-and-why-you-should-1.264001. Accessed 1 Nov. 2024.

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#folk magic #folk practice #folk practitioner #folk witchcraft #magic #witch #witch community #witch stuff #witchblr #witchcraft #the evil eye #evil eye #nazar #amulet #enjoy!#long post

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lavendertales · 2 years ago

Text

Sweet lies: Chapter 10**

pairing: Frankie Morales x f!reader

summary: Frankie is determined to come clean to Andrea, but her departure punts a dent in his plans. Meanwhile, you are offered a fantastic opportunity in Switzerland, and Frankie only grows more erratic.

word count: 5k

WARNINGS: morning sex (piv, vaginal fingering, praise kink, creampie)

AGELESS/EMPTY BLOGS & MINORS WILL BE BLOCKED!

Comments & reblogs are always appreciated 💕

gif: @javier-pena

series masterlist | AO3

It takes you a bit to gain full consciousness. Right now you’re somewhere between a comatose state and reality, and you can’t decide which option is best. You weigh them carefully, barely remembering last night’s events and where you find yourself this morning.

Then you open your eyes, slowly coming to it, taking a quick scan around.

You’re in Frankie’s bedroom.

The most intimate place of his apartment, recently shared with Andrea, his fiancé, that’s where you are. It brings you a feeling of both comfort and panic, but it is difficult to discern between the two when you find yourself stretching in utter coziness, Frankie’s scent still lingering on the sheets.

Unlike him, who seems nowhere to be found.

“Hi, good morning,” you hear his husky voice say.

It takes you a bit to realize that he’s not talking to you. Besides the fact that his voice sounds even more attractive first thing in the morning, he sounds distressed. You stand up halfway, trying to visualize him; you finally catch a glimpse of his naked silhouette at the desk, slouching on the chair and with the phone at his ear.

“Listen, I really need to talk to you,” he says. “It’s urgent. Yes, it’s about us. Could we meet for lunch? Because it’s a face to face conversation. Because I—what do you mean you’re not here? Seriously? You decided to go visit your parents for a whole week on a Sunday? I know you can visit them whenever you want, I’m just saying—this is more important than a goddamn visit! Come on, please, can’t you let it go? We really need to talk. When are you coming back? Fine. Fine, we’ll talk then. Bye.”

He grunts, hanging up the phone and rubbing his face in frustration. Then, he sees you, and his face softens instantly. He crawls back in bed next to you, gently stroking your hair. It’s now that you come to realize you’re not certain when you moved from the couch to the bed last night. It’s all a blur, frankly, especially after Frankie slid right back inside you once you were concealed underneath the sheets.

“What’s the problem?” you ask.

“I called Andrea to meet for lunch, talk about things. Apparently she’s gonna be out of town for a week, visiting her parents in Chicago.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

“I guess our talk yesterday affected her more than she let on.”

“I just think it’s weird.”

You frown, halfway amused. “You’re in bed with another woman. I think there are other concerns in the middle.”

Frankie chuckles. “She said she’ll text me when she gets back. So we’ll see.”

He nuzzles up to you, eyes locked on your radiant face. “I don’t wanna get up yet.”

“It’s Sunday. I don’t think we have to.”

“We probably should. Given… circumstances.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right.”

You stare at each other, your bodies as hungry as last night, except lazier. It feels too good to retreat into the warmth of the sheets, your skin warm to the touch.

“It’s still early though,” you say, teasingly playing with a few locks of his hair.

His lips touch yours, the sensation sweet and sensual. Your body instantly catches fire as his hand traces the slopes and curves of your body. His fingers find refuge at last between your legs, barely touching through your folds, and yet you still crumble.

Suddenly there’s a broken moan that escapes past your lips, filling the otherwise silent air. Frankie grunts into your mouth, pleasantly remarking that you’re somewhat wet already.

“Francisco,” you whisper, cupping both his cheeks, mouth wide open at the sensation of his digits rubbing against your clit.

He doesn’t tell you, but whenever you coo his full name, it’s equal parts torturous and ecstatic. Whenever you plea for him in such a yearning manner, it breaks him, makes him forget everything else in this world. Even now, as he starts rubbing circles on your clit, all he can see is you. All he can hear and feel is you, and it is now that he acknowledges the fact that it’s always been this way.

Even during one of the first times he and Andrea slept together, and his lower lip bled as a result of him trying not to grunt your name.

These are things he keeps to himself, buried as deep as he’d like to bury himself inside you right about now.

Your hand traces his cock, now fully erect, giving it a few strokes, and Frankie moans alongside you.

“Frankie,” you moan again, barely conscious at this point. “Please. Please…”

He looks at you amazed, almost teasingly so, but he does not mock. “What do you need?”

“You. I need to feel you. Please.”

Frankie smiles in response, slipping his fingers inside you. It’s only two of them, but you are still so sensitive from last night and from being barely awake that it feels like it’s too much. You instinctively spread your legs further, making more room for Frankie, and you grab tightly onto his shoulder. There’s heat radiating from all over you, rooted deep in your veins, it seems, and Frankie can feel it, too.

“You’re so warm,” he tells you, pecking your lips as he thrusts his fingers in and out of you at a decent pace. “So tight and wet… hmm, so good, baby girl.”

Your sole response are pathetically needy moans, but right now, you forbid yourself to think about anything else except the way he’s building towards your orgasm with nothing but his fingers.

“F-Francisco…”

“Mhm, it’s okay. It’s okay, I got you.”

“Don’t stop, please, please…”

“Not going to stop, baby. You wanna cum on my fingers? Just like this, hm?”

“Yes, yes—“

“Good girl, come on. Let me feel you around my fingers, come for me.”

He picks up the pace, his fingers fucking into you with the fastest speed he can muster while he’s kissing your lips and cheeks. Your fingers dig into the flesh of his shoulder as you come, and you nearly cry with overstimulation. It’s probably the fastest you’ve came from such a form of stimulation, but it’s all too much to not let it explode in such a delicious manner.

You see him taking your arousal-coated fingers to his mouth and sucking them dry, his eyes piercing through you. Then, you watch him curl the same fingers around his cock, fisting it gently and releasing a series of unholy sounds before positioning himself at your entrance.

He doesn’t want to think how Andrea practically skipped town once she intuited something was going on between you and Frankie. He doesn’t want to think about the fact that he desperately wants to talk to her, end things while there’s still some dignity left, and she’s literally running away from him. He doesn’t want to think about any of that; all he wants is to bury himself into you, to feel you as deeply as humanly possible, and hear you moan for him on repeat.

And that’s what he does: he pushes past your soaked lips, burying himself to the hilt with one swift and languid motion. You throw your head back, the stretch of your walls around him absolutely magnetic. You feel every inch of him, every vein on his cock, every single thing as he steadily grinds his hips into yours. It’s like he’s touching every nerve in your body with each push into your pussy, each passing second building your orgasm faster and faster. He’s definitely bigger than what he previously gave to you, and he stretches you out so painfully good you could cry out in pleasure.

“I love being inside you,” he mutters, head buried in the crook of your neck.

“Frankie—fuck—“

“You feel so perfect around me. So… fucking perfect. So fucking good, so good for me…”

Truth be told, he’s not in control of his mental faculties at this point; he’s lost and long surrendered to your taste, your warmth, every inch of you. While you’re both tender and sore from yesterday, Frankie’s erratic movements grow needier and thus more desperate. He’s fucking into you faster, now staring down on you with a hunger you would’ve deemed as unknown or surreal till now. You stare right at him, mouth open as you moan, your body at his mercy.

He’s slamming his cock faster and harder with each second, and with each whimper that leaves your mouth. Your nails dig into his back once more, only this time they cut right through him, adding to the buildup in Frankie’s belly. You feel sweat coating his and your skin alike, and his hands start to move frantically all over you, as if he wants to contain all of you in his hands, all at once.

“I need to—“he tries to warn, but you run your fingers over his lips to shush him sweetly.

“It’s okay. Come, Francisco.”

“Wh-Where? Tell me, tell me where, fuck…”

You kiss him, and that’s all the answer he needs. It’s most likely risky and insane, ludicrous even, but you’re both past any reprimands or atonement for your sins. He grunts your name when he comes, spilling his release inside you. It’s so hot and so much of it, you kinda just seize up around him, triggering your own climax. You gush all around him, arousal dripping from your pussy from both of you.

You feel empty when he pulls out, even with the slow and warm dribble of arousal dripping from you. Frankie watches that in some sort of drunken haze; he hasn’t lost himself this way before, not even with Andrea. It only reminds him of the effect you have on him, how deep his affection for you runs, and to what lengths he’ll go just because you said you need him.

“You look so good like this,” he mumbles, eyes still on your swollen pussy.

You cannot deny the weight of his sentence, and you feel your cheeks flush with the auburn flame of flattery.

“Like what?” you pretend to not be in the know.

“Full with me.”

You smile, in spite of everything telling you the opposite, and cup his cheeks, bringing him down to meet with your lips as you kiss him again.

“I liked it better before, when I was actually full with you,” you tease.

“Don’t do this to me.”

“Don’t do what?”

Frankie bites on your lower lip, his index and middle finger removing the loose hair covering your forehead.

“Test me. I’ll take the whole day to fuck you.”

You don’t contradict him, nor do you battle with him. You simply kiss him, remembering that this—while beyond pleasurable—is not real. Not until Frankie and Andrea settle things once and for all.

Even as you get dressed, you think the unfairness of it all, the pain and pleasure in between you and Frankie. Most importantly, you think how much you would hate it if all of this would’ve been for nothing.

You don’t wish for the downfall for their relationship. Not at all. But Frankie agreed with you when you said that his means something. He told you he loves you, and that he’s loved you since you were teenagers. It doesn’t just mean something; it means everything.

Fear clawing at your chest, you leave his apartment sometime around 9:17 a.m. with the promise of cutting contact once more. What you fail to see as you rush to get back home, though, is Santiago’s frowned brows and puzzled look at the corner of the street where Frankie’s apartment is. You fail to see him waiting for you to disappear out of the frame, taking the subway, and then rush to the apartment building.

The knock on the door startles Frankie. Maybe you forgot something.

“Tell me I did not see what I just saw,” is Santiago’s opening line once he finds himself on Frankie’s doorstep.

“What are you talking about?”

Santiago groans your name, angrily stepping inside. “Tell me she did not just leave your apartment so early in the morning. Because if you don’t, I will just assume she’s doing the walk of shame right about now.”

Frankie gulps, frozen. He’s caught off guard, and he’s not sure how to be blunt with his best friend about the whole situation.

“It’s not—what you think.”

Rookie mistake. He falters, for one goddamn second, and Santiago picks up on it. Next thing Frankie knows, he’s being smacked across his head.

“What the fuck!” he exclaims.

“Tell me you’re not fucking her.”

“I thought you had a thing with Rose. Why do you care?”

Santiago repeats the gesture, much to Frankie’s annoyance, who grunts in pain.

“So you are an idiot,” he concludes.

“It’s not what you think, okay?”

“Oh, so she didn’t just leave the apartment that you share with your fiancé at nine o’clock in the morning. Okay, good, cause I was thinking you lost your fucking mind. I thought you slept with her. But if you say it’s not what I think, then—“

“It’s more than that! It’s—it’s everything, Pope. I’m in deep shit already so if you could spare me your usual lectures, I’d really appreciate it. I can’t handle any shit from you too.”

“What the hell’s going on? What are you doing here?”

“Not that it matters or not that it’s any of your business, but… she just came over to talk. That’s all.”

Santiago stares incredulously at him. He feels sorrow and pity for his friend, and yet he can’t help but be offended on your behalf, too.

“You just talked?” he asks.

“Yes,” Frankie insists.

“Fish, look at me. Listen to me.”

“Don’t give me a fucking lecture, man. I don’t fucking need it.”

“All I’m gonna say is, if you’re messing around, cut it out, right the fuck now. You don’t know how much this woman loves you.”

Frankie huffs mockingly, which determines Santiago to grab the collar of his t-shirt and angrily pull him in.

“I fucking mean it,” he says, teeth clenched. “You’re my best friend, but so is she. And you cut her out of your life, so you have no clue how she was after you left. You don’t know how she sounded over the phone, unable to stop crying. You don’t know how we all took turns calling and consoling her, making sure she wasn’t going to hurt herself.”

When he’s free from Santiago’s grip, Frankie frowns, staring at his friend.

“Why would she hurt herself?” he repeats, stunned at the revelation.

“I told you. You don’t know half of it. She lost one of her dearest friends. It wasn’t about being in love with you. She was mourning you. She was blaming herself because you walked out on her. So if you’re fooling around with her, I am telling you to put an end to it right now. Or else I will kill you myself.”

“I’m not.”

Frankie’s response is succinct and determined, and that eases Santiago’s mind in the slightest.

“I’m not fooling around,” he continues. “I’m going to make things right for all of us.”

“Good. I’m guessing this is the part where I say I didn’t see anything?”

Frankie nods shyly, feeling the weight of Santiago’s grip over his shoulder.

“Thank you,” he tells Santiago, who puckers his brows in confusion.

“For what?”

“For being a great friend to her when I wasn’t. Especially when I wasn’t.”

Santiago nods in understanding, leaving Frankie alone in the apartment with his thoughts. His mind inevitably wanders off to Andrea, her rushed decision to simply flee Boston for a week and thus denying him the opportunity to redeem himself.

But he will do it. When the week is over, face to face, he will do it.

Two hours later, you still stare at the laptop’s screen, fear and excitement coursing through you alike. You still can’t believe it. An opportunity like this comes up once every few years, if ever. And given your job to basically write, this is the best thing you can agree on.

You haven’t given your acceptance yet. While you know you have to do this and you want to, you remember the last time you had to make such a big, impactful decision, and its aftermath. Needless to say, you are concerned about the impending departure, even if this one has an expiration date right from the beginning.

It’s only one month. Surely you’ll survive.

But there is something that still eats at your heart, and you cannot vent to any of your friends about it. Not until this is all sorted out and you can admit to yourself and to everyone else just how you’ve been feeling for the past decade.

When you join the group for bowling that evening, you’re a little nervous to tell them about your impending departure. But you know that they will be more than supportive and understanding.

The one you’re worried about is Frankie.

You don’t let it show, though. As usual, it’s in your best interest to mind your business and not let any of your friends know that something is amiss, even if you do long for an honest and open conversation.

What you do get, though, is a highly indisposed Frankie checking his phone every two or three minutes. It’s bizarre, you think, but you don’t want to make much of it.

“He’s been doing that for the past few days,” Will comments in your vicinity.

You look up at him only to find him staring at his friend in a similarly concerned manner. Brows furrowed, feeling truly puzzled, you stare at Will instead, hoping for an explanation.

“Apparently Andrea’s been calling and texting like crazy, wanting to sort things out right now,” he clarifies, seemingly reading your mind.

“So he keeps rejecting her calls?”

Will nods. “You’d think he’d want to talk to her like, yesterday.”

“Maybe he wants to talk to her face to face instead.”

Will eyes you curiously, but you only shrug. It’s your turn to play ball anyway, so you stand up and make your way to the designated aisle. You don’t notice Will’s shadow lurking about you.

Only after you return victorious to your seat, having knocked down eight pins, only then do you remark him on standby.

“Are you okay?” he asks you out of the blue.

You make a face. “Why wouldn’t I be?” you retort.

“I don’t know. It just seems like something’s bothering you.”

You could almost laugh at the fact that out of everyone present, Will is the only one to notice fragments of your inner turmoil. Not about the job opportunity, of course, but he doesn’t know that.

Does he?

“I’m okay,” you say flatly. “Really.”

“Pope’s right. You do spent a lot of time locked inside your own mind.”

To that you chuckle, recognizing the truth behind the statement.

“Guilty as charged,” you smile.

“What’s really going on?”

Will sits next to you, his eyes revealing candor and warmth, and you almost break down at how much you’ve missed these kind of conversations with him. Yes, you and Santiago have grown closer over the past few years, but there was just something about talking to Will that is soothing and eye-opening in and by itself. Perhaps it’s that “eldest of the group” vibe that he has going on, you’re not sure.

“To tell you the truth, I got this incredible job opportunity,” you confess with a knot in your throat, “but… I don’t know.”

“What’s it about?”

“I’d have to spend a month in Switzerland over the summer. They allow a limited number of journalists and such to get insight at the CERN lab, exclusive footage and news, and I’m one of them.”

Will’s face lights up. “That sounds incredible! You’re going for it, aren’t you?”

“Well, yeah, it’s Switzerland. CERN is a huge deal, and this could be a turning point in my career.”

“So what’s the holdup?”

You gulp, eyes flying over to Frankie. Unbeknownst to you, Benny and Emily are also close enough to hear the two of you talk.

“I’m just a bit cautious about leaving,” you say.

“It’s temporary, isn’t it?”

“Yes.”

“It’s not like you to miss such a thing. Like you said, it’s a big opportunity. Don’t let anything hold you back.”

If only it were that simple.

“What’s going on?” Emily interrupts.

You take a deep breath, looking at her, then at Benny. “I’m going to Switzerland this summer.”

Emily’s face lights up with excitement just as Will’s did, but Benny doesn’t seem to share the sentiment; quite the contrary: his face drops, his forehead creases under the weight of a frown, and he steps in, looking like he’s ready to scold you.

“What do you mean you’re leaving to Switzerland?” he asks rather loudly, catching the attention of the rest of the group.

“Benny—“

“I for one think that coming back into town just to leave again is downright cruel. What about us?”

You know he’s being half serious and half joking, but you still feel for him.

“Listen to me, this is a temporary job,” you try to calm him down. “It’s only a month. I get exclusive insight into the CERN lab, and I get to write about the new stuff they’re doing. Then I’ll be right back home.”

“Oh.”

Hands on his hips, Benny locks eyes with Will, who nods at him. On the opposite side of your seat, Emily hugs and congratulates you, followed by a semi-confused Mia, and then Santiago and Rose. You explain to them all how you got the email after you sent a request a month ago, what the trip will entail and everything else.

Meanwhile, Frankie approaches the group, looking rather disheveled and like he hadn’t slept in weeks.

“You’re leaving?”

His question is posed flatly, coldly, and yet somehow, his voice still breaks by the time he gets out the second word. Everyone stares at him, and you immediately stand up, eyes locked solely on him.

“It’s only for a month,” you tell him. “It’s just research. Then I’ll be right back.”

Frankie nods mechanically, and you wonder if he’s even heard you properly. For a sole moment, he stares at you unashamedly, hungrily, triggering plenty of memories and emotions out of you.

“Would you look at that, it’s my turn again,” Will announces loudly, turning away from the two of you.

Not long after, everyone follows his lead and redirects their attention to the aisles and the scoreboard. You smile at Will’s smooth way to give you and Frankie some privacy without a single cue from either of you that you need it.

When your eyes lock again, you grab him by his arm and guide him to a more secluded area. The only thing that you can find is the supply room, which isn’t very fitting, but you’ll have to make due.

“I hear Andrea’s been calling you a lot,” you open.

Frankie licks his lips and puts his hands on his hips, staring at the floor. That makes your blood boil for whatever reason.

“Why are you ignoring your own fiancé?”

“Don’t start, please.”

He sounds broken as he gets that out, but you won’t succumb to the oddly irresistible charm of that.

“All along you’ve been dead set on marrying Andrea and making things right, despite every single moment between us that proved otherwise, might I add, and now your plan is to—what? Cast her aside? Why?”

Frankie chews on his bottom lip, biting it till he nearly tastes blood in his mouth. His mind is in shambles, going through every single event from the past two, three months, unable to stop. He has countless questions and theories crammed in there, scenarios which give him no peace.

“And don’t talk to me about loyalty and all that crap,” you warn. “We both know we’ve broken far more moral ground than we originally stood on. So tell me, what has she done to you that you decided ignoring her is the way to go?”

“She’s done nothing,” Frankie grunts, eyes wide in some sort of panic. “It’s you. You have made this whole fucking thing impossible.”

Breathless, you stare at him, taken aback by his bluntness.

“But I’m leaving to Switzerland to—“

“And it’s not far enough!”

He whispers his shout, filling the constricted air around you with more confusion. You’re too dumbfounded to even interrupt him.

“Do you think that there is a corner on this earth that you could travel to far away enough to free me from this fucking torment?” he asks, his breath on your face now. “Do you think that when you were abroad, at Cambridge, it was far enough, that I was happy and content? Because I was in a whole other purgatory.”

When you find the ability to speak again, even your voice is shaky. “You’re in captivity because of your own doing, Francisco.”

“I like to think I’m a decent guy. I was raised by good people who taught me to act with honor, loyalty and integrity. But all those qualities have been hanging by a thread from the moment you set foot back here, and they are strangling me more and more with each passing second that I spend in your presence.”

You can only stare at him, mouth ajar and heart racing inside your chest, threatening to burst out at any given moment.

“You’re the bane of my existence,” he says sharply, yet awfully tender, like he’s about to give up. “And the object of all my desires. Night and day, I dream of you. Night and fucking day. For years, I—I dreamt, I cried… and when I—“

He gulps, struggling to draw in a sharp breath to compose himself, but it’s a high effort to be made. As it turns out, so it is for you; his forehead touches yours, his tongue wetting his lips as he stares at you, breaths erratic.

“Do you even know all the ways I could make you happy?” he murmurs, and your knees almost buckle under the weight of his words. “The things I could show you, things I could do to you…”

You close your eyes, fighting with every ounce of strength, every muscle in your body to not do something regrettable right there in that stupid closet.

“I didn’t ask… for any of this,” you tell him, shaking as his hand grazes your cheek. “I didn’t want any of this. I wanted you to be my friend, I didn’t… I didn’t ask to live with these thoughts, plagued by these feelings. Hiding from Andrea and out friends… it’s so wrong.”

“I know.”

“Why aren’t you calling her back?”

“Because I don’t want to. Not until she gets back. I only ever want to see you.”

Maybe saying such things makes him a cruel man. Maybe it’s not the right thing to say at all. But wouldn’t it be crueler to spend a lifetime next to someone he’s merely learned to love? Someone for whom love did not come naturally, as it did with you?

Frankie breaks the touch, thus bringing you both with your feet back on the ground, even if blood is still boiling in your veins and your body aches to be touched by him.

“She texted me saying she wants to make this work, that we have to make it work,” he says, looking as if he’s on the verge of tears. “If this wedding takes place next month, because Andrea thinks there’s still a chance of that happening, I will spend every day of my marriage, the rest of my goddamn life, wanting you. Dreaming of you. Dreading the day when whatever shred of honor or self-control I have snaps, and Andrea will see us both for what we are.”

You swallow harshly, feeling drunk and high at the same time.

“And I don’t want that to happen,” Frankie adds. “I don’t want to feed her any illusions. She wants us to work, for whatever desperate reason, but I want to end this. It’s just not fair otherwise.”

Though you don’t say it aloud, his statement makes your heart tremble with joy. Perhaps there is something inherently selfish about the way you are feeling, but the heart wants what the heart wants, and being honest now would spare you all of further pain, and would provide clearance at long last.

“We still have a chance to make things right,” you encourage him. “This has to end, like you said, and it’s up to you now. Make a choice.”

“There’s no choice.”

He moves closer to you once more, and the way you look at him, it makes you feel safe, like you are finally at home after years spent in abandonment and loneliness.

“It’s always been you,” he coos to you, reaching for your hand.

It’s virtually impossible to not feel for Andrea too; thinking too much about her breaks your heart, so, in a premiere in your life, you think about yourself. You think about all the happy memories you have of Frankie and your friendship. You think of the way he loved you at your lowest and unknowingly brought you to the top, and how your feelings for him inevitably blossomed.

“When is Andrea supposed to fly back in?” you ask him.

“Tomorrow evening. That’s when I’ll tell her.”

“Tomorrow.”

He nods, and then he leans in to peck your lips. Only you capture his mouth completely, cupping his cheeks as you pull him in. Your bodies move together as one, from the way your mouths devour one another, to the way Frankie’s hand holds your waist, clearly eager for something more. You’re not sure which one of you draws back the moral line and decides that you cannot and should not get hot and heavy in a fucking storage room, but you do. You walk back outside, cheeks flushed and lips swollen, once again playing pretend in front of all your friends.

Hopefully for the last time ever.

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ringos-sexynose · 2 years ago

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🕊️ Remembering George Harrison, Who Passed Away 21 Years Ago Today 🕊️

It's horrible to lose your dad. But day by day I miss him more as a mate. He was my best friend in the whole world. -Dhani Harrison

In 2001, I went to see George in Switzerland in his last weeks. He was very ill and weak from lung and brain cancer. My daughter, Lee, was also ill with a brain tumor. I said, ‘George, I love you, but Lee's going into hospital in Boston, and I've got to go there.’ He said, ‘Do you want me to come with you?’ He couldn't move, but, in his being, he was willing. He was that good a friend. -Ringo Starr

I sat with him for a few hours when he was in treatment just outside New York. He was about 10 days away from his death, as I recall. We joked about things – just amusing, nutty stuff. It was good. It was like we were dreaming. He was my little baby brother, almost, because I’d known him that long. We held hands. It’s funny, even at the height of our friendship – as guys – you would never hold hands. It just wasn’t a Liverpool thing. But it was lovely. -Paul McCartney

I remember, when George died, wanting the clock to stop right then and there, because I thought, ‘One day I'm going to look back, and it'll be five years.’ And now it's 20 years. -Olivia Harrison

#George Harrison #the Beatles #1960s #60s #Paul McCartney #John Lennon #ringo Starr #Pattie Boyd #Olivia Harrison #George Harrison: a series #I read the news today…oh boy

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numinousmysteries · 10 months ago

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Dancing the Tandava (4/10)

[on Ao3] @today-in-fic

Geneva, Switzerland 2023

Hannah forgets William’s parents were coming to visit until she hears knocking on the door. She’s been up all night in a panic and is so tightly wound that the sound of the knock makes her whole body flinch.

Last night, she and William had been watching a movie on his laptop, both lying face down in his bed, propped up on their elbows. He has a nearly encyclopedic knowledge of old sci-fi and horror B-movies, and, after learning she’d never seen Plan 9 From Outer Space or Attack of the 50-Foot Woman, he’s made it his personal mission to expand her horizons. As aspiring physicists, they’ve made a game out of poking holes in the films' plots, but she can tell he genuinely enjoyed them.

They were midway through The Thing when William got a call. Dr. Bellona needed his assistance immediately for a special project at the large hadron collider. She heard William agree to come into the lab even though it didn’t make any sense. They were both research interns for Dr. Farber, whose office was next door to Bellona’s. Besides, interns aren’t certified or trained to work directly on the collider, and they’re never urgently needed at 9 p.m.

“Bellona?” she asked. “Didn’t you say you saw him doing something weird near the Shiva statue on your way home today?”

“Yeah,” William replied, getting out of bed. “I guess now I can ask him what he was up to.”

Hannah had a bad feeling. She bit her lower lip and tried to resist the impulse to pull him back onto the bed as he rose up.

She watched as he pulled a thick navy sweater over his gray t-shirt. A thin line of his toned abdomen peeked out as he lifted up his arms and she forced herself to look away. William is her best friend, the first person she’d ever met who could keep up with her in debates about loop quantum gravity. He’s also undeniably hot: Tall and lean, with piercing blue eyes, and a strong jawline. She teases him for being a jock because he played varsity basketball and baseball in high school, but she secretly appreciates his body as much as his mind.

They’re only friends, though—and roommates and co-workers but nothing more. They don’t talk about their dating lives, although based on how much time he spends either with her or at the lab she can’t imagine his is any more exciting than her own non-existent one. Sure, she feels an electric jolt whenever his hand grazes hers, but William Mulder could probably get any girl he wants. Well, maybe if he toned down his own nerdiness a little.

“I’ll be back soon,” he said, leaving her alone on his bed. Hannah groaned in protest but she could already hear the apartment door shutting behind him.

She waited up for him to return. An hour, then two, then three. She texted and called him but he didn’t respond. Finally at 1 a.m. she pulled a puffy coat over her pajamas, slipped on a pair of boots, and marched down to the ATLAS facility at CERN where she and William worked. She tapped her key card to the sensor at the door but it lit up red and didn’t open. When it failed two more times, she knocked at the door, getting the attention of a security guard she hadn’t seen before.

“Can I help you?” he asked, poking his head out the door into the cold night air.

“Um, I left something at my desk. I just wanted to come pick it up.”

“You’ll have to come back in the morning,” the security guard said sternly. “There’s been an incident and the entire facility is on lockdown.”

“An incident?” she asked, scrunching her brow in concern. It seemed too quiet for there to have been an accident at the facility. There were no sirens or crowds assembled. “What kind of incident?”

“Not sure,” he said. “But someone’s gone missing in the collider tunnel.”

“Missing?” she asked. It wasn’t possible. The large hadron collider was housed in an underground tunnel made of reinforced concrete. It was huge, nearly 17 miles in circumference, but entirely enclosed. There was nowhere for someone to go missing.

The guard just shrugged and started pulling the door closed.

“Wait—” she said, yanking the glass door back open. “Who is it?”

“An intern, they think,” he said. Then he shut the door.

Hannah’s bad feeling got a lot worse.

Back at the apartment, she spent the rest of the night texting other interns in their cohort to see if anyone knew what had happened, but everyone was either asleep or equally clueless.

When she heard the knock at the door she perked up, thinking it was William and he’d forgotten his keys. She didn’t expect to see his parents there instead. She met them once before, when she stayed at their home for a weekend over the summer. William’s mother, from whom he inherited his eyes and coloring, was a doctor and scientist, the kind of accomplished and serious woman she hoped to one day become herself. His father, who looked nearly exactly like an older version of William, was funny and, as William warned, did tell some strange stories but she found them fascinating. Hannah sat aghast as Mr. Mulder recalled a liver-eating monster, a telekinetic killer, and satanic PTA members. William and his mom only rolled their eyes, clearly having heard (or, in Dr. Scully’s case, lived through) these tales before.

Now, she watches as William’s mother’s face drops when she tells her he’s gone.

“Where is he?” his father shouts, cutting through her shock.

Hannah tries to answer, but she only starts crying harder. Dr. Scully drapes an arm around her and leads her to the living room sofa. The coffee table is cluttered with her and William’s books and notebooks and the remains of their takeout dinner from the night before. They would have cleaned up after the movie but then William was called away.

Hannah buries her head in her hands, trying to slow her hyperventilation, as Wlliam’s mom sits down next to her, rubbing her back. She’s ashamed to be such an emotional mess in front of them, but she can’t help it.

“Mulder, why don’t you get Hannah a glass of water?” Dr. Scully asks softly. William’s parents call each other by their last names, a holdover from their days as FBI partners. He said it was embarrassing, but she thinks it’s sweet.

Mulder returns with the water and Hannah sips it slowly.

“Hannah, can you tell us what happened?” Dr. Scully asks gently, still with a calming hand on her back.

Hannah takes a deep breath, trying to steady herself.

“I’m sorry, Dr. Scully,” she says.

“Dana,” William’s mom interrupts. “You can call me Dana.”

“Okay,” Hannah continues. “He was called in last night to assist on a project with the large hadron collider, but he never came back. I went down to our worksite and they told me he’d gone missing inside the LHC tunnel. But that’s impossible. The tunnel is fully enclosed.”

She pauses to wipe the tears off her face with her sweatshirt sleeve. “I think this physicist Dr. Bellona has something to do with it. William saw him yesterday leading some sort of ritual outside the Shiva statue and then he was the one who called William last night.”

“What Shiva statue?” Mulder asks, his eyes darting from Hannah to his wife.

“Um, there’s a statue of the Hindu god Shiva right behind our building. Apparently, Dr. Bellona was chanting and scattering something there with these other people and he kind of stared down William when he saw him.”

“We have to go see that statue,” Mulder says, already headed to the door. His frenetic energy reminds her of William when he’s excited about a new idea.

“Is that okay, Hannah?” William’s mom asks. “Can you come show it to us?”

She guides them outside to a courtyard in between her apartment and the neighboring office building. There, on a granite podium, stands a giant brass model of a majestic Shiva dancing in a fiery halo. He has one foot on the back of a smaller being, and the other raised in the air in celebration.

“This is it,” she says. “It was a gift from the Indian government. What do you think Bellona was doing here?”

Mulder steps forward to examine the statue.

“I don’t know,” he says, rubbing his fingers along the engraved plaque on its base. “But I saw this same symbol earlier this morning in the taxi that took us here from the airport. The driver had a medallion hanging from his mirror that looked exactly like this.”

“It’s probably a coincidence,” Dana says. “But I have to admit, it’s odd. Why is there a religious statue at a scientific center?”

“There are parallels between the story of Shiva dancing the universe into existence and the movement of subatomic particles,” Hannah answers. As a self-proclaimed atheist, she’d asked herself the same question upon coming to CERN, confident that all answers could be found in science. But the more she learns about particle physics, the more mysterious the world seems. “Carl Sagan called Shiva’s cosmic dance the most elegant and sublime representation of the creation of the universe.”

“She quotes Sagan,” Mulder says, smiling. “No wonder William likes you so much.”

Hannah blushes. Glancing down, she spots a green, trifoliate leaf on the pebbled ground. It’s bright with two smaller leaflets and a longer, wider one in the middle, and stands out against the gray of the stones on the walkway. As she looks around on the ground, she sees a few more dispersed around the statue.

“Look at this,” she says, bending down to pick it up. “Maybe Bellona was scattering leaves.”

“Let me see,” Dana says, reaching over to take the leaf from Hannah. “It looks like it’s from a citrus plant, possibly tropical. I don’t think it’s from anything that grows around here.”

“Hannah!” a French-accented voice calls out and all three of them turn around.

It’s Emmanuelle Toussaint, a young French engineer who works in the LHC control center. Hannah had met her at a cocktail reception for women at CERN and the two had become friendly. If there really was an incident with the LHC, Emanuelle would know about it.

“Did you hear what happened?” Emmanuelle asks, striding over to the statue near Hannah and William’s parents.

“To William?” Hannah blurts out desperately.

Emmanuelle looks confused. “No,” she says. “The LHC operated at 15 TeV last night.”

“That’s physically impossible,” Hannah says under her breath.

You don’t need to tell me that,” Emanuelle responds excitedly. “I saw it with my own eyes from the control center, though. We’ve calibrated and recalibrated every detector and we’re still getting the same reading.”

“Scully, I might need some translating here,” Mulder leans over to Dana to whisper.

“I don’t think I understand what’s going on either,” she says.

“The collider has a maximum total collision energy of 14 TeV, or teraelectronvolts per beam. It’s only ever operated at 13 TeV, though, and achieving 15 TeV would require physical upgrades that are years away,” Hannah explains.

“Sorry,” she continues. “Emmanuelle, these are William’s parents, and,” she pauses. “William went missing last night.”

“Oh my goodness,” Emmanuelle gasps, bringing a thin hand to her mouth. “That was him with Dr. Bellona.”

“What happened?” Dana asks.

“Dr. Bellona was the one running the experiment last night. There’s footage of him inside the tunnel working on a calibration with someone else. I didn’t realize it was William with him. Then, there was a power surge and we lost connection to the cameras. When they came back online, Bellona was still there but William wasn’t.”

“Where could he have gone?” Hannah asks.

“I don’t know,” Emmanuelle continues. “But Dr. Bellona called the control room and wanted us to begin the collider run. We obviously can’t do that if anyone is still in the tunnel and, since we didn’t see William exit, we couldn’t start the collider. We locked down the facility and had the technicians do a full sweep of the tunnel. No one was there. Bellona insisted William had exited with him and had gone home, and since there was no sign of him in the tunnel, we figured he was telling the truth. That’s when we started the experiment and the LHC hit 15 TeV.”

“But William didn’t come home,” Hannah says quietly.

“What would happen if the collider ran while he was inside the tunnel?” Mulder asks.

Hannah glances at Emmanuelle. They both know it would be instantly fatal for anyone to be exposed to the high voltage and intense magnetic fields generated by a run of the particle accelerator. Hannah’s heart thumps hard in her chest.

“It is impossible,” Emmanuelle says, shaking her head. “We would never run an experiment with anyone inside. There are too many safety protocols in place. And no one was inside at the time. I don’t know where William went, but I can promise you he was not in the tunnel.”

“I think we need to talk to this Dr. Bellona,” says Dana.

#xfiles #txf #xf fanfic #msr #xfiles fanfic #x files #the x files

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thecutestlittlebunbunfairy · 2 years ago

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You Better Watch Out

Pairing: Krampus!Loki x Reader

Summary: You've decided to spend Christmas alone this year, but someone is going to pay you a visit

Word Count: 3100

Warnings: Mosnterfucking, Slight Dubcon, Bondage, Degredation

a/n:Hey all! My last fic of 2022! And my last fic i'm going to publish on this blog! Staring in 2023, all of my fics will be published on my new writing blog @thebunnyslibrary! I wanted to do something Christmas-y and this just scratched the right itch for me! Enjoy and have a happy new year!

Ho. Ho. Ho. Your brain had all but tuned out the Christmas music as you drove further into the woods. You’re not sure why, but for some reason this year, the holiday spirit had missed you completely. You had a feeling, though, it was the loneliness.

It seemed your friends were all busy spending their lives with spouses, partners, and their families; Leaving your only option as going to your parents. Which was usually okay; mom always cooked the best food and the huge tv was nice. But this year you opted for some personal quiet time. If you were going to be alone, may as well do it in style. You’d booked a little cabin in the woods, bringing only your laptop and a large stack of books. You’d taken from the 23rd through New Year’s off and you intended to make the most of it.

The cabin itself was gorgeous. An A-Frame listed on AirBnB by some architect who was spending his winter in Switzerland with his little wife. Little being the operative word, you thought looking at a photo of the two of them that hung in the kitchen as you let yourself in; he was a giant hulking man and she a curvy brunette with big round glasses. But you could see the love between the two of them. Something you’d been seriously lacking as of late. Every relationship you’d had this year crashed and burned and you felt ready to give up.

You explored more around the cabin until you came across the thing that’d made you book this place. The jacuzzi. It was on a convertible deck; set up to be outdoor in the summer, but now in the winter, a wall of glass enclosed it, giving sight out to the woods. You could see the sun was already starting to set, damn winter, and knew you still had to get your groceries inside and your things put away. The rules for the cabin they’d left were nothing major. Don’t trash the place or set it on fire. Easily manageable

You opted for a frozen pizza for your first night’s dinner. You’d stocked up PLENTY at the local grocery store before arriving at the cabin. Cocoa packets (with marshmallows), those Pillsbury sugar cookies with the snowmen, and even a Christmas classics collection on DVD you’d fished out of the bargain bin. You’d decided to make a small roast beef with some baked potatoes for actual Christmas dinner, and you were even going to make a small vat of homemade mac and cheese tomorrow to go with it.

As you walked more through the cabin, you found a cozy reading room with an impressive library. One half architectural and art books. The other poetry and literature. You looked through the shelves and unsurprisingly found “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens. You unpacked your stuff and the groceries while you ate dinner, then lit a fire and settled on the large sofa in the reading room. It had been sometime since you’d read it and thought it would be fun to re-read some tonight, and some tomorrow on Christmas Eve.

You made it to the ghost of Christmas Present before you’d started to yawn, knowing it was time to head to bed, unaware of the eyes watching you from the forest.

The next day, you’d slept til nearly 10 in the morning; waking up to find the outside world covered in a slight dusting of snow. Having a quick cup of tea, you got to work on fixing the few things you needed to do for Christmas and Christmas Eve dinner. For Christmas Eve, you were following the family tradition of a lasagna. While it cooked you seasoned the roast, prepped the mac n cheese for baking, and even found time to make a cheesecake. All the while, Christmas classics played from the record player in the den filled the house with warmth, even helping to restore a little Christmas cheer. You would have to leave a note to the owners to see if they were interested in becoming friends; they had impeccable taste.

The lasagna was, as expected, fantastic. You’d bought a box of cheap Texas toast garlic bread, which in your opinion was better than homemade, and afterward had leftovers for the rest of your stay.

You opted to spend the rest of evening in the jacuzzi with the book. The parts about Scrooge and Belle tugged at your heart a bit. While you knew Scrooge was greedy and selfish of his own volition, you could understand the loneliness and rejection that had turned him so. You yourself had never had many friends growing up, often finding yourself more in the company of books than your peers. You longed for someone to call yours who would call you theirs. It’d been so long since you’d actually been with someone.

The story finished with Tiny Tim’ s famous line, and you closed the book. You stared out into the woods, but the dark forest offered no solace to your loneliness. But you thought you saw…was that…?

Was that…something moving in the forest? You swore you had seen a pair of red eyes staring at you but…it couldn’t be, you told yourself. Just a trick of the light. You sighed and leaned back in the jacuzzi, staring up into the stars. You were in awe at just how many more you could see out here in the woods. You closed your eyes and with something last shred of hope you made a simple Christmas wish, that someone would make you feel something…

Suddenly, you did feel something as a massive gust of cold air blew through the porch area. But that was impossible! This was a completely enclosed area…right? You made a note to tell the owners that their porch might have a draft. You checked your watch; 12:01. Merry Christmas. You pulled yourself from the hot tub, wrapping yourself in a towel as you padded through the cabin. Your parents had given you a small stack of presents to open. You stacked them carefully under the tree before changing into the new pajamas you’d bought yourself. Extra soft and covered in little stars.

“Merry Christmas” you whispered to yourself as you fell asleep, but as you fell asleep, you felt that same rush of cold air.

Cold. That was what you felt as you opened your eyes. Where was the blanket? You reached to pull the covers back up but found you couldn’t. Instead, your arm felt…restrained. You frantically turned and saw your wrists had been shackled to the headboard. Oh shit…shit shit shit… you looked and saw your legs were spread wide, bound with black silk ribbon. And your clothes; gone were the warm fuzzy pajamas and instead you wore a midnight blue babydoll and black silk panties that matched the ribbon binding your wrists. You squirmed, trying to undo yourself from the restraint. You looked at the nightstand tables, desperately searching for your phone.

“Oh, don’t struggle, pet. Wouldn’t want you harming that beautiful skin of yours….at least not before I get my chance.” A raspy voice purred. Sounding like a freshly sharpened skate gliding across an icy lake.

“Who…who’s there?” you asked, meekly. You could see a figure lurking in the shadows.

“I am here to fulfill your Christmas wish. To feel something.” There was a mischievousness in his voice, but it was not playful or comforting. He stepped into the moonlight beaming in the windows and you instantly wanted to shrink away.

He was tall, his…horns, nearly scraping against the ceilings. They were black and curved, with some small chains with decorative stones wrapped around them. His skin was a pale, icy blue. But his face was marked with ridges and lines and he had ritualistic tattoos up his arms and all over his chest. His hair was inky black, a few plaited braids hung against a massive mane. Crimson red eyes raked over your form. You wanted to cover yourself, hide; but with the restraints, you had no chance.

“Please…please…this has to be a dream.” You closed your eyes and shook your head, making the chains rattle. “Whoever you are, please just leave. I’ll never say a word…” You gasped as a long-crooked nail, more like a claw…ran down your cheek.

“Hush, little pet. No harm will come to you on this night.” He paused, smiling wolfishly, revealing sharp pearly fangs. “At least none that you cannot stand.”

“Who-who are you?” You were starting to feel even more of a chill with this man, this creature, being so close.

“I am Loki, a spirit of Winter and the woods. One who seeks out and tries to restore a warmth to those who are lacking it.”

“And you do that by chaining people to their beds?” You demanded. Still afraid but trying to not to show as much.

“Well, my methods can be a bit…unconventional at times. But it seems you are in need of some truly unconventional methods.” His fingers grabbed your chin and forced you to meet his crimson eyes.

He stared at you, as if studying you. “So alone…” he mused, as if he didn’t quite mean to say it aloud. The fingers holding your chin, ran down your chest to where your nipples had hardened from the chills. “Is this all from the cold pet, or are you excited at the feel of my touch?” He purred as he tweaked your nipple, making you inhale sharply.

The more you looked upon him, the more you couldn’t help being entranced by the angular jaw and his piercing eyes. His chest was exposed, as he wore only dark black pants and boots, and there were more markings and tattoos all over his body.

His fingers trailed down, rubbing over your panties. “And your little quim is getting so wet.” You bit your lip and shook your head, wanting to resist and fight. But his hand slipped under the panties and his long nail rubbed your clit, making your hips buck. The slight edge of pain drove the intensity of the pleasure.

“My wanton little slut. I think I know just how to fill you with Christmas spirit.” He said, emphasizing the fill in a way that made your breath hitch. He climbed up on top of you in the bed, kneeling between your spread thighs, but still managing to push them even further apart.

“Please…no…this has to be just a nightmare.” you protested weekly. But he ripped away the panties like they were made of tissue papers.

“Perhaps…perhaps not.” He said, his voice low. “But if it is, let us make it one you never forget” He adjusted himself, bringing his face close to your cunt, letting out a small breath of icy air. “So sensitive, little one.” Giving a slow gentle lick, you could feel his tongue felt cold on your hot cunt. But the feeling drove you wild with pleasure and you let out a low moan. He chuckled and went about his work, laving small licks against your clit. He brought two fingers up, just to ease them into your cunt, his touch just as icy as his tongue.

“My little pet, your little quim is absolutely divine.” He growled. “And it’s all mine.” His tongue and fingers were bringing you the most blissful pleasure you’d ever felt. Reaching the most intimate spots that you never could.

“Loki…I’m…I’m gunna…” you panted, getting closer and closer to climax.

“Yes, my pet. I feel your cunt tightening around my fingers. Cum on my face; let me taste you.” He ordered. His commanding voice drove you over the edge. You called out his name as you came, bucking your hips as far up as you could in the restraints. Your hands long for something to clasp, seeing his horns right in front of you… Why were you enjoying this so much? But why did this monster seem intent on pleasing you?

He licked up every drop of cum he could, sucking lewdly on your clit as he fingered you through the orgasm. When he finally pulled away, breathing heavily, you could see his chin in the moonlight, completely soaked.

Without a second thought, he pressed his lips against yours, kissing you fiercely. He ground his hips against you, his form making you feel small. He broke the kiss, panting heavy.

“Well well, for someone on MY list this year, you sure do TASTE like a good girl. Tell me, my little snowflake, why so glum?” He asked, tenderly stroking your cheek with his finger.

“Why…why would you care?” You breathed. “Isn’t this what you wanted?” you said, confused and dazed.

“Yes, but I didn’t expect you to be sensitive and…frankly, cute.” He said, grinning. Your face heated up.

“Well…I suppose…I just didn’t expect you to be so…nice?” You said, sheepishly. “You seem to WANT to make me cum.”

Loki stared at you in disbelief. “Are you saying you’ve never had a partner who was trying to please you?” he asked, incredulously. You looked away, not wanting to answer. A sigh left his lips.

“How foolish mortals can be. Constantly in search for beauty but ignoring it when it’s in plain sight.” He gave you another kiss, much gentler this time. And you both paused for a moment, he even laid gently on top of you so as not to hurt you.

After a brief moment of kind silence, you spoke. “Perhaps I ended up on your list not because you were here to punish, but because you were NEEDED. I did wish to feel something. And I’ve certainly felt some things tonight.” You let out a small chuckle.

“I suppose that could be possible.” He smiled a true smile this time, but that mischievous glint was in his eye. “I’m still not convinced this isn’t a dream, but why don’t we make this my best Christmas, yet?” you asked

“As you wish,” He purred. “Shall I keep the restraints on?” he asked, genuinely.

“Yes, I wanted to feel. Make me feel.” You said, your voice now heavy with desire.

“Well, who are you ordering me around, little thing?” he said, reaching down to tweak your nipple, HARD. “I am the one who commands you. I am your god.” He leaned down, squeezing your cheeks and holding your mouth open to spit into it. “Swallow that my sweet cum whore.” You did so, your eyes rolling back. He smirked.

“I take it back. You ARE a naughty little girl.” He said, kissing you as he pulled his pants down, freeing his cock. Big, and blue. Just like the rest of him. Your toys back home could barely hold a candle to his. You bit your lip.

“You want this, don’t you my sweet girl? You want to be my little whore? Beg for my cock.” He said, sliding his cock along your cunt, feeling you get wet.

“Please…please fuck me Loki. Please.” You bs egged.

He pushed his cock in, making you gasp at the feeling of being split open by him.

“Fuck…this tight little quim…” he grunted, rocking his hips and fucking you deeper. “So perfect around my cock.” His cock was cool, like the rest of his touches, but you felt yourself getting hotter and hotter from his touches. As he fucked you, he peppered your neck and face in kisses, growling sinful things in your ear. “Such a naughty little girl…I’m going to claim this cunt as mine…you will always remember…you belong to me…” He promised.

“Loki please…fuck me….” Your please were cut off when Loki wrapped his hand around your throat, squeezing just enough.

“I. Told. You.” He growled, each of his words being punctuated by a hard thrust, driving the full length of his cock inside you. “I don’t.” Thrust “Take orders.” Thrust. “From bratty little whores.” His last thrust had your eyes rolling back as he resumed a punishing pace. You were already so sensitive from your last orgasm, and his other hand was circling your clit and driving you even crazier.

“I can your cunt tightening around my cock AGAIN.” He degraded. “But if you want to come this time, I better hear you ask nicely for it. Go on…tell Loki what you want for Christmas.” He mocked. But it seemed to make you want it more. His hand was still squeezing your throat, but you choked out

“Please…please can I cum…for Christmas?” you whimpered, tears leaving your eyes out of desperation. He leaned close to you and whispered.

“I am going to cum within you, so that you always know, always remember, who you belong to. Now. Cum.” He ordered. You came hard, harder than you’d ever truly thought possible. Every nerve was on fire with pleasure and passion. Above you, Loki stilled as he filled you with his cum, squeezing your throat so hard you thought you’d pass out. He gave a few more thrusts, riding out his orgasm, then slowly lowered himself to meet your body, kissing you again, but with all the tenderness of a lover.

As you two lay there in post coital bliss, you could feel the bonds fall away from your arms and legs.

“Loki?”

“Shhhh.” He breathed, adjusting you two to lay on your sides, still connected. But as he held you, you did not feel cold. You felt safe and secure.

“You mortals have some interesting customs nowadays. Not bad, just interesting.”

“I suppose. But some of the old customs were pretty odd too. Candles on a dried tree? No wonder London was constantly on fire.” You both chuckled.

“I wish there was some way to tell if this was all a dream.” You said; your eyes heavy with sleep.

“Perhaps. But even if it is, I’m sure you shall remember it.”

“Absolutely.”

“Then remember the good times and fret not about the details.” He mused. You wanted to respond, but his soothing voice and gentle touches pulled you into sleep.

The next morning you awoke, feeling better rested than you’d had in some time now. You looked around the room and all was as it should be. Your clothes, your bed, the sun was shining bright on a beautiful Christmas morning. But as you looked, there was a small blue box sitting on the night stand.

“No….it couldn’t be.” You opened the box and there, encrusted with your birthstone, was a small silver “L.” In the box was a note.

Merry Christmas, my darling pet. I hope I’ve made this one to remember.

#loki laufeyson #monster fucker #Krampus!Loki #Krampus #Christmas #Loki x Reader #Dark!Loki

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lastofthe20thcenturygirls · 9 months ago

Note

I will be ur new srk mutual 🫶 which one of his films should I watch first?

such a beautiful ask 🥺

if you're in the mood for a romance movie

1. Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge: it's as old as me and still running in a theatre after all these years. it's literally that movie. the biggest reason he's called the king of romance and there wasn't even a kissing scene in this. hasn't aged. beautiful soundtrack. and the infamous mustard field

2. My Name is Khan: 14th feb 2010, 3pm show in a single screen theatre and i had the time of my life watching my first srk movie in "talkies". i was so happy i was gonna cry finally in a theatre and wept i did. he was so fucking good in this kajol's comeback directed by karan johar. lots of tears. and some more. 9/11 background but it's a love story still. he should have won the national award and that jury will end up in hell someday :)

3. Veer-Zaara: romeo and juliet's tragedy is nothing compared to veer-zaara's. the songs the music the acting the actors the director the writer everything was just so good. a lot of people don't know this but eye acting was actually invented by shah rukh khan

4. Dil to Pagal Hai: a musical about a musical the soundtrack slayyyyed then it slayyyys now. underrated on current tumblr but i think i am starting to prefer that because DTPH is mine. i never had a crush on shahrukh but if any character of his ever came close it was from this movie. one of his sexiest characters imo. did i mention the songs were way too good.

5. Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham: shahrukh really cries like children do. who knew weeping can have range. great songs great cast. kajol in orange. srk in see-through shirts. it's actually a family drama but it's fun also his mother in the movie has a superpower.

6. Om Shanti Om: no bollywood movie has ever bollywooded the way OSO did. love friendship reincarnation hero heroine villain nepotism revenge action comedy great music (and one more thing but that's a huge spoiler) it really just had everything. one of the finest masala movies ever made. it's tumblr's favourite as it should be. also this movie is how i learnt san francisco rhymes with disco

if you're in the mood for thrillers

7. Baazigar: the directors were having trouble finding the lead actor because nobody wanted to take the risk then srk told the producer that nobody can play this role as good as he can and he became the first actor in the history of filmfare to win the best actor award after playing a negative role. a cult classic.

8. Darr: it's the 90s it's the hero heroine villain era when the audiences think the people who play villains are bad people irl and dislike them. sunny deol an already established "hero" is the hero of the movie and srk is the villain a scary stalker and what happened was that the audiences really loved him instead. (my sister got scared of him enough that she started crying in the theatre and my parents had to leave mid-movie a wuss). something that couldn't have been achieved by just anyone except the future king of bollywood. oh lots of switzerland. also the legendary director of the movie kinda adopted srk and started casting him in every movie of his afterwards.

9. Fan: about an obsessed fan (not me just tbc). underrated af.

about brothers and mothers

10. Karan-Arjun: family evil rich guy poor villagers a mother's wait reincarnation revenge very 90s. used to watch it every time it was on tv. also it was shot in my state 😎

11. Main Hoon Na: a cool srk entry. action comedy friendships a whole college adopting a grown up as their big bro beautiful sarees the best dressed character who then got a make-over 🥲 (the only one flaw of the movie) a villain (which was getting rare in the 2000s) the best ending credits ever and whatnot. it was farah khan's directorial debut and she brought fun back to bollywood with her bestie <3

the only coming-of-age movie he did

12. Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa: i was younger than 4 srk wasn't my favourite "hero" yet but his character from this movie was my first blorbo. my murderous rage awakened for him. the first character i ever related to was also from this movie. gangster uncle 🤜🏾🤛🏾 me. srk was so baby (he was like 28) there was also ra ra rasputin in this. srk loves this movie so do i.

#i got carried away as you can tell hehe #but i stopped myself as you can see or would have been even longer #the numbers aren't rankings i was going by the genres and just numbered them #lmk which you watched and if you liked it 🫶🏾#i hope it's not an overwhelming list 🫣#lmk which you watched and if you liked it #most of them are very long except fan i think bc old bollywood movies used to have longer runtimes #reply #thanks for the srk ask 🫶🏾

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formulakatya · 2 years ago

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I’LL JUST LET YOU LIVE | PIERRE GASLY

“there’s things i wanna say to you but i’ll just let you live”

not my gif :)

pairing: pierre gasly x reader

summary: having broken up with your childhood best friend and boyfriend of 2 years, you struggle to move on and resort to writing letters.

notes: loosely based off ‘cinnamon girl’ by lana del rey, hence the title. a little sloppy and messy which i apologise for, none of my writing seem to be up to satisfaction recently and i still don’t really know how to edit my work :(

warnings: none, just a little angsty

—

dear pierre,

sometimes, i look back at our relationship only to find memories where i can’t remember anything but pure joy. i look back at the pictures and videos and i can only see genuine love.

maybe you just do happen to be an excellent actor and were pretending all this while, or maybe you just stopped loving me and decided to pretend that you still did so that i would be able to prepare for my exams in peace. but whatever the reason, none of them are exactly better than the other.

i hate how france and the streets of rouen remind me too much of us to the point i had to move out to switzerland to let myself live without a depressing memory playing at the back of my head or with a constant worry i’d run into you somehow.

thankfully, i can still watch formula 1 and motorsport in peace without a single thought about the memories we made over the years. but i guess my love for motorsport is rooted in me. that’s how we became friends anyway. but, for as long as i think i’ll be watching racing for, i’ll never cheer you on.

though it hurts me to say that because i know i’d give injustice to my heart. i hate how my heart can still long for you though i tell myself that i hate you. i hate how i can’t delete the pictures from my camera roll because as soon as i do because my heart skips at least 10 beats at once when i take a look at how we were happy and the way you used to look at me.

my smiles were genuine, and it pains me to know that yours were never quite as real.

i hate how i could tell myself that i hate you again and again but still wish that i could have what we had back. i hate how i could say ‘i love you’ to you easily and struggle to say it with the same amount of admiration and love to someone else. i hate that i can say ‘i love you’ to you a million times and it still wouldn’t be enough.

i hate that i still love you.

love,

(y/n)

_________________

dear pierre,

it’s been 3 months since i last wrote, 7 since we broke up. it’s been months since the last time i had seen you and yet, as much as i try to, i can’t get over you.

i’m not surprised that you haven’t responded yet, not that i expected you to, i put your old address on it anyway and it’s probably invalid. i just didn’t want sad letters around my house.

i’ve tried everything i possibly can. i increased my practice hours in my sports, and in case you were wondering which you probably weren’t, i still play golf, i still go skiing in the winter, i still do everything i used to do and more, yet i still feel significantly emptier. it’s probably one of the few things giving me joy at the moment apart from my dog.

if you no longer love me, i hope you still love belle. or at least as much as she loved you because you picked her name. she’s still attached to the toy you got her, by the way, and she misses you. she’s also taken up your side of the bed in case you were wondering.

although i’m feeling better than i was since i sat down to write that letter, my heart still aches. it hurts to lose your boyfriend and best friend at the same time, and it hurts even more to know that you probably carried on with your life just fine.

i’ve been told that i lost my sparkle, which is something you probably took along with you considering the state of your car the race after we broke up. was that a bad joke? i feel like it was, for that i apologise, it was insensitive (kind of).

but in all seriousness, i’ve lost my spark and any kind of positive mood.

i still struggle to find peace with myself, i struggle to find my happiness. and maybe with my spark, you also took them away.

if you did, give it back. it was mine first.

love,

(y/n)

_________________

dear pierre,

your mum asked me how i was today, apparently she had lunch with mine and the topic of me moving to switzerland to try and run away from my misery was brought up. obviously, mamma told her that i was fine.

if you see this, tell her that i miss her but it’ll be a while since i see the streets of rouen. and tell her that i’m doing okay in switzerland.

but since i’m writing this letter, i’m not exactly okay. no one tells you how hard it is to move on and heal, much less find peace with yourself again.

sometimes wish i was egotistical about myself, that i was self-centered, because that would mean that i actually liked myself. instead, i’ve become complacent with my own company. everytime i look at myself in the mirror, i can’t help but analyse and critique myself to shreds just to figure out which part of me wasn’t good enough for you.

do you know how hard it is? to know that there’s no way of winning in life? to know that you’ll never be good enough? to know that you’re the second choice?

no, you obviously don’t. now that you’ve won in formula 1, you can officially say that you don’t know how it’s like to know that there’s no way of winning. take that statement how you will.

but i guess for my own sake, i’ll learn how to come to terms with it.

love,

(y/n)

_________________

dear pierre,

i went back to rouen for the first time in a year. that’s how long it’s been. i was meant to be there for a week, which used to be far too short of a trip back, but now it feels too long.

my bedroom at mamma’s house is still filled with pictures of us, ever since the day we became friends when i moved a couple blocks down from you. from this i think you can guess how hellish it must’ve been having to stay in the place that once used to give me so much comfort.

i passed by your old karting track— there was a picture of you hung up on one of the walls. i can’t escape you, can i?

although it scares me how easily i brushed off any questions or mentions of you, or us, because that means i’ve healed and i’m moving on. it scares me because i never thought i’d see the day i would stop loving you.

but now that i think about it, it probably is a good sign that i’m healing.

it’s bad to cling onto the bad things in life after all.

love,

(y/n)

_________________

dear pierre,

remember all the things you said you’d do with me but never did? yeah, i do too, so i went to do all of them by myself. call it a solo date, if you will. at the end of the day, all you really have is yourself, so i figured i’d at least enjoyed my company.

though sometimes, you need someone to help you learn these things with life. but learning isn’t always easy, and i know that i still have a long way to go with my healing.

and considering i’m still writing these pathetic little letters, i have a long way to go but it’s a road i’m willing to take. if that means healing and moving on, if that means appreciating myself, if that means finding my peace and bright spark back, it’s a road i’m willing to go down.

though i’m mad at the broken promises and maybe there’ll still be a small part of me hurt by everything, i’ll try to forgive you.

love,

(y/n)

p.s: congrats on your podium finish

_________________

dear pierre,

thank you for everything i’ve learned.

maybe things do happen for a reason.

love,

(y/n)

#f1 fic #f1 fiction #formula 1 fic #formula 1 fanfic #f1 fanfic #pierre gasly fic #pierre gasly x reader #pierre gasly angst #pierre gasly fluff #f1 imagine #pierre gasly imagine #formula 1 imagine #formula 1 x reader #f1 fic recc

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black-arcana · 8 months ago

Text

Ex-NIGHTWISH Members TARJA TURUNEN And MARKO HIETALA Announce September 2024 European Tour

Following a triumphant series of performances in South America with several sold-out gigs where Marko Hietala joined Tarja Turunen as a special guest, the two former NIGHTWISH members are set to captivate European audiences with their enthralling collaboration.

The European trek, which will kick off in September in Germany, promises to be an unforgettable experience as these two familiar voices reunite on stage once again.

Tarja recently released her first greatest-hits album "Best Of Tarja - Living The Dream". Her live show will feature a selection of songs from her career, also found on "Best Of", including fan favorites and her own personal picks.

Adding to the excitement, Marko and Tarja recently collaborated on the duet single "Left On Mars", which received widespread acclaim.

Marko will perform his own songs with his band before joining Tarja on stage for a night that promises to be nothing short of memorable.

Expectations are high as the duo continues to delight fans with both old and new songs, building on the success of their South American tour.

Tarja and Marko's "Living The Dream Together Tour 2024" European dates:

Sep. 08 - DE Berlin - Huxleys Neue Welt Sep. 09 - DE Bremen - Aladin Music Hall Sep. 10 - DE Saarbrücken - Garage Sep. 12 - DE Leipzig - Hellraiser Sep. 13 - DE Hamburg - Grünspan Sep. 14 - DE Herford - Kulturwerk Sep. 16 - NL Groningen - De Oosterpoor Sep. 17 - NL Utrecht - Tivoli Vredenburg (Ronda) Sep. 18 - DE Bochum - Matrix Sep. 20 - DE Ulm - Roxy Sep. 21 - DE Obertraubling - Eventhall Airport Sep. 23 - DE Frankfurt - Batschkapp Sep. 24 - DE München - Backstage Sep. 25 - CH Pratteln - Z7

Earlier this month, Hietala was asked by El Planeta Del Rock if there is any chance of him and Turunen launching a new project together. He responded: "I won't close that option off. We haven't talked about it, putting up a group together or anything like that. But at the moment, it seems that we've got a different kind of connection than it was [in the] past. Because then the camps were really divided already when I stepped into [NIGHTWISH]. And it was hard to find the truth of things, because a lot of it was like a managerial turf war where we got told certain things by one side and told certain things by the other side and lots of confusion — blah, blah, blah — and in the end, yeah, what we already realized a few years back when we were all together there doing the Christmas shows in Finland that after all the hassle has died and the noise has died and everything, you still find out that you lost a friend. And that was the main [reason] why we are basically doing this together again."

In a recent interview with Thiago Rahal Mauro of Brazil's Metal Musikast, Tarja spoke about what it was like to team up with Marko to perform a cover of "The Phantom Of The Opera" during their special open-air concert in July 2023 at Z7 Summer Nights in Pratteln, Switzerland. Tarja and Marko both played individual sets at the event, with their rendition of the main theme from Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical coming during Turunen's portion of the show.

"I got a call from a promoter to take part in one festival in Switzerland last year in a European summertime in July," Tarja said. "And then I got to know, when I had accepted to be the artist of the evening, then I saw that they had also invited Marko and Marko's band to perform in the same festival. So I thought, 'Hmm.' And I was actually sending a message that I wished to reach Marko, because I didn't have his contact any longer, to ask him to perform with me 'The Phantom Of The Opera' in my show. And he responded 'yes.' So, after 18 years [laughs], we were about to sing the song together. And it was super exciting. It was really beautiful. The people got very emotional about this.

"We had met already before — we had been singing on a few occasions in Finland a few years before — so we kind of cleaned the table on that occasion already," she explained. "So we were in good terms, so to say, but now singing 'The Phantom Of The Opera' together after all these years was amazing."

Tarja also elaborated on her friendship with Marko, saying: "It's a new relationship with him, because he's not the same person anymore than he was in the band. He has changed a lot, and many years have passed by. I've changed myself. Life has changed us. So it is a new relationship, let's say. And it had made me very happy to get to know him better after all these years."

Last November, Tarja admitted to Chaoszine that she was "nervous" before performing "The Phantom Of The Opera" with Marko at Z7 Summer Nights. "I believe that he was nervous as well to meet up with me, but we were both very excited to go back to the stage and to sing the song," she said. "We sang 'Phantom Of The Opera' in Switzerland for the first time. Then we went over to Finland to perform it again, did a show together there — he with his band and me with my own. Wow. It was pure emotion. I think it was really beautiful, but it made me kind of… I was, like, 'I'm in peace,' sort of. The feeling was great. I think it was even more for Marko, because I saw him standing there after my concert, when I finished my set, and he came like almost in tears, saying that this was important. We reconnected, and it's great."

Turunen was fired from NIGHTWISH at the end of the band's 2005 tour by being presented with an open letter which was published on the NIGHTWISH web site at the same time. In the letter, the other members of NIGHTWISH wrote: "To you, unfortunately, business, money, and things that have nothing to do with emotions have become much more important."

NIGHTWISH keyboardist and main songwriter Tuomas Holopainen later called the decision to part ways with Turunen "the most difficult thing I ever had to do." For her part, Tarja said the way she was kicked out of the group proved that her former bandmates were not her friends. "Maybe one day I'll forgive, but I will never forget," she said.

In 2019, Turunen dismissed Internet chatter about her possible return to NIGHTWISH after her December 2017 onstage reunion with the band's then-bassist/vocalist Hietala during a "Raskasta Joulua" concert in Hämeenlinna, Finland.

"I know a lot of fans would love to see something happen, but it's a very long distance away," she told Kerrang! magazine. "Personally, I don't see anything happening with me and them, to be perfectly honest. Marko came a little later into the band; he wasn't there since the beginning. He was always a guy I was close to. Me and Tuomas Holopainen, however, haven't seen each other in a long time… but we have been in touch. It's not bad. The past is what it is; we can't change that. We can only change the future."

NIGHTWISH's authorized biography, "Once Upon a Nightwish: The Official Biography 1996-2006", was published in Finnish in 2006 and in English three years later.

Turunen's husband, Marcelo Cabuli, and his business partners later sued the parties behind the book for defamation. Named in the lawsuit were the publishing house Like Kustannus Oy and the author of the book, Marko "Mape" Ollila. Cabuli and his Brazilian business partners argued that the book includes false accusations and insinuations that have caused them suffering and financial problems.

The book blamed Cabuli for the events leading up to Turunen's dramatic expulsion from the band in late 2005.

In 2011, the Helsinki District Court dismissed Cabuli's lawsuit, ruling that the book — which criticized Cabuli on only a few of its 380 pages — did not detrimentally affect his work or reputation in South America. In addition, the court determined that Ollila did not maliciously portray Cabuli in a negative light.

Nearly two years ago, Tarja was asked in an interview with Top Link Music manager and concert promoter Paulo Baron and music critic Regis Tadeu if she would consider doing a tour with NIGHTWISH if all of her former bandmates apologized to her about how their split happened and invited her to share the stage with them again. She responded: "It is very, very hypothetical that all what you said will happen, first of all — it's very, very hypothetical.

"I'm living in a world, like we are all living in a world, that things happen without us noticing," she continued. "I mean, I can't really close any doors in that sense; I'm not that kind of person any longer. I learned so many things in this life already. I take them as they are.

"So I don't know. It would be very hypothetically possible," she added. "It would be unlikely to happen."

Hietala announced his departure from NIGHTWISH in January 2021, explaining in a statement that he hadn't "been able to feel validated by this life for a quite a few years now." He has since been replaced by session bassist Jukka Koskinen (WINTERSUN),who made his live debut with NIGHTWISH in May 2021 at the band's two interactive experiences.

In an August 2022 interview with Finland's Chaoszine, Hietala revealed that he went through a dark period in his life, which included depression, insomnia, anxiety and an eventual attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnosis. Speaking about how he eventually came to the realization that exiting NIGHTWISH was the right thing to do, Marko said: "It was a long process. Of course, the COVID year that was there, where I had a lot of time for soul searching, it obviously gave me the last incentive that I need something else, that if I just continue with this I'm just gonna get sicker and sicker. But, of course, it's a process.

"I've been chronic depressive since 2010 [or] 2011, so I've been on a permanent medication ever since," he revealed. "Sometimes you get used to the meds [and] you will need more. We did raise [the dosage] during the years also, but it just didn't work. And now that I started to do… I had psychotherapy for over four years now, and then I also talked to psychiatrists and some doctors and did that also in Spain. Then my psychiatrist here in Finland said that I should do these ADHD neuropsychological tests, which I then did in Spain. And, okay, I got it."

Hietala reiterated that he "had been thinking about" leaving NIGHTWISH "for a while" before making the final decision. "Because I had a lot of weight. And I tend to… With the attention disorder, it tells me that when there are lots of trouble, then the disorder makes it into a real chaos," he explained. "There's a shitload of stuff coming and going and no peace anywhere. And for a year or two, I was already waking up every night at three o'clock to bad dreams and anxiety. So I'd say that the whole process probably started already with my former divorce [in 2016]. That was a very sad time when you think about your kids and your broken homes and all that. And then, when I started to get clear from that, then there were, well, all kinds of things. I don't really wanna go any deeper to what kind of things I'd gone through, but I'd gone through enough."

Acknowledging that making NIGHTWISH's latest studio album, 2020's "Human. :II: Nature.", was a "difficult" experience for him, Marko denied that his mental state at the time resulted in a diminished role for him on the final LP. "I think the original idea was to have that… we'll do a couple of [solo vocal appearances], or one solo for me and Troy [Donockley], and the rest Floor [Jansen], and then the harmonies; that was the idea originally for that," he said. "So I don't know if it affected. I think it was sort of as planned. But at that time I already had serious trouble with concentrating and serious trouble with a constant black cloud over my head."

In July 2022, Hietala told Finland's Iltalehti that he had not kept in touch with NIGHTWISH since his departure or followed the activities of his former band.

In May 2021, Holopainen said that Hietala's decision to leave NIGHTWISH "came as a bit of a surprise." He told Finland's Kaaos TV: "Marko informed us in December [of 2020 that he was leaving the band]. And even though he has been very open about his state and problems during the past years, it still came as a bit of a surprise for us. So it was a really tough pill to swallow. And for a few days, I was actually quite confident that there's no coming back, that this is it. I remember talking to Emppu [Vuorinen], the guitar player, and we were, like, 'You think this is it?' 'Yeah, I think this is it.' I mean, enough is enough. So much has happened in the past. Something that broke the camel's back, as they say. Then, after some time had passed — a few days — we started to think that it's been such a ride of 25 years, with so many ups also, that this is not the way to end it."

Tuomas elaborated on NIGHTWISH's reasons for carrying on, saying: "I think we still have something to give, and that's the main point. The music is still there. We felt that there's still so much music that needs to come out from this band that, 'Okay, let's give it one more shot.' And then finding the new bass player was really easy."

He added: "It's not like we do this just because we need to do it and there's nothing else to do. On a personal level, I feel that there's still so many stories and melodies that I want to share with the world with one lineup or another, so that's why you want to continue and keep on going.

"I've said this a million times, that a lineup change is the ultimate energy vampire, and that's how it really felt and still feels."

In June 2021, Jansen spoke about Hietala's exit from the band in an episode of her "Storytime" YouTube video series. She said: "That was a very sudden surprise that, of course, was not fun at all. But we understand — I understand — it was a necessary thing for him to do. And from there, we had to think of how to continue without him, and that also, in preparations towards the virtual show, that was a huge challenge."

In December 2020, Hietala was crowned the winner of the fall 2020 season of "Masked Singer Suomi" — the Finnish edition of the popular masked singing contest. He was disguised as Tohtori — the Doctor.

Photo courtesy of Nuclear Blast Records

#marko hietala #tarja turunen

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sargeantposting · 10 months ago

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INTERVIEW: Logan Sargeant, KF-Junior World Champion (kart360, 2015)

source: kart360 via the wayback machine published: october 1st, 2015 series: karting, 2015

What has the level of support from around the world been like after winning the world title? It is unbelievable. I have gotten so many congratulatory messages about my victory, but the main support is my family. They are always watching even from America and that means so much. They said that they are so proud and can’t wait to see me.

You, like a few other international drivers have made the move to Europe full time. Not many drivers do this as early as karting. How has the adjustment been and do you attribute this to part of your success? Moving away from home is a very hard thing in your own personal life. You lose all of your best friends. You don’t have your "home" and you have to adapt to a different culture. It is hard to move to a country that speaks a different language than what you know, but racing is so important to me that I stuck through it and kept on going.

Full article:

Last weekend went down in history for American karting, when one of it’s own, Logan Sargeant (Florida), drove to a 1.8-second win over Clément Novalak -- one of his fiercest rivals all season -- in KF-Junior at the 2015 CIK-FIA World Championships in southern Italy. It’s the first World Championship for an American-born driver since Lake Speed did it for the first time in 1978.

Sargeant, at 14 years old and in his final season in Junior competition, moved to Europe permanently three years ago to set his sights on a future Formula 1 career. Starting out with the accomplished Ward Racing in his first season, he has now been with indomitable Ricky Flynn Motorsports for two years.

This season couldn’t have started any better for the Floridian now living in Switzerland, winning the WSK Champions Cup going away and Vice Championship in the WSK Super Master Series (10 points behind Novalak). However, he could not hold that same level of momentum in the CIK-FIA European Championship over the summer. Some tire issues at round one and some driving mistakes he admits himself in round two ultimately led to him skipping the third and final round and taking a break.

With a clear head and a circuit he is known to be fast at, Logan came into the weekend as a top tier favorite in KFJ and he did not break under that pressure. Qualifying second in a field of 97 drivers set the tone right away on Friday that he was ready to compete on the biggest stage in karting. Over the next two days, he went on to win three of four heat races, a pre-final, and ultimately the World Championship. We caught up with him three days later at his home in Switzerland to chat.

Logan, you missed the final at last year’s World Championships despite a good overall season. What was the difference at the World Championships this year? The difference was that I went into that weekend more confident than ever because I had such a great test the week before, and I also knew that La Conca was a track I have always been very fast at so I came very prepared for the challenge.

You have been working with Gary Catt for some time now. For those that don't know, Gary is a former factory Tony Kart driver and one of the most successful British drivers in karting. What has he added to your program? Gary is probably the greatest driver coach I have ever worked with on and off the track. At the track, he keeps me focused, he makes me eat and drink, and of course helps me with the errors I make on track. He has helped bring me far away from when I started with him. Off the track he is a very funny guy and really fun to be with.

What is the role of Gary Catt compared to Ricky Flynn in your karting career and at the track? Well, Gary helps me with my driving and keeping me very concentrated and also managing my racing, opposed to Ricky who sets up my kart and looks at the data with me and Gary. He just makes sure everything with the kart is working properly.

What were the major challenges when you began racing in Europe compared to America? The difference between America and Europe are so big you would never even imagine it. The competition is so much higher, and also the level of grip compared to America is insane. It is a lot more professional in Europe and it is taken much more serious than in America.

At SuperNationals 18 last year, you mentioned to us after you won TaG Junior that you would be participating in TaG Senior in 2015. Can we still hold you to that? I will be competing in Tag Senior for Las Vegas this year and next year I will drive KF in all the same series that I drove in this year. [editors note: ‘OK’ will be the new KF category in 2016]

There you have it. You can see, with his talent, in addition to being surrounded by highly admired people like Gary Catt and Ricky Flynn, this young man has a very bright future in karting and formula cars. And even more notable to our American fans: we'll see the KFJ World Champion in Vegas in his first race in a senior category, trying to back up his TaG Junior victory from a year ago, a victory he holds in high regard.

#year:2015 #logan sargeant #format:article

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