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palajae · 2 months ago

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than ever! | nrk.

PAIRING... rich kid! riki x reader | GENRE... angst, romance, fluff | WC... 3.9k | warnings... curse words, not proofread | listening to happier than ever by billie eilish :)

may 2025.

your practiced smile meets the bajillion flashes of the cameras, screams by love struck fans, and questions from the nosy reporters. yet all you could focus on was the cold, firm hand placed perfectly at the small of your back.

your husband and you make the picture perfect couple. an ideal appearance for your second year anniversary—you yourself cannot believe how much time has passed.

how you ever managed to make it this far, this long—it’s almost unbelievable.

“what are the lovely couple’s plans after the gala?”

your smile falters just a smidge. probably not even perceptible from any outsider’s perspective.

plans?

ha, says who?

your plan—from the start—was to remain the ideal wife. appear at every public appearance with your husband, by his side, just like this one sponsored by his parents.

and obviously, pretend that you’re happier than ever. every damn time. you laugh softly, smile as bright as the extravagant lights and decor all around you.

the car ride home is silent, as per usual. it’s not like the atmosphere is cold—your driver eyes the both of you through the rear view window—it’s simply dead.

your hand fiddles with the pearl earring on your left ear. mentally, you review your plans for tomorrow. another photoshoot, another interview. once upon a time, you only could’ve imagined a life like this.

what would your parents say? seeing you like this? they gave you away happily, as happy as you tried to seem in front of them.

you feel his eyes on you. it makes you shudder. for a split second, you allow your eyes to flicker over to the body sitting next to you.

you can’t even hate your own husband—you can only feel absolutely fucking nothing towards him now.

his family was one of the most prominent ones in the entertainment industry. and their successor son was the golden child.

you could only dream of the past, the what-ifs and all the warm nostalgia. how your life could have been so different. if you didn’t succumb to fame and success. would your life be utterly different? like back then?

with him?

all your memories contained him smiling, running, fighting, and sweating. he was human—able to love and be loved. so, completely different from the man you married. his flawlessly styled hair and porcelain skin piss you off.

maybe you were too late. grew your power and status, rising to the top of the modeling industry a little too late. if only you got to him, found him, a little bit earlier.

the car comes to a halt. you simply blinked, and suddenly you made it back. it was an unintentional skill you had developed to make the car rides back quicker. you open the door for yourself, automatically walking out.

you can hear his footsteps follow you, the click of his shoes cause you to frown. your husband is following you, yet you want the distance to grow.

you walk faster, only stopping when you hear the pace of his footsteps quicken. your lip curls up in disgust. so, you whip around, crossing your arms with an emotionless expression on your face. you can’t believe you’re wasting your breath again.

“don’t. you embarrass me.”

his eyes are unreadable. “you left your purse in the car.”

your eyes narrow at his grip on the delicate strap. an expensive purse ruined by such a simple action. it almost hurt you like it used to.

you look him dead in the eye when you say, “everything good i have is ruined by you.”

you mean it.

with that, you turn and walk the paved path into your house. with him, you could never call it a home. he made you hate this city. you once thought your husband could be your everything. now it all makes you fucking sick.

unlike before, you’re happier than ever to be apart from him, while you can only dream of the one that got away.

there’s only one rags-to-riches, real life cinderella, story. and it’s yours.

your humble background is what allowed you to become so successful—to be named the “it-girl” of the nation. it allowed you to meet and marry the perfect man. your life now is what others dream of, what people talk about on the internet and what fans obsess over.

looking back, would you do it all over again?

august 2017.

you wipe the sweat off your forehead as you clean the table with one final sweep of the rag. you hear the whistle blowing from the field across your family’s small store.

was it time already?

growing up next to the most prestigious academy in the nation came with its pros and cons.

pro: the rich kids stopped by.

cons: the rich kids stopped by.

but business was business, after all. when business was slow, you would watch the faint figures, looking like peanuts, run across the field with a ball, about the same size as a pin. it made you laugh to yourself, seeing such tenacious, rich boys freak out over a rubber sphere filled with air.

“do you guys sell taiyaki?”

you blink at the boyish frizzled hair, glistening honey-kissed skin, and ruffled grass-stained jersey.

“…this is a convenience store.”

“well, then-anything with custard?”

you fumble before quickly stalking over to the small refrigerated area at his expectant look. you doubted it, but maybe… sometimes, your mother stocked up on the desserts—when he was in a good mood.

looking past the glass, you exhale before turning to the soccer player sheepishly, “um.. no, but we have frozen red bean buns?”

you trail off awkwardly, scratching the side of your head. you gesture towards the exit, “you know, there’s a bakery down the street… you could’ve gone there first,” you add with a mumble.

he simply nods and leaves without another word.

you cross your arms, peeking out the door to watch his figure get smaller and smaller until it eventually disappeared. you scrunch your nose up—what a weird guy.

you squint at the fine print on the back of his jersey:

nishimura #09

must be a soccer player at the nearby academy. what were the chances you watched him play on that field without knowing?

the players often came after a long practice to grab drinks and snacks, but this was the first time you had ever seen him before. when you told your mother about the weird encounter, she only shook her head.

it’s only after that day you begin to hear whispers of the next upcoming pro soccer star—nishimura riki. you’re a little surprised to find out that strange guy was a soccer prodigy.

you’re even more surprised when nishimura begins to become a regular. some days he comes in nonchalantly, asking for a protein drink, and other days he simply comes and sits down without some made up excuse.

“don’t you have school work? a house to stay at and family to be with?” you ask, not out of annoyance, but genuine curiosity. your mother shoots you a sharp glare that you look away at.

“soccer is my life,” he replies simply. you observe his designer backpack and newest model phone. what kind of life did riki live in which he never wanted to go home?

“that’s okay. here, you can relax,” your mom assures him. that’s the first time you see riki smile.

his soccer friends will occasionally join him. you have to actively hide the disdain on your face when all the ruckus and stink of them enter the store. you could stand nishimura riki, but not him with his friends.

you didn’t really notice until the fan girls started piling up at the door, it causes you to study riki with a sigh. your cheeks warm, you suppose…

he was sort of handsome?

pinching your nose bridge exasperatedly, you glare at riki. “can you tell them to leave? they’re disturbing customers and blocking the door. this is horrible for our business.”

riki looks up, “who?”

you grip the broom tighter in your hands and point it outside like it was a weapon.

“they’re not my problem,” he only shrugs. you roll your eyes, “please?”

your mom shoots the two of you an amused glance from the cashier desk.

riki groans before getting up with a click of his tongue, “since you asked so nicely.”

you watch his games with stars in your eyes, sitting in the far bleachers with your mom. a bag of freshly cooked side dishes sit by your feet, waiting to be given at the end of the match that riki would win. your gaze could never leave him.

every movement of his, the sheer determination and fire burning in his eyes, it only inspired you. you never knew how much love a person hold towards a passion until you met nishimura riki.

he was born for soccer. or, soccer was made for him. maybe, one day, you could find your own spark.

during christmas, riki helps you set up a small tree outside the store. you giggle as he struggles to hang up the ornaments.

seeing the wonder in his eyes, akin to a small child opening presents for the first time, it makes you wonder if he has ever done this before. after all, he spent all of his time at the convenience store with you whenever he wasn’t practicing. he never once mentioned his family or home. he never acted snotty or spoiled like the other academy kids, no matter how talented and rich he was.

you learned although riki has such a lavish life, it could never be as rich as a life like this—full of love and happiness. right?

his hands linger over yours as you put the finishing touch, the twinkling star, on the top.

“it’s best to share the christmas spirit with everyone,” you say decisively and the smile he sends you after makes you think…

you may have a small crush on him.

you’re the most surprised when a rather intimidating lady in sunglasses pops by the convenience store one afternoon, handing you a business card.

“why do you look shocked? you’re pretty.”

you blush at riki’s simple statement.

modeling? you had never considered it, that’s for sure. you always thought you were going to become a writer. after all, your mother always praised your literature skills.

her face is unreadable, she was only looking at you the entire time the scouting manager was talking to you.

“what do you think, mom?” you glance at her curiously.

“it’s your choice…of course.”

you study the card with scrunched up eyebrows. trying it out wouldn’t hurt, right? and some extra money for the family would be nice, as well.

the first gig that you you were able to book, your life changed forever.

your mom smiles and kisses your forehead. a small, white dainty bag is shoved to your face. you blink, eyes focusing on the words. they bulge as you gasp at riki.

“how much was this? you-“

he huffs as he pats your head, “congrats. it’s nonrefundable, so don’t try to return it.”

you glance up at him, emotions swirling through your eyes. suddenly, your arms are thrown around him. he’s speechless, eyes wide and wind knocked out of him. for a moment—you really felt like your hearts stopped. together, in sync.

for just that one second, the world stopped revolving.

however, he isn’t able to respond when your mother comes back in the store with an unreadable expression.

“riki.”

you feel him freeze, turn cold right in your arms. you glance out, at the polished mercedes benz parked and waiting outside. perhaps that was the start of the end.

riki suddenly bows to the both of you. “thank you. for everything i, um…”

the car honks, and he gives you one last lingering look before heading out. you stare at the bag, and then your mom, whose expression makes your stomach drop.

“he’s not coming back, is he?”

february 2023.

“aren’t you excited?”

“obviously! i would be if i was marrying a rich guy like him. plus, just look at his face! and body-i mean, his proportions are crazy.…”

you tune out the chatter, closing your eyes. the hair stylist puts her finishing touches on your hair while the makeup artist sprays a fixer on your face.

“-y/n?”

your eyes fly open. “hm?”

they look at you, more excitement in their eyes than you ever had when finding out.

“aren’t you happy? this is going to be the wedding of the century! all the top idols and celebs are invited…”

“a love story just like in the dramas-!”

you stare at your reflection in the mirror. every day not already booked with your work schedule was spent on the wedding. it made you sick.

trying on different dresses, experimenting out makeup and hair styles, you simply nodded to it all. whatever made your mom happy, sure.

how many flavors of cake were you going to taste? how many tiers were there going to be? none of it was necessary.

you were sick of planning all the flowers, and draperies, and light fixtures like you even had a say in the first place.

you always imagined that you would get married in a simple courtyard, with only close friends and family. wearing your mom’s dress, eating home cooked food family style.

all with your groom right by your side. your husband who would happy with anything, as the only thing that mattered was getting married to you. one time, you had dreamed of marrying him with that forever smirk on his face, smelling constantly like grass and men’s deodorant that you never found out the name of.

but a fantasy would always remain a fantasy.

how long would you stay stuck in the past?

you close your eyes again, and the words ring in your ears just like when your now fiancé spoke to you.

my parents were going to set me up with a stranger. i thought this proposal would be for the best.

your eyebrows twitch.

you motherfucker.

it all made sense. the media would eat it up. your parents would eat it up. and now that you had established your presence in the industry, so would his parents.

how could you say no?

you didn’t even have a choice. the agreement was signed faster than you could open your mouth and protest. this marriage—no, this agreement, was the best thing that could’ve ever happened to you.

and yet, all you could wonder is,

did he actually come up with the idea?

or was it all a business tactic?

october 2019.

the wind blows the crispy leaves across the pavement. you don’t have to wear a mask or any sort of identity-covering clothing, yet. but you do have a manager who has allowed you two hours of free time.

your parent’s convenience store closed down last year in order for you to focus on your rising career. it was a simple curiosity that dragged you back to check on the spot.

although it’s a tech store now, you’ll never forget the time you spent here growing up. and then, meeting someone you never expected to change your li-

the call of your name breaks you out of your trance.

that voice.

it can’t be.

you whip around, hair flying behind you. your jaw drops, “r-riki?”

you can’t believe it, hands shaking. in front of you stands a taller, sturdier nishimura riki. gosh, how much time had passed?

you lost his number when you switched to a newer, better phone and subscription plan. you thought you had lost him forever.

he slowly walks up to you, identical smiles mirroring each other and growing on both of your faces.

“i can’t believe it… w-what are you doing here?”

unconsciously, you grip his track jacket. as if, you had to check and make sure he was actually in front of you. you weren’t dreaming again, right?

“i finally got a break from training. my coaches said we could go anywhere and…” he shrugs before gesturing at the former convenience store.

“i didn’t know it closed down. this is the first time i was able to come back.”

your eyes sparkle, “you’re still playing?”

he nods and you breathe out a sigh of relief. “good. you’re too good for the sport.”

he laughs and you almost melt at the sound.

“wanna take a little walk?”

it’s too comfortable, you fall into your old rhythm again. a pleasant silence falls over the two of you as you walk past the stores, the old soccer field, strolling past your childhood.

“i wanted to come back, so many times,” he murmurs. you cautiously glance up at him, waiting silently for him to continue.

he scratches the back of his neck, “but playing for the u-20s doesn’t really allow that so…”

“i-i tried looking for you online, though.”

you mask your laugh with a cough. “ah. that must be because my manager controls all my accounts. they must’ve thought it was spam or a prank. sorry.”

riki’s quick to shake his head, “no, no. i get it. we’re both busy. but maybe we could, like, stay in touch this time.”

you kick a stray leaf with your foot, hiding a bashful expression.

“we should.”

he turns to you, and you realize you made it back to where your store once stood. it’s much darker—your manager is going to be mad. your mother, too.

“promise. promise you’ll make it to the world cup and promise you’ll keep me updated.”

“i promise. you’ll be right by my side cheering, right?”

when he takes a step closer, you swallow. then, you close your eyes. a beat passes, two beats.

a sharp inhale and then you feel something warm press against your lips. only for a second.

it’s nice. it feels.. right.

you decide then and there: nishimura riki just might be your first love. you hope, secretly and privately, somehow, he’ll be your last too.

july 2021.

“y/n!” your manager hisses and you hold back a huff. “come here-there’s someone you need to meet!”

you quickly bid farewell to a friend, a recently debuted idol in the industry, and scramble as fast as you can over in those damned heels.

as soon as you reach her, you slow and the inviting smile is wiped off your face. there, standing right in front of you, is a man you don’t recognize.

you refuse to recognize him.

“this is nishimura riki! you might have heard of him on the news recently. he’s the future successor, taking over-“

that’s actually hilarious. she knew you didn’t have time to check the news anymore. her words are drowned out in the realization of it all.

for the first six months, the two of you were good at staying in touch. you couldn’t really meet with you flying all over the world for shoots and riki with his rigorous training schedule.

but you were convinced you could keep it up. maybe he wasn’t. or maybe it was a mutual understanding—busy schedules and changing lives were a lot to handle. you don’t know who sent the last message and who failed to respond. it’s been a little too long to remember anything but the lingering feelings.

you frown, “your hair is up.”

he falters, before fixing his tie. “yeah, i-they told me it looks more professional.”

the nishimura riki you knew hated having his bangs out of his face. he hated stiff, restrictive clothes and all that fancy attire.

“you look nice.”

you take a step back.

future ceo?

you weren’t dumb. you knew the nishimura family was powerful. you just didn’t know he was weak enough to succumb to it. you actually thought he would be the one to break free and follow his dreams.

“i thought… i thought you had finally done it, riki,” you say softly, staring sadly into his dark eyes. they don’t hold the same light and energy as they used to.

“why are you doing this to yourself?”

he takes a step closer and you bite the inside of your cheek. you hate this riki. you hate the fancy, expensive smell that wafts off him. you want to wash it off.

his confused expression makes you want to puke.

“i don’t have a choice.”

“you were right there!” you jab a finger accusingly into his chest, before your hand drops lifelessly to your side. you turn away with confusion, disgust, and hurt brewing internally. you didn’t know this man.

“i love you.”

your heart stops. your feet still. yet, all you can do is shake your head.

“stop.”

he takes your hand and it’s cold and smooth and not like the calloused, warm hands of nishimura riki. how could he change this much in less than a year?

“i’ll do anything to get you back—please! i don’t care that my parents want me to find a rich heiress, i’ll tell them my eyes are only for you.”

his words only made you wonder—did he ever notice your face plastered on billboards? read any of your interviews posted online?

you turn around with mirth swimming in your pupils, “oh, that’s very kind of you. use all the power and fame you’ve gained.”

he frowns.

“aren’t you just saying that because you’re scared? you aren’t any different--you’re just like me.”

at that, you feel your heart shatter. you weren’t any different from nishimura riki?

after everything, you’d never understand him, you guess. and he’d never understand you.

“just fucking leave me alone.”

present day.

the interviewer sits in front of you with a warm smile, your eyes fall on the giant vogue printed on the microphone.

the majority of the questions are simple and surface-level, you run through them with practiced ease. it’s not until she reaches the end and pulls out the heavier ones that you falter.

“did you always want to become a model?”

“no, actually.. to be frank, i never considered it before.”

“oh, really? what did you want to do?”

you cross your arms, then uncross them. your heel clacks against the polished floor. you swallow harshly, looking away from the bright lights. “actually, i… don’t know. i never really had the chance to think about it before i was scouted.”

the interviewer notices the change in your energy, which makes her laugh cautiously.

“that’s fine! enough of the past, let’s move on to the present. and this’ll be the last question: do you feel like you’re satisfied with where you are now?”

her inquisitive eyes suddenly makes your mouth dry. you lick your lips. sensing your apprehensiveness, she tries her best to smooth over the heavy question.

it backfires.

“most say you’re in your prime—after all, you’ve reached the peak of your career and you’re married to your childhood sweetheart, nishimura riki ! you must be content, or do you still feel like there’s more to accomplish?”

you pledged yourself, in sickness and in health, to the man you once loved and lost. you hate that your “dream” came true. you simply smile, voice cracking only the slightest when you answer,

“couldn’t be happier than ever.”

a/n: hi guys!! i wanted to try something different from my usual works with side characters, humor, and an "ideal" relationship, etc. haha. i just felt like exploring the more darker, deeper, and more problematic concepts. i think with this reader and riki, there are a lot of unresolved issues on both sides. idk, i enjoyed the pressure of not having a happy ending or resolution. sorry for being mia but hope you enjoyed anyway <3

#enhypen x reader #enhypen scenarios #enhypen imagines #niki x reader #niki fluff #niki scenarios #niki imagines #nishimura riki x reader

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puprdou · 3 months ago

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sweet bf!ran haitani who is constantly clinging to you, giving you kisses and hugs, always showering his little doll with affection, unable to get enough of your scent, your body, of you.

sweet bf!ran haitani who cannot get enough of how cute you are; always pulling or squishing, even biting your squishy cheeks, bothering you and being purposefully annoying just to see that adorable pout, and that little annoyed look on your cute face.

sweet bf!ran haitani who is overly protective of you, in the sweetest way possible. always pulling your dress or your skirt down when it rides up, glaring at whoever is giving you looks, placing his jacket over you when you feel exposed, making sure everyone knows who you belong to whenever he starts hearing catcalls in the club to his partner.

sweet bf!ran haitani who refuses to come home without a new gift for you. be it, jewelry, a new outfit, your favorite snacks, or just something he knows you’ll love, he never comes home without a new shopping bag in hand.

sweet bf!ran haitani who, when he sees you get hurt, immediately runs over to you as fast as physically possible, checking all over your body to make sure your okay. will always patch you up, give you a bath, cuddle with you, and of course, giving you affection for the entire night afterwards.

sweet bf!ran haitani who gives you only the best aftercare. running a warm bath, he carries you bridal style into the master bathroom, sitting down in the bath with you sitting between his legs. he’ll wash your hair, your body, everything, and he’ll help you dry off and get dressed. and when you think it’s time for bed, he’ll cuddle and whisper sweet nothings into your ear until you fall asleep.

sweet bf!ran haitani who calls you out of the blue all the time, just to ask if you were doing okay at home, or if you wanted him to buy something while he’s out. it doesn’t matter the price, it doesn’t matter what it is, if it makes you happy, he’ll be happy to buy it for you.

sweet bf!ran haitani who puts off business in bonten whenever you get your period, always buying you whatever you need. heating pads? already got it. chocolates? it’s on it’s way. meds to help you feel better? he’s already giving them to you. cuddles? he’s crawling into bed faster than the flash.

sweet bf!ran haitani who flaunts you off to every. single. person. that he comes across. his brother? might as well have an album just for pictures he’s been sent of you. the bonten executives? could write a book of everything he says about you constantly.

sweet bf!ran haitani who waits until the perfect moment—when the sun is setting, the sky is a beautiful glow of purple and pink, the space isn’t too crowded, when he knows you’ll least expect it, that you’ll think it’s just a regular date, when he suddenly gets down on one knee and asks you to marry him. ♡

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maxarchive · 6 months ago

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"A season that brought the best out of the best" Motorsport Magazine, February 2025 Issue, by Mark Hughes

We've seen plenty of demonstrations of Max Verstappen brilliance on his way to a fourth straight title this season. But has he become a yet-greater driver in '24? Yes. But not because of what he's done in the car; that's always been remarkable. Rather, in a challenging combination of circumstances where it would have been very easy for the whole team to have come undone, he has been the glue. He couldn't have been that if his power was not underwritten by the enormity of his talent. It was on display this season just as always – the virtuosity of dancing through the Interlagos rain, the steely focus of keeping a closely chasing McLaren from getting within DRS reach for 30 laps in Qatar, the technical perfection of Suzuka, the defensive masterclass of Imola, etc. But the circumstances he found himself in this season brought out a leader. At 27 years old he's no longer only the dazzling hurricane of speed and ambition. No longer only someone so driven, drilled and practiced that he’s virtually unbeatable in an equal car. No longer only someone of which his friend and Formula 1 driver coach Atze Kerkhof says is as good as he is, "because of a brilliant natural talent and millions of hours of training. He’s only got better. The rough edges have gone and now he’s like a machine. You cannot beat him." No, Max Verstappen is more even than all that now. A driver in their tenth F1 season doesn't get faster. They can possibly access their best stuff more consistently. But he's been doing that almost perfectly for seven seasons now, a remarkable achievement in itself. So where has he got better? Circumstances have demanded an extra dimension from him – and he's delivered it. But in a way which has not buried him, which still allows him his easy delineation between racing and home, keeping his mind perfectly uncluttered to focus on performance.

He prepared like never before for the new season, as team boss Christian Horner revealed at Suzuka in April. "He changed trainer over the winter. He's fit and lean. You can hear how much spare capacity he has in the car. He wants to know not just who's behind him, but who is behind them as well and what times are they doing. He's become very astute at managing the tyre. The way he managed to extend the tyre life here [at the Japanese Grand Prix] was so impressive."

But that's just a detail, a polishing-up. The leadership dimension came from the circumstances of Red Bull's season. Specifically the strains arising from the controversy surrounding the Horner internal investigation in the early season. Then the car's mid-season competitive decline.

The serenity in the cockpit at the start of 2024, as Verstappen continued from where he'd left off in his dominant '23 campaign, was very much in contrast to how things were in the team as the Horner controversy about the employee complaint against him played out and Max's father Jos got involved, opposing the team boss, campaigning for him to be ousted.

The way Max dealt with the powerplay, which also involved Helmut Marko, the man who had almost single-handedly brought him to F1, was illuminating. He did not align himself with Jos, stayed on good terms with him but went his own way. He did state his unambiguously firm support of Marko – "If he goes, then so do I" – so sending an implicit message to Horner not to overplay his hand.

But then he helped bring calm equilibrium back, just continued with the competitive imperative and remained civilised with everyone, Horner included.

"What I know is that this team doesn’t give up," said Verstappen after clinching the title in Las Vegas. "There are a lot of very confident people and I really enjoy working with them. I know there was a lot of pressure on them. When you come out of a season like last year where we broke every record and then start to struggle to understand what is going wrong, it's important to remain calm as you try to fix it. Every person in the team has their own emotions which you have to deal with. It's also people-management – because everyone acts in different ways to good results or bad results. But that's something I enjoy as well. Because we all have our own character but we all have to work together to the same end goal and I'm proud of how we stuck together through those races where we were a bit lost."

As Jos was saying that Horner remaining would tear the team apart, Max was ensuring that it wouldn't. Probably this didn't come as much of a surprise to his mother, Sophie Kumpen, the former top-class karter who provided much of his genetic make-up. "Max will always want to solve things first by talking," she explained in a Dutch TV interview. "He is a sensitive person. He gets the fierce racing side from Jos. The gentle side from me. But make no mistake, eh. Under the helmet he is a tiger."

Given Max's childhood and the tempestuous marriage surrounding his early home life before his parents split, it's not much of a stretch to imagine where that diplomatic impulse might come from. It's something so at odds with his racing image, someone who is so uncompromising in his desire to win, he's even prepared to cross the line. As he phrased it in one of his own documentaries, "Sometimes you even have to be a dick to win."

The combination of that sociable, easy-going, even tempered guy outside the car (the Sophie side) and the uncompromising competitive monster in it (the Jos side) is a big part of his strength. But specifically, it has been front and centre in how brilliantly well he kept everything so cohesive in the '24 campaign when it had many ingredients which could have decimated it.

Further fallout from the early season controversy came as Adrian Newey announced his departure from the team, just prior to Miami in May. Max admitted it was a blow, but still he stayed focused. Because there was much to focus on – this was not going to be the breeze the early races had suggested it was going to be. There was a nagging trait in the car, one which had started to become apparent in last year's towards the end of the season: as they applied more aero load to it, so it was becoming more imbalanced. The front end wasn’t keeping up and it was becoming ever trickier to get the car into its sweet-spot window with set-up.

When McLaren made its breakthrough update in Miami, Red Bull's limitation was exposed. It was no longer superior, merely competitive. Then, as McLaren further developed its aero elasticity to give it a great front end at low speeds without compromising its balance at higher speeds, it began pulling clear of Red Bull. The middle part of Verstappen’s season – Silverstone to Monza – was all about wrestling with the competitive consequences of that as Mercedes surged into form too.

It was at this point that Verstappen began visiting the factory at every possible opportunity, maximising his simulator time, working with the engineers in trying to find a solution to the car's limitations. "His workload has been phenomenal this year," says an admiring Horner. But without surprise, for as he’s also said in the past, "The more pressure you put on, the better he delivers… his mental resilience is the strongest I've ever seen."

Only at Hungary did the strain that the competitive struggle was putting on the relationship become apparent. There, he was having an untypically scrappy race trying to overcome the car’s limitations on a day when both McLaren and Mercedes were faster. His race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase (aka ‘GP’) is a tough but calm character, gives as good as he gets and in that sense is perfect for Max. There’d already been a terse exchange between them about Max giving a place back to Lando Norris after having passed off-track. When GP admonished him for not bringing in his new tyres sympathetically, it triggered the sullen kid who hates to be beaten and he responded with (the more-severe expletives removed), “No mate, don’t give me that bullshit now. You guys gave me this strategy, OK? I’m trying to rescue what’s left.” The strategy was perfectly good for the limitations of the car and was predicated on having newer tyres in the last stint, even though that involved getting undercut initially.

It was the low-point of his season – the breaking point after he’d carried the load for so long. It’s where the competitive fierceness conflicted with the leadership role, and it took a sit-down with Horner and Lambiase before the following race to realign that. They were in the car with him, they emphasised. He wasn’t alone, even if it feels like that in the cockpit sometimes. They felt his pain. He took it on board, as always completely straightforward in his communication. He likes to feel he can call the team out when it’s not delivering just as they can call him out when he’s wrong. This was one of the latter times. But there’s never any lingering resentment. “He’s emotional,” says Horner. “Partly that’s where the performance comes from. He’s incredibly strong-willed. He’s a thoroughbred and can be very sharp when emotions are running high. He doesn’t hold back.”

As that sit-down coincided with Monza, with the car at its absolute nadir, we were witnessing how close the whole thing was to falling down. Had the relationship not been repaired and the car’s shortfalls continued not to be understood, it’s easy to imagine a scenario where the partnership broke down irretrievably. But actually not only did they rally around Max and give him the reassurance he needed to get out of that negative place the Budapest weekend took him to, but Monza then shone a big light on the cause of the car’s woes. Which they could set about addressing. Together, they emerged from the crisis.

As they did that, we saw a classic bit of Verstappen hard-headedness in Austin and particularly Mexico against his title challenger Norris. The niggle between them had started in Austria back in June, when they’d punctured each other’s tyres as Verstappen fended off Norris’s attacks in a way which stretched the sporting regulations. It was like that again in Austin and Mexico and in the latter event his move at Turn 7, with no attempt to make the corner so as to ensure Norris went behind once more, was outrageous. It brought to mind his quote about what you had to be sometimes. That’s where he draws his lines; it’s about prevailing and about how extreme he’s willing to be. No one is ever going to pass him around the outside, he says. Something that was drilled into him as a kid in karting by Jos.

If there is turbulence in the aftermath he’ll not acknowledge it. In fact he seemed mystified about why Norris was so upset afterwards in Austria, that delineation for him between on-track and off rarely so well illustrated. Criticism for the incidents by the media did seem to sting him, though. “He’s more sensitive than you think,” Horner says. “Inevitably he’s aware of the criticism and some of it, I think, is very unfounded. He’s a driver that drives aggressively; he’s an attacking driver. But so was Senna, so was Schumacher, so was Hamilton, and they all came under the same kind of spotlight at various times in their careers.”

It was the criticism he received after his incidents with Norris in Austin and Mexico which particularly bugged him. He perceived them as attacks from countrymen of Norris rather than as attacks against professional fouls. He knows he’s the best out there and if there’s some nudging over the specified lines of regulation on track involved in overcoming the competitive limitations of the car, then he probably feels justified. That, for some, puts him in the same bracket as Michael Schumacher as someone whose achievements have an asterisk against them. But he’s not racing for their approval.

He’s not even racing for achievements. As he says about more titles, “I’m already very proud to win four. Winning one or seven is the same thing. You’re just repeating. It’s nice to repeat but it means the same thing. The first one is what you are chasing, is the whole reason you are there. You’ve done it. After that, it’s just nice and doesn’t really mean as much. What’s been beautiful is that each of the four titles have had different emotions. This one has been the best as we’ve not had the fastest car. But the first one will always mean the most.”

That indifference to the statistics of achievement means he won’t be trapped into chasing numbers that only mean anything to outsiders. But there’ll be a conflict between his love of racing and his stated yearning not to be racing long before he reaches 40 (which is what Lewis Hamilton used to say too!). That conflict will surely play a crucial part in what he decides to do with the rest of his life. He’s never known any other life, of course, as the boy brought up in the circus.

As a driver he’s one of the all-time greats, a more formidable all-rounder even than Fernando Alonso, faster, more extreme. But similar. Alonso is the nearest driver in overall traits. But even the great Alonso bows down to the level Max has attained. The number of times Max has not maximised his car since joining Red Bull in 2016 can be counted on the fingers of one hand. Is he the outright fastest over a lap? Often he is, yes. But this is a misunderstood concept. A driver can only get to the ceiling of his ability if the car’s traits, the way it is balanced, allow him to. There are many reasons why it won’t be, especially in this era of thermally sensitive tyres.

But let’s assume every driver on the grid was magically given a fully competitive car, each perfectly balanced to match the outer edge of their specific style, in how each driver was wired up physiologically. Would Max be the fastest in qualifying? Possibly not. If it wasn’t him, you’d be looking for Charles Leclerc, possibly Lewis Hamilton at the height of his powers. But in the grind of a race and the even grittier grind of a season, would Verstappen in those circumstances prevail? Almost certainly he would, yes.

There’s no weakness. Schumacher had weaknesses, Senna too. Alain Prost was as rounded as Max but not as quick. Before then, we are heavily into the dangerous era – the years which killed Gilles Villeneuve or Jochen Rindt or Jim Clark and mortally wounded Stirling Moss, drivers who, like Senna, could conjure things that left their contemporaries shaking their heads in wonder. None of the current stars, Max included, quite have that. But Max can maximise every situation with unerring consistency like Fangio, like Clark, like Stewart. And if the peaks of his raw speed are not quite as miraculous as some of the past, he runs close to that almost all of the time, probably more than anyone before.

He’ll be missed when he’s gone, when the rewards no longer offset the energy draining irritations.

#max verstappen #f1 #magazine #2024

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withlove-xixi · 5 months ago

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Kayn nsfw hcs?

— KAYN NSFW THOUGHTS: kayn x reader

ᥫ cw: nsfw, bondage, brat + brat tamer, edging ★ kayn request in my inbox ... 2025 truly is going to be a good year !! this is more of my nsfw thoughts on kayn, so i'm naming it as such ^_^;; sorry if its not what you're expecting ! (btw im unsure if you wanted just base kayn or like heartsteel kayn so i did it more generally !) — MINORS DNI! —

first things first, kayn is very much a switch imo. hell, its something he prides himself in. he's flexible like that, and he doesn't really being playing either role (i doubt he has much of a preference too)

tho, that being said, he does have his preferences depending on whether he tops or bottoms.

like if he were to top, he's a bit bossier, a bit more confident. he likes telling you what to do, that you should bounce on him faster or that you look pretty when your mouth is stuffed with his cock. truthfully, he likes it when you're a bit bratty (or even a lot bratty). somehow punishing you gives him a strange, satisfying sense of control.

but if he bottoms? almost certainly, he's tied up in some way or the other. kayn would act like he doesn't like it, but its pretty obvious he does. something about letting go of any control he might have is hot and sexy to him actually.

top and bottom kayn and his relationship w control is very fun to me tbh because at the end of the day, it boils down to trust and intimacy. just being able to either take the reins or submit to you has such a high level of trust for him. it's vulnerability.

really, with kayn, there are two sides to sex; the carnal, animalistic drive to satisfy his and your needs and the sweet, tender domesticity of being intimate with someone he cares for. they're two sides that come hand in hand, not one without the other because one cannot exist without the other. that gushy, tenderness that warms his chest and sets butterflies in his gut is the same warmth that sets his whole body ablaze, fueling him and his most carnal desires.

he's the type to be rough, but never the type not to care. in his own subtle way, kayn is checking up on you, holding you close, letting you rest and breathe because he cares about you. in between deep thrusts are gentle kisses along your jaw, between low growls by your ear are the delicate way he holds onto your hips.

it's difficult to explain how the biting and the hair pulling and roughness are all just means of love, the purest form of love in the ways kayn knows how to express it.

anyway me thinks regardless of whether he tops or bottoms, he's a big fan of edging. he loves it when you push him on the edge and let him hang on a thread, just to pull away and leave him groaning and craving more. he loves it more when he's doing it to you. seeing your eyes rolls back and your hips buck and twitch for more, hearing the absolute desperation in your voice... it drives him insane, it's a miracle kayn had the patience not to just fuck you then and there.

#ꔛ xixi writes #league of legends x reader #league of legends #shieda kayn #kayn league of legends #kayn x reader

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katmaibearfan · 29 days ago

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Brooks River Hierarchy: Recent History and Potential Contenders

Hierarchy among brown bears is not simple, and importantly, it is not linear. We also don't know a ton about it, because it is very hard to study. In fact, the brown bear cams at Brooks River in Katmai National Park may be the best source of insight we have into this topic.

As a result, I cannot speak to the behavior of brown bears at large -- only to what i've observed myself on the live cams. I also am not a scientist, please don't take anything I say here as a hard-and-true fact. I can only speak to what I have observed, and what I have seen other people say they have observed.

The hierarchy at Brooks River is a complex web of connections between individual bears. While there are broad patterns to these connections, it is ultimately a web of individuals; there is no line along which all bears are placed, and there is no guarantee that there be only one bear-in-charge each season. Boars tend to outrank sows, who tend to outrank subadults, who tend to outrank cubs, but that is a wild oversimplification of what is a very complicated and quite interesting system.

As this post is focused on the very top of the hierarchy, from this point on I will almost exclusively talk about the biggest and most aggressive of the boars.

Recent History

The four most dominant boars are 856, 747, 32 Chunk, and 151 Walker. 856 is likely the oldest of the four, with 747 not all that far behind. 32 Chunk is next, and 151 Walker is the youngest of the group. If we had to estimate ages, then as of 2025, I would put 856 at 26ish, 747 at 24ish, 32 Chunk at 20, and 151 Walker at 18.

856 was the boar at the top of the hierarchy at Brooks River for a long time. He ascended to his position in 2011, when he was probably about 12-13 years old, and he kept it through 2023 -- except 2017, when he was injured, and 2021. But now he's getting old, he's slowing down, and he's chilling out. And that meant that in 2024, it was time for a changing of the guard.

Ultimately, 32 chunk came out on top last year -- both 856 and 747 had chilled out in their old age, and 151 Walker has a long history of getting displaced by other bears (especially 128 Grazer), so 32 chunk seized the opportunity. He was very aggressive, especially early in the season -- he ran other bears off the falls entirely before the salmon even arrived, and he sneak-attacked 747 while the old man was taking a nap! When he went on a long courting journey with 101 in early July, there were lots of jokes about how she was keeping the falls peaceful by dragging him off to the middle of nowhere. This isn't to say that 151 walker didn't put up a fight -- he did! But ultimately, it was 32 Chunk who reigned last year.

But now these next few years could be interesting, because 32 Chunk isn't getting any younger, and there's several other boars who might be looking to take the metaphorical crown for themself.

Potential Contenders

This is entirely speculation & is just for fun.

151 Walker

explore.org capture, taken by me, September 17 2024

I mean, obviously. he's huge and 18 and ready to fight -- though last year he did mostly avoid attacking 32 Chunk, focusing instead on other bears. He's been angling for the top boar position for a few years now, though since he's getting older his opportunity window might be pretty small. I think he's the most likely to displace 32 Chunk in the next year or so, but beyond that, I think it gets tougher for him to beat the younger, faster boars. I also think 503 Cubadult could be a serious challenger to him, even as soon as this coming summer.

503 Cubadult

Explore.org capture, taken by me, September 17 2024

This guy is 12 years old, big as hell (seriously, in early summer he looks like a bear on stilts), and only getting bigger. The main question here, I think, will be whether or not he wants to try and be at the top. Not every boar is the level of dominant or aggressive required to hold that position, and so far he hasn't seemed particularly inclined towards fighting. Though, he does seem to Basically Not Care About 32 Chunk At All. But if he does start leaning towards aggression more heavily, I think the crown could be his pretty quick.

164 Bucky

explore.org capture, taken by me, August 22 2024

This young guy still has a lot of growing to do, as he is only 8 years old. But he is already pretty big, and he's also got a huge attitude, especially with the older, bigger boars. (CW: video of serious bear violence) He had a brutal fight with 151 Walker last year where he refused to back down until 856 showed up, and he is constantly encroaching on other bears' space. I think that if 503 Cubadult doesn't become the level of dominant required, then 164 Bucky has a very serious chance of being in charge -- once his body catches up to his attitude, that is!

If anyone else has thoughts about boars at Brooks River that they think could be in charge in the next few years, i'd love to hear them!!

#katmai national park #katmai #brown bears #katmai bears #bears #ursidae #talking abt bears #decided to write this up now since i have my adhd meds again lol #i think 89 backpack is big enough but i dont think he's interested tbh #too nice and playful lol

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gwenniesqueals · 24 days ago

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Currently Watching 10-06-2025

I know it looks like a lot, but honestly its less than last weeks since a few shows finished.

Boys in Love: I wish I had a teacher like Mr. Tan when growing up. He see's Shane's differences and helps him see that they aren't bad things. Not only that but the previous episode where he and Nut are talking about how more open and accepting society is as a whole. I was expecting this show to be a cute little hs boy love thing and the messages its actually sending is what I would have wanted to hear back then.

Break Up Service: What even was that whole episode?

Ex-Morning: The way I would have broken down and actually caught a charge if I was Phi by now, its insane.

Eye Contact: Lots of things going on here, can't wait to watch them sneak into each other's spaces.

Oh My Ghost Clients: Still loving this show, really didn't think I would.

Good Boy: The extreme bi-sexual panic persists. I broke DOWN at the one part with the friend (trying to not give spoilers) Like why did we have to break Bo Gum. He's good at crying but it hurts to keep seeing.

Happiness: Alright, I picked it back up. I haven't dropped it again yet, but it is so hard for me to not compare it to the Kdrama.

My Sweetheart Jom: I need this to be a little faster. Also seeing Saint in both this and Happiness is throwing me off.

Knock out: I'm only halfway through this latest episode, don't hate me for it, I just have not been in the mood for it and trust me I do regret it.

I Love A Lot of You: I might drop this tbh. The only thing keeping me somewhat interested is peeks at Junior. The plot just isn't for me.

Season of Love in Shimane: After watching episode three I wasn't sure what to expect from this latest episode. I absolutely cannot wait for it all to come out that everyone is interested in everyone else lmao.

The Next Prince: Y'all the club? And they just "lost" Calvin like what? The random trauma, and yes it is random- there have been previous times where they are in the rain and there has been no meltdown. Y'all can hate on me all you want but its weird that they just threw it in there now. They could have built it up more, I'm just saying.

I Promise I'll Come Back: I feel for Mr. runner up, but like he could have made his moves earlier...

Reset: Baby boy keeps talking about the future and things that happen without a care in the world. He's going to end up getting thrown into therapy if he doesn't chill with it. Also Man's just rolls with it like it's not the most out of pocket stuff.

Our Unwritten Seoul: Park Bo Young is continually proving to me how amazing of an actress she is. I am obsessed with this show to the point where I've already watched the last couple of episodes twice.

Second Shot at Love: Dude, I feel for the older sister. As an older sister everyone else can get out of her business

Ball Boy Tactics: Oh this one is going to be so good. I cannot wait for episodes 3 and 4 this week.

My Stubborn: That bathroom scene, enough said. Sorn is for sure getting what's coming to him next episode. Unfortunately it's probably not therapy.

Sweetheart Service: These two are still so cute together.

Tastefully yours: I'm so behind on it for two reasons. 1. I'm watching it with my partner. 2. We had to attend a wedding this past weekend. However I did have some stuff spoiled for me and I cannot wait to watch.

Shows I finished this week:

Cosmetic Playlover: What a back and forth. They seemed like they had zero communication with each other and that was hella frustrating.

Sweet Tooth, Good Dentist: Gmmtv really botched not promoting this show as much as they should have. Mark and Ohm deserved better, they killed it with this show.

Nine Puzzles: Woah. Just Woah. This, despite having to watch it dubbed, is probably one of my top straight kdramas this year.

At 25:00, in Asaka: Why was it so good?

Takara's Treasure: I loved the communication between these two <3 So much better compared to most couples in dramas istg.

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lilypadlys · 2 months ago

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Mushy May 2025 Day Fourteen - First Kiss

Ship: Aurora/Solaris

Notes: Inspired by @moronwithoutmo ’s gorgeous art of demigoddess Solaris (here)

Word Count: 476

Read on AO3 or below the cut

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“Oh that's lovely!” Solaris exclaims as Aurora shows off her portfolio of sketches and paintings. Solaris has been curious about absolutely everything topside, the arts being no exception.

“Hehe thanks! And this one I drew of Mountain.” She flips the page of her sketchbook to a gorgeous charcoal illustration. It's unmistakable as the towering earth ghoul down to his little freckles and the cowlick that makes his hair fluff around the base of his left horn.

“That looks just like him! Wait-” Solaris flips a few pages back and nods. “I recognize your art style. You don’t happen to be the ministry’s portrait artist do you?”

Aurora blushes and grins. “I mean I’ve only done the most recent portraits but-”

“Oh my Satan I knew it! I was gonna say, this one and this one,” She points to a landscape and then a bust sketch of Copia, “really reminded me of the farm scene in the library and then Copia’s portrait in the hallway to the chapel.”

“I may or may not have painted those, yeah.” She giggles.

“That’s so cool! I wanna see more.” She turns forward in the book again but over shoots, missing her stopping place at the sketch of Mountain.

“Ah wait-” Aurora tries to stop her but it's too late. Solaris has already flipped the page. Then she stops, eyes wide. “Oh!”

On the page is a full color illustration of none other than Solaris. She recognizes the arches of the gazebo where the girls had been having a picnic the other day and realizes what Aurora must have been sketching then as they chatted. Aurora has rendered her lifelike and yet ethereal at the same time, lit from behind with the glow of the setting sun and her wings spread in almost angelic glory. Solaris is speechless.

“Ahh!” Aurora scrambles to explain. “It was supposed to be a surprise and it's not quite finished but…do you like it?”

Solaris simply cannot get her mouth to work, much less make any sounds resembling words in any language. Instead her body moves faster than her brain and she just fully kisses Aurora on the mouth. When she pulls back, the two of them wear matching shocked expressions.

“Ahem…I really like it.” She grins sheepishly.

“I’ll draw you all the art you want if that’s the reward.” Aurora giggles blushing.

Solaris is flushed even more violently but still she manages to get out, “You don’t have to do more art just to get me to kiss you. You already are art.”

It’s Aurora’s turn to fight for words, mouth opening and closing with no sound coming out. Finally she croaks, “Kiss. Again. Please?”

Solaris answers by pressing her lips to Aurora’s before she’s even finished speaking. Their hands tangle in each other’s hair as the kiss deepens and the sketchbook quickly becomes forgotten.

#the band ghost #aurora ghoulette #solaris ghoulette #aurora/solaris #nameless ghouls #ghost fanfiction #mushy may 2025 #lys writes

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on1occasionfork · 7 months ago

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2024 fic roundup

Thanks for the tag, @brenna, and for making this, @cheeseplants

What fandoms do you write in?

Good Omens these days

How many words have you published in 2024?

153,615!

What is your greatest achievement this year?

Writing-wise, it's gotta be But, soft! It's the longest thing I've ever written. You know what sticks with me though? A lovely friend told me she saved chapters to read on days she had to have medical treatment or needed cheering up. I can't imagine a higher bit of praise for my silly fluffy cat story. On days that I get discouraged, that's what I remember.

I also bit the bullet after many years and got a tattoo, designed by fellow Goblin Catartkd. It might not seem directly fic-related, but Good Omens fic and the fandom have reenergized my creativity, and every time I see it, it's a reminder of the joy to be found in those things.

What are your favourite top three fics you wrote this year?

But, soft!

Thus Saith the Lord

Gen Az

What was your biggest pit of despair moment?

No huge pit of despair, but quite a few moments of panic when I was posting faster than I was writing! If there was any despair, it was around getting stuck on the first thing I started writing for Good Omens.

What have you learned?

More than anything else I've learned how incredibly kind, smart, and wonderful this fandom is. I've had nothing but lovely interactions with folks, and I'm always impressed that no matter how obscure a reference is...someone's going to get it.

Quite a bit about hyphenating compound adjectives

A LOT about US geography

What fic did you want to do but never made it off the ground?

Hey @dbacklot99 -- here's where we talk about Abide. This story is nine chapters in, unposted, and I got a) stuck with the plot and b) distracted by Nursing Home AU, cats, and many other things. BUT. There is suddenly light at the end of the tunnel, thanks to @spectrallydistracted, and it's gonna be one of my 2025 projects.

Did you beta any fics? Any favs you want to shout out?

Shake Like Hell and Spell Success, Experiential Learning, and Yield by @kneelbeforeyourdogbabylon

Currently betaing Good Works by @majnoonathelibrarian

Midnight Ride by @brenna

And several other fantastic stories, some of which have been posted and some of which are still WIPs and about which I am super excited.

What three fics have you read this year that you love?

Oh come on. Three? Ridiculous. Gonna pick a few that were only published this year and which I have already read at least twice.

Eerie Was the Way by @kneelbeforeyourdogbabylon

That Certain Night by @adverbian

Consenting Cycle Repairmen by @groovynightstrawberry

Honey, There Is No Right Way by @voluptatiscausa

Stuck on You by @zin-lynn-c

Terminus by @emotional-support-demon-crowley

The Best Part by @happynachohologram

tidal disruption (I love the world because I love you) by @chlorine-and-daisies

@firstvisittoearth's Poetry Collection

What ideas are percolating for next year?

Abide — a post s2 "All of us against all of them" story

More you can't take the stars from me — I haven't had much time, but I'm excited to combine two stories that I deeply love, and I've been so happy about all the Browncoats it brought to my attention!

In Plain Sight — a riff on Witness.

Who do you want to thank?

@nosferatini and the @goodomensafterdark mod crew, both here and on Reddit. Nos, I'm so glad you pulled me in. Mods, you have created a space that is so welcoming, so supportive, and I cannot tell you how much I value it.

Everybody who has read, commented on, or recced any of my stuff, but especially my first published GO work, Our homeward steps were just as light. Plus @nosferatini again who turned it into an incredible podfic and @daneecastle who created beautiful art.

All the people who have given me ideas of food, destinations, etc. for Thus Saith the Lord, but especially @moderndayklutz. All those above who have either betaed for me or let me beta for them. @isiaiowin for rekindling my love of poetry.

And most of all, to my @sexy-sheep, love of my life who, when I hesitantly said that I had started writing GO fic, said, “I wondered how long it would take,” and immediately gave me the idea for But, soft! — you are the best of wives and best of women, the best brainstorming partner I could ever want, and the person I’m glad I fall asleep (or stay awake and read until 3am) next to every night.

Anyone in my tags feel free to join in or in fact anyone at all.

#Good omens #tag game #fanfic #good omens fic

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averagef1fansblog · 9 months ago

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My tierlist.

1. My GOAT is the reason I started watching F1.

2. I started to believe in Oscar Piastri's WDC potential. I see the vision of op81 fans and am right there with them.

3. Valtteri is such a cool guy; I have always liked him since his days at Williams, especially James, and this is Valtteri thing.

Esteban is such a nice guy that there is nothing to dislike, at least off track.

Yuki; My fellow of the same height, a person of colour, is coming to F1, and you think I am not supporting him? I am right there.

Guanyu fashion is 🤌🏽 - However, his driving skills are lacking, which is unfortunate.

I believed in the Charles WDC potential talks in 2019 and 2020; Ferrari has fucked him over numerous times, but Charles, when is your villain era coming? It should have happened in 2022. Both he and Ferrari fumbled.

4. I tolerate all of the people in this tier, and my opinion of them is largely based on their relationship with Lewis.

5. Lance Stroll, I used to root for you, my fellow Canadian, but some shady things he had done, such as pushing his trainer, made me dislike him.

Carlos is here because the Spanish media treats him as if he is on the same level as Charles, despite the fact that the talent gap is greater than most people realize. Anyone who is liked by the Spanish media, I am the polar opposite.

Daniel "It is all noise and distractions." PRicciardo, I am not moved by his bubble and smiley guy persona.

Alex "They race me too hard" or "it is just karma" (when discussing AD2021) Albon. Carlos will reveal your mediocrity in 2025, and Franco is already doing so.

Alonso, where do I start? First and foremost, his entire incident with Spanish gp blackface in 2007, which he chose to ignore when it was his countrymen doing it, and calling Lewis a clown for dressing however he wants. He is a talented driver, however, and there is a reason he has won 2x WDC.

6. Max has his own category solely for the AD2021 thing (i don’t blame him fuck masi), which I understand is a sport but I just do not like, as well as the whole defeding Nelson Piquet thing. I like his honesty in some things, like how he just says what he thinks, but Max, you will never have a fan in me, but I can respect you are a talented mf.

7. The British media, his fans, and even some members of Team LH believe he is all that. He threw away so many wins after Miami that they are dismissing it as nothing; imagine if Lewis, Max, or Charles were doing that. They would be crucified, but little Lando Norris cannot handle the pressure. This man reignited my haterism for sports; I had not hated anyone since 2022, when Real Madrid won the Champions League. If he wins a championship before Leclerc, with a car faster than anyone since Canada or Spain, I will not be moved. Took 6 seasons for him to finally win races.

- That is all. Franco would probably go in the “i like you” category because he is my fellow TeamLH guy.

#formula 1 #lewis hamilton #oscar piastri #valtteri bottas #yuki tsunoda #charles leclerc #george russell #lance stroll #carlos sainz #sergio perez #daniel ricciardo #alex albon #fernando alonso #max verstappen #lando norris #f1 2024

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bleedingichorhearts · 4 months ago

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𝐑𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭’𝐬 {𝐂𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐝}

“Got a little bored. Here a lil’ Request page. This will be on my Masterlist page too. I was feeling like I can conquer some requests, whether it would be of my own OC’s or well, fictional characters.😅” - Ichor

Fandoms(So Far:) Warhammer 40k, Space Marine Husbandry Sentience and Dark Sentience, Elden Ring, Bioshock, Skyrim, Subnautica and few misc’s like: fabled creatures, knights, & robot.

Willing To Try(More Can Be Added:) Solo Leveling, Overlord TV Series, DbD, Destiny 2, MHW, Pacific Rim.

Can Do: Fluff, Yandere, Gore, Smut, Non-Con/Dub-Con, Oviposition, Tentacles, Polygamy, Teratophilia, Robophilia, Agalmatophilia, Xenophilia, Somnophilia.

Cannot Do: Cheating, Underage/Pedo, Sexual Torture, Humiliation, Degradation, Exhibitionism, Squirting.

Clarity: Please, do be a bit detailed if you want anything specific. If you want SMUT, add that clarity in there. Noncon/Dubcon, add that in your request. Want a homeless guy? Put em’ in there.

10/10 Limit: There is a limit of how many asks I will take with reason, but I honestly can be swayed to do more. That is if you can handle me with my horrid timing.

Timing: Is still atrocious. Would recommend that you should have the patience of a saint for me or simply find another that can please you faster.

Multiple Requests & Difficulties: Keep in mind that I could have multiple requests. Some longer than another’s. So, that could postpone your own requests. What also could impact it is the Authors Health & their own stories to write.

Solo Writer & Collab: I’m mostly a Solo Writer. I don’t have a Beta Reader except you guys. So, grammar mistakes are very much inbound. Despite being Solo, I don’t mind doing a Collab! Whatever it maybe! Willing to try it out.

My OC’s: You may request my OC’s! Give them a smooch or two, give them a talkin to and tell em’ what’s up. They shall respond! They will love it! Especially Blasius. ;)

WH40k, MerMay 2025: Otherwise known as my… progressing “Nox Thalassic” AU will be in effect here and there. It doesn’t mean it would just stop at the end of May though.

“More could be possibly added, but this is what I got in the mean time. I would love to hear what kind of heresy you guy’s can come up with for me to snack on, lol.” - Ichor

#⚜️ichors’ request’s #requests open #request #requests #warhammer 40k #space marine husbandry #space marine husbandry sentience #space marine husbandry dark sentience #skyrim #bioshock #elden ring

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discoveringthebible · 1 month ago

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Pride 2025 Part 1

I cannot believe we are already halfway through 2025. As I get older, the time seems to be going by faster and faster (even though time is constant.)

I am not sure that I have ever really taken the time to blog specifically on Pride on this blog before. So, this year, I am.

On my Facebook page I have a lot of conservative Christian friends. This post is for them, but most likely, very few will probably read it, so I hope this will give a bit of encouragement to my liberal Christian friends.

Two years ago I wrote a book, "The Case for Christian Inclusivity: How the Misinterpretation of Scripture Paved the Way for Church Homophobia, Pedophilia and Sexual Assault." I wrote it more as a therapy to help me get through church trauma from the Church of the Nazarene. But, I also thought it might be a good tool for Christians who believe that LGBTQ+ have a rightful place in the leadership of the Christian Church to use so that it might open eyes of conservative Christians who believe that just by being or associating with the gay community, that they are sinning.

I used to believe that.

I used to believe that being gay was a choice and that by that choice, people were sinning against God and choosing to go against God's covenant of marriage. Over the past couple of years especially, I have been repenting from that belief.

Associating with and being a part of the LGBTQ+ community is not sinful, if it was, the millions around the world who prayed to God to take that sin away, God would have taken it.

And how do I know?

I lost track at how many sleepless nights I had, crying out to God, to take away this part of me.

(If it isn't obvious, by now, I identify as bisexual.)

After much time, reflection and prayer, it occurred to me: What if God isn't taking this "sin" away from me, because it isn't a sin at all? Why would the God of love torture me in that regard?

God wouldn't.

And if God did, I am not sure I would want to worship a God like that.

For Pride this year, I am going to be blogging excerpts from my book, in hopes that it sparks good dialogue. That it might open some hearts and minds to the fact that the overall arching teaching about homosexuality in the Bible is actually a misinterpretation.

To start, I am going to be referencing Part 2: The Current Consequences of LGBTQ+ Individuals in the Church:

"The Pew Research Center, which began in 2004, according to their website, is a "nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. We conduct public opinion polling, demographic research, content analysis and other data-driven social science research. -93% of all LGBT Adults see at least one religious institution as "unfriendly." Proverbs 18:1-2: 1: Unfriendly people are only about themselves; they lash out at common sense. 2: Fools have no interest in understanding; they only want to air their own opinions. -76% of religious adults believe homosexuality should be discouraged, by frequency of attendance at religious services James 2:8-9: Yes indeed, it is good when you obey the royal law as found in the Scriptures: "Love your neighbor as yourself (quoting Leviticus 19:18). 9: But if you favor some people over others, you are committing a sin. You are guilty of breaking the law. To discourage people from coming to church to worship the living God is downright shameful and ridiculous. We should be welcoming everyone who wants to come to church and greet them with the love and kindness God has shown us, not bar people because we might not like something about them. James 2:1-4: NASB: 1: My brothers and sisters, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism. 2: For if a man comes into your assembly with a gold ring and is dressed in bright clothes, and a poor man in dirty clothes also comes in, 3: and you pay special attention to the one who is wearing bright clothes, and say, "You sit here in a good place," and you say to the poor man, "You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool." 4: have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives? We must stop being evil judges who are trying to kick out the LGBTQ+ people and allies in our churches. May God have mercy on our souls if anyone believes this is the right action, when clearly it violates Scripture. -48% of LGBT+ adults are unaffiliated with religion -60% (of the 48%) are 18-29 year olds -45% (of the 48%) are 30-49 year olds -39% (of the 48%) are 50 or older*

*Bolton, Cody Marie. The Case for Christian Inclusivity: How the Misinterpretation of Scripture Paved the Way for Church Homophobia, Pedophilia and Sexual Assault. Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing. 2023. pgs. 18-19

Unfortunately, the LGBTQ+ demographic seems to be "lost", not because of what they are doing, but because how Christians have treated them.

In Part 2, we will discuss more about the exact misinterpretation that has caused this hatred toward our LGBTQ+ brothers and sisters.

In Part 3, we will also discuss how Pedophilia is also involved and how it pretty much runs unchecked.

In Part 4, we will also discuss Sexual Assault and how it is all connected with this misinterpretation of homosexuality in the Bible.

In Part 5, we will take a look at the Scripture verses themselves, like Leviticus 18:22 and others, and what should be the more appropriate interpretation than what is the current "standard."

Happy Pride!

Peace, Love and Blessings,

Cody Marie

#pride month #gay pride #bisexual #the bible #christianity #god #love #justice #thebible

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boxboxblog · 1 month ago

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Monaco GP 2025: Quali Chat

Alrighty everyone, I finally got around to watching qualifying! An interesting one I would say, with some surprising results and more than a few heartbreaks. I cannot dive into every single drivers performances (that would be a bit much) but I will discuss my standouts, both negative and positive, in no particular order. But first, a general analysis of what is important in Monaco.

General:

So I think anyone who watched this quali can see that Monaco is a unique track. Tight, windy, supremely technical. The track requires intense focus more than any other, the kind of focus that lets a driver brush millimeters away from the wall but somehow keep it clean. Or not. There are always the or-nots. But what exactly is most important when qualifying in Monaco?

Track evolution is always the first one that comes to mind. Because Monaco is a street circuit. It is pedestrian, it is not like normal tracks with their consistency and regularity and the way racing is constant. Bumpier, rougher, and far less grip to begin with than a classic circuit. So as the quali session went on, the more rubber the tires left down, the more grip increased. This meant that when their laps were completed was extra important. One car might put a 1:10 up but then five minutes later, as more cars go through to lay down more rubber, they could go out and do a 1:09 on the same tires. What changed was the grip. I think we saw that today in the final shoot out for pole, when Norris put in a final lap to snatch it from Leclerc. It was the smallest of gaps between them, but Norris had gone after Leclerc. To me, that was all the difference.

Another major thing was the walls. To be more specific, the skill of getting so damn close to the walls that you get faster pace, but far enough away to cause no damage. Some drivers can do this brilliantly, among them Norris, Leclerc, and Verstappen. Some drivers struggle a little. The big one of the day was Kimi Antonelli, who cut a corner slightly too close, popped a tire and thus went into the barriers. This was a session lost by the smallest of margins. It just shows how important focus, carefulness, and dancing right on the edge in Monaco. Another rider that suffered slightly from this was Oscar Piastri, who had more than a few close encounters with the walls. I think it made him lose a little confidence, and so he played it safer than he probably should have during his final lap. This meant he had a time behinds both his teammate and a Ferrari. The walls are tight and close moments can psychologically shake drivers enough ti have an impact on results. Staying cool matters. Beyond those things, since this track is like this, there are a lot of crashes in Monaco. This means red flags and yellows flags, which have destroyed more than a few drivers qualifyings in the past. Look at Ollie Bearman, who has a ten place grid penalty for a red flag infringement. These kind of things have a major impact on quali results and starting positions

One major aspect of this quali that i will discuss is the traffic. Anyone who had been paying attention to the practices this week probably noticed something There were more drivers complaining about impeding then any race to date this year. All of this stems from the way Monaco is set up, i.e extremely tight. It is super difficult to avoid each other on this track, and because of that there tends to be a lot of impeding. This means a clean lap is more important than a lot of other qualifyings. Anything could happen to ruin one: you could be impeded and have your lap ruined, you could clip someone you are attempting to get around, you could crash into the back of another car. One example we are already seeing of how important traffic can be is the many penalties drivers have already received for impeding. Stroll, four grid drops for impeding multiple drivers. Hamilton, a three place drop for impeding Verstappen. Monaco incarnate; anything can happen, keep calm and carry on.

The final thing I will talk about when it comes to Monaco's quali is simple; luck. It might seem silly to say, but it is true in a certain few tracks in F1. One of those tracks is Monaco. Dreams have been made and destroyed on this intense street circuit. We have seen drivers who have everything, pace, car, team, skill, lose it all in the blink of an eye from something they could have never prevented. So a huge part of quali here is luck. In today's session, the luck unfortunately seemed to be of the bad sort for a few drivers. One of them was George Russell, who experienced some kind of mechanical failure during Q2 that immediately meant he would be starting in fourteenth, right in front of his teammate, who had crashed. That's just one example of how luck can really effect quali in Monaco. It's not something I can say for certain, but it is almost like there is always a heartbreak and hero when it comes to this race. So call me silly, but luck is a big part of good results in Monaco.

Anyway, enough of the general. Let's dive into my standouts.

Lando Norris:

So Norris was for sure one of my standouts of this quali. He kind obviously has to be, setting the all-time lap record and taking his first pole at this track. Norris drove a solid weekend, but he really locked in for Q2 and Q3. He kind of surprised me actually, but his final lap to take pole was flawless. The McLaren car's straightline speed in Monaco is crazy compared to a lot of other cars, even if their cornering is not their their strongest point, and this was pushed to the limits. Norris clearly feels comfortable in his car and when he is in the zone he has some of the smoothest most precise drivers on the grid. He was just in control the last two sessions, and the confidence that he attacked the track with was inspiring.

Charles Leclerc:

There is something magical about Leclerc in Monaco. Going into this weekend there was almost no hope for Ferrari. Imola quali was an embarrassment, the season for them has been a mess, and they seemed to be backsliding more than moving forward. But the performances so far have surprised me. Both Hamilton and Leclerc markedly improved in the timesheets, but it was Leclerc that blew me away. There is no other driver who seems so comfortable around Monaco as him. Let's be clear, he is in the vastly inferior car, yet he was the one driver who could bring the fight to McLaren. His aggression on the corners is perfection, the way he cuts it so tight and clean and stunning. An article said that it almost seems like Monaco sings a song only Leclerc understand. That feels to be accurate, even with pole being taken from him. I have much excitement for tomorrows race.

Isak Hadjar:

I don't usually like to play favorites. But perhaps I have been too obvious in my admiration for Isak Hadjar. Yet another brilliant quali performance, cementing himself as the best rookie qualifier by a landslide. Consistent, clean, well-formed, all of these words just outline how Hadjar is doing. He really is getting the max performance out of the car he has, which to any top team would be an important skill. His confidence in the car today was clear, and on a track like Monaco that made all the difference. There is just something so impressive about such a young driver, on who at the beginning of the year crashed out of his first F1 race, show his hand as the most consistent of the rookies. Just lovely work.

Esteban Ocon:

Every since Ocon joined Haas, he has seemed to bloom. I think a lot of people have had doubts about him over the years. But Ocon is proving them all wrong in my opinion. The Haas may not be the fastest car, but he is having some stellar moments. One of them was this quali, securing a top ten finish. Brilliant results for Haas coming from a driver who seems to be more and more steady and secure each weekend. This showed in Monaco, and it is especially clear because of how technically difficult the circuit is. Skill shines here, and Ocon clearly was showing his own off. More than that, the communication within the Haas team is top tier. Have to give a shout out to his race engineer and their pit wall.

Starting Grid:

Norris

Leclerc

Piastri

Verstappen

Hadjar

Alonso

Hamilton (three place grid penalty)

Ocon

Lawson

Albon

Sainz

Tsunoda

Hulkenberg

Russell

Antonelli

Bortoleto

Gasly

Colapinto

Stroll (four place grid penalties)

Bearman (ten place grid penalty)

See you after the race!

Cheers,

-B

#f1 #formula 1 #f1 qualis #monaco gp 2025

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